Skip to main content

Full text of "The great concern of salvation, in three parts. I. A discovery of man's natural state; or, The guilty sinner convicted. II. Man's recovery by faith in Christ: or, The convinced sinner's case and cure. III. The Christian's duty, with respect to both personal and family religion"

See other formats 


<&*,. 


4  o 


<>*  «*fc' 


■oV 


.* 


♦  .mwvk0      V..,, 

v3  J*      J~/ir*^->       "C 


°.       V^ 


*♦ 


*0^  -Sis':    ^°-    -. 


THE 


GREAT  CONCERN 


OF 


SALVATION, 


IN  THREE  PARTS. 


I.  A  Discovery  of  MWs  Natural  State ;  or,  the  Guilty  Sinner  Convietef. 

II.  Man's  Recovery   by   Faith  In  Christ :  or,   the  Convinced   Sinner's 
Case  and  Cure. 

III.  The  Christian's  Duty,  with  respect  to  both  Personal  and  Family 
Religion. 


BY  THE  LATE  REV.  THOMJr   VA'YBURTON. 

PROFESSOR  OF  DIVINITY  IN  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  ST.  ANDREW5** 

SCOTLAND.  w 


ELIZABETH  TOWN: 

PUBLISHED  BY  MERVIN  HALE. 

B.  AND  P.  CANFIFLD,   PRINTERS. 

1814b. 


■0750 


i      n 


The  Library 
of  Congress 


WASHINGTON 

mmmr..-.^-^.ri.l-^~^:.^:^tl  |  ft 


PREFACE. 


*  *  ERE  it  not  to  answer  the  expectation  of  readers,  and  comply  with 
the  custom  of  writers,  the  following  book  might  be  ventured  out  to  the 
world,  without  either  preface,  introduction,  or  recommendation,  the  very 
title-page  containing  enough  to  entitle  it  to  a  careful  and  candid  reading 
and  perusal. 

The  worth  and  credit  of  the  author  is  sufficiently  established  among 
such  as  have  any  taste  for  piety  or  learning. 

By  the  history  of  his  life,  which  has  met  with  very  good  acceptance,  it 
appears  that  he  was  a  man  of  God,  one  whom  he  had  set  apart  for  him- 
self. How  distinct  and  pointed  was  he  in  observing  the  Lord's  way  and 
work,  in  bringing  him  to  himself!  And  where  can  we  see  a  brighter  ex- 
ample, in  these  latter  Cays  of  the  world,  of  the  humbling  exercises  and 
comfortable  enjoyment  of  Christians,  than  in  the  author  ? 

How  exciting  and  edifying  is  it,  to  see  how  close  he  walked  with  God  in 
his  secret  intercourse  with  him,  in  his  domestic  relations,  and  family  devo- 
tions, in  his  public  and  ministerial  work,  and  his  conversation  before  the? 
world,  setting'  the  Lord  always  before  him,  and  acknowledging  him,  in 
all  his  ways  ! 

May  we  not  then  expect  something  very  well  worth  our  while,  in  the 
performance  of  one  of  such  a  character  ?  One  that  had  the  contents  of  the 
book  written  upon  his  own  heart,  before  he  preached  them  to  his  people, 
and  was  a  living  and  lively  witness  and  example  of  the  great  and  grave 
truths  now  exhibited  to  public  view. 

However  little  this  part  of  his  character  may  take  with  the  multitude, 
yet  those  truly  serious,  who  valued  him  while  Living,  and  have  an  honour 
for  his  memory  when  dead,  will,  no  doubt,  take  pleasure  to  see  how  the 
great  purposes  in  the  book  were  managed  by  such  an  excellent  hand ;  and 
the  brethren  that  were  concerned  in  the  publishing  of  it,  can,  with  a  good 
deal  of  assurance,  say,  that  the  experience,  upon  perusing,  will  answer  the 
expectations  raised,  of  meeting  with  a  spirit  of  seriousness  and  piety 
breathing  in  it,  and  a  great  deal  of  solid  judgment  and  distinct  thought  ; 
and,  in  some  incident  questions,  not  incurious,  there  is  sufficient  evidence 
of  his  penetration,  and  what  may  be  very  agreeable  and  taking  to  them 
v  ho  set  up  for  something  above  what  is  vulgar. 

There  is  nothing  in  it  mean,  or  unworthy  of  a  grave,  jnciicious  and 
learned  author:  If  any  thing  look  that  way,  it  is  where  the  necessity  of 
the  matter,  and  capacity  of  those  he  dealt  with,  required  it,  becoming  all 
things  to  all  men  ;  particularly  when  dealing  with  children,  it  was  fit  to 
do  it  as  near  their  own  terms  as  possible  :  for  to  suit  matter  to  the  designs 
we  have,  and  to  the  conditions  of  those  we  deal  with,  is  no  argument  of 
the  want,  but  of  the  strength  of  judgment. 


He  was  excellently  fitted  and  enriched  with  talents,  for  every  post 
Providence  called  him  to,  having  filled  and  adorned  the  Doctor's  chair,  as 
Professor  of  Divinity,  as  well  as  the  pulpit,  while  Pastor  to  a  Christian 
flock. 

But  though  there  had  been  less  to  say  for  the  author,  the  contents  of 
4he  book  deserve  a  fair  hearing,  and  a  serious  perusal ;  why  ?  it  is  the 
•beat  concert?,  it  is  not  a  trifle,  it  is  not  an  amusement ;  no,  it  is  of  the 
last  consequence  to  us  to  know  these  things.  Many  live  unconcerned,  and 
love  to  do  so  ;  it  may  be,  the  very  title  shall  be  with  such  an  argument 
against  reading ;  there  is  little  hope  of  fixing  such  so  long  as  to  read  the 
book,  or  so  deep  as  to  do  it  seriously,  and  with  due  concern  ;  and  no  won- 
der, when  those  so  indifferent  about  the  great  concerns  of  eternity,  and 
their  precious  souls,  suffer  the  seripture  oracles  to  lie  by  them,  without 
due,  frequent,  and  serious  inquiry  into  them. 

Here  is  presented  to  the  view  of  Christians,  and  those  who  would  in- 
deed be  such,  what,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  may  be  very  entertaining, 
edifying,  and  useful. 

The  first  fruits  of  his  labours,  in  the  sermon  next  after  his  ordination, 
printed  as  an  introduction  to  the  book,  shews  how  much  his  work  was  at 
heart,  and  under  what  concern  he  was,  to  prepare  the  people  for  enter- 
taining and  improving  his  ministry  and  message,  and  to  approve  himself  t<* 
God,  in  the  discharge  and  delivery  thereof. 

In  the  First  Part,  the  state  of  nature  is  represented  as  a  state  of  sin, 
misery,  and  wrath,  in  the  most  pungent,  affecting  and  convincing  terms 
imaginable;  where  the  guilty  sinner  is  closely  pursued  into  all  the  turns 
and  stages  of  life,  and  convicted  of  sin :  in  each  and  all  of  them,  sin  is 
represented  as  odious  and  abominable,  as  exceeding  sinful. 

It  is  laid  open  in  such  glasses,  and  with  such  aggravations,  as  it  is  hard 
to  avoid  the  convictions  of  it,  but  where  natural  hardness  is  increased,  by 
the  malignant  influence  of  Satan,  whose  great  design  and  strength  lies  in 
keeping  all  in  peace. 

The  divine  resentments  against  sin,  wrath,  and  judgment,  upon  sinners, 
are  likewise  set  forth  in  such  a  manner,  as  cannot  easily  miss  to  raise  ter- 
ror in  the  consciences  of  the  guilty  :  present  wrath  in  the  direful  effects  of 
it,  wrath  to  come  in  the  extent  and  extremity  of  it,  are  held  forth  in  such 
a  lively  manner,  as  must  raise  the  gratitude  of  those  happily  delivered 
from  it,  and  bids  very  fair  to  alarm  and  awaken  those  yet  under  it,  to  es- 
cape and  flee  for  their  lives. 

Then,  upon  supposition  of  conviction  of  sin  and  guilt,  in  the  Second 
Part,  the  exercises  of  the  convinced  sinner  are  opened  up  most  distinctly 
and  judiciously,  in  their  nature,  rise,  workings,  and  degrees,  and  in  such 
a  feeling  manner  as  may  easily  persuade  one,  that  he  has,  in  this  matter, 
copied  over  his  own  experience  :  and  it  is  some  degree  of  satisfaction  to 
one  in  this  condition,  to  have  one  going  before  them,  and  to  think  that 
their  guide  has  trodden  the  same  path. 

With  what  tenderness  and  compassion  doth  he  touch  the  cases  of  the 
distressed  !  while  yet,  with  faithfulness  and  freedom,  he  opens  up  the 
mistakes  and  deceits,  both  in  the  workings  and  issue  of  convictions,  ap- 
proving himself  an  interpreter,  one  among  a  thousand.  Those  who  by 
the  Spirit  are  convinced  of  sin,  will  know  how  to  put  a  value  upon  a  piece 
so  suitable  to  their  case  ;  and  those  awakened  and  convinced,  are  led,  by  a 
skilful  hand,  to  the  centre  of  rest  for  wearied  souls,  by  the  way  of  faith, 
and  believing  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  gives  occasion  for  opening 
up  the  mystery  of  faith,  in  its  nature,  acts,  and  properties,  concomitants, 
,  and  consequences,  which  will  be  found  very  useful  for  informing  the  le<95 
knowing,  confirming  the  weak,  and  comforting  the  strong  believer. 


PREFACE.  Y 

And  what  can  be  of  greater  importance  for  us  to  know,  than  the  only 
way  of  escaping  wrath  to  come,  and  being  delivered  from  the  curse  and 
condemnation  of  the  law,  of  being  united  to  Christ,  and  being  found  in 
him,  upon  which  he  becomes  our  righteousness  and  strength,  whereby  we 
are  entitled  to  the  great  salvation  ? 

Of  which  salvation  the  author  treats  as  the  great  encouragement  of  be- 
lieving; and  this  is  the  one  thing  necessary  :  for,  What  is  a  man  profited, 
if  he  gain  the  tohole  -world  and  lose  his  oivn  soul  ?  This  salvation  "is  set 
forth  in  scripture -light,  accounted  for  in  its  parts  and  properties,  at  a  good 
length  :  and  as  this  is  of  the  last  consequence  to  all,  so  it  must  be  the  de- 
light of  those  that  have  it  at  heart. 

If  thou  art  convinced  and  awakened,  and  brought  to  a  coneern  about 
salvation,  if  brought  to  the  jailor's  case,  thou  wilt  welcome  the  help  here 
offered,  and  readily  attend  to  the  answer  of  the  Apostle  to  his  question  : 
for  what  can  be  more  proper  and  pertinent  to  the  case  of  such,  than  the 
ti*ue  way  to  escape  the  misery  of  a  natural  state,  and  attain  the  felicity  of, 
a  gracious  one  ?  These,  as  they  will  not  spare,  so  they  will  not  repent, 
the  pains  of  reading  these  sheets. 

Such  as  are  by  grace  engaged  to  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
are  a  people  saved  of  the  Lord,  will  have  it  at  heart,  what  to  do  for  God  : 
they  will  set  themselves  in  the  strength  of  grace,  to  all  the  duties  of  reli- 
gion, whereby  God  may  be  glorified,  and  their  faith  justified,  and  their 
begun  salvation  promoted :  all  which  good  designs  are  answered  in  the 
Third  Part  of  the  book. 

And  this  gives  an  account  of  personal  religion,  of  the  service  of  God, 
how  we  must  enter  into  it,  and  persevere  in  it;  and  what  more  useful 
piece  of  knowledge  is  there,  than  how  we  may  do  service  to,  and  keep 
up  our  communion  with  God?  Here  our  first  transactions  and  after  walk 
are  pointedly  and  piously  directed. 

Here  also  family  religion  is  opened  in  its  parts,  the  foundations  of  it 
fixed,  and  the  practice  of  it  enforced  with  powerful  arguments,  and  suita- 
ble directions  for  people's  walking  in  their  house,  and  the  proper  duties  of 
the  several  relatives  in  a  family  ;  which,  if  duly  observed,  would  turn  hou- 
ses into  churches  :  and  this  is  very  necessary,  when  family  devotion  is  de- 
clining, and  like  to  wear  out. 

A  public  religion  comes  also  under  consideration  in  this  Part,  or  a  pub- 
lic spirit;  whence  the  thing  is  recommended,  and  yet  cautioned  with 
great  wisdom  and  judgment,  to  prevent  people's  going  out  of  their  sphere, 
and  beyond  their  line. 

The  order,  subordination,  and  mutual  dependencies  and  relations  of  per- 
sonal, domestic,  and  public  religion,  are  nicely  stated,  and  judiciously  dis- 
covered, and  proper  caveats  entered  against  beginning  at  the  wrong  end, 
r;s  seldom  missing  to  end  either  in  apostacy  or  division  ;  which  cannot  but 
be  very  useful  in  the  present  juncture,  when  divisions  so  much  abound, 
and  dividing  inclinations  are  so  much  aloft. 

In  a  word,  there  is  no  part  of  the  book  but  what  is  of  high  importance 
and  great  usefulness  ;  which,  joined  with  the  established  character  and  re- 
putation of  the  author,  entities  it  to  a  kind  reception  and  due  perusal. 

As  these  were  the  main  prompters  of  the  publishing  the  book,  so  they 
may  be  reckoned  sufficient  arguments  for  a  careful  reading  and  improve- 
ment of  it,  now  when  published. 

It  comes  out  with  very  little  alteration,  even  as  to  words,  as  they  stootf. 
in  the  manuscript,  partly  because  it  did  not  much  need  it,  and  partly  out 
of  veneration  for  the  author,  whose  pulpit  skill  and  style  was  so  generally 
acceptable  ;  yet  it  is  not  to  be  supposed,  but  if  it  had  received  a  finishing 

A   % 


stroke  from  his  own  hand,  for  the  press^  it  might  liave  appeared  raoi^e 
beautiful;  though  even  under  this  want,  it  will  be  found,  that  neither  me- 
thod nor  style  is  disagreeable,  though  popular,  and  just  as  prepared  and 
delivered  to  his  people. 

May  all  that  have  encouraged  the  design  of  publishing  the  book,  meet 
with  double  the  reward  of  edification  to  their  own  souls,  and  seeing  it  do 
zuunh  good  to  others.  We  live  in  a  time  when  all  helps  and  advantages 
fteed  to  be  improved,  for  awakening  secure  sinners,  and  bringing  them 
under  soul  uptaking  inquiries  about  salvation,  and  stirring  up  Christians  to 
the  universal  practice  of  piety  and  godliness.  And  as  the  hook  has  a 
plain  tendency  to  these  ends,  go  on  and  read  it,  and  digest  and  apply  it, 
begging  that  feod  may  effectually  bless  and  prosper  it  to  those  good  ends 
tor  which  it  is  designed. 


RECOMMENDATIONS. 


THE  Author  of  these  Discourses  has  discovered  to  the  world,  a  bright 
genius,  strong  reason,  and  solid  learning,  in  the  Treatise  which  he  has 
published  against  the  Deists,  wherein  he  has  carried  the  war  into  their 
quarters,  has  beat  the  infidels  at  their  own  weapons,  and  triumphs  over 
them  in  their  own  camp. 

The  Memoirs  of  his  life,  and  the  secret  transactions  between  God  and 
his  soul,  copied  from  his  private  papers,  sufficiently  manifest  his  acquaint- 
ance with  the  inward  and  vital  part  of  religion,  and  his  deep  insight  into  the 
affairs  of  sin  and  grace 

Now,  where  such  natural  ingenuity,  and  such  learned  endowments,  are 
sanctified  by  such  a  variety  of  rich  experiences,  and  attended  with  such  a 
train  of  Christian  graces,  what  a  glorious  composition  must  all  these  make  ! 
And  how  well  furnished  must  such  a  man  be  for  the  service  of  God,  and 
for  the  salvation  of  men ! 

The  title  page  gives  you  a  short,  but  true  account,  of  the  substance  of 
this  book;  and  the  preface  informs  you  in  what  manner  the  Author  has 
pursued  and  handled  those  solemn  and  most  important  subjects.  I  have 
perused  a  great  part  of  this  treatise,  and  I  can  boldly  say,  That  the  pre- 
face gives  an  honourable,  but  a  just  account  of  the  performance,  and  leaves 
very  little  for  me  to  add  by  way  of  recommendation  ;  and  this  also  can  be 
only  necessary  to  those  who  have  had  no  opportunity  of  acquaintance  with 
the  Author,  or  his  works. 

I  would  first  take  notice  of  this  character  of  it,  that  it  is  written  much 
in  the  strain  of  some  of  the  best  of  our  I^^ish  sermons  in  the  last  age, 
when  the  pulpits  did  not  affect  politeness  and  indolence,  but  spoke  thunder 
to  the  secure  conscience,  and  made  the  hearers  feel  the  terrors  of  the 
Lord;  when  the  preachers  applied  the  grace  of  the  gospel  to  souls  that 
were  wounded  by  the  law,  in  a  more  skilful  and  successful  manner  than 
has  been  generally  practised  in  later  years.  This  treatise  seems  to  be 
written  in  the  power  a}id  spirit  of  that  day,  when  stupid  souls  were  con- 
vinced in  multitudes,  atul  sinners  were  led  by  troops  into  the  paths  of  sal- 
vation, by  fa!  tli  in  the  Son  of  God;  when  conversions  were  numerous,  and 
the  power  of  godliness  was  almost  as  common  as  the  stricter  forms  of  it 
are  now-a-days. 

In  the  work  of  convincing  secure  sinners,  young  and  old,  the  Author 
has  suited  his  addresses  \o  every  character  of  mankind,  and  hath  shown 
himself  a  workman  that  need  not  to  be  ashamed.*  There  may  happen 
now  and  then  a  single  thought  or  expression,  that  may  he  conceived  too 
strongly,  or  pushed  too  far,  under  the  warm  influence  of  his  zeal.  But 
let  it  be  remembered,  that  these  were  ins  common  popular  discoui 
prepared  weekly  for  the  use  of  his  parish,  unlaboured,  unpolished,  and 
undesigned  for  the  view  of  the  publie;  yet,  such  as  they  are,  they  con- 
tain more  useful  thoughts  for  the  real  benefit  of  souls,  than  any  of  the 
polite  and  well-fashioned  discourses  that  obtain  too  much  of  modern  ap- 
plause. 

In  his  handling  the  doctrine  of  faith  in  Christ,  his  sentiments  are  very 
conformable  to  those  of  the  pious  and  referable  Dr.  John  Owen  :  M?' 


Vm  RECOMMENDATIONS. 

own  Christian  experiences  seem  to  have  been  in  some  part  moulded  and 
formed  by  the  practical  and  spiritual  writings  of  that  great  man ;  who,  m  the 
matters  of -experimental  godliness,  was,  in  my  esteem,  one  of  the  prime 
writers  of  the  last  age,  if  not  superior  to  them  all.  Nor  does  my  veneration  of 
him  arise  from  the  honour  that  Divine  Providence  has  done  mc,  in  appoint- 
ing me  his  successor,  in  the  pastoral  office  to  the  same  church  of  Christ ;  but 
from  the  sensible  benefit  which  I  have' of  ten  received  from  his  writings, 
and  that  before  I  was  ever  acquainted  with  the  peoide  to  whom  he  minis- 
tered. And  wherever  I  see  the  breathings  of  the  same  spirit,  they  se- 
cretly influence  me  to  favour  such  a  writer,  and  refresh  my  early  reve- 
rence for  that  great  man.  I  confess  his  style  was  long  and  intricate  :  and 
herein  this  author  has  the  advantage  of  him,  whose  language  is  plain  and 
condescending,  popular  and  easy  ;  so  that  I  dare  venture  to  recommed  this 
work  to  the  perusal  even  of  the  meanest  souls,  who  are  willing  to  concern 
themselves  in  this  world  about  their  salvation  in  the  next. 

The  Third  Part  of  this  Treatise  is  very  proper  to  awaken  sleepy  Chris- 
tians to  life,  and  vigour,  and  activity,  as  well  as  to  direct  the  new  convert 
how  he  may  shape  and  square  his  conduct  to  the  glory  of  saving  grace, 
and  to  inform  him  what  he  should  do  for  that  God  who  has  done  so  much 
for  him.  I  hope  it  will  be  of  use  also  to  raise  up  the  dying  power  of  fa- 
mily-religion, and  set  many  a  master  of  the  household  upon  inquiry,  what 
they  have  done  to  promote  the  power  of  godliness  among  those  that  are 
under  their  care. 

I  would  take  the  freedom  particularly  to  recommend  this  discourse  to 
be  distributed  by  Christians  who  have  a.  tender  concern  for  the  souls  of 
their  children,  or  any  other  dear  relatives  or  friends.  If  the  work  of 
grace  be  already  begun  upon  their  hearts,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  this  may 
help  to  promote  and  advance  it  with  power  and  glory  ;  but  if  they  are  yet 
in  ignorance  and  darkness,  unawakened,  and  thoughtless  of  their  eternal 
concerns,  I  would  more  especially  propose  this  book  to  be  given  them  ; 
and  may  it  be  attended  with  tfce  divine  influences  of  the  Spirit,  that  the 
Author,  who  is  now  dead,  ma;,  "ct  speak  in  these  sermons,  to  the  salva- 
tion of  many  who  are  yet  livnHr  Amen. 

I.  WATTS. 

London,  Nov.  7X  1721. 

WTfanrnwag 

New  York,  October  20,  1813. 
Professor  Ralyburton  w»s  a  learned  Divine,  cf  sound  sense,  and  a  very 
discriminating  mind.  His  experience  of  the  power  of  Godliness  upon  his 
own  soul  was  remarkable,  various,  and  affecting;  and  from  his  private 
journal,  his  life  appears  to  have  been,  in  an  uncommon  degree,  a  life  of 
communion  with  God.  He  was  therefore  peculiarly  qualified  to  treat  of 
practical  religion. 

The  work  now  offered  to  the  public  is  replete  with  sound  Theology, 
and  experimental  piety.  An  accurate  knowledge  of  the  human  heart; 
an  extensive  acquaintance  with  the  Sacred  Scriptures  ;  and  a  consistent 
exhibition  of  the  great  doctrines  of  the  grace  of  God,  in  the  salvation  of 
the  sinner,  appears  in  this  Book,  connected  with  a  faithful  application  of 
the  divine  law,  both  as  a  Schoolmaster  to  lead  us  unto  Christ,  and  as  a 
light  to  our  steps  in  the  ways  of  holiness  unto  eternal  life.  We  cheerfully 
recommend  it  to  the  attention  of  all  who  seek  Salvation  by  Jesus  Christ, 

JOHN  B.  ROMEYN, 
ALEX.  M'LEOD, 
JAMES  RICHARDS, 


AST 


INTRODUCTORY  SERMON 


ACTS  x.  29. 
1  ask  therefore  for  what  intent  ye  have  sent  for  me. 

W  AVING  the  formality  of  an  introduction,  I  shall 
lay  before  you  a  few  remarks  for  clearing  the  occa- 
sion of  the  apostle's  using  this  question,  and  the  rea- 
son why  we  have  made  choice  of  this  text  at  this 
time,  for  the  subject  of  this  discourse.     And, 

1.  This  chapter  contains  a  large  and  particular 
account  of  one  Cornelius,  a  Roman  centurion,  or  cap- 
tain of  an  hundred  soldiers,  his  conversion  to  Chris- 
tianity. 

2.  Cornelius,  though  by  birth  a  Roman,  was  of 
the  Jewish  religion,  a  proselyte.  Those  who  of 
other  nations  embraced  the  true  religion,  associating 
themselves  to  the  Jews,  were  called  proselytes;  and 
they  were  either  such  as  joined  with  (be  Jews  in  the 
whole  rites  of  their  religion,  being  circumcised  as 
were  the  Jews;  or  such  as  adhered  to  the  substan- 
tiate of  their  religion,  but  remained  uncircumcised. 
The  former  sort  were  called  proselytes  of  righteous- 
ness, or  of  the  covenant ;  the  latter  proselytes  of  the 
gate.  Interpreters  seem  to  agree  that  Cornelius 
was  a  proselyte  of  the  gate,  one  who  owned  the  sub- 
stance of  religion,  but  remained  uncircumcised,  and 
did  not  join  in  the  whole  of  their  worship. 


£0  AN   INTRODUCTORY    SERMON. 

3.  This  captain  was  a  true  convert  before  this  dis- 
covery of  the  gospel  came  to  him  by  the  apostle  :  he 
was  accepted  of  God,  and  therefore*  was  not  to  be  ac- 
counted unclean.  Now,  none  save  those  who  are 
converted  can  be  accepted ;  for  "  they  that  are  in  the 
flesh  cannot  please  God ;  and  without  faith  it  is  im- 
possible to  please  him  ;  for  he  that  comes  to  him 
must  believe  that  he  is  a  rewarder  of  them  that  dili- 
gently seek  him."  Keb.  xi.  6.     Wherefore, 

4.  He,  no  doubt,  leaned  upon  the  promised  Mes- 
siah, Jesus  Christ,  for  his  acceptance  with  God  ; 
since,  «  none  can  come  to  the  Father  but  by  him," 
Who  is,  "  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life,"  and  who 
only  can  guide  sinners  in  their  approaches  to  God. 

5.  God  being  a  rewarder  of  such  as  diligently  seek 
him,  did  reward  this  man's  faith  and  obedience  with 
the  gospel-revelation  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  whence 
he  came  to  understand,  that  the  Messiah  he  looked 
for  was  already  come.  His  prayers  and  alms  deeds 
are  said  to  come  up  for  a  memorial  before  God  ;  not 
as  if  there  had  been  any  thing  of  merit  in  what  was 
done  or  attained  to,  but  to  encourage  others,  and  to 
discover  the  riches  of  God's  bounty,  in  rewarding 
freely,  according  to  his  rich  grace,  the  diligent  im- 
provement of  light  with  greater  degrees  ofiight  and 
life,-  and  this  reward  is  not  of  debt,  but  of  rich  and 
sovereign  grace. 

6.  This  saint,  waiting  for  the  consolation  of  Israel, 
has  a  vision  from  God,  bidding  him  send  for  the 
apostle  Peter ;  whence  we  may  learn,  that  God  has 
a  great  respect  for  his  own  institutions.  The  gospel- 
ministry  is  of  divine  appointment ;  and  therefore  the 
Lord  refers  Cornelius  to  it,  though  it  had  been  no 
less  easy  to  have  discovered  Christ'to  him  in  the  vi- 
sion. 

7.  Peter  has  a  vision  to  the  same  purpose,  remo- 
ving such  objections  as  might  make  him  scruple: 
whence  we  may  remark,  that  when  the  Lord  designs 
good  to  a  people,  by  a  minister,  lie  gives  both  the 


AN   INTRODUCTORY    SERMON.  11 

people  clearness  to  call,  and  the  minister  clearness 
to  come  ;  though  not  in  such  an  extraordinary  man- 
ner as  this  here  made  use  of. 

8.  When  the  apostle,  in  compliance  with  Corne- 
lius's call,  and  God's  call,  or  rather  the  Lord's  join- 
ing in  the  same  call  with  him,  comes  to  ihe  place 
where  he  was,  the  first  question  he  puts  to  him  is  that 
which  we  have  read  to  you  :  I  ask  thereforefor  what 
intent  ye  have  sent  for  me?  and  this  he  doth,  not- 
withstanding he  had  got  some  account  of  this  from 
the  servants  who  were  sent  for  him  by  Cornelius. 

The  words  are  in  themselves  plain  ;  and  therefore 
we  shall  not  offer  any  explication  of  them,  but  lay 
before  you  this  doctrine,  which  is  palpably  contained 
in  them. 

Doctrine. — "  A   faithful  gospel-minister,  coming 
amoug  a  people  upon  their  call,  will  be  very  desi- 
rous to  know   what  their  designs  in  calling  him 
were :"  1  ask  therefosefor  what  intent  ye  have  sent 
for  me? 

In  discoursing  this  point,  we  shall  inquire, 

I.  What  designs  a  people  should  have  in  calling  a 
gospel-minister. 

II.  What  way  they  should  evidence  these  to  be 
their  designs. 

III.  Make  some  inquiry  into  the  reasons  of  the 
doctrine. 

And,  lastly,  apply  the  whole. 

I.  To  begin  with  the  first  of  these,  The  designs  a 
people  should  have  in  calling  a  gospel-minister  ;  they 
are  many.  We  shall  endeavour  to  reduce  them  to  a 
few. — And, 

1.  A  people  should,  in  calling  a  gospel-minister, 
design  to  hear  from  him  the  whole  counsel  of  God,  in 
reference  to  their  eternal  salvation.  This  is  the 
great  business  of  gospel-ministers,  to  declare  the 
whole  counsel  of  God  to  these  to  whom  they  come* 


±2  AN   INTROBTTCTGUY    SERMON. 

to  keep  nothing  hack  from  them  that  may  be  of  use 
to  them.  So  their  commission  runs,  Matt,  xxviih 
19.  20.  "  Go  ye  therefore  and  teaeh  all  nations,  bap- 
tising (hem  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  teaching  them  to  observe  all 
things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you  :  and  lo, 
I  am  with  you  always,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world* 
Amen."  And  the  gr**at  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  in 
that  famous  farewell  sermon  of  his  to  the  church  of 
Ephesus,  which  we  have  recorded,  Acts  xx,  from 
Ver*  17.  and  downward,  appeals  to  the  conscience, of 
that  people  as  to  his  faithfulness  in  fulfilling  his  com- 
mission in  declaring  to  them  the  xvhole  counsel  of 
God,  ver.  27.  And  in  keeping  hack  nothing  that  could 
be  profitable  to  them,  ver.  20.  Whoever  would  ap- 
prove himself  a  faithful  gospel  minister,  must  take 
care  faithfully  to  discover  to  his  hearers  their  lost 
and  undone  state  by  nature;  that  they  are  all  be- 
come guilty  before  God  ;  and  that  there  is  no  other 
way  of  their  obtaining  access  to  him  but  through  Je- 
sus Christ,  who  is  made  of  God  to  them  who  believe 
•<  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctifieation,  and  redemp- 
tion." To  these  t  wo  doth  the  apostle  refer  the  whole 
of  that  counsel  of  God,  he  shunned  not  to  declare  to 
the  Epesiaos,  in  that  fore-cited  scripture,  Acts  xx. 
21.  He  testified  to  all  persons,  Jews  and  Greeks, 
repentance  towards  God,  (i  0.  that  they  were  guilty 
of  such  offences  against  God,  as  called  for  deep  hu- 
miliation,) and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ; 
that  is,  that  there  was  no  way  of  escaping  the  wrath 
of  God,  but  that  of  closing  with  Christ  by  faith. 
This  is  the  matter  of  the  gospel :  and  Christ's  ser- 
vants are  to  make  it  their  business  faithfully  to  un- 
fold the  mind  of  God  in  reference*  to  these  two,  man's 
estate  by  nature,  and  what  be  may  by  grace  be  ad- 
vanced to.  This  is  called,  1  Tim.  v.  17,  a  "labour- 
ing in  the  word  and  doctrine." 

This  preaching  of  the  gospel  takes  in  three  things. 
1*  A  full  proposal  of  the  doctrine  just  now  mention- 


AN   INTRODUCTORY    SEKMON.  13 

ed.  Ministers  must,  without  ininching  the  matter, 
plainly  discover  to  men  their  losi  state,  and  the  im- 
possibility of  recovery  any  other  way  than  by  the 
gospel  method,  through  Jesus  Christ,  Acts  xx.  2t. 
2.  They  must  discover  these  things,  not  as  their  pri- 
vate sentiments,  built  upon  some  rational  conclusions 
of  their  own  drawing  and  framing,  but  as  the  word 
of  God.  It  is  the  word  of  God  they  are  to  propose, 
and  not  their  own  opinions;  and  it  is  the  word  of 
God  hearers  are  to  receive  from  them,  1  Thess.  ii. 
13.  "  For  this  cause  also  thank  we  God,5'  saith  the 
apostle,  "  without  ceasing,  because  when  ye  received 
the  word  of  God,  which  ye  heard  of  us,  ye  received 
it  not  as  the  word  of  men,  but,  as  it  is  in  truth,  the 
word  of  God,  which  effectually  worketh  also  in  you 
that  believe/'  3.  This  preaching  of  the  word  takes 
in  not  only  a  proposal  of  the  word  of  God,  but  an  au- 
thoritative declaration  of  it  by  virtue  of  a  commission 
derived  from  God.  "  These  things  speak,  and  exhort, 
and  rebuke  with  all  authority."  Tit.  ii.  15.  The 
word,  in  the  first  language,  may  be  rendered  com- 
mand, with  all  command.  Ministers  are  clothed 
with  authority  from  God;  and  in  his  name,  by  virtue 
of  a  commission  received  from  him,  they  are  to 
preach  the  gospel,  and  to  speak  the  counsel  of  God, 
as  being  his  mouth  to  the  people,  1  Pet.  iv.  11, 
This  is  the  principal  part  of  the  minister's  work; 
and  therefore  to  hear  the  word  of  God  from  them  in 
this  manner  should  be  the  great  design  of  those  who 
call  a  gospel  minister,  that  they  may  hear  from  them 
as  the  mouth  of  God,  what  by  nature  they  are,  and 
what  through  the  grace  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus  they 
may  be.     But  now, 

2.  When  a  people  call  a  gospel-minister,  they 
should  design  the  regular  and  orderly  performance  of 
the  worship  of  God.  litis  worship  of  God,  as  it  is 
contra  distinguished  from  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel, 
Of  which  under  the  former  head,  consists  principally 
in  the  administration  of  the  sacraments  and  prayer; 

B 


14  AN  INTRODUCTORY   SERMON. 

public  prayer,  I  mean,  under  which  praises  are  com- 
prehended, as  belonging  to,  and  always  to  be  joined 
-with  it,  according  to  our  blessed  Lord's  appointment 
in  that  form,  commonly  called  the  Lord's  Prayer, 
which  concludes  with  thanksgiving.  In  Acts  ii.  42, 
tve  have  an  account  of  the  public  worship  of  the 
church,  which  consists  in  preaching,  there  expressed 
by  doctrine,  and  breaking  of  bread,  that  is,  adminis- 
tering the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper,  and  prayers 
and  praises.  ft  And  they/5  saith  the  Spirit  of  God 
speaking  of  the  church,  f  continued  in  the  apostles' 
doctrine  and  fellowship,  and  in  breaking  of  bread, 
and  in  prayers  ;"  and,  ver.  47,  ««  praising  God." 
The  celebration  of  the  sacraments,  public  prayers 
and  praises*  are  divine  institutions  for  the  salvation 
and  edification  of  the  church,  which  cannot  begone 
about,  or  orderly  performed,  without  a  gospel  min- 
istry, who  only  have  commission  to  celebrate  the 
sacraments,  and  to  be  the  mouth  of  the  people  to 
God  in  their  public  assemblies,  being  furnished  with 
spiritual  gifts  for  the  work,  Matt,  xxviii.  19.  1  Cor. 
xi.  23,  and  xiv.  16.  And  therefore,  when  a  people 
Gall  a  gospel-minister,  they  should  have  this  in  view, 
as  one  great  design,  that  thereby  they  may  have  the 
gospel- worship  celebrated  among  them  in  all  its  parts 
according  to  Christ's  institution,  to  their  spiritual 
advantage  and  his  glory. 

3.  They  should  call  a  gospel- minister  to  rule  over 
tliem.  This  is  one  part  of  the  minister's  work,  to 
rule  over  his  flock,  1  Tim.  v.  17.  ««  Let  the  elders 
that  rule  well,  be  counted  worthy  of  double  honour, 
especially  they  who  labour  in  the  word  and  doctrine/5 
This  superiority  which  gospel- ministers  have,  is  not 
a  lordly  dominion  over  either  the  persons  or  faith  of 
their  flock.  No,  any  thing  of  this  sort  that  ever 
crept  into  the  church,  had  its  rise  from  the  subtily 
of  Satan,  who  envied  its  peace  ;  and  is  directly  oppo- 
site to  the  gospel,  which  forbids  lordly  dominion,  the 
gospel-minister's  authority  being   given    only   for 


AN   INTRODUCTORY   SERMON.  16 

"edification,  and  not  for  destruction/'  as  the  apostle 
has  it,  2  Cor.  x  8.  And  it  consists,  1.  In  an  autho- 
ritative publication  of  the  laws  of  Christ's  house* 
2.  In  an  authoritative  enforcement  of  them,  by  a 
ministerial  offer  of  the  gospel-privileges  as  the  re- 
wards of  obedience.  And,  3.  In  a  power  to  inflict, 
according  to  Christ's  appointment,  the  gospel-punish- 
ments upon  the  disobedient,  the  highest  whereof  is  ex- 
communication, whereby  the  disobedient  are  "  deli- 
vered over  to  Satan,  for  the  destruction  of  the  flesh, 
that  the  spirit  may  be  saved  in  the  day  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,"  as  the  apostle  has  it,  1  Cor.  v.  5.  And  to 
one  of  these  three  ends  might  all  be  reduced,  accord- 
ing to  the  common  distinction  of  gospel-ordinances, 
in  doctrine,  worship,  and  government.  But  that  you 
may  the  better  understand  this  matter,  we  shall 
name  some  more  particular  designs :  and  therefore 
we  say, 

4.  A  people  in  calling  a  gospel-minister,  should  de- 
sign the  closing  of  a  bargain  and  making  a  match  with 
Christ  upon  his  own  terms.  It  is  the  work  and  bu- 
siness they  are  sent  out  for,  to  espouse  sinners  to 
Christ,  2  Cor.  ii.  2.  to  woo  a  bride  for  the  Lamb. 
They  have  a  commission,  as  Abraham's  servant  had, 
to  go  and  seek  a  wife  for  their  Master's  Son ;  and 
those  who  call  them  should  do  it  in  order  to  the  con- 
clusion of  this  happy  match;  that  from  them  they 
may  hear  the  terms  whereon  they  are  to  be  admitted 
into  this  near  relation,  the  advantage  that  shall  ac- 
crue to  them  by  it,  the  inconveniences  they  will  run 
themselves  into  by  a  refusal,  and  the  warrant  they 
have  to  enter  into  so  high  and  honourable  a  relation. 

5.  They  should  design  their  own  furtherance  in 
acquantance  with  Christ.  They  should  "  as  new-born 
babes  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word,  that  they 
may  grow  thereby,"  1  Pet.  ii.  2.  that  they  may  be 
furthered  in  their  joy  and  faith,  "  growing  in  grace, 
and  in  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

6.  They  should  design  their  own  establishment  in 


16  AN   INTRODUCTORY    SERMON. 

the  ways  of  God9  that  they  may  not  be  "  tossed  to 
and  fro  with  every  wind  of  doctrine/'  bnt  that "  being 
rooted  and  grounded  in  the  faith,  they  may  grow  up 
in  all  things  to  him  who  is  the  head  and  Saviour  of 
the  body." 

This  is  expressly  declared  to  be  the  design  of  the 
ministry,  Eph.  iv.  11.  The  apostle,  having  spoken 
of  Christ's  exaltation,  and  his  having  received  gifts 
for  men*  tells  us  of  him,  in  this  verse  and  the  follow- 
ing, "  That  he  gave  some  apostles,  some  prophets, 
and  some  evangelists,  and  some  pastors  and  teachers, 
for  tjhe  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the 
ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ  ;  till 
we  all  come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man, 
imto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of 
Christ ;  that  we  henceforth  be  no  more  children 
tossed  to  and  fro,  and  carried  about  with  every  wind 
of  doctrine,  by  the  sleight  of  mon,  and  cunning  crafti- 
ness whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to  doceiva,"  &c.  And 
to  the"  same  purpose  speaks  the  Spirit  of  God  fre 
quently  elsewhere,  of  the  design  of  the  ministry,—-. 
Paul,  Rom.  i.  11.  expresseth  his  earnest  desire  to 
see  them,  and  to  "impart  some  spiritual  gift"  unto 
them,  to  the  end  "  they  may  be  established."  Those 
who  are  already  engaged  in  God's  ways  should  de- 
sign their  own  establishment  in  them  in  their  calling 
a  gospel  minister. 

7.  They  should  design  their  own  direction  through 
all  the  difficulties  of  religion.  The  Lord's  people 
have  many  dark  steps  in  their  way;  sometimes  they 
are  under  temptation,  and  know  not  how  to  carry ; 
sometimes  they  are  engaged  in  a  close  fight  with 
their  adversaries,  arnd  know  not  how  to  wield  their 
spiritual  armour  to  advantage;  sometimes  they  are 
out  of  the  way,  and  know  not  how  to  get  into  it 
again:  and  therefore  they  need  some  to  guide  them 
into  the  meaning  of  God's  word  ;  for  how  can  they 
Understand,  unless  they  be  taught,  Acts  viii.  31* 


AN  INTRODUCTORY   SERMON.  17 

**  How  can  I  understand,"  says  the  Ethiopian  eunuch, 
"  unless  some  man  should  guide  me ;"  and  who  should 
guide  them  but  those  who  are  guides  by  office,  as  the 
word  may  be  rendered,  Heb.  xiii.  8.  "  Consider  them 
who  have  the  rule  over  you,"  or  who  are  your  guides. 
This,  as  the  end  of  a  gospel-ministry,  is  promised  in 
Isa.  xxx.  20,  21.  "  And  though  the  Lord  give  you 
the  bread  of  adversity,  and  the  water  of  affliction, 
yet  shall  not  thy  teachers  be  removed  into  corners 
any  more,  but  thine  eyes  shall  see  thy  teachers :  And 
thine  ears  shall  hear  a  voice  behind  thee,  saying, 
This  is  the  way,  walk  ye  in  it,  when  ye  turn  to  the 
right  hand,  and  when  ye  turn  to  the  left."  It  is  im- 
possible we  should  condescend  on  all  the  particular 
intentions  or  ends  a  people  should  propose  to  them- 
selves in  calling  a  gospel-minister;  and  therefore  we 
shall  conclude  all  this  in  one,  which  is  sure  to  com- 
prehend them. 

8.  They  should  seek  to  have  one  who  may  answer 
in  some  measure  Timothy's  character,  with  respect 
to  the  church  of  the  Philippians,  Phil.  ii.  20,  one 
who  may  naturally  take  care  of  them,  that  is,  one 
who  may,  out  of  love  to  their  souls,  affectionately, 
prudently,  carefully,  and  with  impartial  boldness* 
open  and  apply  the  word,  dispense  the  sacraments, 
and  administer  discipline,  for  the  instruction  of  the 
ignorant,  strengthening  the  weak,  comforting  the  dis- 
consolate, affecting  the  impenitent,  reproving  the 
faulty,  recovering  wanderers,  directing  and  helping 
forward  those  who  doubt  and  halt ;  that  he  may  both 
save  himself  and  them,  to  the  praise  and  glory  of 
God's  grace.  We  shall  not  insist  upon  each  of  these 
particulars,  which  would  require  not  cne  or  two,  but 
many  sermons,  which  suits  not  our  present  design* 
We  shall  therefore  proceed,  in  the 

Second  Place,  to  inquire,  How  a  people  should 
make  it  appear  that  they  were  acting  upon  those  de- 
signs in  their  calling  a  gospel-minister.  This  inqui- 
ry might  be  understood,  either  to  respect  their  own 

B  2 


IS  AN   INTRODUCTORY   SERMON. 

satisfaction,  or  the  satisfaction  of  the  word,  or  of  the 
minister  himself  as  to  this  matter;  but  time  not  al- 
lowing us  to  be  so  particular,  we  shall  hold  the  in- 
quiry in  the  general ;  and  in  answer  to  it  we  say, 

1.  A  people  should  discover  their  designs  to  be 
such  as  we  have  mentioned,  by  a  punctual  attend- 
ance upon  all  the  ordinances,  to  be  by  Lim  dispen- 
sed in  public  or  private.  Thus  we  see  it  was 
with  Cornelius;  he  not  only  waited  on  himself,  but 
he  called  together  those  on  whom  he  had  any  influ- 
ence. «  And  Cornelius  waited  for  them,  and  had 
called  together  his  kinsmen  and  near  friends."  Acts 
x.  24.  Those  who  will  not  give  attendance  to  the 
public  dispensation  of  the  word,  and  the  private  in- 
structions, either  family  or  personal,  but  withdraw, 
we  cannot  think  these  persons  had  the  right  end  be- 
fore them  in  calling  a  gospel- minister  :  surely,  had 
they  been  right  in  their  aims,  they  would  have  been 
ready  to  say  with  Cornelius,  «  We  are  all  here  pre- 
sent," &c. 

2.  They  should  not  only  present  their  bodies  up- 
on such  occasions,  but  they  shouldjsk  themselves  as  in 
God's  sight,  to  hear  all  things  whatever  are  com- 
manded of  God  by  his  servants.  "  We  are  all  here 
present,"  says  Cornelius  to  Peter,  "  to  hear  all  things 
that  are  commanded  thee  of  God,"  Acts  x.  33.  To 
give  attendance  to  the  ordinances,  either  more  public 
or  private,  on  any  other  design  than  this,  is  to  «  of- 
fer the  sacrifice  of  fools,"  contrary  to  that  injunc- 
tion of  the  wise  man,  Eccl.  v.  1.  "  Keep  thy  foot 
when  thou  goest  to  the  house  of  God,  and  be  more 
ready  to  hear,  than  to  give  the  sacrifice  of  fools." 
When  we  come  to  God's  ordinances,  we  must  come 
to  hear  what  he  speaks  to  us. 

3.  They  should  evidence  the  honesty  of  their  de- 
signs, by  obeying  the  word  which  they  hear  at  his 
mouth  ;  they  should  comply  with  all  the  commands 
of  God,  and  say  to  their  minister,  as  the  people  of 
Israel  said  to  Moses,  Deut  v.  27.  "  Go  thou  near, 


AN    INTRODUCTORY    SERMON.  19 

and  hear  all  that  the  Lord  our  God  shall  say,  and 
speak  thou  unto  us  all  that  the  Lord  our  God  shall 
speak  unto  thee,  and  we  will  hear  it  and  do  it.'5 
For,,  as  the  apostle  James  well  observes,  "  It  is  not 
the  hearer  of  the  word,  but  the  doer  who  is  blessed 
of  God."  James  i.  25.  As  we  must  hear  and  do,  so 
our  attendance  must  not  be  limited,  but  our  ear  must 
be  open  to  reproofs,  and  the  most  terrible  denuncia- 
tions ef  wrath  from  God,  as  well  as  to  the  sweet 
promises  and  charming  discoveries  of  the  glory  of 
Christ,  the  beauties  of  religion,  the  surprising  hap- 
piness of  the  saints  in  heaven  ;  and  there  must  not 
only  be  obedience  to  these  commands,  which  may 
bring  in  honour,  external  gain,  and  pleasure,  by  our 
compliance,  but  these  also  must  be  obeyed,  which 
may  bring  us  under  the  lash  of  wicked  men's  tongues 
and  expose  us  to  reproach,  hazard,  and  ignominy,  in 
the  world.  All  things  whatsoever  are  commanded  of 
God  must  be  punctually  obeyed  without  reserve. 

4.  There  must  be  a  submitting  to  all  the  ordinances 
of  God.  Both  this  obedience  and  submission  you 
will  find  spoken  of,  Heb.  xiii.  17.  «  Obey  them  that 
have  the  rule  over  you,  and  submit  yourselves,  for 
they  watch  for  your  souls,  as  those  who  must  give 
an  account,  that  they  may  do  it  with  joy,  and  not 
with  grief:  for  this  is  unprofitable  for  you.'5  The 
word  rendered  obey,  signifies  properly,  a  believing 
upon  persuasion,  and  respects  our  belief  of  the  truths 
proposed  by  them,  and  a  compliance  with  our  duty 
that  way;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  this  submission 
has  a  respect  to  the  power  they  have  over  their  peo- 
ple for  edification,  and  not  for  destruction  :  that  is, 
that  authority  they  have  for  admonishing,  reproving, 
rebuking,  and  censuring  offenders  ;  and  by  a  submis- 
sion to  them  in  the  dispensation  of  these  ordinances 
of  Christ,  reproof  and  censure,  I  mean,  they  are  to 
evidence  to  all,  the  uprightness  and  Christian  sin- 
eerily  of  their  designs. 

5*  They  are  to  evidence  their  designs  to  be  justifi* 


20  AN   INTUODUCTOBY    SERMON. 

able,  by  a  eareful  diligence  in  applying  to  their  min- 
iver upon  all  occasions;  when  they  are  under  diffi- 
culties, when  they  are  in  the  dark  as  to  duty,  when 
they  have  to  do  with  corruptions  which  they  cannot 
get  mastered,  when  under  the  Lord's  hand,  and  so 
of  all  other  exigences  of  the  like  nature.     For  as 
the  "  priest's  lips  should  preserve  or  keep  knowledge 
so  the  people  should  ask  the  law  at  his  mouth,  for 
he  is  the  messenger  of  the  Lord  of  hosts,"  Mai.  ii. 
7.     And  those  who  are  sick,  are  bid  "  send  for  the 
elders  or  ministers  of  the  church  to  pray  over  them," 
James  v.  14.     Those  who  have  the  advantage  of  a 
gospel-minister,  are  indispensably  obliged  to  acquaint 
him  with  the  state  of  their  souls,  when  there  is  any 
thing  peculiar  in  it,  and  when  they  are  reduced  to 
any  strait  or  extremity.     And  that,  1.  Because  God 
has  laid  it  open  to  them  as  a  duty,  in  that  fore-cited 
.Mai.  ii.  7.  "  The  people  should  ask  the  law  at  his 
mouth."     2.   Because  otherwise  he  will  be  at  a  loss 
in  his  bringing  messages  to  you,  if  he  mistake  your 
case,  or  be  unacquainted  with  it;  how  can  he  direct 
you,  if  he  understand  not  your  state  and  condition? 
The  Lord  gives  no  immediate  revelation  now,  we 
have  no  warrant  to  expect  any  such  thing  ;  and  there- 
fore the  way  wherein  ministers  ordinarily  come  to 
understand  their  people's  condition  is  by  themselves* 
who  upon  this  ground  are  called  to  have  recourse  to 
their  ministers.     3.  They  should  acquaint  their  min- 
isters with  their  circumstances,  because   they  are 
the  people's  month  to  God  ;  and  if  Ihey  be  not  ac- 
quainted with  the  circumstances  and  conditions  of 
the  Hock,  how  shall  they,  according  to  their  duty, 
hold  up  the  case  of  their  people  to  God.,  as  they  are 
indispensably  obliged  to  do,  and  that  both  in  public, 
in  secret,  and  in  private. 

6.  Once  more,  and  we  have  done :  A  people  may 
and  should  prove  their  intentions  honest,  by  a  dili- 
Jj£*lt-%pplication  to  their  own  proper  work  and  busi- 
ness, with  respect  to  his  furtherance  in  these  great 


-W   INTRODUCTORY   SERMON.  21 

designs.  Every  member  of  the  congregation  should 
be  helpful  to  him,  in  contributiug  their  utmost  as- 
sistance to  him  in  his  work.  A  minister  may  spend 
(i  his  strength  in  vain,"  if  elders  in  their  place,  mas- 
ters of  families  in  theirs,  and  every  particular  per- 
son in  his  station,  do  not  join,  by  prayer  and  other- 
vise,  in  assisting  their  ministers.  Then  do  men  ap- 
pear sincere  in  their  designs,  for  the  glory  of  God, 
and  their  own  salvation,  when  every  one  puts  his 
hand  to  the  work,  and  endeavours  the  removal  of 
what  may  retard  and  obstruct  its  progress  and  suc- 
cess ;  and  likewise  studies  by  ail  means  to  strength- 
en the  minister's  hands,  that  he  may  not  be  discour- 
aged, diverted,  or  taked  off  from  his  work.  In  line, 
then  do  a  people  appear  single  in  their  aims,  when 
their  words,  their  hearts,  their  hands  go  one  way, 
and  all  they  do  is  levelled  at  the  ends  mentioned,  the 
glory  of  God,  in  the  conversion,  edification,  and  sal- 
vation of  souls.     I  proceed  now, 

Thirdly,  To  inquire  into  the  reasons  of  the  doc- 
trine, why  a  faithful  gospel-minister  coming  amongst 
a  people,  «*iM  ha  careful  to  understand  their  design 
or  intent  in  calling  him.     And, 

1.  This  will  be  U\q  desire  of  a  gospel-minister,  be- 
cause a  mistake  in  this  matter  will  be  of  very  dan- 
gerous consequence  to  the  people.  That  people  may 
be  influenced  by  wrong  and  sinistrous  ends  and  mo- 
tives in  this  matter,  is  beyond  all  peradventure. 
They  may  design  the  "  gratification  of  their  itching 
ears"  by  the  preacher's  gifts,  as  the  prophet  Eze- 
kiel's  hearers  did  ;  they  may  seek  the  gospel-ordi- 
nances for  a  charm  as  it  were,  that  they  may  sit 
down  and  rest  upon  them,  as  many  people  do,  like 
those  with  whom  the  prophet  Jeremiah  had  to  do, 
who  said, "  The  temple  of  the  Lord,  the  temple  of  the 
3Lord  are  these.55  Or  they  may  design  the  strength- 
ening of  factions  and  parties,  or  to  get  occasion  to 
mock,  as  many  do  now  in  our  days.     Th?s&  ju^kUie 


22  AN  INTRODUCTORY  SERMON. 

like  sinistrous  designs  may  a  people  go  upon  ;  and 
there  can  be  nothing  more  prejudicial  to  a  people 
than  to  be  under  the  influence  of  such  intentions  ; 
since,  past  all  peradventure,  God  will  not  sit  with 
suv'h  an  affront  as  is  done  him  by  this  means,  when 
the  ordinance  of  the  ministry,  which  he  designed 
for  the  good  of  souls,  and  his  glory,  is  prostituted, 
and  made  subservient  to  quite  different,  nay,  oppo- 
site designs :  and  surely  a  faithful  gospel-minister, 
who  will  have  a  tender  regard  to  the  salvation  of  his 
people,  cannot  choose  but  be  solicitous  to  understand 
that  they  are  not  in  so  dangerous  a  mistake. 

2.  The  knowledge  of  this  will  be  of  great  use  to 
elear  his  call.  It  is  a  great  evidence  that  God  de- 
signs good  to  a  people  when  they  call  a  gospel-minis- 
ter upon  such  designs ;  and  cannot  but  go  a  great 
length  towards  his  satisfaction  as  to  God's  calling  him 
to  work  among  them,  in  order  to  the  compassing 
the  great  designs  of  his  ministry.  When  Peter  got 
the  account  before  spoken  of  from  Cornelius,  he  is 
further  confirmed  as  to  the  hand  of  God  in  his  co- 
ming to  him,  in  compliance  with  his  desire. 

3.  If  upon  inquiry  they  be  found  to  be  such  as  we 
have  mentioned,  it  will  be  a  great  comfort  to  him,  in 
grappling  with  the  difficulties  he  may  meet  with  in 
the  discharge  of  his  duty.  It  will  give  a  great  deal 
of  satisfaction  to  him,  to  know  that  those  for  whose 
sakes  he  runs  these  hazards,  and  grapples  with  these 
difficulties,  have  the  same  aims,  and  are  joining  in 
the  same  design  with  him.  In  fine,  the  right  man- 
agement of  his  whole  work  depends  very  much  upon 
this  knowledge  of  his  people's  intentions  :  and  there- 
fore it  is  no  wonder  he  be  inquisitive  into  them,  since 
by  his  acquaintance  with  these  he  may  be  capacitat- 
ed to  further  both  his  own  and  their  salvations. 

We  might,  for  improvement  of  this  point,  discourse 
to  you  at  length  of  the  necessity  of  a  gospel-minis- 
ter' s.  inquiring  into  his  own  designs  in  undertaking 


AN  INTHOBUCfTOBY  SEKiMeW.  23 

the  charge  of  a  people.  The  arguments  made  use 
of  to  discover  the  reasonableness  of  inquiring  after 
the  people's  designs,  conclude  no  less  strongly  with 
respect  to  the  minister's.  We  might  likewise  dis- 
course to  you  of  the  way  how  he  is  to  manifest  the 
integrity  and  sincerity  of  his  aims  ;  but  time  will  not 
allow  us  to  enter  upon  these  tilings,  and  you  heard 
the  minister's  duty  so  fully  and  largely  discoursed  of 
within  these  few  days,  viz.  at  the  ordination,  that  we 
judge  it  needless  to  enter  upon  that  subject ;  and 
therefore  all  the  improvement  we  design,  of  what 
has  been  said,  shall  be  despatched  in  a  short  addrtss 
to  you  of  this  congregation. 

You  have  called  me  to  labour  among  you  in  the 
work  of  the  gospel  :  upon  your  call  I  have  conic  j 
I  ask  therefore  to  what  intent  sent  ye  for  me  ?  What 
did  ye  design  in  this  matter  ?  Was  it  to  hear  what 
God  has  to  say  to  you,  that  God's  worship  may  be 
ordered  according  to  his  own  appointment,  that  you 
may  be  brought  to  acquaintance  with  Christ,  or  that 
you  may  be  established  in  his  ways  ?  Were  the&e  the 
motives  that  influenced  you  ?  If  you  narrowly  look 
into  your  own  heart,  and  make  an  impartial  inquiry, 
you  may  readily  come  to  understand  what  your  aims 
have  been  ;  and  for  your  help,  I  would  only,  in  God's 
name,  interrogate  your  consciences  with  a  question 
or  two,  that  may  be  of  use.  1.  Dare  you,  without 
heart  condemning,  as  in  the  sight  of  God,  say,  that 
in  calling  a  minister  you  had  respect  to  the  command 
of  God  ?  Was  it  duty  that  moved  you,  or  did  custom 
and  your  own  ease,  influence  you  ?  2.  Dare  you  hold 
up  your  faces  and  say,  that  it  was  a  taste  of  God's 
goodness  in  ordinances,  that  made  you  desire  them, 
that  you  might  grow  thereby  ?  3.  Did  this  desire 
lead  you  much  to  the  throne  of  grace  to  pray  for  a 
minister,  that  God  might  send  you  one  <6  according 
to  his  own  heart,  that  might  feed  you  with  knowledge 
and  understanding?"  4,  When  you  saw  any  prospect 


24  AN  INTROBUCTOKY  SEKMON. 

of  the  return  of  your  prayers,  as  to  a  gospel-minis- 
try, were  you  careful  to  plead  that  the  blessing 
Blight  come  along  ? 

What  say  ye  to  these  things  ?  Give  God,  give  con- 
science justice  ;  let  conscience  speak  freely,  and  tell 
wheihcr  things  be  so  or  not.  They  must  either  own, 
that  there  was  not  a  regard  to  the  command,  that 
there  was  not  a  desire  after  the  sincere  milk  of  the 
word,  occasioned  by  a  taste  of  the  Lord's  goodness, 
that  there  was  not  that  serious  application  to  God  by 
prayer,  either  for  a  minister,  or  for  the  blessing  of 
the  ordinance  ;  or  that  there  was;  and  this  will  east 
you  all  into  two  classes.  1st,  Those  who  have  not 
been  so  employed  in  this  matter,  and  consequently 
have  not  been  acting  for  right  ends.  And,  %&ly<,  Those 
who  have  been  busied  in  duty,  in  the  way  just  now 
mentioned.     To  each  of  these  a  word.     And, 

tst9  As  for  you  who  have  not  had  a  regard  to  your 
duty  in  this  matter,  who  have  not  been  wrestling 
with  God  in  prayer,  that  God  might  send  you  a  minis- 
ter, with  the  fulness  of  the  blessing  of  the  gospel,  to 
you  we  say, 

1.  Your  designs  are  not  such  as  God  will  approve 
of.  Had  they  been  such  as  we  mentioned  in  the  for- 
mer part  of  this  discourse,  then  surely  they  would 
have  led  you  to  earnest  wrestling  with  God,  for  his 
direction,  who  only  can  point  to  one  that  is  meet  to 
answer  those  blessed  ends. 

2.  You  are  guilty  of  horrible  wickedness.  You 
have  committed  a  great  provocation,  in  calling  a  min- 
ister upon  any  other  design.  God  designed  them  for 
the  ends  formerly  mentioned,  and  no  other  ;  and  your 
calling  them  upon  other  aims,  is  an  endeavour  to 
counteract  God,  prostitute  his  ordinances,  and. serve 
your  lusts  of  that  which  God  designed  for  his  own 
glory. 

3.  Whatever  good  others  may  get  by  the  gospel, 
you  have  no  reason  to  look  for  any.     God  may  an- 


AX  INTRODUCTORY  SERMON*,  25 

swev  you  according  to  the  idols  of  yonr  own  hearts  : 
and  when  he  satisfies  the  soul  of  the  hungry  with 
good  things,  he  may  send  leanness  to  you.  When 
he  gives  a  commission  to  the  word  to  enlighten,  con- 
vert, confirm,  and  strengthen  others,  you  have  rea- 
son to  fear  that  it  may  have  a  commission  to  make 
you  blind,  deaf,  and  dead. 

<k  Repent  therefore  of  this  your  wickedness,  and 
pray  God,  if  perhaps  the  thoughts  of  your  heart 
may  be  forgiven  you ;  lie  in  the  dust  before  God  ;  en- 
deavour to  get  your  hearts  affected  with  your  guilt, 
that  you  may  be  deeply  humbled  and  abased  before 
liim  whom  you  have  provoked  to  anger. 

5.  Bring  forth  fruits  meet  for  repentance.  Let 
us  know  by  your  carriage  that  you  are  really  peni- 
tent, and  that  now  you  have  got  the  right  designs  in 
view  ;  and  this  you  may  do  by  a  close  attendance 
tipon  all  the  ordinances,  iy  hearing  and  doing  what- 
ever is  enjoined  you  of  God,  and  by  all  other  ways 
mentioned  in  the  doctrinal  part  of  this  discourse. 

6.  And,  lastly.  Whether  you  hear  or  forbear,  yet 
we  tell  you,  the  kingdom  of  God  is  come  near  unto 
you  ;  whatever  you  design,  the  Lord  has  given  you  a 
gospel-day;  and  if  our  gospel  be  hid  from  you,  it  is 
because  you  are  lost,  the  god  of  this  world  having 
Winded  your  eyes,  that  you  should  not  discern  t\\Q 
light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  is 
the  image  of  God. 

As  to  the  second  sort  of  persons,  those  who  have 
been  importunate  with  God,  and  have  had  an  eye  to 
his  command  in  this  work,  to  you  we  say, 

1.  This  your  conduct,  past  ail  peradventure,  is  no 
mean  evidence  of  the  sincerity  of  your  good  inten- 
ti&gtti^  and  this  is  certainly  matter  of  thankfulness, 
antris  moreover  a  ground  to  hope,  that  the  Lord  may 
not  altogether  frustrate  your  desires. 

2.  Do  not  think  your  work  is  over.  Wrestle, 
plead  strodgly  with  God  for  the  blessing  on  gospel- 


26  AN   INTRODUCTORY    SERMON. 

ordinances  ;  whoever  plants  or  waters,  it  is  only  God 
that  gives  the  increase  ;  and  therefore,  if  you  mean 
to  grow  under  the  means,  he  instant  in  prayer  for 
the  blessing  ori  them  ;  plead  that  God  may  not  send 
leanness  to  your  souls,  while  he  provides  plenty  of 
spiritual  provision  for  you. 

3.  Beware  of  sitting  down  upon  gospel  privileges. 
You  may,  if  you  do  so,  lose  what  you  have  wrought, 
and  justly  bring  the  sincerity  of  your  aims  in  ques- 
tion. There  is  nothing  more  ordinary  than  security 
of  this  sort.  Persons  who  it  may  be  would  say,  O 
had  they  a  gospel-dispensation  !  how  glad  they  would 
be,  how  careful  would  they  improve  it  ;  and  yet 
when  they  get  what  they  seek,  their  improvement  is 
in  no  measure  answerable  to  their  resolutions.  Take 
heed  of,  and  guard  against  this. 

4.  Let  there  be  a  suitable  care  to  evidence  vour 
sincerity  in  this  matter,  by  the  whole  of  your  deport- 
ment. If  you  turn  careless  in  attending  ordinances, 
if  you  hear,  but  do  not,  if  you  neglect  your  own 
work,  and  be  wanting  to  yourselves  in  this  matter, 
then  who  will  believe  your  sincerity  ?  who  can  be- 
lieve it?  your  own  consciences  will  accuse  you  ;  and 
«  if  your  hearts  condemn  you,  God  is  greater  than 
your  hearts,  and  knows  all  things,"  1  John  iii.  20. 

5.  If  you  find  that  the  Lord  has  made  endeavours 
successful,  take  care  that  you  sacrifice  not  to  your 
own  net,  and  burn  incense  to  your  drag.  God  is  a 
holy  and  jealous  God.  and  will  not  be  mocked  ;  and 
if  you  begin  to  rob  him  of  his  glory,  he  will  get  him 
glory  in  such  a  way  as  may  lay  you  low,  and  make 
you  smart  severely  for  your  own  folly. 

6.  If  the  Lord  give  you  the  gospel  light,  then  walk 
in  the  light  while  you  have  it.  Carry  like  children 
of  the  light  and  of  the  day.  work  out  the  work  of 
your  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling ;  for  none  of 
us  can  tell  how  soon  our  gospel  day  may  be  gone,  and 
the  night  succeed  wherein  none  can  work. 


AN   INTRODUCTORY    SERMON.  27 

We  shall  conclude  this  discourse  with  a  few  gene- 
ral advices  to  all  of  you.  Would  you  have  our  mi- 
nistry made  successful  ?  would  you  obtain  the  real 
advantage  of  gospel-ordinances,  and  have  our  meet- 
ings such  as  may  be  matter  of  rejoicing  both  to  you 
and  me  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  ?  Then  we  intreat, 
beseech,  nay,  and  command  you  by  the  mercies  of 
God.  in  the  bowels  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  you 
would  have  your  own  souls  and  ours  to  be  saved— 

1.  Pray  for  us.  As  a  minister  is  indispensably 
obliged  to  mind  his  people  before  God,  and  to  carry 
them  ever  upon  his  heart,  so  are  they  obliged  to  pray 
for  their  minister  :  "  Pray  for  us,"  says  the  apostle, 
Heb.  xiii.  18.  "  for  we  trust  we  have  a  good  con- 
science in  all  things,  willing  to  live  honestly."  To 
give  weight  to  this  advice,  I  shall  lay  before  you  a 
few  considerations.     And, 

(1.)  Consider,  ministers  are  not  sufficient  of  them- 
selves in  this  work ;  the  work  is  great,  weighty  and 
important,  and  the  difficulties  are  many  ;  and  who 
is  sufficient  for  it?  Surely  ministers  are  not ;  for  if 
the  apostle  said  with  justice  of  himself,  "That  he 
was  not  of  himself  sufficient  to  think  any  thing  as 
he  ought,"  2  Cor.  iii.  5.  then  much  more  may  gos- 
pel ministers  now-a-days  own  it  to  be  so  with  them, 
and  therefore  all  their  sufficiency  is  onlv  ©f  God, 
from  whom  suitable  and  needful  supplies  should  be 
sought. 

(2.)  Consider  that  in  their  plenty  and  fulness  you 
shall  have  plenty.  They  are  indispensably  obliged 
to  lay  out  what  they  receive  for  you,  to  spend  and  be 
spent  in  the  work  and  service  of  your  faith  ;  and 
therefore  it  is  your  interest  that  they  abound,  since 
it  is  for  your  sake  they  labour;  and  the  more  so,  if 
you  be  instrumental  by  your  prayers,  in  procuring 
advantages  and  supplies  for  them. 

(3.)  Consider  that  they  are  exposed  to  great  ha- 
zards for  your  sake,  and  therefore  you  are  to  contri- 


28  AN   IXTBODUCTOBY    SERMON. 

by  te  your  utmost  to  their  assistance  this  way,  where- 
in ^ou  may  be  most  helpful  to  them.  They  being 
made  watchmen,  do  thereby  become  the  butt  of  Sa- 
tan's malice ;  and  the  more  faithful  they  are,  the 
more  will  he  expose  them,  and  seek  their  ruin.  The 
enemy's  principal  design  is  sure  to  be  against  the 
watchman,  because  he  prevents  the  surprising  of  his 
people  by  Satan,  at  least  it  is  his  business  to  do  so  ; 
and  therefore  no  stone  will  be  left  unturned,  in  order 
to  his  ruin.  1.  Satan  will  endeavour  to  lay  him 
asleep,  and  make  him  turn  secure,  that  he  may  neg- 
lect his  post.  2.  If  he  miss  of  this,  he  will  endea- 
vour to  fill  him  with  disturbance  and  fear,  that  so  he 
may  be  diverted  from  his  duty,  and  made  to  quit  his 
post.  Or,  3.  He  will  ply  his  corruptions,  that  he 
may,  by  attending  to  them,  and  striving  against  them, 
take  him  off  from,  or  discourage  him  in  his  opposi- 
tion to  those  of  others.  4,  He  will  endeavour  to 
blind  his  eyes  by  falsi  appaaraoeas,  that  so  he  may 
give  false  alarms ;  and  this  will  weaken  his  credit, 
and  make  people  not  believe  his  warnings.  5.  He 
will  endeavour  to  amuse  him  with  great  appearances 
of  danger  where  there  is  none ;  that  his  eyes  may 
turn  off  from  those  things  wbieh  may  really  endan- 
ger his  flock.  And,  6.  He  will  endeavour  to  beget 
and  cherish  jealousies  betwixt  his  people  and  him, 
whereby  his  warnings  will  be  less  regarded,  and  his 
liands  be  weakened,  and  his  heart  be  discouraged. 
7.  If  these  fail,  he  will  endeavour  to  get  him  remo- 
ved ;  if  he  see  the  gospel  like  to  prove  successful, 
then  he  will  take  care  to  find  out  ways  to  oblige  the 
watchman  to  remove  from  his  post.  And,  8.  If  he 
fail  of  this,  he  will  endeavour  to  kill  him,  either  by 
multiplying  troubles  and  griefs,  or  else  by  more  di- 
rect methods,  employing  bis  emissaries  and  servants 
to  take  away  his  life  ;  and  this  by  God's  permission, 
for  the  punishment  of  a  people's  sins,  has  proven 
successful.     Surely  these  and  a  great  many  more 


AN   INTRODUCTORY    SERMON.  29 

methods,  used  by  Satan,  the  wicked  world,  pretend- 
ed friends,  and  their  own  corruption,  against  the 
ministers  of  the  gospel,  and  all  upon  the  people's  ac- 
count, should  make  them  careful  in  praying  to  God 
in  their  behalf,  that  they  may  be  saved  from  the  at- 
tempts of  all  their  spiritual  adversaries,  and  may  be 
made  to  grow  in  grace  and  gifts.     Pray  for  much 
grace  to  your  minister,  that  he  may  persuade,  as 
knowing  the  terrors  of  the  Lord  ;  that  he  may  deal 
tenderly  with  you,  as  having  himself  had  acquaint- 
ance wkh  souLsickness  on  account  of  sin  ;  that  he 
may  take  you  to  Jesus  safely^  as  having  himself  been 
with  him  ;  that  he  may  comfort  you  with  the  conso- 
lations wherewith  he  has  been  comforted  of  God.  In 
fine,  that  he  may  speak,  because  he  himself  has  not 
only  believed,  but  experienced  the  work  of  grace  up- 
on his  own  soul,  as  one  that  has  tasted  that  sin  is  an 
evil  and  bitter  thing,  and  has  found  that  Christ  is 
useful,  is  sufficient,  is  precious  ;  and  that  he  may 
pray  acceptably  for  you,  as  one  that  has  found  ac- 
ceptance in  his  own  behalf.     Pray  likewise  for  gifts 
to  him,  knowledge  in  the  mystery  of  God,  and  of 
Christ,  and  of  faith  ;  that  he  may  have  much  spirit- 
ual wisdom,  zeal,  boldness,  and  courage,  to  fit  him 
for  his  work ;  and  withal,  that  the  Lord  may  give 
a  door  of  utterance. 

(4.)  Consider,  that  a  careful  attendance  to  your 
duty,  in  holding  up  your  minister's  case,  will  be  a 
great  mean  to  promote  love,  mutual  love  betwixt  you 
and  him  ;  and  this  will  help  to  break  Satan's  engines. 
Nothing  contributes  more  to  the  furtherance  and 
success  of  one's  ministry  in  a  place,  than  much  love, 
and  mutual  kindness  betwixt  a  minister  and  people; 
and  no  love  so  useful  this  way,  as  that  which  vents  it- 
self in  prayer  for  one  another,  and  is  cherished  by 
this  means.     But, 

2.  I  intreat  you  may  carefully  attend  ordinances, 
public,  private,  and  secret  ;  and  catechising,  as  the 
Lord  shall  give  occasion.    This  will  make  us  cheer- 

C  2 


m  AN  INTEOBUCTOUSr    SERMOW. 

folly  go  about  these  duties,  if  we  see  you  studying  to 
make  advantage  of  them  :  this  will  be  profitable  to 
you ;  it  will  discourage  our  enemies  $  it  will  rejoice 
our  heart,  and  be  a  credit  to  religion. 

3.  Any  advantage  you  receive,  be  sure  that  ye  at- 
tribute it  entirely  to  God ;  beware  of  placing  it  to 
the  minister's,  account,  who  is  only  the  instrument  j 
if  you  rob  God  of  the  glory,  and  give  it  to  the  instru- 
ment, you  may  by  this  provoke  the  Lord  to  blast 
your  minister,  and  to  withdraw  from  him  his  pre- 
sence; which  will  soon  make  you  see,  that  it  is  not 
the  minister  that  can  do  any  thing.  Give  God  his 
due,  and  so  account  of  us  as  the  servants  of  Christ, 
and  the  stewards  of  the  mysteries  of  the  gospel  ; 
and  when  ye  get  any  good  by  it,  put  it  all  to  God's 
account ;  bless  him  for  it ;  and  let  the  instrument 
have  an  interest  in  your  affections  and  prayers,  that 
he  may  be  further  useful  to  you  and  others. 

4.  Once  more  and  we  have  done.  Do  not  count 
us  your  enemies,  if  we  tell  you  the  truth  ;  we  must 
by  any  means  be  free,  in  laying  open  your  sins,  and 
in  carrying  home  the  conviction  of  them  to  your  con- 
sciences ;  nor  dare  we  gratify  any,  by  holding  our 
peace  in  this  matter;  for  if  we  please  men,  then  we 
are  not  the  servants  of  Christ ;  and  if  any  soul  die  in 
Its  sin  by  our  silence,  then  we  bring  the  blood  of 
souls  upon  our  own  heads,  and  hazard  our  own  souls. 
We  are  obliged,  by  the  manifestation  of  the  truth, 
to  commend  ourselves  to  consciences ;  and  if  the 
more  we  love,  the  less  we  are  loved,  then  God  will 
require  it  at  your  hands.  But  whether  you  will  hear, 
or  whether  you  forbear,  we  must,  as  we  shall  give 
answer  to  the  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  deal 
plainly  with  you.  Consider  but  that  one  scripture, 
Lev.  xix.  17.  and  ye  will  see  reproof  to  be  an  act  of 
great  love,  and  that  the  neglect  of  it  in  God's  account 
is  hatred :  u  Thou  shalt  not  fcite  thy  brother  in  thine 
heart.  Thou  shalt  in  any  ways  rebuke  thy  neigh- 
bour, and  not  suffer  sin  ugon  him  j"  ©r,  as  the  ragt 


AN   INTRODUCTORY    SEBMON.  31 

clause  may  be  rendered,  That  thou  hear  not  sin  for 
him.  Now,  if  you  follow  these  advices,  and  if  there 
be  a  single  eye  to  God,  and  close  dependence  upon 
him,  both  in  minister  and  people,  mutual  love  and 
helpfulness,  and  a  joint  endeavour  to  promote  the 
great  design  of  the  ministry,  the  glory  of  God  in  our 
own  salvation,  then  our  labour  shall  not  be  in  vain, 
but  shall  be  blessed  with  increase,  and  God,  even  our 
God,  shall  bless  us. 


THE 

GREAT    CONCERN 

OF 

SALVATION. 


FART   I 


A   DISCOVERY  OF   MAN'S    NATURAL    STATE  J    OR,    THE 
GUILTY    S1NJNER    CONVJCTED. 

ROMANS  iii.  23. 
For  all  have  sinned  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God. 


HOEVER  considers  his  present  condition,  will 
soon  see,  that  his  great  business  and  chief  concern 
lies  in  three  important  inquiries:  "What  have  I 
done  V9  Jer.  viii,  6.  "  What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved  V9 
Acts  xvi.  30.  «  What  shall  I  render  to  the  Lord  V9 
Psal.  cxvi.  12. — The  answer  of  the  first  Mill  make 
way  for  the  second,  and  that  will  give  occasion  for 
the  third. 

Though  wise  men  have  busied  their  heads,  and 
toiled  themselves  with  wearisome  inquiries  after 
happiness ;  yet  none  of  them  could  ever  give  men  a 
satisfying  answer  to  any  of  these  three  queries. 
But  what  they  by  their  wisdom  could  not  do,  that 
God,  in  his  infinite  wisdom  and  unparalleled  good- 
ness has  done,  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  rational  in- 
quirers, in  the  scriptures  of  truth. 

If  it  be  inquired,  What  have  we  done  ?  our  text 


THE   GUILTY    SINKER   CONVICTED.  S3 

answers,  Ml  men  have  sinned  and  coins  short  of  the 
glory  of  God.  If  the  question  be  put,  What  shall 
we  do  to  he  saved  ?  look  Acts  xvi.  31,  and  there  we 
are  bid  «  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  we 
shall  be  saved."  In  fine,  if  we  ask,  What  shall  we 
render  to  the  Lord  for  his  matchless  and  unparallel- 
ed favour  to  us,  we  may  turn  to  Psal.  cxvi.  13,  and 
there  we  are  told  what  to  do,  "  I  will  take  the  cup 
of  salvation,  and  call  up©n  the  name  of  the  Lord." 
And  much  to  the  same  purpose  is  that  of  the  prophet, 
Micah  vi.  8.  "  He  hath  shewed  thee,  O  man,  what  is 
good,  and  what  doth  the  Lord  require  of  thee,  but  to 
do  justly,  and  to  love  raeiey,  and  to  walk  humbly 
with  thy  God?" 

h  The  great  concernment  of  gospel-ministers  lies  m 
the  second  inquiry.  It  is  our  principal  business  to 
persuade  men  and  women  to  believe  on  the  name  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  commend  our  blessed  Ma- 
ker to  poor  sinners.  But  since  we  come  not  to  call 
the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance,  it  is  neces- 
sary we  lay  the  foundation  in  a  discovery  of  man's 
natural  state.  Before  we  offer  Christ,  we  shall  show 
you  need  him  :  before  we  tender  mercy,  we  shall  en- 
deavour to  represent  your  misery :  before  you  be 
called  to  repentance,  we  shall  show  you  are  sinners, 
who  stand  in  need  of  repentance.  And  upon  this  ac- 
count we  have  made  choice  of  the  words  now  read, 
which  do  offer  a  fair  occasion  for  a  discovery  of  your 
sin,  and  of  your  misery  on  that  account. 

We  shall  not  spend  time  in  considering  the  connec- 
tion of  the  words,  which  may  perhaps  afterwards 
fall  more  conveniently  in  our  way. 

The  text  is  a  general  assertion,  in  which  all  stand 
convicted  of,  and  concluded  under  sin  ;  for, 

The  persons  to  whom  sin  is  attributed,  are  not  some 
single  persons,  t©  a  seclusion  of  others,  but  all  man- 
kind. It  is  not  some  degenerate  wretches  in  the 
heathen  world  ;  but  all,  Jew  and  Gentile,  rich  and 


34  THE    GUILTY    SINGER   CONVICTED. 

poor,  high  and  low,  who  have  sinned  and  come  short 
of  the  glory  of  God. 

It  is  not  asserted  of  them,  that  they  may  sin,  that 
they  are  fallible,  and  if  artfully  plied  by  a  tempta- 
tion, may  be  taken  off  iheir  feet ;  but  that  they  all 
are  already  involved  in  the  guilt  of  sin,  and  have 
thereby  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God. — The  origi- 
nal word  which  is  here  rendered  come  short,  is  em- 
phaf  teal ;  it  properly  signifies  to  fall  short  of  the 
mark  one  aims  at,  or  to  fall  behind  in  a  race,  where- 
by the  prize  is  lost. — Man  in  his  first  estate  was  in 
a  fair  way  for  glory :  power  he  had  to  run  the  race, 
and  the  devil  had  no  power  to  stop  him  in  it;  he  had 
not  such  weights  as  we  now  are  clogged  with,  and 
yet  he  fell  short  of  the  glory  of  God  ;  i.  e.  he  lost 
that  glory  in  the  enjoyment  of  God,  which  he  had  so 
good  a  prospect  of;  he  lost  the  image  of  God,  which 
was  his  glory,  given  him-  of  God,  with  all  the  conse- 
quential advantages  of  it. 

We  need  not  draw  any  doctrine  from  the  words  ; 
they  themselves  do  express  that  which  we  design  to 
insist  upon. 

Boot. — «  That  all  men  and  women,  descending  from 
Adam  in  an  ordinary  way,  have  sinned,  and  there- 
by come  short  of  the  glory  of  God." 

This  doctrine,  standing  so  clear  in  the  words,  su- 
persedes any  further  proof;  and  therefore  we  shall 
not  spend  time  in  producing  other  scriptures  assert- 
ing the  same  thing.  # 
Before  we  apply  this  truth,  we  shall, 
J.  Premise  a  few  propositions  for  clearing  the  way 
to  the  further  explication  of  this  great  and  momen- 
tous truth. 

II.  We  shall  inquire  what  sin  formally  implies. 

III.  Mention  a  property  or  two  of  it. 

IV.  Inquire  into  the  import  of  this  all  in  the 
text 


THE    GU1XTY    SINNTR    CONVICTED.  S3 

V.  Show  what  is  implied  in  this  expression,  Come 
short  of  the  glory  of  God. 

VI.  Whence  it  is  that  all  have  sinned,  and  thereby 
eome  short  of  the  glory  of  God. 

Now  of  each  of  these  in  order.     And, 

I.  We  shall  premise  a  few  propositions  for  clearing 
the  way  to  what  we  further  design  in  the  explica- 
tion of  this  truth.     The 

1st  Proposition  we  offer  to  you  is,  That  God  is  the 
absolute  and  independent  Sovereign  of  the  world. 
Men  do  often  usurp  an  absolute  power  over  their  sub- 
jects, and  claim  a  blind  and  unlimited  obedience  ;  but 
they  had  need  take  heed  they  do  not  invade  God's 
right,  and  that  which  is  his  strvweign  prerogative. 
H**,  and  he  only,  is  absolute  Lord  and  King  of  the 
earth,  as  the  Psalmist  sings,  in  Psal.  xlvii.  2,  *•  The 
Lord  most  high  is  terrible  ;  he  is  a  great  King  over 
all  the  earth."  And  indeed  he  alone  is  fit  to  manage 
so  great  a  province ;  forasmuch  as  there  is  "none 
among  the  gods  like  unto  him,  neither  are  there  any 
works  like  unto  his,"  P^al  Ixxxvi.  8.  His  claim  is 
founded  upon  the  excellency  of  his  nature,  Jer.  x. 
6.  7.  "  Forasmuch  as  there  is  none  like  unto  thee, 
O  Lord,  thou  ^irt  great,  and  thy  name  is  great  in 
might,  who  would  not  fear  thee,  O  King  of  nations  ? 
For  to  thee  doth  it  appertain,  forasmuch  as  there  is 
Hone  like  unto  thee  :"  And  upon  his  creation  of  all 
things,  "  The  Lord  is  a  great  King  above  all  gods. 
The  sea  is  his,  and  he  made  it,"  Psal.  xcv.  3.  5. 
«  O  Jacob  and  Israel,  thou  art  my  servant,  I  have 
formed  thee,  thou  art  my  servant.  O  Israel."  Isa. 
xliv.  21.  In  fine,  his  preservation  of  all  things,  and 
the  manifold  mercies  he  loads  his  creatures  with,  do 
give  him  the  noblest  title  to  absolute  dominion  ;  and 
his  glorious  perfections  of  wisdom,  power,  holiness, 
and  justice,  do  not  only  fit  him  for  it,  but  make  his 
sway  desirable  to  all  who  understand  their  own  in- 
terest. 

2d.  Take  this  proposition,  God  the  absolute  Sote- 


36  THE    GI5IXTY    SINNBK   CONVICTED* 

reign  of  the  ivorld  has  prescribed  laws  to  all  his  crea- 
tures^ by  which  he  governs  them.  Not  to  speak  of 
these  laws  which  he  has  given  to  the  inanimate  part 
of  the  creation,  he  has  prescribed  men  their  work, 
he  has  given  them  his  laws,  whereby  they  are  indis- 
pensably obliged  to  live.  "  There  is  oae  Lawgiver, 
who  is  able  to  save  and  to  destroy,"  James  i.  12. 
"  The  Lord  is  Judge,  King,  and  Lawgiver/'  Isa. 
xxxiii.  22.  We  are  not  in  any  thing  left  altogether 
arbitrary.  He  who  has  said  to  the  sea,  "Hitherto 
shalt  thou  come,  and  no  further,"  has  dealt  so  like- 
wise with  man;  he  has  limited  him  on  every  hand 
by  his  holy  laws,  the  ineontestible  statutes  of  hea- 
ven. We  ara  obliged  to  eat,  drink,  sleep,  converse 
and  do  every  thing  by  rule :  God  has  set  us  our 
bounds  as  to  all  these  things,  and  thither  should  we 
come,  and  no  further.  Indeed,  these  limits  God  has 
set  us  are  not  such  as  he  sets  to  the  waves  of  the  tu- 
multuous sea :  no,  he  deals  with  us  in  a  way  suited 
to  our  nature ;  he  has  set  such  limits  as  none  can 
pass,  till  they  act  in  direct  contradiction  to  their  ve- 
ry natures,  tili  they  abandon  a  due  consideration  of 
that  wherein  their  greatest  concern  and  chiefcst  in- 
terest lies  ;  as  will  appear  plain  enough  from  that 
which  we  offer,  in  the 

3d  Place,  for  clearing  the  way,  That  the  great 
Lawgiver  of  the  world  has  annexed  rewards  and 
punishments  to  those  laws  he  has  made.  The  autho- 
rity of  God  is  a  tender  point  indeed.  ;  He  has  said, 
«•  he  will  not  give  his  glory  to  another,"  and  there- 
fore he  has  taken  care  to  guard  the  laws  he  has 
made  with  suitable  rewards  and  punishments.  God 
indeed  is  not  obliged  to  give  man  any  further  reward 
for  his  obedience,  than  what  flows  from  the  obedience 
itself,  which  is  sufficient  to  be  a  reward  to  itself; 
for  "  in  keeping  God's  commands  there  is  great  re- 
ward,'* Psal.  xix.  11.  But  such  is  his  matchless  and 
unbounded  goodness,  that  he  proposed  no  less  reward 
of  obedience  than  eternal  life $  a  reward  suitable  not 


T&&  GUILTY   StNNER  COXVICTU.  57 

to  man's  obedience,  which  deserves  no  such  thing, 
but  to  the  bounty  of  the  giver.  On  the  other  hand, 
again,  he  has  annexed  a  dreadful  penalty  to  his  laws, 
break  them  we  may  if  we  will ;  for  God  has  no* 
made  it  impossible  we  should ;  but  if  we  do,  then  the 
heavy  eurse  of  God  will  follow  us,  "  Cursed  is  eve- 
ry one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things  written  in  the 
book  of  the  law  to  do  them."  The  same  mouth  that 
pronounced  the  law,  pronounces  the  curse.  Gal  iii. 
10.  And  we  know,  whom  he  curses  they  are  cursed, 
and  whom  he  blesseth  they  are  blessed  indeed. 

kill.  These  laws,  which  God  hath  given  us  to  walk 
by,  hare  a  fourfold  property  mentioned  by  the  apos- 
tle, Horn.  vii.  12.  "  Wherefore  the  law  is  holy,  and 
the  commandment  holy,  just,  and  good;55  and,  ter. 
1*.  ««  We  know  that  the  law  is  spiritual,  but  I  am 
carnal,  sold  under  sin." 

1.  We  say,  it  is  holy  ;  the  law  of  God  is  thd  exact 
transcript  of  the  holy  will  of  God.  There  is  nothing 
in  it  disagreeable  to,  or  unworthy  of  the  holy  God, 
who  always  acts  like  himself,  and  is  of  purer  eyes 
than  to  behold  iniquity,  or  look  upon  sin. 

2.  It  h  just.  It  is  the  very  measure  of  all  jus- 
tice among  men.  It  is  a  law  that  gives  God  his  due 
and  man  his ;  nay,  man  has  no  right  or  property  in, 
or  title  to,  any  thing  but  from  this  law.  What  this 
makes  his,  is  so,  and  no  more  can  justly  be  claimed. 

3.  It  is  good.  It  is  not  a  law  made  to  gratify  the 
lusts  of  an  earth-worm  ;  it  is  not  a  law  made  without 
regard  to  the  advantage  of  those  who  live  under  it : 
but  Giid,  in  framing  his  law,  has  exactly  considered 
what  might  be  for  man's  good,  both  in  time  and  eter- 
nity ;  and  has,  in  matchless  goodness  and  infinite  wis- 
dom, ordered  the  mutter  so,  that  duty  and  interest  go 
ever  together,  and  a  man  can  never  act  against  his 
duty,  hut  he  wrongs  his  real  interest,,  even  ahslraet- 

from  the  consideration  of  future  rewards  and 
punishments  ia  another  life. 

B 


33  THE   GUILTY    SINNER   CONVICTED. 

4.  The  law  is  spiritual.  It  is  not  such  a  law  as  h 
prescribed  by  man,  which  only  reaches  the  outward 
man  ;  no,  ii  is  spiritual,  reaching  to  the  soul  and  all 
its  inward  actings.  It  prescribes  bounds  to  the  spi- 
rits of  men,  obliging  them  to  inward  obedience  and 
conformity  to  it  in  their  motions,  inclinations,  and 
affections  ;  not  a  thought,  nay,  nor  the  circumstance 
of  a  thought,  but  falls  under  this  spiritual  and  ex- 
tensive law,  which  made  the  Psalmist  say,  "  I  have 
seen  an  end  of  all  perfection,  but  thy  commandment 
is  exceeding  broad."  Psal.  cxix.  96. 

The  way  being  thus  cleared,  we  shall  now,  in  the 

Second  Place,  show  you  what  sin  is.  Sin,  which 
is  here  charged  upon  all,  properly  and  formally  irtir 
ports, 

1.  A  want  of  conformity  to  the  law,  of  which  we 
have  been  discoursing.  The  law  requires  and  en- 
joins duty.  It  obliges  us  not  only  to  actions  so  and 
so  qualified,  but  to  have  a  right  principle  of  action; 
it  not  only  enjoins  holy  thoughts,  holy  words,  and 
holy  actions,  but  moreover  it  requires  that  the  very 
frame  and  temper  of  our  hearts  be  holy  j  and  when 
we  fall  short  of  this,  then  we  sin.  That  the  law  obli- 
ges us,  as  to  the  frame  of  our  heart,  is  plain,  since 
It  requires  that  the  tree  be  good  as  well  as  the  fruit ; 
that  the  worship  and  service  we  perform  to  God  be 
with  the  whole  strength,  soul  and  heart. 

%.  Sin  imports  a  transgression  of  the  law,  for  «  sin 
is  a  transgression  of  tht:  law/*  1  John  iii.  4.  Indeed, 
when  transgression  is  taken  in  a  large  sense,  it  com- 
prehends all  sin ;  but  it  may  be,  and  is  frequently 
restricted  to  actual  sins,  and  sins  of  commission  ;  as 
the  former  branch  of  the  description  is  to  original 
sin,  and  sins  of  omission.  Sin  is  an  opposition  to  the 
law  of  God.  God  bids  do,  arise,  work; — man  trans- 
gresses, breaks  the  command,  and  sits  still  idle.  God 
forbids  such  and  such  sinful  actions — man  does  them 
in  opposition  to  the  command  of  Gtd,  which  flows 


THE   GUILTY   SINNER   CONVICTED.  '  39 

from  a  contempt  of  God's  authority ;  so  that  we  may 
say, 

3,  That  eyery  sin  implies,  in  its  formal  nature* 
contempt  of  God*  as  that  which  is  its  source.  Sin 
flows  from  a  secret  enmity  of  heart  against  the  Al- 
mighty, and,  therefore,  carries  in  it  high  contempt 
of  him.  It  may  be,  men  are  so  blind  that  they  can- 
not discern  any  such  thing  in  it ;  hut  God  makes 
breaking  the  law,  and  despising  or  contemning  the 
law,  to  be  all  one.  Amos  ii.  4.  "  Thus  saith  the 
Lord,  For  three  transgressions  of  Judah,  and  for 
four,  I  will  not  turn  away  the  punishment  thereof, 
because  they  have  despised  the  law  of  the  Lord,  and 
have  not  kept  his  commandments,  and  their  lies 
caused  them  to  err,  after  the  which  their  fathers 
have  walked.55  Sin,  in  most  men's  eyes,  is  a  barm- 
less  thing;  but  how  far  otherwise  would  it  be  if  its 
nature  were  seen  in  a  just  light  by  the  eye  of  faith  5 
if  we  saw  it  trampling  upon  God's  authority,  good- 
ness, and  holiness,  and  even  endeavouring,  as  it  were 
to  ungod  him. 

But  that  ye  may  further  understand  what  sin  Is, 
we  shall,  in  the 

Third  Place,  mention  a  twofold  inseparable  pro- 
perty,  or  adjunct  of  sm,  with  which  it  is  ever  attend- 
ed.   And, 

1.  Sin  is  the  defilement  of  the  soul;  sin  is  a  filthy 
thing.  The  beauty,  the  glory  of  man,  consists  in  his 
conformity  to  the  holy  aud  pure  law  of  God,  and  in 
as  far  as  he  deviates  from  that,  in  so  far  is  he  defiled 
and  polluted.  Every  sin  hath  a  Satan  in  it,  and  robs 
the  soul  of  its  beauty,  occasions  a  sort  of  loathsome- 
ness, whereby  in  the  eyes  of  God,  and  even  of  itself, 
it  becomes,  ugly  and  abominable ;  it  is  the  abomina- 
ble thing  which  God  hates.  "  Oh,  do  not  this  abomi- 
nable thing  that  I  hate/'  saith  the  Lord,  Jer.  xliv. 
&.     The  natural  state  of  man  is  upon  the  account  oT 

is  filthiness,  compared  to  a  wretched  infant  that 


40  THE   GUIXTY  tlKKlfitl   ©OtfVICEED. 

is  east  out,  "in  all  its  natural  pollutions,"  Ezek.  xVi. 
and  to  every  thing  else  that  is  filthy,  to  puddle,  mire, 
and  dirt,  and  (o  a  menstruous  cloth ;  hut  yet  all  of 
them  are  not  sufficient  to  give  a  just  idea  of  Its  fil- 
thiaess. 

2.  Sin,  as  it  is  attended  with  j£K7«,  so  it  is  attended 
with  guilt.  It  makes  the  sinner  guilty  ;  it  obliges 
him  to  undergo  the  penalty  which  God  hath  annexed 
to  his  law ;  it  carries  ever  along  with  it  a  title  to  the 
eurse  of  God.  When  the  law  of  God  is  considered 
as  that  which  represents  his  holiness  a»d  spotless  pu- 
rity, whereby  it  becomes  the  measure  and  standard 
of  all  beauty,  glory,  and  purity  to  us  \  then  sin,  as  it 
stands  opposed  to  it  in  this  respect,  is  looked  upon  as 
a  stain,  a  blot,  a  defilement :  but  as  the  law  of  God 
oarries  on  it  the  impression  of  his  royal  authority,  the 
breach  of  it  binds  over  to  just  punishment  for  the 
reparation  ef  the  honour  of  that  contemned  autho- 
rity. 

Thus  we  see  what  it  is  that  all  men  are  charged 
with.  God  here  lays  home  to  them  a  breach  of  the 
Jaw,  represents  them  as  condemned  and  guilty,  de- 
formed and  defiled  ereaiurȤ.  *<  All  men  have  sin- 
Bed  :"  every  one  has  broken  the  holy,  just,  good,  andL 
spiritual  law  of  the  great  Sovereign  of  the  world ; 
all  are  guilty  of  a  contempt  of  his  authority,  all  are 
defiled  with  that  abominable  thing  which  his  soul 
hates.  J>,st  any  oae  should  take  occasion  to  clear 
himself,  and  say,  O  I  am  not  the  person  spoken  of,  I 
never  contemned  God,  I  never  defiled  myself,  and  so 
I  am  not  guilty  of  that  which  is  charged  upon  man- 
kind. Lest  any  should  say,  I  am  clean,  God  has  put 
a  bar  upon  this  door,  by  extending  the  charge  to  all 
without  exception. 

And  so  I  come,  in  the 

Fourth  Place,  to  inquire  into  the  import  of  this 
universal  particle  all  in  my  ttxt ;  and  it  imports, 

i$tf  That  persons  of  all  ages  are  involved  in  the 


THE   GAIETY    SINNER  CONVICTED  41 

same  common  misery.  Young  and  old  have  sinned. 
The  suckling  upon  the  breast,  as  well  as  the  old  man 
that  is  stooping  into  the  grave.  None  needs  envy 
another— The  old  man  needs  not  envy  the  innoceney 
of  the  infant  of  days,  for  the  youngest  carries  as 
much  sin  into  the  world  as  renders  it  ugly,  deformed, 
and  guilty.  Indeed  there  are  who  have  not  sinned  at 
the  rate  that  others  have  done.  Children  have  not 
sinned  ^  after  the  similitude  of  Adam's  transgres- 
sion.'5 Rom.  v.  li.  Their  age  would  not  allow 
them  ;  but  sin  enough  they  have  derived  to  them 
from  Adam,  to  damn,  to  defile  them. 

2d.  Persons  of  nil  professions,  Jew  and  Gentile* 
whatever  their  religious  profession  be.  This  evil  ia 
not  confined  to  those  of  one  religion,  but  is  extended 
to  all  :  the  apostle  sums  up  all  mankind,  as  to  reli- 
gion, under  two  head?,  Jew  and  Gentile ;  and  at 
large  in  the  foregoing  part  of  this  epistle,  proves 
them  both  to  be  sinners. 

3d.  Jill  ranks  of  persons,  high  and  low,  rich  and 
poor.  This  is  not  an  evil  of  whieh  the  prince  can 
free,  himself  more  than  the  peasant.  Those  who 
may  be  shining  in  glittering  apparel  are  upon  this  ac- 
count v?Ie  and  jfiithy  as  the  toad  they  cannot  endure 
to  look  upon :  those  who  may  condemn  or  absolve 
others,  may  themselves  be  under  a  sentence  of  con- 
demnation ;  nay,  it  really  is  so  with  all  those  who 
are  not  saved  from  their  sins.  Even  these  very 
men  who  have  sometimes  forgot  themselves  so  far, 
us  to  advance  themselves  above  the  Jaws,  are  yet  not 
only  subject  to  God's  law,  but  lying  under  an 
obligation  to  punishment  on  account  of  their  breach- 
es of  this  holy,  just,  and  good  law. 

4.  Persons  in  all  generations  are  guilty.  It  was 
r«ot  only  some  poor  wretches  in  the  old  world  which 
God  swept  off  the  face  of  the  earth  by  a  flood,  that 
have  sinned,  but  persons  of  all  ages,  ranks,  qualities* 
in  all  generations.    There  is  not  one  exception  amoog 


I 
42  THE   GUILTS   SINNER  C0NVICTEI*. 


all  the  natural  descendants  of  Adam,  man  or  wo 
nmii,  great  nor  small,  rich  nor  poor,  king  nor  beggar, 
all  have  sinned,  from  the  greatest  to  the  least.  None 
ean  justly  upbraid  another  with  what  he  has  done  in 
Biatter,  since  all  are  in  the  provocation:  Ml  have 
$inned  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God. 

And  this  leads  us  to  that  which  we  did,  in  the  next 
place,  propose  to  discourse  of  to  you,  viz. 

Fifth,  The  import  of  this  coming  short  of  the  glo* 
ry  of  God.    And  this  takes  in  or  implies, 

1st,  That  man  has  fallen  short  of  that  glory  which 
he  had  by  the  conformity  of  his  nature  to  God*  Man 
is  said,  1  Cor.  xi.  7.  to  be  «  the  image  and  glory  of 
God  ;'*  and  indeed  so  was  he  in  his  first  and  best 
©State.  O  what  of  God  was  there  in  innocent  Adam  J 
A  mind  full  of  light;  how  wonderfully  did  it  repre- 
sent that  God  who  is  light,  and  in  whom  there  is  na 
darkness  at  all !  A  pure  soul,  the  exact  transcript 
of  the  divine  purity  !  The  rest  of  the  creatures  had 
in  them  some  darker  representations  of  the  glory  of 
God's  wisdom  and  power,  but  only  man,  of  all  the 
creatures  in  the  lower  world,  was  capable  to  repre- 
sent the  holiness,  righteousness*  and  purity,  and  other 
rational  perfections,  of  the  ever-blessed  Deity ;  and* 
upon  this  account  man  was  4i  the  glory  of  God." 
God,  as  it  were,  gloried  in  him  as  the  master-pieee 
of  the  visible  creation,  in  whom  alone  more  of  God 
*was  to  be  seen  than  in  all  therest  beside.  This,  man 
lias  now  lost ;  he  has  fallen  short  of  the  beauty  and 
glory  which  made  him  «  the  glory  of  God." 

2d.  Man  has  lost  the  glory  he  had,  as  he  was  the 
deputy  of  the  great  God  in  this  lower  world.  He  was 
»iad#  lord  of  God's  hand-works  upon  earth  :  and  all 
ithe  creatures  in  it  paid  their  homage  to  him,  when 
they  came  and  received  their  names  from  Slim  in  pa- 
radise :  but  now  the  «  crown  is  fallen  from  his  head  ?' 
he  has  come  short  of  this  glory  $  the  creatures  re- 
fuse subjection  1q  him, 


< 


THE   GTJILTF   0INNEB   COtfVICTEB,  fco 

3d,  Man  is  come  short  of  the  glory  he  had  in  the 
enjoyment  of  God  in  paradise.  It  was  man's  glory, 
honour  and  happiness,  to  be  allowed  a  more  than  or- 
dinary familiarity  with  God.  God  and  Adam  eon- 
versed  together  in  paradise.  He  was  allowed  the 
company  of  God  ;  that  made  his  state  happy  indeed. 
What  eould  man  want,  while  the  all-suffieient  God 
kept  up  so  close,  so  blessed  and  comfortable  a  famil- 
iarity with  him,  and  daily  loaded  him  with  his  fa- 
vours ?     But  this  he  has  come  short  of. 

4Wi.  Man  has  come  short  of  that  glory  he  had  the 
prospect  of  .  God  set  him  fairly  on  the  way,  and  did 
furnish  him  sufficiently  for  a  journey  to  eternal,  un- 
changeable, never-fading  glory  ;  but  this  he  has  come 
short  of;  and  this  indeed  follows  natively  upon  the 
former.  This  is  indeed  much,  but  we  conceive  this 
is  not  all  that  the  expression  has  in  it :  nay,  certain- 
ly  there  is  more  in  it ;  this  falling  short,  though  it 
i)\ny  seems  to  point  at  the  negative,  yet  certainly  it 
takes  in  the  positive  ;  and  we  therefore  say,  that  this 
expression,  in  the 

5th  Place,  implies  not  only  man's  less  of  his  ori- 
ginal beauty  and  glory,  in  a  conformity  to  the  image 
of  God,  but  that  he  has  fallen  in  the  mire,  and  is  de- 
filed in  sin.  He  who  sometime  aday  was  the  image 
and  glory  of  God,  is  now  more  filthy  than  the  ground 
he  treads  o»,  than  the  mire  of  the  street,  than  the 
loathsome  toad. 

6th.  Not  only  has*he  lost  the  dominion  he  had,  but 
he  has  become  a  slave  to  sin.  He  who  sometime  a- 
day  looked  like  a  god  in  the  world,  is  now  debased 
down  to  hell.  He  to  whom  the  creatures  once  veil- 
ed as  to  their  sovereign,  now  daily  stands  in  danger 
of  his  life  by  them,  and  lies  open  to  the  insults  of  the 
meanest  of  them. 

7th.  Not  only  has  he  lost  the  sweet  and  soul-ra- 
vishing communion  he  had  with  God,  but  now  he  is, 
as  it  were,  scarce  capable  to  look  toward  Mm;  thv 


&&  THE   GUILTY   SINGER  CONVICTEBr 

sight  of  God,  which  once  was  his  life,  is  now  to  him 
as  death.  , 

8th.  Not  only  has  man  forfeited  his  title  to  future 
happiness,  but,  which  is  worse,  he  is  by  sin  entitled 
to  future,  eternal,  inconceivable  misery  and  wo.  A 
dreadful  coming  short  this  is  indeed.  From  liovy  high 
a  hope,  into  what  an  inconceivable  abyss  of  misery 
and  wo,  is  poor  man  fallen  by  sin  !  "  The  erown  is 
fallen  from  his  head/5  He  was  a  little  hence  all 
beauty,  glory,  excellency,  and  comeliness  ;  but  now, 
alas  !  we  may  groan  out  an  Ichabod  over  him  !  where 
is  the  glory  ? 

We  come  now,  in  the 

Sixth  Place,  to  inquire  into  the  source  and  spring 
of  all  this  misery  and  wo.  How  and  whence  is  it 
that  all  are  involved  in  the  guilt  of  sin  j  and  that  this 
sad  and  afflicting  calamity  flows  ? 

1st.  From  the  guilt  of  Adam9 s first  sin.  Adam  by 
the  holy,  wise,  just*  and  good  appointment  of  God, 
stood  in  the  room  of  all  his  posterity.  Had  he  stood, 
in  him  we  all  had  stood,  and  retained  the  innocency 
and  integrity  of  our  natures,  the  favour,  love,  and 
kindness  of  heaven  5  but  he  falling  into  sin,  in  him 
we  all  sinned;  and  by  the  disobedience  of  this  one 
man,  we  all  were  made  sinners  ;  as  the  apostle  doth 
at  large  discourse,  Rom.  v.  from  the  12th  verse,  and 
downwards.  This,  this,  is  the  poisoned  spring 
whence  all  our  sin,  all  our  sorrow  and  misery  flows. 

2d.  This  flows  from  the  natural  depravity  of  the 
mind  of  man,  that  is  transmitted  to  us  from  our 
progenitors.  "  We  are  shapen  in  iniquity,  and  in 
sin  did  our  mother  conceive  us."  We  received  a  fa- 
tal wramp  when  first  formed  in  the  womb,  as  the 
Psalmist  complains,  Psal.  li.  5.  And  indeed  there  is 
none  can  bring  a  clean  thing  out  of  an  unclean. 
Our  infected  parents  transfer  to  us  the  infection  of 
sin.  Sin  runs  in  our  blood,  and  our  natures  have  a 
natural  inclination  to  «  evil,  only  to  evil,  and  that 
eontinually,"  Gea.  vi.  5. 


N 


>fK£  GUILT?  SINX£U  CONVICTED,  *4» 

&d,  This  flows  from  abounding  temptations.  As 
^pur  hearts  are  wicked,  and  set  only  on  evil  ;  so  every 
thing,  in  this  present  disorder  on  account  of  sin,  is 
suited  to  carry  on  the  infection.  The  creatures,  by 
reason  of -Bin,  are  made  subject  to  vanity.  They  are 
made  subservient  to  the  lusts  of  men  ;  the  devil  and 
our  corrupt  hearts  daily  abuse  them  to  this  end  ;  and 
by  these  means  it  is  that  all  men  have  sinned,  aad 
thereby  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God. 

The  application  is  that  which  we  principally  de- 
signed in  the  choice  of  this  subject;  and  therefore 
we  have  but  named  things  in  the  doctrinal  part.  And 
now  we  come  to  improve  the  whole. 

That  which  we  design  chiefly  in  the  improvement 
of  this,  is  an  use  of  conviction.  Some  days  ago,  wc 
came  to  you  proclaiming  the  grace,  mercy,  and  lov« 
of  God,  in  Christ  Jesus ;  now  we  ceme  to  accuse  you 
$s  guilty  of  sin.  The  design  of  our  doing  go  is  in- 
deed the  advancement  ©f  the  glory  of  Christ,  and  in 
him  of  the  grace  and  mercy  of  the  Lord  God.  But 
•u.r  present  work  in  iiself  is  such,  as  doth  not  in  its 
o\vn  nature  look  that  way,  though,  by  the  infinite 
wisdom  and  goodness  of  God,  it  be  made  subservient 
thereunto. 

"  You  are  all  here  present  before  the  Lord,  to  hear 
what  God  the  Lord  will  speak  unto  you  j"  and,  as 
Ebud  said  to  Eglon,  King  of  Moab,  so  we  say  to  you, 
"  We  have  a  message  from  God  to  you."  Judges  iii. 
20.  A  sad  message,  not  much  unlike  to. that  which 
Ehud  brought  to  Eglon,  a  message  of  death.  We 
come  this  day  to  you,  to  implead  you  in  Gcd's  name 
as  guilty  of  sin.  The  message  is  not  to  some  parti- 
cular gross  offenders,  but  to  every  soul  now  present 
before  the  Lord ;  to  the  child,  to  the  young  man* 
and  maid,  to  those  of  riper  years,  and  to  them  who 
are  old,  and  stoop  uodcr  the  weight  of  many  years. 

"  In  the  name,  and  at  the  instance  of  the  greaf, 
the  terrible  God,  the  King,  the  Lord  of  hosts/'  whose 


46  THE  GUILTY  SIXNBB  CONVICTED. 

name  is  dreadful  among  the  Heathen,  Mai.  i.  14, 
<<  that  eonfirmeth  the  word  of  his  servants,  and  per- 
formeth  the  counsel  of  his  messengers.95  Isa.  xliv. 
%6.  we  are  to  implead,  impeach,  and  accuse,  every 
soul  here  present,  as  guilty  of  sin.  Hitherto  we 
have  spoken  in  the  genera?,  which,  it  may  be,  has 
been  no  better  to  you,  than  Nathan's  parable  to  Da- 
vid. It  may  be  some  of  you  have  been  saying,  that 
the  sou!  that  has  sinned  has  deservedly  fallen  short 
of  the  glory  of  God,  and  fallen  under  the  wrath  of 
God:  but  now  what  we  said  before  in  general,  we 
eome  to  say  in  particular  to  every  one  of  you,  as  Na- 
than did  to  David,  **  Thou  art  the  man,  thou  art  the 
woman,  thou  art  the  child,  the  young  man,  or  the 
maid,  who  hast  sinned,  and  thereby  come  short  of 
the  glory  of  God." 

Now,  that  we  may  be  successful  in  this  work,  and 
bring  you,  if  possible,  to  understand  your  state  and 
condition,  we  shall, 

First,  Mead  and  open,  as  it  were,  the  charge  and 
indictment,  we  do  in  God's  name  bring  against  you. 

Secondly*  Lead  witnesses,  whereby  we  shall  prove 
it  against  you  all  in  general. 

Thirdly*  Endeavour  particularly  oy  arguments  to 
make  our  charge  good,  1st,  Jlgainst  children  and 
young  men;  2d,  Jlgainst  those  of  a  middle  age ;  and 
3d,  Against  old  men  and  women.  This  we  shall  do, 
as  it  were,  by  taking  you  to  the  places,  the  compa- 
nies, and  occasions,  where  you  have  sinned,  and  in- 
curred the  guilt  now  charged  on  you. 

Fourthly,  Show  what  satisfaction  our  great  Lord 
demands  against  such  traitors. 

Fifthly  9  What  reason  he  has  to  require  it,  And 
then, 

Sixthly,  Endeavour  to  represent  to  you  your  mise- 
ry upon  this  account. 

First,  The  charge  xve  lay  against  you,  is  not  some 
petty,  some  small  misdemeanor,  that  may  be  atoned 


THE  GUILTY    SINNER  CONVICTED.  47 

for  by  a  bare  acknowledgement,  by  some  pitiful  mock, 
God  have  mercy  upon  me.  No  j  the  charge  draws 
deep,  it  is  no  less  than  that  of  sin,  sin  against  the 
great  Sovereign  of  the  world.  Ye  all  have  sinned. 
O  !  if  ye  knew  what  a  world  of  evil  is  in  that  cursed 
thing,  sin !  When  we  say,  Ye  have  sinned,  you  are 
ready  to  say,  O  !  we  know  that  well  enough.  Is  this 
all  ye  have  to  say  ?  'When  we  heard  of  such  a  dread- 
ful thing  as  a  charge  and  indictment  in  the  name  of 
God  against  us  ;  when  we  heard  of  leading  witnesses, 
and  all  the  other  parts  of  a  trial,  we  did  apprehend 
there  was  some  terrible  thing  a-coming,  some  dread- 
ful unheard  of  evil  to  be  laid  home  to  our  door ;  but 
now  we  find  there  is  nothing  said  against  us,  but  only 
that  we  are  sinners,  and  who  will  deny  this  ?  who 
knows  it  not  ?  and  this  is  but  the  common  lot,  «  God 
be  merciful  to  us,"  we  are  all  sinners ;  and  there 
the  repentance  of  most  is  done ;  their  sores  are  heal- 
ed, and  they  can  live,  and  it  may  be  die,  without  any 
fear  in  this  case :  such  light  apprehensions  have 
most  part,  of  sin. 

These,  these,  it  may  be,  are  the  apprehensions  of 
not  a  few  of  you,  upon  hearing  the  charge  :  but  if 
there  be  not  blind  minds,  shut  eyes,  deaf  ears,  and 
dreadfully  bard  hearts  amongst  us,  ere  all  be  done, 
some  of  you  will,  it  may  be,  change  your  minds,  and 
think  this  a  very  dreadful  and  heavy  charge.  If  God 
would  now  concur  by  his  Spirit,  and  enable  us  to 
manage  our  work  to  purpose,  if  he  would  let  out  the 
convincing  influences  of  his  Spirit,  the  weight  of 
this  charge  would  press  you  so  as  to  make  your  hearts 
fail  and  sink  within  you. 

Sin  is  an  ordinary  word,  a  little  word,  and  most 
men  do  apprehend  that  there  is  but  little  in  it :  but 
mistake  it  not ;  there  is  much  in  it,  more  than  an- 
gels or  men  can  ever  discover,  or  fully  unfold.  Yet 
that  all  this  that  we  have  said  may  not  seem  a  ground- 
less allegation,  I  shall*  1st,  Set  up  to  you  some  glass- 


48  THE  ©UIJLTX  SlNJSEil  CONVICTED* 

es,  wherein  you  may  get  a  view  of  sin's  ugly  face ; 
or  I  shall,  as  Balak  did  to  Balaam,  take  you  to  sue!* 
places,  where  you  may  get  a  sight  of  its  formidable 
nature*  ptwer,  and  malignity.  2dly,  I  shall  tell  you 
of  some  dreadful  and  monstrous  evils  that  are  lodg- 
ed in  every  sin,  the  least  idle  thought  or  word.  And* 
Sdly,  I  shall  mention  some  killing  aggravations  thut 
your  sins  are  clothed  with,  that  put  an  accent  upon 
them,  and  enhance  their  guilt.  And  this  will  let  you 
see  thft  great  evil  of  sin ;  this  will  open  your  indict- 
ment. 

1st,  We  shall  give  you  some  prospects  of  sin.  It 
may  be,  many  of  you  do  think  very  little  of  sin  ; 
bat  here  I  desire  you  to  come  and  look  at  it. 

1.  In  the  glass  of  God's  law.  See  the  holy,  the 
high  and  exalted  God,  exhibiting  his  mind  and  will  in 
two  tables,  tables  containing  safe,  good,  holy,  just, 
spiritual;  and  every  way  advantageous  rules,  for 
that  creature  whom  God  has  taken  so  distinguishing 
and  particular  a  cars  of,  Well,  what  shall  we  nee 
of  sin  here  ?  O  here,  you  may  see  sin  breaking,  nay 
dashing  to  pieces,  these  two  tables,  in  a  worse  sense 
than  Moses  did,  Exod.  xxxii.  ±9.  Every  sin,  the 
least  sin,  throws  them  both  to  the  groufM  ;  for,  as 
the  apostle  James  telis  us,  *•  Whosoever  shall  keep 
the  whole  law,  and  yet  oifend  m  one  point,  he  is  guilty 
of  all."  James  ii.  19.     Is  it  a  small  tiling  to  -you  to 


piv. 

but  if  yet  ye  will  not  see  the  cursed  nature  of  sin, 

then  we  bid  you,  iu  the 

2d  place,  take  a  view  of  it  in  the  nature  of  the 
great  God9  the  seat  of  all  majesty,  glory,  beauty, 
and  excellency;  aied  if  you  look  at  it  here,  O  how 
ugly  will  it  appear !  Nothing  in  all  the  world  is  contra- 
ry and  opposite  to  the  nature  of  God,  but  sin.  The 
Bseane&t,  the  most  apparently  deformed  creature  in 


T&E   GUILTY    SIKTSER   CONVICTED,  49 

the  world,  Ihe  toad,  the  crawling  insect,  carries  in 
its  nature  nothing  really  opposite  to  the  nature  of 
God  ;  sin,  only  sin,  stands  in  opposition  to  him.  This 
he  cannot  dwell  with:  "Evil  shall  not  dwell  with 
him,  nor  sinners  stand  in  his  sight."  Such  is  that 
abhorrence  that  God  has  at  sin,  that,  when  he  speaks 
of  it,  his  heart  as  it  were  rises  against  it,  *  Oh  der' 
not  that  abominable  thing  which  I  hate!'5  in  that 
forecitrd  Jer.  xliv.  4.  And  if  yet  ye  will  not  see  its 
sinfulness,  I  will  take  you  where  you  may  see  more 
of  it.     Go  take  a  view  of  it, 

0.  In  the  threatinings  of  the  laiv9  and  see  there 
what  estimate  God  puts  on  it,  and  what  a  thing  it  is. 
A5*  the  power  of  heaven,  the  anger,  the  fury,  the  ven- 
geance of  God,  all  are  levelled  at  the  head  of  sin. 
Take  but  one  instance  for  all,  in  that  7th  of  Joshua ; 
there  a  people  accustomed  to  victory  turn  their  back 
before  the  enemy,  fall  a  prey  to  a  people  devoted  to 
destruction  ;  nay,  moreover,  God,  in  the  12th  verse, 
calls  all  the  people  accursed,  and  tells,  they  cannot 
stand  before  the  enemy,  "  neither  will  I  be  with  you 
any  more,"  says  he.  Why  ?  what  is  the  matter  ? 
wherefore  is  the  heat  of  ail  this  anger  ?  what  mean- 
eth  this  vengeance?  The  matter  was,  there  was  a 
sin  committed;  Achan  had  taken  some  of  the  spoil  of 
the  enemy.  Thus  you  see,  one  sin  makes  God 
breathe  out  threatenings  against  a  whole  nation.  In 
fine,  look  through  the  book  of  God,  and  there  you 
shall  see  one  threatening  big  with  temporal,  another 
with  eternal  plagues  ;  one  full  of  external,  another  of 
internal  and  spiritual  woes;  and  all  as  it  were  level- 
led at  the  head  of  sin.  And  is  that  a  small  matter 
which  never  fails  to  set  out  all  the  vengeance  of  hea- 
ven against  the  person  that  is  guilty  of  it  ?  But  yet 
this  is  not  all  :  you  may  see  more,  if  ye  look  at  it) 

4.  In  thejudgments  of  God  that  are  abroad  in  the 
earth.  Look  we  to  one  nation,  there  we  shall  see 
thousands  falling  before  the  avenging  enemy,  the 

E 


50  THE    GUILTY    SINNER   COSTVICtEU. 

sword  glutted  as  it  were  with  blood  ;  men  who  a  little 
before  were  possessed  of  wisdom,  courage,  and  all 
those  endowments  which  serve  to  enhance  the  worth 
of  the  sons  of  men,  are  here  laid  heaps  upon  heaps: 
Go  we  to  another,  there  we  shall  see  no  fewer  car- 
ried off  by  sickness  and  diseases^  and  all  wearing  out 
by  time.  Go  to  church  yards,  and  see  what  vast 
havoc  these  do  make ;  there  you  may  see  the  rub- 
bish of  many  generations  laid  heaps  upon  heaps. 
Well,  see  you  nothing  of  sin  in  all  this?  What 
thitik  you  of  all  these  lamentable  evils,  miseries,  and 
woes?  Why,  see  you  nothing  of  sin  in  them  all? 
Sure  you  are  blind  if  you  do  not.  I  ask  you,  as  Je- 
hu did  when  he  saw  the  dead  sons  of  Ahab,  2  Kings 
x.  9.  "  Who  slew  all  these  ?"  Who  brought  all 
these  sons  of  pride,  who  not  long  ago  were  strangely 
ruffling  it  out  in  the  light  of  warlike  glory,  down  to 
the  sides  of  the  pit  ?  who  filled  your  church-yards 
with  heaps  upon  heaps,  fathers  and  sons,  high  and 
low,  rich  and  poor,  of  all  sexes,  ranks,  ages,  and  de- 
grees ?  Surely  sin  hath  done  this ;  for  as  "  by  one 
man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin  ; 
and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have 
sinned."  Rom.  v.  12.  But  if  still  you  will  look  up- 
on sin  as  a  small  and  light  thing,  we  have  yet  ano- 
ther glass  wherein  you  may  have  a  further  sight  of 
it. 

5.  Enter  the  house  of  a  soul  under  trouble  of  con- 
science; look  at  a  Heman,  and  you  shall  hear  him 
making  a  heavy  moan  in  that  88th  psalm  $  there  you 
see  a  man  that  has  a  soul  full  of  trouble,  oppressed 
with  all  the  waves  and  billows  of  the  wrath  of  God, 
almost  distracted  with  the  terrors  of  God.  Now,  if 
you  saw  one  in  this  case  crying  out  in  anguish  of  spi- 
rit, nay,  it  may  be,  tearing  himself  \  beating  his  breast9 
ask  him  the  reason  of  all  this  distress,  he  will  tell 
you,  that  it  is  sin  that  has  done  all  this.  He  has  no 
rest  in  his  bones  for  ills  that  he  has  done,  PaaL 


THE    GTJTLTY    SINNER   CONVICTED.  51 

xxxv'ii.  3  And  if  yet  ye  have  not  seen  enough  of 
the  sinfulness  and  evil  of  sin,  I  shall  give  you  ano- 
ther prospect  of  it, 

6.  In  the  hateful,  monstrous,  and  enormous  crimes, 
that  are  committed  in  the  world.  Some  sins  there  arc 
which  hring  along  with  them  infamy  and  disgrace, 
even  before  men.  Human  nature,  as  corrupt  as  it  is, 
shrinks  at  some  sins,  they  carry  in  them  such  an  evi- 
dent contrariety  to  the  faint  remains  of  natural  light. 
Sins  there  are,  which,  as  the  apostle  says,  1  Cor.  v. 
1.  *?  are  not  so  much  as  named  among  the  Gentiles." 
Now,  if  a  man  be  guilty  of  any  of  these  crying  abomi- 
nations, these  crimson  sins,  then  he  becomes  odious 
to  the  world.  Call  a  man  a  murderer,  an  incestuous 
person,  an  abuser  of  his  parents,  or  the  like,  every 
sober  person  will  flee  from,  and  shun  as  a  pest,  the 
company  of  such  an  one.  But  why  ?  what  is  the  mat- 
ter? what  is  there  so  odious  in  these  crimes,  that 
every  one  flees  from  the  person  guilty  of  them  ?  there 
is  sin  in  them,  and  hence  it  is  they  are  so  hateful; 
and  the  only  thing  that  distinguished  these  from 
others,  is,  that  they  have  different  circumstantial  ag- 
gravations: for  in  the  nature  of  sin  they  all  do  agree, 
the  least  and  the  greatest;  the  least  sin  strikes  at  the 
holy  law  of  God,  contemns  the  authority  of  the  great 
and  supreme  Lawgiver,  as  well  as  the  greatest  doth, 
And  if  sin  be  so  odious  when  you  get  a  fuller  view  of 
it,  as  it  were,  in  these  large,  these  great  and  crying 
provocations,  it  is  no  less  so  when  it  is  less  perceptible 
in  these  sins  which  quadrate  better  with  our  vitiated 
and  corrupted  natures ;  for  indeed  the  difference 
among  sins,  as  to  greater  and  less,  lies  not  so  much 
in  the  nature  of  the  sins,  as  in  their  different  respects 
to  our  understanding,  arising  from  the  objects  about 
which  they  are  conversant.  But,  if  after  all  these 
views  of  sin,  your  eyes  are  so  blinded  that  you  can- 
not see  it,  then  come  take  a  view  of  it, 

7,  In  the  case  of  the  damned.    Here,  here  you 


52  THE   GU1XTY   SINNER   CONVICTED. 

may  have  a  strange*  an  heart-affecting  view  of  sin's 
ugb  face.  See  the  poor  wretches  lying  in  bundles, 
boiling  eternally  in  that  stream  of  brimstone,  roaring 
uncler  the  iritolerable,  and  yet  eternal  anguish  of  their 
spirits  !  Take  a  survey  of  them  in  this  lamentable 
posture.  If  you  should  see  some  hundreds  of  men, 
women,  and  children,  all  thrown  alive  into  burning 
pitch  or  melted  lead,  would  not  this  present  you  with 
a  sad  scene  of  misery  and  wo  ?  Would  not  this  be  a 
dismal  sight"?  Indeed  it  would  be  so.  But  all  this 
is  nothing  to  the  unspeakable  misery  of  the  devils 
and  damned,  who  have  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the 
lining  and  sin-revenging  God,  and  are  laid  in  chains 
of  massy  and  thick  darkness,  eternally  depressed  and 
sunk  into  the  bottomless  depth  of  the  wrath  of  God, 
and  choked  with  the  steam  of  that  lake  of  fire  and 
brimstone ;  and  have  every  faculty  of  their  soul,  eve- 
ry joint  of  their  body,  brimfull  of  the  fury  of  the 
eternal  God : — Behold,  ami  wonder  at\his  terrible 
aiwl  astonishing  sight ;  and  in  this  take  a  view  of  sin. 
Were  hell  oow  opened,  and  saw  you  the  damned 
in  chains  of  darkness,  and  if  you  heard  their  dread- 
ful yelling,  and  found  the  steam  of  the  bottomless 
pit,  ye  would  then  m  every  sense  get  some  discovery 
of  sin.  It  is  only  sin  that  has  kindled  that  dreadful 
and  inextinguishable  fire  of  wrath,  and  cast  the  dam- 
ned into  it;  and  it  is  sin  that  holds  them  there,  and 
torments  them  there.  If  you  had  but  a  just  impres- 
sion of  these  things,  how  hateful  would  sin  be  to  you  ? 
And  if,  after  all  that  has  been  said,  you  still  imagine 
that  sin  is  not  so  bad  as  we  would  represent  it,  then 
come  once  more,  and  take  a  view  of  it, 

8.  In  the  sufferings  of  Christ.  Here  is  a  glass, 
O,  criminals !  wherein  you  may  see  your  own  face. 
You  think  it  a  little  thing  that  you  have  sinned ;  nay, 
it  may  be,  you  roll  sin  «  as  a  sweet  morsel  under 
your  tongues.55  But  come  here,  and  see  what  a  thing 
it  is  which  you  thus  dreadfully  mistake  }    Come  se^e 


THE   GUILTY    SINNER   CONVICTED.  5$ 

it  holding  the  sword  ;  O  strange !  nay  more,  thrust- 
ing  it  into  Christ's  side  I — Here,  sinners,  is  a  sight 
that  made  the  earth  to  tremble,  and  the  sun  to  hide 
his  face,  as  we  see,  Matthew  xxvii.  51.  Luke  xxiii. 
45.  In  this  glass  you  may  see,  (1.)  What  God's 
thoughts  of  sin  are.  So  highly  opposite  to  his  na- 
ture is  it,  that  the  bowels  of  affection  he  had  to  the 
Son  of  his  love,  whom  he  so  highly  honoured,  when 
the  voice  came  from  the  excellent  glory,  saying, 
"  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  plea- 
sed," were  not  able  to  hold  up  the  hand  of  inexora- 
ble justice  from  striking  at  /um,  nay,  striking  him 
dead,  for  the  sin  of  the  elect  world.  Would  not  that 
be  a  great  proof,  think  ye,  of  the  aversion  of  a  parent 
to  any  thing,  if  he  would  rather  choose  to  slay  his 
son,  nay,  his  only  son,  his  son  whom  he  loved  most 
tenderly,  than  it  should  escape  a  mark  of  his  dis- 
pleasure ?  (2.)  Here  you  may  see  more  of  the  pol- 
lution of  sin  than  any  where  else.  Never  was  there 
any  thing  that  gave  so  just  apprehensions  of  the 
stain  of  sin,  as  the  death  of  Christ.  An  ingrained 
pollution  it  must  indeed  be,  if  no  less  will  wash  it 
out  than  the  Mood  of  God.  (3.)  Here  is  a  dreadful 
evidence  of  the  power  of  sin.  Never  did  this  more 
appear,  than  when  it  blinded  the  eyes  of  the  degene- 
rate sons  of  men,  so  far  that  they  could  not  discern 
"  the  glory  of  the  only-begotten  of  the  Father,  who 
was  so  full  of  grace  and  truth,"  whose  divine  nature 
daily  beamed,  as  it  were,  through  that  of  his  human, 
in  miraculous  operations,  works,  and  words,  which 
none  but  God  could  do,  but  God  could  speak.  And 
no  less  was  the  power  of  sin  seen,  when  it  hurried 
men  headlong  into  that  heaven-daring  pitch  of  im- 
piety, to  imbrue  their  hands  in  the  blood  of  God.  O 
sinners !  would  you  see  what  sin  is  ?  look  at  it  with 
its  hands  reeking  in  the  gore  and  blood  of  God,  and 
tell  what  you  think  of  it* 
But  it  is  like,  some  of  you  may  say,  What  is  this 

E  % 


84  »the  cn&mry  sinner  convicteb. 

to  the  purpose  ?  This  is  not  the  sin  we  are  guilty  of. 
"We  have  never  imbrued  ©ur  hands  in  the  blood  of 
God,  and  so  herein  we  cannot  see  our  crimes. — This 
makes  nothing  to  that  which  now  you  are  doing,  the 
unfolding  the  heinous  nature  of  that  crime  you  now 
implead  us  as  guilty  of  before  God.  To  this  we  an- 
swer, 

(1.)  Should  we  grant  what  is  alledged  as  to  your 
innocency  in  this  matter,  to  be  true,  yet  herein  there 
is  much  of  the  nature  of  your  sin  to  be  seen,  since 
it  partakes  of  the  common  nature  of  sin,  with  that  of 
the  murder  of  God  ;  and  since  it  is  every  way  equal 
to,  if  not  that  very  same,  against  which,  God  did  evi- 
dence his  hatred  in  so  wonderful  a  manner,  in  the 
death  of  his  only-begotten  Son,  whom  "he  spared 
not,  but  gave  to  the  death,  when  he  laid  on  him  the 
iniquity  of  the  elect  world."     But, 

(2.)  We  say,  that  very  sin  lies  at  your  door,  O 
siuners  !  and  if  you  deny  it,  1  would  only  ask  you  one 
question,  Dare  you  hold  up  your  faces,  and  in  the 
sight  of  God  say,  that  you  did  receive  Jesus  Christ 
the  first  time  ever  there  was  an  offer  of  him  made  to 
you  ?  If  not,  then  you  are  guilty  in  that  you  prac- 
tically say,  that  the  putting  him  to  death  was  no 
crime.  You,  by  your  practice,  bear  witness  to,  or  as- 
sert the  justice  of  the  Jews  quarrel,  and  bring  the 
blood  of  God  upon  your  head  :  and  therefore  in  their 
crimes  you  may  see  your  own.  All  the  world,  to 
whom  the  gospel-report  comes,  must  either  he  for 
or  against  the  Jews  in  their  prosecution  of  him  ;  and 
ro  otherwise  can  we  give  testimony  against  them, 
but  by  believing  the  gospel-report  of  him,  that  he 
was  indeed  the  Son  of  God,  the  Saviour  of  the  world. 
In  so  far  as  we  refuse  a  compliance  with  this,  in  as 
far  are  we  guilty  of  the  death  of  Christ  j  for  unbe- 
lief subscribes  the  Jews  charge  against  the  Son.  of 
God,  and  asserts  him  an  impostor. 

(3.)  Either  you  are  idimevs  or  mbd&vers;  if 


THE    GUILTY    SINNER   CONVICTED,  55 

believers,  then  it  was  for  your  very  sins  that  Christ 
was  killed — it  was  for  your  iniquities  he  was  bruised  : 
"Blithe  was  wounded  for  your  transgressions,  he 
was  bruised  for  our  iniquities ;  the  chastisement  of 
our  peace  was  upon  biru,  and  with  his  stripes  we  are 
healed.  All  we  like  lost  sheep  have  gone  astray  : 
we  have  turned  every  one  to  his  own  way,  and  the 
Lord  hath  laid  on  hiai  the  iniquity  of  us  all,"  saith 
the  prophet  in  the  name  of  ail  the  elect.  Isa.  liii.  5, 6. 
If  you  be  unbelievers,  then  you  do  not  believe  the 
witness  that  Christ  gave  of  himself,  that  he  is  the 
Son  of  God;  and  therefore  do  practically  declare  him 
an  impostor,  and  worthy  of  death*  and  so  may  say  of 
yourselves,  with  respect  to  the  Jews'  cruelty,  that 
when  they  condemned  him,  they  had  your  consent  to 
what  they  did. 

Now.  what  think  ye,  O  criminals  !  when  we  have, 
in  these  eight  different  glasses,  given  you  a  prospect 
of  the  crime  we  implead  you  ef  ?  Is  it  not  a  fearful 
onel-  If  you  be  not  strangely  stupided,  sure  you 
must  own  it  so.  But  lest  there  should  be  any  so 
blind,  as  not  to  discern  what  it  is  we  accuse  them  of, 
we  shall, 

2dly9  Proceed  to  mention  some  great  evils  that  are 
all  implied  in  the  least  sin,  in  every  provocation. 
This  charge  which  we  intend  against  you  is  no  mean 
thing.     For, 

1.  It  has  atheism  in  it.  An  atheist,  who  denies 
the  being  of  a  God,  is  a  monster  in  nature  ;  a  crea- 
ture so  extremely  degenerate,  that  some  have  doubt- 
ed, whether  there  ever  was.  or  could  be,  any  of  the 
sons  of  Adam  so  debauched  as  in  principle  to  avouch 
this  monstrous  untruth.  But  there  are  practical 
atheists,  such  as  the  apo?t!e  mentions  and  character- 
iscth,  Tit.  i.  16.  «<  who  profess  to  know  God,  but  in 
works  deny  him,  being  abominable  and  disobedient  'f9 
or  as  it  is  in  the  first  language,  "  Children  of  unper- 
suasioiij  or  unpersuadable,  and  to  every  good  work 


56  THE    GUILTY   SINNER   CONVICTED 

reprobate."  That  there  are  such,  none  can  deny, 
since  every  sinner  is  in  some  sort  such,  for  every  sin 
has  atheism  in  it.  In  the  l^th  and  53d  psalms,  we 
have  a  description  of  the  natural  state  of  man  ;  and 
look  to  the  spring  of  all  the  impieties,  ver.  I.  «'  The 
fool  hath  said  in  his  heart,  There  is  no  God  ;"  and 
then  a  train  of  lamentable  practical  impieties  fol- 
lows ;  « they  are  corrupt,  they  have  done  abomina- 
ble works,  there  is  none  that  do  good."  The  Psalm- 
ist doth  not  there  discourse  of  some  profligate  wretch- 
es among  the  Jews,  or  of  the  Gentiles  who  knew  not 
God,  but  of  the  whole  race  of  Adam,  Jew  and  Gen- 
tile, as  the  apostle  proves,  in  the  10th,  11th  and  12th 
verses  of  this  chapter,  wherein  our  text  lies,  when 
he  adduces  testimonies  from  this  psalm,  to  prove  all 
and  every  one  to  have  sinned  and  come  short  of  the 
glory  of  God.  And  indeed  the  thing  proves  itself. 
What !  do  not  we  deny  his  sovereignty,  when  we  vi- 
olate his  laws  ?  Do  not  we  deny  and  disgrace  his 
holiness,  when  we  cast  our  filth  before  his  face? 
And  we  disparage  his  wisdom,  when  we  set  up  our 
own  will  as  the  rule  and  guide  of  our  actions.  We 
deny  his  sufficiency,  when  we  profess  that  we  find 
more  in  sin,  or  in  the  creature,  than  in  him.  In  fiae, 
every  sin  is  a  denial  of  all  God's  attributes,  oneway 
or  other ;  and  therefore  every  sin  has  atheism  in  it : 
so  that  our  charge  against  you  runs  very  high,  it 
amounts  to  no  less  than  an  impeachment  for  atheism : 
A  crime,  than  which  there  is  not,  nor  indeed  can 
there  be  any  more  odious:  for  all  other  distempers 
naturally  fall  in  here;  they  all  issue  themselves  into 
this  infection:  and  hence  it  is  that  the  atheist  is  ge- 
nerally so  odious  and  hateful ;  and  yet  even  they  who 
hate  the  atheist  most,  want  not  atheism;  and  they 
who  will  be  most  forward  to  question  this  truth,  that 
all  sinners  are  guilty  of  atheism,  are,  it  is  like,  most 
guilty.  This  then,  is  one  branch  of  the  charge  laid 
against  you  \  but  it  is  not  all.    For, 


THE  GUIJ.TY  SINGER   CONVICTED.  57 

2.  We  charge  you  all  with  idolatry.  Sinners,  you 
iire,  and  every  siti  hath  idolatry  in  it.  How  curt  this 
he  ?  will  you  say,  we  never  worshipped  an  idol  all 
our  life,  we  never  bowed  at  the  name  of  a  strange 
god  ?  we  bless  God  we  were  better  taught  than  so  ; 
we  were  not  bred  Papists  nor  Pagans,  but  reformed 
Christians,  who  renounce  all  idols,  and  plead  for  the 
worship  of  one  God  alone.  Well,  notwithstanding 
all  this,  idolaters  you  are.  What  !  do  you  think 
that  only  the  mere  gross  act  of  idolatry  is  reputed 
such  by  the  holy  God  ? — This  certainly  flows  from 
your  ignorance  of  Mm,  and  of  his  law.  Did  you 
understand  either,  you  would  never  attempt  your  own 
justification.  There  is  not  only  outward  and  gross 
idolatry,  but  there  is  a  more  secret  and  inward  sort 
*$f  it.  A  set  of  men  there  were  with  whom  the  pro- 
phet Ezekiel  had  to  do,  who  were  as  formal  and 
punctual  in  their  attendance  upon  duties,  I  mean  the 
external  duties  of  religion,  as  you  are  :  externally  in 
covenant  with  God  they  were,  as  you  are  :  nor  is  it 
improbable  that  they  had  now  abandoned  all  exter- 
nal idolatry  ;  for  the  Jews,  after  the  Babylonish  cap- 
tivity, in  the  time  of  which  Ezekiel  lived,  never 
more  followed  idds  as  before.  And  yet  hear  the 
message  these  men  have  sent  to  them  by  the  prophet, 
in  the  1Mb  chapter  of  his  prophecies,  «  Son  of  man,*' 
says  God  to  him,  *•'  these  men  have  set  up  their  idols 
in  their  heart,  and  put  the  stumbling-block  of  their 
iniquity  before  their  face  :"  and  so  he  proceeds  in 
the  sequel  of  the  chapter,  from  the  3d  verse  and 
downwards,  to  threaten  them  with  grievous  and  ter- 
rible punishments.  Every  one  that  sets  up  any 
thing  in  that  room  in  his  heart  which  is  God's  due,  is 
an  idolater;  for  idolatry  is  the  transferring  that 
love,  esteem,  confidence,  trust,  fear,  reverence,  or 
obedience,  which  is  due  to  God,  or  any  creature. 
Now,  who  is  not  guilty  of  this,  when  be  serves  sin  ? 
Doth  he  not  obey  either  his  own  will  or  the  devil,  in 


&8  THE  GUILTY  SINNEIt  CONVICTED. 

opposition  to  the  command  of  God,  and  thereby  sub- 
stitute either  himself  or  Satan  into  God's  room? — 
Think,  O  think!  upon  this  part  of  your  charge,  and 
tremble! — But  to  proceed, 

3.  Every  sin  has  blasphemy  in  it,  it  reproaches 
God.  They  are  not  only  the  blasphemers,  who  in 
reproachful  speeches  belch  out  against  Heaven,  and, 
as  the  Psalmist  expresses  it,  Psalm  Ixxiii.  10.  "  Set 
their  mouth  against  the  heaven,  and  with  their  tongue 
walk  through  the  earth,"  sparing  neither  God  nor 
man  ;  but  those  also  are  blasphemers,  who  do  in  their 
actions  reproach  God,  Numb.  xv.  30,  31.  u  The  soul 
that  doth  aught  presumptuously,  the  same  reproach- 
eth  the  Lord;  and  that  soul  shall  be  cut  off  from 
among  his  people,  because  he  hath  despised  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  and  hath  broken  his  commandment ; 
that  soul  shall  be  utterly  cut  off:  his  iniquity  shall 
be  upon  him."  Is  it  a  small  thing  to  you,  O  sinners, 
that  you  have  broken  the  command  of  God?  It  may 
be  light  and  easy  in  your  eyes,  but  see  to  it,  whether 
God's  word  or  your's  shall  stand.  You  call  it  a  light 
thing  ;  but  God  looks  upon  himself  as  reproached  by 
it:  and  indeed  he  justly  looks  upon  it  as  a  reproach  ,• 
for  every  sin  charges  him,  (1.)  v/ith  folly.  God,  in 
giving  laws  to  men  to  walk  by,  designed  the  mani- 
festation of  his  wisdom,  in  making  such  laws  as  be- 
eame  the  infinite  wisdom  of  the  supreme  Governor 
of  the  world  :  but  the  sinner  by  every  sin  says  prac- 
tically, that  God's  laws  are  not  wise  ;  his  own  will, 
which  he  follows  in  the  commission  of  sin,  he  thinks 
better.  (2.)  It  reproaches  his  goodness.  The  sin- 
ner says,  by  his  practice,  that  neither  God's  laws  nor 
himself  are  good,  but  that  God  has,  either  through 
ignorance,  or  folly*  or  malice,  retrenched  him  of 
what  might  have  conduced  to  his  good  ;  that  his  laws 
are  not  calculated  to  the  advantage  and  real  good  of 
of  his  subjects.— (3.)  He  hereby  likewise  reproach- 
es the  righteousness  and  holiness  of  God,  in  as  far 


THE    GUIXTY    SINNER   «ONVICT£».  59 

as  these  are  stamped  upon  the  law,  which  he  not  on- 
ly rejects  but  tramples  upon,  as  one  that  "  believes 
not  God,  calls  him  a  liar,"  1  John  v.  10. — So  he  that 
obeys  him  not,  accuses  him  either  of  unrighteous- 
ness or  folly.  Now,  this  branch  of  the  charge  rises 
higher  than  avowed  atheism;  for  the  atheist  entirely 
disowns  God,  and  so  entertains  not  such  unsuitable 
thoughts  of  him  as  he  does  who  owns  him,  and  yet 
accuses  him  by  his  practice,  of  ignorance,  folly,  and 
impurity.  But  this  is  not  all  that  is  in  the  crime  laid 
against  you.     For, 

4.  Every  sin  hath  robbery  in  it.  It  is  a  rape  com- 
mitted, an  endeavour  to  carry  away  some  one  or  other 
of  the  croxvn-jewels  of  heaven.  God  has  said  «  He 
will  not  give  his  glory  to  another;"  and  one  darling 
part  of  this  glory  is  that  of  his  absolute  dominion. 
Now,  every  sinner  endeavours  to  rob  God  of  this, 
and  that  to  clothe  either  Satan  or  sin  with  it.  The 
commanding  power  it  would  have  taken  from  God, 
and  given  to  itself,  or  some  other,  than  which  there 
can  be  no  greater  robbery.  Again,  the  glory  of  God's 
sovereignty  is  due  to  him,  in  a  punctua^flhedience  to 
every  one  of  his  commands.  He  that  oPfys  the  com- 
mand, gives  God  glory  of  his  authority,  and  owns 
him  governor  of  the  world ;  and  this  is  a  part  of  God's 
property  ;  it  is  the  revenue  that  he  requires  of  the 
world  ;  and  the  sinner,  by  every  sin  he  commits,  at- 
tempts to  rob  him  of  his  glory,  invades  his  property. 
We  find  God  himself  managing  the  charge  of  rob- 
bery against  a  people  called  by  his  name,  Matecbi  iii. 
8,  9.  "  Will  a  man  rob  God ;  yet  ye  have  robbed 
me  ;  but  ye  say,  Wherein  have  we  robbed  thee  ?  In 
tithes  and  offerings.  Ye  are  cursed  with  a  curse  ; 
for  ye  have  robbed  me,  even  this  whole  nation." — So 
I  say  to  you,  You  have  robbed  God  :  but  you  will 
say,  Wherein  have  we  robbed  him  ?  I  answer,  In 
that  which  is  far  more  valuable  than  "  tithes  and  of- 
ferings f  you  have  robbed  him,  and  in  every  sin  do 


60  THE  GUILTY  SINNER  CONVICTED 

rob  him,  of  that  obedience  which  to  him  "  is  better 
than  sacrifice."  "  Hath  the  Lord  as  great  delight  in 
burnt  offerings  and  sacrifices,  as  in  obeying  the  voice 
of  the  Lord?  Behold,  to  obey  is  better  than  sacrifice, 
and  to  hearken,  than  the  fat  of  rams."  1  Sam.  xv. 
22.     But  this  yet  is  not  all  j  we  charge  you, 

5.  With  rebellion.  Every  sinner  is  a  rebel  against 
God  ;  he  casts  off  the  yoke  of  God,  bursts  the  bonds 
ef  obedience,  and  takes  up  rebellious  arms  against 
God,  the  great  sovereign  of  the  world.  Rebellion  is 
a  thing  so  odhnis,  that  the  unjust  imputation  of  it  has 
been  made  frequently,  like  the  wild  beast's  skins  with 
which  some  primitive  persecutors  clothed  the  saints 
of  the  Most  High,  that  thereby  they  might  set  upon 
them  the  dogs  to  tear  them.  Men  have  been  term- 
ed rebels,  and  had  this  note  of  infamy  put  upon  them, 
for  disobeying  the  unlawful  and  infamous  commands 
of  men  ;  while  disobedience  to  the  commands  of  God 
has  got  a  more  mild  and  favourable  name  ;  while  du- 
ty has  been  called  rebellion  :  the  highest  acts  of  re- 
billion  against  the  most  high -God,  possessor  of  hea- 
ven and  earth,  such  as  drunkenness,  swearing,  per- 
secution, hAve  been  horribly  miscalled  by  the  appro- 
priation of  soft  names ;  the  drunkard  has  been  called 
a  goo&fellow,  the  swearer  a  gentleman,  and  the  per- 
secntor  a  loyalist.  Bui  God  will  take  care  to  have 
these  abuses  rectified,  and  to  have  things  called  by 
their  fight  names,  and  then  sin  and  only  sin,  will  be 
found  to  be  rebellion;  and  this  we  charge  upon  you. 
And  that  we  have  ground  to  assert  every  sin  rebell- 
ion, you  may  soon  see,  if"  you  consider,  ilidt,  1  Sam. 
xii.  14,  15.  "  If  ye  will  fear  the  Lord,  and  serve 
him,  and  obey  his  voice,  and  not  rebel  against  the 
commandment  of  the  Lord,  then  shall  both  ye,  and 
also  the  King  that  reignetfa  over  you,  continue  follow- 
ing the  Lord  your  God.  But  if  ye  will  not  obey  the 
voice  of  the  Lord,  but  rebel  against  the  command- 
ment of  the  Lord,  then  shall  the  hand  of  the  Lord 


THE   GU1I/FY    SINNES  COttVIGTED.  61 

be  against  you,  as  it  was  against  jrour  fathers."  Thus 
you  see.  obeying,  and  not  rebelling,  disobeying  and 
rebelling,  are  plainly  the  same  thing  in  God's  ac- 
count :  God  uses  them  so \  if  you  obey  and  rebel  not, 
if  you  disobey  and  rebel.  This  then  is  one  branch  of 
the  eharge  we  now  manage  against  you.  In  God's 
name,  we  accuse  you  of  rebellion,  when  we  accuse 
you  of  sin  ;  for,  as  you  have  just  now  heard,  rebell- 
ion and  sin  is  in  scripture  account,  and  therefore  in 
God's  aecount,  one  and  the  same  ;  and  how  heinous 
this  crime  is,  we  find  the  Spirit  of  God  telling  us,  ia 
that  i  Sam.  xv.  23.  "  Rebellion  is  as  the  sin  of  witch- 
craft."    Once  more, 

6.  We  charge  murder  upon  you.  An  hard  charge, 
will  you  say,  if  it  be  well  proven  ;  a  charge  which,  if 
it  be  made  good  against  us,  we  deserve  by  the  law  of 
God  and  man  to  die.  Well,  as  difficult  as  you  may 
think  it,  we  shall  make  it  good  against  every  soul  of 
you,  and  that  after  this  manner.  You  have  sinned, 
and  every  sinner  is  a  murderer,  and  that  the  worst 
of  murderers.  Well  might  the  wise  man  say,  Eccl. 
ix.  IS.  "One  sinner  destroyeth  much  good."  For, 
(1.)  He  murders  his  own  soul  by  it.  What  is  said  of 
adultery  is  indeed  applicable  to  every  sin,  Prov.  xvi. 
32,  "  He  that  doth  it  destroyeth  his  own  soul,"  and 
so  is  guilty  of  that  worst  of  wickedness,  self-murder. 
He  slays  a  soul,  and  not  a  body  only,  who  commits 
sin.  (2.)  He  is  in  disposition  a  murderer  of  God, 
who  commits  sin.  This  is  plain,  if  you  consider  two 
scriptures:  1  John  iii.  5.  it  is  asserted,  that  hatred 
is  murder,  "  Whosoever  ha(eth  his  brother  is  a  mur- 
derer ;  and  ye  know  that  no  murderer  hath  eternal 
life."  And,  Rom.  viii.  7.  it  is  said,  "The  carnal 
mind  is  enmity  against  God."  So  that  the  natural 
jnan,  in  the  state  wherein  he  is  born,  is  a  hater,  aa 
enemy  of  God,  and  therefore,  in  God's  account,  a 
murderer  of  God;  for,  indeed,  he  that  hates  one, 
forbears  murdering  onlv  for  want  either  of  opportu- 

F 


03  THE   GUILTY    SINNER   COHVICTED. 

nity,  or  power,  or  se<?reey,  or  some  sucb  like  advan- 
tage. Now,  every  sin  is  the  product  of  that  natural 
enmity,  the  fruit  of  which  grows  on  the  carnal  mind  j 
and  therefore  must  partake  of  the  nature  of  the  root, 
must  have  enmity  or  hatred  against  God  in  it,  and 
implies  a  judging  him  unworthy  of  a  being.  That 
principle  of  enmity  which  inclines  and  prompts  man 
to  sin,  to  tread  upon  God's  law,  would  excite  him  to 
destroy  God,  were  it  possible ;  every  sin  aims  at  no 
less  than  the  life  of  God.  We  say  not  that  every, 
or  any  sinner,  doth  intend  tbe  destruction  of  God, 
but  that  it  is  the  aim  of  every  sin.  A  man,  in  every 
sin,  aims  at  tbe  advancement  of  his  own  will  above 
that  of  God's :  and,  could  the  sinner  attain  his  end, 
God  would  be  destroyed  ;  for  God  cannot  survive  his 
will.  He  can  as  soon  outlive  his  being  as  his  glory  j 
and  he  that  aims  at  the  one,  aims  at  the  other  also : 
and  this  is  the  case  of  every  sinner.  Now,  I  have 
made  it  good,  that  every  sin  has  murder  in  it ;  and 
consequently  that  all  who  have  sinned,  as  ye  all  have 
done,  have  committed  murder,  and  that  of  the  worst 
sort,  self-murder,  soul-murder ;  nay,  and  God-mur- 
der :  and  if  the  blood  of  the  body  of  another  shall  be 
required  at  the  hand  that  sheds  it,  what  do  you  think 
will  be  the  case  of  such  as  have  shed  the  blood  of  a 
soul  ?  And  if  it  stand  hard  with  such,  what  will  be- 
come of  the  murderer  of  God  ?  Sure,  if  simple  mur- 
der be  avenged,  then  self  murder,  soul-murder,  will 
be  avenged  seven  times  more;  and  if  soul-murder 
be  so  evil,  and  bring  complicated  destruction  upon 
the  guilty,  what,  O  sinners  !  think  ye  will  be  the  case 
of  those  who  shall  be  found  conspirators  against  the 
life  of  God  ? 

Now,  can  ye  think  the  crime  alledged  againt  you 
small,  after  we  have  a  little  opened  it  to  you  ?  Sure 
he  who  will,  must  be  totally  destitute  of  all  sense  of 
God,  or  of  religion ;  nay,  or  reason.  What  is  griev- 
ous and  heavy,  if  the  charge  of  atheism,  idolatry. 


THE    GUTI.TY    SINNER   CONVICTED.  63 

hlasphemy,  robbery,  rebellion,  and  murder,  be  not  so  ? 
And  we  have  made  it  appear,  that  our  plea,  op  ra- 
ther God's  plea  against  you,  amounts  to  no  less.  But 
this  is  far  from  being  all  that  we  have  to  say  in  the 
justification  of  God,  and  for  your  condemnation. 
These  sins  have, 

3dly9  Aggravations  as  dreadful  and  guilt  enhan- 
cing, as  they  themselves  are  great  and  monstrous. 
You  have  sinned,  and  consequently  are  guilty  of  athe- 
ism, idolatry,  blasphemy,  robbery,  rebellion  and 
murder;  but  not  simply  of  these  abominations  as  in 
themselves,  but  as  tiiey  are  attended  with  a  great 
many  fearful  and  killing  aggravations,  which  add 
extremely  to  the  score  of  the  provocations,  being  as 
it  were  so  many  cyphers  put  behind  the  figures, 
which,  though  in  themselves  they  be  nothing,  yet 
put  behind,  they  swell  the  number  to  a  prodigious 
greatness. 

1.  All  these  evils  you  have  done,  notwithstanding 
a  great  many  notable  helps  you  received  against  sin. 
Not  to  speak  of  what  you  had  in  Adam,  perfect 
strength,  perfect  will,  and  perfect  happiness,  you 
have  not  only  sinned  in  him  against  all  these,  but 
you  who  are  here  present  have  sinned  against  many 
notable  means  afforded  you  of  God  for  your  preser- 
vation from  sin.  (1.)  You  have  sinned  in  the  face 
of  all  the  dreadful  threatenings  of  God's  vengeance 
against  it.  You  have  sinned  under  the  very  thun- 
derings  of  Mount  Sinai :  and  when  the  flames  of  hell 
have,  out  of  the  threatenings  of  God,  been  staring 
you  in  the  face,  even  then  you  have  dared  to  provoke 
the  Most  High,  slighting  all  these  formidable  evi- 
dences of  his  anger.  (2.)  You  have  sinned  against 
dreadful  examples  or  instances  of  the  judgments  of 
God  against  offenders.  You  have,  as  it  were,  seeu 
your  companions  turned  into  hell,  and  yet  you  have 
persisted  in  the  crimes  for  which  they  were  served 
so.    Say  now-,  who  of  you,  in  some  one  remarkable 


§%  THE   GUILTY    SINKER   CONVICTED. 

instance  or  other,  has  not  seen  the  judgments  of  God 
against  sin  and  sinners  ?  Sure  our  land  has  of  late 
afforded  remarkable  instances  not  a  few.  Have  you 
not  seen  some,  out  of  a  fever  of  lust,  fall  into  sick- 
ness, and  out  of  this  drop  into  the  bottomless  abyss 
of  (he  scorching  wrath  of  God  ?  and,  notwithstand- 
ing all  this,  you  have  sinned  on,  and  have  not  guard- 
ed against  sin.  (3.)  You  have  sinned  contrary  to 
great  and  precious  gospel  promises  ;  these  great  and 
precious  promises,  that  are  breasts  full  of  life,  con- 
solation, and  strength,  full  of  spiritual  supplies  for 
strengthening  poor  men  against  the  assaults  of  sin. 
(4,)  You  have  sinned  against  the  glorious  gospel-or- 
dinames,  all  of  which  are  designed  for  the  destruc- 
tion and  ruin  of  gin,  aad  are  the  pipes  through  which 
the  supplies  contained  in  the  promises  are  conveyed 
to  the  Lord's  people.  (5.)  You  have  sinned  against 
all  the  strivings  of  the  Spirit  of  God  with  you,  in  or- 
dinances and  providences  ,*  and  consequently  have  re- 
sisted the  Holy  Ghost  in  your  suis.  (6.)  You  have 
sinned  against  that  sovereign  ordinance  of  God,  the 
antitype  of  the  braz«n  serpent,  Jesus  Christ,  who  is 
lifted  up  for  that  very  end,  that  he  may  save  his  peo- 
ple from  their  sins  ;  and  bids  all  the  ends  of  the 
earth  look  unto  him  for  that  end,  Isa.  xlv.  22. 
<*  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the 
earth."  The  God  who  has  been  holding  him  forth 
to  you,  who  has  provided  you  in  all  these  great  and 
notable  advantages,  is  the  God  you  have  sinned 
against,  whom  you  have  rebelled  against,  and  treat- 
ed unworthily  in  these  horrid  violations  of  his  law, 
which  we  have  enumerated  to  you  above.  But  this 
is  not  the  only  aggravation  of  your  sins,  that  you  had 
helps  against  sin :  But, 

2.  You  have  sinned  against  the  God  of  your  mer- 
cies, the  God  who  has  loaded  you  with  his  favours. 
©  sad  requital  you  have  given  to  God  for  all  the 
kindnesses  he  has  done  to  you,  since  the  morning  of 


THE  GUDLTY   SllfrNER  C0NVICTEB.  65 

your  day  !  May  he  not  justly,  nay,  may  we  not  in 
his  name,  lay  that  to  your  charge,  which  we  find 
him  wi(h  wonderful  solemnity  charging  upon  his 
people,  Isa.  i.  2.  u  Hear,  O  heavens,  and  give  ear, 
O  earth  ;  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken,  I  have  nourish- 
ed and  brought  up  children,  and  they  have  rebelled 
against  me.'*  Have  not  you  been  nourished  and 
brought  up  under  the  care,  and  by  the  providence  of 
God  ?  and  has  he  not  met  with  the  same  entertain- 
ment at  your  hand  ?  Now,  this  is  a  dreadful  aggra- 
vation of  your  guilt.  For,  (1.)  it  is  not  one  mercy, 
or  txvo,  but  innumerable  mercies,  innumerable  kind- 
nesses. Reckon,  O  sinners !  what  the  mercies  of 
God  are,  if  ye  can.  Nay,  if  ye  can  count  the  stars 
in  the  heaven,  or  the  sand  of  the  sea-shore,  you  may* 
David  says  in  that  71st  Psalm,  "  That  he  knows  not 
the  number  of  God's  salvation  ;"  and  who  may  not 
say  with  him  in  this  ?  God  every  day  preserves  you 
from  many  thousands  of  inconveniences  that  would 
destroy  you,  and  bestows  upon  you  many  thousands 
of  mercies.  He  loads  you  with  his  benefits,  and  ye 
load  yourselves  with  your  sins  against  him.  Ye  turn 
the  point  of  them  all.  as  it  were,  against  God,  and 
make  these  very  mercies  he  gives  you  weapons  of 
unrighteousness  to  fight  against  him.  As  his  favours, 
so  your  sins  are  more  than  the  hairs  of  your  head. 
Look  round  you,  whatever  you  see,  whatever  you  en- 
joy, clothes,  food,  or  whatever  contributes  to  the 
comfort  of  life,  that  you  have  from  him  ;  and  this  is 
the  God,  O  sinners !  against  whom  ye  have  sinned, 
who  treats  you  thus,  "  in  whom  ye  live,  move,  and 
have  your  being,"  as  the  apostle  observes,  Acts  xvii. 
28.  (2.)  As  the  mercies  are  many  against  which  ye 
have  sinned,  so  they  are  great.  If  any  can  be  called 
so,  these  which  you  have  at  the  hand  of  God  may. 
What  is  great,  if  all  that  is  needful  for  life  and  god- 
liness be  not  ?  And  no  less  does  the  provision  that 
God  has  made  amount  unto ;  and  no  less  has  the 


66  THE   GUILTY   SIWNER  CONVICTED. 

Lord  God  given  unto  you.  Has  not  "  his  divrne 
power  given  to  you  all  things  that  pertain  to  life  and 
godliness  V*  2  Pet.  i.  3.  Have  not  ye  a  gospel-dis- 
pensation, food  and  raiment  ?  And  what  more  is 
needful  ?  And  yet  against  these  great  mercies  you 
have  sinned.  When  God  has  fed  you  to  the  full, 
Jeshurun-like,  you  have  waxed  fat,  and  kicked 
against  the  God  that  has  fed  you  all  your  life  long. 
Deut.  xxxii.  15.  (3.)  Ye  have  sinned  notwithstand- 
ing of  a  long  tract  of  these  many  and  great  undeser- 
ved kindnesses;  and  this  extremely  enhances  your 
guilt.  What !  would  he  not  be  looked  on  as  a  very 
monster  in  nature,  who  would  kill  the  man  that  was 
putting  his  meat  in  his  mouth?  who  would  watch 
opportunities  against  one  who  had  done  him  wonder- 
ful kindnesses?  and  this  is  exactly  your  case;  you 
have  sinned,  and  that  against  the  God  of  your  mer- 
cies. And  therefore,  (4.)  Your  sins  are  all  acts  of 
monstrous  ingratitude,  than  which  nothing  worse 
can  be  laid  to  the  charge  of  any  man.  It  is  a  sin 
that  makes  a  man  worse  than  the  beast  of  the  field  : 
44  The  ox  knoweth  his  owner,  and  the  ass  his  mas- 
ter's crib."  Isa.  i.  4.  The  dullest  of  beasts  know 
who  do  them  kindnesses,  and  fawn,  as  it  were,  upon 
those  that  feed  them  ordinarily ;  but  ye,  O  sinners  ! 
have  kicked  and  lift  up  the  heel  against  the  God  that 
has  fed  you  all  your  life  long,  and  so  are  guilty  of 
the  most  horrid  ingratitude.  And  do  you  thus  re- 
quite the  Lord,  O  foolish  people  and  unwise!  But 
this  is  not  all  that  may  be  said  for  aggravating  your 
wickedness  in  sinning  against  God.     For, 

3.  You  have  done  all  this  wickedness  without  any 
provocation.  When  subjects  rebel  against  their  sove- 
reign, they  have  usually  some  shadow  of  excuse  for 
the  taking  up  arms  against  him;  but  ye  have  none. 
What  have  ye  to  alledge  in  your  own  defence,  O  cri- 
minals ?  What  iniquity,  what  fault  have  ye  found 
m  GodL,  that  ye  have  gone  backward  and  forsaken 


THE    GUILTY   SINNER   CONVICTED.  §£ 

his  ways?  "  Produce  your  cause,  saith  the  Lord; 
bring  forth  your  strong  reasons,  saith  the  King  of 
Jacob,'5  Isa.  xli.  21.  What  have  ye  to  offer  in  your 
justification?  Sure  I  am,  the  ordinary  pretences 
which  are  upon  such  occasions  made  use  of,  to  jus- 
tify a  substraction  of  obedience  from  the  kings  of  the 
earth,  will  do  you  no  service.  (1.)  You  cannot,  you 
dare  not  quarrel  God's  claim  to  the  sovereignty  of  the 
world.  What  will,  what  can  make  it  his  due,  if 
creation,  preservation,  benefits,  and  the  superemi- 
nent  excellencies  of  his  nature,  qualifying  him  as  it 
were  for  so  great  a  post,  do  not  give  a  just  claim  ? 
And  God  has  a  right  to  the  government  of  the  world 
upon  all  these  accounts.  He  made  us,  and  not  we 
ourselves:  he  is  the  mighty  preserver  of  man  ;  he 
loads  us  daily  with  his  benefits  ,•  and  there  is  none 
like  him  to  be  his  competitor.  (2.)  You  cannot  al- 
ledge  unjust  laws.  You  cannot  say  that  he  has  over- 
stretched his  prerogative,  and  withholden  any  part 
of  that  which  was  your  unquestionable  due.  No. 
Who  dare  implead  the  Most  High  of  injustice  ? 
'•  Shall  not  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right?" 
Are  not  his  laws  most  just  always?  and  his  judg- 
ments most  righteous  ?  Is  he  not  a  God  of  truth, 
and  without  iniquity  ?  Sure  he  is.  We  boldly  bid 
you  a  defiance  to  discover  any  thing  unjust  in  that 
body  of  laws  which  God  has  given  to  the  sons  of 
men.  Nor,  (3.)  Can  ye  ailedge  the  rigour  of  his 
laws,  that  he  is  an  austere  one,  and  has  gone  to  the 
utmost  he  might  with  you,  exacted  all  that  he  pos- 
sibly could.  No;  he  has  consulted  your  good  in  the 
frame  of  his  laws,  and  has  contrived  them  so,  that 
every  one  who  understands  what  he  says,  must  own 
that,  had  mankind  been  at  the  making  them,  they 
could  not,  by  all  their  joint  wit,  have  gone  near  to 
Diake  them  so  exactly  answer  the  design  of  the  high 
God,  his  glory  in  the  good  of  the  creature,  as  he  has 
done. 
4.  Nay  further,  your  sins  have  this  aggravation) 


— ■ 


6S  THE    GUILTY   9INNEU   CONVICTED. 

that  they  are  committed  without  any  prospect  of  ad- 
vantage, to  countemmil  the  damage  you  sustain* 
Could  ye  pretend,  that  ye  can  by  your  disobedience 
gain  some  great  thing,  if  it  did  not  excuse  you,  it 
would  make  you  to  be  pitied,  as  being  overborne  by 
a  very  great  temptation.  But  this  cannot,  dare  not 
be  alledged  ;  no;  you  "spend  your  money  for  that 
which  is  not  bread,  and  your  labour  for  that  which 
doth  not  profit."  You  can  make  no  hand  of  it.  You 
offend  the  God  of  your  mercies  without  any  provo- 
cation, and  that  for  a  very  trifle.  He  has  not  stood 
with  you  upon  the  greatest,  and  ye  scruple  the  least 
points  with  him  ;  yea,  for  a  shadow  of  pleasure,  ye 
stand  not  to  offend  him.     Nav, 

5.  You  sin,  notwithstanding  the  interposition  of  the 
most  solemn  vows  to  the  contrary  ;  and  therefore  we 
might  have  made  this  one  of  the  ingredients  of  sin, 
perjury.  All  of  you  who  are  now  before  the  Lord 
stand  solemnly  engaged  to  fear,  and  obey,  and  serve 
the  Lord,  all  the  days  of  your  lives.  When  you  were 
offered  to  God  in  baptism,  then  you  came  under  the 
vows  of  God  ;  and  when  you  have  given  your  pre- 
sence in  the  public  assemblies  of  God's  people,  since 
ye  came  to  age,  ye  have  solemnly  owned  and  ratified 
these  vows  ;  and  yet,  notwithstanding  all  these,  you 
have  sinned  against  God,  even  your  covenanted  God  ; 
and  therefore  there  is  perjury  in  all  your  sins.  You 
have  despised  the  oath  in  breaking  the  covenant  of 
your  God. 

6.  When  you  have  sinned,  and  continue  to  sin  a- 
gainst  God,  yet  ye  continue  to  prof  ess  fealty  and  sub- 
jection to  him,  and  thereby  add  fearful  hypocrisy  and 
mockery  to  your  wickedness  ;  like  that  profane  peo- 
ple with  whom  the  prophet  Malachi  had  to  do,  who 
dealt  traitorously  with  God,  wearied  him  with  their 
wickedness,  robbed  him  of  his  due,  and  yet  asserted 
their  own  innocency  in  all ;  and  this,  throughout  the 
whole  of  that  book,  is  charged  upon  them  as  an  ag- 
gravation of  their  guilt.    Their  profession  they  still 


THE  GUIJLTY  SINISTER  CONVICTED.  6£ 

kept  up,  and  challenged  God  to  show  wherein  they 
had  failed  of  their  duty.  Now,  this  is  much  youi? 
ease  ;  your  very  appearance  here  carries  in  it  such  a 
challenge.  Would  ye  come  here  without  scruple,  and 
so  boldly  rush  into  God's  presence,  whom  ye  have  of- 
fended, were  ye  not  at  this  with  it,  that  ye  judge  God 
either  knows  not,  or  will  not  be  offended  with  what 
ye  have  done. 

Now,  you  have  heard  your  charge  opened.  It  is 
not,  as  we  have  said  before,  some  petty  misdemean- 
our that  is  libelled  against  vow,  but  crimes  as  black 
as  hell,  atheism,  idolatry,  blasphemy,  robbery,  rebell- 
ion, and  murder,  and  that  against  the  God  of  your 
mercies,  over  the  belly  of  a  great  many  notable  pre- 
venting means  of  grace,  in  spite  of  the  most  solemn 
vows  to  the  contrary,  without  any  shadow  of  provo- 
cation, any  prospect  of  real  advantage  ;  and  all  this, 
notwithstanding  a  great  many  professions  to  the  con- 
trary. 

Here  is  the  sum  and  substance  of  your  indictment, 
enough  to  make  the  heaven  and  earth  astonished,  that 
God  does  not  in  fury  fall  upon  us,  and  make  an  utter 
end  of  us.  If  everv  one  saw  his  own  concernment 
in  this  matter,  how  would  we  be  affected?  it  would 
make  a  strange  work  in  this  house. 

This,  O  sinners  !  is  your  charge :  wliat  have  ye  to 
answer  to  it  ?  Plead  ye  guilty  or  not  ^  Sure  I  am, 
every  soul  in  this  house  may  say  with  Job,  in  that  9th 
chapter  of  his  book,  and  20th  verse,  "If  I  justify 
myself,  mine  own  mouth  shall  condemn  me  ;  if  I  say 
lam  perfect,  it  shall  also  prove  me  perverse."  If  you 
plead  guilty,  and  take  with  the  charge,  what  means 
this  security  we  see  among  you  ?  "  Is  it  not  a  dread- 
ful thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God  ?w 
Is  it  an  easy  thing  to  suffer  the  punishment  due  to 
such  crimes  ? — Sure  none  can  say  it  is. 

But  it  may  be,  some  of  you  may  be  ready  to  say, 
indeed  we  cannot  deny  ourselves  to  be  sinners.  God 
help  usj   for  we  have  all  sinned  ;  but  indeed  we  p?- 


70  THE  6UXXTY  SINNER  CONVICTED. 

ver  thought,  nor  can  we  yet  think,  that  every  sin 
hath  in  it  all  these  monstrous  evils  vou  have  mention 
ed.  God  forbid  we  were  all  of  us  atheists,  idolators, 
blasphemers,  robbers,  murderers,  and  perjured  re- 
bels, as  you  have  made  us.  No  :  we  have  indeed  sin- 
ned, but  our  consciences  did  never  accuse  us  of  any 
such  monstrous  impieties  as  these  are.     To  those 
who  shall  dare  to  say,  or  think  so,  we  answer,  (1.) 
We  do  indeed  believe,  that  many  of  your  consciences 
did  never  accuse  you  of  any  such  crimes.     Many  of 
you  keep  the  eyes  of  conscience  fast  shut  in  igno- 
rance.    You  fear  to  bring  your  deeds  to  the  light  of 
a  well-informed  conscience,  lest  they  should  be  re- 
proved.    Others  of  you  have  sinned  your  conscien- 
ces asleep,  or  rather  you  have  abused  them,  so  that 
they  are  either  faint,  that  they  cannot  speak  loud,  or 
stupiSed,  that  they  cannot  speak  at  p.11.     But  all  this 
will  not  prove  your  innocence  as  to  the  crimes  al- 
ledged.     Wherefore,  (2.)  Who  has  the  juster  esti- 
mate of  sift,  God  or  you  i  Who  knows  best  what  ma- 
lignity, what  evil  there  is  in  its  nature?  Surely  God 
knows  best  what  the  honour  of  his  own  laws  and  au- 
thority is,  jind  "how  far  it  is  trampled  upon  by  every 
sin.     We  are  but  of  yesterday,  and  know  nothing. 
(3.)  Whose    word,   think  ye,  will  stand,    Gods  or 
yours  ?  God  has  by  his  word  represented  no  less  to 
be  in  it  than  we  have  said  to  be  in  it,  and  therefore 
there  is  no  less  in  it.     God  will  reckon  so,  and  deal 
with  you  not  according  to  the  judgment  ye  make  of 
sin,  but  that  which  he  makes.     We  have  made  it  ap- 
pear, from  the  word  of  God,  that  sin  is  such  as  we 
have  represented  it ;  and  if  ye  think  more  mildly  of 
it,  be  doing,  and  behold  the  issue. 

Having  thus  opened  to  you  your  indictment,  I  shall 
now  proceed, 

Secondly,  To  lead  witnesses  against  you  to 
prove  the  charge,  according  to  the  method  we  laid 
down  for  the  management  of  this  business,  in  our  en- 
try upon  the  improvement. 


THE    GUILTY    SINNER   C6NVICTEB.  71 

But  before  we  begin  this  work,  we  shall  briefly 
obviate  a  difficulty  that  may  be  started  against  the 
whole  of  what  we  are  to  say  under  this  head.  To 
what  purpose  is  it,  may  some  say,  to  lead  witnesses 
to  prove  a  charge  which  is  confessed  ?  Who  denies 
this,  that  they  are  sinners  ?  every  one  will  readily 
own  so  much  ;  and  therefore  any  thing  that  is  said  to 
prove  such  a  thing  seems  perfectly  lost.  To  this 
shortly  we  say,  (1.)  Tho'  every  body  acknowledges 
that  they  are  guilty  ;  yet  few,  very  few,  believe  to  be 
true  what  they  themselves  are  ready  to  say  in  this 
matter.  We  all  own  ourselves  guilty  of  sin  ;  but 
were  it  believed,  would  not  every  eye  be  full  of 
tears  ?  every  heart  full  of  fears  ?  Would  not  our 
knees,  Belshazzer-like,  beat  one  against  another, 
every  face  gather  paleness,  and  every  mouth  be  full 
of  that  inquiry,  "  Men  and  brethren,  what  shall  we 
do  to  be  saved  i"  Sure  they  would  ;  and  that  it  is  not 
so,  is  a  clear  and  unquestionable  proof  that  we  do 
not  really  believe  what  we  say.  (2.)  Were  our  only 
design  to  justify  God  in  any  measures  he  has  taken, 
or  may  take,  to  punish  us,  then  indeed  such  an  ac- 
knowledgement were  sufficient  to  found  a  sentence 
of  condemnation  on,  and  to  free  God  from  any  impu- 
tation of  injustice  in  punishing  them  who  acknow- 
ledge the  crime:  but  our  design  is  of  another  sort ; 
we  are  to  study  to  bring  you  to  such  a  sense  of  your 
sin,  as  may  put  you  to  inquire  for  a  relief.  And, 
therefore,  (3.)  We  are  to  use  all  methods  which  may 
in  any  measure  contribute  to  the  furtherance  of  this 
design ;  we  are  to  essay  all  ways  to  awaken  you  out 
of  that  security  wherein  you  are  like  to  sleep  on,  till 
you  be  entirely  ruined,  till  there  be  no  remedy  or  re- 
lief for  you. 

This  prejudice  being  taken  out  of  the  way,  we 
shall  now  proceed  to  lead  the  witnesses  against  you. 
We  have  laid  the  blackest  of  crimes  to  your  charge, 
and  we  have  the  strongest  evidence  that  you  are  guil- 
ty j  for  we  can  prove  guilt  upon  you  by  witnesses^ 


72  THE  GV1X.TY  SINNER  CONVICTED. 

which  may  be  compared  with  any,  either  as  to  capa- 
city or  integrity j  witnesses  who  are  faithful  in  this 
matter,  and  will  not  lie,  according  to  the  character 
given  by  the  wise  man,  Prov.  xiV.  5;  "A  faithful 
witness  will  not  lie."  Witnesses  they  are  who  cannot 
be  suspected  of  partial  counsel,  who  never  would 
have  advised  you  to  sin,  and  who  take  no  pleasure  in 
accirsingyou;  and  therefore  cannot  be  suspected  of 
malice,  or  of  any  ill  or  inviduous  design  against  you, 
as  were  easy  to  make  appear  of  every  one  of  them 
whom  we  shall  name. 

Take  heed,  therefore,  we  beseech  you,  to  their  tes- 
timony. The  gravity  and  consequence  of  the  matter, 
the  quality  of  the  witnessess,  being  the  greater  in 
heaven  or  earth,  and  your  own  concernment  in  the 
whole,  do  join  in  pleading  for  your  attention.  O  cri- 
minals! as  your  crimes  are  great,  so  is  the  evidence 
We  bring  against  you  great.     For, 

1.9f,  The  Lord  is  witness  against  you.  As  he  said  of 
fcld  to  his  people,  in  Jer.  xxix.  23.  "so  he  says  to  you, 
Young  and  old  of  you,  who  aro  here  present,*'  you  have 
sinned  :  «  Even  I  know  and  am  a  witness,  saith  the 
Lord."  God,  who  cannot  lie,  accuses  you  as  guilty 
of  sin  :  <•  And  if  we  say  that  we  have  not  sinned,  we 
make  him  a  liar,  and  his  word  is  not  in  us."  1  John 
i.  10.  Here  is  a  witness  against  you,  O  sinners  !  to 
whose  charge,  I  am  sure,  you  have  nothing  to  iay. 
Malice  he  purges  himself  of,  Ezek.  xxxiii.  11.  "  As 
I  live,  saith  the  Lord,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the 
*!eath  of  the  wicked,  but  that  the  wicked  turn  from 
his  way  and  live."  Could -it  be  any  pleasure  to  him 
to  ruin  the  work  of  his  own  hands  ?     No  sure. 

Mly,  Jesus  Christ  the  eternal  Son  of  God,  the 
Amen  and  Faithful  Witness,  gives  in  evidence  against 
you.  He  came  to  bear  witness  to  the  truth";  and 
this  was  one  of  the  great  truths  to  which  he  bare 
witness,  That  all  have  sinned,  and  therefore  are  un- 
der a  sentence  of  condemnation,  which  can  no  other- 
wise fee  repealed,  but  by  believing  on  the  name  of 


THE    GUILTY    SINNER   CONVICTED,  73 

the  only-begotten  Son  of  God.  John  iii.  18.  "  He 
that  believeth  on  him,  is  not  condemned  :  but  he 
that  believeth  not,  is  condemned  already,  because  he 
hath  not  believed  in  the  name  of  the  only- begotten 
Son  of  God."  Christ's  very  name  bears  witness  to 
this  truth.  He  is  called  "  Jesus,  because  he  shall 
save  his  people  from  their  sins."  Matt.  i.  21.  And 
how  could  he  save  them  from  their  sins,  had  they 
none  ? 

Sdly,  Guilty  you  are,  for  the  Spirit  of  truth,  John 
xiv.  17.  calls  you  so.  It  is  one  of  the  offices  of  this 
glorious  person  of  the  ever-blessed  Trinity,  to  con- 
vince the  world  of  sin,  John  xvi.  8.  "  And  when  he 
is  come,  he  will  convince  the  world  of  sin."  If  this 
glorious  witness  would  now  speak,  as  sometimes  he 
has  done,  we  should  then  need  no  more  witnesses. 
He  would  finish  the  evidence,  and  make  it  answer 
our  design.  Thus  we  see,  that  there  are  three  in 
heaven  that  bear  record,  and  set  to  their  seal  to  this 
great  truth,  the  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit.  Now,  sure 
we  cannot  refuse  what  they  bear  testimony  to.  Any 
crime,  however  great,  is  sufficiently  proven  by  the 
concurring  testimonies  of  two  men  ;  and,  "  if  we  re- 
ceive the  witness  of  men,  the  witness  of  God  is  great- 
er." 1  John  v.  9.     But, 

Mhly9  God's  deputy  in  your  hosoms  is  a  witness  of 
this  great  sad  truth,  that  ye  have  all  sinned.  Ye  are 
witnesses  against  yourselves,  and  have  actually  givea 
testimony  against  yourselves  in  this  matter ;  and  that 
(1.)  In  your  baptism.  When  you  were  baptised,  you 
aid  then  own  yourselves  guilty ;  for  as  M  the  whole 
need  not  the  physician,  but  the  sick,"  so  the  clean 
need  not  washing,  but  the  deilled  ;  and  he  who  wash* 
es  owns  himself  defiled.  (3.)  Your  attendance  on 
gospel-ordinances  is  a  testimony  to  this  truth,  that 
you  have  sinned ;  for  they  all  level  at  the  salvation 
of  sinners.  (3.)  The  very  name  whereby  you  art 
called  is  a  testimony  given  to  this  truth.  Christians 
you  are  called j  and  if  any  body  should  deny  you  to 


7h  THE  GUILTY  SISTSTEB  CONVICTED 

be  so,  you  would  take  it  very  highly,  and  look  upon 
it  as  a  notable  indignity  done  you.  Well,  if  ye  be 
Christians,  that  is,  the  people  of  Christ,  then  you  are 
sinners  ;  for  he  came  to  "  save  his  people  from  their 
sins,"  Matt.  i.  21.  (4.)  Is  there  any  among  you 
that  ever  prayed  for  pardon  of  sin  ?  Sure,  those  who 
have  not  done  so,  deserve  not  the  name  of  Christians ; 
and  those  who  have  done  so,  whether  young  or  old, 
rich  or  poor,  have  borne  witness  against  themselves 
in  this  matter.  And  there  is  one  day,  when  your 
consciences,  that  may  now  either  be  silent,  or  obli- 
ged to  speak  so  low  that  it  can  scarce  well  be  heard, 
shall  not  only  speak  to  make  you  hear  it,  but  force 
you  to  speak  this  sad  truth,  so  that  others  may  hear 
it  distinctly.     But  further, 

5thly9  The  scriptures  bear  witness  against  you,  that 
you  have  sinned.  This  is  every  where  their  voice. 
The  book  of  God  is  full  of  this  certain  and  sad  truth. 
Look  but  forward  to  the  10th  verse  of  this  chapter, 
and  there  you  shall  see  a  cloud  of  testimonies  to  this 
purpose.  "  As  it  is  written,  there  is  none  righteous, 
no,  not  one  ;  there  is  none  that  understandeth,  tMere 
is  none  that  seeketh  after  God.  They  are  all  gone 
out  of  the  way,  they  are  together  become  uprofita- 
ble,  there  is  none  that  doth  good,  no,  not  one.'* 
Among  all  the  race  of  Adam,  the  scriptures  of  truth 
make  not  one  exception ;  and  therefore  ye  are  all 
guilty ;  for  "  the  scripture  cannot  be  broken,"  John 
x.  S5. 

6thly,  The  ministers  of  the  gospel  bear  witness 
against  you,  that  you  havesinned.  This  is  our  work, 
to  be  witnesses  to  the  truths  of  God,  of  which  this  is 
one,  that  all  have  sinned ;  and  to  this  truth  we  give 
testimony.  (1.)  In  that  the  very  design  of  our  of- 
fice proclaims  this  truth,  and  asserts  the  undoubted 
certainty  of  it.— What  the  design  of  our  office  is,  the 
apostle,  in  that  1  Tim.  iv.  16.  shortly  tells  us,  it  is  ) 
to  save  ourselves  and  them  who  hear  us.  We,  and 
ye  who  hear  us,  are  sinners,  because  we  need  to  be 
saved.    An  office  set  up  for  the  saving  of  souls,  is  a 


THE    GUILTY    SINNER    CONVICTED*  75 

standing  testimony  and  witness  to  this  truth,  that  all 
have  sinned;  and  when  a  minister  comes  to  any  con- 
gregation, then  it  is  one  part  of  his  business  to  heap 
witness  for  God,  that  all  of  them  have  sinned.  (2.) 
We  give  a  testimony  to  this  truth,  that  ye  have  sin- 
ned, in  as  far  as  we  do  proclaim  to  you,  in  God's 
name,  and  by  the  warrant  of  his  word,  that  ye  have 
sinned,  and  thereby  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God. 
(3.)  We  give  a  testimony  to  this  great  truth,  when 
we  preach  Christ  to  you  ;  for  the  whole  gospel  reve- 
lation goes  upon  this  supposition,  that  all  have  sin- 
ned. When  we  offer  you  a  Saviour,  we  assert  that 
you  are  lost :  when  we  press  you  to  employ  a  physi- 
cian, we  assert  that  you  are  sick;  when,  in  Christ's 
stead,  we  in  treat  and  beseech  you  to  be  reconciled  to 
God,  we  declare,  you  are  enemies.  In  fine,  when  we 
proclaim  to  you  remission  of  sins,  we  clearly  give 
testimony  against  you,  that  ye  are  sinners,  who  stand 
in  need  of  pardon,  (*.)  The  issue  of  our  work  will 
prove  you  all  sinners.  One  of  two  will  infallibly  be 
the  issue  of  our  work  among  you  ;  either  we  will  ob- 
tain your  consent  to  the  blessed  gospel-contrivance 
for  the  salvation  of  sinners,  or  we  shall  have  a  refu- 
sal given  us;  and  whatsoever  way  it  go,  we  shall  in 
the  issue  give  in  a  testimony  to  this  truth  :  if  we  ob- 
tain a  favourable  answer,  then  we  must  bear  testimo- 
ny, that  you  did  receive  Christ  our  Lord  upon  his 
own  terms,  and  therefore  were  sinners;  if  you  re- 
ject the  counsel  of  God  against  yourselves,  then  we 
must  bear  witness,  that  you  are  guilty  of  the  great- 
est sin  which  any  of  the  sons  of  Adam  can  be  guilty 
of,  unbelief;  which  makes  God  a  liar,  as  the  apostle 
John  lias  it,  1  John  v.  10.  "He  that  believeth  not 
God  hath  made  him  a  liar,  because  he  believeth  not 
the  record  that  God  gave  of  his  Son  ;  and  this  is  the 
record,  that  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life,  and 
this  life  is  in  his  Son."     Moreover, 

Vthly,  The  whole  creation  asserts  this  truth,  that 
all  have  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God  ; 
and  consequently  that  part  of  it  which  ye  use,  asserts 


76  THE    GUILTY    SINNER   CONVICTED* 

Ho  less  of  you  in  particular.     The  apostle,  Rom.  viii. 
22*  tells  us,  that  "  l he  whole  creation  groaneth  and 
travailetb  in  pain  together  until  now.55     These  crea- 
tures you  daily  use,  they  groan.     If  your  ears  were 
not  deafened  by  sin,  you  might  hear  the  groans  of 
the  ground  you  tread  upon,  of  the  food  ye  eat,  and  of 
the  raiment  ye  put  on.     Well,  what  is  the  matter  ? 
what  occasions  these  groans  ?     The  apostle  tells  us, 
in  the  2©th  and  21st  verse  of  that  chapter,  it  is  made 
subject  to  vanity,  and  to  the  bondage  of  corruption  ; 
"  for  the  creature  was  made  subject  to  vanity,  not 
willingly,  but  by  reason  of  him  who  hath  subjected 
the  same  in  hope;  because  the  creature  itself  shall 
also  be  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  corruption,  in- 
to the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of  God."  Here 
the  apostle  asserts,  (1.)  That  "  the  creature  is  made 
subject  to  vanity  ;"  that  is,  is  liable  to  be  abused  by 
men9  to  other  ends  than  it  was  at  first  designed  for  : 
it  is  subject  to  this  vanity,  of  falling  short  of  the  de- 
sign of  its  creation,  which  was  the  glory  of  God,  and 
of  being  abused  to  his  dishonour  through  the  corrup- 
tion of  man.     (2.)  He  asserts,  that  it  was  not  wil- 
lingly made  subject  to  it.     O  shame  !  the  brute  crea- 
tures condemn  man.     Man  was  willingly  subject  to 
vanity,  did  willingly  desist  from  the  prosecution  of 
that  which  was  the  design  of  his  creation.     The  rest 
of  the  creatures  are  passive  in  it;  it  is  a  sort  of 
force  put  upon  them.     It  is  a  violence  done  to  the 
creatures,  when  they  are  so  abused  to  the  service  of 
sin :  it  is  contrary  to  their  very  natures  ;  for  they 
still  continue  according  to  the  laws  which  God  set 
them  in  the  beginning.     (3.)   The  only  thing  that 
makes  them  continue  in  being,   when  they  are  so 
abused  by  man,  is  the  appointment  of  God.     He  con- 
tinues them  in  being,  not  for  this  end,  to  be  abused 
to  a  subserviency  to  the  lusts  of  men,  though  they 
snake  this  use  of  the  goodness  of  God  ;  but  that,  by 
the  continued  effects  of  it,  and  proofs  of  undeserved 
kindness*    he   may  lead  them  to  repentance.     (4.) 
The  apostle  asserts*  that  the  creation  shall  be  a  sh&*° 


THE    GUILTY    SINNER   CONVICTED.  77 

rer  with  the  sons  of  God,  in  their  glorious  delivery 
from  the  bondage  of  corruption,  that  is,  when  the 
children  of  God,  those  who  have  received   Christ, 
and  by  him  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  shall 
be  fully  freed  from  the  remainders  of  the  guilt,  pow- 
er, and  pollution  of  sin,  then  the  creature  shall  no 
more  be  used  contrary  to  God's  design  in  its  crea- 
tion, but  shall,  in  the  hand  of  the  rational  creature, 
again  become  an  instrument  for   showing  forth  the 
glory  of  God,  as  it  was  at  first  designed  to  be.     And 
to  show  J  hat  the  condition  of  the  creature  requires 
this,  (5.)  He  in  the  22d  verse  asserts,  that  the  whole 
creation  groaneth,    that  is,  complains  of  its  hard 
usage,  of  its  being  abused  by  men's  sin ;  and  he  ex- 
tends this  to  the  whole  creation,  that  there  may  be 
no  access  for  any  who  use  the  creatures  to  free  them- 
selves of  that  which  the  complaint  runs  against,  to 
wit,  sin.     How  can  any  free  himself  of  sin,  while  all 
his  enjoyments  witness  against  him,  that  he  has  sin- 
ned. O  sinners  !  the  sun  that  shines  upon  you  groans, 
that  it  must  give  light  to  a  sinner,  one*  who  uses  the 
light  for  an  encouragement  to  sin  against  God.    The 
ground  ye  tread  upon  groans  with  the  weight  of  sin- 
ners.    The  food  that  feeds  you   complains,  that  it 
must  be  so  horribly  perverted  as  to  serve  the   lusts 
of  a  sinner,  as  to  furnish  one  with  strength  to  sin 
against  God.     See  Hab.  ii.  11.  James  v.  3. 

8thli)9  The  judgments  of  God  bear  witness  against 
you.  As  many  rods  as  have  ever  been  upon  you,  as 
many  witnesses  are  there  of  this  sad  truth.  The 
rod  of  God  speaks ;  for  we  are  commanded  to  hear 
the  rod,  Micah  vi.  9.  '*  The  Lord's  voice  crieth  unto 
the  city,  and  the  man  of  wisdom  shall  see  thy  name: 
hear  ye  the  rod,  and  who  hath  appointed  it."  Every 
stroke  that  the  hand  of  God  lays  upon  us  speaks ; 
and  the  first  thing  it  says,  is,  Ye  have  sinned  and 
come  short  of  the  glory  of  God.  For  affliction  doth 
not  spring  out  of  the  ground,  nor  doth  trouble  arise 
out  of  the  dust. — And  here  we  may  boldly,   with 

G  % 


78  THE    GUILTY   SIGNER   CONVICTED, 

Eliphaz,  Job  iv  7,  challenge  you  to  give  one  instance 
«>f  any  innocent  who  ever  suffered  the  least  wrong  or 
trouble.     "  Remember,  I  pray  thee,*'  says  he  to  Job* 
*'  who  ever  perished,  being  innocent  ?  or  where  were 
the  righteous  cut  off?"  as  if  he  had  said,  Search  tho 
records  of  ancient  times  ;  rub  up  thy  memory,  and 
give  me  but  one  instance  of  any  person  who  suffered, 
and  was  not  a  sinner.     I  defy  thee  to  giv$  me  one 
instance.     Indeed  he  was  out  in  the  application  of 
that  unquestionable  truth  :  for  he  did  thence  endea- 
vour to  infer,  that  Job  was  a  hypocrite.     As  to  (he 
application,  we  are  not  concerned  in  it  ;  but  for  the 
truth  itself,  that  we  own,  and  challenge  you  to  in- 
stance any.     Our  blessed  Lord  indeed  was  free  of 
personal  failings,  but  not  so  of  imputed  ones  ;  for  the 
Lord  "laid  upon  him  the  iniquities  of  us  all,  and  he 
was  wounded  for  our  transgressions."     And  there- 
fore his  sufferings  are  nowise  inconsistent  with  this 
truth,  that  none  suffer  but  sinners ;  and  therefore 
your  sufferings  are  a  proof,  and  do  testify,  that  ye 
have  sinned  ;  "  for  God  doth  not  afflict  willingly,  nor , 
grieve  the  children  of  men,"  Lam.  iii.  33.     He  takes 
not  pleasure  in  afflicting  his  own  creatures ;   but 
when  he  does  it,  it  is  for  their  sins.     What  God  in 
his  sovereignty  may  do,  as  to  the  punishing,  or  rather 
afflicting  of  an  innocent  creature,  we  shall  not  deter- 
mine.    Learned  men  have   learnedly,   I   may  say, 
played  the  fool,  or  trifled  in  debating  this  point,  the 
determination  whereof  makes  nothing  to  edification, 
^vere  it  possible  to  determine  it  satisfyingly.     If  any 
should  ask  me,  Can  God  punish  or  afflict  an  innocent 
creature?      I  should  answer,   (1.)   That  questions 
about  what  God  can  do  are  dangerous,  and  may  for 
most  part  be  forborne.     (2.)    Punish  an  innocent 
creature  he  cannot,  for  that  presupposeth  a  fault. 
(3.)  God,  in  the  first  formation  of  his  creatures,  did 
set  them  such  a  law  for  their  rule,  as  did  lead  them 
directly  to  the  highest  perfection  their  natures  were 
capable  of;  and  they  walking  according  to  that  rule, 
I.  c.  being  innocent,  it  is  hard  to  conceive  how  they 


TUB    GUILTY    SINNER   CONVICTED.  79 

oould  full  short,  or  in  any  measure  swerve  from  the 
end.  If  it  be  still  inquired,  Whether  God  may  not, 
in  his  absolute  sovereignty,  pass  over  this,  which 
seems  to  be  the  fixed  and  settled  order  of  his  conduct 
towards  the  creatures,  and  afflict  them,  or  suffer 
them  to  meet  with  inconvenieneies,  while  they  hold 
close  to  the  rule  I  hat  God  has  set  them  ?  If  I  say* 
any  state  the  question  thus  :  Then,  (4  )  1  shall  only 
propose  another  question  to  the  inquirer,  Can  there 
possibly  fall  within  ihe  compass  of  God's  knowledge 
a  design  which  will  make  it  worthy  of  his  infinite 
wisdom  and  goodness  to  do  so,  to  break  this  law  of 
nature,  which  is  every  way  suited  to  his  wisdom  and 
goodness?  If  he  say,  there  may,  then  he  is  obliged 
to  produce  it,  which  he  will  find  hard  enough  to  do  ; 
if  he  say  not,  then  he  determines  the  question  in 
the  negative,  but  dangerously  enough  ;  for  who 
knows  the  infinitely  wise  designs  which  may  fall 
within  the  compass  of  the  thoughts  of  the  omniscient 
God,  whose  ways  and  thoughts  are  as  far  above  the 
thoughts  of  man,  as  the  heavens  is  above  the  earth  ? 
But  whatever  be  in  this  nice  debate,  wherein  we  shall 
inmix  ourselves,  the  truth  we  have  advanced  is  cer- 
tain, that  no  instance  can  be  given  wherein  God  has 
afflicted  those  who  have  been  absolutely  free  from 
sin.  inherent  or  imputed  :  and  therefore  the  rods  of 
God  are  witnesses  against  you,  that  ye  have  sinned. 
Speak,  O  sinners  !  did  you  never  meet  with  an  afflic- 
tion in  body  or  mind,  in  your  persons  or  families,  iq 
yourselves  or  in  your  relations,  young  or  old  ?  Who, 
or  where  is  the  man  or  woman  that  never  had  a 
cross  ?  I  believe  that  person  is  scarce  to  be  found  in 
the  world  who  has  no  complaints,  that  is,  who  have 
no  crosses.  Well  then,  as  many  crosses  as  ye  have 
had,  as  many  witnesses  are  there  in  giving  in  testi- 
mony against  you,  that  ye  have  sinned.  For  no  sin- 
ning, no  suffering. 

9ihly9  In  fine,  to  name  no  more  witnesses,  Death, 
the  king  of  terrors,  is  a  witness  against  you*  and  gives 
testimony  against  all,  that  they  have  sinned  5  for, "  the 


80  THE  GUILTY  SINNER   CONVICTED. 

wages  of  sin  is  death,"  Rom.  vi.  23.     It  is  only  sin 
that  gives  death  a  power  over  you.     If  any  of  you  can 
plead  exemption  from  death,  then  you  may  with  some 
reason  plead  freedom  from  the  charge  we  have  laid 
against  you  ;  but  if  not,  then  in  vain  will  all  pretences, 
shifts,  and  evasions  be.  It  may  be,  now  we  shall  not,  no 
not   by  the  testimony  of  all  the  famous  witnesses  we 
have  led  against  you,  bring  you  to  a  conviction  of  sin  : 
hut  when  Death,  the  king  of  terrors,  begins  his  evi- 
dence, he  will  convince  you,  ere  he  has  done  with  you ; 
for  he  will  send  you  where  you  shall  be  convinced  not 
much  to  your  comfort.  Death  is  a  Serjeant  to  the  great 
king ;  and  when  he  takes  you,  arrests  you,  cites  you  a- 
non  to  appear  before  the  bar  that  is  in  the   higher 
house,  how  will  your  hearts  fail  you  then  ?  O  sinners  ! 
the  sight  of  the  grim  messenger  Death,  of  the  execu- 
tioner Satan,  of  the  place  of  torment  hell,  and  the 
awful   solemnity  of  the  Judge  of  the  quick  and  the 
dead,  will  supersede  any  further  proof,  and  will  awa- 
ken the  most  sleepy  conscience,   which  will  then  be, 
not  only  witness,  but  judge,  and  even  executioner,  tov 
these  who  shall  not  be  able  to  plead   an  interest  in 
Christ  Jesus,  who  have  never  been  convinced  soundly 
of  sin  at  the  bar  of  the  word. 

Thus  we  have  made  good  our  charge  against  all 
find  every  one  of  you,  by  the  testimony  of  a  great 
many  witnesses  of  unquestionable  credit.  It  is  there- 
fore high  time,  O  sinners  !  for  you  to  bethink  your- 
selves what  ye  shall  answer  when  ye  are  reproved. 

Hitherto  we  have  held  in  the  general :  we  have 
charged  sin  upon  you  all,  without  fixing  any  particu- 
lar sin  upon  any  particular  sort  of  persons.  Now  we 
come  to  that  which,  in  the  next  place,  we  proposed 
in  the  management  of  this  charge  against  you  ;  and 
that  is,  Thirdly,  to  make  good  the  charge,  by  dealing 
particularly  with  the  conscience  of  several  sorts  of 
persons  among  you,  to  bring  you,  if  possible,  to  a 
sense  of  your  sin. 

All  may  be  ranked,  according  to  the  apostle  John's 
-£ivisiqnj  into  children,  young  men,  and  fathers  \  or  into 


THE   GUILTY    SINNER  CONVICTED.  81 

children,  those  of  a  middle  age,  and  old  persons.  Un- 
der young  men  and  women  are  comprehended  all  those, 
whet  her  ihey  have  families  or  not,  who  are  not  come  to 
declining  years,  who  are  yet  in  the  flower  of  their 
strength  and  vigour.  To  each  of  them  I  would  apply 
myself  in  a  way  of  conviction,  and  endeavour  to  bring 
them  to  a  sense  of  sin,  and  that  even  of  particular  sins. 

Rut  that  I  may  proceed  in  this  with  the  more 
clearness,  I  shall  premise  a  few  things,  which  may 
clear  the  way  to  what  we  design  upon  this  head.  And, 

1st ,  There  are  two  great  designs  which  every  man 
should  continually  aim  at.  usefulness  here,  and  happi- 
ness hereafter.  We  come  not  into  the  world,  as  some 
foolishly  apprehend,  to  spend  or  pass  our  time,  and  no 
more  of  if.  No  ;  God  has  cut  us  out  our  work.  We 
are  all  obliged,  in  some  one  station  or  other,  to  lay 
out  ourselves  for  the  advancement  of  the  glory  of  God 
in  this  world.  Every  one  is  furnished  with  endow- 
ments more  or  less.  To  some  God  has  given  an  am- 
ple stock,  many  talents  ;  to  «ome  fewer  ;  and  to  some 
but  one.  All  have  received  :  and  if  all  do  not  employ 
their  endowments,  supposing  they  appear  very  in- 
considerable, thev  will  find  it  hard  to  answer  for  the 
misimprovement.  He  who  had  but  one  talent,  for  his 
neglect  of  it  had  a  dreadful  doom  pronounced  against 
him.  Matth.  xxv.  3§.  "  Cast  ye  the  unprofitable  ser- 
vant into  utter  darkness  ;  there  shall  be  weeping  and 
gnashing  of  teeth."  We  are  not  born  to  ourselves  only, 
but  to  the  world,  and  therefore  we  should  design  use- 
fulness in  it,  and  withal  should  take  a  due  care  of  our 
principal  concern,  the  salvation  of  our  souls.  Jf  he 
who  provides  not  for  his  own  family,  has  denied  the 
faith,  and  is  worse  than  an  infidel,  lTim.  v.  8,  what 
must  he  be  that  provides  not  for  his  own  soul. 

2dly.  Whatever  thoughts,  words,  or  actions,  have 
no  usefulness  or  subserviency  to  one  or  other  of  these 
ends,  are  sinful  :  by  the  law  of  God  and  nature  this 
holds  true.  If  we  do,  speak,  or  think  any  thing  that  has 
do  tendency  to  promote  either  our  temporal  or  eternal 
happiness,  then  in  so  doing  we  sin  against  God ;  we 


$2  THE    GLXLTY    SINNER   C'OXVICXEB 

throw  away  these  powers  of  speaking,  thinking,  and 
acting,  upon  that  whieh  God  never  designed  them  for; 
and  this  is  a  manifest  abuse  of  a  talent  bestowed  by 
God.  The  Lord  complains  of  Jerusalem's  indulging 
vain  thoughts.  Jer.  iv.  14.  "  O  Jerusalem,  wash  thine 
heart  from  wickedness,  that  thou  ma  vest  be  saved  : 
how  long  shall  thy  vain  thoughts  lodge  with  thee  ?" 

Sdly9  Much  of  our  fitness  or  unfitness  fbr  prosecut- 
ing these  ends  depends  upon  the  right  or  wrong  ma- 
nagement of  our  youth.  Idleness,  vieiousness,  and  fol- 
ly, in  our  childhood,  has  a  tendency  to  incapacitate 
us  in  our  riper  years  for  prosecuting  the  designs  of 
our  being.  Childhood  and  youth  are,  as  it  were,  a  mould 
wherein  men  are  east,  and  such  usually  do  they  con- 
tinue to  be,  as  they  (hen  have  been  formed  ;  which 
Jets  us  see  how  much  depends  upon  the  right  manage- 
ment of  children,  of  which  the  wise  man  was  well  a- 
ware,*as  we  see,  Prov.  xxii.  6.  "  Train  up  a  child/' 
says  he  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  "in  the  way  he  should 
go,  and  when  he  is  old  he  will  not  depart  from  it/' 

Mhly,  These  actions  in  children,  which  people  over- 
look generally,  and  judge  scarce  culpable,  yet  are 
upon  a  double  account  evil,  first,  in  that  they  How  from 
a  bitter  root,  that  cannot  bring  forth  good  fruit ;  I 
mean  that  cursed  bias  and  depravity  of  nature,  which 
prompts  to  evil,  that  only,  and  that  continually  ;  and, 
next,  because  they  have  a  tendency  to  incapacitate  for 
the  future.  An  ill  habit,  contracted  when  young,  can- 
not soon  be  worn  off:  nay,  unless  grace  do  interpose, 
and  that  with  more  than  ordinary  influences,  some  vi- 
cious habits  contracted  in  youth  can  by  no  pains  or  en- 
deavours be  laid  aside.  Had  man's  nature  remained  in- 
corrupt, as  it  was  in  Adam,  then  certainly  these  follies 
and  extravagancies,  into  which  generally  childhood 
and  youth  are  precipitate,  had  not  been  known  ;  there 
should  not  any  of  these  vicious  inclinations  have  been 
found,  which  are  now  the  bane  of  youth  and  childhood. 

Bthhfn  We  premise  this,  that  the  law  of  God  is  ex- 
ceeding broad  and  extensive,  Psal.  cxix.  96.  "  I  have 
seen  an  end  of  all  perfection*  but  thy  commandment  is 


THE    GUILTY    SINNEE,   CGNYICTEB.  85 

exceeding  broad."  Some  people  do  strangely,  in 
their  deluded  apprehensions,  narrow  the  law  of  God. 
There  is  a  genera?  mistake  here  ;  few,  very  few,  da 
believe  how  extensive  it  is  ;  and  therefore  most  part 
are  clean  and  pure  in  their  own  eyes,  though  they  be 
not  washed  from  their  iniquities.  But  David,  a  man 
according  to  God's  own  heart,  a  man  instructed  of 
God  in  the  spiritual  meaning  of  God's  law,  enter- 
tained other  thoughts  and  apprehensions  of  the  mat- 
ter :  he  found  it  exceeding  broad  and  extensive. 
For,  (1.)  It  extends  to  word  and  thoughts,  as  well 
as  to  actions.  Many  of  you  do,  it  may  be,  dream  that 
if  ye  do  no  abominably  wicked  action,  though  yc 
live  in  a  course  of  vain  and  idle  thoughts  and  words, 
it  is  no  matter  :  but  deceive  not  yourselves  in  this 
matter,  for  God  judges  otherwise;  indeed  his  word 
has  told  us,  that  he  will  bring  every  work  into  judg- 
ment, Eccl.  xii.  14.  "For  God  shall  bring  every 
work  into  judgment,  with  every  secret  thing,  whe- 
ther it  be  good,  or  whether  it  be  evil.55  But  he  has 
nowhere  told  us,  that  words  and  thoughts  shall  go 
free.  Nay,  upon  the  contrary,  he  has  expressly  told 
us,  that  we  must  give  an  account  of  idle  words,  Matt. 
xH.  36,  37.  "But  I  say  unto  you,"  saith  the  Amen 
and  faithful  Witness,  "  that  every  idle  word  that  men 
shall  speak,  they  shall  give  an  account  thereof  in 
the  day  of  judgment;  for  by  thy  words  thou  shalt 
be  justified,  and  by  thy  words  thou  shalt  be  condemn- 
ed." And  in  that  foreeited  Jer.  iv.  14.  the  removal 
of  vain  thoughts  is  indispensably  required,  in  order 
to  the  salvation  of  Jerusalem  ;  which  says  plainly, 
that  an  indulged  course  of  them  would  inevitably 
ruin  it :  for,  as  the  Spirit  of  God  tells  us,  Prov.  xxiv. 
9.  "  The  thoughts  of  foolishness  is  sin."  And  indeed 
it  is  no  wonder  that  they  be  reputed  so  by  God, 
the  searcher  of  the  hearts,  who  knows  the  thoughts 
afar  off,  and  be  condemned  by  that  word  that  is 
a  discerner  of  the  thoughts  of  the  heart,  since 
all  evil  Hows  from  the  thought,   words  and  actions 

H 


S6  THE   GUILTY    SIXtfEB  CONVICTEB. 

being  but  indications  of  the  thoughts  of  the  heart* 
And  therefore,  when  Simon  Magus  is  reproved  hy 
the  apostle  Peter,  in  that  8th  of  the  Acts,  for  his 
wicked  desire  to  buy  the  Holy  Ghost,  or  rather  the 
power  of  conferring  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost, by 
the  imposition  of  hands,  he  is  not  rebuked  for  his 
words,  though  he  spoke  it,  but  for  his  thoughts,  be- 
cause it  was  there  sin  began.  Acts  viii.  20.  "But 
Peter  said  to  him,  Thy  money  perish  with  thee,  be- 
cause thou  hast  thought  that  the  gift  of  God  may  be 
purchased  with  money.  Thou  hast  neither  part  nor 
lot  in  this  matter,  for  thy  heart  is  not  right  in  the 
sight  of  God.  JRepent  therefore  of  this  thy  wick- 
edness ;  and  pray  God,  if  perhaps  the  thought  of 
thine  heart  may  be  forgiven  thee."  (2.)  The  law  of 
God  is  broad,  in  that  it  extends  to  all  sorts  of  ac- 
tions ;  not  only  to  those  which  immediately  respect 
God,  and  these  which  immediately  respect  our  neigh- 
bour or  ourselves  ;  but  even  to  our  natural  actions, 
eating  and  drinking,  and  to  our  ploughing,  or  mow- 
ing, or  the  like,  which  cannot  so  easily  be  reduced 
to  any  of  these  other  classes  :  for  we  are  told  by 
the  Spirit  of  God,  "  the  ploughing  of  the  wicked  is 
sin,"  Prov.  xxi.  4.  (3.)  The  broadness  of  God's  law 
is  conspicuous,  in  its  reaching  all  sorts  of  persons, 
young  and  old,  rich  and  poor,  high  and  low.  All 
sorts  of  persons  are  bound  to  their  duty  by  the  law 
of  God,  children  as  well  as  others  ;  and  a  deviation 
from  it  is  taken  notice  of,  even  with  respect  to 
children.  We  are  told  of  their  coming  into  the 
•world  in  sin,  of  their  being  shapen  in  iniquity,  of 
their  being  estranged  from  the  womb,  and  going 
aatray  as  soon  as  born,  and  of  their  dying  for  their 
sin.  "  Behold,  I  was  shapen  in  iniquity,  and  in 
sin  did  ray  mother  conceive  me,M  says  the  man 
who  had  made  God  his  trust  from  his  youth  up, 
Psal.ll  5. :  and  in  that  58th  Psalm  we  are  told,  that 
the  wicked  go  astray  in  infancy  :  "The  wicked  are 
estranged  from  the  very  womb  j  they  go  astray  as 


THE   GUILTY   SINNER   CONVICTED.  87 

soon  as  they  be  born."  And  the  apostle,  in  thajt  5th 
of  the  Romans*  from  the  12th  verse,  proves  even  in- 
fants to  be  sinners,  by  their  sharing  in  these  calami- 
ties which  are  the  consequences  of  sin  :  but  this  could 
not  be,  unless  the  law  of  God  did  extend  unto  and 
even  bind  children  as  well  as  others.  A  sense  of 
this  extent  of  the  law  of  God,  even  to  children,  made 
blessed  Augustine,  in  that  first  book  of  his  Confes- 
sions, cap.  7.  bitterly  lament  and  bewail  the  sins  of 
his  childhood,  even  those  which  are  laughed  at  by 
most,  such  as  untowardness,  and  unwillingness  to  re- 
ceive what  was  good  for  him  ;  but  even  in  that  age* 
meaning  his  infancy,  docs  he  say,  "  Was  it  not  ill 
and  sio  to  seek  with  tears  what  would  have  proven 
hurtful  to  me  if  it  had  been  given  ?  to  be  angry  with 
those  who  were  nowise  obliged  to  be  under  my  com* 
inand,  because  they  would  not  obey  me  ?  nay,  that 
even  my  parents  would  not  obey  me.  Was  it  not  ill, 
that  I  endeavored  to  strike  even  those  who  wore 
every  way  my  superiors,  because  they  "would  not  o- 
bey  me  in  those  things  wherein  they  could  not  have 
given  obedience,  without  hurt  either  to  me  or  some 
other  V9  Thus  we  see  this  holy  man  looks  upon  these 
things  as  sins,  which  are  commonly  laughed  at  by 
others  as  innocent;  and  if  God  would  give  us  such 
a  discovery  of  the  wjckedness  of  our  natures,  and  of 
the  extent  of  the  law,  as  was  given  to  him,  then  we 
would  think  so  too.  But  the  truth  of  this  might  be 
proven  at  great  length,  were  it  requisite  to  say  any 
more  than  what  has  already  been  alledged. 

etlily,  In  speaking  to  every  one  of  these  three 
sorts  of  persons,  we  may  have  occasion  to  name  ma- 
ny sins ;  and  therefore  we  shall  here  at  once  prove 
all  the  particulars  we  shall  name  under  any  of  these 
heads  to  be  sin  ;  because  it  would  divert  and  detain 
us  too  long,  to  insist  under  every  head,  in  adducing 
arguments  to  prove  every  one  of  the  particulars  we 
are  about  to  mention  to  be  sinful.  Now,  that  they 
are  all  such,  ye  will  not  question,  if  ye  carry  along, 


$8  TEE    dUIXTY    SIX3TER    COWVICTEB. 

with  what  has  been  already  said,  these  three  unques- 
tionable scripture  truths i:  (1.)  That  whatever  is 
done,  thottght*  or  said,  by  one  whose  heart  is  not  re- 
sewed  by  grace,  is  sin.  This  is  the  plain  meaning 
©f  that  assertion  of  our  Lord's,  Matt.  vii.-  18.  «  A 
good  tree  cannot  bring  forth  evil  fruit*  neither  can  a 
corrupt  tree  bring  forth  good  frail. "  Hence  it  is, 
that  not  only  the  thoughts  of  the  wicked,  but  his 
ploughing,  and  his  very  sacrifice  js  sin*  Prov.  xxi.  7. 
(2.)  Whatever  respects  not  the  glory  of  God  as  its 
end,  is  sin,  1  Cor.  x.  31.  "  Whether  therefore  ye 
eat  or  drink,  or  whatever  ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory 
of  God."  (3.)  -Whatever  has  no  respect  to  Jesus 
Christ,  as  the  only  one  in  whom  our  persons  or  per- 
formances can  be  accepted,  is  sirs,  Col.  iii.  17. — - 
*•  Whatever  ye  do,  in  word  or  in  deed,  do  all  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  giving  thanks  .to  God  and 
the  Father  by  Uim."  AIL  the  particulars  we  shall 
name,  will  be  fouod  cross  to  one  or  all  of  these  three, 
and  therefore  sinful ;  though  we  shall  not  always 
particularly  insist  in  proving  the  sinfulness  of  every 
one  of  them,  or  in  naming  the  particular  commands 
of  the  Dacalogue  of  which  they  are  a  breach. 

In  the '7f/iand  last  place,  we  premise,  That  those 
of  a  middle  age*  and  of  old  age,  are  equally  concern- 
ed in  these  sins  which  we  are  to  lay  to  the  charge  of 
children*  with  the  children  themselves*  because  they 
were  once  such.  Young  men  and  eld  men  were  once 
children,  and  therefore  guilty  of  the  sins  of  child- 
hood. Old  men  were  once  youths,  and  therefore 
guilty  of  the  sins  of  youthhood  ;  and  therefore  ye 
are  all*  the  oldest  of  you*  obliged  to  take  heed  what 
ye  say  to  one  or  another  ;  because  those  who  are  old 
have  been  young,  and  those  who  are  young  may  be 
old. 

The  way  being  thus  cleared,  I  shall  now  proceed 
to  speak  particularly  to,  and  endeavour  the  convic- 
tion of  the  children  of  the  congregation  which  are 
mow  present. 


THE   GUILTY   SINNER  CONVICTED.  89 

Children  and  young  ones^,  who  are  this  day  hear- 
ing me,  lake  heed :  I  have  a  message  from  God  to 
you.  That  God  who  made  the  heavens  and  the  earth, 
Mho  made  you,  and  who  feeds  you  daily,  has  sent 
me  this  day  to  you,  to  every  one  of  you,  as  particu- 
larly as  if  I  did  name  you,  name  and  surname,  to  tell 
you  sad  and  doleful  news.  The  youngest  of  you 
all  has  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God  ; 
that  is,  ye  have  done  that  for  which  God  will  certain- 
ly cast  you,  soul  and  body,  into  hell-fire,  if  ye  get 
not  your  peace  made  with  God,  through  Jesus  Christ. 
You  have  done  that  for  which  God  is  so  angry  at 
you,  that  his  heart  \yll  not  pity  you,  his  eye  will 
not  spare  you,  unless  ye  get  Christ  ;  but  as  soon  as 
ever  your  breath  goes  out,  and  none  of  you  can  tell 
how  soon  that  may  be,  he  will,  without  mercy,  turn 
you  into  hell,  there  to  be  tormented  for  ever  and  e- 
ver.  If  ye  were  not  foolish,  ye  would  never  play 
more,  nor  be  merry,  till  ye  got  your  peace  made  with 
God.  Now,  to  let  you  see  that  it  is  true  that  I  tell 
you,  I  shall  shew  you  what  sins  ye  are  guilty  of  be- 
fore God. 

1.  Ye  were  born  sinners,  Psal.  li.  5.  Your  pa- 
rents were  all  sinners  ;  and  as  your  fathers  were,  so 
are  ye  sinners  ;  for  **  who  can  bring  a  clean  thing 
out  of  an  unclean  ?  not  one,"  says  God  by  the  moutii 
of  Job,  chap.  xiv.  4.  When  ye  e&me  into  the  world, 
God  then  might  have  sent  every  one  of  you  to  hell, 
because  ye  were  then  all  sinners  ;  and  though  God 
did  not  then  send  you  into  hell,  yet  he  may  do  it,  and 
ye  cannot  t^ll  how  soon.  If  ye  take  heed,  ye  may  every 
day  hear  of  some  one  or  other  dying,  that  was,  not 
long  before,  as  likely  to  live  as  you  are,  as  young,  as 
healthy  as  you  are ;  and  if  God  shall  now  come,  and 
call  you  away  by  death,  what  think  you  will  become 
of  you  that  are  not  yet  reconciled  to  God  ?  Ye  will 
all  be  sent  to  hell.    But, 

2.  Tell  me,  I  say,  did  you  ever  refuse  to  do  what 
your  parents,  your  fathers,  or  your  mothers,  have 

U2 


00  THE    GUILTY    SINNEK    CONVICTED. 

commanded  you  to  do  ?  Bo  you  never  remember, 
that  either  your  fathers,  or  your  mothers,  or  your 
master,  or,  it  may  he,  the  minister  from  1he  pulpit, 
has  told  you,  that  you  should  do  some  things,  read, 
pray,  he  good  scholars,  do  what  your  father  and  mo- 
ther enjoin  you  ?  Well,  and  have  not  ye  for  all  that 
refused  to  do  it  ?  This  is  a  sin  against  God ;  and  be- 
lieve it,  dear  children,  there  are  some,  just  such  as 
yourselves,  burning  in  hell  for  disobeying  their  pa- 
rents ;  and  though  they  weep  and  cry,  yet  God  will 
never  let  them  out  thence. 

3.  Bid  never  anybody  reprove  you  for  any  thing 
that  ye  have  done  ?  Did  never  your  father  or  your 
mother  tell  you,  that  something,  it  may  be,  swear- 
ing, or  lying,  or  forgetting  your  prayers,  was  a  sin, 
and  would  bring  you  to  heli,  if  ye  did  not  amend  ? 
Well,  if  they  did,  was  not  you  angry  with  them  ? 
■would  you  not  have  been  glad  to  get  away  from 
them  that  told  you  such  things  ?  And  did  not  yo^r 
heart  rise  against  them  ?  Well,  (his  also  is  a  great 
sin  ;  and  if  this  be  not  pardoned,  God  will  be  sure  to 
turn  you  into  hell  for  it,  Prov.  xv.  10.  u  Correction 
is  grievous  to  him  that  forsaketh  the  way ;  and  he 
that  hatetb  reproof  shall  die." 

4.  Tell  me,  were  you  ever  desirous  to  be  avenged, 
or,  in  your  oven  language,  to  have  amends  of  some 
that  you  thought  had  done  you  ill?  Were  you  not 
vexed,  thinking  howr  to  get  even  with  them  ?  and 
would  not  ye  have  found  in  your  hearts  to  have  kill- 
ed them,  or  to  have  done  them  some  mischief?  Well, 
this  is  a  grievous  sin  j  for  God  has  forbid  us  to  a- 
renge  ourselves,  Rom.  xii.  19— — 

5.  Tell  me,  did  ye  never  give  any  body  ill  lan- 
guage? Did  ye  never  miscall  your  comrades  ?  when 
you  were  angry  with  your  neighbour  or  companion, 
did  ye  not  use  opprobrious  or  reproaching  names  ?  I 
fear  most  of  you  cannot  deny  it.  Well,  this  again 
is  another  sial    Our  Lord  has  said;  that  whosoever 


TlfE    GUILTY    SINNER   CONVICTED.  91 

shall  call  his  brother  a  "  fool,  shall  be  in  danger  of 
hell  fire,"  Matth.  v.  22. 

6.  Were  you  never  glad  when  you  could  get  out, 
under  your  father,  or  mother,  or  master's  eyes,  that 
ye  might  take  jour  will,  and  do  these  things  that  ye 
durst  not  do  before  them  ?  Now,  this  is  downright 
atheism  :  You  did  not  believe  that  God  is  every 
where,  otherwise  you  would  not  have  presumed  to 
do  that  before  him  which  ye  durst  not  do  before  your 
parents.  See  Psal.  xiv.  1.  compared  with  Rom.  iii. 
10.  &  23. 

7.  Have  not  you  been  glad  when  the  Lord's  day 
was  over,  or  at  least  when  the  preaching  was  done, 
that  ye  might  get  your  liberty?  Has  it  not  been  a 
burden  to  you,  to  sit  so  long  in  the  church  ?  Well, 
this  is  a  great  sin,  which  was  one  of  the  grounds  of 
God's  controversy  with  his  own  people,  Mai.  i.  13. 
Isa.  xliii.  22.  Amosviii.  b.  It  is  to  be  weary  of  well 
doing,  against  the  express  command  of  God,  Gal. 
vi.  9. 

8*  Tell  me,  have  you  not  been  thinking  of  other 
things,  when  ye  have  been  in  church  hearing  sermon  ? 
have  you  not  been  thinking  of  your  sport  and  pas- 
time, or,  it  may  be,  speaking  to  one  another  in  the 
time  of  worship  ?  This  is  another  sin  whereof  you 
have  been  guilty  ;  and  God  counts  them  mockers  of 
him,  who  draw  near  with  their  lips,  when  their 
hearts  are  faraway  from  him,  Isa.  xxix.  13. 

9.  Do  you  pray  to  God  morning  and  evening  ?  I 
fear  there  shall  many  be  found  who  neglect  this  :  and 
tell  me,  dear  children,  what  do  you  think  will  become 
of  those  who  pray  not?  God  counts  them  forgetters 
of  him  ;  and  lie  says,  that  "  the  wicked  shall  be 
turned  into  heli,  and  all  the  nations  that  forget  God,55 
Mai.  ix.  17. 

10.  Do  ye  lie  or  swear,  and  so  take  God's  name  in 
Tain  ?  Did  you  ever  swear  by  the  name  of  God  in 
your  ordinary  talk  ?  or  did  ye  ever  make  a  lie  to  ex- 
cuse or  hide  a  fault  ?  These  are  also  sins,  and  God 


92  ^XHB   GUILTY   SlffXEH   CONVICTED* 

Ims  said,  that  liars  and  swearers  shall  have  their 
part  in  the  lake  that  burns  with  fire  and  brimstone. 
Rev.  xxi.  8. 

11.  I  will  only  put  this  one  question  more  to  you. 
Did  you  never  go  to  your  play,  when  ye  should  have 
been  at  your  prayers  ?  Now,  take  heed  ;  ye  know  ye 
have  done  so.  Well,  what  think  ye  will  be  the  end 
of  those  who  do  so?  Because  ye  will  not  seek  God, 
he  will  not  save  you ;  he  will  reject  you,  when  ye 
have  most  need  of  help. 

Now,  dear  children,  I  have  a  great  respect  to  you ; 
fain  would  1  have  you  saved  from  hell.  It  is  be- 
cause I  desire  your  good,  that  I  have  been  telling  you 
your  sins.  T  shall  therefore,  before  I  leave  you,  1. 
Put  some  few  questions  to  you  for  your  awakening, 
3.  I  shall  give  you  a  counsel  or  two.  3.  I  shall  give 
you  some  encouragements  to  follow  the  advices  given 
you. 

1.  Then,  I  would  ask  you  some  few  questions  ; 
and  I  beg  it  of  you  to  take  heed  how  you  hear  them. 
And,  (1.)  Tell  me,  did  ye  ever  think  of  death  ?  If 
you  look  at  a  grave  when  it  is  opened,  there,  instead 
cf  one  that  had  life,  that  could  speak,  walk,  and  do 
all  the  other  things  which  ye  can  do  ;  now  you  see 
there  is  nothing  hut  rotten  hones,  consumed  stinking 
flesh,  which  the  dogs  will  scarcely  come  near,  and 
filthy  gore.  Well,  ye  will  in  a  little  time  be  Justin 
that  case  yourselves.  Ye  must  die.  No  doubt  ye 
have  heard  of  some  of  your  companions,  or  some 
other  children,  who  have  died;  and  ye  cannot  tell 
but  ye  may  die  next.  (2.)  If  ye  do  think  of  death, 
'what  do  ye  think  will  become  of  you,  if  these  sins 
which  ye  have  done,  and  of  which  I  have  now  told 
you,  be  not  forgiven  ?  Then,  without  all  doubt,  you 
will  go  to  hell.  And,  O  !  can  ye  tell  what  a  place 
hell  is  ?  It  is  a  terrible  place  indeed.  It  may  be,  ye 
would  think  it  a  terrible  thing  if  any  should  put 
your  finger  into  the  hot  fire ;  and  indeed  it  would  be 
so.    What  then  do  ye  think  will  be  the  pain  which 


THE    GUILTY    SINNER   CONVICTED.  ffS 

ye  shall  suffer,  when  God  will  cast  you,  soul  and  bo- 
dy, into  hell-fire:  and  this  will  surely  be  your  por- 
tion, if  ye  get  not  grace.  (3.)  If  once  ye  be  east 
into  hell,  do  ye  think  ever  to  get  out  again  ?  I  assure 
you,  God  has  said  ye  shall  not.  Though  ye  weep 
till  your  hearts  break,  God  will  not  hear  you.  Ye 
have  done  with  mercy,  if  onee  ye  die  in  your  sins, 
God's  eye  will  not  spare ;  his  heart  w  ill  not  pity 
you.  Therefore,  if  ye  would  escape  hell,  I  shail 
tejl  you, 

■2.  What  ye  must  do,  by  offering  you  two  or  three 
good  counsels.  (1.)  Whenever  ye  go  home  this  night, 
get  into  some  quiet  corner  or  other,  and  there  be- 
take you  to  God  in  prayer.  Say  with  the  poor  dis- 
tressed publican,  "  Lord  be  merciful  to  me  a  sin- 
ner." Say,  Lord,  thou  hast  promised  a  new  heart  to 
sinners  like  me  ;  and  I  have  need  of  it,  for  my  heart 
is  very  bad  :  and  say,  Lord,  give  me  Christ ;  save 
me  from  my  sins  for  Christ's  sake.  Who  knows 
but  the  Lord,  who  hears  the  lions  and  the  ravens 
when  they  cry  for  food,  may  hear  you  ?  (2.)  You 
that  can  read  the  Bible  or  the  Catechism,  read 
them ;  but  take  care,  before  ye  read,  that  ye  go  and 
pray  to  God,  that  he  may  bless  them  to  you,  and 
make  you  understand  what  you  read.  (3.)  Take  care 
that  ye  never  lie,  swear,  or  break  the  Sabbath,  or 
commit  again  these  sins  which  we  were  telling  you 
of  a  little  while  ago.  (4.)  Run  out  of  the  company 
of  such  as  do  lie,  swear,  or  break  the  sabbath  ;  for 
God  will  destroy  them  that  keep  company  with  such  : 
«  A  companion  of  fools  shall  be  destroyed,"  Prov. 
xiii.  20.  (5.)  Wait  on  them  who  will  instruct  you, 
and  follow  the  good  advices  they  give  you  :  w  Walk 
with  the  wise  and  ye  shall  be  wise,"  Prov.  xiii.  20. 
(6.)  Be  sure  that  ye  pray  to  God  so  soon  as  ye  have 
got  on  your  clothes  in  the  morning,  and  before  ye 
east  them  off  at  night.  Now,  if  ye  will  follow  these 
advices,  I  will, 

3.  Tell  you  some  things  to  encourage  you  in  so  do- 


§&  THE   GFIXTT   SINNER   CONVICTEB. 

hig.  (1.)  God  has  made  a  promise,  that  they  who  be- 
gin soon  to  seek  him  shall  come  speed.  "  I  love  theia 
that  love  me,  and  they  that  seek  me  early  shall  find 
me,"  Prov.-  viii.  17.  (2.)    God  has  a  great  liking  to 
such  as  begin  to  seek  him  early.  He  commends  them 
highly ;  and  has  left  upon  record  the  names  of  some 
young  converts ;  such  as  Abijah,  in  the  house  of  a» 
wieked  Jeroboam,  and  good  Josiah,  whose  early  pi- 
ety is  mueh  eommemled,  %  Chron.  xxxiv.  3.  "  In  the 
eighth  year  of  his  reign,  while  he  was  yet  young,  he 
began  to  seek  after  the  God  of  his  father  David:" 
and  this  is  left  upon  record  for  making  others  to  be- 
gin early  to  seek  God.  (3.)  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  days 
of  his  flesh,  was  willing  to  entertain,  with  the  most 
tender  affection,  little  children  that  were  brought 
unto  him  |  and  when  his  disciples  would  have  them 
kept  away,  he  rebuked  them,  and  then  said,  <*H3uf- 
fer  little  children  to  come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them 
not,  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven.     And  he 
took  them  up  in  his  arms,  and  put  his  hands  on  them, 
and  blessed  them,"  Mark  x.  li,  16.     And  I  can  as- 
sure you,  he  is  no  less  kind  now  than  he  was  then ;  for 
lie  is  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever.  Now, 
if  he  was  so  kind  to  children  that  were  brought  to 
him,  what  will  he  be  to  these  who  themselves  do 
eorne  to  him?  O!  if  ye  knew  how  good  he  is,  you 
would  never  be  at  rest  till  you  got  notice  where  he 
is  to  be  found ;  and  then  ye  would  go  to  him;  and  I 
dare  promise  you  welcome.  (4.)  That  I  may   have 
done  with  you,  I  tell  you  for  your  encouragement, 
that  if  ye  will  begin  early,  and  seek  God,  ye  shall 
be  amongst  these  children  of  whom  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  is.     God  will  bless  you,  and  all  his  people* 
will  bless  you  $  yea,  all  generations  shall  eall  yon 
blessed. 

Thus  far  my  love  to  your  souls  has  led  me.  I  would 
fain  have  you  saved  ;  and  therefore,  I  «  travail  in 
birth  till  Christ  be  formed  in  you."  O  make  glad 
my  he^ft,  make  glad  the  heart"  of  my  great  Mastery 


THE  GUILTY  SIJTOEH  CONVICTED.  95 

make  gl&d  the  hearts  of  all  the  people  of  God  ;  and 
rejoice  your  parents*  hearts,  in  complying  with  those 
wholesome  counsels,  which  I  am  sure  your  parents 
will  desire,  if  they  be  not  worse  than  the  very  beasts. 
In  a  word,  seek  God,  and  save  your  souls. 

Now  we  have  done  with  the  first  sort  of  persons 
with  whom  we  undertook  to  deal.  The  tenderness 
of  their  capacity  has  obliged  us  to  digress  from  our 
method  which  we  did  lay  down  in  the  entry  upon  this 
use,  and  which,  by  the  Lord's  assistance,  we  shall 
closely  follow  in  what  remains. 

It  may  be,  some  of  those  who  are  come  to  age, 
may  look  upon  this  as  tedious  and  unpleasant  which 
we  have  been  upon,  because  there  has  been  nothing 
here  but  what  they,  it  may  be,  knew  before,  and 
what,  it  may  be,  they  judge  parents  might  inform 
then  children  in.  But  we  must  iell  such,  that  the 
design  of  preaching  i?  not  to  gv&ti'iy  itching  ears 
with  new  discoveries,  bur  to  reform  hearts  by  the  old, 
yet  new  truths  of  God,  which  will  never  wear  old  to 
them  who  are  acquainted  with  the  power  of  them  ; 
thai  children  have  souls  as  well  as  they  ;  that  their 
souls  are  no  less  preeious  than  those  of  adult  per- 
sons ;  that  we  have  the  charge  of  the  one  as  well  as 
the  other;  that  the  Lord  has  sometimes  been  pleas- 
ed to  reach  the  heart  of  children  by  such  familiar 
applications;  that  we  are  obliged  to  be  all  things  fo 
all  men,  that  so  we  may  win  some  to  Christ.  In 
fine,  we  must  tell  such,  that  we  are  particularly  o- 
bliged,  by  our  Lord's  command  formerly  quoted,  to 
encourage  children  to  come  to  him,  and  therefore  we 
could  not  but  endeavour  to  deal  with  them,  and  ilint 
in  a  way  suitable  in  some  measure  to  their  capaci- 
ties: what  is  old  to  you,  may  be  new  to  them  ;  and  a 
new  drop  of  the  influences  of  God's  spirit  would  even 
make  these  very  truths,  which  formerly  you  have 
known,  have  a  new  and  better  relish  than  formerly 
they  had. 

I  shall  now  proceed,  in  the  second  place,  to  you 


"86  TKE  GUILTY  SIGNER  CONVICTED. 

who  have  stepped  nut  of  childhood  into  youth,  or  in- 
to middle  age,  and  shall  endeavour  to  fix  guilt  upon 
you*  Hitherto  we  have  made  it  appear,  that  you 
are  guilty  ;  now  we  come  to  tell  you,  and  (o  conde- 
scend on  some  particulars  whereof  you  are  guilty. 
We  told,  nay  proved,  that  you  were  defiled  ;  now  we 
shall,  as  it  were,  point  to  the  very  spot.  We  have 
made  it  appear  that  ye  have  sinned:  now,  we  shall 
take  you  to  the  places,  as  it  were,  where  ye  have  sin- 
ned, that  ye  may  get  no  way  of  shifting  the  challenge. 
And  because  now  we  find  you  in  the  house  of  God,  we 
shall 

i.  Examine  you  a  little  in  reference  to  your  eon- 
duct  there.  You  have  frequently  come  here  ;  you 
have  frequently  presented  yourselves  before  God  as 
his  people  ;  but  I  fear,  if  your  carriage  in  this  mat- 
ter be  narrowly  scanned,  you  shall  be  found  sinners 
before  the  Lord  in  reference  to  this.  I  shall,  in  the 
name  of  that  God  in  whose  courts  ye  tread,  put  three 
questions  to  your  consciences.  (1.)  What  brings  you  * 
ordinarilv  here  ?  Come  ve  to  sacrifice  to  the  world's 
idol,  custom,  because  they  are  ill-looked  upon  who 
stay  away  ?  or  come  ye  to  stop  the  mouth  of  a  natu- 
ral conscience,  that  would  give  you  no  rest  if  ye 
staid  away  ?  or  come  ye  to  see  and  be  seen?  or  to 
gratify  curiosity  merely  ?  I  fear  these  be  the  de- 
signs on  which  not  a  few  of  you  come  ;  and  if  so, 
then  you  are  found  guilty  before  God,  who  requires 
you  to  corns  upon  other  designs,  even  to  wait  on  him* 
that  ye  may  see  his  power  and  glory  in  the  sanctu- 
ary, as  his  people  have  seen  him  heretofore.  (2.) 
What  do  ye  here,  when  ye  are  come  !  Do  ye  hear 
the  word  of  God  merely  as  an  idle  tale  ?  Do  ye  put 
truths  by  yourselves,  and  apply  them  to  others?  Do 
ye  sulfer  your  minds  to  roam  up  and  down  upon  the 
mountains  of  vanity,  looking  at  this  or  the  other 
thing  or  person  ?  Do  you  observe  more  the  way  of 
the  truth's  being  spoken,  than  the  truth  of  God  it- 
self? Are  you  more  intent  in  observing  the  instru* 


THE  GTJIXTY   SINNER  CONVICTED.  %7 

merit  than  in  listening  to  the  voice  of  God?  Let  your 
consciences  speak,  and  I  am  sure  that  a  great  many 
of  these  evils  ye  will  find  yourselves  guilty  of.  (3.) 
I  would  interrogate  you,  as  to  the  fruit  of  these  ap- 
proaches. What  good  get  ye  for  your  coming  ?  Do 
ye  get  convictions,  and  shift  them  ?  Do  ye  get  calls, 
and  sit  them  ?  Do  ye  hear  reproofs,  and  hate  them  ? 
Do  ye  hear  instructions,  and  forget  them  ?  Who  of 
you  can  clear  yourselves  of  these  sins?  sins  done  in 
tlie  very  presence  of  God,  sins  wherein  his  honour 
and  glory  is  in  a  more  than  ordinary  manner  con- 
cerned, because  they  do  extremely  reflect  upon  it. 

2.  We  shall  next  follow  you  to  your  employments, 
and  inquire  a  little  what  your  carriage  is  there.  I 
take  it  for  granted,  that  all  of  you  have  some  honest 
occupation  or  other.  If  there  be  any  who  have  not, 
these  persons,  as  they  sin  in  wanting,  because  there- 
by they  idle  away  God's  talents ;  so  they  lie  open  to 
all  sins.  Now,  such  of  you  as  have  employments,  I 
shall  desire  you  to  answer  me  a  few  questions  in  re- 
ference to  your  deportment  in  them.  And,  (1.)  I 
would  know  if  ye  did  consult  God  in  the  choice  of 
them  ?  Did  ye  make  it  your  endeavour  to  understand 
what  God  was  calling  you  to?  God,  either  by  giving 
a  man  special  endowments,  a  peculiar  genius,  with 
other  congruous  circumstances,  or  by  hedging  up  the 
way  to  all  other  employments,  or  some  one  such 
providential  way  or  other,  calls  every  one  to  a  par- 
ticular employment ;  and  therefore,  when  we  engage 
in  anv,  we  should  endeavour  to  understand  God's 
mind  in  it,  what  it  is  our  duty  to  do;  for  we  are 
commanded,  in  all  our  ways  to  acknowledge  God, 
Prov.  iii.  6.  "  In  all  thy  ways  acknowledge  him, 
and  he  shall  direct  thy  paths."  Now,  did  ye  in  thin 
step  of  your  way  acknowledge  God,  I  mean  in  the 
choice  of  your  employments  ;  I  fear,  very  few  dare 
say  that  they  bowed  their  knee  to  God  to  crave  his 
direction.  Well,  then,  here  your  iniquities  have  found 
you  out.     (2.)  Do  ye  set  God  before  you  in  following 


93  THE    GUILTY.-  SINNER   CONVICTED. 

your  employments?  Do  ye  make  it  your  business  to 
know  how  ye  may  glorify  God  in  them  ?  Whatever 
we  do,  we  are  obliged  to  do  it  to  the  glory  of  God. 
3Let  conscienee  now  speak,  and  it  will  tell  many  of 
you,  that  to  this  very  day  ye  never  had  a  thought  of 
promoting  the  glory  of  God  by  your  employments. 
So  that  here  you  are  found  guilty,  not  of  some  one 
sin  only,  but  of  a  tract  of  sin,  and  that  even  from 
the  morning  of  your  day  continued  until  now.  (3.) 
Do  ye  depend  upon  God  for  a  blessing  upon  the  work 
of  your  hands  ?  Who  of  you  dare  say,  that  howev- 
er ye  do  use  means  diligently,  yet  it  is  to  God  ye  look 
for  the  blessing  ?  And  are  ye  earnest  in  dealing  with 
God,  that  he  may  succeed  the  works  of  your  hands, 
and  make  you  prosper  in  them  ?  (4s)  To  whom  do  ye 
attribute  the  success  of  them?  When  the  Lord  suc- 
ceeds the  work  of  your  hands,  do  ye  heartily  bless 
God  for  it  ?  Bare  ye  say,  that  this  leads  you  to 
praise  the  God  of  your  mercies,  and  to  walk  humbly 
before  him,  who  deals  kindly  even  with  the  unthank- 
ful and  sinners,  and  has  given  a  proof  of  this,  in  giv- 
ing you  success  in  these  employments?  (5.)  When 
ye  are  successful  in  them,  what  use  make  ye  of  your 
success  ?  Does  it  engage  you  to  the  ways  of  God, 
sind  make  you  walk  more  humbly  ?  or  are  ye  lifted 
up,  and  forget  yourselves,  and  forget  the  Lord  ?  And 
do  ye  spend  upon  the  service  of  sin  what  the  Lord  has 
graciously  given  to  you  ?  Sure,  if  ye  conscientiously 
put  these  questions  home  to  your  own  hearts,  they 
will  discover  verv  much  sin.     But, 

S.  We  shall,  in  the  next  place,  take  a  view  of  you 
in  your  converse  in  the  worlds  and  there  see  whether 
we  can  find  you  guilty  of  sin  or  not.  And  with  res- 
pect to  your  converse  in  the  world,  I  would  interro- 
gate you  upon  a" few  things.     And, 

(1.)  I  put  the  question  to  you,  What  company  do 
ye  make  choice  of!  Do  ye  ehuse  the  company  of 
them  that  fear  God,  or  the  company  of  irreligious 
persons  ?  I  am  sure,  if  many  of  you  deal  impartially 


THE    CLII/TY    SIX&EB   CONVICTED.  9'<* 

^ith  your  own  hearts  in  this  matter,  yc  will  find  guilt. 
Your  consciences  can  telf,  that  you  have  the  greatest 
intimacy  with  persons  who  have  no  religion,  persons 
who  have  no  fear  of  God  hefore  their  eyes  ;  not  re- 
garding what  the  wise  man  long  ago  observed,  that 
*k  he  that  walks  with  the  wise  shall  he  wise,  but  a 
companion  of  fools  shall  he  destroyed,"  Prov.  xiii. 
20.  And  sueh  are  all  irreligious  men  in  God's  ae- 
count,  X  would  not  be  understood  to  extend  this  too 
far,  as  some,  through  a  mistake  dangerous  enough, 
do,  as  if  thereby  we  were  forbid  eivil  or  neighbourly 
converse  with  persons  that  are  not  religious;  for 
this  is  not  only  lawful,  but  a  duty  ;  we  have  not  on- 
ly scripture  commands  to  this  purpose,  but  the  very 
law  of  nature  obliges  us  to  it  ;  and  we  are  sure,  God 
did  never  by  any  positive  precept  enjoin  us  any  thing 
contrary  to  this.  Nay,  upon  the  contrary,  we  see 
plainly,  that  a  walk  according  to  the  law  of  nature 
in  this  matter  is  highly  congruous  to  religion.  If  such 
persons  do  visit  us,  we  may  visit  them  again,  and  car- 
ry it  friendly.  'This  is  one  part  of  that  courteous- 
uess  that  the  apostle  Peter  enjoins  us,  1  Pet.  iii.  8. 
"  Finally,  be  ye  all  of  one  inind,  having  compassion 
one  of  another  ;  love  as  brethren,  be  pitiful,  be  cour- 
teous." And  whereas  the  refusal  of  civil  converse, 
in  inquiring  after  one  another's  health,  visiting  at 
some  times,  and  the  like  acts  of  kindness,  is  looked 
upon  by  some  as  a  breach  of  strictness,  it  is  quite 
otherwise  ;  for  the  very  contrary  is  determined  to  be 
a  piece  of  perfection,  by  our  great  Lord  and  Master, 
who  is  the  best  judge,  Matth.  v.  47,  48.  "  And  if  yc 
salute  your  brethren  only,  what  do  ye  more  than 
others  ?  do  not  even  the  publicans  so  ?  Be  ye  there- 
fore perfect,  even  as  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven 
is  perfect. V  The  plain  meaning  of  which  is  this,  A 
Christian  should  be  a  man  everyway  beyond  others, 
and  should  have  something  peculiar  in  the  whole  of 
his  conduct;  but  if  ye  deal  only  civilly  and  neigh- 
bourly with  those  of  your  own  persuasion,  with  those 


i®@  THE    GUILTY    9INN£K   G0NVICTEH. 

who  in  every  thing  do  jump  with  you,  wherein  do  ye 
go  beyond  the  publicans  and  sinners,  the  most  sig- 
nally impious  wretches  that  the  world  can  shew  a- 
gain?  Even  thieves  and  robbers  will  keep  some  cor- 
respondence and  civility  towards  those  of  their  own 
sort ;  but  Christian  perfection  calls  for  more  enlarge- 
ment of  soul,  and  requires  that  we  carry  obligingly 
to  all,  and  perform,  as  occasion  calls,  all  the  duties 
of  love,  which  comprehend  certainly  these  of  civil 
converse  and  neighbourliness,  as  the  apostle  puts  be- 
yond all  question,  1  Cor.  x.  27.  "If  any  of  them  that 
believe  not,  bid  you  to  a  feast,  and  ye  be  disposed  to 
go;  whatsoever  is  set  before  you,  eat,  asking  no 
'cjuestion  for  conscience  sake,"  TJhus  we  see  Chris- 
tians are  allowed  to  converse  civilly  with  those  who 
are  unbelievers.  And  indeed  not  to  do  so,  has  a  ten- 
dency to  bring  the  way  of  God  into  contempt,  and  to 
make  religion  to  be  evil  spoken  of,  and  is  contrary  to 
the  very  spirit  of  the  gospel,  and  to  these  many  ex- 
press commands  which  we  have,  of  adorning  the  gos- 
pel, and  of  conversing,  so  as  thereby  we  may  leave  a 
testimony  upon  the  consciences  of  men.  Nay,  it  is 
to  bear  witness  against  God's  goodness,  and  to  rub 
shame  upon  our  religion,  as  if  it  did  narrow  our  souls, 
and  make  us  defective  in  those  duties  which  it  obli- 
ges us  to  abound  in.  But  though  what  we  have  said 
doth  condemn  the  unchristian  rigidity  of  some,  yet 
it  will  not  justify  the  unwarrantable  choice  of  persons 
"who  have  no  religion,  for  our  intimates,  or  for  our 
ordinary  and  daily  companions.  No;  we  are  obliged 
to  guard  against  this.  If  we  do  this,  we  are  out  of 
our  duty,  and  therefore  have  no  reason  to  promise  to 
ourselves  God's  protection.  A  person  that  walks, 
that  ordinarily  converses  with  such  men.  has  reason 
to  fear  that  the  Lord  may  leave  him  to  become  like 
to  them  ;  and  this  intimacy,  I  fear,  is  \*hat  most  of 
you  are  guilty  of. 

(2.)  I  would  ask  you.  What  company  do  ye  delight 
most  in  ?  This  is  a  great  indication  of  the  frame  of 


THE  GriXTT  SlttXEB  CONVICTED.  101 

the  heart.  A  person  that  takes  most  pleasure  in  the 
company  of  irreligious  persons,  surely  sins  in  it.-— 
Some,  when  they  are  in  the  company  of  the  godly, 
carry  it  as  if  they  thought  themselves  in  fetters  ;  and 
whenever  they  get  out  of  it,  to  their  own  companions 
again,  their  minds  are  at  ease,  and  they  find  satis- 
faction; as  a  man  doth  that  is  loosed  out  of  the  stocks. 
Are  there  none  here  whose  consciences  can  tell  them 
that  they  are  of  this  number?  Let  such  look  to  the 
first  Psalm,  and  first  verse,  and  there  they  will  see 
how  far  otherwise  they  ought  to  carry  it. 

(3.)  I  would  further  put  the  question  to  you,  What 
converse  do  ye  delight  in?  Some,  it  may  be,  like  well 
enough  the  company  of  persons  that  are  religious  ; 
but  it  is  not  for  their  religious  converse,  but  because 
they  arc  affable,  discreet,  learned,  judicious,  or  have 
some  other  such  qualifications  as  these.  If  any  of  you 
say  ye  love  the  company  of  religious  persons,  is  it 
for  the  religion  of  their  converse  ?  I  fear  few  can 
say  it ;  and  therefore  few  can  say  they  are  clean  in 
this  matter.  I  shall  not  undertake  to  discourse  of 
all  the  sins  of  converse  ;  it  would  be  almost  endless. 
Only  I  would,  with  respect  to  your  converse,  desire 
you  every  night  to  put  a  question  or  two  to  your  own 
hearts,  and  thereby  you  will  discover  much  sin.  [1.] 
Say,  Tell  me  now,  O  my  soul,  what  have  I  been  do- 
ing in  company  ?  Have  I  bridled  my  tongue  ?  Have 
I  kept  it  from  vain,  idle,  and  fruitless  discourse,  this 
day,  in  company  with  others  ?  James  i.  26.  "If  any 
man  among  you  seemethto  be  religious,  and  bridleth 
not  his  tongue,  but  deceiveth  his  own  heart,  that 
man's  religion  is  vain  ;"  and  consequently  all  he  doth 
is  sin.  [2.]  Have  I  endeavoured  to  be  edifying  in 
my  discourse  ?  Eph.  iv.  20.  U  Let  no  corrupt  com- 
munication proceed  out  of  your  mouth,  but  that 
which  is  good  to  the  use  of  edifying,  that  it  may  mi- 
nister grace  to  the  hearers.55  [3*]  Have  I  spoken 
evil  of  no  body  ?  Tit.  iii.  2.  "  Put  them  in  mind  to 
speak  evil  of  no  man  j  for  we  ourselves  were  somc- 

12 


102         the  gviztx  kinnra  eaisriCTES. 

tinier  foolish,  disobedient,'* &c.  1  Pet.  ii.  1.  tf  "Where * 
fore,  laying  aside  all  malice,  and  a!l  guile,  ami  hy~ 
poerisies,  and  envies,  and  evil  speakings,  as  new  |mrc| 
babes,  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word,  (hat  ye 
may  grow  thereby."  One  that  would  observe  tiW 
ordinary  converse  of  most  part  of  the  people,  would 
be  ready  to  think,  that  either  they  never  read  or 
heard  these  laws,  or  that  they  never  observed  what 
they  heard.  Look  to  yourselves  here,  and  observe 
your  own  ways,  and  O  what  sin  will  appear  in  them  J 
These  three  questions  Will  discover  almost  innume- 
rable sins  every  day  ;  and  if  one  day  have  so  .many, 
what  will  many  days  have  ?  Nay,  how  many  sins  in 
some  months  or  years  will  you  be  guilty-  of  2     But, 

(&*)  If  we  proceed  to  consider  you  m  you  are  re- 
lated to  of  hers,  we  will  be  sure  to  make  further  dis- 
coveries of  sin  in  your  carriage.  Ail  of#yoa  stand 
some  one  or  more  ways  related  to  others:  ye  are 
either  masters  or  servants,  parents  or  children,  hus- 
bands or  wives  :  now,  t\e\y  one  of  these  relations 
have  peculiar  duties  belonging  to  them,  and  lay  those 
who  contract  such  relations  under  peculiar  obliga- 
tions to  walk  according  to  the  rules  prescribed  them 
of  God  ;  and  therefore  we  may  and  do  sin,  in  walk- 
ing contrary  to  these  divine  prescriptions.  We  shall 
not  attempt  to  mention  the  particular  sins  you  may 
be  guilty  of  in  your  several  relations  ;  this  were  a 
work  that  would  almost  he  endless  :  therefore  we 
shall  only  pitch  upon  some  generals,  which  may  dis- 
cover to  your  consciences  that  ye  sin  in  all  of  them. 
{I.]  I  say  most  of  you  do  sin  in  contracting  these  re- 
lations. How  few  masters  dare  say,  that  in  the 
choice  of  their  servants  they  went  to  God  for  coun- 
sel !  And  how  few  masters  can  say,  that  ever  they 
acknowledged  God  ia  the  choice  of  their  servants. — 
Nay,  it  may  be,  when  we  have  been  anxiously  desi- 
rous to  have  good  servants,  even  then  ye  have  not 
been  at  the  pains  to  consult  God  ;  not  minding  that 
gracious  direciiea  (iiatis  given  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 


TUB    GriLTX    SINNEB.   CONVICTED.  103 

Phi!.  iv.  6.  «  Be  careful  f^?  nothing  ;  hut  in  every* 
iking  by  prayer  and  supplication,  with  thanksgiv- 
ing, kt  your  requests  be  made  known  unto  God." 
ISav,  is  it  rvor  to  he  feared,  (hat,  in  the  choice-  of  hus- 
bands and  wives,  few  do  inquire  I  he  mind  of  God  ? 
Now,  I  am  sure,  if  ye  deal  impartially  with  your 
own  hearts,  ye  will  &&rf,  (hat  hereye  have  sinned,  and 
Lave  !;ct  acknowledged  God  in  your  ways.  [2.]  Do 
eetionef  God,  how  to  curry  on  your  rela- 
tions ?  I  fear  the  consciences  of  many  of  you  cam 
tell,  that  ye  never  are  at  pains  to  inquire  in  refer- 
ence to  the  duties  called  for  at  your  hands.  Most 
are  quick  sighted  enough  in  observing  the  advanta- 
ges or  disadvantages  I  hat  redound  to  their  tempo- 
ral concerns  hv  these  relations,  hut  have  never  a  se- 
rious  thought  of  the  duties  called  for  at  their  hand  ; 
and  therefore  herein  you  may  all  more  or  less  iind 
j  ourselves  guilty.  [3.]  Do  ye  make  it  your  aim  to 
promote  the  spiritual  advantage  of  your  relations  ? 
Servants,  do  ye  pray  for  your  masters  ?  Masters,  do 
ye  pray  for  jour  servants,  that  they  may  he  acquaint- 
ed with  God's  wavs  ?  if  not.  surelv  ye  sin  ;  for 
prayers  are  to  he  made  for  ail,  hut  in  a  special  man- 
ner for  those  in  whom  we  have  so  peculiar  concern- 
ment. Nay,  we  fear,  which  is  yet  more  sad,  that 
there  are  not  a  few  husbands  and  wives,  parents  and 
children,  who  pray  not  for  one  another.  How  sad  is 
it  to  think,  lhal  these  should,  in  these  relations,  he 
so  much  care  for  the  outward  ma».  and  so  little  for 
the  inward  ?  The  parent  will  toil  himself  night  and 
day  before  the  child  want  bread,  aad,  it  may  be,  so 
will  the  child  do  for  the  parent  ;  and  yet,  it  may  be, 
never  one  of  them  spent  an  hour  in  wrestling  with 
God  about  one  another's  eternal  salvation.  Art 
there  no  consciences  here  this  day  accusing  any  of 
sins  in  this  matter?  Sure  1  am,  there  are  here  who 
have  ground  sufficient  for  accusation. 

(^,)  We   shall   follow  you  into  your    closets,   anil 
there  a  little  inquire  what  ye  do.  [t.]  Whether  take 


10&  THE  GUILTY  SIXNER  CONVICTED. 

ye  most  time  in  the  morning  for  adorning  your  souls, 
or  for  adorning  your  bodies  ?  I  fear  the  soul  gets  the 
least  part  of  your  time  ;  nay,  it  may  be,  some  of  you 
will  go  abroad  to  your  employments,  and  never  bow 
a  knee  to  God.  Sure  here  is  sin  enough  to  sink  you 
lower  than  the  grave.  [2.]  If  you  do  pray  in  secret, 
what  leads  you  10  it  ?  Is  it  conscience  of  duty  ?  Is  it 
custom,  or  some  such  principle  as  this  ?  I  fear  few 
can  say,  that  when  they  go  to  prayer,  they  do  it  from 
a  sincere  respect  to  their  duty;  and  therefore,  I 
fear,  but  few  can  justify  themselves  as  to  their  de- 
sign in  the  duty.  [3.]  When  you  do  pray,  is  it  a  bur- 
den to  you  ?  Are  ye  soon  weary  of  it,  and  glad  when 
it  is  over  and  by  hand,  as  it  were  ?  I  fear  most  of 
your  consciences  can  tell,  that  it  is  indeed  so,  that  ye 
say  of  the  service  of  God,  what  a  burden  is  it  to 
yon  !  [4.]  Once  more,  I  would  ask  you,  what  good 
get  you  by  your  prayers  ?  Can  ye  ever  say,  that  you 
were  heard  ?  Can  ye  ever  say,  ye  received  grace  for 
enabling  you  to  the  conscientious  discharge  of  any 
duty?  Most  part,  I  fear,  can  say  no  more  of  their 
prayers,  but  that  they  prayed,  or  rather  have  said 
words  without  any  sense,  either  of  the  advantage  of 
doing  so,  or  of  the  need  they  stand  in  of  the  things 
they  ask  of  God  in  prayer:  doth  not  conscience  tell, 
that  it  is  so  with  many  of  you  ? 

(6.)  And  lastly,  I  would  come  a  little  nearer  for 
the  discovery  of  your  sinfulness.  I  have  a  question 
or  two  to  put  to  you,  »n  reference  to  your  thoughts. 
And[l.]I  ask  you,  What  thoughts  are  most  nume- 
rous I  Whether  spend  ye  most  thoughts  about  your 
souls,  or  about  your  bodies  ?  about  God,  or  about  the 
world?  about  other  things  that  contribute  nothing 
to  your  happiness,  or  about  that  which  tends  to  the 
eternal  security  of  your  souls  ?  Here,  if  ye  look  in, 
you  will  find  crowds  of  sins.  [2.]  What  thoughts 
take  ye  most  delight  in  ?  If  these  be  carnal  and 
earthly,  then  such  is  your  mind  ;  and  "  to  be  car- 
nally minded  is  death/'  Rom.  viii.  6.    [3.]  What 


THE    GUILTY    SINNER   CONVICTEB.  105 

thoughts  do  ye  allow  yourselves  in  ?  and  to  what 
sort  of  them  do  ye  give  way?  If  these  be  not  such 
as  make  for  the  glory  of  God,  then  here  ye  are 
found  guilty  before  God. 

Now,  we  have  done  with  you  of  a  middle  age.  In 
what  we  have  said  for  your  conviction,  we  have  ra- 
ther mentioned  such  things  as  are  unquestionably 
sinful,  than  endeavoured  to  restrict  ourselves  to 
those  sins  that  are  peculiarly  incident  to  your  age* 
This  we  have  willingly  shunned,  because  it  would 
have  obliged  us  to  spend  almost  as  many  sermons  as 
there  are  different  ways  of  life  to  which  persons  of 
this  age  do  betake  themselves.  Before  I  proceed  to 
the  third  sort  of  persons,  I  shall  pat  a  few  questions 
to  you.  (1.)  Though  ye  had  been  guilty  of  no  more 
sins,  save  these  which  we  charged  not  long  ago  upon 
children, '  would  not  these  have  been  sufficient  to 
have  ruined  you?  (2.)  What  will  your  case  be  then, 
who  Siave,  over  and  above  all  these  which  we  have 
now  laid  to  your  charge,  and  referred  to  your  own 
consciences  for  proof  of  what  we  have  said  ?  (3.) 
"When  generals  make  you  guilty  of  so  many  sins, 
"what  will  particulars  do?  When  ye  are  found  guilty 
so  many  ways  in  your  thoughts  or  words  ;  for  exam- 
ple, what  will  be  your  case,  when  you  are  brought 
to  particulars,  if  ye  may  sin  by  speaking  idly,  by 
speaking  ill  of  others,  what  will  it  amount  to  when 
every  particular  idle  word  shall  be  charged  upon 
you?  (4.)  If  every  sin  deserves  the  wrath  of  God, 
what  will  he  the  case  of  those  who  shall  step  into 
eternity  laden  wi:h  all  these  innumerable  evils  ?  How 
many  hells  will  their  one  hell  have  in  it  ? 

Think,  and  think  seriously,  upon  these  things,  and 
I  believe  ye  will  find  it  hard  to  rest  satisfied,  till  ye 
understand  how  such  vast  debts  may  be  discharged, 
and  how  ye  shall  answer  when  reproved  for  m>  many 
and  so  great  offenees.  Think  on  these  things  1  *ay, 
and  dwell  upon  the  thoughts  of  them  till  ye  be  mane 
to  see  your  own -misery,  and  then  the  news  of  a  Sa- 
viour will  hv  welcome* 


105  THE    GVULTT    SINNER   CONVICTEB. 

I  shall  now  proceed,  in  the  third  place,  to  speak  it* 
you  who  are  old  men.  Ye  whose  faces  speak  your 
age,  and  tell  that  ye  are  quickly  to  be  gone,  we  are 
now  particularly  to  address  ourselves  to  vou,  and  to 
make  good  our  charge  of  sin  against  you,  from  incon- 
testable evidences  and  proofs.  Give  ear,  therefore, 
old  men  and  old  women  ;  though  you  be  posting  oft* 
the  stage,  and,  it  may  be,  are  within  a  few  removes 
of  eternity,  yet  ye  have  not  perhaps  duly  considered 
your  own  state  and  condition  :  we  must  tell  you,  in 
God's  name,  ye  have  sinned,  and  come  short  of  his 
glory.     And,  thv  proof  of  this, ? 

1.  We  need  go  no  further  than  your  very  faces. 
What  has  consumed  your  youthful  beauty  :  What 
Las  turned  that  smoothness,  which  in  the  days  of 
your  youth  was,  it  may  be,  your  own  delight,  and 
that  of  others,  into  these  many  wrinkles  which  now 
every  one  sees,  and  ye  may  feel  ?  Has  not  sin,  or 
God  upon  the  account  of  sin,  done  it?  f  Thou  hast 
filled  me  with  wrinkles,'5  says  Job,  m  which  is  a  wit- 
ness against  me,  and  my  leanness  rising  up  in  me, 
beareth  witness  to  my  face,"  Job  xvi.  8.  If  ye  be 
not  sinners,  tell  me,  I  pray,  whence  are  the  unsteady 
hands,  the  dim  eyes,  the  mouldered  teeth,  that  pale- 
ness of  the  visage,  that  approaches  near  to  the  co- 
lour of  that  mould  into  which  a  little  hence  ye  are 
to  be  turned  ?  Are  not  all  these  things  proofs  of 
your  guilt,  and  witnesses  against  you  ? 

2.  Have  ye  not  passed  through  childhood  and 
youth?  and  have  not  ye  the  sins  done  in  these  ages < 
to  account  for?  What,  how  many,  and  how  grievous 
they  are,  ye  may  in  some  measure  understand  from 
what  has  been  discoursed  on  this  head  some  days 
past.  Now  sure,  if  your  consciences  have  been  awake 
all  the  while,  you  might  understand  your  concern- 
ment in  these  things,  and  how  deeply  guilty  ye  are, 
though  ye  had  no  more  to  account  for  but  these.  It 
is  accounted  by  *he  Spirit  of  God,  to  be  one  of  the 
great  miseries  of  the    wicked;   that  they  shall  lie 


i 


THE    GUILTY    SINNER   CONVICTED.  107 

down  in  their  graves  with  their  hones  full  of  the  sins 
of  their  youth  :  4*  His  hones  are  full  of  the  sins  of 
his  youth,  whieh  shall  lie  down  with  him  in  the  dust/5 
Johxx.U.  These,  though  there  were  no  more,  will 
rot  your  hones,  gnaw  your  hearts,  and  make  you  lose 
the  repose  which  many  times  ye  propose  to  yourselves 
in  the  grave. 

3.  Ye  have  had  much  time,  and  have,  no  doubt, 
lost  much  time.  Many  precious  hours,  and  days,  and 
years,  are  spent  and  gone,  and  nothing,  or  nothing  t© 
purpose,  done  in  them.  And  for  evincing  this,  I 
shall  put  a  few  questions  to  you  about  the  improve- 
'  ment  of  your  time.  (1.)  What  have  ye  done  for- God 
'  in  it  ?  The  great  business  ye  came  into  the  world  for, 
the  great  design  of  your  creation,  was  the  advance- 
ment of  the  glory  oFGod  :  «  The  Lord  hath  made  all 
things  for  himself,  and  even  the  wicked  for  the  day 
of  evil,"  Prov.  xvi.  4.  Now,  are  there  not  old  men 
and  old  women  here,  who  have  lived  all  their  days, 
and  dare  not  say,  that  to  this  very  day  they  ever  had 
a  serious  thought  of  advancing  the  glory  of  God  ?— < 
To  such  we  say,  Ye  have  hitherto  done  nothing  but 
sinned  ;  your  whole  life  has  been  nothing  but  one 
continued  tract  of  sin.  As  many  thoughts,  as  many 
words,  as  many  actions,  so  many  sins.  (2.)  "What 
have  ye  done  for  the  church  of  God  ?  Every  one  is 
obliged  to  do  something  or  other  for  the  church,  Psal. 
j  exxii.  6,  7,  8.  "  Pray  for  the  peace  of  Jerusalem: 
I  they  shall  prosper  that  love  thee.  Peace  be  within 
|  thy  walls,  and  prosperity  within  thy  palaces.  For 
my  brethern  and  companions'  sakes,  I  will  now  say. 
Peace  he  within  thee:  because  of  the  house  of  the 
Lord  our  God,  I  will  seek  thy  good."  Now,  are  there 
not  old  men  and  old  women  here,  who  never  shed  one 
tear  for  the  church  of  God,  who  never  were  con- 
cerned for  its  welfare.  I  fear  there  arc  not  a  few 
here,  even  old  people,  who  have  seen  many  changes, 
but  never  had  any  concern  for  the  church  of  God. — ■ 
If  their  private  worldly  concerns  went  well  with 


10S  THE   GUILTY   SINKER   COXYICTED. 

them,  it  was  all  a  matter  to  them  what  became  of  re- 
ligion j  let  it  sink  or  swim,  it  was  all  one  to  them* 
Such  are  grievous  sinners  before  the  Lord.  (3,)  What 
have  ye  done  for  your  souls  ?  The  Lord  has  given 
every  one  of  us  a  great  wqrk  to  do.  We  have  our 
salvation  to  work  out  with  fear  and  trembling.  He 
has  given  us  a  day  to  do  it  in ;  and  that  day  is  to  be 
followed  with  an  evening  wherein  none  can  work. 
How,  what  of  this  work  is  byband  ?  Your  day  is  al- 
most spent :  is  it  not  the  twilight  with  many  of  you 
already  ?  I  fear,  I  fear,  there  are  here  old  men,  over- 
whom  the  shadows  of  the  everlasting  evening  are 
just  ready  to  be  stretched  forth,  who  have  their  work 
yet  to  begin.  O  sad  and  mournful  condition !  A  great 
work  to  begin !  a  work  that  hath  cost  many  waking 
nights,  and  sore  toil  and  labour  for  many  years  ;  and 
this  ye  have  to  begin  now,  when  your  day  is  almost 
gone,  when  your  sun  is  setting,  is,  as  it  were,  going 
in  over  the  hill,  and  ready  immediately  to  go  down, 
and  leave  you  in  eternal  night  ?  This  case  were 
enough  even  to  rend  a  heart  of  stone,  and  to  force 
tears  from  a  rock,  if  duly  considered.  O  !  what  sin, 
what  folly,  what  misery,  is  there  here  ! 

4.  You  have  seen  many  providences,  both  such  as 
were  of  a  more  public  nature,  and  concerned  the  state 
of  the  church  of  God  in  general,  and  such  as  concern- 
ed yourselves  more  particularly.  Now,  here  I  again 
inquire,  (1.)  What  observations  have  ye  made?  The 
providences  of  God  deserve  to  have  a  peculiar  mark 
put  upon  them.  «*  Remember  that  thou  magnify  his 
works  which  men  behold,"  Job  xxxvi.  2&.  is  a  com- 
mand of  God  that  extends  to  all :  and  it  is  a  grievous 
sin,  for  which  we  find  a  professing  people  heavily 
threatened,  that  they  did  not  regard  the  Lord's  do- 
ings :  ««  Wo  unto  them  that  rise  up  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, that  they  may  follow  strong  drink,  that  they  con- 
tinue until  night  till  wine  inflame  them  :  and  the  harp 
and  the  viol,  the  tabret  and  the  pipe,  and  wine  are  in 
their  feasts ;  but  they  regard  not  the  work  of  the 


'       THE    GUILTY    SIKXRll    CONVICTED.  i0§ 

Lord,  neidier  consider  the  operation  of  his  hands," 
Isa.  v,  11,  12.    Now,  are  there  not  many  providences 
lost,  and,  therefore,  as  many  sins  ?     [2.]  What  ex- 
periences have  ye   got?    Many  providences   afford 
many  experiences  ;    and  they  who    have  managed 
them  to  advantage,  have  reaped  notable  advantages 
by  them,  for  their  confirmation  in  the  ways  of  God ; 
and  if  ye  have  not  done  so,  ye  have  as  many  sins  as 
ye  have  lost  experiences.     [3.]  Where  have  they  left 
you  ?  nearer  or  further  off  from  God  than  they  found 
you  ?  Every  providence,  mercy,  or  judgment,  that 
has  not  brought  you  nearer  to  God,  has  carried  you 
further  from  him ;  and  consequently  therein  ye  have 
sinned.     O  what  multitudes  of  sins  are  here! 

5.  As  you  are  guilty  by  committing  sins  of  your 
own,  so  you  have  contracted  much  guilt  by  seeing 
other  men  sin,  when  you  have  not  been  suitably  ex- 
ercised therewith.     That  we  should    be   exercised 
with  other  men's  sins,  the  scripture  makes  mention 
expressly.     Now,  that  I  may  let  you  see  how  many 
ways  you  have  sinned  here,  I  interrogate  you  upon 
it.     [1.]  You  have  seen  many  sins  committed ;  what 
testimonies  have  you  given  against  them  ?    Every 
one  that  sees  God  dishonoured,  should  give  a  testi- 
mony for  him,  either  by  reproving  sin,  according  to 
the  direction  of  the  apostle,  Eph.  v,  11.  "  Have  no 
fellowship  with  the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness,  but 
rather  reprove  them  ;"  or,  by  withdrawing  from  the 
society  of  such,  according  to  the  command  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  who  bids  us  "  go  from  the  presence 
of  a  foolish  man,  when  we  perceive  not  in  him  the 
lips  of  knowledge,"   Prov.  xiv,  7.     For  sometimes 
any  other  reproof,  than  by  withdrawing,  may  be  im- 
proper ;  for  the  wise  man  forbids  us  to  "  reprove  a 
scorner,  lest  he  hate  us,"  Prov.  ix,  8  ;  or,  if  this  can- 
not be  got  done,  without  the  neglect  of  moral  duties, 
there  is  yet  another  way  we  may  give  a  testimony 
against  sin  ;  and  that  is,  by  a  circumspect  walk,  evi- 
dencing a  regard  to  God.  a  belief  of  his  threaten- 

Iv 


110  THE    GUILTY    SINNER   CONVICTED. 

ings,  and  the  advantage  of  religion.     Tims  Noah 
reproved  or  condemned  the  old   world,  Heb.  x,  7. 
Now  speak,  old  sinners,  what    testimony    of   this 
sort  have  ye  given  against  sin  ?  As  many  as  ye  have 
neglected,  as  many  sins  ye  stand  guilty  of  before  the 
Lord.     [2.]   Ye  have  seen  many  sins;    how  many 
tears  have  ye  shed  ?   I  fear  there  are  here  old  men 
and  old  women,  who  never  sighed,  who  never  groaned 
or  cried  for  all  the  abominations  that  they  have  seen 
committed  in  our  land.     It  is  our  duty  to  mourn  for 
the  sins  of  others.     There  is  a  mark  of  preservation 
ordered  to  be  put  upon  the  foreheads  of  them  that 
mourn  for  the  sins  of  the  land  wherein  they  live, 
Ezek.  ix,  4.     "  And  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  (the 
man  who  had  the  writers  ink-horn  by  his  side,)  Go 
through  the  midst  of  the  city,  through  the  midst  of 
Jerusalem,  and  set  a  mark  upon  the  foreheads  of  the 
men  that  sigh,  and  that  cry  for  all  the  abominations 
that  be  done  in  the  midst  thereof.55     And  in  the  fol- 
lowing verse  the  destroying  angel  is  commanded  to 
spare  neither  old  nor  young,  save  only  those  who 
have  that  mark  upon  them.     I  fear  there  are  few 
mourners  here,  among  these  who  have  seen  many 
and  monstrous  sins.     I  shall  not  now  speak  of  the 
national  abominations  which  you  have  seen  :  but  I 
am  sure  there  are  few  of  you  come  to  age,  who  have 
not  heard  many  horrid  oaths  sworn :  you  have  seen 
horrid  villainies  committed;  many  dreadful  provoca- 
tions.    Now,  dare  you  say  with  the  Psalmist,  in  that 
119th  Psalm,  vcr.  53,  "Horror  hath  taken  hold  of 
me,  because  transgressors  keep  not  tby  law.55     It 
may  be,  old,  hardened  sinners  think  little  of  this  sin  ; 
yet  God  is  brought  in,  as  it  were,  wondering  at  it,  in 
Jer.  xxxvi,  24«,  when  the  roll  containing  Jeremiah's 
prophecies  was  "burnt,  it  is  noted  as  a  wonderful,  a 
monstrous  wickedness,  that  they  were  not  concerned 
that  they  did  not  mourn  :  "Yet,"  says  God,  "they 
were  not  afraid,  nor  rent  their  garments,  neither  the 
king  nor  any  of  his  servants,  that  heard  all  these 


THE  GUILTY  SI3XER  CONVICT$I>a  ill 

words/'  I  fear,  even  those  who  speak  against  sins 
of  others,  are  guilty  of  them,  by  not  mourning  over 
them.  [3.]  You  have  seen  many  sins  ;  and  how 
many  prayers  have  you  put  up  for  the  pardon  of 
them  ?  There  is  an  express  command  to  this  pur- 
pose, 1  John  v,  16,  "  If  any  man  see  his  brother  sin 
a  sin,  which  is  not  unto  death,  he  shall  ask,  and  he 
shall  give  him  life  for  them  that  sin  not  unto  death.55 
It  may  be,  ye  have  condemned  others,  and  cried  out 
upon  them  for  their  sins,  while  in  the  mean  time  ye 
are  partakers  with  them,  because  of  your  not  pray- 
ing for  them,  according  to  this  command. 

6.  I  say  to  you,  ye  are  great  sinners,  for  ye  have 
had  many  mercies,  and  I  fear  have  abused  mercies. 
If  I  should  begin  to  recount  particular  mercies,  I 
might  know  where  to  begin,  but  scarce  where  to 
make  an  end.  I  shall  only  inquire  at  you,  [1.]  Do 
ye  yet  know  the  God  of  your  mercies?  IIos.  ii.  8.  I 
fear  many  of  you  dare  not  say  it.  [2.]  What  im- 
provement have  you  made  of  them  ?  Has  the  good- 
ness of  God  led  you  to  repentance,  as  it  should  do  ? 
Rom.  ii.  4.  [3.]  Once  more,  I  ask  you,  have  ye  re- 
turned to  the  Lord,  according  to  the  mercies  receiv- 
ed ?  Put  but  these  three  questions  home  to  your  own 
consciences,  and  I  believe  they  will  discover  many 
sins  which  ye  never  yet  thought  of. 

7.  Old  sinners,  ye  have  undergone  many  changes; 
ye  are  far  decayed.  Then  let  me  ask  you,  [1.]  Are 
your  souls  renewed,  as  your  outward  man  perishes  ? 
I  fear,  I  fear,  there  are  few  among  you  who  are 
bringing  forth  fruit  in  old  age,  who,  when  others 
fade,  are  fat  and  full  of  sap.  [2.]  Has  your  love  to 
sin  decayed  ?  If  this  change  were  to  be  observed,  it 
were  a  great  blessing ;  but  I  fear,  that  however 
strength  may  be  failed,  so  far  that  ye  cannot  fulfil 
your  lusts  as  formerly,  yet  the  old  love  to k them  re- 
mains. 

8.  Old  sinners,  ye  have  seen  much  of  the  world  ; 
and  here  I  ask  you>  are  you  not  guilty,  [1.]  By  ne-» 


112  TILE  GUILTY  SIXKEK  CONVICTS^. 

glectingmany  discoveries  of  its  vanity,  which  might 
have  been  of  great  use  to  you,  if  duly  observed  ?  [2.] 
By  retaining  the  same  love  to  it,  after  many  disco- 
veries of  its  uncertainty  and  emptiness. 

9.  Once  more,  and  I  have  done  with  you.  Old 
sinners,  you  have  lived  long,  and  death  is  at  the 
door.  God  has  given  you  much  time  to  provide  for 
it;  and  I  fear  ye  are  guilty,  extremely  guilty,  by  not 
improving  time.  And  for  discovering  your  sin  here, 
I  shall  lay  a  few  questions  before  you,  and  I  plead 
that  ye  may  lay  them  home  to  your  own  consciences* 
[1.]  Are  ye  still  content  to  die  ?  It  is  the  indispensa- 
ble duty  of  all,  to  be  ever  content  to  comply  with  the 
will  of  God  in  this  matter;  and,  upon  a  call,  to  be 
ready  cheerfully  to  comply  with  the  will  of  God  as 
to  death,  the  time  and  manner  of  it.  Now,  old  sin- 
ners arc  ye  content  ?  It  may  be,  some  of  you  will 
forwardly  enough  answer,  that  ye  are  content :  but 
if  ye  say  so,  1  ask  you,  [2.]  Are  ye  ready  to  die?  I 
fear  some  are  content  to  die,  who  are  not  ready  ; 
some  may,  in  a  fit  of  discontent  at  the  world,  upon 
the  back  of  some  notable  disappointment,  be  so  well 
content  to  die,  that  they  will  lay  hands  upon  them- 
selves, who  are  yet  very  far  from  being  ready  to  die. 
If  ye  pretend  that  ye  are,  then,  for  discovering  the 
truth  of  what  ye  say,  I  inquire,  (3.)  Are  your  sins 
dying?  A  person  whose  sins  are  lively,  he  is  never 
ready  to  die.  (4.)  Are  ye  in  Jesus  Christ  ?  Those 
who  are  out  of  him  are  never  ready  to  die.  It  is  on- 
ly these  who  are  ready  to  "die  in  the  Lord,"  Rev. 
xiv.  13.  who  are  ready  indeed  to  die.  (5.)  Is  your 
pardon  sealed?  Death  will  try  you  ;  and  if  your 
pardon  be  not  sealed,  ye  will  find  that  ye  are  scarce 
ready  to  die.  (6.)  I  put  this  one  question  more  to 
you  :  Have  you  provided  your  lodgings  ?  It  is  high 
time,  when  men's  houses  are  falling,  to  be  looking 
out  for  new  lodgings.  This  tabernacle  is  ready  to  be 
dissolved:  have  ye  a  building  of  God,  not  made  with 
hands,  secured  to  yourselves  ?     God  has  given  you 


THE    GUILTY    SINXER   CONVICTED.  113 

time  and  means  for  doing  all  this  :  and  if  ye  have 
not  done  it,  then  you  have  sinned  against  the  Lord, 
and  against  your  own  souls. 

Now,  old  sinners,  if  ye  lay  not  to  heart  this  warn- 
ing, and  lay  not  yourselves  in  the  dust  before  God 
for  your  sins,  then  this  new  warning,  among  many 
others,  will  be  a  dreadful  aggravation  of  your  guilt. 
Consider  your  case  in  time,  before  it  be  too  late. 
Are  there  not  many  who  were  not  born  for  many 
years  after  you,  and  who,  it  may  be,  are  dead  many 
years  ago,  and  having  wrought  fheir  work,  have  got 
a  blessed  immortality  ?  yet,  it  may  be,  to  this  day  ye 
know  not  what  shall  become  of  your  souls.  Think, 
old  sinners,  is^it  not  a  wonder  that  God  has  given  you 
this  warning,  after  making  light  of  so  many ,  and 
will  it  not  be  a  cutting  reflection,  if  ye  sit  a  warning 
near  to  the  twelfth  hour  ? 

Nowr,  children,  young  men  and  fathers,  old  and 
young,  I  have,  by  an  appeal  to  your  own  consciences, 
made  good  my  charge  against  you,  and  fixed  a  great 
many  particular  sins  upon  you.  I  shall  now  pro- 
ceed. 

Fourthly,  To  shew  what  satisfaction  that  sove- 
reign King,  at  whose  instance,  and  in  whose  name,' 
I  have  impleaded  you,  requires  of  all  and  of  everyone 
of  yon.  His  justice,  at  any  rate,  must  be  satisfied.  It 
is  not  congruous  to  reason,  it  is  not  congruous  to  the 
holiness,  justice,  and  wisdom  of  the  Lawgiver,  that 
sin  should  escape  unpunished,  and  therefore  it  is  im- 
possible it  should  pass  without  some  signal  and  suit- 
able mark  of  God's  displeasure.  He  has  declared 
positively  in  his  word,  he  has  confirmed  it  in  his  pro- 
vidence, that  "  though  hand  join  in  hand,  the  wicked 
shall  not  go  unpunished,"  Prov.  ix.  21.  If  angels  and 
men  should  lay  tkeir  hands  and  heads  together,  unite 
their  wit  and  their  power,  they  shall  not  preserve  one 
sin  from  the  marks  of  God's  displeasure.  Some  signal 
and  evident  token  of  it  will  reach  sin,  wherever  it  is. 
There  needs  no  proof  of  this,  after  what  Christ  has 

K2 


il%  THE   GtJII/i'Y    SIICKER   CCMTVICTEB. 

met  with.  And  ye  must  lay  your  account  with  it, 
that  this  punishment  will  not  be  some  petty  inconsi- 
derable one.  It  must  be  in  some  measure  suited  to 
tire  crimes  ye  stand  impleaded  of.  It  must,  on  the 
one  hand,  hold  some  proportion  to  the  holiness  and 
purity  of  that  law  you  have  broken  ;  to  the  majesty 
and  authority  of  that  God  whose  authority  ye  have 
trampled  upon  ;  yea,  it  must  hold  some  proportion 
to  the  several  aggravations  of  your  respective  sins.- 
Lay  your  account  with  it,  sinners,  escape  you  cannot 
his  hands,  who  is  every  where  :  "  Whither  will  ye  go 
from  his  Spirit?  whither  will  ye  flee  from  his  pre* 
sence?  If  ye  ascend  up  into  heaven,  he  is  there  ;  if 
ye  make  your  bed  in  hell,  behold,  he  is  there  ;  if  ye 
take  the  wings  of  the  morning,  and  dwell  in  the  ut- 
termost parts  of  the  sea,  even  there  shall  his  hand 
lead  thee,  and  his  right  hand  shall  hold  thee.  If  ye 
say,  Surely  the  darkness  shall  cover  you,  even  the 
night  shall  be  light  about  you  5  for  the  darkness  hideth 
not  from  him,  but  the  night  shineth  as  the  day  ;  the 
darkness  and  the  light  are  both  alike  to  him,9*  Psal. 
exxxix.  7.— -12.  There  is  no  darkness  nor  shadow 
of  death,  where  the  workers  of  iniquity  may  hide 
themselves,  Job  xxxiv.  22.  from  his  eye,  or  secure 
themselves  against  the  inquiry  God  will  make,  or  the 
strokes  that  his  almighty  arm  will  inflict.  Punished 
then,  sinners  must  be.  And  if  ye  ask,  what  satisfac- 
tion will  he  have  of  such  sinners  ?  I  answer, 

1st,  fie  will  have  you  punished  in  your  estates,  by 
a  forfeiture  of  all.  You  invaded  God's  possession^ 
he  will  cast  you  out  of  yours.  This  is  the  ordinary 
punishment  of  rebellion  ;  and  we  have  proven  you 
guilty  of  rebellion  of  the  worst  sort.  Man,  when 
God  made  him,  was  master  of  a  fair  estate.  The 
sons  of  men  now  may  value  themselves  upon  some 
petty  tenements  which  many  of  them  hold  by  no 
good  right,  as  we  shall  see  anon :  but  none  of  them 
can  vie  possessions  with  Adam  in  innocency.  He  had 
a  paradise  replenished  with  all  the  rarities  of  inno- 


THE    GUILTY    SINNER   CONYICTEB.  115 

eeni,  of incorrupted  nature,  all  the  delicacies  which 
the  earth  did  yield,  before  it  lost  its  strength  by  that 
curse  which  man's  disobedience  brought  it  under, 
while  it  was  impregnated  by  the  blessing  of  God  ; 
and  as  he  had  this  in  possession,  so  he  had  heaven  in 
expectation,  a  noble,  and  seemingly  unfailing,  pros- 
pect of  a  paradise  above.  This  was  Adam's  estate  j 
and  this  should  have  been  the  estate  of  his  posterity, 
liis  descendent s  :  but  all  is  forfeited  by  sin.  Had 
Adam  stood,  he  had  then  transmitted  to  us  a  goodly 
heritage,  and  none  should  have  had  reason  to  com- 
plain  of  his  possession  :  but  now  we  have  by  sin  for- 
feited all;  we  have  no  estate,  no  heritage.  O  sin- 
ners !  by  your  sin  ye  have  lost  the  right  to  all  your 
enjoyments  here,  and  all  prospect  of  any  comfortable 
being  hereafter.  Adam,  when  he  sinned,  was  banish- 
ed out  of  paradise,  and  that  was  guarded  against 
him. 

But  ye  will  say,  We  are  not  forfeited  ;  for  we  en- 
joy houses,  lands,  meat,  and  clothing,  and  a  great 
many  other  such  things  :  how  can  ye  then  say,  that 
we  lost  all  ?  by  what  means  get  we  these  things  ?  I 
answer,  (!.]  A  rebel  sentenced  to  die  is  by  the  king 
allowed  food,  raiment,  and  other  necessaries,  for  the 
sustenance  of  nature,  till  the  time  of  the  execution 
come  :  just  so  God,  for  holy  ends  not  now  to  be  inqui- 
red into,  having  reprieved  man  for  a  while,  suffers 
him  to  enjoy  some  such  things,  till  he  see  meet  to 
put  the  sentence  of  death  in  execution,  and  then  the 
forfeiture  will  take  place  (2.)  We  say,  ye  have  no 
right  to  any  enjoyment,  save  that  just  now  mention- 
ed. The  grant  whereby  innocent  man  held  all  his 
possessions  was  the  covenant  of  works:  this  was  the 
ground  of  his  security  as  to  what  he  possessed,  and 
the  foundation  of  his  hope  as  to  what  he  further  ex- 
pected. Now,  this  covenant  being  broken  by  your 
sin,  ye  have  no  more  right  to  any  enjoyment.  (3.) 
As  ye  have  already  lost  the  right  and  title,  so  ye 
have  lest  the  sweetness  of  all  your  enjoyments.     Ye 


116  THE    GUILTY    SINKER   CONVICTED. 

toil  and  sweat,  but  ye  are  not  satisfied:  "  What  pro- 
fit have  ye  of  all  your  labour  under  the  sun  ?"  It  is 
not  able  to  give  you  satisfaction.  This  we  have  at 
great  length  made  appear  in  our  lectures  uponEecle- 
siastes.  (4.)  To  conclude,  in  a  very  little  ye  will  be 
entirely  deprived  of  all.  The  day  of  the  execution  of 
the  sentence  draws  on,  when  God  will  snatch  all  your 
enjoyments  out  of  your  hands.  Now,  indeed,  some 
Lave  more,  and  some  have  less,  according  to  the 
pleasure  of  the  great  Judge,  who  has  allowed  every 
one  their  portion,  till  the  day  of  execution  come,  and 
then  all  will  go. 

2dly,  God,  at  whose  instance  ye  have  been  im- 
peached of  sin,  will  have  satisfaction  in  the  death  of 
the  offenders.     God   threatened  death  to  Adam   in 
paradise  :  is  In  the  day  that  thou  eatest  thereof  thou 
ghalt  surely  die,"  or,  "dying  thou  shaft  die,"  Gen. 
ii.  17. ;  and  "  the  soul  that  sinneth  shall  die,"  saith 
the  Lord  by  the  prophet,  Ezek.  xviii.  20. ;  "  for  the 
wages  of  sin  is  death."     This  is  not  to  be  limited  to 
a  natural  death ;  no,  but  is  of  a  huge  extent.     It 
takes  in  a  threefold  death,  a  death  spiritual,  natural, 
eternal.     Man    in   innocency  had   a   threefold  life, 
either  in  possession  or  prospect,  (1.)  A  spiritual  life, 
which  consisted  in  the  union  of  his  soul  to  God,  in  a 
measure  suited  to  his  present  condition,  and  in  the 
fitness  of  all  his  faculties  and  powers  for  acting  and 
doing  what  was  well-pleasing  unto  God.     (2.)  A  na- 
tural life,   which  consisted  in  the  union  of  soul  and 
body.     That  lovely  pair,   his  innocent  soul  and  pure 
body,  were  matched  together,  and  linked  to  one  an- 
other, by  a  thought  surpassing  art ;  so  that  they  had 
a  most  near  alliance,  being  compacted  into  one  per- 
son by  a  tie  so  strong,  as  to  occasion  a  notable  sympa- 
thy ;  and  yet  so  secret,  that  no  eye  could  ever  see,  no 
mind  ever  discover,  this  imperceptible  chain.     (3.) 
Man  had  then  a  fair  prospect  of  eternal  life,  in  a  full 
and  close  union  to  God,  never  to  admit  of  any  inter- 
ruption, or  of  any  such  interposition,  as  was  between 


THE    GUILTY    SIGNER    CONVICTED*  ilf 

T*san  and  him  in  this  lower  world.     But  now  upon  his 
sin,  he  lost  all  hy  virtue  of  the  primitive  threatening 
of  death  to  the  soul  that  sins.     Answer-ably  hereunto* 
God  will  have  you  punished  with  a  threefold  death. 
O   sinners !  his  heart  will  not  pity  you,  his  eye  will 
not  spare  you.     You  are  already  condemned  to  die  ; 
"  He  that  believeth  not,"  that  is,  every  sinner  by  na- 
ture, <•  is  condemned  already,"    says   the    spirit    of 
God.     Nay  more,   ye  are   not   only  condemned   al- 
ready, O  sinners  !  but  moreover  the  execution  is  be- 
gun ;  the   lire   of  God's  wrath  is  already   kindled 
against  you  ;  there  are  some  drops  begun  to  fall,  be- 
fore the  shower  come  that  will  entirely  destroy  you. 
[1.]  You  are  spiritually  dead.     I  speak  to  all  you  who 
are  not  savingly  changed   by  grace,  being  begotten 
again    from  the  dead,  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus 
Christ.     You  are  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  utterly 
unmeet  to  entertain  communion  and  fellowship  with 
God.     As  a  dead  man  cannot  speak,  act,  or  exercise 
any  vital   power  ;  so  neither  can  ye  act   any   thing 
that  is  spiritually  good,  or  well-pleasing  to  God.  This 
is  a  heavy  punishment,  though  as  yet  ye  be  not  sen- 
sible of  it.     [2.]  Natural  death,  that  consists  in   the 
separation  of  the  soul  from  the  body,  is  already  be- 
gun.    Every  disease  that  seizes  upon  our  bodies  19 
like  the  "  posts  that  run  to  meet  another,  to  tell  the 
King  of  Babylon  that  his  city  was  taken  at  one  end," 
Jer.  li.  31.     Every  disease   makes  a  breach  in  our 
walls,  and  tells  that  all  will  in  a  little  fall  down  flat. 
Your  \evy  life  is  nothing  else  but  a  succession  of  dy- 
ing :  every  day  and  hour  wears  away  part  of  it  ;  and 
so  far  as  it  is  already  spent,  so  far  are  ye  already  dead 
and    buried.     Diseases    and    natural    decays  do  lay 
close  siege,  as  it  were,  to  your  bodies,  routing  their 
guards,  battering  the  walls  of  your  flesh,  and  forcing 
your  souls  to  quit  the  out  works,  and  retire  into  the 
heart:  and  every  minute,  ye  have  reason  to  fear  that 
ye  may  be  taken  in,  and  became  a  prey  to  death.     la 
one  word,  O  sinners  !  ye  are  the  mark  at  which  jus- 


IIS  THE    GUILTY    SINNER    CONVICTED. 

tice  shoots  its  arrows.  Do  not  ye  see  sometimes  the 
arrow  flee  over  your  head,  and  slay  some  great  per- 
son, your  superior  ?  Sometimes  it  lights  at  your  feet 
and  kills  a  child  or  a  servant,  or  those  who  are  infe- 
rior; sometimes  it  passeth  by  your  left-hand,  and 
kills  an  enemy,  at  whose  death  possibly  ye  rejoice  j 
and  anon  it  strikes  the  friend  of  your  right-hand  ; 
and  possibly  the  very  next  arrow  may  strike  you  dead, 
be  ye  young  or  old,  eternally  dead,  and  hurry  jou 
into  hell. 

3dly9  Your  death  will  not  do  all;  this  punishment 
reaches  your  honours.  Rebels  are  wont  to  have  their 
honours  torn  :  and  so  God  has  determined  with  re- 
spect to  you,  O  sinners  !  Man  was  in  his  first  estate 
advanced  to  a  high  dignity,  he  was  the  friend  as  well 
as  subject  of  God ;  and  he  was  his  deputy  in  this  low- 
er world,  as  the  Psalmist  tells  us  :  "  Thou  madest 
him  to  have  dominion  over  the  works  of  thy  hands ; 
thou  hast  put  all  things  under  his  feet,  all  sheep  and 
oxen,  yea,  and  the  beasts  of  the  field,  the  fowl  of  the 
air,  and  the  fish  of  the  sea,"  Psal.  viii.  5. — 8.  Thus 
was  he  crowned  with  glory  and  honour  :  but  now,  O 
sinners  !  the  sentence  is  past  against  all  the  race  of 
sinful  Adam  :  thus  saith  the  Lord,  Remove  the  dia- 
dem, and  take  off  the  crown  from  the  head  of  sin- 
ners. The  crown  is  fallen  indeed  from  your  head. 
Now,  tell  me,  O  sinners !  do  not  you  already  feel  the 
direful  effects  of  this  part  of  your  punishment? 
These  beasts  which  were  once  man's  subjects,  aro 
now  turned  his  enemies,  because  he  is  God's  enemy. 
Do  not  the  very  flies  insult  you,  and  make  sometimes 
your  life  uneasy  ?  Do  not  the  wild  beasts  of  the  field 
terrify  you  ?  Are  not  some  of  them  daily  making 
inroads  upon  you,  devouring  your  cattle,  carrying 
away  your  substance  ?  And  even  these  which  are 
most  serviceable,  and  seem  to  retain  something  of 
their  respect  to  man,  sometime  their  Lord,  do  they 
not  rebel  ?  Doth  not  the  horse  sometimes  throw  his 
rider,  the  ox  gore  his  owner  ?    Thus  man  has  lost 


THE  GUILTY   SINXER  CONVICTED.  fl§ 

his  honour  ;  nay,  now  he  who  once  did  reign  is  he- 
come  sin's  slave,  and  thereby  falls  under  (he  lashes 
of  sin  and  Satan's  slaves.  This,  O  sinners!  is  apart 
of  your  punishment. 

tohh),  This  will  not  yet  satisfy  justice.  God  pur- 
sues the  quarrel  to  posterity :  "  I  am  a  jealous  God," 
says  he,  in  a  threatening  annexed  to  the  third  com- 
mand, *< visiting  the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the 
children."  Rebels5  children  suffer  with  the  fathers 
in  all  nations ;  and  shall  not  rebellion  against  God 
be  as  severely  punished  as  that  which  is  against  an 
earthly  sovereign  ?  If  an  Aehan  steal  a  Babylonish 
garment,  and  sin  against  the  God  of  Israel,  then  he 
and  his  whole  family  shall  fall,  man,  wife,  and  child  ; 
nay,  and  the  very  household-stuff,  his  ox  and  his  asses. 
God  will  pursue  the  quarrel  to  a  dreadful  length. 
You  may  see  this  terrible  tragedy  described  by  God, 
in  Joshua  vii.  24.  God  will  spare  nothing  that  sin- 
ners have  used.  Because  sinners  have  trode  upon 
this  earth,  it  must  undergo  the  fire  at  the  last  day, 
before  it  can  be  freed  from  the  bondage  of  corrup- 
tion. O  sinners,  ye  transmit  a  sad  legacy  to  your 
wretched  posterity!  a  legacy  of  which  the  distressed 
church,  Lam.  v.  7.  heavily  complains  :  "  Our  fa- 
thers have  sinned  and  are  not,  and  we  have  borne 
their  iniquities." 

5thly9  Once  more :  God  pursues  his  quarrel  yet 
further.  He  will  have  your  names  eternally  ruined. 
*s  The  memory  of  the  wicked  shall  rot,"  Prov.  x.  7. 
After  he  has  killed  your  bodies  and  sguIs,  and  chil- 
dren, and  ruined  your  estates,  then  he  will  kill  your 
names,  that  there  shall  no  remembrance  of  you  be 
upon  the  earth,  unless  it  be  the  stench  of  a  rolten 
name.  Thus  will  the  Lord  deal  with  you,  O  sinners  ! 
The  whirlwind  of  the  Lord,  that  goes  forth  with  fu- 
ry, will  blow  away  all  your  enjoyments,  turn  you  out 
of  all  your  possessions.  The  Lord  will  banish  you  his 
presence.  That  almighty  arm  that  stretched  out 
the  heavens,  will  tear  your  souls  from  your  bodies, 


120  THE   GUILTY   SINKER   eoXVICTEB. 

and  throw  you  headlong  into  perdition  :  the  weight 
of  infinite  wrath  will  sink  you  down  into  the  bottoni- 
less  pit ;  and  omnipotence  will  dig  a  grave  for  your 
memory,  wherein  it  will  eternally  rot.  For  the 
greatness  of  your  iniquity  ye  may  expect  this  :  "  This 
is  thy  lot,  the  portion  of  thy  measure  from  me,  saith 
the  Lord,  because  thou  hast  forgotten  me,  and  trust- 
ed in  falsehood,'5  Jer.  xiii.  25.  This  is  the  satisfac- 
tion God  requires  :  and  think  on  it ;  this  way  will  he 
be  glorified  in  your  ruin,  if  ye  continue  in  your  sins* 
I  have  at  some  length  proved  you  all  to  be  offend- 
ers, that  God  demands  a  reparation  ;  and  what  that 
reparation  is,  which  he  doth  demand  of  his  injured 
honour,  I  have  at  some  length  made  appear  ;  I  now 
proceed,  according  to  the  method  proposed, 

Fifthly,  To  demonstrate  the  reasonableness  of  this 
demand.  I  have  shown  your  ways  to  be  most  un- 
equal ;  now  I  come  to  show,  that  God's  ways  arc 
most  equal,  and  that  he  acts  very  reasonably  in  de- 
manding so  high  :  and  this  will  appear  to  the  con- 
viction of  the  most  obstinate  sinner,  if  the  consider- 
ations we  offer  for  clearing  this  be  duly  weighed. 
And, 

1st,  Let  it  be  considered,  That  sin  deserves  such  a 
punishment ;  and  therefore  it,  is  very  just  to  inflict 
it.  Nay,  I  might  perhaps  run  this  a  little  higher, 
and  assert,  that  therefore  it  would  be  unjust  to  re- 
quire any  less,  any  more  easy  punishment.  That 
sin  deserves  it,  is  very  plain,  if  we  consider, 

1.  Against  whom  it  strikes.  This  is  the  way  of 
measuring  offences  agreed  to  all  the  world  over,  that 
the  measure  should  be  taken  from  the  consideration 
of  those  against  whom  they  strike.  This  we  may 
observe  in  the  laws  of  God,  which  enjoin  that  offences 
shall  be  punished  according  to  the  quality  and  con- 
dition of  the  offenders  and  the  offended.  The  daugh- 
ter of  the  high-priest,  if  she  committed  uncleanness, 
was  to  be  burned  without  mercy,  Lev.  xxi.  9. ;  so 
"was  not  every  one  who  was   guilty  in  that  way. 


THE    GUIX/TY    SINNER   CONYICTEB.  121 

Again,  lie  that  curseth  bis  father  and  mother  is  ad- 
judged to  die,  Lev,  xx.  9.;  so  Mas  not  lie  that  cur- 
seth his  equal.  The  same  measure  is  kept  in  our 
laws:  if  one  kills  his  equal,  then  he  dies  ;  hut  there 
doth  not  thereby  redound  any  injury  to  his  posterity  ; 
but  it*  a  man  kills  the  king,  or  makes  any  attempt 
against  the  government,  then  life,  lands,  name  and 
all  goes.  Now,  if  we  consider  in  this  case,  the  quali- 
ty of  the  offender,  a  poor  mean  worm,  that  dwe!ls  in 
cottages  of  clay,  that  has  his  foundation  in  the  dust, 
that  is  crushed  before  the  moth,  that  holds  all  of 
God  ;  and  then,  on  the  other  hand,  consider  him  who 
is  offended  by  every  sin,  not  a  prince  or  some  great 
man,  who  is  but  flesh  and  blood  at  the  best,  but  "  the 
high  and  lofty  one  that  inhabits  eternity,  he  who  is  a 
great  God,  and  a  great  King,  above  all  the  earth : 
behold  the  nations  are  as  a  drop  of  a  bucket,  and  are 
counted  as  the  small  dust  of  the  balance  ;  behold,  he 
taketh  up  the  isles  as  a  very  little  thing;  and  Leba- 
non is  not  sufficient  to  burn,  nor  the  beasts  thereof 
sufficient  for  a  burnt  offering.  All  nations  before 
him  are  as  nothing,  and  they  are  counted  to  him  less 
than  nothing,  and  vanity."  To  whom  then  will  you 
liken  God?  or  what  likeness  will  you  compare  unto 
him  ?  There  is  no  proportion  here.  Now,  if  it  de- 
serve so  severe  a  punishment  that  is  committed 
against  man,  what  must  it  not  deserve  that  is  com- 
mitted against  this  God?  As  it  were  injurious  to 
compare  God  to  man,  so  it  is  injurious  to  compare  the 
demerit  of  any  offence  committed  against  man,  and 
the  demerit  of  that  whieh  is  committed  against  the 
great  God. 

2.  Consider  the  damage  that  sin  doth  ;  and  then  we 
will  see  what  sin  deserves;  we  will  see  that  the  ter- 
rible punishment  we  have  been  discoursing  of,  is  no- 
thing too  severe.  If  we  consider  man  with  respect 
to  the  creatures  that  are  under  him,  the  inanimate 
part  of  the  creation,  and  the  brutes,  he  was  appoint- 
ed to  be  their  mouih,  by  which  they  should  pay  houi- 

L 


422  THE   GUIXTY    SINNER   CONVICTED. 

age  to  their  Creator  ;  he  was  to  he  their  treasurer* 
to  pay  in  a  revenue  of  glory  for  them  to  their  Crea- 
tor and  Governor;  but  man  by  sin  puts  himself  out 
of  all  capacity  for  this  ;  he  lays  an  ill  example  before 
his  fellow  creatures.  But  all  this  is  nothing,  when 
compared  with  the  injury  he  doth  to  God  by  every 
sin.  This,  if  thoroughly  and  well  understood,  would 
for  ever  clear  the  justice  of  God  in  punishing  sin 
•with  eternal  punishment.  True  it  is,  indeed,  what 
Elihu  says,  " If  thou  sinnest,  what  dost  thou  against 
him  ?  or  if  thy  transgression  be  multiplied,  what  dost 
thou  unto  him?"  Job  xxxv,  6, ;  that  is  to  say*  God 
lies  beyond  our  reach  ;  we  cannot  by  our  sins  detract 
from,  as  neither  can  we  by  our  holiness  add  to  his 
liappinessj  but  this  is  no  proof  that  we  do  him  no 
injury.  A  rebel  claptup  in  prison,  or  in  the  hand  of 
the  king's  guards,  is  not  able  to  reach  the  prince's 
person,  nor  render  him  dissatisfied  ;  yet  he  may  thea 
injure  him,  and  doth  it,  when  he  unjustly  reflects  up- 
on his  government.  Just  so  it  is  with  sinners :  in- 
deed they  cannot  scale  the  walls  of  Heaven,  they  are 
not  able  to  climb  over  the  eternal  ramparts,  which 
raise  the  fence  of  the  Almighty'?*  sacred  throne,  and 
there  stab  his  person  ;  but  yet  they  injure  him  in  his 
name  and  honour,  ami  even  in  his  life,  by  every  sin  : 
it  is  intended  murder,  and  this  is  death  by  the  laws 
of  God  and  man.  That  among  men  it  is  not  always 
punished  so,  is  only  because  it  is  not  always  discover- 
ed ;  for  when  it  is  discovered  by  words,  or  overt, 
though  ineffectual  actions,  it  is  punished.  Every  sin 
spits  upon  God's  holiness,  tramples  upon  his  authori- 
ty, brands  his  wisdom  with  folly,  denies  his  goodness, 
and  braves,  and  gives  a  defiance  to  his  power  :  what 
punishment  then  can  be  too  great  for  this  ?  Now  sure, 
3.  Sin  deserves  it,  if  we  consider  the  obligations 
that  arc  by  every  sin  trampled  upon.  Every  one  will 
own,  that  the  sins  of  children  against  their  parents, 
of  servants  against  their  masters,  of  subjects  against 
their  lords,  and  the  wives  against  their  husbands,  are 


THE  GUILTY   SINNER  CONVICTED.        -      123 

sins  of  a  black  hue,  a  crimson  dye,  and  deserve  there- 
fore a  very  severe  punishment;  and  accordingly  are 
so  punished  in  all  nations  ;  but  all  those  obligations 
are  none  to  what  we  all  lie  under  to  God;  so  that 
there  is  more  perfidy,  falsehood  and  treachery  in  all 
our  sins  against  God,  than  in  any  of  those  :  therefore 
it  is  but  just  that  there  should  be  a  proportion  kept 
betwixt  the  offences  and  the  punishment. 

4.  That  sin  deserves  such  a  punishment,  is  the 
judgment  of  God  ;  and  we  know  that  his  judgment  is 

always  according  to  truth.  It  is  not  the  mistaken 
notion  of  a  man,  who  in  the  most  momentous  truths 
may  trip:  but  it  is  the  judgment  of  the  only  wise 
God,  who  is  a  God  of  knowledge,  by  whom  actions 
are  weighed.  I  think  we  need  not  go  so  far  back  at 
present  for  a  proof  of  this  as  the  penal  sanction  of  the 
Jaw,  so  long  as  we  have  the  death  of  Christ,  as  an 
evidence  of  it,  nearer  hand.  If  an  infinite  person, 
standing  in  the  sinner's  room,  must,  for  his  sins^ 
bave  siudi  a  load  of  wrath  laid  upon  him,  what  less 
must  the  punishment  of  the  sinner  himself  be  than 
eternal  wrath?  None  can  pretend  to  believe  the 
truth  of  the  Gospel,  and  question  the  justice  of  God 
in  punishing  sinners  eternally ;  for  is  it  not  ridiculous 
to  admire  divine  severity  in  the  eternal  punishment 
of  wicked  men,  and  not  to  attend  to  infinite  justice 
punishing  severely  his  own  beloved  son  ?  What  won- 
der is  it  that  wicked  men  should  be  for  ever  torment- 
ed for  their  own  sins,  if  the  most  righteous  Son  of 
God  suffered  for  the  sins  of  others  ?  He  that,  without 
a  reproach  to  his  goodness,  could  endure  his  most 
dear  Son  to  suffer  so  long  as  one  hour,  will  much  bet- 
ter endure  unjust  sinners  to  be  tormented  with  eter- 
nal punishment. 

5.  That  sin  deserves  such  a  punishment,  is  not  on- 
ly the  judgment  of  God,  but  of  men  too.  The  com- 
mon reason  of  mankind  speaks  its  justice.  This  ap- 
pears by  the  senliments  the  heathens  had  of  this  mat- 
ter.   They  had  not  a  revelation  to  guide  them,  and 


Hftik  <FHE    ftUIITT    SINKER   CONVICTED. 

therefore  had  wild  fancies  about  the  manner  of  these 
punishments,  which  they  judged  to  be  eternal;  but 
that  there  were  such  punishments,  and  that  they  were 
just,  they  had  no  doubt.  Hence  it  was  that  their 
poets  did  condemn  Tantalus  to  such  a  place,  where 
he  should  have  rivers  just  washing  up  to  his  lip,  and 
yet  should  not  be  able  to  drink  of  I  hem  ;  and  so  re- 
main eternally  under  the  violence  of  thirst,  with  this 
knawing  aggravation,  that  he  had  waters  just  at  his 
very  lip.  But  we  may  yet  have  a  more  clear  proof 
of  the  judgments  of  men  in  all  nations,  in  their  sanc- 
tions of  human  laws.  Do  not  ail  of  them  for  crimes 
condemn  to  perpetual  imprisonment,  or  to  death? 
The  one  is  an  eternal  punishment  of  loss  of  life,  and 
all  its  concomitant  advantages;  and  this  punishment 
is  inflicted  without  respect  to  a  future  life  :  as  ap- 
pears in  this,  that  such  laws  are  executed  upon  them, 
of  whom  none  has  reason  to  think  that  thev  shall 
have  any  share  in  the  advantages  of  a  future  life. 
And  that  perpetual  imprisonment  is  not  eternal  im- 
prisonment, is  not  because  it  is  thought  unjust,  but 
because  neither  the  law  makers,  who  put  it  into  exe- 
cution, nor  they  who  break  it,  live  to  eternity. 

0.  That  sin  deserves  eternal  punishment,  appears 
from  the  acknowledgment  of  the  punished.  This  is  a 
very  strong  argument ;  for  although  they  who  are 
yet  wallowing  in  their  sins,  and  are  lulled  fast  asleep 
in  the  lap  of  carnal  security,  will  not  acknowledge  so 
much ;  yet  if  we  inquire  at  those  whom  God  has 
awakened,  and  to  whom  he  has  given  a  discovery  of 
the  exceeding  sinfulness  of  their  sin,  whether  with  a 
prospect  of  mercy  or  not,  they  will  all  with  one 
mouth  acknowledge  that  sin  deserves  eternal  wrath. 
Those  whom  the  Lord  deals  with,  in  order  to  thei* 
conversion,  will  all  subscribe  to  the  justice  of  God, 
should  he  damn  them  eternally.  I  do  not  say  that 
they  will  be  content  to  be  damned;  but  they  will  own 
that  God  were  most  just  should  he  deal  so  by  them 
And  not  only  is  it  so  with  them,  but  even  with  thos% 


THE  GUILTY    SINNElt  CONVICTED.  125 

who  are  sunk  to  the  utmost  in  black  despair*.  If  we 
listen  to  a  Spira,  who  has  laid  aside  all  hopes  of  mer- 
cy, we  shall  hear  him  crying  out  in  the  anguish  of 
his  soul  one  day,  "  I  am  sealed  up  to  eternal  wrath : 
I  tell  you  I  deserve  it;  my  own  conscience  condemns 
me,  what  needeth  any  other  judge  ?"  and  another  day 
again  we  may  hear  him  crying  out,  «  Though  there 
were  not  another  damned,  yet  God  is  just  in  making 
me  an  example  to  others;  and  I  cannot  justly  com- 
plain. There  is  no  punishment  so  great  but  I  have 
justly  deserved  it."  These  considerations  do  suffi- 
ciently evince,  that  sin  deserves  eternal  punishment; 
and  therefore  God  has  good  reason  to  demand  it. 

2dly.  Our  great  Lord  and  Master  has  great  reason 
to  punish  you  with  such  a  punishment,  not  only  be- 
cause your  offences  deserve  it,  but  because  he,  in 
the  institution  and  promulgation  of  his  Jaws,  did 
actually  declare  that  he  would  so  punish  the  transgres- 
sors of  it.  Sin  and  eternal  punishment  were  then 
linked  together.  With  the  same  very  breath  that 
God  said  to  Adam,  thou  shalt  keep  my  command- 
ments, he  also  said  to  him,  "  In  the  day  that  thou 
breakest'them,  thou  shalt  surely  die."  That  the  an- 
nihilation of  his  soul  should  be  there  intended,  is  con- 
trary to  scripture,  and  has  no  ground  in  reason  ;  and 
if  only  temporal  death  is  meant,  then  this  would  be 
implied,  to  say,  Thou  shalt  be  rewarded  with  eternal 
life  if  thou  sin;  which  were  ridiculous  to  imagine. 
That  therefore  which  is  intended  is  certainly  eternal 
death.  And  God  having  annexed  this  penalty  to  the 
violation  of  his  law,  there  is  great  reason  that  it 
should  be  punctually  executed.     For, 

1.  The  honour  of  his  wisdom  requires  it.  To  what 
purpose  should  this  penalty  be  annexed,  if  it  were 
not  on  design  that  it  should  be  put  in  execution  ?  or 
at  least  it  would  reflect  upon  his  wisdom,  if  it  might 
not  with  great  reason  be  put  in  execution. 

2.  Justice  to  his  honour,  as  he  is  the  righteous 
judge  of  the  earth,  calls  for  the  execution  of  this 

L2 


1M  THE    ttUII.Tr    SINlTEft    CORVICTBD. 

lavr.  What,"  I  pray,  is  the  business  of  one  placed  in 
that  high  station,  if  not  to  see  laws  executed,  to  see 
the  compilers  with  them  rewarded,  and  the  offenders 
condignly  punished  ? 

3.  Justice  to  the  law  requires  the  punishment  of 
sinners  ;  for  if  the  law  in  one  part  may  be  neglected, 
why  not  in  all  ?  The  threatening  as  well  as  the  pre- 
cept, has  upon  it  the  impress  of  the  supreme  authori- 
ty ;  and,  therefore,  as  by  the  violation  of  the  precept, 
so  by  the  non-execution  of  the  penalty,  the  honour  of 
the  Saw  suffers.  If  the  penalty  be  required,  then  the- 
honour  of  the  law  is  repaired;  but  if  the  penal! v  be 
neglected,  then  the  law  is  entirely  affronted,  and 
there  is  no  reparation;  than  which  there  can  be  no- 
thing more  unreasonable. 

4.  Justice  to  onlookers.  To  neglect  the  punish- 
ment of  offenders,  is  of  dangerous  influence  to  be- 
holders ;  it  betrays  them  into  one  or  two  or  three  dan- 
gerous mistakes  ;  it  has  a  tendency  either  to  make 
them  entertain  light  apprehensions  of  sin,  or  else  to 
make  them  call  in  question,  either  the  knowledge, 
power,  or  wisdom  of  God,  and  his  zeal  for  his  own 
glory;  therefore  justice  to  them  requires'that  the 
penal  sanction  of  the  law  be  vigorously  put  in  execu- 
tion. 

5.  Justice  to  God's  faithfulness.  The  honour  of 
the  divine  veracity  requires  it.  God  engaged  his 
faithful  word  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  threaten- 
ing ;  therefore,  either  the  truth  of  God  must  lie  open 
to  suspicion,  or  else  the  punishment  must  be  inflicted 
upon  you. 

6.  To  add  no  more  considerations  under  this  head, 
by  annexing  eternal  punishment  to  the  commission  of 
sin,  all  the  divine  attributes  were  engaged  to  see  it 
executed.  Of  the  justice,  wisdom  and  sovereignty  of 
God,  it  has  already  been  made  appear  ;  and  it  might 
with  equal  facility  be  evinced,  as  to  the  unchangea- 
bleness  of  God,  his  goodness,  power  and  knowledge ; 
therefore  he  has  reason  to  demand  so  high  a  satisfac- 
tion. 


THE   GUILTY    SINNER   COXVICTED.  127 

3dZi/.  Sin  not  only  deserves  that  heavy  and  eternal 
punishment  we  have  heen  discoursing  of,  aud  not  only 
has  God  adjudged,  by  an  irreversible  appointment, 
that  it  should  be  so  punished  ;  but  we  say,  moreover, 
that  God  has  just  reason  io  inflict  it,  because  this 
appointment  of  God,  linking  sin  and  punishment  to- 
gether, is  most  just  and  equal.  This  puts  it  beyond 
all  rational  doubt,  that  God  has  reason  to  treat  you 
as  he  will  do.  Now,  the  justice  of  this  penal  sanc- 
tion, I  shall  open  to  you  io  several  considerations.— 
And, 

1.  This  is  plain  from  that  which  we  have  at  great 
length  discoursed  of  already,  in  reference  to  the  de- 
merit of  sin.  We  have  proved,  by  many  incontesta- 
ble evidences,  that  sin  deserves  the  highest  punish- 
ment that  can  be  inflicted.  Now,  just  authority  ne- 
ver can  be  but  just,  in  punishing  a  crime,  or  annex- 
ing a  penalty  to  it,  that  is  proportioned  to  its  own  na- 
ture ;  and  this  is  plainly  the  case  here. 

2.  God  has  made  this  sanction  ;  therefore  it  is  just. 
This,  I  think,  needs  no  proof,  the  judge  of  all  the 
earth  cannot  do  wrong,  he  is  a  God  of  truth,  and 
without  iniquity.  Our  ways  may  be  unequal,  his  can 
never  be  so;  for  were  God  unrighteous^  *<  how  could 
he  then  judge  the  world?'*  says  the  apostle,  Rom. 
iii,  6.  His  will  is  tin*  measure  of  justice  to  us  :— 
**Ije  doth  according  to  his  will  in  the  army  of 
Heaven,  and  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth; 
and  none  can  say  to  him,  What  dost  thou  I"  Dan.  iv, 
35.  If  once  we  quit  tire  will  of  God  for  the  standard 
and  measure  of  justice,  then  we  wander  and  lose  our- 
selves, and  are  neves*  like  to  find  any  other  thing  that 
can  with  any  shadow  of  reason  pretend  to  the  place. 

3.  This  appointment  of  God  is  most  just,  because 
it  was  made  in  way  of  a  contract.  There  was  a  co- 
venant between  God  and  Adam.  God  did  propose 
the  whole  mattes*  to  him;  and  the  substance  of  it  was 
this,  Do  and  live:  Sin  and  die.  Alan  was  content, 
and  that  upon  deliberation,  with  the  terms  ;  and 
therefore  the  justice  of  God  is  clear  in  this  matter. 


128  THE    GUILTY    SINtfEK   CONVICTED. 

4.  God  did  ioara  wiaa  beforehand  of  this  punish- 
ment; and  therefore  he  isvery  just  in  this  mattery 
which  will,  appear  very  considerable,  if  we  observe, 
that  as  man  is  unquestionably  obliged  to  obey  God, 
so  God  has  an  unquestionable  right  to  command; 
and  that  not  only  upon  account  of  his  supereminent 
excellency,  but  on  account  of  Iris  creation,  preserva- 
tion and  innumerable  benefits ;  therefore  he  com- 
manding to  man  what  is  just  and  equal,  may  do  it 
upon  what  penalty  he  pleases,  without  any  shadow 
of  injustice ;  as  I  shall  make  appear  by  this  plain  and 
familiar  instance:  I  suppose  the  lord  of  a  manor  to 
have  placed  or  made  a  precipice  in  some  part  of  his 
land,  and  that  he  forbids  his  servant  to  go  there,  and 
tells  him,  if  he  do,  he  will  be  sure  to  fall  there  and 
be  killed  :  Who  would  say  that  he  were  guilty  of  that 
servant's  death,  if  the  servant  should  go  there?  And 
I  say,  God  can  with  as  little  justice  be  charged  with 
the  death  of  sinners,  or  with  severity,  since  he  gives 
them  fair  warning.  They  choose  damnation,  antj 
their  destruction  is  of  themselves.  This  was  perfect- 
ly the  case  of  man  at  first :  and  that  afterwards  he 
fell  under  a  fatal  inability  to  abstain  from  sin,  no 
more  clears  him,  or  makes  God  faulty,  than  it  would 
clear  the  servant  formerly  mentioned,  or  make  his 
master  blame- worthy,  if  the  way  to  that  precipice 
lay  stooping  downward,  and  the  servant  should,  upon 
the  beginning  of  the  descent,  run  with  so  full  a  ca- 
reer, that  he  were  not  able  to  halt  till  he  had  broke 
his  neck.  This,  I  suppose,  would  not  reflect  upon  the 
master,  that  he  did  not  remove  that  precipice,  or  al- 
ter the  way.  And  this  is  the  case  between  God  and 
man. 

b.  Consider  the  influence  that  this  penal  sanction 
has  upon  them  that  are  saved;  and  wherein  we  may 
see  that  God  wan  most  just  in  appointing  it.  It  is  the 
means  to  bring  them  to  Heaven.  It  moves  ministers 
to  preach  :  "Knowing  the  terrors  of  the  Lord,  we 
persuade  men/5 1  Cor,  v,  11.    Audit  moves  the  hear- 


THE    GUILT T    SINNRR   CONVICTED.  1£9 

ers  to  accept  of  salvation,  as  appears  from  the  fre- 
quent use  our  Lord  makes  of  this  argument.  And  in 
the  original  constitution  of  the  law,  it  was  designed 
as  a  mean,  not  only  for  the  reparation  of  its  violated 
honour,  hut  also  to  deter  men  from  breaking  the 
law;  therefore  Grod  is  most  just  in  the  whole  of  his 
conduct  in  this  matter;  since  the  greater  the  penalty 
was,  the  more  likely  a  mean  it  was  to  hold  men  in 
the  way. 

6.  I  thought  to  have  further  cleared  the  equity  of 
this  appointment  of  God,  whereby  sin  is  ordained 
thus  to  be  punished,  from  the  consideration  of  the 
necessity  thereof,  in  order  to  the  government  of  the 
world.  If  men  have  yet  such  boldness  to  sin,  not- 
withstanding the  severity  of  these  punishments,  what 
would  they  have  done,  if  there  had  been  only  some 
light  temporary  punishment  to  be  inflicted  ?  This  con- 
sideration would  lead  me  too  far  from  the  subject  \a 
hand ;  therefore  I  but  came  it,  and  proceed  to  the 

Sixth  and  ;last  general,  which  I  propose  for  the 
improvement  of  this  doctrine.  I  have  unfolded  at 
some  length,  the  crime  charged  upon  you.  I  have 
proved,  both  in  general  and  in  particular,  thtit  ye 
have  all  sinned,  and  thereby  come  short  of  the  glory 
of  God.  I  have  showed  what  the  satisfaction  is 
which  justice  requires.  I  have  likewise  made  ap- 
pear, and  have  given  you  some  account,  how  reason- 
able it  is  that  justice  should  carrv  its  demands  so' 
high.  It  remains  now,  that  we  should  represent  your 
misery  from  the  whole.  But  here  indeed  1  am  at  a 
Ions  how  to  begin  ;  and  if  I  onee  begin,  ^hail  find  my- 
self at  no  less  a  strait  where  to  em!.  Sinners  I  have 
proved  you;  and  miserable  I  shall  now  endeavour  to 
represent  you,  upon  this  account. 

1st.  If  a  vast  loss  can  make  you  miserable,  then 
indeed  ye  shall  be  so.  Your  los*  can  be  imagined 
by  none*  but  those  who  enjoy  the  advantages  you 
lose,  o"  those  who  are  already  in  the  place  of  tor- 
ment, and  have  their  eyes  open  to  see  their  own  con- 


159  THE  GtTlLTY  SINNER  CONVICTS®. 

dition.  It  is  such  a  loss,  that  you  cannot  from  one 
place  have  a  full  prospect  of  it,  I  mean  of  that  little 
portion  of  it  which  may  he  known  without  feeling  : 
and  therefore  we  shall  give  ^you  some  different  views 
of  it,  as  it  were  from  distinct  places,  at  each  of  which 
ye  may  see  home,  and  but  some  small  part  of  it. 

1.  I  say  your  loss  shall  be  great ;  for  ye  shall  lose 
the  world,  with  all  its  comforts ,  delights  and  satisfac- 
tions. Are  you  now  possessed  of  a  competent  estate, 
flourishing  family,  health  of  body,  content  of  mind, 
and  a  fair  stock  of  reputation?  Ye  shall  lose  all  these 
things  f  and  will  not  this  be  a  vast  loss  to  you  ?  Are 
not  these  the  things  that  bound  your  desires,  and  ter- 
minate all  your  wishes  and  inquiries  ?  I  fear  they 
are  so  to  most  of  yon-  They  who  have  their  portion 
only  in  this  life,  seek  no  more  but  these  things.  All 
the  question  with  such  is,  "  Who  will  show  us  any 
good  V9  any  worldly  good  ;  and  if  they  lose  these 
things,  then  indeed  they  lose  ail.  They  may  say 
their  gods  are  taken  away;  and  what  have  they 
more?  Whatever  is  desirable  to  the  eye^,  or  pleasant 
to  any  of  your  senses,  ye  shall  at  once  for  ever  and 
eternally  be  deprived  of.  And  is  not  this  a  vast  loss  ? 
Since  it  must  be  so  in  many  of  your  eyes,  ye  shall 
Jose  that  which  ye  valued  above  Heaven  and  Christ. 
It  may  be,  some  of  you  cleave  so  fast  to  a  present 
world,  that  neither  the  promises  nor  the  threats  of 
the  gospel  can  induce  you  to  quit  your  hold:  yet9 
notwithstanding  all  your  endeavours  to  keep  them, 
ye  shall  lose  them  all.  Death  will  part  you  and  them  : 
and  O  how  great  will  this  loss  be  to  you  who  have  n<r 
more  ! 

2.  When  God  punishes  you,  ye  will  sustain  the  Joss 
cf  the  gospeh  which  now  ye  enjoy  :  and  this  will  ap- 
pear to  be  a  vast  loss  then.  The  gospel  has  in  it  trea- 
sures for  the  poor,  eyes  for  the  blind,  feet  for  the 
Igrae,  understanding  for  the  simple,  peace  for  rebels, 
pardons  for  condemned  malefactors,  a  tiile  to  heaven 
for  the  heirs  of  hell,  life  for  the  dead,  happiness  for 


THE    GUIXTY    SINNES   CONVICTED.  131 

the  miserable :  and  to  lose  all  these,  what  loss  can 
be  comparable  to  (his  ?  This  loss,  when  it  is  now  spo- 
ken of,  may  appear  small  to  you :  but  the  day  is  com- 
ing, when  ye  will  learn  to  put  a  high  value  upon  it, 
after  ye  have  lost  it. 

3.  Ye  will  sustain  a  vast  loss  :  for  infallibly  ye  lose 
heaven,  if  ye  continue  in  your  sins  :  and  who  can  tell 
what  a  loss  that  is  ?  Who  can  sound  the  depth  of 
these  "  rivers  of  pleasure  that  are  at  God's  right- 
hand  for  evermore."  Who  can  weigh  that  "  far 
more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory  V9  Who 
can  take  the  dimensions  of  that  vast  «  inheritance  of 
the  saints  in  light  ?w  Who  can  declare  the  sweet- 
ness of  the  fruits  of  that  paradise  of  pleasure  ?  What 
eye  can  discern  or  let  in  just  apprehensions  of  that 
bliss-giving  sight,  which  the  saints  enjoy  above, 
where  there  are  no  clouds  to  obscure  the  face  of 
their  sky  ?  Well,  whatever  there  is  of  these  things, 
ail  these  ye  lose.     O  immense  loss  indeed  ! 

We  only  name  these  things,  designing  now  to  has- 
ten to  another  subject.  Would  ye  know  how  great  a 
loss  ye  sustain  in  the  first  instance  mentioned  ?  We 
may  send  you  to  those  who  are  wallowing  in  the  de- 
lights of  the  sons  of  men,  and  who  are  glutting 
themselves  with  a  present  world.  They  will  tell 
you  strange  things  of  your  loss  by  the  removal  of 
worldly  comforts.  If  ye  would  understand  how  great 
your  loss  is  by  the  removal  of  the  gospel,  go  to  those 
who  have  got  a  heart  to  embrace  it,  and  they  will 
give  you  a  surprising  account  of  their  enjoyments  by 
it.  But  who  can  tell  what  heaven  is  ?  they  only  who 
have  been  there ;  and  even  scarce  they ;  for  surely 
they  feel,  they  enjoy  more  than  what  can  be  express- 
ed. Now,  all  these  things  ye  lose.  But  need  I  say 
more?  Ye  lose  God  :  ye  lose  your  own  souls  ;  and 
if  ye  lose  your  own  souls,  and  gain  a  world,  what 
profit  have  ye  ?  yea,  ye  sustain  a  vast  loss  :  what 
must  then  your  loss  be,  when  ye  not  only  lose  your 
own  souls,  but  lose  with  it  all  that  is  in  this  world, 


±Z%  THE   GUIXT¥    SINKER   C0NT1CTEB. 

all  that  is  good  and  comfortable  in  (bat  which  is  t© 
come  ? 

oily.  As  ye  sustain  a  great  loss,  so  ye  must  suffer 
a  vast  torment.  The  former  particular,  viz.  the 
punishment  of  loss,  I  did  only  touch  at,  because  I  had 
occasion,  in  the  doctrinal  part,  to  discourse  a  little  of 
it :  but  here,  when  I  come  to  speak  of  the  punish- 
ment of  sense,  I  shall  be  a  little  more  large,  yet  so 
as  not  to  exceed  the  bounds  of  this  day's  discourse. 
O  sinners  !  miserable  are  ye,  if  huge,  vast,  and  in- 
tolerable torment  can  make  you  so.  A  view  of  your 
misery  upon  this  account,!  shall  give  you  in  a  very 
few  particulars. 

1.  If  ye  would  understand  what  your  ease  is  eter- 
nally to  be,  ye  must  consider  what  of  you  it  is  to  le 
eternally  tormented.  Our  Lord  tells  us  of  both  soul 
and  body  as  being  destroyed  in  hell,  Matth.  x.  28. 
"  Fear  not  them  that  kill  the  body,  but  are  net  able 
to  kill  the  soul ;  but  rather  fear  him  who  is  able  to 
destroy  both  soul  and  body  in  bell."  And  this  gives 
Vis  to  understand  what  is  to  be  the  subject  of  these 
torments  sinners  are  to  sustain.  It  is  not  a  finger  or 
a  toe  ;  it  is  not  a  tooth  or  a  joint :  no  ;  but  it  is  the 
whole  man,  soul  and  body,  that  are  to  be  tormented. 
And  how  will  ye  be  able  to  endure  tbis  ?  If  a  drop 
of  scalding  water  fall  upon  your  hand,  ye  are  ready 
to  cry  out  of  intolerable  pain  :  but  how  will  ye  then 
bear  it,  when  a  full  shower  of  brimstone,  a  deluge  of 
burning  wrath*  will  fall  upon  the  whole  man?  Ye 
are  not  now  able  to  hold  your  finger  to  the  fire  :  how 
will  you  then  endure,  when  soul  and  body  shall  be 
cast  alive  into  devouring  fire  and  everlasting  burn- 
ings ?  If  now  the  trouble  of  one  part  of  the  body 
occasion  so  terrible  disorder,  what  will  your  ease  be, 
when  every  faculty  of  your  souls,  every  member, 
every  joint,  sinew,  and  artery  of  jour  body,  shall  be 
brim-full  of  wrath  ? 

2.  Consider,  xvho  is  the  contriver  of  these  torments. 
tThere  have  been  some  very  exquisite  torments  con- 


THE    GUILTY    SINNER   CONVICTED.  13S 

trived  by  ilie  wit  of  men,  the  naming  of  which,  if  ye 
understood  their  nature,  were  enough  to  fill  your 
hearts  with  horror  :  but  all  these  fall  as  far  short  of 
the  torments  ye  are  to  endure,  as  the  wisdom  of  man 
falls  short  of  that  of  God,  wfeo  is  "wise,  andfwill 
bring  evil,"  Isa.  xxxi.  2.  Infinite  wisdom  has  con- 
trived that  evil,  these  torments,  which  are  to  be  the 
eternal  portion  of  all  impenitent  sinners.  If  man 
can  find  out  a  rack,  a  gridiron,  a  furnace,  heated  se- 
ven times,  for  tormenting  such  as  he  has  a  mind  to 
punish  ;  what  shall  we  conceive  to  be  the  inventions 
of  infinite  wisdom,  when  it  is  set  on  work  to  contrive 
a  punishment  for  sinners  ?  Wisdom,  infinite  wisdom, 
well  knowing  the  frame  both  of  soul  and  body;  it 
knows  what  faculty  of  the  one  or  the  other  are  of 
most  exquisite  sense,  and  what  torments  can  work  up- 
on them.  God  shows  himself  wise,  not  only  in  bring- 
ing evil  upon  sinners,  but  in  contriving  it,  so  that  it 
shall  surpass  what  creatures  can  inflict. 

3.  Consider,  who  is  the  injlictor  of  these  torments  ; 
and  this  will  give  us  a  strange  prospect  of  the  misery 
of  those  who  fall  under  them.  It  is  God,  by  his  own 
immediate  hand.  And  from  this  the  apostle  repre- 
sents the  misery  of  such  who  shall  fall  under  this 
punishment  :  "  For  we  know  him  that  hath  said, 
Vengeance  belongeth  unto  me,  and  I  will  recompense 
saith  the  Lord  :  and  again,  The  Lord  shall  judge  his 
people.  I*  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of 
the  living  God,"  Heb.  x.  30,  31.  Should  God  but 
give  a  commission  to  some  creature  to  torment  us,  if 
it  were  but  to  a  flea  to  leap  into  the  eye,  and  there 
to  abide,  how  great  would  this  torment  be  !  But  much 
more  terrible  would  your  case  be,  if  God  should  set 
his  wisdom  a- work,  to  find  out  and  invent  what  mix- 
ture of  torments  from  creatures  would  be  the  most 
exquisite,  and  then  inflict  these  upon  you:  this  could 
not  but  make  your  case  miserable  ;  since  the  nature 
of  man  is  capable  to  receive  comfort  or  disquietment 
fi'om  every  creature ;  and  God  knows,  not  only  our 

M 


-434  THE    GUILTY    SINKER   CONVICTED. 

frame  and  make,  but  that  of  all  the  other  creatures^ 
and  therefore  understands  what  might  contribute 
most  to  our  disquiet  and  torment.  Should  God  deal 
thus,  it. would  make  very  exquisite  torments  indeed  ; 
but  all  this  were  nothing  to  his  own  immediate  hand 
and  power.  His  little  finger  is  more  terrible  than 
the  united  power  of  all  the  creatures.  As  there  is 
no  searching  out  of  his  understanding,  so  there  is  no 
searching  out  of  his  power,  who  is  the  inflictor,  the 
author  of  the  eternal  torments  of  sinners,  "  who  shall 
foe  punishing  with  everlasting  destruction  from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  pow- 
er," 2  Thess.  i,  9*     But  of  this  more  anon. 

4.  Consider,  what  it  is  that  engages  infinite  power •, 
and  sets  on  infinite  wisdom;  and  this  will  give  you 
yet  a  more  terrible  representation  of  your  misery. 
If  it  were  only  justice,  ye  might  expect  that  there 
might  possibly  be  some  abatement  made:  but  it  is 
anger,  fury,  the  height  of  fury,  that  sets  wisdom  a 
work  to  contrive,  and  power  on  work  to  effect  your 
misery;  and  therefore  miserable  ye  must  of  necessi- 
ty be,  beyond  thought  or  e^pressian.  A  remarkable 
scripture  to  this  purpose  we  have  in  Nahum,  i,  % — 69 
**  God  is  jealous,  and  the  Lord  revengethj  the  Lord 
revengeth  and  is  furious ;  the  Lord  will  take  ven- 
geance on  his  adversaries,  and  he  reserveth  wrath  for 
his  enemies.  The  Lord  is  slow  to  anger,  and  great 
in  power,  and  will  not  at  all  acquit  the  wicked.  The 
Lord  hath  his  way  in  the  whirlwind,  and  in  the 
storm,  and  the  clouds  are  the  dust  of  his  feet  He 
rebuketh  the  sea,  and  maketh  it  dry,  and  drieth  up 
all  the  rivers.  Bashan  languisheth,  and  Carniel,  and 
the  flower  of  Lebanon  languished  The  mountains 
quake  at  him,  and  the  hills  melt,  and  the  earth  is 
burnt  at  his  presence  ;  yea,  the  world,  and  all  that 
dwell  therein.  Who  can  stand  before  his  indigna- 
tion ?  and  who  can  abide  in  the  fierceness  of  his  an- 
ger ?  His  fury  is  poured  out  like  fire,  and  the  rocks 
.qurc  throwa  down  by  him."    This  is  a  scripture  &o 


THE  GUILTY   SINNER  CONVICTED.  135 

very  remarkable,  that  we  cannot  pass  it,  without  of- 
fering you  a  few  observations  for  clearing  it  a  little. 
And,  [1.]  Here  ye  may  see  the  certainty  of  sinners 
being  punished.  If  ever  ye  escape  who  continue  in 
yojiP  sins,  it  must  either  be,  because  God  will  not,  or 
because  he  is  not  able  to  punish  you  :  but  here  ye  see 
that  he  is  both  able  and  willing,  ver.  2,  "  The  Lord 
is  great  in  power,  and  will  not  at  all  acquit  the  wick- 
ed." By  no  means  will  he  let  them  go  who  continue 
in  their  impeniteney;  [2.]  Ye  see  what  the  punish- 
ment of  the  wicked  fe  :  "  He  will  take  vengeance  on 
his  adversaries,  and  he  reserveth  wrath  for  his  ene- 
mies." It  is  expressed  by  vengeance  and  by  wratlu 
It  is  a  punishment  tkat  is  the  effect  of  wrath  and  re- 
venge, and  is  to  be  continued  by  wrath  that  is  kept 
in  reserve  for  that  purpose.  [3.]  Ye  have  that  which 
is  the  inflicter  of  this  punishment ;  it  is  the  great  pow- 
er of  God.  [4.]  Here  ye  have  that  which  sets  this 
power  on  work  to  punish  the  wicked  :  it  is  jealousy  ; 
"  Now,  jealousy  is  the  rage  of  a  man,"  Prov.  vi,  34; 
£nd  jealousy  in  God  is  the  rage  of  God.  [5.]  Here 
you  see  the  awful  effects  of  this  rage  of  God :  '«  The 
Lord  revengeth,  the  Lord  revengeth."  The  expres- 
sions being  doubled,  intends  the  signification,  and 
shows  the  certainty  of  it.  [6.]  To  represent,  if  pos- 
sible, the  terribleness  of  this  revenge,  in  a  yet  more 
lively  manner,  it  is  added  :  ««  The  Lord  revengeth 
and  is  furious."  [7.]  The  terribleness  of  this  ap- 
pearance of  God  against  sinners,  is  further  declared 
by  a  description  of  God's  power,  described  in  its  ef- 
fects upon  the  inanimate  creatures ;  as  if  he  had  said, 
Look  how  terrible  the  case  of  sinners  is  like  to  be, 
when  God  begins  to  take  vengeance  on  them,  and  to 
revenge  himself  by  that  power,  which  by  a  rebuke 
drieth  up  the  sea  and  the  rivers,  that  makes  Bashan 
and  Carmel  to  languish,  that  melts  the  hills,  and 
makes  the  earth  to  quake.  The  power  of  God  was 
put  forth  in  a  very  remarkable  m  ;er,  in  creating 
the  world  \  but  is  exerted  in  a  more  remarkable  man- 


136  THE   ©tfllTY  SISff£R  conticted. 

ner,  in  punishing  the  wicked :  herein  is  hia  power, 
even  the  glory  of  liis  power,  manifested ;  for  ye  are 
to  be  punished  «  with  everlasting  destruction  from 
the  glory  of  his  power.'5  The  power  of  man  pro- 
duces greater  effects,  when  anger  and  fury  make 
him  strain,  as  it  were,  every  sinew  and  nerve,  than 
when  he  is  cool,  and  in  a  sedate,  composed  frame: 
a  Samson  in  such  a  ease  pulled  down  the  pillars  of 
the  Jiouse.  What  shall  we  then  conceive  will  be  the 
effects  of  God's  power,  when  the  heat  of  anger  and 
fierce  indignation  and  fury  excites  and  acts  it?  May 
I  not  conclude  this  consideration  with  that  of  the 
prophet  in  the  6th  verse,  "Who  ean  stand  before  his 
indignation,  and  who  can  abide  in  the  fierceness  of 
his  anger  ?  His  fury  is  poured  out  like  fire,  and  the 
yocks  are  thrown  down  by  him." 

3dly.  As  your  loss  is  great,  and  (he  punishment  ye 
are  to  undergo  great,  so  both  these  tvill  come  upon 
you  in  one  day;  and  this  is  a  terrible  aggravation  of 
your  misery.  In  a  moment  all  the  enjoyments  of 
earth,  all  the  gospel  privileges,  and  all  the  hopes  of 
future  bliss,  which  impenitent  sinners  have,  will  va- 
nish 5  and  then,  even  then,  at  that  very  instant,  will 
God  appear,  with  his  face  full  of  frowns,  his  heart 
full  of  fury,  his  hand  full  of  power,  and  all  directed 
towards  sinners.  It  is  remarkable,  in  the  sentences 
at  the  last  day,  that  with  the  same  breath,  at  the 
very  same  instant,  they  are  bid  depart  God's  pre- 
sence, Matth.  xxv.  41,  they  are  likewise  sent  into 
everlasting  burnings. 

<lthly.  As  both  will  come  at  once,  so  they  both  will 
come  suddenly  and  surprisingly.  This  extremely 
increases  your  misery.  Sudden  destruction,  and  sur- 
prising destruction,  is,  on  that  very  account,  double 
destruction.  It  may  be  said,  that  your  damnation 
lingereth  not,  2  Pet.  ii.  4.  As  Christ  comes  quick- 
ly, Rev.  xxii,  20,  so  he  comes  "  in  flaming  fire  to  take 
vengeance  on  them  that  know  unt  God,  and  obey  not 
the  gospel/9  2  Thes.  i,  8«    It  is  sudden,  because  it 


THE    GUIXTY    SINNER   CflXVICTEB.  137 

eomes  at  a  time  when  it  is  not  expected.  Many  of 
you  possibly  may  be  putting  the  evil  day  far  away; 
and  yet  ye  cannot  tell  how  near  it  be  to  some  of  you. 
Who  can  tell  but  some  who  this  day  are  here  in  God's 
presence,  may  be  in  the  pit  before  next  Sabbath  ?  But 
whether  it  be  so  or  not,  we  ni^^ure  it  is  not  long  to 
the  time  whefi sSDNf^W^^Spemaia  impenitent  shall 
be  sent  down  to  the  sides  of  the  pit.  It  is  sudden 
also,  because  usually  this  ruin  eomes  when  the  quite 
contrary  is  expected  ;  when  « they  say  peace,  peace, 
then  sudden  destruction,"  Thes.  v,  3.  When  the  fool 
was  singing  a  requiem  to  his  own  soul  for  many 
years,  then  that  very  night  all  tfeis  misery  conges 
upon  him,  Luke  xii,  20.  And  this  was  a  great  ag- 
gravation of  his  misery.  A  blow  given  when  the 
contrary  is  expected,  is^loubSy  stunning. 

Sthly.  As  all  these  things,  all  the  losses,  all  the 
torments  we  have  been  speaking  of,  come  suddenly 
and  at  once,  soMieij  all  are  inevitable.  Impenitent 
sinner^ cjann6t  by  any  means  escape  them.     For, 

1.  (joa  has  engaged  that  sinners  shall  be  punished. 
He  will  not  at  all  aequiithe  wicked.  He  has  passed 
his  word  upon  it,  he  "  swears  in  his  wrath,  that  im- 
penitent sinners  shall  not  enter  into  his  rest,"  Hcb. 
Jii,  18.  Therefore  they  may  expect  that  he  will  be 
as  good  as  his  word. 

2.  God  cannot  change :  there  is  no  «  variableness 
nor  shadow  of  turning  with  him/9  Jam.  i,  17.  He 
continues  unalterably  the  same  :  «  I  am  the  Lord,  I 
change  not  ;  therefore  the  sons  of  Jacoh  are  not  con- 
sumed," MaJ.  iii,  6.  There  is  the  clear  side  of  the 
cloud,  to  his  own  people  :  and,  upon  the  other  hand, 
it  may  be  inferred,  "I  am  the  Lord,  I  change  not ;" 
therefore  ye  who  have  continued  impenitent  shall  be 
turned  into  hell. 

3.  Ye  are  not  able  to  ward  off  the  blow.  The 
apostle  observes,  « That  the  foolishness  of  God  is 
wiser  than  man,  and  the  weakness  of  God  is  stronger 
than  man,"  1  Cor*  i,  25.    The  weakest  effort  of  God 

M  % 


138  THE   GUILTY    SINXEK   C0NYICT£1». 

against  man  is  enough  utterly  to  ruin  him:  «  Lo,  at 
the  rebuke  of  his  countenance  we  perish,"  Psalm, 
!xxx,  16,  He  can  look  upon  one  **  that  is  proud  and 
abase  him  j"  and  his  eye  can  cast  about  rage  and  de- 
struction, Job  xl.  11 — 13.  If  a  look  can  ruin  us, 
much  more  the  breath  of  bis  nostrils :  "  By.  the 
breath  of  his  nostrils  we  are  consumed*  and  by  the 
blast  of  him  we  perish,"  Job  iv,  9.  Now,  if  ye  be 
not  able  to  stand  against  his  look,  his  breath,  ibe 
blast  of  his  nostrils,  far  less  against  his  finger,  which 
ruined  Egypt  by  divers  plagues ;  and  yet  much  less 
against  his  fist,  Ezek.  xxii,  13.  Whose  heart  can  en- 
dure, whose  hands  can  be  strong,  in  the  day  when 
those  hands  that  measure  the  waters  in  the  hollow  of 
them,  that  span  the  heavens,  comprehend  the  dust  of 
the  earth,  and  take  up  the  isles  as  a  very  little  thing, 
shall  begin  to  crush,  and  squeeze,  and  grip  him  ?  far 
less  is  any  able  to  withstand,  when  God  Jays  on  the 
"weight  of  his  wrath,  which  presseth  them  hard,  as  it 
did  Heman ;  or  when  he  runs  upon  them,  like  a 
mighty  giant,  with  his  full  force,  as  a  man  doth  upon 
his  enemy,  Job  xvi,  14.  In  this  ease,  neither  ye 
yourselves  nor  any  creature  can  help  you$  therefore 
your  misery  is  inevitable. 

6thly.  As  your  misery  is  inevitable,  so  it  is  eternal* 
It  is  not  for  a  day,  or  a  year,  or  a  month,  or  an  age, 
nay,  nor  for  millions  of  ages ;  but  for  ever.  It  is 
everlasting  destruction,  everlasting  burnings,  ye  are 
to  dwell  with ;  the  worm  dies  not,  the  fire  goeth  not 
out  j  the  smoke  of  yoar  torments  shall  ascend  for 
ever  and  ever.  If  one  ever  will  not  do  it,  ye  shall 
have  mere  of  them.  Here  indeed  is  misery,  exqui- 
site misery  j  and  ye  would  do  well  to  think  on  your 
•scape. 

We  have  now,  for  eight  Lord's  clays,  insisted  upon 
this  subject ;  and  may  we  not  conclude  with  the  pro- 
phet, "Who  hath  believed  our  report  V*  Who  among 
you  all,  who  have  been  our  close  hearers  upon  this 
subject,  are  yet  convinced  of  sin  ?  I  fear,  very  few,  if 


THB  GUILTY  SINN  Eft  CONVICTED.  13  9 

any.  If  there  be  but  one  soul  among  you  all,  that  is 
awakened  to  see  its  sin  and  misery,  the  news  we  are 
next  to  bring,  will  be  welcome  to  such  ;  and  we  hope 
the  Lord  will  grant  them  that  which  they  long  for. 

But  to  the  generality,  who  are  yet  fast  asleep,  and 
who  are  as  insensible  as  ever,  we  shall  say  a  few 
words.  And,  [i.]  We  say  to  you,  Have  ye  not  heard 
what  we  have  charged  yon  with  ?  and  what  answer 
ye  to  all?  I  am  sure  ye  can  answer  nothing  that  is 
of  weight.  And  if  ye  be  not  able  to  answer  a  man 
like  yourselves,  think  how  mute  ye  will  be,  when  ye 
come  before  our  great  Lord  and  Master,  seated  upon 
the  great  white  throne.  [2.]  What  mean  ye,  O 
sleepers  ?  Is  it  now  time  to  be  sleeping,  when  ye  can- 
not tell  but  the  next  moment  ye  shall  sink  irrecover- 
ably into  the  immense  ocean  of  the  eternal  and  in- 
tolerable wrath  of  God  ?  [3.]  We  cannot  tell  but  this 
your  stupidity  may  provoke  God  to  that  degree 
against  you.  that  ye  shall  never  have  a  warning  more. 
How  terrible  will  your  case  be,  if  he  shall  say,  Ne- 
ver fruit  grow  upon  these  barren  and  unfruitful  sin- 
ners any  more ;  or  if  this  day  he  shall  give  death  a 
commission,  Go  to  yonder  obstinate  sinners,  whom  I 
by  my  servants  have  long  been  dealing  with,  in  order 
to  bring  them  to  a  conviction  of  their  danger,  arrest 
them,  bring  them  immediately  to  me,  and  I  shall 
awaken  them,  but  not  to  their  advantage.  How  will 
your  hearts  ache,  your  ears  tingle,  and  your  spirits 
fail;  when  ye  hear  the  dreadful  sentence  pronounced! 
Matth.  xxv,  41,  •«  Depart  from  me  ye  cursed,  into 
everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  an- 
gels." Now,  if  ye  would  evince  this,  awake  in  time, 
and  flee  to  Jesus  Christ :  hasten  your  escape,  before 
the  decree  bring  forth,  before  the  day  pass  as  the 
chaff,  before  the  fierce  anger  of  the  Lord  come  upon 
you.  before  the  day  of  the  Lord's  anger  come  upon 
you. 

END   OP  PAST  FIRST. 


THE 


GREAT  CONCERN  OF  SALTATION. 


r 


PART  II. 


man's  recovery  by   faith  in  christ;   oh,  the 
convinced  sinner^  case  and  cure. 

Acts  xvi.  29,  30,  31. — Then  he  called  for  a  light,  and 
sprang  in,  and  fell  down  before  Paid  and  Silas  ; 
and  brought  them  out9  and  soAd,  Sirs,  what  must  I 
do  to- be  saved4}  JLnd  they  said,  Believe  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shall  be  saved,  and  thy 
house* 


HEN  we  began  to  discourse  to  you  from  Rom. 
iii.  13.  we  observed,  that  there  are  three  questions  in 
which  man  is  principally  concerned,  What  have  I 
done6}  What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved °}  What  shall  I 
render  to  the  Lord6}  He  who  knows  how  to  answer 
these  satisfying!}',  cannot  miss  happiness,  if  he  prac- 
tise according  to  knowledge. 

To  the  first  we  have  returned  answrer  at  some 
length.  We  have  shown  you,  what  we  have  done, 
and  what  are  the  consequents  of  it :  «  Ye  have  sinned, 
and  so  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God."  Now  we 
shall  proceed  to  the  second  question,  What  shall  we 
do  to  be  saved  ?  And  as  the  ground  of  what  we  are 
to  say  upon  this  head,  we  have  chosen  the  words 
read,  in  which  both  the  question  and  answer  are  dis- 
tinctly laid  down. 


MAN*S    RECOVEUT   BT   FAITH    IN    CHRIST*  1 

In  the  text  and  context,  we  have  the  account  of  the 
conversion  of  the  keeper  of  the  prison  at  Philippi,  a 
city  in  Macedonia.  In  which  there  occur  several 
things  very  considerable. 

1.  The  person  who  was  converted  deserves  to  have 
a  special  mark  put  upon  him.  He  is  a  heathen,  one 
of  the  ruder  sort,  who  was  taught  blindly  to  ebey 
what  he  was  put  to,  without  ever  inquiring  whether 
right  or  wrong.  He  had,  but  the  night  before,  put 
the  apostles'  feet  in  the  stocks,  and  laid  them  in 
gil^iliS;  When  God  designs  to  erect  trophies  to  Jn«g 
grace,  he  is  not  wont  to  single  out  the  moral,  the 
wise,  and  polished  sort  of  sinners,  lest  they  should 
glory  in  themselves  ;  but  he  pitches  upon  a  Mary 
Magdalen  that  has  seven  devils  dwelling  in  her, — a 
persecuting  Sauk — a  rude  jailor, — >«  that  no  flesh 
may  glory  in  his  presence,"  1  Cor.  i.  26. — 29. 

2.  The  place  where  he  is  converted,  is  a  prison,  a 
place  where  ministers  were  not  wont  to  come,  but 
when  they  were  brought  there,  that  they  might  be 
kept  from  endeavouring  the  conversion  of  sinners. 
When  God  has  a  mind  to  have  a  sinner,  he  will  not 
want  means  to  accomplish  his  design.  He  can  make 
a  place  that  is  designed  to  be  a  mean  of  suppressing 
the  gospel,  subservient  to  its  propagation. 

3.  The  exercise  of  the  apostles  under  their  confine- 
ment deserves  a  remark.  A  prison  is  not  able  to 
keep  them  from  praising  God.  Sometimes  they  have 
been  made  to  sing  in  a  prison,  who  have  been  mourn- 
ing when  at  liberty.  God  dispenses  the  largest,  the 
richest  comforts,  when  his  people  need  them  most. 
He  can  sweeten  a  stinking  dungeon  with  the  savour 
of  sweet  ointments.  He  can  soften  hard  chains,  by 
lining  them,  as  it  were,  with  rich  supplies  of  grace. 
He  can  relax  the  closeness  of  a  prison,  with  his  free 
Spirit,  who  brings  liberty  wherever  be  is.  Their 
hearts  are  thankful  for  mercies  that  they  enjoy  ;  and 
God  chooses  that  tirep  to  give  them  new  ones:  a 
strong  proof  that  it  is  indeed  a  good  thing  to  give 


ft  MAN'S   RECOVERY   BIT  FAITH   IN    CHRIST. 

thanks  unto  the  name  of  the  Lord.  Praise  for  old 
mercies  brings  new  mercy  with  it.  The  liberal  man 
lives -by  liberal  devices. 

4.  The  occasion  of  the  jailor's  conversion  is  an 
earthquake,  which  shook  the  prison,  opened  the  doors, 
and  made  the  chains  fall  off.  A  strange  sort  of  earth- 
quake, indeed,  that  loosed  the  prisoners'  bonds. 
"When  the  Lord  designs  to  awaken  a  sinner,  if  less 
will  not  do  it,  a  miracle  shall  be  wrought. 

5.  It  is  worthy  our  observation,  that  the  first  influ- 
ence of  this  providence  was  ]jk§  to  have  proven  fatal 
and  ruining  to  the  man  whose  salvation  was  design- 
ed. The  first  appearances  of 'God  for  the  salvation 
of  sinners  may  have  a  very  strange  influence.  They 
may  be  so  far  from  bringing  the  sinners,  whose  sal- 
vation is  designed,  nearer,  that-  they  may  seem  to  put 
them  farther  off.  The  jailor  would  have  killed  him- 
self. 

6.  Their  frame  and  deportment  under  this  dispen- 
sation is  no  less  remarkable.  Though  the  earth  be 
shaken,  their  hearts  are  not  so,  but  are  in  a  blessed 
rest  and  repose.  They  know  that  God  who  shook  the 
earth  was  their  God,  and  gave  it  a  commission  not  to 
wrong  but  to  help  them.  This  keeps  the  Christian 
calm  under  shaking  providences;  the  seas  may  rage, 
and  beat  high,  but  the  rock  whereon  he  rests  remains 
firm,  and  cannot  be  shaken.  And  a  further  proof  of 
their  frame  we  have  in  their  regard  to  the  jailor's 
safety.  Some  would  have  thought  it  a  happy  occa- 
sion to  make  an  escape  ;  but  they  take  care  of  the 
keeper's  life,  though  it  should  be  to  the  endangering 
of  their  own.  They  do  good  to  enemies,  and  love 
them  that  hate  them. 

7-  Their  words  to  the  jailor  are  remarkable  :  "  Do 
thyself  no  harm.'5  They  seasonably  step  in  for  pre- 
venting of  sin ;  they  represent  the  sin  so  as  it  might 
appear  the  more  hateful ;  they  remove  the  tempta- 
tion. Herein  they  lease  us  an  example  :  if  we  would 
prevent  the  ruins  of  others^  we  must  step  in  season* 


MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN   CHRISTo  3 

bly.  Had  they  delayed  a  little  longer,  the  man  had 
been  gone  past  all  remedy.  If  we  would  discover  sin 
so  as  to  make  it  appear  sinful,  we  must  represent  it 
under  those  forms  which  are  most  likely  to  engage 
sinners  to  renounce  it :  (fDo  thyself  no  harm.55  Self- 
preservation  is  the  prime  dictate  of  nature.  For  one 
to  destroy  himself,  is  to  act  cross  to  the  very  found- 
ation of  reason,  which  leads  to  the  use  of  all  means 
that  have  a  tendency  to  self-preservation.  And  then 
they  remove  the  temptation.  Those  wht>  would  ef- 
fectually dissuade  sinners  from  sin,  must  let  them 
see  that  all  the  grounds  they  go  upon  are  mistakes. 
The  man  supposed  they  had  been  gone.,  and  that  he 
would  be  punished  for  them;  and  to^liun  this  ima- 
ginary danger,  he  would  have  really  ruined  himself. 
Thus  sinners,  to  shun  imaginary  evils,  run  upon  real 
ones :  and  to  gain  imaginary  advantages,  they  lose 
the  true  gain.  And  therefore  ministers  or  others,  in 
dealing  with  them,  should  study  to  undeceive  them 
in  this  matter:  «  Do  thyself  no  harm,  for  we  are  all 
here.5' 

Here  some  may  inquire,  how  they  saw  him,  when 
it  was  now  night,  and  he  did  not  see  them  ?  To  this 
I  answer,  there  might  be  either  moon-light,  or  a  can- 
dle in  the  uttermost  room,  whereby  they  might  see 
what  was  done  there ;  but  yet  he  could  not  see  into 
the  remote  corners  of  the  innermost  prison  where 
they  lay  in  chains. 

8.  We  are  to  observe  the  influence  that  this  check, 
this  seasonable  advice,  that  carried  a  reproof  in  its 
bosom,  had  upon  the  man ;  it  convinced  him,  it  put 
him  into  this  trembling  humble  posture  we  find  him 
in.  Here  I  might  observe  many  very  considerable 
truths.  Grace  usually  begins  to  work,  when  sinners 
have  gone  to  a  height,  to  an  excess  of  sin.  While 
the  man  is  practising  a  bloody  crime,  and  had  mur- 
dered himself  in  design,  then  grace  chooses  to  lay 
hold  on  him.  When  Saul  was  grown  mad  in  his  per- 
secution, carrying  it  even  to  a  foreign  country,  grace 


&  MAN**  RECOVERY   BY   FAITH  Itf   CHRIST 

takes  the  opportunity.  It  doth  not  bespeak  sinners 
in  their  lucid  intervals ;  but,  to  show  its  pawer,  it 
reaches  them  when  at  their  worst.  Again,  how 
mighty  a  change  can  a  word  work,  when  the  Spirit 
of  God  concurs  ?  He  whom  the  earthquake  did  not 
deter  from  sinning,  is  overcome  with  a  word  :  a  word 
makes  him  that  put  their  feet  in  the  stocks  fall  down 
at  their  feet.  One  word  opens  the  man's  eyes  to  see 
what  he  never  saw  before,  it  fills  his  heart  with  con- 
cern about  salvation,  a  thing  he  had  not  minded  be- 
fore;  and  the  fears  of  that  wrath  that  he  little 
thought  of,  when  he  was  just  going  to  throw  him- 
self fearlessly  in  its  hand  by  self-murder,  now  makes 
him  tremble,  and  fall  down,  and  cry  out,  What  must 
I  do  to  be  saved  ?  It  makes  him  pay  reverence  to 
them  to  whom  he  paid  none  before.  He  calls  them 
Sirs,  a  term  of  honour  and  respect.  A  great  change 
indeed  !  here  are  a  multitude  of  wonders.  The  ter- 
rors of  God  make  a  stout  heart  to  shake.  An  uncon- 
cerned persecutor  lays  salvation  to  heart:  and  much 
concern  in  the  heart  discovers  itself  bv  its  effects : 
it  breaks  out  in  the  trembling  of  the  body,  and  the 
anxious  question  in  the  text. 

9.  Here  it  is  worth  our  while  to  inquire,  what  he 
was  convinced  of?  That  the  man  is  convinced  of 
danger,  is  plain ;  that  it  was  not  the  danger  of  being 
punished  for  letting  away  the  prisoners,  is  no  less 
plain  i  he  was  now  eased  of  any  fears  he  had  of  this 
sort.  In  one  word,  he  was  convinced  of  his  sin  and 
misery.  This  is  plain  from  the  apostle's  direction. 
It  were  blasphemy  to  think  that  they  mistook  his 
case ;  and  the  e\ent  puts  it  beyond  all  doubt,  that 
they  were  not  mistaken  ,  for  the  cure  is  no  sooner 
applied  than  it  takes  effect.  The  direction  quieted 
the  man's  mind  .;  and  this  makes  it  plain,  that  it  was 
sin  and  misery  that  was  now  in  his  view  ;  it  was  the 
curse  of  the  law  that  was  pursuing  him.  We  need 
not  spend  time  in  inquiring  what  sins  he  was  con- 
vinced of.    That  the  sin  of  self-murder  was  the  first 


MAN'S    RECOVERY    BY    lAITII   IN    CHRIST.  5 

seems  probable  from  what  has  been  already  discours- 
ed. When  the  candle  of  the  Lord  fills  the  bosom  of 
a  sinner  with  light,  the  first  sin  that  is  seen  is  usually 
some  great  sin,  and  for  most  part  the  sin  that  was 
last  committed.  This  sin  was  just  now  committed  ; 
and  a  monstrous  one  it  was  :  but  though  this  might 
be  the  first,  we  have  no  reason  to  think  that  it  was 
this  only ;  nay,  we  have  reason  to  think,  that  the 
Lord  gave  the  man  a  broad  sight  of  all  his  other  im- 
pieties. When  the  Lord  lights  a  candle  in  a  sinners 
bosom,  though  some  one  great  sin  occurs  first,  yet  he 
quickly  turns  to  others,  and  looks  through  the  ugly 
heart  that  was  never  seen  before,  and  sees  it  full  of 
sins.  The  Lord  tells  sinners  sometimes  all  that  ihey 
ever  did,  by  telling  them  one  sin  $  and  thus  it  was  no 
doubt  with  the  jailor.     In  the 

10th,  And  last  place,  the  posture  the  poor  man  is  in, 
when  he  puts  the  melancholy  question,  What  must  I 
do  to  be  saved?  deserves  our  notice;  he  is  fallen  up- 
on his  face ;  not  to  worship  :  this  the  apostle  would 
not  have  permitted,  as  they  did  not  upon  other  occa- 
sions,* but  either  it  is  only  a  civil  respect  he  pays 
them,  after  the  fashion  of  the  supplicants  in  the  east- 
ern countries:  or  his  trembling  legs  were  not  able 
to  support  his  body ;  or  partly  the  one,  and  partly  the 
other,  occasioned  tills  posture. 

The  next  thing  that  falls  under  our  consideration 
is,  the  answer  which  the  apostle  gave  to  the  jailor's 
question.  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ*  and  thou 
shalt  be  saved9  and  thy  house.  This  contains  the 
substance  of  the  gospel  ;  and  it  is  this  part  of  the 
words  we  principally  design  to  insist  on.  I  shall  re- 
fer the  explication  of  them,  till  stieh  time  as  I  have 
done  with  what  is  designed  from  the  question;  be- 
cause I  do  not  incline  to  burden  you  with  too  tedious 
an  explication  of  the  words. 

From  the  question  itself,  then,  according  to  the 
account  just  now  given  of  its  meaning,  we  shall  lay 

N 


6  MAN'S   KECOVEHY    BY    FAITH    IN    CHRIST. 

before  you,  arid  discourse  of  this  one  doctrinal  propo- 
sition. 

Doct. — «  A  sinner  that  is  awakened,  and  soundly 
convinced  of  sin,  and  of  misery,  its  necessary  con- 
sequent and  companion,  will  lay  salvation  serious- 
ly to  heart ;  or  will  with  concern  put  the  question, 
What  must  I  do  to  be  saved6}" 

This  we  see  is  the  first  fruit  of  conviction  in  the 
jailor,  Sirs,  what  must  I  do  to  he  saved  ?  This  was 
the  immediate  result  of  conviction  in  the  awakened 
converts,  Acts  iii.  37.  And  thus  it  will  be  with  all 
who  are  indeed  awakened  and  convinced  of  sin,  unless 
there  be  some  such  concomitant  circumstances  as 
binder  it  necessarily,  of  which  anon. 

In  discoursing  this  doctrine,  we  shall, 

I.  Premise  a  few  things,  for  clearing  the  doctrine* 

II.  Inquire  what  this  salvation  is9  which  awaken- 
ed sinners  seek  after, 

III.  We  shall  endeavour  to  give  some  account  of 
this  concern  about  salvation,  which  is  the  result  of 
conviction. 

IV.  We  shall  show,  why  it  is  that  convinced  sinners 
do  lay  salvation  to  heart.  Now,  of  each  of  these  in 
order. 

I.  We  begin  with  the  first ;  and  for  clearing  our 
doctrine,  we  offer  to  your  consideration  a  few  propo- 
sitions. 

First,  Conviction  is  tbafsight  of  sin  and  misery 
which  sinners  get,  when  the  Spirit  of  God  presents 
them  to  the  soul's  view,  in  their  nature,  and  their  ne- 
cessary connexion  with  one  another,  together  with 
the  sinner's  interest  and  concernment  in  them ;  and 
that  in  so  clear  a  light,  that  he  cannot  but  take  no- 
tice of  them.  1st.  We  say  the  Spirit  of  God  sets  sin 
and  misery  in  their  own  nature  before  the  sinner's 


man's  recovery  BY  FAITH  IX  CHRIST  7 

eyes,  in  a  clear  light.  There  is  no  man  who  has  not 
some  apprehensions  of  sin  and  misery ;  every  one 
discourses  of  these  things.  Education,  the  dis- 
pensation of  the  word,  and  converse,  have  hegot  some 
notions  of  sin  in  every  body's  mind  :  but  for  any  clear 
discoveries  of  sin  in  its  nature,  few  have  them.  The 
thoughts  of  men  about  sin,  are,  for  the  most  part, 
like  the  thoughts  of  a  man  who  never  saw  a  toad  with 
a  full  light :  if  any  man  should  tell  him  how  loathsome 
a  creature  it  were;  and  withal,  in  the  twilight  show 
him  one,  when  he  could  not  distinguish  it  from  a 
piece  of  curious  jet  lying  by  i(,  he  would  not  be  much 
affected  with  the  account,  nor  would  his  thoughts  of 
its  deformity  and  ugliness  answer  the  thing  itself: 
but  if  the  sun  should  dart  down  a  beam  of  its  light 
upon  the  loathsome  creature,  the  man  would  see  it, 
and  it  may  be  then  his  flesh  would  begin  to  shrink, 
and  it  would  fill  him  with  aversion.  Just  so  it  is 
with  unconvinced  sinners :  they  see  sin,  but  it  is  only 
in  the  twilight  of  reason,  education,  or  the  external 
dispensation  of  the  wt>rdj  therefore  they  are  not  af- 
fected with  it,  nor  do  they  see  any  peculiar  deformi- 
ty in  it,  until  the  Spirit  of  God  let  in  a  ray  of  super- 
natural light,  and  then  this  very  quickly  fills  the  soul 
with  a  view  of  its  exceeding  sinfulness,  which  makes 
the  heart  begin  to  shrink  at  it,  and  entertain  it  with 
aversion.  The  ease  is  just  the  same  with  respect  to 
that  misery  that  is  the  consequent  and  companion  of 
sin.  Till  once  the  Lord  make  bare  his  arm  in  the 
sinner's  view,  and  cast  in  some  drops  of  wrath  into  his 
soul,  with  a  certification  that  these  are  but  drops,  ho 
will  never  be  duly  affected  with  it.  2dhj.  The  Spi- 
rit of  God  in  conviction,  not  only  presents  sin  and 
misery  to  the  soul  in  their  own  nature,  but  likewise 
in  their  connexion.  God  has  linked  sin  and  hell  to- 
gether. It  always  was  so,  but  sinners  do  not  always 
think  so.  Groundless  apprehensions  of  God,  as  if  he 
were  ali  mercy,  his  patience  in  forbearing  the  execu- 
tion of  such  as  deserve  double  destruction,  the  sub- 


S  sian's  recovery  jby  faith  in  chmst. 

file  reasonings  of  Satan,  the  world,  and  deceitful  lusfs, 
cither  beget  a  persuasion,  that  sin  and  wrath  may  be 
separate,  or  else  a  suspicion  (hat  it  is  not  certain  that 
they  are  so  linked  together  as  the  word  says,  and 
ministers  aver.  But  the  Spirit  of  God  presents  the 
two,  in  their  dependence  and  connexion,  in  such  a 
light  to  the  sinner's  mind,  thai  he  cannot  but  believe 
that  there  is  no  parting  them.  Sdly.  The  Spirit  of 
God  discovers  to  the  sinner  how  deeply  he  is  <&&8$*ik- 
cd  in  sin.  and  consequently  in  that  wo  that  is  linked 
to  it.  He  not  only  lets  him  see  the  toad  crawling  at 
H  distance*  !;;;!  spar.  \i\*  yevi?  eioth£s.  He  not  only 
tells  him  that  a  certain  man  has  sinned,  as  Nathan 
did  in  the  parable,  but  applies  the  parable,  and  says* 
"Thou  art  the  man"  He  not  oniy  lets  the  sinner 
see  hell  and  sin  linked  together,  but  also  lets  him  see 
the  one  end  of  the  chain,  sin,  fastened  to  himself; 
and  all  this  he  discovers  with  such  clearness  as  obli- 
ges the  sinner  to  notice  it. 

Secondly,  We  premise  this,  That  there  are  differ- 
ent degrees  of  conviction,  and  that  both  as  to  its  clear- 
ness* extent  and  continuance.  Upon  some  persons, 
some  ftiint  rays  break  in,  and  open  their  eyes  some- 
what above  nature's  power,  letting  them  see  a  little 
more  clearly.  Upon  others  there  come  in  fall  beams, 
discovering  all  distinctly,  like  the  sun  shining  in  his 
strength.  Again,  some  discover  only  a  few  ;  others 
get  under  their  view  many  sins ;  the  light  that  shines 
upon  some,  is  only  like  a  flash  of  lightning,  that  fills 
the  house  with  surprising  light*  and  is  presently  gone 
again  ;  or  like  the  warm  blinks  of  the  sun  before  a 
shower,  which  are  presently  gone,  and  the  sky  filled 
with  dark  clouds.  So  various  are  convictions,  as  to 
their  degrees  of  clearness,  extent,  and  continuance, 
Those  convictions  which  are  only  faint,  and  reach 
only  to  a  few  sins,  we  are  not  here  speaking  of,  when 
we  speak  of  a  sinner  that  is  thoroughly  awakened  or 
convinced, 


man's  recovery  by  faith  itf  christ.        9 

Thirdly,   The  issues  and  consequences  of  convic- 
tion are  no  less  various.     Those  fainter  discoveries 
of  sin,  which  many  meet  with  in  the  dispensation  of 
the  word,  or  by  awakening  providences,  usually  car- 
ry people  the  length  of  some  faint  desires  after  deli- 
verance ;  or  if  they  rise  higher,  it  seldom   goes  fur- 
ther than  good  resolutions,  and  there  they  die.     The 
great  flashes  of  light,  which  dart  into  the  minds  of 
some,  very  often  miscarry,  and  turn  to  nothing.     It  is 
much  with  the  persons  who  fall  under  them,  as  it  is 
with  a  man  that  is  awakened  by  a  flash  of  lightning 
that  darts  into  his  bed  :  the  noise  of  a  thunder- clap, 
that  comes  along  with  it,   may  make  the  man  start 
up  before  he  is  well  awaked  ;  and  the  light    unex- 
pectedly discovering  man}'  things,  occasions  a  great 
confusion  in  his  mind ;  but  presently  the  noise  is  over 
and  the  light  gone,  and  then  the  natural  temper  of 
his  body,  the  softness  and  ease  of  the  bed  he  lies  in, 
do  invite  him  afresh  to  sleep  \  and  though  by  the  light 
that  came  in,  he  might  see  the  room  full  of  enemies, 
he  is  easily  persuaded  that  all  was  but  illusions  of 
fancy,  and  therefore,  he  lays  himself  down  again, 
and  falls  fast  asleep.     Thus  it  is  with  many  :  they 
hear  the  thunderings  of  the  law  in  the  preaching  of 
the  word  ;  and  sometimes  the  Spirit  of  God  lets  in  a 
beam  of  light  into  the  heart  with  them,  that  tills  all 
the  soul  with  fear,  discovering  the  deadly  foes  that 
arc  lodged  and  secretly  entertained  there  ;  this  makes 
sinners  start  up,  and  it  may  be  cry  out ;  they  are 
awakened  out  of  their  security,  and  raise  themselves 
cut  of  their  beds.     Now,  one  would  think  those  per- 
sons in  a  great  forwardness,  and  very  well;  but  ere 
ever  ye  are  aware,  they  are  fast  asleep  again,  «  They 
return  with  the  dog  to  the  vomit,  and  with  the  sow 
that  was  washed,  to  wallowing  in  the  mire;"  they 
fall  in  their  own  sins.     Why,  what  is  the  matter? 
No  degree  of  conviction  can  change  the  heart ;   and 
convictions  of  short  continuance  do  rather  fright  than 
soundly  awaken :  therefore,  when  the  natural  incli- 
nation of  the  heart  presses  on  to  a  little  more  sleepr; 

N  % 


10  MAN'S    RECOVE&Y    BY    FAITH    IN    CHRIST* 

and  Satan  joining  issue  with  this  frame  of  ilie  carnal 
Biindj,  contributes  Iiis  part,  and  endeavours  to  lay  the 
soul  asleep  again,  it  cannot  choose  but  fall  asleep ; 
for  the  Hash  of  light  is  gone,  and  the  voice  of  the  min- 
ister, or  providence,  by  the  noise  of  those  solicita- 
tions, are  banished  his  mind :  and  here  ends  the  re- 
ligion of  a  great  many,  who  at  communions,  and 
some  other  occasions,  appear  to  be  something. 

Fourthly,  When  we  speak  of  a  person's  being 
soundly  and  deeply  convinced,  and  of  abiding  convic- 
tions, we  do  not  mean  that  there  is  any  one  degree 
of  conviction  that  all  come  to  who  are  saved  ;  nor  do 
we  mean?  that  there  is  any  degree  of  conviction  which 
is  always  followed  with  faith  :  for  those  who  are 
most  deeply  convinced,  may  one  way  or  other  mis- 
carry and  be  lost.  They  may  fall"  into  despair,  or 
they  may  fall  in  with  false  remedies ;  or  they  may 
wear  out  from  under  convictions,  as  some  have  done, 
and  then  turn  openly  profane.  Nor  do  we  intend 
that  every  one  who  believes,  before  he  do  so,  must  lie 
along  time  under  conviction  ;  for  we  see  the  con- 
trary in  the  jailor,  who  presently  believes  and  re- 
joices, and  so  was  very  soon  out  from  under  his  con- 
victions. In  fine,  we  only  speak  of  deep  and  sound 
conviction,  in  opposition  to  those  fainter  ones,  which 
seldom  raise  the  persons  that  have  them  above  the 
sluggard's  desires,  or  some  ineffectual  resolutions: 
and  when  we  speak  of  abiding  conviction,  it  is  in  op- 
position to  those  Hashes,  which  are  presently  gone, 
and  have  no  other  influence  than  to  make  half  awa- 
kened sinners  start  up,  and  cry  out  of  their  fears,  but 
presently  their  fears  are  hushed,  and  they  lie  down 
and  fall  as  fast  asleep  as  ever. 

Fifthly 9  Our  doctrine  must  only  be  understood  of 
those  who  are  yet  in  time  ;  for  damned  sinners  are  in- 
deed sufficiently  awakened,  yet  cannot  be  said  to  put 
this  inquiry 9  because  they  are  abundantly  convinced, 
that  salvation  is  not  to  be  expected.  And  the  same 
is  to  be  said  as  to  those  who  have  split  upon  the  rock 


MAN'S    ItECOVEUY    BY    FAITH   IX   CUBIST.         11 

of  despair,  who,  though  they  be  not  yet  in  hell,  do 
judge*  notwithstanding,  their  escape  impossible. 
Our  doctrine. is  net  to  be  understood  of  those  per- 
sons. 

Sixthly 9  We  say  not  in  our  doctrine,  that  convic- 
tions, however  deep,  or  distinct,  or  abiding,  issue 
in  salvation,  but  in  a  serious  concern  about  it.  A 
person  may  be  concerned,  and  put  inquiries  about 
that  which  he  may  never  attain.  He  may  ask,  What 
shall  I  do  to  be  saved  ?  who  shall  never  be  saved, 
The  young  man  in  the  gospel  asked.  "What  must  I 
do  to  inherit  eternal  life  ?"  yet,  for  any  thing  the 
scripture  makes  appear,  he  did  never  inherit  it. 
These  things  being  laid  down  for  clearing  the  doc- 
trine, we  now  proceed  to  the 

If.  Thing  proposed,  which  was,  to  inquire  rvhat 
that  salvation  is  which  awakened  sinners  are  con- 
cerned about,  and  which  they  seek  after.  Salvation, 
as  everv  cue  knows,  signifies  a  delivery  from  some 
one  thing  or  other  that  is  looked  upon  as  dangerous, 
evil,  hurtful.  None  are  capable  of  salvation,  save 
those  who  are  either  under  some  such  evil,  or  who 
are  in  danger  of  it ;  and  then  they  may  be  said  to  he 
saved,  when  they  are  freed  from  it,  or  from  the  dan- 
ger of  it,'  when  they  are  delivered  from  distresses, 
or  when  their  safety  is  provided  for.  This  is  the 
plain  import  of  the  word.  But  as  it  is  used  by  con- 
vinced sinners,  it  takes  in  more  :  it  not  only  respects 
deliverance  from  evil,  but  also  the  enjoyment  of  God 
and  of  good.  It  is  frequentljr  so  used  in  scripture: 
salvation  (here  is  put,  not  only  for  deliverance  from 
hell,  but  for  the  title  to  heaven  ;  and  hence  believers 
are  styled  «  heirs  of  salvation/'  Heb.  i.  14.  ;  where 
the  apostle,  speaking  of  the  angels,  says,  **  Are  they 
not  all  ministering  spirits,  sent  forth  to  minister  to 
them  who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation  ?**  In  one  word, 
this  salvation,  that  awakened  sinners  seek  after, 
takes  in  freedom  from  sin,  and  a  title  of  life  ;  and 
hence  the  question  in  the  test  takes  in  other  two. 


k_ 


±2        MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY  FAITH   IN"   CHRIST. 

First,  What  shall  I  do  that  I  may  get  pardon  of 
sin6}    The  sinner  sees  that  it  is  sin  that  draws  hell 
upon  him;  therefore,  unless  this  he  pardoned, he  de- 
spairs utterly  of  freedom  from  hell  and  wrath.    The 
one  he  sees  impossible  to  be  attained,  unless  he  can 
first  get  the  other.     As  sin  draws  on  hell,  so  pardon 
is  linked  to  salvation  from  hell :  or  rather,  salvation 
from  wrath  is  linked  to  pardon.     This  we  see  plain- 
ly enough  in  the   carriage  of  those    convinced  sin- 
ners, Micah  vi.  6.     "  Wherewith  shall  I  come  before 
the  Lord,   and   bow  myself  before  the  high    God  ? 
shall  I  come  before   him  with  burnt-offerings,   and 
calves  of  a  year  old  ?     Will  the  Lord  be  pleased  with 
thousands  of  rams,  or  ten  thousands  of  rivers  of  oil  ? 
shall  I  give  my  iirst-born  for  my  transgression,  the 
fruit  of  my  body  for  the  sin  of  my  soul  l"     This  is 
1he  genuine  language  of  a  convinced  sinner.     Pardon 
he  would  have  at  any  rate. 

Secondly,  The  other  question  that  is  implied  in 
the  text,  is  that  of  the  young  man  that  came  to  Christ, 
Mark  x.  17.  «  What  shall  I  do  that  I  may  inherit 
eternal  life  V9  Though  pardon  of  sin,  or  freedom 
from  wrath,  be  that  winch  first  occurs  to  an  awaken- 
ed sinner  as  the  object,  of  his  desires  ;  yet  it  is  not  all 
that  he  desires.  Salvation  would  be  very  incom- 
plete, if  eternal  life  eanae  not  in  to  boot :  for  man 
might  be  forgiven,  and  yet  be  turned  into  nothing,  or 
not  admitted  into  the  enjoyment  of  God.  A  rebel 
may  be  pardoned,  and  never  be  made  a  favourite. 
That  this,  as  well  as  the  other,  will  be  much  upon 
the  thoughts  of  a  solidly  convinced  sinner,  appears 
from  several  considerations. 

1st,  When  God  himself  condescends  to  direct  such, 
he  makes  something  more  than  pardon  necessary  to 
them,  Hos.  xiv.  2.  There  the  remnant  of  the  Jews, 
whom  the  Lord  has  a  mind  to  do  good  to,  are  told 
what  they  must  seek  from  him  when  they  return, 
and  what  was  necessary  in  order  to  their  happiness  ; 
&ot  only  must  they  have  their  iniquities  pardoned, 


MAN'S   RECOVERY   Elr   TAITH   IN    CHRIST.         13 

bat  they  must  have  gracious  acceptance  with  God,  or 
admission  inio  his  favour,  <<j  Take  with  you  words, 
and  turn  to  the  Lord,  say  unto  him,  Take  away  all 
iniquity,  and  receive  us  graciously."  Gracious  ac- 
ceptance with  God  is  full  as  necessary,  in  order  to 
the  content  of  an  awakened  sinner,  as  pardon  of  sin. 

2dly9  Awakened  sinners,  in  all  ages,  have  by  their 
practice  evidently  discovered,  that  pardun  alone  did 
not  seem  sufficient  to  satisfy  them.  They  have  ever 
been  seeking  after  some  rigiitccssRess*  wherein  they 
might  appear  before  God,  and  upon  which  they 
might  found  their  title  and  claim  to  eternal  life,  as 
being  sensible  that  pardon  of  sin  alone  could  not  do 
it.  The  Jews,  who  expected  pardon  from  the  mercy 
of  God,  yet  '*  wetit  about  to  establish  a  righteousness 
of  their  own,  being  ignorant  of  the  righteousness  of 
God.95  Rom.  x.  3. 

Sdty,  In  one  word,  a  convinced  sinner  is  one  that 
is  persuaded  of  a  future  stale,  and  that  the  things  of 
this  world  cannot  make  him  happy  :  therefore  he  cer- 
tainly means  ihe  same  by  this  question,  What  shall  I 
do  to  be  saved  ?  that  we  mean  when  we  inquire, 
What  shall  make  us  happy.  That  every  awakened 
sinner  is  convinced  of  a  future  state,  is  unquestiona- 
ble, since  the  wrath  he  would  so  fain  be  freed  from 
is  chiefly  in  a  future  state :  nor  is  it  less  plain, 
that  it  is  complete  happiness  he  aims  at,  and  that  all 
his  trouble  arises  from  the  apprehensions  of  the  in- 
consistency between  his  happiness  and  unpardoned 
guilt.  That  which  only  remains  to  be  made  appear, 
is,  that  pardon  of  sin  alone  cannot  secure  him  of  etey- 
sal  happiness  :  and  this  is  easily  proven ;  for  there 
are  two  things  which  pardon  doth  not,  and  yet  with- 
out them  both  it  is  impossible  that  man  should  be 
happy,  (i,)  Pardon  of  sin  gives  man  no  title,  no 
claim,  to  eternal  life  and  happiness.  Innocence  in 
Adam  did  not  give  him  a  title  to  heaven;  can  any, 
then,  think  that  pardon  now  can  give  us  a  title  ? 
Eternal  life  was  to  be  the  reward  of  a  course  of  obe- 
dience ;  nor  had  innocent  Adam  any  pretensions  to  it* 


14        man's  recovery  by  FAITH  IN  CHRIST 

till  such  time  as  he  had  fulfilled  a  course  of  perfect 
obedience  $  far  less,  then,  could  fallen  man  have  any 
pretensions  to  it,  if  only  his  sins  were  pardoned.  (2.) 
Pardon  of  sin  doth  not  make  man  meet  for  "inheri- 
tance of  the  saints  in  light,"  for  converse  and  inter- 
course with  God.  A  convinced  sinner  will  see,  that 
there  is  no  possibility  of  access  for  him  to  the  enjoy- 
ment of  God,  unless  there  be  an  entire  change 
wrought  upon  his  nature  ;  for  how  can  two  of  so  very 
different  natures  have  any  mutual  complacency  in 
one  another?  God  can  have  none  in  the  sinful  na- 
ture of  man;  nor  can  the  sinful  nature  of  man  have 
any  in  the  holy  nature  of  God ;  and  it  is  what  none 
can  say,  that  pardon  changes  the  nature  of  the  per- 
son that  is  pardoned. 

Now,  to  sum  up  what  we  have  said  under  this 
head,  when  an  awakened  sinner  puts  the  question, 
What  must  I  do  to  be  saved*?  he  just  means,  How 
shall  I  obtain  happiness?  And  this  has  these  three 
in  it  :  [I.]  How  shall  I  get  my  sins  pardoned  ? 
[2.]  How  shall  I  get  a  title  to  eternal  life  ?  [3.] 
IIovv  shall  I  be  made  meet  to  be  a  sharer  of  the 
"  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light?"  Unless  the 
mind  be  fully  satisfied  as  to  these  three  inquiries,  it 
can  never  think  itself  secure  or  happy.  That  which 
Comes,  in  the 

III.  Place,  to  be  inquired  into,  is  the  nature  of 
this  concern,  which  is  the  genuine  issue  and  necessary 
result  of  sound  conviction.  The  nature  and  effects 
of  this  we  shall  unfold  to  you  in  the  following  parti- 
culars.    And, 

First,  To  lay  salvation  to  the  heart,  or  to  he  con- 
cerned about  it  seriously,  imports  dissatisfaction  with 
all  other  enjoyments,  so  long  as  the  soul  is  in  the 
dark  about  this.  The  man  may  possibly  be  possessed 
of  great  things  in  the  world,  he  may  have  all  going 
there  with  him  according  to  wish  ;  but  if  once  he  be- 
gin to  take  salvation  to  the  heart,  he  will  find  con- 
tent of  mind  in  none  of  these  things.     If  such  a  one 


MAN'S   RECOVERY    BY    FAITH   IN   CHRIST.        15 

cast  his  eves  upon  his  enjoyments,  his  riches,  his  ho- 
nours, his  pleasures,  he  will  he  sure  to  conclude,  as 
Haman  did  upon  another  account,  Esther  v.  13. 
"  Yet  all  this  availeth  me  nothing,  so  long  as  I  an)  at 
an  uncertainty  abGut  salvation."  These  things  can- 
not satisfy.  What  are  they  toadying  man?  One 
that  apprehends  himself  just  ready  to  he  swallowed 
up  of  the  wrath  of  God,  can  relish  no  sweetness  in 
any  of  these  things,  till  once  he  be  rid  of  the  fears  of 
that.  Thus  we  see  it  is  with  the  jailor;  he,  who 
but  a  little  while  before  was  so  anxious  about  the 
prisoners,  that  he  was  ready  to  have  made  himself 
away  for  fear  of  their  escape,  turns  now  unconcerned 
about  these  things;  and  we  hear  not,  that,  while  all 
the  doors  were  open,  he  made  any  provision  for  their 
security;  nor  did  he  receive  any  satisfaction  from 
understanding  that  they  were  all  safe.  This  dissa- 
tisfaction is  not  such  a  discontent  as  some  fall  into 
who  are  no  ways  awakened,  which  leads  them  to  fret, 
grudge,  and  repine,  because  their  lot  in  a  present 
world  is  not  such  as  they  would  have  it ;  no,  but  it 
is  such  a  dissatisfaction  as  flows  from  a  solid  persua- 
sion that  these  things  cannot  afford  happiness,  or 
avert  impending  or  threatened  misery,  which  is  so 
terrible  in  the  eyes  of  the  alarmed  sinner. 

Secondly,  This  concern  about  salvation  imports 
ihoughtfuhiess  about  the  threatened  evils,  and  the 
means  of  preventing  them.  When  the  soul  has  once 
got  a  view  of  sin  and  misery  in  their  native  colours, 
and  sees  misery  threatening  it,  then  this  arrests  the 
thoughts  ;  the  mind  can  ply  itself  to  no  other  thing 
with  pleasure,  but  only  to  the  ways  and  means  of  es- 
cape. If  other  thoughts  intrude,  they  are  presently 
rejected  with  eontempt,  as  impertinent.  The  man 
indeed  doth  not  deny  it  to  be  his  duty  to  be  concerned 
about  other  things  \  but  he  thinks  it  not  present  du- 
ty, nay,  he  thinks  it  impertinent  for  him  in  his  pre- 
sent condition.  He  is  like  one  that  lives  in  a  besieg- 
ed city:  the  enemy  has  made  a  breach  in  the  walls, 


16        MAN'S   RECOVERY  BY   FAITH   IN    CHRIST. 

and  threatens  a  sudden  irruption.  In  which  case, 
the  man  knows  very  well  he  is  obliged  to  attend  to 
the  duties  of  his  ordinary  calling  and  station ;  yet,  in 
the  present  exigence,  he  doth  not  judge  it  pertinent 
to  look  that  way ;  for  if  the  enemy  once  enter  at  the 
breach,  and  sack  the  city,  then  he  for  ever  loses  the 
advantage  of  any  thing  that  he  gains  by  his  other  en- 
deavours ;  therefore  he  rather  turns  his  thoughts  and 
contrivances  to  the  reparation  of  the  breach,  or  the 
pacifying  of  the  enemy,  if  he  find  the  place  not  tena- 
ble against  him.  Just  so  is  it  in  the  case  of  an 
awakened  sinner:  he  knows,  that  if  the  wrath  of 
God  overtake  him,  he  is  for  ever  ruined  ;  therefore 
his  thoughts  are  wholly  bent  upon  this,  how  he  may 
be  delivered  from  the  wrath  to  come.  Thus  was  the 
psalmist  employed  under  fears  of  impending  hazard, 
Psal.  xiii.  %  "  How  long  (say  ye)  shall  I  take  counsel 
in  my  mu\,  having  sorrow  in  my  heart  daily?  How 
long  shall  mine  enemy  be  exalted  over  me  ?"  The 
apprehensions  he  was  under  of  danger,  put  him  upon 
many  contrivances  how  he  might  rid  himself  of  it. 
This  is  always  the  nature  of  concern;  it  arrests  the 
thoughts,  and  keeps  men  upon  that  about  which  the 
soul  is  concerned. 

Thirdly.  This  concern  has  in  it  always  earnestness 
of  desire  after  salvation.  Desire  is  ever  implied  in 
■concern  of  mind  ;  if  a  man  be  concerned  bow  to  avert 
a  threatened  evil,  he  desires  freedom  from  it;  if  he 
be  concerned  how  to  obtain  any  good  he  wants,  or 
retain  what  already  he  is  possessed  of,  the  soul  ever 
irumixes  its  concern  with  desire.  This  flows  from 
the  very  nature  of  man's  soul ;  for  desire  is  nothing 
else  but  the  cleaving  of  the  rational  soul  to  that 
which  appears  congruous,  useful,  and  necessary  to 
its  happiness  :  so  one  that  is  awakened,  and  sees  his 
hazard,  will  certainly  desire  salvation*  Hence  it  is, 
that  we  fmd  Christ  the  Saviour,  among  the  other  ti- 
tles which  are  given  to  him  in  scpipture,  obtain  that 
famous  one,  "The  desire  *f  &!1  nations/9  Hag,  13.  6, 


MAN*S    KEC0VE11Y    BY    FAITH    IN    CHRIST.        17 

7.  "For  tluis  saitli  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  Yet  once,  it 
is  a  little  while,  and  I  will  shake  tiic  heavens,  and 
the  earth,  and  the  sea,  and  the  dry  land  ;  and  I  will 
shake  all  nations,  and  the  desire  of  all  nations  shall 
come;  and  I  will  fill  this  house  with  glory,  saith 
the  Lord  of  hosts."  A  Saviour  will  be  desired  by 
such  of  all  nations  as  are  awakened  to  see  their 
need  of  him. 

Fourthly,  This  concern  about  salvation  imports  a 
commotion  in  the  affections.  A  soul  full  of  thoughts 
about  wrath  threatened  or  felt,  will  have  its  affec- 
tions employed  about  it,  according  to  the  account  the 
judgment  gives  of  it.  If  wrath  be  in  any  measure 
felt,  it  will  fill  the  soul  with  grief  and  sorrow  ;  if  it 
be  looked  upon  as  approaching,  it  will  make  the  mart 
shake  with  fear;  if  it  be  represented  as  ruining  and 
destructive  to  the  soul,  it  will  raise  the  highest  ha- 
tred and  aversion  ;  if  there  be  any  apparent  possibil- 
ity of  escape,  it  will  excite  hope  in  the  soul.  In  one 
word,  in  a  soul  that  lays  salvation  seriously  to  heart, 
every  one  of  these  passions  will  take  their  turn,  ac- 
cording as  occasion  calls  for  them,  or  the  present 
exercise  of  the  mind  requires  and  excites  them. — 
Were  we  discoursing  of  this  concern  about  salvation 
only  as  it  rests  in  the  mind,  we  should  hold  here; 
but  here  we  are  considering  it,  not  only  as  it  is  in  its 
own  nature,  but  as  it  doth  manifest  itself  in  its  ef- 
fects ;  and  therefore, 

Fifthly,  We  say,  where  th^  soul  is  thus  uneasy 
for  want  of  salvation,  thoughtful  about  it,  and  going 
forth  in  desires  after  it,  this  inward  temper  and 
frame  of  the  mind  will  discover  itself  in  words  and 
language.  Words  are  the  indications  of  the  thought? 
of  the  mind  ;  and  where  the  mind  is  swallowed  up  of 
concern  about  any  thing,  so  as  to  have  ail  its  thoughts 
engrossed  by  it,  then  of  necessity  the  words  must  inti- 
mate so  much.  A  man  indeed  may  be  concerned  about 
something  of  less  importance,  and  this  not  hold  ;  but 
when  salvation  is  laid  to  heart,  then  the  tongue  will  be 

O 


18         MAN'S    RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST. 

employed  as  well  as  the  mind.  It  is  storied,  that,  the 
father's  hazard  made  the  tongue-lacked  child  speak ; 
much  more  would  its  own  hazard  have  done  so. 
Our  Lord  says,  "  Out.  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart 
the  mouth  speaketh,"  Matth.  xii,  34. ;  and  indeed 
where  there  is  very  much  concern  this  way,  it  will 
not  easily  be  retained  ;  it  will  be  like  a  fire  that  can- 
not endure  to  be  pent  up  close  in  a  room,  but  must 
have  a  vent.  Thus  we  see  it  was  with  the  jailor. 
That  which  lay  nearest  the  heart  takes  the  start  in 
discourse  :  Sirs,  says  he,  what  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ? 

Sixthly,  Tliis  inward  frame  of  soul,  this  concern 
of  mind;  leads  to  the  use  of  means.  As  the  tongue 
will  be  employed  in  inquiring,  and  the  mind  in  con- 
triving, so  the  rest  of  the  man  will  be  employed  in 
following  after,  and  using  the  means  that  are  suited 
to  give  relief.  Thus  we  see  it  was  with  the  jai- 
lor ;  he  presently  comes  to  the  apostles,  and  seeks  af- 
ter direction  and  help  from  them.  No  doubt  he  had 
heard  of  them  what  the  possessed  damsel,  in  the  17th 
verse  of  this  chapter,  cries  out,  that  they  were  "the 
servants  of  the  living  God,"  who  made  it  their  work, 
"  to  show  men  the  way  of  salvation  ;"  and  this  makes 
him  address  himself  to  them,  as  the  readiest  expedi- 
ent, the  best  means  to  get  rid  of  his  fears,  and  to  be 
solved  of  the  important  scruple  that  lay  so  near  his 
heart. 

Seventhly,  Not  only  will  this  concern  drive  to  the 
use  of  means,  but  it  will  stir  up  to  diligence  in  the  use 
of  them.  It  will,  fire  the  soul  with  such  activity,  as 
will  carry  it  over  that  natural  sluggishness  that  is  in 
the  heart  of  man,  as  the  natural  and  genuine  fruit  of 
the  depraved  nature.  The  unconcerned  man,  the 
man  that  is  half  awakened,  will  say  with  the  slug- 
gard, "There  is  a  lion  in  the  way,  and  I  shall  be 
slain  in  the  streets."  He  will  have  a  thousand  tri- 
fling difficulties  that  will  retard  him  and  keep  him 
hack;  but  when  one  lays  salvation  to  heart,  he  will 
soon  get  over  all  these,  and  fall  close  to  the  diligent 


MAN'S   RECOVERY    15Y    FAITH   IN    CHRIST.         19 

use  of  means,  in  spite  of  ali  difficulties.  Thus  it  was 
with  the  jailor:  He  sprang  in,  and  came  trembling, 
and  said,  Sirs,  what  must  I  do  to  be  saved'}  He  want- 
ed not  his  own  grounds  to  fear  the  success  of  his  at- 
tempt. What !  might  he  think,  will  these  men,  whom 
I  used  so  hardly  but  the  right  before,  deal  so  kindly 
by  me,  as  to  help  me  in  this  miserable  pinch  ?  And 
will  that  God,  whom  I  have  provoked  to  be  my  ene- 
my, tender  me  any  relief?  But  wrath  pursued  him 
so  close  at  the  heels,  that  he  durst  not  stay  on  any  of 
these  accounts,  but  hazards  the  issue,  be  what  it  will. 
An  awakened  sinner  is  ever  brought  to  the  leeper's 
resolution,  2  Kings  vii.  3,  £.  He  sees  an  inevitable 
necessity  of  dying,  if  he  sit  still  in  his  present  condi- 
tion, or  if  he  join  himself  to  his  old  friends;  and 
therefore  he  will  rather  choose  to  venture  all  upon 
the  mercy  of  God,  and  his  servants,  whom  he  takes 
for  his  enemies,  as  knowing  that  there  he  has  a  per- 
adventure  for  life,  whereas  he  has  not  that  same  any 
where  else. 

Eighthly,  This  concern  will  discover  itself,  by  put- 
ting the  sonl  in  an  active  and  waiting  posture,  ready 
to  receive  any  injunction,  and  to  comply  with  it  with- 
out delay.  One  that  comes  thus  to  be  concerned 
about  salvation,  will  not  stand  to  dispute  the  terms 
proposed,  but  will  greedily  wait  for,  and  readily  ac- 
cept them,  if  practicable,  if  possible.  Thus  we  see  it 
is  with  the  poor  man  in  our  text.  He  comes  not  to 
make,  but  accept  terms.  Sirs,  says  he,  xvhat  must  I 
do  to  be  saved6}  As  if  he  had  said,  I  am  resolved  to 
scruple  nothing  ye  shall  enjoin  me  ;  tell  me  but  what 
I  shall  do,  and  here  am  I  ready  to  accept  of  any  pro- 
posal that  ye  shall,  in  God's  name,  make  unto  me. 

Thus  we  have  unfolded  unto  you  the  nature  of  this 
concern,  which  a  solidly  convinced  sinner  will  have 
about  salvation,  and  that  from  the  text.  I  shall  now 
proceed, 

IV.  To  inquire,  Why  it  is  that  a  solidly  awakened 
sinner  does  thus  lay  salvation  to  heart  above  all  things. 


W        MAN'S   KECOVERY    BY    FAITH    IN    CHRIS'!*. 

An  account  of  this  matter,  we  conceive,  may  be  given 
in  two  or  three  propositions. 

Firt,  A  strong  desire  of  self -preservation  is  laid 
in  the  mine!  of  man,  and  so  closely  woven  in  with  his 
very  frame  and  make,  that  there  is  no  getting  rid  of 
it.  Man  may  as  soon  cease  to  be,  as  cease  to  desire 
his  o>vn  preservation  :  "  No  man  yet  hated  his  own 
flesh,  but  cherisheth  it,"  says  the  apostle,  Eph.  v.  29. 
If  that  hold  in  the  laxer  sense,  when  a  man's  near  re- 
lation is  called  his  own  flesh,  it  must  hold  much  more 
when  it  is  taken  in  the  most  strict  and  close  sense, 
for  a  man's  self. 

Secondly,  The  necessary  consequence  of  this  desire 
of  self-preservation,  is  an  utter  abhorrence  unto  every 
thing  that  is  contrary  to  nature,  or  that  appears  de- 
structive of  it;  and  every  thing  appears  more  or  less 
terrible,  as  it  is  more  or  less  hurtful  to  nature. 
These  things  which  threaten  us  with  utter  ruin,  can- 
not but  fill  the  mind  with  terrible  horror.  Hence  it 
is  that  death  is  called  the  king  of  terrors,  because  it 
threatens  nature,  notwithstanding  alterations  of  less 
importance,  but  with  entire  dissolution.  Death  of 
all  things  is  the  most  opposite  to  nature;  and  every 
other  thing  is  more  or  less  terrible,  as  it  has  more  or 
less  of  death  in  it. 

Thirdly,  An  awakened  soul,  a  solidly  convinced 
sinner,  sees  by  that  light  that  God  has  let  into  his 
soul,  the  wratli  of  God9  the  second  death,  ready  to  lay 
hold  upon  him,  and  ruin  him  eternally;  therefore 
cannot  but  have  the  greatest  averson  possible  to  it. 
What  will  put  a  man  to  flight,  if  not  the  sight  of  in- 
evitable death  behind  him  ?  Then,  if  ever,  will  a  man 
flee,  when  he  sees  himself  brought  to  that  lamentable 
pinch,  that  he  must  either  flee  or  die. 

Fourthly,  Hence  it  inevitably  follows,  that  such  a 
man  who  sees  himself  in  danger  of  utter  ruin,  in  the 
ease  he  is  in,  will,  nay,  of  necessity  must,  lay  himself 
out  to  the  utmost,  or  be  concerned  above  all  for  sal- 
Yation  from  threatened  ruin  or  misery.   That  prinei- 


MAN'S    RECOVERY    BY     FAITH   IN   CHRIST.        21 

pie  of  self-preservation,  and  that  abhorrence  of  what 
is  hurtful  to  nature,  which  are  the  springs  of  all  a 
man's  actions,  cannot  but  carry  the  whole  man,  and 
all  the  powers  of  the  man,  to  its  assistance,  when  it 
sees  that  the  whole  is  endangered. 

Having  thus  shortly  discussed  what  belongs  to  the 
explication'  of  this  truth,  we  proceed  now  to  make 
some  practical  improvement  of  it.  And  among  many 
uses  that  might  be  made  of  it,  we  shall  only  make 
one,  and  that  is  of  trial. 

Is  it  so,  that  a  soundly  convinced  sinner  will  lay 
salvation  to  heart  above  all  things  else  ?  Then  here  is 
a  touch-stone  whereby  ye  may  try  whether  or  not  ye 
be  indeed  convinced  of  sin,  and  whether  soundly  or 
not :  and,  in  the  name  of  God,  we  beseech  you  to  put 
this  to  (rial.     For, 

First,  Unless  ye  know  whether  ye  be  convinced  of 
sin  or  not,  ye  cannot  know  whether  ye  have  got  good 
of  ail  that  we  have  discoursed  to  you  formerly. 
This  we  know,  that  ye  are  either  better  or  worsted 
by  it;  for  «  as  the  rain  cometh  down,  and  the  snow 
from  heaven,  and  returneth  not  thither,  but  water- 
eth  the  earth,  and  maketh  it  bring  forth  and  bud, 
that  it  may  give  seed  to  the  sower,  and  bread  to  the 
eater;  so  shall  my  word  be,  saith  the  Lord,  that  go- 
eth  forth  out  of  my  mouth  ;  it  shall  not  return  unto 
me  void,  but  it  shall  accomplish  that  which  I  please, 
and  it  shall  prosper  in  the  thing  whereto  I  sent  it," 
Isa.  lv.  10,  11.  We  have  spent  many  sermons  on 
this  design  of  conviction  ;  and  now  ye  are  concerned 
to  try,  and  we  are  concerned  to  try,  what  has  been 
the  fruit  of  them.  If  ye  be  not  yet  convinced  of  sin, 
then  ye  have  lost  the  advantage  of  all  that  has  been 
said  on  this  head. 

Secondly.  Try  this  fairly,  we  beseech  you;  for 
if  ye  be  not  convinced,  ye  are  like  to  lose  the  advan- 
tage of  all  that  is  to  be  said  from  the  text  we  are 
now  entering  upon.  We  shall,  if  the  Lord  will,  from 
this  seripture  hold  forth,  and  make  offer  of  Christ 

03 


22        MANfS    EECOVERY   BY    FAITH    IN    CHRIST. 

Jesus  our  Lord,  as  the  only  Saviour  of  lost  sinners  : 
and  if  ye  be  not  convinced  soundly  of  sin,  ye  are  like 
to  lose  the  advantage  of  such  offers  ;  for  none  will 
welcome  or  entertain  them,  save  only  sueh  as  are 
convinced  of  sin, 

Thirdly.  Try,  for  the  Lord's  sake,  whether  ye  be 
convinced  of  sin  or  not ;  for  not  a  few  wofully  de- 
ceive themselves  in  this  matter.  They  take  "that 
general  and  unconcerned  acknowledgement  of  sin, 
which  every  one  is  led  to  by  custom,  education,  or 
some  such  way,  for  that  solid  conviction  which  is  ne- 
cessary in  order  to  our  cordial  acceptance  of  the  gos- 
pel ;  and  this  deceit  is  of  most  dangerous  consequence, 
because  it  lies  near  the  foundation,  and  a  crack  there 
must  of  necessity  be  fatal  and  ruining. 

That  ye  may  be  at  a  point  in  this  matter,  we  shall 
again  run  over  the  several  parts  of  that  description 
we  gave  of  this  concern  about  salvation,  which  we 
would  now  have  you  to  try  yourselves  by. 

But  before  we  enter  upon  this  trial,  there  is  one 
sort  of  persons  we  would  set  by,  as  not  concerned  in 
it ;  and  that  is,  sueh  as  are  openly  profane,  drunk- 
ards, swearers,  liars,  whoremongers,  thieves,  and  the 
like.  It  were  gross  folly  to  make  a  trial  of  such 
who  have  their  mark  upon  their  foreheads.  Those 
monsters  are  so  far  from  being  concerned  about  sal- 
vation, that  they  seem  concerned  to  make  their  own 
damnation  sure ;  in  as  far  as  they  take  the  plainest, 
the  surest,  and  straightest  course  to  ruin  their  own 
souls.  As  their  damnation  lingers  not,  so  it  will  be 
just,  because  they  run  upon  a  seen  evil.  They  de- 
serve scarce  compassion,  who  can  tell  that  he  "  who 
doth  such  things  is  guilty  of  death  ;"  and  yet  not  on- 
ly do,  «  but  take  pleasure  in  them  that  do  them." 
To  endeavour  to  make  a  discovery  of  such  persons, 
by  an  application  of  narrow  and  searching  marks, 
were  as  if  we  did  busy  ourselves  in  separating  huge 
stones  from  corn  by  a  fine  sieve,  when  it  were  much 
more  easily  done  with  the  hand.    These  we  set  aside 


MAK?S   RECOVERY   3Y   FAITH   IS   CHRIST.         2S 

in  the  entry,  because  their  sins  go  before  them  into 
judgment.  But  besides  these  notorious  sinners,  there 
are  others  who  are  no  less  strangers  to  solid  convic- 
tion than  they,  upon  whom  nevertheless  it  is  some- 
thing more  hard  to  prove  it.  x\nd  therefore,  for  the 
discovery  of  such,  we  shall  now  proceed  to  deal  a  little 
more  closely  with  your  consciences ;  and  since  your 
concernment  in  litis  matter  is  so  great,  as  we  just 
now  did  show  it  to  be,  we  beseech  vou  to  be  serious  in 
this  matter,  which  is,  past  all  peradventure,  to  turn 
either  to  your  eternal  advantage,  or  to  your  eternal 
disadvantage. 

Ye  all  do  profess  yourselves  convinced  of  sin.  But 
now,  if  it  be  so,  1  demand  of  you,  in  God's  name, 
have  ye  ever  to  this  day  been  concerned  about  salva- 
tion, or,  laid  it  to  heart  above  all  things  ?  If  ye  have 
not.  then  to  this  day  ye  have  never  been  soundly  con- 
vinced of  sin,  whatever  your  pretences  are:  and  so 
ye  are  found  liars  in  this  matter,  and  deceivers  of 
your  own  souls.  If  ye  say  ye  have  been,  or  are  seri- 
ously concerned  about  salvation,  then, 

1st,  I  interrogate  your  consciences,  and  I  demand 
ye  may  interrogate  them  with  this  question,  Can  ye 
be  satisfied  with  other  things,  while  ye  are  at  an  ut- 
ter uncertainty  about  salvation?  If  so,  if  ye  can  be 
well  pleased,  and  have  rest  in  jour  mind,  and  live 
contentedly  at  an  uncertainty  about  salvation,  provi- 
ded ye  be  in  health  of  body,  and  your  worldly  con- 
cerns thrive,  then  we  say,  ye  have  never  yet  been 
concerned  about  salvation,  and  therefore  are  yet 
strangers  to  that  sound  conviction,  without  which 
none  will  be  content  to  accept  of  Christ. 

2dhf9  I  interrogate  you  in  God's  name  upon  it, 
what  thoughts  do  ye  spend  upon  this  subject  ?  Per- 
sons who  can  spend  whole  days,  and  nights,  and 
weeks,  and  never  have  a  serious  thought  about  salva- 
tion, they  certainly  are  no!  laying  it  to  heart.  But 
that  I  may  bring  this  second  question  yet  a  little  clo- 
ser to  the  conscience,  I  shall  break  it  into  one  or  two 


2i  MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN    CHRIST. 

others  ;  and,  1. 1  interrogate  you  on  it,  what  thoughts 
do  ye  choose  ?     Persons  may  sometimes  be  oppressed 
with  thoughts  that  they  entertain  the  uttermost  aver- 
sion to  ,•  or  they  may  be  forced  from  the  thoughts 
they  would  for  ever  desire  to  dwell  upon.     A  man 
that  is  (thoroughly  awakened,  may,  by  the  impetuous 
violence  of  temptation,  or  the  inevitable  occasions  of 
life,  be  obliged,  as  it  were,    sometimes  to  intermit 
thoughts  of  salvation,  and  entertain  thoughts  about 
other  things  :  but  when  he  has  leave  to  make  choice, 
then  he  will  choose  to  think  of  salvation.     Now,  if 
you  choose  ordinarily  to  think  of  other  things  than 
of  salvation,  then  there  is  no  such  force  upon  you,  it 
discovers  you  unconcerned  about  salvation,  and  con- 
sequently strangers  to  that  solid  conviction  that  is- 
sues alwavs  in  such  a  serious  concern  as  we  have 
been  speaking  of,     2. 1  further  interrogate  you,  whe- 
ther or  not  do  the  thoughts  about  salvation  frequent- 
ly press  in  upon  you,  when  ye  are  busied  about  the 
ordinary  occasions  of  life,  when  employed  in  your  or- 
dinary occupations,  when  ye  are  working  or  conver- 
sing?    If  such  thoughts  are  never  wont  to  visit  you 
even  then,  it  is  a  sad  sign  that  ye  do  not  lay  salva- 
tion seriously  to  heart;  for  certainly  that  which  the 
mind    is    much    concerned    about,    will    frequently 
drive  the    thoughts    that  way.      3.    I  put  this  one 
question  more  to  you,  what  thoughts  are  those  on 
which  your  own  time  is  spent?     All  your  time, ye 
may  think,  is  your  own  time:  but  there  is  a  cer- 
tain portion  of  time  which  may  be  called  so  upon 
a  peculiar  account  \  such  are  those  seasons  wherein 
we  are  neither  engaged  in  business  or  in  diversion, 
as  when  we  walk  alone  in  the  fields,  when  we  sepa- 
rate ourselves  in  order  to  rest  at  night,  when  we  are 
undressing  ourselves,  or  when  we  are  waking  upon 
our  beds  in  the  night-time,  or  before  we  engage  in 
company  in  the  morning.     Now,  it  is  in  reference  to 
such  seasons   as  these  that    we    inquire   into  your 
thoughts.     If  these  seasons  be  not  employed   in 


man's  kecovery  by  faith  in  chkist.      S3 

thoughts  about  salvation,  it  is  a  sad  sign  that  ye  are 
not  in  earnest  about  it  indeed. 

3dly,  I  put  this  question  to  you,  what  are  your  de- 
sires ?  Man  is  a  desiring  creature  :  he  is  sensible  of 
self-insufficiency,  and  therefore  is  ever  desiring  and 
longing  after  some  one  thing  or  other  that  is  suited 
to  his  need,  or  at  least  which  he  thinks  to  be  so. 
Now,  what  is  it  that  ye  desire  ?  Is  it  salvation  ?  Is 
it  Christ?  It  may  be,  yc  never  have  a  desire  after 
salvation,  but  when  ye  are  laid  upon  a  sick-bed,  and 
fall  under  fears  of  death  ;  and  even  then,  where 
there  is  one  desire  for  eternal  salvation,  there  are 
many  for  freedom  from  death,  for  some  longer  life. 
Dying  David,  speaking  of  that  covenant  whereby 
salvation  was  insured  to  him,  could  call  it  all  his  de- 
sire: "  Although  my  house  be  not  so  with  God  ;  yet 
he  hath  made  with  me  an  everlasting  covenant,  or- 
dered in  all  things  and  sure  ;  for  this  is  all  my  salva- 
tion, and  all  my  desire,  although  he  make  it  not  to 
grow,*'  2  Sam.  xxiii.  5.  If  your  souls  do  not  fre- 
quently go  out  in  desires  after  God,  after  salvation, 
it  is  a  shrewd  evidence  that  ye  are  not  concerned 
about  salvation,  and  consequently  that  ye  are  not 
yet  convinced  of  sin. 

Mhhj9  Are  your  hearts  ever  affected  about  salva- 
tion ?  When  there  is  a  concern  about  any  thing  in  the 
soul  of  man*  it  never  fails  to  set  the  heart  a-work, 
and  to  fill  the  affections.  Now,  surely,  if  ye  he  in 
any  good  degree  concerned  about  salvation,  ye  will  be 
affected.  1.  Have  ye  never  any  fears  of  falling  short 
of  salvation?  "Let  us  fear,  lest  a  promise  being 
left  us  of  entering  into  his  rest,  any  of  us  should  seem 
to  come  short,"  says  the  apostle,  Heb.  iv.  1.  A 
heart  weighed,  and  really  concerned  about  salvation, 
will  see  many  grounds  to  fear  that  possibly  it  may 
lose  salvation  at  last.  The  falls  of  others,  the  diffi- 
culties and  opposition  in  the  way  to  salvation,  and  its 
own  felt  weakness,   will  ever  occasion  fear  in  the 


26  MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN    CHRIST. 

heart  about  this.  What  one  is  very  concerned  to 
have,  he  is  always  feared  to  lose.  2.  Do  ye  never 
taste  any  thing  of  the  anger  of  God  in  the  threaten- 
ings  ?  Those  that  are  concerned  about  salvation, 
get  such  a  taste  of  God's  displeasure,  as  is  wont  to 
Jill  their  hearts  with  grief  and  sorrow.  If  ye  know 
nothing  of  this,  it  looks  very  ill,  and  speaks  you  not 
duly  concerned  about  salvation.  3.  Do  ye  never  find 
any  thing  of  shame  for  sin  rising  in  your  heart  ?  If 
none  of  these  affections  be  moved,  it  is  a  sad  but  sure 
evidence  that  ye  are  not  concerned  about  salvation* 
and  consequently  that  ye  are  not  yet  solidly  convin- 
ced of  sin. 

bthlij,  Whither  runs  your  discourse  commonly  ? 
Do  ye  never  speak  of  salvation  ?  We  told  you  for- 
merly, that  when  the  heart  is  much  concerned  about 
salvation,  the  mouth  will  sometimes  be  employed  ia 
speaking  about  it.  Now,  where  runs  your  talk  com- 
monly ?  Is  there  never  a  word  of  salvation  in  your 
discourse  ?  It  is  a  sad  sign  that  ye  never  yet  were 
convinced  of  sin,  that  ye  never  yet  laid  salvation  to 
heart.  Do  not  think  that  it  will  clear  you,  to  tell 
that  ye  must  conform  your  discourse  to  the  temper 
of  those  with  whom  ye  converse  :  for  I  say,  1.  Do 
ye  never  converse  with  any  body  that  would  be  wil- 
ling to  entertain  discourse  about  salvation?  If  it 
be  so,  then  I  am  sure  it  is  choice  and  not  necessity 
makes  it  so  :  this  therefore  is  a  further  proof  of 
your  unconcernedness  about  salvation,  ye  slight  the 
converse  of  such  as  may  help  you.  2.  Are  ye  never  in 
a  company  where  ye  may  lead  the  discourse  ?  If  ye 
be  a  master  of  a  family,  a  parent,  or  any  superior,  I 
am  sure  amongst  your  inferiors  ye  may  have  the 
leading  of  the  discourse  :  nay,  though  ye  be  the  ser- 
vants, ye  may  some  time  or  other  have  as  fair 
a  pretence  to  prescribe  to  others  the  subject  of  dis- 
course, as  they  have  to  prescribe  to  you.  3.  If  ye 
shift  the  evidence  of  all  this,  I  shall  put  here  a  ques- 
tion or  two  to  yoi^  which  will,  if  faithfully  applied; 


man's  recovery  BY  FAITH  IN  CHRIST.        27 

Kiake  a  discovery  of  you  in  this  matter.  And,  (1.) 
Do  ye  not  weary  of  the  company,  and  of  the  discourse 
that  has  no  respect  to  salvation  ?  (2.)  Is  it  not  a  re- 
straint upon  you,  when  ye  are  kept  from  discoursing 
of  salvation?  If  ye  be  really  concerned  about  it,  I 
am  sure  it  will  be  so  sometimes  with  you.  But  I  pro- 
ceed ;  and,  in  the 

6th  Place,  I  put  the  question  to  you,  what  dili- 
gence is  there  in  using  the  means  of  salvation?  No 
man  that  understands  either  scripture  or  reason,  can 
think  the  man  concerned  about  salvation  that  useth 
not  the  means  of  salvation.  Now,  because  I  judge 
that  here  we  may  meet  with  not  a  few  of  you,  I  shall 
descend  to  particulars,  and  deal  plainly  with  you 
about  this  matter.  The  means  of  salvation  are  of 
three  sorts,  secret,  private,  and  public.  Now,  I  will 
put  some  questions  to  you  in  reference  to  each  of 
them. 

I  begin  with  those  which  we  call  secret  ;  and  of 
ihem  I  shall  only  name  secret  reading  of  the  scrip- 
tures, and  prayer,  Lev.  xviii.  5.  Rom.  x.  13.;  and 
in  reference  to  those  I  shall  put  two  or  three  ques- 
tions to  you.  And,  1.  Are  ye  neglecters  of  secret 
prayer?  Can  ye  rise  in  the  morning,  and  go  to  your 
work,  and  never  bow  a  knee  to  God  ?  To  such  we 
dare  say  confidently,  ye  were  never  yet  concerned 
about  your  soul's  salvation.  2.  Are  ye  ever  concern- 
ed to  know  what  success  ye  have  in  your  prayers  ? 
Most  part  deal,  I  fear,  by  their  prayers,  as  some  un- 
natural parents  do  by  their  children  ;  they  lay  them 
down  to  others,  and  never  inquire  what  becomes  of 
them, whether  (hey  die  or  live:  which  argues  that  they 
are  not  in  earnest  in  them.  We  ever  find  the  saints 
recorded  in  scripture  in  earnest  about  the  accept- 
ance and  success  of  their  prayers.  3.  Are  all  your 
secret  prayers  confined  to  stated  times,!  t  may  be  morn- 
ing and  evening?  Or  are  you  frequently  breathing 
out  your  desires  in  ejaculations?  If  ye  neglect  these 
it  is  a  sad  sign  ye  are  not  concerned  about  salvation. 


28         MANfS    RECOVERY   BY    FAITH    IN    eilUIST 

Ejaculations,  I  may  say,  are  the  genuine  effect  of 
concern  about  salvation.  Here  I  do  not  approve  of 
those  common  forms  that  people  use,  to  (he  great 
scandal  of  religion  and  offence  of  God,  God  save  us, 
The  Lord  deliver  us,  upon  every  turn.  These  sure- 
ly argue  want  of  concern  about  salvation,  and  want 
of  due  respect  to  God.  Persons  duly  concerned  about 
salvation  will  speak  of  God  with  more  fear  and  dread, 
than  is  commonly  in  these  expressions,  which,  as  they 
are  used,  are  certainly  a  palpable  breach  of  the  third 
command.  But  when  I  speak  of  ejaculations,  I  mean 
thereby,  affectionate  and  reverend  desires  sent  up  to 
God  about  salvation  :  and  I  believe  there  shall  scarce 
be  found  any  really  concerned  about  salvation,  who  are 
utter  strangers  to  them.  4.  Do  ye  neglect  the  reading 
of  the  word  of  God,  or  do  ye  not  ?  Such  of  you  as 
will  not  be  at  pains  to  learn  to  read  the  word  of  God, 
lean  scarce  think  you  in  earnest  concerned  about  sal- 
vation, since  ye  neglect  so  necessary  a  mean :  at  least 
I  think  ye  have  need  to  be  very  sure  of  the  grounds  ye 
lean  upon,  if  ye  conclude  yourself  really  concerned 
about  it,  while  ye  neglect  this  duty.  When  people 
are  not  at  pains  to  read,  or  take  not  care  to  get  the 
scripture  read  to  them  in  secret ;  if  through  age  they 
be  incapable,  it  is  a  sad  sign  of  want  of  concern  about 
salvation.  I  would  desire  you  to  consider  seriously, 
that  one  command  given  by  God  to  his  church  of  old, 
"  He  gave  them  his  laws  and  his  statutes,  which  if  a 
man  do,  he  shall  even  live  in  them/'  Lev.  xviii.  h* 
And  he  gives  them  a  peremptory  command  how  to 
use  them,  Deut.  xi.  18. — 20.  "  Ye  shall  lay  up  these 
my  words  in  your  heart,  and  in  your  soul,  and  bind 
them  for  a  sign  upon  your  hand,  that  they  may  be  as 
frontlets  between  your  eyes  ;  and  ye  shall  teach  them 
your  children,  speaking  of  them  when  thou  sit  test  in 
thine  house,  and  when  thou  walkest  iy  the  way,  when 
thou  liest  down,  and  when  thou  risest  up;  and  thou 
shalt  write  them  upon  the  door  posts  of  thine  house, 
and  upon  thy  gates."     Every  where  they  were  to 


MANfS   ItECOVEUY    EY    FAITH    IN    CHRIST.        2% 

have  the  law  of  God  along  with  then?.  How  they 
can  be  concerned  duly  about  salvation,  who  neglect 
the  use  of  that  which  God  commands,  and  commands 
so  peremptorily,  I  do  not  well  understand.  &.  Do 
ye  lake  heed  to  what  ye  read  ?  Bo  ye  learn  to  do  all 
the  words  of  the  Lord  ?  or  do  ye  endeavour  to  under- 
stand what  ye  read  ?  In  a  word,  are  ye  affected  with 
what  ye  read,  or  are  ye  not  ?  If  ye  be  not,  then  it  is 
evidence  enough  that  ye  are  not  concerned  seriously 
about  salvation  :  so  that  ye  are  not  solidly  convinced  of 
sin.  If  ye  either  neglect  the  use  of  these  means  of 
salvation,  or  prove  unconcerned  as  to  the  success  of 
your  use  of  them,  it  is  undoubtedly  sure  that  yet. ye 
have  not  laid  salvation  to  heart.  I  do  not  indeed  say, 
but  even  the  children  of  God  may  be  more  remiss  at 
some  times  than  at  other  times,  bat  entirely  to  ne- 
glect, or  prove  unconcerned,  they  cannot,  nor  indeed 
can  any  that  is  laying  salvation  to  heart.     But, 

I  come,  in  the  second  place,  to  inquire  into  your 
diligence  in  your  families.  And  here  I  shall  say  only 
two  things.  1.  This  concern  about  salvation  will 
make  those  who  have  families  careful  in  the  per- 
formance of  family  duties,  and  those  who  are  mem- 
bers of  families  careful  in  attendance  upon  them. 
When  once  a  man  is  serious  about  salvation,  he  will 
be  sure  to  set  about  those  duties  which  may  any 
way  contribute  to  his  safety  and  establishment.  2. 
When  a  person  is  once  concerned  about  salvation, 
then  there  will  some  regard  be  had  to  the  success  of 
such  duties,  that  is,  such  a  one  will  take  care  to  know 
whether  he  is  better  or  worse  by  the  duties  he  fol- 
lows. Now,  bring  these  two  home  to  your  con- 
sciences :  and  let  me  ask  you.  what  conscience  ye 
make  of  performing  or  of  attending  to  these  duties? 
If  ye  either  neglect  them,  or  turn  indifferent  as  to 
the  success  of  them,  past  all  peradventure,  ye  are  in 
a  dangerous  condition.  A  man  that  sees  himself  in 
a  state  of  misery,  and  thinks  seriously  of  salvation, 
mil  not  be  content  to  trifle  in  these  duties  which  have  ss 

P 


30         MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY    FAITH    IN    CnRISTc 

immediate,  so  remarkable  an  influence  upon  his  eter- 
nal condition.  If  he  neglects  them,  then  he  lies  open 
to  the  fury  of  God,  which,  according  to  the  prophet 
Jeremiah's  prayer,  will  fall  upon  the  "  heathen,  and 
the  families  that  call  not  upon  the  name  of  God/' 
Psalm,  Ixxix.  6.  Jer.  x.  25.  If  he  prove  remiss,  he 
falls  under  the  wo  denounced  against  the  deceiver, 
Mai.  i.  14.  «  Cursed  be  the  deceiver,  which  hath  in 
his  flock  a  male,  and  voweth  and  saerifieeth  unto 
the  Lord  a  corrupt  thing/'  And  he  thinks  his  case 
hard  enough  already,  without  the  addition  of  that 
new  wrath. 

The  last  sort  of  means  of  salvation  are  such  as  are 
called  public.  A  concern  about  salvation  will  disco- 
ver itself  in  reference  to  these  many  ways;  of  which 
we  shall  only  name  two  or  three.  1.  It  will  make 
ns  lay  hold  upon  every  opportunity  of  this  sort.  A  man 
that  is  in  great  danger,  arid  knows  himself  to  be  so? 
will  be  sure  to  frequent  those  places  which  promise 
his  safety.  2.  It  will  be  a  satisfaction  and  matter  tif 
joy  to  him,  that  there  are  any  such  opportunities,  and 
that  his  case  is  not  entirely  desperate  and  hopeless.  3. 
When  he  comes  to  them,  he  will  still  have  salvation  m 
his  eye,  and  will  greedily  look  what  aspect  every  thing 
he  hears  and  sees  has  upon  his  own  salvation.  4.  He  will 
not  be  satisfied  with  any  thing,  unless  he  see  how  he 
may  be  saved.  Now,  is  this  your  carriage  when  ye 
pretend  to  be  concerned  about  salvation?  Do  ye 
with  satisfaction  embrace  every  opportunity  of  the  or- 
dinances? Do  ye  "joy  when  they  say  to  you,  Let  us 
go  up  to  the  house  of  God  1"  Do  ye  keep  your  eye  fix- 
ed upon  salvation  ?  Or  are  ye  more  intent  upon  other 
things?  This  is  a  good  way  to  know  whether  ye  be 
concerned  about  salvation  or  not.  Now,  to  conclude 
this  mark,  I  say,  that  if  ye  do  neglect,  or  carelessly 
use  the  means  of  salvation,  whether  private,  secret, 
or  public,  it  discovers  your  uneoncernedness  about 
salvation.  A  man  that  has  fallen  into  the  sea,  and  is 
in  hazard  of  drowning,  will  haste  towards  every  thing 


MANfS   RECOVERY    EY    FAITH    IN    CHRIST.         31 

that  may  contribute  to  his  safety  ;  and  when  he  comes 
near  the  shore,  he  will  not  spend  time  in  observing 
the  form  of  the  shore,  but  its  usefulness  to  him  :  So 
a  man  thai  sees  himself  in  danger  of  sinking  in  the 
wrath  of  God,  will  look  to  all  the  means  of  salvation  ; 
and  that  which  his  eye  will  fix  principally  upon,  will 
certainly  be  their  usefulness  to  himself?  That  duty, 
and  that  way  and  manner  of  performing  it,  that  levels 
most  directly  at  his  salvation,  will  please  him  best* 
I  shall,  in  the 

7th  and  last  place,  put  this  one  question  more  home 
to  you  for  trial.  Will  small  and  inconsiderable  diffi- 
culties make  you  lay  aside  thoughts  of  salvation,  or 
the  use  of  the  means?  If  so,  it  is  a  sad  sign  that  ye 
are  not  yet  arrived  at  that  concern  which  is  the  fruit 
of  sound  conviction.  One  that  is  soundly  convinced 
of  sin,  and  is  thence  induced  to  lay  salvation  to  heart 
will  not  stop  at  any  thing  he  meets  with  in  his  way  : 
for  he  can  see  no  lion  in  the  way,  that  is  so  terrible 
as- that  wrath  of  God  he  sees  pursuing  him;  nor  can 
he  hear  of  any  enjoyment,  to  make  him  turn  back 
again,  that  is  so  valuable  as  that  salvation  he  seeks 
after.  All  hindrances  that  ye  can  meet  with  in  the 
way  to  Heaven,  I  mean  such  as  are  proposed  for  Na- 
tional inducements  to  persuade  you  to  give  over,  may 
be  reduced  to  one  or  two.  The  tempter  must  either 
say,  Desist  and  quit  thoughts  of  salvation;  for  ye 
will  run  a  great  hazard  if  ye  step  one  step  further; 
or  if  ye  will  desist,  ye  shall  have  this  advantage  or 
the  other.  But  a  solidly  convinced  sinner  has  two 
questions  that  are  enough  for  ever  to  confound  and 
silence  such  proposals.  (1.)  Ye  tell  me,  that  if  I 
hold  on,  I  shall  meet  with  such  a  hazard  ;  I  must  be 
undervalued,  reproached,  opposed,  and,  in  fine,  meet 
with  all  the  ill  treatment  that  the  devil,  the  world  and 
sin  can  give  me?  But  now,  Satan,  I  have  one  ques- 
tion to  propose  to  you  here:  Arc  all  these,  taken  to- 
gether, as  ill  as  damnation  ?  if  not,  then  I  will  hold 
ca.     But  whereas,  O  tempter,  (2.)  Ye  say,  that  I 


32        MAN'S    ItECOVEKY   BY    FAITH    IN    CUMST. 

shall  get  this  pleasure  or  the  other,  if  I  desist  and 
quit  the  way  that  I  have  espoused,  I  ask  you,  Is  that 
pleasure  as  good  as  eternal  salvation  ?  or  will  it  make 
damnation  tolerable?  These  two  questions  make  a 
soul,  that  is  really  concerned  about  salvation,  hold  on 
in  the  diligent  use  of  means.  A  man,  if  ever  he  run, 
will  then  run,  when  he  has  happiness  in  his  eye,  and 
misery  pursuing  him;  and  thus  it  is  with  every  sin- 
ner that  is  thoroughly  awakened,  and  lays  salvation 
to  heart ;  therefore  it  is  no  wonder  such  a  one 
refuse  to  be  discouraged,  or  give  over,  whatever  he 
meets  with  in  the  way.  But  now7,  are  there  not  among 
you,  not  a  few  who  will  be  startled  at  the  least  diffi- 
culty, and  quit  thoughts  of  the  means  of  salvation, 
for  very  trifles  ?  This  is  a  sad  evidence  that  ye  are 
not  indeed  solidly  convinced  of  sin. 

Now,  I  have  shortly  run  through  these  particulars  ; 
and,  in  the  conclusion,  I  inquire  of  every  one  of  you, 

1st,  Have  ye  applied  these  marks  to  your  own  con- 
sciences, as  we  went  through  them  ?  or,have  you 
carelessly  heard  them,  as  if  ye  had  no  concernment 
in  them?  To  such  of  you  as  have  not  applied  them, 
I  say  only,  in  so  many  words,  (1.)  If  ye  will  not 
ju'lge  yourselves,  ye  shall  surely  he  condemned  of  the 
Lord.  When  persons  will  not  try  their  case,  it  is  a 
sure  sign  that  matters  are  not  right  with  them.  (2.) 
We  may  safely  enough  determine,  that  ye  are  uncon- 
cerned about  salvation,  and  fast  asleep  in  your  sins, 
nay,  dead  in  them.  (3.)  Ye  will  come  to  such  a  sen- 
sible determination  of  your  estate,  ere  it  he  long,  as 
will  force  you  to  think  upon  these  things  with  serious- 
ness, but  not  with  satisfaction.  But  to  sudh  as  have 
jbeen  applying  these  marks  as  we  went  along,  in  the 

%H  place,  I  propose  this  question,  do  you  find  upon 
trial,  that  ye  have  indeed  been  laying  salvation  to 
heart  above  all  things,  or  that  yet  ye  are  not  in  ear- 
nest about  it  ?  I  beg  it  of  you,  nay,  I  beseech  you,  to 
deal  impartially  with  your  own  souls;  and  lam  sure 
ye  may  come  to  understand  how  it  is  with  you.  This 


MAX  S    RECOVERY    BY     FAITH    IN    CHRIST.         §5 

question,  if  fairly  applied,  will  divide  you  info  two 
sorts,  1.  Such  as  are  not  laying  salvation  to  heart, 
and  so  have  not  been  convinced  of  sin.  2.  Such  as 
are  really  concerned  about  salvation,  and  are  with  the 
jailor,  saying,  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved6} 

I  shall  conclude  this  doctrine  in  a  short  address  to 
these  two  sorts  of  persons;  and  then  proceed  to  the 
apostle's  answer  to  the  jailor's  question, 

I  begin  with  the  first.  Such  of  you  as  are  not 
convinced  of  sin,  and  therefore  do  not  lay  salvation  to 
heart.  Are  there  any  such  miserable  wretches  here, 
after  all  that  has  been  said  ?  No  doubt  there  are  ;  and 
I  fear  that  the  most  part  are  such.     To  you  I  say, 

1.  Whence  is  it  that  ye  are  not  convinced  of  your 
sin  and  misery,  which  has  been  so  plainly,  and  at  so 
great  length,  inculcated  upon  you  ?  Surely  it  must  be 
upon  one  of  three  accounts  ;  either^rst,  Ye  have  not 
heeded  what  has  been  said  ;  or,  secondly,  Ye  have  not 
believed  it ;  or,  thirdly,  Ye  have  some  one  false  de- 
fence or  other,  unto  which  ye  lean.  Now,  because 
this  is  a  matter  of  no  small  moment,  both  to  you  and 
us,  we  shall  here  discourse  a  little  of  these  three.  It 
is  of  great  moment  to  you  to  be  undeceived  here, 
because  a  deceit  here  will  ruin  you  eternally  ;  and  it 
is  of  great  moment  to  us,  because,  unless  we  get  you 
undeceived  in  this  matter,  we  lose  all  our  pains  in 
holding  forth  Christ,  and  the  way  of  salvation  by 
him.  Persons  who  arc  not  convinced  of  sin,  will, 
past  all  peradventure,  make  light  of  Christ,  and  re- 
fuse him. 

(1.)  Then,  I  shall  speak  a  word  to  such  as  have 
not  taken  heed  to,  or  regarded  what  has  been  said  for 
their  conviction.  I  make  no  doubt  but  there  are 
some  such  here,  whose  hearts  have  been,  with  the 
fool's  eyes,  in  the  corners  of  the  earth,  and  who  have 
scarce  been  thinking  all  the  while  what  they  were 
hearing,  Your  consciences  can  tell  you  whether 
this  has  been  your  practice;  and  if  it  has,  then  I  say, 
4.  It  is  indeed  no  wonder  that  ye  do  not  lay  salva- 

P2 


5$  MAN*S   KECOVEHY   BI   FAITH   IN    CHRIST. 

lion  to  heart,  that  ye  are  not  convinced  of  sin  ;  since 
ye  will  not  hear  what  will  serve  for  conviction,  and 
is  designed  that  way.  2.  "Do  ye  thus  requite  the 
Lord,  O  foolish  and  unwise  ?"  Has  God  condescend- 
ed so  far  to  you,  that  he  has  sent  his  servants  to  yon, 
and  ye  will  not  he  at  the  pains  to  give  them  a  hear- 
ing ?  How  do  ye  think  would  your  master  or  your  ru- 
ler take  it,  should  ye  deal  thus  by  him  ?  If  when  lie 
were  speaking  to  you,  either  himself  or  by  his  ser- 
vants, ye  were  turning  away  your  ear  from  him  ; 
would  he  not  resent  it  highly?  And  has  God  any 
reason  to  bear  with  an  indignity  at  your  hand,  that 
your  master  would  not  suffer?  3.  Ye  have  reason 
to  admire  that  he  has  not  turned  you  before  now  into 
hell.  This  would  effectually  have  convinced  you, 
and  repaired  the  lessened  honour,  the  injured  glory  of 
God.  4.  I  say  to  you,  ye  have  lost  an  opportunity  ; 
and  none  can  assure  yon  that  ever  ye  shall  have  the 
like  again.  God  may  give  over  striving  with  you, 
and  never  more  attempt  your  conviction  :  and  wo  to 
you  when  he  departs  from  you.  5.  I  say,  ye  have 
slighted  God's  command,  which  enjoins  you  to  "  take 
heed  how  ye  hear,  and  what  ye  hear/'  Mark  iv.  c2%. 
Luke  viii.  18.  It  is  not  for  nothing  that  our  Lord 
enjoins  both  to  observe  the  matter  and  manner  of 
healing ;  as  he  gave  those  commands,  so  he  will 
take  care  that  they  be  not  slighted.  He  will  avenge 
himself  of  those  who  despise  his  authority  in  them. 
And  therefore  I  say,  6.  If  ye  refuse  a  little  longer 
to  hear,  then  it  is  like,  nay,  it  is  certain,  he  will  speak 
to  you  himself,  and  make  you  take  heed,  if  not  to 
what  you  hear,  yet  to  what  ye  shall  feel,  to  your 
eternal  disquietment :  he  will  speak  to  you  in  wrath, 
and  vex  you  in  his  hot  displeasure.  A  remarkable 
scripture  to  this  purpose  we  have,  Ezek.  xiv.  7. 
"For  every  one  of  the  bouse  of  Israel,  or  of  the 
stranger  that  sojourneth  in  Israel,  which  separated* 
himself  from  me,  and  sets  up  his  idols  in  his  heart, 
uitctli  V:^  stsmblMg-block  of  his  iniquity  be- 


MAN*a    RECOVER*    Bl' FAITH   IN    CHRIST.         35 

lore  his  face*  and  comet h  to  a  prophet  to  inquire  of 
him  concerning  me,  I  the  Lord  will  answer  him  by 
myself!"  A  set  of  people  (here  was  in  this  prophet's 
days,  who  were  his  hearers  ;  and  they  came  under 
pretence  of  hearing  or  inquiring  into  the  mind  of 
God  :  but  they  were  but  mocking  God,  as  ye  have 
done,  and  did  not  regard  what  was  said  to  them  by 
the  prophet.  Well,  the  Lord  will  no  more  deal  with 
them  by  the  prophet,  but  will  take  them  into  his  own 
immediate  hand,  and  deal  with  them  by  himself. 
The  words  in  the  first  language  run  thus  :  "  I  the 
Lord  ;  it  shall  be  answered  to  him  in  me.  I  will  not 
let  any  answer  him  but  invself."  As  if  he  had  said. 
My  servants  are  too  mild  to  deal  with  such  wretches 
as  mock  me;  I  will  not  answer  them  any  more  with 
words  :  I  will  give  over  speaking  to  them,  and  will 
answer  them  by  deeds,  and  that  not  of  mercy,  but  of 
judgment.  Now,  think  on  it  in  time,  how  terrible 
your  condition  is  like  to  be,  if  God  shall  say  to  you, 
I  have  spoken  to  these  wretches,  and  laid  their  sin 
before  them,  by  my  servants  ;  but  their  hearts  have 
been  so  taken  up  with  their  idols,  that  they  have  not 
heeded  them  :  I  will  therefore  speak  to  them  by  ter- 
rible deeds,  6S  I  will  set  my  face  against  them,  and 
will  make  them  a  sign  and  a  proverb;  and  I  will 
cut  them  off  from  the  midst  of  my  people  ;  and  ye 
shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord,"  as  it  follows  in  ver. 
8.  of  that  forecited  chapter.  I  leave  you  to  think 
upon  these  things,  and  proceed. 

(2.)  To  speak  to  such  as  therefore  are  not  con- 
vinced, because  they  did  not  believe  what  they  have 
heard  upon  this  head.  I  make  no  doubt  that  there 
are  not  a  few  such  here  ;  nay,  I  may  say,  that  all 
who  are  not  convinced,  and  awakened  to  a  serious 
consideration  of  their  state  and  condition,  owe  their 
security  and  unconcernedness  to  this  woful  unbelief, 
that  is  a  sin  pregnant  with  all  other  sins,  that  alone 
has  in  it  whatever  is  hateful  to  God,  or  destructive 
to  the  soul  of  man.    To  such  as  have  heard,  but  do 


36  MAN'S    RECOVERY   BY    FAITH   IN    CHRIST. 

not  believe,  we  say,  1.  Ye  have  not  refused  our  tes- 
timony, but  the  testimony  of  God,  who  cannot  lie : 
and  he  that  believeth  not  the  record  of  God,  hath 
made  him  a  liar ;  than   which  none  can  charge  a 
greater  impiety  upon  the  holy  God,  who  values  him- 
self upon  this,  that  he  cannot  lie,  which  is  peculiar 
to  God  only ;  for  however  there  be  of  the  creatures 
thai  do  not  lie,  yet  of  none  of  them  can  it  he  said, 
that  they  cannot  lie ;  this  is  God's  sole  prerogative. 
2.  Ye  have  shut  your  eyes  upon  clear  light.     Your 
sin  and  misery  have  been  set  before  you  in  the  clear- 
est light,  the  light  of  God's  word.     The  matter  has 
not  been  minced,  but  ye  have  been  plainly  and  freely 
dealt   with    upon   this  head  :  therefore   ye   need  to 
look  well  to  yourselves,  that  God  strike  you  not  ju- 
dicially blind.     This  he  is  frequently  wont  to  do  to 
those  who  resist  clear  light  ;  he  leaves  them  to  Sa- 
tan, the  god  of  this  world,   to  blind  their  eyes,  and 
gives  them  up  to  "  strong  delusions  to  believe  lies, 
that  they  may  all  be  damned  that  believe  not."     3. 
We  did  call  in  heaven  and  hell,  the  Creator  and  the 
whole  creation,  as  witnesses  of  that  certain  and  sad 
truth,  that  man  has  "  sinned  and  come  short  of  the 
glory  of  God."     I  know  not  one  witness  more  but 
sense  ;  and  since  no  less  is  like  to  do,  take  care  that 
sense  of  misery  do  not    convince  you  of  its  truth. 
Hell  will  make  you.  even  the  most  incredulous"  of 
you,  believe,  and  tremble  too,  as  the  devils  and  dam- 
ned do. 

(3.)  I  come  now  to  discourse  those  who  therefore 
are  not  convinced  of  sin,  or  induced  10  lay  salvation 
to  heart,  notwithstanding  the  pains  taken  on  them, 
because  they  have  defended  themselves  against  the 
force  of  the  truths  proposed,  by  some  shifts,  which 
upon  occasion  they  use  for  quieting  or  keeping  quiet 
their  consciences,  Of  this  sort  I  fear  there  are  ma- 
ny, too  many  here  present ;  and  therefore  I  shall 
deal  more  particularly  and  closely  with  such.  We 
have  laid  before  you  all  your  sin  and  misery  j  but 


MAN'S    RECOVERY   BY    FAITH    IN    CHRIST.         37 

few  are  yet  awakened  $  few  say  with  the  jailor  in  the 
text,  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  3  Whence  is  it  so? 
Has  not  sin  been  laid  open  to  your  view  ?  Has  not 
the  sad  but  certain  truth,  that  "  all  have  sinned,  and 
come  short  of  the  glory  of  God,'5  been  plainly  de- 
monstrated from  many  ineontestible  evidences?  Nay 
more,  has  not  the  particular  concernment  of  every 
one  of  us  in  this  truth  been  plainly  unfolded  ?  Yes,  no 
doubt ;  but  whenee  is  it,  then,  that  the  most  part  are 
so  secure?  that  there  is  so  little  fear  of  hell,  wrath, 
and  damnation,  amongst  us  ?  Are  there  none  here 
who  have  reason  to  fear  it  ?  No  doubt,  there  are 
many,  too  many  such  amongst  us :  but  here  it  lies, 
when  the  truth  is  pressed  home  upon  the  conscience, 
we  have  a  strange  way  of  putting  divine  truths  away 
from  us.  Now,  I  shall  lay  open  the  nakedness  of 
these  fences,  behind  which  most  of  us  screen  our- 
selves from  convictions. 

1.  When  sin  and  misery  are  discovered,  some 
there  are,  amongst  the  hearers  of  the  gospel,  who 
take  with  the  charge.  If  we  say  to  them, as  Nathan 
did  to  David,  in  the  application  of  the  parable,  Thou 
art  the  man,  thou  art  the  woman,  that  has  sinned, 
that  art  in  danger  of  the  eternal  wrath  of  God.  O  ! 
then  answers  the  sinner,  it  is  very  true  what  ye  tell ;  I 
have  sinned;  and,  God  be  merciful  to  us,  we  are  all 
sinnrrs ;  I  hope  God  will  be  merciful  tome.  And 
there  the  wound  is  skinned  over  as  soon  as  made, 
and  the  person  is  healed.  This  is  the  refuge  to  which 
many  of  you  betake  yourselves.  But  we  shall  pur- 
sue you  to  the  horns  of  God's  altar,  and  fetch  you 
down  thence.  Ye  say,  God  is  merciful.  I  say,  (1.) 
It  is  very  true,  he  is  so.  The  Lord  has  long  since 
proclaimed  his  name,  "  The  Lord,  the  Lord  God, 
merciful  and  gracious;  and  he  delights  in  such  as 
hope  in  his  mercy,?  Psal.  cxlvii.  11.  But,  (2.) 
Notwithstanding  oftbe  mercy  of  God,  there  are  but 
few  that  shall  be  saved,  Luke  xiii.  23.  Now,  who 
has  told  you,  that  ye  shall  be  among  that  few  ?     Ye 


38         MAN'S   HECOVEitr    BY   FAITH   IN    CHRIST, 

say,  ye  hope  to  be  among  that,  few  who  shall  find  mer- 
cy ;  and  I  fear  ye  shall  not.  Now,  whether  are  your 
hopes  or  my  fears  best  grounded  ?  I  can  give  some 
account  of  my  fears  ;  but  I. doubt  if  ye  can  give  any 
of  your  hopes.  I  say,  I  fear  that  many  of  you  will  be 
damned  ;  for,  as  I  said  before,  there  are  but  few  that 
shall  be  saved  ;  and  these  few  are  all  penitent  sin- 
ners, who  have  been  convinced  of  sin  and  misery, 
and  have  laid  salvation  to  heart  above  all  things,  and 
have  accepted  ot  Christ  upon  the  gospel-terms. 
Now,  it  is  obvious  that  there  are  but  very  few  of  you 
of  this  sort;  and  our  Lord  has  said  positively, 
**  That  he  who  belie  vet  h  not,  shall  not  see  Hfe,  but 
shall  be  damned."  Now,  where  are  the  grounds  of 
your  hopes  ?  Ye  say,  God  is  merciful ;  and  I  an- 
swer, he  is  just  also  ;  and  his  justice  has  as  fair  a 
plea  against  you,  as  his  mercy  has  for  you.  Ye  say, 
he  has  saved  some  sinners,  and  therefore  hope  he 
will  have  mercy  upon  you.  I  answer,  he  has  damn- 
ed more  than  lie  has  had  mercy  upon  ;  and  there* 
fore  he  may  deal  so  with  you  too.  O  but,  say  ye,  I 
cannot  think  that  God  will  be  so  eruej  as  to  damn 
me.  I  answer,  what  mora  cruelty  will  it  be  to 'damn 
yq$3,  than  to  damn  the  heathen  world  ?  What  more 
cruelty  to  damn  you,  than  to  damn  the  generality  of 
unbelievers,  which  make  the  far  greater  part  of  the 
hearers  of  the  gospel  ?  In  fine,  is  it  cruelty  to  damn 
you,  who  have  innumerable  sins,  when  it  was  none, 
God  thought  it  none,  to  send  so  many  angels  into 
hell  for  one  sin  ?  Is  it  cruelty  to  punish  you,  who  have 
neglected  the  means  of  salvation,  when  others  have 
been  damned  that  never  had  them  ?  Who  would  say 
the  prince  were  cruel,  or  wanted  mercy,  who  caused 
to  be  executed  the  threatened  punishment  against 
obstinate  offenders  ?  Now,  where  are  all  your  hopes 
from  the  mercy  of  God  ?  I  tell  you,  there  are  thou- 
sands this  day  in  hell,  who  have  been  ruined  by  such 
presumptuous  hopes  of  mercy ;  and  I  fear  there  are 
many  more  who  shall  be  so,  ere  all  be  done. 


MAN?S    RECOVERY   BY  T?AITH   IN    CHRIST.  39 

2.  Others,  again,  when  beat  from  1  his  defence,  be- 
take themselves  (o  another  not  one  whit  better  :  O, 
say  they,  we  are  in  no  danger,  for  we  believe  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  I  answer,  (I..)  It  is  very  true, 
they  who  do  believe  are  indeed  out  of  all  hazard. 
But  I  say,  (2.)  Are  ye  sure  ye  believe  ?  Many  have 
been  mistaken  ;  and  are  ye  sure  that  ye  are  in  the 
right.  The  foolish  virgins  thought  themselves  be- 
lievers, and,  it  may  be,  went  a  further  length  than  yc 
can  pretend  to  have  gone  ;  as  ye  may  see,  if  ye  look 
to  the  parable,  Matth.  xxv.  1.  They  had  professions, 
they  had  lamps;  upon  the  bridegroom's  call,  they 
awake,  and  endeavour  to  trim  their  lamps  to  make 
them  shine  ;  they  are  convinced  of  the  want  of  oil, 
and  endeavour  to  get  it  ;  and  yet  were  eternally  shut 
out  from  the  presence  of  God.  Now,  with  what  face 
dare  any  of  you  pretend  to  believe,  when  ye  come  not 
up  that  length  that  we  have  just  now  let  you  see 
others  come  and  yet  perish  ?  Are  there  not  among 
you,  who  will  say  ye  believe,  and  yet  can  get  drunk, 
can  swear,  mock  religion,  and  entertain  a  heart  ha- 
tred at  such  as  go  beyond  you  in  strictness,  can  ridi- 
cule them*  and  call  them  hypocrites  ?  I  fear  there 
may  be  some  such  amongst  you.  I  tell  you,  ye  have 
no  faith  but  such  as  may  go  to  hell  with  you.  "  Faith 
works  by  love  ;"  it  is  a  heart-purifying  grace,  and 
discovers  itself  by  a  course  of  obedience,  according 
to  that  of  the  apostle  James,  "Shew  me  thy  faith 
without  thy  works,  and  I  will  shew  thee  my  faith  by 
my  works,'5  James  ii.  18.  (3.)  Ye  say  ye  believe. 
When  did  ye  believe  ?  Did  ye  always  believe!  Yes, 
we  always  did  believe.  Say  ye  so?  O  horrid  igno- 
rance !  Ye  say,  ye  did  always  believe.  I  say,  ye  did 
never  to  this  day  believe  ;  for  we  are  not  born  believ- 
ers, but  unbelievers  ;  and  if  ye  think  that  ye  did  al- 
ways believe,  it  is  proof  enough,  that  to  this  day  ye 
are  strangers  to  the  precious  faith  of  God's  elect.  I 
shall  not  at  present  insist  in  discovering  the  folly  of 
such  a  pretence  to  faith,  because  I  shall  have  oeca- 


40        MAN?S   KECOVEHY    BY   FAITH   1ST    CHRIST. 

sios,  if  the  Lord  will,  afterwards  to  discourse  more 
at  length  of  faith,  and  of  the  difference  betwixt  h 
and  those  counterfeits  of  it,  whereon  many  do  rely, 
Only  I  say  at  present,  that  where  faith  is,  it  will  lead 
to  concern  about  salvation,  and  will  lay  hold  upon  the 
discoveries  of  sin;  and  that  faith  which  is  not  endea- 
vouring to  get  the  soul  in  which  it  dwells  more  and 
more  convinced  of,  and  humbled  for  sin,  is  to  be  sus- 
pected. 

3.  When  sin  is  held  forth,  and  the  law  preached, 
then  others  will  shelter  themselves  under  the  fig  leaf 
of  their  own  blameless  walk.     Come  to  some  of  those 
who  have  all  their  days  lived  in  a  state  of  estrange- 
ment and  alienation  from  God,  and  interrogate  them, 
when  they  lie  upon  a  sick-bed,  or  a  death  bed,  as  to 
their  state,  they  will  say,  they  hope  all  is  well ;  they 
shall  be  saved,  they  never  did  any  body  ill ;  and  there- 
fore they  never  feared  the  wrath  of  God.     Wo  is  me, 
that  there  is  any  so  grossly  ignorant,  in  a  church  that 
has  been  blessed  with  more  clear  and  satisfying  dis- 
coveries of  God's  mind  and  will,  than  most  churches 
in  the  world.     Ye  say,  ye  have  done  no  man  any  in- 
jury, and  therefore  ye  will  be  saved.     I  answer,  ye 
have  injured  God,  and  therefore  ye  will  be  damned. 
Ye  say,  ye  have  injured  no  man.     I  answer,  ye  un- 
derstand not  well  what  ye  say,   otherwise  ye  should 
not  have  the  confidence  to  talk  at  the  rate  ye  do. 
(1.)  Ye  have  injured  all  with  whom  ye  have  convers- 
ed, in  whom  ye  are  concerned,  in  as  far  as  ye  have 
not  laid  out  yourself  in  paying  the  debt  ye  owe  them. 
Love  is  a  debt  we  owe  to  all,  Rom.  xiii.  8.  ;  and  he 
that  has  never  evidenced  his  love  to  them,  in  a  seri- 
ous concern  about  their  salvation,  is  extremely  inju- 
rious to  them,  in  as  far  as  he  detains  from  them  that 
which  is  unquestionably  their  du*  ;  and,  past  all  per- 
ad venture,  he  that  was  never  serious  about  his  own 
salvation,  was  never  really  concern  -d  about  the  sal- 
vation of  others,  and  therefor*    ha**  detained  from 
them  what  was  their  undoubted  right.    (2.)  Didst 


MAN'S    RECOVERY    RY     FAITH    IN    CHRIST.        41 

thou  never  see  thy  brother  sin  ?  No  doubt  thou  hast. 
Well   then,  didst    thou  reprove  him?     I   fear   not. 
Yea,  many  of  this  sort  of  persons  can,  it  may  be,  *ee 
their  own  "children,  wives,  servants,  and  nearest  re- 
lations, commit  gross  acts  of  sin,  and  yet  never  re- 
prove them.     Is  it  not  so  with  many  of  you  ?     I  am 
sure  ye  canuot  deny  it.     Well,  is  not  this  a  real  inju- 
ry done  to  the  persons  ye  should  have  reproved  ?    It 
is  a  hating  them  in  your  heart.     God  himself  says 
so;  and  sure  his  judgment  is  according  to  truth. 
Lev.  xix.  17.  ««  Thou  shalt  not  hate  thy  brother  in 
thy  heart :  thou  shalt  in  any  ways  rebuke  <  by  neigh- 
bour, and  not  suffer  sin  upon  him."     In  fine,  with 
what  confidence  dare  ye  say,  ye  have  done  no  man 
any  injury,  when,  by  a  tract  of  sin,  ye  have  been  do- 
ing the  utmost  ye  could  to  bring  down  the  wrath  of 
a  sin-revenging  God  upon  yourselves,  and  upon  all 
who  live  with  you  in  the  same  society? 

■*.  Others,  when  pursued  by  the  discoveries  of  sin, 
get  in  behind  the  church-privileges,  and  think  there 
to  screen  themselves  from  the  wrath  of  God.  Thus 
it  was  with  the  wretches  spoken  of  by  the  prophet 
Jeremiah,  in  that  7th  chapter  of  his  book  ;  they  did 
steal,  murder,  commit  adultery,  swear  falsely,  burn 
incense  unto  Baal.  Well,  (he  Lord  threatens  them 
with  wrath,  bids  them  amend  their  ways  and  their 
doings:  but  they  sat  still  secure  and  unconcerned, 
never  affected  either  with  the  discovery  of  sin,  or 
with  threatenings  of  wrath.  What  is  the  matter? 
Have  the  men  no  sense  of  hazard  at  all  ?  They  could 
not  altogether  shut  their  eyes  upon  the  clear  disco- 
veries the  prophet  made  of  their  sins  to  them,  or  of 
that  consequential  misery  he  did  threaten  them  with- 
al; but  they  sheltered  themselves  behind  their 
church-privileges,  and  they  cry  out  to  him,  "The 
temple  of  the  Lord,  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  the  tem- 
ple of  the  Lord  are  these/'  ver.  4.  And  I  make  no 
doubt  but  it  is  so  with  some  of  you.     It  may  be,  ye 

Q 


42       man's  recovery  by  FAITH  IN  CHRIST. 

reason  as  Manoah  did  In  another  case,"  If  the  Lord 
designed  to  damn  us,  he  would  not  have  given  us  or- 
dinanr*^  as  he  has  done."  Now,  I  only  offer  two  or 
cftree  things  that  will  sufficiently  expose  the  weak- 
ness of  this  defence  or  hiding-place.  And,  (1.)  I  say, 
ye  may  indeed  reason  thus :  God  has  established 
gospel-ordinances,  the  signs  of  his  presence  amongst 
us  ;  therefore  he  will  save  some.  He  will  not  bring 
the  means  of  grace  without  doing  some  good  by  them. 
Yet,  (2.)  I  say,  ye  cannot  thence  infer,  that  he  will 
save  you  :  for,  [1.]  Many  who  have  had  the  gospel- 
ordinances  have  been  damned.  [2.]  It  is  not  the 
having,  but  the  improving  of  them,  that  saves  any. 
[3.]  To  lean  upon  them  is  the  worst  misimprovement 
of  them  possible  ;  and  therefore  take  care  that  ye 
trust  not  in  lying  words,  saying,  «  The  temple  of  the 
Lord,  the  temple  of  the  Lord  are  these." 

5.  Others,  finding  no  shelter  from  their  convic- 
tions here,  betake  themselves  to  their  good  duties. 
We  tell  them,  they  are  sinners,  and  lay  open  to  their 
eyes  their  miserable  and  wretched  condition  and 
state  ;  they  turn  their  eyes  to  their  duties,  and,  like 
the  Pharisee  spoken  of  by  our  Lord,  Luke  xviii.  11. 
they  will  stop  the  mouth  of  conscience,  with  an  enu- 
meration of  their  performances,  whereby  they  excel 
others.  True  it  is,  will  such  an  one  say,  I  have  sin- 
ned; but  on  the  other  hand,  I  am  not  guilty  of  gross 
outbreakings,  and  scandalous  sins ;  nay,  more,  I  am 
much  and  frequent  in  the  performance  of  the  duties 
of  religion,  I  pray,  I  fast,  I  communicate,  and  a  great 
many  other  things  I  do;  and  therefore  I  hope  to  get 
heaven,  notwithstanding  all  my  sins.  O  how  natural 
is  it  for  a  man  to  prefer  a  defenceless  hiding-place  of 
his  own  contrivance,  to  the  impregnable  city  of  re- 
fuge contrived  by  infinite  wisdom  and  grace;  the 
home-spun  robe  of  his  own,  to  the  heaven-wrought 
robe  of  Christ's  righteousness?  Here  many  of  you 
hide  yourselves;  I  pray,  I  read,  I  seek  unto  God, 
and  therefore  all  is  well.    A  sad  conclusion  !    To 


MAN'S  RECOVERY   BY   TAITH   IN   CHRIST.        43 

this  plea  I  answer,  (1.)  If  ye  should  dissolve  in  tears, 
pray  till  your  knees  grow  into  the  ground,  and  give 
all  ye  have  in  alms,  and  fast  every  day,  all  this  will 
not  atone  for  one  sin.  (2.)  Your  best  duties  do  but 
increase  your  guilt.  This  the  church  well  saw,  Isa. 
Ixiv.  6.  «<  We  are  all  as  an  unclean  thing,  and  all  our 
righteousnesses  are  as  filthy  rags."  (3.)  Good  du- 
ties, when  rested  on,  have  damned  many,  but  never 
did,  nor  ever  shall,  save  any.  To  lean  to  them,  is  to 
say  to  the  work  of  our  hands,  ye  are  our  gods ;  a  sin 
that  the  Lord  forbids  and  abominates. 

6.  Another  sort  of  persons,  when  convictions  get 
hold  of  them,  and  their  sin  and  misery  are  plainly 
and  clearly  discovered  to  them,  get  in  behind  their 
good  resolutions,  and  thereby  they  shelter  themselves. 
They  resolve  to  consider  of  this  matter  at  a  more 
convenient  season,  like  Felix,  who  dismissed  Paul, 
when  once  he  came  to  deal  closely  with  him,  and  pro- 
mised him  a  hearing  afterwards.  So  do  many,  when 
they  are  almost  convinced,  they  dismiss  convictions-, 
and  promise  to  hear  them  afterwards.  Now,  I  shall 
address  myself  to  such  in  a  few  serious  expostulatory 
questions.  And,  (1.)  I  inquire  at  you,  is  the  consi- 
deration of  sin  and  misery,  and  of  your  escape  from 
it,  a  business  to  be  delayed  ?  Is  there  any  thing  that 
ye  can  be  concerned  about  that  deserves  to  be  pre- 
ferred to  this  ?  Is  there  any  hazard  like  damnation  ? 
any  mercy  comparable  to  salvation  from  the  wrath 
of  God  ?  If  a  man  gain  a  world,  and  lose  a  soul,  is 
he  profitted  by  the  exchange  ?  (2.)  Who  is  better 
judge  of  the  most  convenient  occasion,  God  or  you  ? 
He  has  determined  the  present  opportunity  to  be  the 
best :  «'Now  is  the  accepted  time,  now  is  the  day  of 
salvation."  (3.)  When  art  thou  resolved  to  take  un- 
der serious  consideration  thy  sin  and  misery,  that  now 
thou  shiftest  the  thoughts  of?  Ye  must  surely  say, 
that  it  will  be  some  time  after  this.  But  now  I  ask 
you,  what  certainty  have  ye  of  such  a  time  ?  and 
what  certainty  have  ye,  that  ye  shall  then  have  the 


Or*         MAN'S    KECOVEKY    BY    FAITH    IN    CHRIST. 

means  that  are  necessary  in  order  to  this  end  ?  I  be- 
lieve ye  dare  not  say,  that  ye  are  sure  of  either, 
(4.)  Sure  I  am,  some  who  in  the  same  manner  have 
made  many  fair  promises  and  resolutions,  have  there- 
by cheated  themselves  out  of  their  souls.     But, 

7.  Another  sort  get  in  behind  their  own  ignorance, 
and  think  to  shelter  themselves  there.  They  pro- 
mise themselves  safety,  though  they  be  not  concern- 
ed about  salvation,  because  they  are  but  ignorant. 
God,  say  they,  may  deal  severely  with  others  that 
know  better  things  ;  but  for  me,  I  hope  he  will  have 
mercy  upon  me,  because  I  know  no  better.  With 
what  astonishing  confidence  have  we  heard  some 
plead  this  !  Ye  say,  ye  are  ignorant,  and  therefore 
God  will  have  mercy  upon  you.  I  say,  ye  are  igno- 
rant, and  therefore  God  will  have  no  mercy  upon 
you,  Isa.  xxvii.  11.  Ye  are  ignorant ;  but  whose 
fault  is  it?  Has  not  God  given  you  the  means  of 
knowledge?  Has  not  the  light  of  the  glorious  gos- 
pel shined  clearly  about  you  ?  Have  not  others  got 
knowledge  by  the  use  of  the  very  same  means  which 
ye  have  neglected  and  slighted  ?  This  is  a  common 
excuse  for  sins5  but  a  most  unhappy  one  as  ever  any 
meddled  withal ;  for  (1.)  God  has  expressly  told  us, 
that  ignorant  people  shall  be  damned,  2  Thes.  i.  8,  9. 
(2.)  He  has  told  us,  that  ignorance  will  be  the  ground 
of  the  sentence.  This  is  the  condemnation  of  igno- 
rant sinners,  that  they  love  "darkness  rather  than 
light,"  John  iii.  19.  Nor  will  it  excuse  you  to  tell 
that  ye  want  time;  for,  [t.]  All  other  things  should 
give  place  to  this  :  «  Seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  the  righteousness  thereof,"  and  other  things  will 
come  in  their  own  room  and  place.  [2.]  Others  have 
had  as  little  time  as  ye  have,  who  yet  have  taken  care 
of  their  souls,  and  have  got  the  knowledge  of  God. 
[3.]  Ye  lose  as  much  time  upon  trifles,  or  doing  no- 
thing, as  might  bring  you  to  a  competent  measure  of 
the  knowledge  of  these  things  which  do  belong  to 
your  peace,  were  it  but  frugally  managed ;  so  that 


MAN'S   RECOVERY   BT   FAITH   IN    CHRIST*  45 

this  will  be  found  (o  be  a  weak  defence,  try  it  who 
will.  And  yet  here  a  great  many  shelter  themselves, 
and  that  two  ways.  (1.)  Hereby  a  great  many  are 
not  capable  to  understand  what  we  speak  to  them 
about  their  sin  or  their  danger,  and  so  we  have  no  ac- 
cess to  them  to  convince  them.  (2.)  Others  do  think 
that  their  ignorance  will  atone  for  their  other  faults  ; 
and  this  is  a  fancy  so  deeply  rooted  in  the  thoughts  of 
many,  that  nothing  is  like  to  cure  them  of  it,  till  the 
appearance  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  for  their  destruction 
who  know  not  God,  do  it. 

8.  There  is  one  defence  more  whereby  some  put 
off  convincing  discoveries  of  sin  ;  and  that  is^  by  com- 
paring themselves  with  others.  When  it  is  borne 
close  home  upon  their  consciences,  that  they  are  in 
an  estate  of  extreme  danger,  then  they  say,  Well, 
one  thing  I  am  sure  of,  it  is  like  to  fare  no  worse  wit!., 
me  than  with  others  ;  and  if  I  be  damned,  many  others 
will  be  so  besides  me.  O  desperate,  and  yet  common 
defence  ! 

Thou  sayest,  if  thou  be  damned,  then  many  others 
are  like  to  be  so.  Well,  it  shall  indeed  be  so  ;  many 
shall  indeed  perish  eternally,  as  ye  heard  before. 
But,  (1.)  What  will  this  contribute  to  your  advan* 
tage  ?  I  make  no  doubt  but  company  will  contri- 
bute exceedingly  to  the  blessedness  of  the  saints 
above :  but  I  cahnot  see  what  solace  or  com- 
fort the  damned  can  have  from  (heir  companions; 
nay,  past  all  peradventure,  this  will  enhance 
their  misery,  their  case  being  such  as  can  admit  of 
no  alleviation.  (2.)  Knowcst  thou,  O  sinner!  what 
thou  sayest,  when  thou  talkest  at  that  rate  ?  It  is 
plainly  to  say,  I  will  hazard  the  issue,  be  what  it 
will ;  than  which  nothing  can  be  more  extravagant 
and  foolish.  Art  thou  willing  to  hazard  eternal 
wrath?  Can  ye  dwell  with  everlasting  burnings  ? 
Can  ye  dwell  with  devouring  flames?  If  there  be 
any  such  an  one  here,  as  is  resolved  to  bold  on  at 
this  rate,  and  hazard  the  issue,  I  have  a  few  ques- 

Q2 


46  MAN'S   KECOTERY    BY   FAITH   IS    CHRIST. 

tions  to  put  to  him.  Is  there  any  thing  in  the  world 
worth  the  seeking  after,  that  ye  would  desire  to  he 
sure  of?  If  there  be  any  such  thing,  then  I  interro- 
gate you  on  it,  if  there  be  any  thing  comparable  to 
salvation  ?  If  ye  say  there  is,  then  I  inquire  further, 
is  there  any  thing  that  will  go  with  you  after  this  life 
is  done  ?  Is  there  any  thing  that  will  make  tip  your 
Joss,  if  ye  lose  your  souls  ?  what  will  be  able  to  re- 
lieve you  under  the  extremity  of  the  wrath  of  a  sin- 
revenging  God  ?  Again,  when  ye  say,  ye  will  ha- 
zard the  issue,  then  I  desire  to  know  of  you,  do  not 
ye  think  it  as  probable  that  ye  shall  be  damned,  as 
that  ye  shall  be  saved  ?  Sure  ye  have  reason  t© 
think  so  indeed.  A  person  so  little  concerned  about 
salvation,  must  think  God  has  a  very  small  esteem  of 
salvation,  if  he  throw  it  away  upon  such  as  care  not 
for  it.  Finally,  since  ye  are  likely  to  be  damned  in 
the  issue,  have  ye  ever  thought  what  damnation  im- 
ports? I  believe  not.  I  shall  only  refer  you  to  that  short 
account  of  it,  which  the  final  doom  of  impenitent  sin- 
ners gives  of  it,  in  Matt.  xxv.  M.  "  Depart  from  me, 
ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire  prepared  for  the  de- 
vil and  his  angels." 

I  cannot  now  enter  upon  the  consideration  of  ma- 
ny other  pretences,  wliereby  sinners  shelter  them- 
selves from  convictions:  only  I  wish  ye  may  rivet 
\ipon  your  hearts  three  truths,  which  will  help  to 
preserve  you  from  laying  weight  upon  them.  (1.) 
Be  persuaded  that  there  are  but  few  that  will  be  sa- 
ved. Christ  has  said  so,  and  who  dar£  give  him  the 
lie  ?  (2.)  Believe  it,  they  who  shall  be  saved,  shall 
not  be  saved  in  an  easy  way.  The  «  righteous  are 
scarcely  saved,"  i  Pet.  iv.  18.  (3.)  Ye  are  to  en- 
deavour a  solid  conviction,  that  there  is  no  salvatioa 
for  you,  but  in  the  gospel  way,  Acts  iv.  12.  Under- 
stand and  believe  these  three  truths,  and  this  will  be 
a  mean  to  preserve  you  from  a  reliance  upon  things 
that  cannot  profit.     And  this  for  the  first  word  we  de- 


MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST.        47 

signed  to  such  of  you  as  are  not  convinced  of  sin  and 
misery. 

%dly,  To  such  of  you  as  are  not  yet  awakened, 
as  are  not  yet  convinced  of  your  lost  aud  undone 
state,  I  say,  ye  have  reason  to  fear  that  ye  shall  ne- 
ver he  awakened  and  convinced.  There  is  ground 
to  (ear  that  Christ  has  said  to  you,  '•  Sleep  on  :" 
and  if  it  he  so,  (hen  the  thunderings  of  the  law,  the 
si il  1  and  calm  voice,  of  the  gospel,  the  most  sweet 
and  charming  providences,  yea,  the  most  terrible 
threatening^  of  providence,  shall  never  he  able  to 
open  your  eyes,  or  make  you  consider  and  lay  to 
heart  the  things  that  belong  to  your  peace;  but  ye 
shall  sleep  on  in  your  security,  till  the  wrath  of  God 
come  upon  you  to  the  uttermost.  But  it  may  possi- 
bly be,  that  some  whose  case  this  is  shall  say  or 
think,  or  at  least  carry,  as  if  they  thought  there 
was  no  danger  of  this  at  all.  But  I  assure  such 
whatever  their  thoughts  may  be,  there  is  great  ha- 
zard of  this.     For, 

1.  God  has  taken  much  pains  upon  you  already,  to 
bring  you  to  a  sense  of  your  sad  state  and  condition  ; 
but  he  has  not  dealt  so  with  others.  He  has  not  dealt 
so  with  many  of  the  heathen  nations  ;  he  has  not  dealt 
so  with  many  who  have  been  taken  away  suddenly  af- 
ter their  refusal  of  the  first  offer  of  the  gospel;  he 
has  not  dealt  so  with  not  a  few  others,  who  have  had 
the  gospel  light  quickly  taken  from  them,  upon  their 
refusal  of  it.  As  for  the  way  of  God's  dealing  with 
the  heathen,  there  is  no  place  to  doubt  of  it  ;  and  that 
the  Lord  has  not  dealt  so  with,  or  been  at  so  great  ex- 
pense, either  of  time  or  means,  with  others,  is  plain 
in  your  own  experience.  Tell  me,  O  sinners!  have 
not  many  been  snatched  away  by  death  from  the  ad- 
vantage and  use  of  the  ordinances,  since  the  Lord  be- 
gan to  deal  with  you  in  order  to  your  conviction? 
Sure,  few  of  you  can  deny  it :  and  that  the  Lord  did 
ullow  others  a  shorter  time  of  the  ordinances,  is  no 
less  plain  from  manifold  evidences,  both  in  scripture 


&8  MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN    CiililST* 

and  in  the  experience  of  the  church  in  all  ages.  Ye 
have  had  more  time  than  Capernaum,  and  many  other 
places  where  Christ  preached,  in  the  days  of  his  per- 
sonal ministry  upon  earth. 

2.  Ye  have  reason  to  fear  this  terrible  issue,  if  ye 
consider  the  way  that  the  Lord  has  taken  with  you* 
He  has  not  rested  in  a  general  discovery  of  either  your 
sin  or  danger,  but  has  dealt  particularly  with  every 
one  of  you,  as  it  were  by  name  and  surname  ;  he  has 
spoken  particularly  to  you,  by  his  word  and  by  his  pro- 
vidences.     In  his  name  we  have  dealt  particularly 
with  young  and  old  of  you;  and  by  his  providences 
he  has  been  no  less  particular.     What  person,  what 
family,  has  not,  either  in  themselves  or  in  their  rela- 
tions, felt  the  stroke  of  God's  hand  ?  which  tells  all 
upon  whom  it  lights,  that   they  «  have  sinned,  and 
come  short  of  the  glory  of  God."     I  believe  there  is 
scarce  one  in  this  house,  who  has  not  smarted  this 
way.     So  that  scarce  is  there  one  amongst  us  who 
has  not  withstood  particular  dealings  of  God  for  his 
conviction  :  and  this  is  a  sufficient  ground  to  fear  that 
we  may  never  be  convinced,  since  all  the  ways  that 
God  is  wont  to  take,  either  general,  when  he  deals 
with  a  person  in    common,  by  a  proposal  of  such 
things  as  lay  open  the  sin  and  misery  of  all  in  gene- 
ral; or  particular,  when  he  makes  a  special  applica- 
tion of  the  general  charge,  either  by  his  word  or  by 
his  providence,  and  says,  as  Nathan  did,  "Thou  art 
the  man  :"  and  what  can  be  done  more  for  your  con- 
viction in  the  way  of  means  ? 

3.  He  has  not  only  used  these  ways  and  means  men- 
tioned, but  has  waited  long  upon  you  in  the  use  of  the 
means,  even  from  the  morning  of  your  day  till  now. 
Many,  if  not  all  of  you,  have  had  precept  upon  pre- 
cept, and  line  upon  line,  here  a  little  and  there  a  lit- 
tle. Christ  has  risen  up  early,  and  has  dealt  with 
you,  by  sending  one  messenger  after  another,  one 
preacher  after  another,  one  providence  after  ano- 
ther, and  yet  ye  are  not  convinced  and  awakened* 


MAN'S    RECOVERY    BY    FAITH    1ST   CHRIST.         49 

This  suggests  great  grounds  to  fear  the  issue,  if  it  be 
considered, 

4.  That  the  Spirit  of  God,  though  he  may  long 
strive  with  sinners,  yet  will  not  always  strive  with 
them.  Gen.  vi.  6.  «  And  the  Lord  said,  My  Spirit 
shall  not  always  strive  with  man,  for  that  he  is  also 
flesh  jw  as  if  the  Lord  had  said,  I  have  long  dealt  with 
these  men,  by  an  awakening  ministry,  by  awakening 
dispensations,  by  the  inward  motions  of  my  Spirit,  by 
cheeks  of  their  own  conscience,  to  convince  them  of 
their  sin  and  danger,  and  to  reform  them  :  but  now 
I  find  all  means  ineffectual,  they  are  entirely  corrupt ; 
therefore  I  will  convince  them  no  more.  I  will  spare 
them  till  they  fill  up  their  cup,  and  he  fattened  against 
the  day  of  slaughter  ;  but  will  never  more  convince 
them,  or  endeavour  their  conviction.  And  who  can 
tell,  but  the  Lord  has  this  day  pronounced  the  like 
sentence  against  the  unconvinced  sinners  of  Ceres,  or 
some  of  them  ?  Yonder  is  a  people  with  whom  I  have 
King  striven,  by  the  word,  by  providences,  by  motions 
of  my  Spirit,  and  by  secret  checks  of  consciences,  and 
yet  they  are  not  awakened,  are  not  convinced  :  there- 
fore I  will  strive  no  longer  with  them ;  I  will  either 
take  them  away  with  a  deluge  of  wrath,  as  I  did  the 
old  world  ;  or  I  will  take  my  ordinances  from  them, 
as  I  have  done  from  other  churches  ;  or  I  will  give 
my  servants  a  commission  to  make  their  ears  heavy, 
their  hearts  fat,  and  their  eyes  blind  ;  and  I  will  pro- 
nounce the  barren  fig  tree's  curse  against  them. — - 
And  that  all  this  is  not  a  mere  empty  bug-bear,  set 
up  on  purpose  to  fright  you,  will  appear  evident,  if  it 
be  considered, 

5.  That  this  is  the  stated  measure,  the  ordinary 
way,  that  the  Lord  has  laid  down,  for  proceeding  with 
persons  in  that  case;  as  ye  will  see,  if  ye  turn  over 
to  that  terrible  scripture,  Heb.  vi.  7,  8.  "  The  earth 
which  drinketh  in  the  rain  that  corneth  oft  upon  it, 
and  hringeth  forth  herbs  meet  for  them  by  whom  it 
is  dressed,  receiveth   blessing  from  God;  but  that 


SO        MAN'S   RECOVERY  BY   FAITH   IN    CHRIST, 

which  beareUi  thorns  and  briers,  is  rejected  and  nigh 
unto  cursing,  whose  end  is  to  be  burned."     Here  is 
the  stated  and  ordinary  rule  of  God's  dispensation 
with  sinners,  who  live  under  a  gospel  dispensation ; 
and  that  both  with  such  as  improve  and  with  such  as 
misimprove  it.    The  way  that  God  takes  with  the 
first  sort,  the  improvers  of  it,  is  this  .  He  gives  them 
the  means,  his  word  and  ordinances,  which,,  like  the 
rain,  come  down  from  Heaven,  and  have  a  fructifying 
efficacy,  when  they  fall  upon  good  ground ;  and,  upon 
their  bringing  forth  good  fruit,  called  fruit  that  is 
meat  for  the  use  of  him  that  dresseth  it,  he  blesseth 
them.     On  the  other  hand,  we  have  the  carriage  of 
God  toward  the  rest,  and  their  carriage  toward  him, 
plainly  enough  represented  unto  us;  which  I  shall 
set  before  you  in  a  few  particulars.    (1.)   God  gives 
them,  as  well  as  others,  frequent  showers ;  he  gives 
them  sometimes  the  riieans,  and  that  in  great  plenty. 
(2.)  The  generality  of  them  use  the  means;  both  the 
one  sort  and  the  other  is  supposed  to  drink  in  the  rain ; 
for  there  is  no  doubt,  that  those  who  openly  reject 
the  counsel  of  God  against  themselves,  as  the  Phari- 
sees and  Scribes  did  of  old,  Luke  vii.  30.  shall  be 
burnt  up  with  unquenchable  fire     (3.)  Though  this 
sort  of  persons  we  are  now  speaking  of  drink  in  the 
rain,  as  did  the  other,  yet  herein  are  they  differenced, 
they  bring  not  forth  fruit  meet  for  the  use  of  him  by 
whom  they  were  thus  watered;  but,  on  the  contrary, 
they  bring  forth  briers  and  thorns:  That  is  plainly 
the  discoveries  of  sin  did  not  convince  them,  the  disco- 
veries of  danger  did  not  awaken  them,  the  influences 
of  grace  did  not  quicken  them,  but  rather  made  them 
more  stupid,  more  dead  and  unconcerned.  (4.)  Upon 
this  account  the  Lord  rejects  them  ;  that  is,  he  either 
gives  oyer  dealing  with  them  entirely,  or  at  least 
withdraws  his  blessing  from  the  means.  (5.)  During 
the  time  of  his  forbearance,  they  are  nigh  unto  curs- 
ing;   there   is   nothing  to  keep   the    curse  of  God 
from  them ;  it  is  fast  upon  its  approach  to  them  :  they 


man's  recoveky  BY  FAITH  IN  CHRIST.       51 

Jie  open  to  it,  and  are  destined  to  the  curse.     There- 
fore, (6.)  He  burns  such  in  the  end.     This,  O  sin- 
ners !  is  the  ordinary  way  of  the  Lord's  dealing  with 
sinners.     And  now  see  and  consider  your  own  con- 
cernment in  this :  The  Lord,  as  was  said  before,  has 
often  rained  down  upon  you  ;  ye  have  pretended  to  re- 
ceive these  showers,    have  been    waiting  upon   the 
means  ;  but  have  not  brought  forth  good  fruit;  nay, 
on  the  contrary,  ye  have  brought  forth  briers  and 
thorns ;  what  reason  have  ye  then  to  dread  the  eon- 
sequence  ?  Have  ye  not  reason  to  fear  that  ye  are  re- 
jected, and  so  nigh  unto  cursing,  and  that  therefore 
your  end  is  to  be  burned  ?  And  that  all  this  may  not 
appear  groundless,  I  offer  this  to  your  consideration, 
6.  As  God  has  laid  down  the  rule  just  now  men- 
tioned, as  that  by   which  he  has  walked,  and   will 
walk,  with  all  to  whom  he  gives  the  gospel,  I  mean 
for  ordinary;  so  in  his  providence  we  find  him  deal- 
ing accordingly  with  sinners.  I  shall  only  lay  before 
you  two  or  three  instances  of  God's  dealing   with 
sinners  according  to  this  rule.  Tltejirst  is  that  of  the 
old  world.     The  Lord  did  deal  long  and  particularly 
with  them,  by  the  preaching  of  Noah,  in  order  to 
their  conviction  :  they  were  not  convinced,  but  rather 
grew  worse  and  worse  ;  whereupon  the  Lord  reject- 
ed them,  gave  over  striving  with  them:  and  though 
he  spared  them*  Gen.  vi.  3.  yet  it  was  not  on  a  design 
of  mercy,  but  only  to  suffer  them  to  fill  up  their  cup, 
that  they  might  be  without  excuse,  and  that  their 
condemnation  might  be  the  more  terrible.     The  se- 
cond instance  is  that  of  the  church  of  the  Jews  in  our 
Lord's  time.     He  preached  to  them  and  endeavoured 
their  conviction  ;  but  they  were  not  convinced  ;  there- 
fore he  rejects  them  :  and  though  they  had  a  while's 
respite,  yet  things  that  did  belong  to  their  peace  were 
now  eternally  hid  from  their  eyes,  Luke  xix.  41,  42. 
as  he  himself  tells  them  :  and  therefore  they  had  no- 
thing to  look  for  but  judgment  and  fiery  indignation. 
In  fine,  I  might  to  the  same  purpose  set  before  your 


h%        MAN'S   KECGVEBr    BY   FAITH   IN    CHRIST. 

eyes  many  instances  in  the  gospel  church,  since  the 
days  of  Christ,  wherein  the  Lord  has  exactly  follow- 
ed the  same  measures.  Now,  tell  me,  O  sinners ! 
have  ye  not  reason  to  fear,  from  all  that  has  been 
laid  before  you,  that  ye  shall  sleep  on,  and  never  be 
convinced,  never  awakened.  But  this  is  not  all ;  for 
we  must  tell  you, 

5dly9  O  unconvinced  sinners !  after  all  <he  pains 
that  has  been  taken  upon  you  for  your  salvation,  it  is 
highly  probable  that  ye  shall  never  be  saved.     We 
have  just  now  laid  before  you  many  reasons  we  have 
to  fear,  that  ye  who  have  shut  your  eyes  so  long  up- 
on the  discoveries  of  your  sin  and  danger,  shall  never 
get  them  opened  ;   and  if  they  never  be  opened,  then 
I  may  say  that,  as  sure  as  God  lives,  not  a  soul  of 
you  shall  be  saved  :  For,  1.  If  ye  be  not  convinced, 
if  ye  get  not  your  eyes  opened  to  see  your  sin  and  mi- 
sery, ye  will  never  lay  salvation  to  heart,  as  appears 
from   what  has  been  already  discoursed  to  you  at 
great  length.     2.  If  ye  lay  not  salvation  to  heart, 
then  sure  ye  will  never  seek  after  or  look  to  a  Saviour 
for  salvation.     Such  as  think  they  see,  will  not  value 
eye  salve ;  such  as  think  themselves  rich  enough,  will 
not  look  after  gold  tried  in  the  fire;  such  as  see  no 
hazard  of  damnation,  will  not  seek  after  salvation.  3. 
If  ye  be  not  seeking  after  a  Saviour,  then  though  he 
come  to  you,  yet  will  ye  not  receive  him  :  nay,  ye  will 
reject  him,  and  that  with  contempt.     And  indeed  it 
cannot  otherwise  be:  who  would  not  with  scorn  re- 
ject the  offers  of  a  physician,  that  should  press  upon 
him  healing  medicines,  when  he  was  not  sensible  of 
any  disease  ?  He  is  a  fool  that  offers  pardon  to  a  man 
who  is  not  condemned,  or  his  hand  to  help  up  a  man 
who  is  not  fallen,  or  water  to  wash  a  man  that  is  not 
defiled :  and  such  a  one  is  Christ  in  the  eyes  of  all 
that  are  not  convinced.     Such  a  one  really  he  is  in 
your  eyes  ;  and  ye  will  be  sure  to  treat  him  as  such. 
4.  The  necessary  consequence  of  this  is,  ye  must  be 
damned,  ye  cannot  be.  saved ;  for  there  is  no  other 


MAJTS    RECOVERY    BY    FAITH    IN    CHRIST.        53 

way  of  obtaining  eternal  salvation,  but  only  by  Jesus 
Christ;  Tor  "  there  is  no  other  name  given  under 
Heaven  among  men,  whereby  sinners  can  be  saved, 
but  only  that  of  Jesus  Christ,"  Acts  iv.  12.  And 
damnation  is  the  eternal  lot  of  all  them  that  reject 
him,  Mark  xvi.  16.     But  further, 

Mhly.  We  say,  wo  to  you,  O  stupid,  hard-hearted 
and  unconvinced  sinners  !    for  if  ye  shall  be  damned, 
your  damnation  will  be  most  terrible,  your  state  will 
be    unspeakably    miserable.     And  this    will  appear 
plain  to  any  who  shall  seriously  think  upon  it.     For, 
1.  damnation  at  the  best  is  most  terrible.     This  we 
did  make  appear  to  you  not  long  ago  :  and  indeed, 
though  we  had  spoken  nothing,  the  thing  speaks  for 
itself.     What  is  terrible,  if  eternal  burniags  be  not 
so?  "Who  can  dwell  with  devouring  flames?  who 
can  dwell  with  everlasting  burnings  V9  Who  can  abide 
the  heat  of  that  "  tophet  that  is  prepared  of  old,  that 
is  made  large  and  deep,  and  has  for  its  pile  fire  and 
much  wood,  and  the  breath  of  the  Almighty,  like  a 
stream  of  brimstone,  kindling  it."     The  coldest  place 
there  will  be  hot;  the  most  tolerable  place  will  be 
intolerable  :  and  therefore  the  case  of  all    who  go 
there  is  terrible.     But  2.  Your  condition,  O  misera- 
ble sinners!  will  be  more  terrible  than  that  of  many 
who  shall  be  there.     Christ  says,  "  Wo  unto  thee 
Chorazin,  wo  unto  thee  Bethsaida  ;  for  if  the  mighty 
works  which  have  been  done  in  thee  had  been  done 
in  Tyre  and  Sidon,  they  would  have  repented  long 
ago  in  sackcloth  and  ashes:    But  I  say  unto  you,  It 
shall  be  more   telerable  for  Tyre  and  Sidon  at  the 
day  of  judgment  than  for  you.     And  thou,  Caperna- 
um, which  art  exalted  unto  heaven,  shall  be  brought 
down  to  hell:  for  if  the   mighty  works  which  have 
been  done  in  thee,  had  been  done  in  Sodom,  it  would 
have  remained  Hnti!  this  day  :  But  I  say  unto  you.  It 
shall  be  more  tolerable  for  the  land  of  Sodom  in  the 
day  of  judgment  than  for  thee,"  Matth.  xi.  21.— 34. 
In  which  remarkable  denunciation  of  wrath,  against 

R 


&&        MAN5S   RECOVERY   BY    FAITH   IN    CHRIST. 

those  sinners  whom  our  Lord  had  endeavoured  to 
convince,  and  yet  were  not  awakened,  it  is  plain,  first. 
That  some  shall  have  hotter  and  more  intolerable 
places  in  hell  than  others.  Secondly,  That  they  on 
whom  most  pains  has  been  bestowed  will  have  the 
hottest  place.  According  to  this  rule  of  the  divine 
procedure  with  sinners,  I  shall  now  proceed,  and  lay 
before  you  your  case.  I  say  unto  you,  O  unconvinced 
sinners  in  the  congregation  of  Ceres  !  before  whom 
your  sin  and  misery  has  so  fully  of  late  been  laid 
open,  your  hell  will  be  hotter  than  that  of  many 
others.  Wo  unto  you,  for  it  will  be  more  intolerable 
than  that  of  Sodom  aud  Gomorrah.  They  never 
sinned  against  the  means  of  grace,  as  ye  have  done. 
Upon  this  very  account,  when  our  Lord  sends  forth 
his  disciples,  Matth.  x.  he  tells  them,  "  that  it  would 
be  more  tolerable  for  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  in  the 
day  of  judgment,  than  for  such  as  should  refuse 
them.  See  14th  and  15th  verses.  Now  this  is  the 
case  with  you  :  the  heathen  world's  hell  will  be  hot 
indeed ;  but  your  furnace  will  be  heated  seven  times 
more.  Again,  wo  unto  you,  for  your  hell  will  be 
more  intolerable  than  that  of  Capernaum,  Bethsaida 
or  Chorazin ;  nay,  than  that  of  the  soldiers  who  cru- 
cified Christ,  and  of  the  Jews  that  condemned  him ; 
for  they  only  sinned  against  Christ  in  his  estate  of 
humiliation  ;  but  ye  have  rejected  him,  now  when  he 
is  exalted  upon  high,  and  seated  at  the  right  hand  of 
God.  Wo  unto  you,  it  will  be  more  intolerable  for 
you  than  for  those  who  live  in  many  other  churches, 
where  the  gospel  is  corrupted  with  a  perverse  addi- 
tion of  human  inventions  and  doctrines,  that  are 
alien  from  it  ;  for  ye  sin  against  the  clear  light  of 
the  gospel,  not  darkened  by  the  clouds  of  false  doc- 
trines. Once  more,  wo  unto  you  of  1  Hi s  congrega- 
tion, if  ye  be  found  rejecters  of  the  gospel,  as  cer- 
tainly ye  will  if  ye  continue  unconvinced ;  for  your 
hell  will  be  more  intolerable  than  that  of  many 
others  in  Scotland,  who  have  not  had  that  pains  ta- 


man's  recovery  BY  FAITH  IN  CHRIST.        55 

ken  upon  them  which  ye  have  had,  who  have  not  had 
these  frequent  and  clear  discoveries  of  sin  and  duty, 
which  ye  have  had  by  one  of  Christ's  servants  after 
another.  Now  tell  me,  O  sinners  !  can  ye  think  up- 
on your  own  case  without  horror?  Sure,  if  ye  under- 
stood it,  ye  would  not,  ye  could  not  do  it.     But, 

bthly,  I  say  further  to  you,  who  shut  your  eyes 
upon  your  sin  and  misery,  notwithstanding  all  that 
has  been  said  for  your  awakening,  if  ye  perish,  and 
perish  ye  shall,  if  ye  be  not  convinced,  then  your  de- 
struction is  entirely  of  yourselves.  And  O  how  gall- 
ing,  how  cutting  will  this  he  to  you  eternally  !  That 
it  is,  I  make  appear  against  you  thus:  Where  can 
ye  lay  the  blame  of  it  ?  1.  Dare  ye  say  that  ye  want- 
ed the  means  of  salvation  ?  No,  this  ye  cannot,  ye 
dare  not  say;  for  if  ye  shall  do  so,  we  are  all  here 
witnesses  for  God  against  you  ;  nay,  your  own  con- 
sciences shall  arise  and  fly  in  your  faces,  and  force 
you,  though  unwilling,  to  own  that  ye  have  had  the 
means.  2.  Dare  ye  say  that  the  means  are  not  suf- 
ficient to  the  end  for  which  they  are  offered  ?  No,  I 
am  sure  there  shall  not  be  one  fhat  ever  had  them, 
who  shall  dare  to  charge  them  with  insufficiency.— 
And  if  any  of  you  should  arrive  at  that  height  of  in- 
tolerable insolence  and  impudence  as  to  do  it,  it  were 
easy  to  stop  their  mouths  :  For  God  might  ask  you, 
when  standing  at  his  tribunal,  Jirst,  How  do  ye  know 
them  to  be  insufficient,  since  ye  were  never  at  the 
pains  to  try  them  ?  Next,  He  might  stop  your  mouth 
thus :  Behold  here,  upon  my  right  hand,  that  innumer- 
able company  out  of  all  kindreds,  tongues  and  nations. 
And  how  were  they  saved  ?  If  ye  should  go  to  them 
all,  and  ask  them  one  by  one,  would  they  not  all  with 
one  answer,  to  your  eternal  shame  and  confusion, 
that  by  the  use  of  these  very  means  you  had,  but  ne- 
glected, they  were  saved.  3.  If  yet  ye  will  not  see 
that  all  the  blame  of  your  destruction  will  come  only 
to  your  own  door,  then  I  ask  you,  on  whom  will  ye 
lay  the  blame  ?  Dare  ye  lay  it  upon  any  other  but 


B6      man's  recovery  by  faith  in  chkist. 

yourselves,  with  any  tolerable  shadow  of  ground  ?  I 
know  ye  dare  not.  To  blame  the  devil,  or  the  world, 
is  downright  nonsense;  for  it  is  salvation  from  them 
ye  was  to  seek  ?  and  to  tell  that  these  are  the  cause 
of  your  ruin,  when  ye  had  relief  against  them  offer- 
ed, is  vain ;  for  it  may  easily  be  asked  at  a  person 
who  has  lived  under  the  gospel,  and  gives  Satan  or 
the  world  the  blame  of  his  ruin,  was  there  not  deli- 
verance from  Satan  and  the  world  offered  to  you  ? 
Were  not  the  means  mentioned  sufficient  ?  This  will 
eternally  acquit  them  as  to  your  destruction,  and 
lodge  it  upon  yourselves  as  the  principal  cause  of  it, 
which  is  all  we  plead  for;  we  do  not  exempt 
them  from  a  share  in  the  guilt  of  it.  Now,  this  be- 
ing incontestibly  evident,  it  remains  that  either 
Christ  or  his  ministers  are  chargeable  with  your  dam- 
nation, or  that  ye  yourselves  only  are  so. 

As  for  our  blessed  Lord  and  Master,  we  offer  now 
to  undertake  his  vindication  against  any  that  shall 
dare  to  accuse  him.  We  have  abundance  to  speak 
in  his  behalf;  and  are  resolved  to  ascribe  righteous- 
ness to  our  Maker.  In  his  vindication,  I  appeal  to 
your  own  consciences  in  a  few  particulars.  [l.].Is 
he  not  indeed  a  sufficient  Saviour,  '*  one  able  to  save 
to  the  uttermost  all  that  come  unto  God  through 
him?"  Deny  it  you  dare  not;  for  this  is  the  attesta- 
tion of  the  glorious  cloud  of  witnesses,  who  all  have* 
by  faith  in  his  name,  got  above  the  reach  of  sin, 
death  and  hell.  [2.]  Did  ever  any  of  you  come  to 
him,  and  get  a  refusal  ?  Produce  your  instances  of 
this  sort,  if  ye  can.  We  dare  boldly,  in  our  Lord's 
name,  give  a  dellance  to  earth  or  hell,  to  produce 
one  instance  of  this  sort.  [8.]  Has  he  not  allowed, 
nay,  invited,  intreated,  nay,  commanded  you  to  come 
unto  him,  that  ye  might  be  saved  ?  If  ye  shall  deny 
this,  the  word  of  God,  the  servants  of  God,  are  wit- 
nesses against  you.  [4.]  Has  he  not  waited  long  up- 
on you  ?  Has  he  not  given  you  "  precept  upon  pre- 
cept, and  line  upon  liner"     And  now,  to  conclude, 


man's  recovery  BY   FAITH  IS    CHRIST.  57 

I  interrogate  you  on  it,   what  could  he  have  done 
more  to  you  (hat  he  has  not  done  ? 

But  it  may  be  ye  will  lay  it  to  our  door,  and  say, 
though  Christ  did  his  part,  yet  his  servants  have  not 
done  theirs;    they  have  not  given  you  fair  warning. 
As  for  their  vindication,  I  answer  a  few  things  ;  and 
I  say,  1.  Though  they  may  be  guilty,  and  eoneeal,  or 
at  least  fail  of  faithfulness  in  their  duty,  yet  your 
damnation  is  of  yourselves  :  for  ye  have  the  word  of 
God,  that  is  plain,  that  is  full,  in  its  representation 
of  your  sin  and  misery ;  and  had  you  paid  a  due  re- 
gard to  that,  ye  could  not  have  missed  of  salvation  : 
therefore  yet  your  destruction  is  of  yourselves.  But, 
2.  We  refuse  the  charge  of  your  blood,  and  tell  you, 
that  ye  have  destroyed  yourselves,  if  ye  sleep  on  in 
your  sins.     And  for  our  own  vindication  I  put  a  few 
things  home  to  you  :  Have  we  not  plainly  told  you 
your  sin  and  danger?  Have  we  not  done  it  frequent- 
ly ?  Have   we  not  been  particular  in  dealing   with 
young  and  old  of  you  ?  Have  we  not  been  pressing  in 
order  to  your  conviction  ?  We  have  told  you,  with 
earnestness,   both   your  sin  and  danger.     We  have 
looked  from  our  watch  tower,  through  the  prospect 
of  the  word  of  God,  and  have  seen  the  wrath  of  God 
ready  to  seize  you ;  and   we  have  not  concealed  his 
righteousness   within  us.     And  now,  the  Lord,  the 
righteous  judge,  be  witness  betwixt  you  and  us,  for 
we  have  done  as  much  as  will  free  us  of  your  blood. 
Indeed  we  cannot  deny  ourselves  to  be  sinners  ;  and 
must  own  that  we  have  sinned,  even  with  respect  to 
you  :  but  this  will  not  make  your  blood  to  be  charged 
upon  us  ;  since,  in  order  to  our  exoneration  as  to  that, 
it  is  only  required  we  give  you  warning  of  your  dan- 
ger; and  if  ye  be  slain  sleeping,  ye  are  to  blame.— 
There  is  one  word  more  I  have  to  say  to  you,  in  the 

6th  place,  and  then  I  shall  leave  you.  What  have  we 
to  do  more  with  you?  If  ye  comply  not  with  the  first 
part  of  our  message,  ye  will  be  sure  to  refuse  the  se- 
cond,    Christ  will  be  refused  by  you,  and  we  will 

R2 


BS        man's  recovery  BT  FAITH  in  CHUIST. 

seem  to  you  like  thein  that  mock.  But  whatever  use 
ye  make  of  it,  we  shall  proceed  in  our  work  :  and  if 
we  prove  not  the  savour  of  life  unto  you,  we  shall 
prove  the  savour  of  death ;  for  we  are  a  *•  sweet  sa- 
your  unto  God  in  them  that  are  saved,  and  in  them 
that  perish  ;  and  if  our  gospel  be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them 
that  are  lost/"'  2  Cor.  iv.  3.     I  come  now, 

2dly,  To  speak  a  word  to  such  as  are  awakened,  and 
are  saying,  with  the  convinced  jailor  in  the  text, 
What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved  ?  And  to  you  we  say, 

1.  Bless  the  Lord,  who  has  opened  your  eyes.  Ye 
were  naturally  as  much  inclined  to  sleep  on  as  others  ; 
and  it  is  only  the  distinguishing  goodness  of  God  that 
has  made  you  to  differ. 

2.  Study  to  keep  your  eyes  open.  If  ye  shut  them 
again,  and  lose  convictions,  then  ye  may  never  more 
recover  them.  If  ye  quench  the  spirit,  it  is  hard  to 
say  but  the  issue  may  prove  fatal  to  you.  If  God, 
being  provoked  by  your  stifling  convictions,  shall  give 
over  dealing  with  you,  I  may  say,  wo  unto  you,  for  ye 
are  undone  eternally.  And  that  ye  have  got  your 
eyes  opened  in  some  measure,  to  discover  your  hazard, 
will  be  so  far  from  mending  the  matter,  that  it  will 
make  it  much  worse  ;  it  will  put  an  accent  upon  your 
sin,  and  likewise  upon  your  punishment. 

3.  Endeavour  to  improve  the  discoveries  ye  have  got 
of  sin  ;  and  seek  not  only  to  keep  your  eyes  open, 
but  to  have  them  further  opened.  The  more  clear 
the  sight  of  sin  is  which  we  get,  the  more  welcome 
will  ye  make  the  gospel  tender  of  mercy  and  relief, 
the  more  sincerely  and  heartily  will  ye  close  with  it. 

4.  Would  ye  indeed  be  saved  ?  then  take  the  advice 
in  the  test,  Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
thou  shall  be  saved.  This  leads  me  to  that  which  I  did 
principally  design  in  the  choice  of  this  subject :  there- 
fore I  shall  if  the  Lord  will,  insist  upon  it  at  length, 
because  it  is  the  very  sum  and  substance  of  the  gos- 
pel, that  which  comprises  all  the  rest. 

We  have  hitherto  represented  your  case  by  nature, 
as  ye  are  under  sin  j  and  have  hinted  shortly  at  your 


man's  recovery  BY  FAITH  IN   CHRIST.       59 

ease,  as  under  the  influences  of  the  spirit  in  convic- 
tion ;  now  we  shall  proceed  to  a  discovery  of  the  gos- 
pel relief,  that  is  provided  by  infinite  wisdom.,  for  such 
as  are  awakened  to  a  discovery  of  their  lost  and  un- 
done state;  and  that  lies  before  us  in  this  31st  verse. 
Ye  may  remember,  that  when  we  did  open  to  you  the 
context,  we  did  defer  the  explication  of  this  verse,  till 
such  time  as  we  had  ended  the  former.  This  being 
now  done,  I  sdiall  briefly  open  the  words,  and  then 
draw  thence  some  such  comprehensive  truth  as  may 
give  ground  to  disccurse  of  that  which  we  have  prin- 
cipally in  cur  eye. 

The  words  contain  a  direction  given  to  the  distress- 
ed and  awakened  jailor:  and  in  them  we  may  take 
not  lee. 

1.  Of  the  person  to  whom  the  direction  is  given  ; 
and,  as  was  just  now  said,  he  is  an  awakened  and  con- 
vinced sinner.  This  is  the  gospel  method ;  it  pro- 
poses its  remedy,  not  to  those  who  are  whole  and 
well  in  their  own  eyes,  but  to  such  as  are  diseased. 
Christ  is  tendered  to  such  as  need  him,  and  are  sen- 
sible that  they  do  so.  The  foundation  of  the  gospel 
is  laid  in  conviction  of  sin.  Hence  it  is,  that  we  find 
gospel  ministers  begin  their  work  here  :  of  which  we 
have  many  eminent  and  notable  instances  in  the  scrip- 
ture. John  the  Baptist,  whose  business  it  was  to 
make  way  for  Christ,  and  prepare  sinners  for  enter- 
taining the  call  of  the  gospel,  begins  his  ministry  with 
conviction,  with  preaching  of  sin  to  his  hearers  : — 
"  Repent,"  saith  he,  **  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is 
at  hand."  He  smartly  rebukes  such  as  came  unto 
him,  and  fully  unfolds  to  them  their  need  of  a  Sa- 
viour. There  were  two  sorts  of  people  that  came  to 
him,  as  we  read  in  the  3d  of  Matthew.  The  ordina- 
ry sorts  of  people,  and  the  more  refined  sort,  the 
Scribes  and  Pharisees;  and  he  deals  with  them  ac- 
cordingly. The  more  gross  sort  he  directly  presses 
to  repentance,  in  consideration  of  the  approach  of  the 
gospel*    Their  sins  went  before-hand  into  judgment. 


60        MAN'S   RECOVERY    BY    FAITH   Iff    CHRIST. 

Matters  of  fact  they  could  not  deny ;  and  there- 
fore he  presses  them  to  load  their  consciences 
with  a  sense  of  them.  The  more  refined  sort  of  sin- 
ners he  takes  another  way  of  dealing  with  ;  he  calls 
them  vipers,  thereby  pointing  them  as  full  as  bad,  if 
not  worse,  than  the  common  sort,  and  beats  them 
from  their  strong  holds  they  were  wont  to  shelter 
themselves  in  from  the  storms  of  an  awakened  con- 
science :  "Think  not  to  say  within  yourselves,  We 
have  Abraham  to  our  father,"  &c.  This  was  their 
ordinary  relief;  and  this  he  discovers  the  vanity  of, 
in  order  to  prepare  them  for  the  entertainment  of  the 
gospel.  The  same  course  was  followed  by  the  apos- 
tles, Acts  ii.  The  same  method  did  our  Lord  use 
with  the  apostle  Paul,  Acts  ix. ;  and  this  method  have 
we  endeavoured  to  follow  in  dealing  with  you  :  we 
have  laid  sin  before  you ;  and  it  is  for  the  sake  of 
such  as  are  convinced  among  you,  that  we  have  en- 
tered upon  the  consideration  of  this  relief,  that  is  on- 
ly suited  to  convinced  sinners.     But, 

2.  In  the  words  we  may  take  notice  of  the  per- 
sons  xvho  propose  this  relief  to  this  awakened  sin- 
ner, viz.  Paul  and  Silas.  In  reference  to  them,  there 
are  only  two  things  I  observe,  amongst  many :  the 
one,  that  they  were  persons  who  had  a  commission 
from  Christ  to  preach  the  gospel :  the  other,  that 
they  once  had  been  in  the  same  case  themselves  : 
which  two,  when  they  meet  one,  help  to  fit  a  man  to 
be  a  complete  minister  ;  one  who  in  his  measure  will 
be  capable  to  answer  the  character  given  of  Christ, 
that  <«  he  had  the  tongue  of  the  learned  to  speak  a 
word  in  season  to  weary  souls." 

3.  We  may  take  notice  of  the  way  wherein  they 
propose  this  direction.  And  here  it  is  remarkable, 
that  they  do  it  speedily,  they  do  it  plainly.  No  soon- 
er is  the  question  proposed,  but  it  is  answered.  One 
would  have  thought,  that  it  had  been  the  apostle's 
wisdom  to  capitulate  with  him,  and  hold  him  in  sus- 
pense, till  such  time  as  he  should  engage  to  contri- 


MAN'S    HECOVEKY    BY    FAITH    IN    CHRIST.         61 

bute  for  their  escape  :  but  they  would  not  do  so,  but 
presently  offer  bini  relief:  having  themselves  been 
acquainted  with  the  terrors  of  the  Lord,  they  know 
bow  uneasy  it  would  be  for  him  to  continue  in  that 
miserable  perplexity,  nay  how  cruel  it  would  be  not 
to  do  their  utmost  for  his  speedy  reJief.  They  mind- 
ed more  the  sinner's  eternal  salvation,  than  their  own 
temporal  safety.  They  had  greater  regard  to  the 
glory  of  Christ,  than  to  their  own  safety.  They 
were  more  concerned  to  satisfy  a  poor  convinced  and 
dejected  sinner,  than  their  own  private  grudges. 
And  this  they  do,  not  by  proposing  the  gospel  in  such 
a  dark  and  obscure  way  as  might  amuse  and  con- 
found, but  in  so  fair  and  plain  a  way,  as  might  be 
understood  easily  by  the  poor  distressed  man. 

4.  In  the  words  we  are  ta  notice  the  direction  it- 
self, Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  In  which 
again,  we  are  to  observe  three  things,  the  duty 
pointed  to  the  person  whom  it  respects,  and  the  tvay 
bow  it  respects  him.  The  duty  pointed  to  is,  Believe  ; 
that  is,  act  faith  upon,  receive  and  rest  upon  Christ, 
look  unto  him.  All  these  words  signify  exactly  one 
and  the  same  thing,  as  we  shall  see  anon,  if  the  Lord 
will.  The  person  whom  this  faith  respects,  is  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Here  we  have  a  threefold  title 
given  to  him.  He  is  called  the  Lord  ;  which  points 
at  Ins  authority  and  dominion.  He  is  Lord  overall 
things  and  persons,  because  he  did  create,  and  doth 
still  uphold  fhem  :  and  he  is  so  in  a  peculiar  manner, 
as  he  is  the  Redeemer  of  the  church,  for  whose  be- 
hoof all  things  are  put  into  his  hands,  he  being  made 
"  head  over  all  things  to  the  church."  Again,  he  is 
called  Jesus9  to  point  at  the  design  of  his  lordship 
and  dominion  :  as  he  is  exalted  to  be  a  Prince,  so  is 
he  likewise  to  be  a  Saviour.  Nay,  the  design  of  his 
advancement  to  that  dominion  which  belongs  to  him 
as  Mediator,  is  to  fit  him  to  be  a  Saviour  ;  which  is 
the  proper  import  of  the  name  Jesus,  according  to 
the  scripture  account  of  it,  "  Thou  shalt  call  his 


62        man's  recovery  BY  FAITH  IN  CHRIST. 

name  Jesus,  because  he  shall  save  his  people  from 
their  sins,"  Matt.  i.  21.  In  fine,  he  is  called  Christ, 
i.  e.  Anointed,  because  he  is  anointed,  designed,  and 
furnished  of  God,  to  be  a  "  Prince  and  a  Saviour,  to 
give  repentance  and  remission  of  sins,"  Acts  v.  31. 
The  last  thing,  we  did  notice  in  the  direction  itself,  is 
the  nature  of  that  respect  which  this  faith  has  to 
Christ:  it  is  not  said,  Believe  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
but  believe  [on]  him,  or  [in]  him.  It  is  not  simply  to 
give  credit  to  his  word,  and  take  as  truth  whatever 
he  has  said  j  but  it  is  to  rely  on  him,  to  put  our 
trust  in  him,  as  one  that  is  able  to  save  such  as  eome 
unto  God  through  him. 

5.  In  the  words  we  are  to  observe  the  encourage- 
mentthat  is  given,  to  engage  to  a  compliance  with 
this  direction.  And  this  is  twofold;  particular, 
thou  shalt  be  saved  ;  and  more  general,  and  thy  house* 
In  the 

1st,  We  have  three  things  worthy  of  our  notice.  1. 
The  thing  that  is  promised,  and  that  is  salvation,  the 
very  thing  that  the  man  was  seeking.  2.  The  or- 
der in  which  it  is  to  be  had  ;  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved.  3.  There  is  a  cer- 
tain connexion  betwixt  the  one  and  the  other  ;  thou 
shalt  be  saved,  if  once  thou  believe.  Where,  by  the 
by,  we  eannol  but  take  notice  of  the  different  influ- 
ence of  the  Arminian  doctrine  of  justification,  and 
that  of  the  apostle's  doctrine,  upon  the  comfort  of 
awakened  sinners.  Had  Paul  said  to  him,  Believe  on 
the  Lord  Jesus  ;  and  if  ye  shall  hold  out  in  faith  to 
the  end,  then  ye  shall  be  saved;  if  ye  hold  your  will 
right,  then  all  shall  be  well.  If,  I  say,  the  apostle 
had  made  his  proposal  so,  the  poor  man  might  have 
lain  still  upon  the  ground,  and  trembled  all  his  days; 
since  this  would  have  given  him,  at  best,  but  a  may- 
be for  his  eternal  salvation,  and  escape  from  eternal 
misery.  But  here  there  is  a  ground  for  present  and 
abiding  comfort :  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ9 
and  thou  shalt  be  saved.    The 


MAN9S   RECOVERY    BY    FAITH   IN   CHRIST.        63 

2d  Branch  of  the  encouragement  is  general,  and 
idly  house  shall  be  saved.  Which  is  not  so  to  be  un- 
derstood, as  if  hereby  it  were  promised,  that  their 
salvation  should  absolutely  depend  upon  his  belief: 
for  his  faith  could  not  save  them  ;  since  the  scripture 
is  express,  that  he  that  believeth  not,  every  particu- 
lar person  who  doth  not  believe,  shall  be  damned ; 
and,  upon  the  other  hand,  that  every  particlar  per- 
son that  believes  shall  be  saved,  though  there  should 
not  one  more  believe.  But  the  meaning  of  the  words 
I  shall  offer  to  you  shortly  thus  :  When  it  is  added, 
and  thy  house,  this  expression  imports,  1.  That  all 
his  house  had  need  of  salvation,  as  well  as  himself. 
One  might  possibly  think,  as  for  that  rude  fellow, 
who  treated  the  servants  of  Christ  so  ill,  he  has  need 
to  be  saved;  but  his  innocent  children  are  guilty  of 
nothing  that  can  endanger  their  eternal  happiness; 
but  hereby  the  apostles  intimate,  that  they  needed 
salvation  as  well  as  he.  2.  It  imports  the  common- 
ness of  this  direction ;  as  if  the  apostles  had  said, 
This  direction  is  not  such  as  is  peculiar  to  such 
great,  notorious,  and  flagitious  sinners,  as  thou  hast 
been ;  but  it  is  the  common  road  wherein  others 
walk  towards  happiness:  there  is  one  way  for  you 
and  your  house  to  be  saved  in.  3.  It  imports  the  ex- 
tent of  this  remedy;  as  if  they  had  said,  This  is  not 
only  sufficient  to  reach  and  benefit  you,  but  it  is  such 
as  may  reach  all  in  your  house,  and  they  may  have 
the  same  advantage  as  ye  may  have.  4.  It  imports 
the  certainty  of  salvation  to  them  upon  the  same 
terms  ;  as  if  the  apostles  had  said,  And  let  thy  house 
believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  they  likewise 
shall  be  saved.  5.  It  imports  this  much,  that  here- 
by his  family  should  obtain  some  special  advantages, 
in  order  to  their  salvation. 

Now,  because  I  design  not  to  speak  any  more  of 
this  part  of  the  text,  I  shall  here  mention  some  of 
these  advantages  which  the  jailor's  children  or  house 
fcad  by  his  faith,  and  consequently  which  the  chil- 


64  MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY    FAITH   IN    CHRIST. 

dren  of  every  believer  has  by  the  faith  of  their 
parents.     Amongst  many  such  advantages,  the  few 
following  ones   are  remarkable.      1.   Hereby  such 
children  are  taken  in  within  the  covenant :  «  For 
the  promise,"  says  the  apostle,  Acts  ii.  39.  "is  to 
you  and  to  your  children,  and  to  all  that  are  afar  off, 
even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  shall  call."  They 
are  allowed  hereby  to  have  their  names  particularly 
mentioned  in  the  promise.     This  is  the  advantage 
which  church  members  have  beyond  others,  who  are 
not  yet  taken  within  the  covenants,  nor  admitted  to 
those  ordinances  which  are  a  badge  of  their  recep- 
tion.    The  gospel-call   says  in  the  general  to  all,  if 
ye  believe,  ye  shall   be  saved  ;  but  it,  as  it  were, 
names  every  one  that  is  baptised,  and  says  in  particu- 
lar to  him,  O  man,  thou  who  art  taken  within  the 
covenant,  I  say  to  thee,   as  it  were  by  name,  thou 
shalt  be  saved,  if  thou   believe  :  and  this  is  much 
more  confirming  than  the  other.     2.  The  children 
of  real  believers  have  this  advantage,  that  they  have 
their  parents  pleading  for  them  at  the  throne  of 
grace,  which  many  times  has  availed  much,  in  or- 
der to  their  salvation,  though  the  Lord  sees  not  meet 
always  t©  hear  parents  in  behalf  of  their  children. 
If  he  did  always  so,  then  possibly  it  might  prove  a 
snare  both  to  them  and  to  their  children,  and  might 
lead  them  into  a  dangerous  mistake,  as   if  God's 
grace  were  not  so  free  as  it  is :  but  that  many  times 
they  are  heard  this  way,  is  encouragement  enough 
to  engage  all  parents  to  pray  for  their  children.     3. 
The  children  of  godly  parents  have  their  counsel  and 
instruction,  which  is  of  use  to  engage  them  to  reli- 
gion, and  to  bring  them  to  acquaintance  with  Christ; 
and  of  how  much  influence  this  is,  the  wise  man  tells 
us,  "Train  up  a  child  in  the  way  he  should  go.  and 
when  he  is  old,  he  will  not  depart  from  it,"  Prov. 
xxii.  6. ;  that   is,   ordinarily  he  will   not  do  so.     4. 
The  children  of  believing   parents,  they  have  their 
parents  good  example ;  and  this  many  times  has  more 


man's  recovery  BY  TAITH  IN   CHRIST.        65 

influence  than  precept  and  instrruetion  :  hence  it  is, 
that  we  find  the  apostle  Peter  exhorting  wives  to  a 
holy  walk,  that  their  unbelieving  husbands,  might 
be  won  by  their  conversation.  "Ye  wives,"  says 
he,  "  be  subject  to  your  own  husbands,  that  if  any 
obey  not  the  word,  they  also  may,  without  the  word, 
be  won  by  the  conversation  of  the  wives,  while  they 
behold  your  chaste  conversation  coupled  with  fear,** 
1  Pet.  iii.  1,  2.  Faith  made  visible  in  a  holy  walk, 
has  a  most  attracting  and  engaging  appearance  ;  it  is 
beautiful  to  an  high  degree.  5.  Hereby  children 
likewise  have  the  advantage  of  the  ordinances,  which 
are  (he  means  of  salvation.  Godly  parents  will  take 
care  both  to  bring  their  children  to  the  ordinances 
and  to  bring  the  ordinances  to  them.  6.  To  add  no 
more  to  this  purpose,  the  children  of  believers  have 
this  advantage  as  they  are  theirs,  that  God  has  a 
particular  respect  to  them;  which  we  find  him  ex- 
pressing upon  several  occasions  to  the  children  of  his 
servants. 

Since,  as  I  said  before,  I  design  not  to  return 
again  to  this  part  of  the  verse,  I  cannot  but  apply 
this  truth,  that  the  children  or  house  of  a  believer 
has  great  advantages  by  his  believing,  in  order  to 
their  salvation.  And  this  I  shall  do  in  a  few  words 
to  four  sorts  of  persons:  (I.)  Believers  ;  (2.)  Their 
children  ;  (3.)  Unbelievers  ;  (4.)  Their  children. 

To  the  first  sort  I  say  only  a  few  words.  O  be- 
lievers !  is  it  so  that  your  children,  as  well  as  ye 
yourselves,  have  so  many  advantages  in  order  to  their 
salvation?  Then,  [1.]  Bless  the  Lord,  who  has 
given  you  faith,  which  not  only  is  the  spring  of  innu- 
merable advantages  to  yourselves,  but  also  entails  so 
many  upon  your  very  houses.  [2.]  Bless  the  Lord, 
and  be  thankful  for  the  extrnt  of  the  covenant ;  that 
it  is  so  wide  as  to  reach  not  only  yourselves,  bu*  even 
your  children.  It  had  been  much  mercy  had  God 
given  you  your  souls  for  a  prey,  though  he  had  never 
given  you  the  least  prospect  of  mercy  to  your  ofr- 

S 


66         MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY    1AITH    IN   CHRIST. 

spring.  [3.] .Take  care  that  your  children  lose  none 
■  of  these  advantages  by  your  negligence.  Some  of 
them,  as  ye  have  heard,  are  of  such  a  nature,  (hat 
depends  not  only  upon  the  being  of  grace,  in  the 
parents,  but  upon  its  exercise.  If  ye  live  not  holily 
and  tenderly  before  them,  ye  may  lay  a  stumbling- 
block  in  their  way,  which  may  cost  you  dear.  The 
negligence  of  some  godly  parents  this  way,  hath 
been  heavy  to  them  when  they  came  to  die,  and 
sometimes  even  before.  [4.]  13o  not  quarrel  God, 
or  repine,  if,  after  all,  your  children  shall  fall  short 
of  salvation.  If  ye  have  acquit  yourselves  faithfully 
then  ye  have  and  may  have  peace,  though  they  prove 
final  misimprovers  of  their  own  mercies.  Christ 
has  no  where  promised  that  they  shall  be  all  saved  : 
the  word  of  God  gives  a  contrary  account  of  the  mat- 
ter :  «  Jacob  have  I  loved,  and  Esau  have  I  hated," 
Horn.  ix.  13. 

2dly9  Are  there  here  any  who  are  the  children  of 
believers?  Then,  to  such  I  say,  [1.]  Ye  have  great 
advantages,  and  therefore  have  an  eminent  call  to 
thankfulness.  Bless  God  that  ye  have  religious  pa- 
rents. Many  have  found  it  not  a  little  relieving  to 
them  in  their  straits  and  fears,  that  they  could  say, 
that  they  were  early  devoted  to  God  by  their  parents*, 
and  that  they  had  early  access  to  know  God,  and  had 
prayers  early  put  up  for  them.  [2.]  Rest  not  upon 
these  advantages  ;  for  your  parents'  faith  will  not 
save  you.  Think  not  to  say  within  yourselves,  we 
have  a  believer  to  our  father,  and  therefore  all  will 
be  well.  Esau  had  such  an  one  to  his  father,  and 
yet  went  to  hell;  and  not  a  few  others  have  gone  the 
same  way.  Nay,  [3.]  J  say  to  you,  if  ye  shall  be 
damned,  all  these  advantages  will  be  witnesses  against 
you.  Your  fathers  devoted  you  to  God,  but  ye  de- 
voted yourselves  to  Satan;  your  fathers  prayed  for 
you,  but  ye  prayed  not  for  yourselves.  These  and 
many  such  will  come  in  against  you,  as  aggravations 
of  your  sin>  and  will  eternally  aggravate  your  misery. 


MAN'S    RECOVERY    BY     FAITH   IN   CHRIST.         67 

[4.]  Therefore  ye  are  called  to  work  out  your  salva- 
tion with  fear  and  trembling.  Since,  if  ye  he  ruined, 
ye  must  be  so  with  a  witness  ;  ifye  go  to  hell,  it  must 
be  a  hotter  heli  ;  therefore  improve  vigorously  the 
advantages  put  in  your  hand.  Resolve  with  Moses, 
Exod,  xv.  2.  "  lie  is  my  God,  and  I  will  prepare 
him  an  habitation  ;  he  is  my  fathers  God,  and  I  will 
exalt  him."  [5.]  Pay  a  double  respect  to  your  be- 
lieving parents.  Ye  owe  them  much  as  your  parents* 
much  as  believers,  much  as  in  Christ  before  you,  and 
much  as  instruments  made  use  of  by  God  in  promo- 
ting your  eternal  well-being.  [6.]  Take  care  that 
ye  turn  not  aside  out  of  their  way  ;  since  this  will 
prove  eminently  prejudicial,  not  only  to  yourselves, 
but  to  your  posterity.  In  fine,  I  say  to  you,  if  ye 
trace  your  parents'  steps,  ye  shall  attain  their  bless- 
ing, even  the  end  of  your  faith,  the  salvation  of  your 
souls. 

Sdly9  I  have  a  few  words  from  this  bead  to  say  to 
unbelieving  parents.  Ye  are  miserable  yourselves  ; 
for  he  that  believeth  not  "is  condemned  already, 
and  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him."  Ye  entail 
as  many  disadvantages  upon  your  posterity,  as  be- 
lievers transmit  advantages  to  theirs  ;  ye  deprive  them 
of  many  means  which  they  might  enjoy,  ye  ruin  them 
by  your  example,  ye  provoke  God  against  your  fami- 
lies ;  in  fine,  ye  do  what  in  you  lies  to  ruin  them  eter- 
nally; so  that,  not  only  your  own  blood,  but  the 
blood  of  their  souls,  will  God  require  at  your  hands. 
Therefore,  as  ye  tender  their  eternal  advantage,  as 
ye  tender  your  own,  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. 

Mhly,  I  have  a  few  words  to  say  to  the  children  of 
irreligious  parents,  and  then  I  shall  proceed.  Ye 
are  at  a  great  loss  indeed  by  your  parents'  infidelity 
and  impiety  ;  yet  it  is  not  an  irreparable  one,  for  the 
door  is  open  to  you,  and  ye  are  called  to  enter  in. 
The  promise  of  salvation  is  not  only  to  believers,  and 
to  their  children,  but  it  is  to  «  all  that  are  afar  oif> 


68        MAN'S    RECOVERY   BY    FAITH    IN    CHRIST. 

even  as  many  as. the  Lord  our  God  shall  call,"  Acts 
ii.  39.  Therefore  lay  hold  upon  the  advantage  that 
ye  have  of  mercy  offered  to  you  upon  the  gospel- 
terms.  See  that  ye  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus.  Be 
very  thankful  to  God,  and  admire  the  riches  of  his 
undeserved  kindness,  in  having  a  regard  to  you,  and 
Galling  you,  notwithstanding  your  own  iniquities, 
and  the  iniquity  of  your  fathers.  Take  care  that  ye 
transmit  not  these  inconveniences,  that  ye  yourselves 
lie  under,  to  your  posterity.  And,  if  ever  the  Lord 
do  you  good,  seek  by  all  means  the  salvation  of  your 
parents ;  and  if  ye  obtain  not  an  answer  of  peace 
with  respect  to  them,  then  I  can  assure  you,  your 
prayers  shall  return  into  your  own  bosom,  and  so  ye 
shall  be  no  losers. 

Thus  far  have  we  prosecuted  the  last  clause  of  the 
verse,  to  which  we  design  not  to  return  again  :  we 
shall  now  proceed  to  that  which  is  our  principal  de- 
sign, in  the  discovery  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  the  only  re- 
lief of  sinners,  as  the  only  one  that  can  effectually 
quiet  the  conscience  of  an  awakened  sinner. 

We  have  sufficiently  explained  the  words  already  ; 
that  which  I  shall  now  insist  upon  at  some  length 
from  them,  is  expressed  in  the  following  doctrine. 

Doct.- — "  An  awakened  sinner,  betaking  himself  to, 
or  believing  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  shall  be  sa- 
ved." 
F  I  think  there  is  no  need  of  any  proof  of  the  doe- 
trine,  it  lies  so  plain  in  the  words,  and  is  so  frequent- 
ly asserted  in  the  scripture,  that  one  shall  scarce 
look  into  the  book  of  God,  but  he  shall  find  some 
one  proof  or  other  of  this  truth.  In  the  prosecution 
of  (his  doctrine,  we  shall,  if  the  Lord  will,  follow 
this  method. 

I.  We  shall  tell  you  who  this  convinced  sinner  is, 
©f  whom  we  speak  in  the  doctrine. 


! 


MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IIST   CHRIST.  69 

II.  We  shall  offer  you  some  account  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  in  whom  he  is  to  believe. 

III.  We  shall  shortly  explain  several  scripture- 
expressions  which  point  out  this  duty,  that  from 
them  we  may  understand  something  of  its  nature  } 
and  then, 

IV.  We  shall  hold  forth  the  nature  of  this  faith  in 
a  few  particulars,  which  may  receive  light  from  the 
former  general  head, 

V.  We  shall  inquire,  what  that  salvation  is  which 
they  shall  have  who  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. 

VI.  We  shall  offer  some  evidences  of  the  truth  of 
the  doctrine,  and  then  apply  the  whole,  if  the  Lord 
allow  time,  and  opportunity,  and  strength. 

I.  We  begin  with  the  first  of  these,  which  is,  to 
show  who  this  convinced  sinner  is,  that  shall  obtain 
salvation  on  his  believing  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
I  shall  offer  you  his  character  in  the  few  following 
particulars,  in  as  far  as  we  think  it  needful  for  our 
present  design  ;  for  that  it  is  in  some  measure  re- 
quisite, is  plain,  since  none  can  be  saved  but  such  as 
believe,  and  none  can  believe  but  convinced  and  awa- 
kened sinners.  Take  then  the  character  of  such  an 
one,  thus  : 

First,  He  is  an  ungodly  man.  It  is  only  such  as 
are  ungodly  who  are  saved  by  believing  in  Jesus  : 
?•  To  him  that  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him 
who  justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  for 
righteousness,"  Rom.  iv.  5.  Persons  who  are  not 
ungodly  have  no  need  of  Jesus ;  and  who  see  not 
themselves  to  be  such  will  never  look  after  him. 

Secondly,  He  is  one  that  sees  himself,  upon  this 
account,  obnoxious  to  the  judgment  of  God,  even  that 
righteous  judicial  sentence,  that  he  who  eommitteth 
sin  is  worthy  of  death.  He  sees  himself  lying  open 
to  the  curse  of  the  law,  to  the  death  it  threatens 
against  sinners.    When  the  law  says,  "The  soul 

S  % 


70        MAN'S   RECOVERY    BY    FAITH   IN    CHRIST. 

that  sins  shall  die,"  the  sinner  hears  his  own  doom 
in  that  sentence,  because  he  sees  his  name  in  the 
sentence.  The  sentence  is  against  the  soul  that  sins* 
and  this  he  knows  to  be  his  very  name. 

Thirdly,  He  is  a  self  condemned  man.  He  not 
only  hears  God  passing  sentence  against  him,  but  he 
passeth  sentence  against  himself.  Thus  it  is  with 
every  convinced  sinner;  he  is  as  severe  to  himself  as 
God,  or  the  law  of  God,  can  be:  whatever  these 
charge  him  with,  all  that  he  takes  with;  whatever 
they  determine  to  be  done  against  him,  he  writes 
clown  under  it,  Just;  the  Lord  is  righteous,  for  I 
have  offended. 

Fourthly.  He  is  one  that  has  his  mouth  stopped, 
as  the  apostle  speaks,  Rom.  iii.  16.  He  has  sinned, 
and  he  is  sensible  that  there  is  no  hiding  of  it.  He 
is  guilty,  and  there  is  no  excuse.  He  is  every  way 
shut  up  under  sin9  as  the  word  properly  signifies, 
Gal.  iii.  22.  "  The  scripture  hath  concluded  all  un- 
der sin  ;"  that  is,  according  to  the  force  of  the  word, 
the  scripture  hath  every  way  shut  up,  or  shut  in,  all 
under  sin, "  that  the  promise  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ 
might  be  given  to  them  that  believe."  In  one  word, 
lie  is  a  criminal,  that  has  got  such  a  sight  of  his 
crime,  that  he  dare  neither  deny  it,  nor  endeavour 
to  hide  it,  nor  extenuate  it,  but  subscribes  to  the 
truth  of  all  that  the  law  of  God  and  his  own  con- 
science charge  him  with.  As  for  the  sentence  passed 
against  him,  he  subscribes  it  just  ;  he  knows  that  he 
cannot  flee  from  it,  nor  is  able  to  undergo  it.  He  is 
an  enemy  to  God,  brought  to  such  a  strait,  that  he  is 
able  neither  to  fight  nor  to  flee.  And  w  hen  he  looks 
to  himself,  and  all  those  things  he  once  laid  some 
weight  upon,  he  sees  no  prospect  of  relief.  Such  an 
one  is  the  convinced  sinner  we  speak  *>f;  and  such 
of  you  as  never  were  brought  to  this  pass,  never  did 
believe  on  the  Lprd  Jesus  Christ.  This  being  once 
cleared,  we  proceed  now, 

II.  To  give  some  account  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 


MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY    FAITH   IN   CHRIST,         71 

on  whom  be  is  called  to  believe.  Here  ye  are  not  to 
expect  a  full  account  of  Christ  ;  this  none  can  give  $ 
nor  shall  1  at  large  insist  on  what  may  be  known  of 
him,  but  only  glance  at  a  few  things,  which  suit  the 
case  of  the  convinced  sinner,  of  whom  we  have  just 
now  been  speaking.  And  this  we  shall  do  in  a  few 
particulars. 

First,  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  on  whom  we  are 
bid  believe,  is,  "  Immanuel,  God  with  us,"  God  in 
our  nature,  God  man  in  one  person.  "  In  the 
beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  Mas  with 
God,  and  the  Word  was  God."  And  the  Word  that 
in  the  beginning  was  with  God,  and  was  God,  in  the 
fulness  of  time  <•  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among 
men  upon  earth,  who  did  behold  his  glory,  the  glory 
as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,  fall  of  grace 
and  truth.'5  This  the  apostle  John  doth  evince  at 
great  length ;  this  he  expressly  teaches,  in  the  first 
chapter  of  his  Gospel,  and  the  first  fourteen  orfifteen 
verses  of  it.  Now,  this  discovery  of  Christ  is  ex- 
tremely encouraging  to  a  sinner,  who  is  under  the 
deep  conviction  of  sin,  as  was  the  jailor  in  the  text* 
If  ye  tell  such  an  one,  when  he  cries  out  with  him, 
What  shall  I  do  to  he  saved  ?  Go,  believe  on,  God, 
it  w ould  give  him  no  relief,  for  all  his  fears  arexrbm 
God  ;  it  i3  destruction  from  God  that  is  his  terror. 
He  sees  the  holiness,  the  truth,  the  wisdom,  and  jus- 
tice  of  God,  all  breathing  out  threatenings  against 
him.  Holiness  cannot  look  upon  an  impure  sinner. 
The  truth  of  God  has  become  surety  for  his  destruc- 
tion ;  the  justice  of  God  pleads  it  reasonable  that  the 
sinner  should  be  punished,  and  thereby  evil  taken 
away,  God's  honour,  and  the  honour  of  his  law  re- 
paired ;  and  wisdom  is  so  deeply  interested  in  every 
one  of  these  claims,  that  it  seems  to  join  with  them. 
Hence  it  is  that  the  sinner  is  horridlv  afraid  of  God. 

a 

So  far  would  he  be  from  looking  towards  him,  that 
like  Adam,  he  would  flee  from  him,  and  endeavour 
to  hide  himself.    What  would  such  a  poor  trembling 


72        MAN'S   RECOVERS*   BY  FAITH   IN   CHRIST. 

sinner  reply  unto  any  one  who  should  bid  him  believe 
in  God  ?  Shall  I  believe  on  him  who  threatens  me 
with  destruction — on  him,  all  whose  attributes  con- 
spire, and  that  most  justly,  my  everlasting  destruc- 
tion ?  He  has  told  me  already,  what  I  am  to  expect 
at  his  hand,  even  sure  and  inevitable  death  :  '<  In  the 
day  thou  eatest  thou  shalt  surely  die,"      This  God 
is  a  consuming  fire,  and  I  am  as  stubble  before  him. 
On  the  other  hand,  tell  such  a  convinced  sinner  of  a 
man,  a  mere  man,  and  bid  him  look  to  him  for  re- 
lief; this  at  first  blush  appears  utterly  vain.     What ! 
are  not  all  men  involved  in  the  same  calamity  with 
me  ?  are  they  not  unable  to  save  themselves  ?  What ! 
is   man  able   to  sustain   the  weight  of  that  heavy 
stroke  of  wrath,  which  enraged  Omnipotence  is  rea- 
dy to  lay  on  ?    Thus  it  appears,  neither  mere  God, 
nor  mere  man,  is  suited  to  give  relief  to  the  sinner 
of  whom  we  speak  ;  but  God  and  man  united  in  one, 
appears  exceedingly  suited  to  give  him  relief.  There 
are  three  things  which  an  awakened  sinner  will  see 
at  (he  first  view,  in  the  person  of  Christ.     (1.)     He 
will  see  him  to  be  one  that  may  be  approached  by 
him.     When  one  is  made  sensible  of  his  own  sinful- 
ness so  far  will  he  be  from  desiring  a  sight  of  God, 
that  he  will  rather  faint  at  the  thoughts  of  it,  since 
he  dreads  he  cannot  see  him  and  live.     Nay,  such 
is  the  weakness    of   man  since    the   fall,  thai   the 
sight  of  even   a  created  angel,  has  made  some  of 
the  most  eminent  saints  exceedingly  afraid,  as  we 
have  instances  more  than  one  in  the  Scripture. — 
But  there    is  not    that  drerd    in    the  sight  of  one 
that  is  clothed  with  flesh,  that  appears  in  the  like- 
ness of  even  sinful  flj^sh,  Romans  viii,  3.  as  to  de- 
ter from  approaching  to  him.    Nay,  on  the  contrary, 
will  not  every  one  in  this  case,  readily  draw  near, 
in  expectation  of  relief  from  such  a  one,  knowing 
him  to  be  "  bone  of  his  bone,  and  flesh  of  his  flesh." 
This  is  one  of  the  excellencies  in  Christ's  person  that 
ravishes  the  heart  of  a  sinner  that  is  looking  out  for 


man's  recoyeky  by  faith  in  chkist.      7S 

relief.     (2.)  The  person  of  Christ,  thus  consisting 
of  the  divine  and   human  nature  united  in   one,  ap- 
pears notably  fitted  for  undertaking  the  work  of  a 
dav's-man  betwixt  an  anCTv  God  and  rebel  sinners. 
He  is  equally  interested  in  both  parties:  being  God, 
he  knows  exactly  what  all  the  properties  of  God   do 
demand  of  sinners ;  and  being  man,  he  knows  well 
what  man's  state  is.     Thus  the   sinner's  fear  is  re- 
moved,  that  there  is  "  not  a  day's-man  who  should 
lay  his  hand  upon  the  head  of  both  parties,"  as  Job 
expresses  it.     (3.)  A  convinced  sinner  here  sees  one, 
not  only  capable  to  know,  but  even  to  be  *'  touched 
with  the  feeling  of  his  infirmities,"  who  withal   has 
wisdom  and  power  to  improve  any   sense   he  has  of 
our  misery  to  our  advantage.     This  is  what  the  con- 
victed sinner  with  admiration  views  in  Christ,  who  is 
the  great  "  mystery  of  godliness,  God  manifested  in 
the  flesh." 

Secondly,  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  clothed  with 
a  threefold  office,  for  the  behoof  and  advantage  of 
such  as  shall  believe  on  him.  He  is  a  King,  a  Priest, 
and  a  Prophet :  and  each  of  these  is  exceedingly 
suited  to  the  relief  of  an  awakened  sinner,  as  we  may 
hear  afterwards. 

1st,  I  say  he  is  a  Prophet;  and  as  such  he  was 
promised  of  old  to  the  church  by  Moses  :  "  A  prophet 
shall  the  Lord  your  God  raise  up  to  you  from  among 
your  brethren,"  says  he.  Because  this  scripture  fur- 
nishes us  with  a  full  account  of  Christ's  prophetical 
office,  we  may  take  a  view  of  it  at  some  length.  So 
then  that  text  runs,  "  T  will  (says  God)  raise  them 
up  a  prophet  from  among  their  brethren  like  unto 
thee;  and  I. will  put  my  words  in  his  mouth,  and  he 
shall  speak  unto  them  all  that  I  shall  command  him  : 
and  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  whosoever  will  not 
hearken  to  my  words,  which  he  shall  speak  in  my 
name,  I  will  require  it  of  him,"  Dent,  xviii.  IS,  ±9. 
Now,  in  this  scripture,  we  have  so  full  an  account  of 
Christ's  prophetical  office,  with  respect  to  our  present 


T4  MANfS    RECOVERY   BY   FAITH    IN    CHRIST, 

design,  that  I  cannot  better  unfold  this  matter  (ban 
by  making  some  remarks  upon  it.  And,  (1.)  Here 
we  see  that  Christ  is  indeed  a  prophet;  for  so  he  is 
expressly  called,  and  as  such  he  is  here  promised. — . 
That  it  is  Christ  whom  Moses  here  intends,  the  Spi- 
rit of  God  has  long  since,  by  the  mouth  of  the  apos- 
tle Peter,  fully  determined,  Acts  iii.  22.  (2.)  Here 
we  see  his  call  to  that  office.  "  I  will  raise  up  a 
prophet,"  says  God  ;  that  is,  I  will  call  and  set  one 
apart  for  that  work.  (3.)  We  see  further  his  furni- 
ture for  the  work  :  "  I  will  put  my  words  in  his 
mouth. "  (£.)  We  see  what  his  work  and  business 
is :  it  is  to  speak  to  them  all  that  is  commanded  him 
of  God  ;  to  deliver  to  them  the  whole  counsel  of  God 
for  their  salvation.  (5.)  Here  we  see  who  the  persons 
are  to  whom  God  has  a  regard,  in  the  designation  of 
Christ  to  this  office  ;  they  are  sinners,  sensible  that  it 
was  impossible  for  them  to  hear  God  speak  to  them 
immediately,  and  yet  live  ;  which  put  them  upon  that 
desire  expressed  in  the  16th  verse  of  this  chapter:— 
"  Let  me  not  hear  again  the  voice  of  the  Lord  my 
God  ;  neither  let  me  see  this  great  fire  any  more,  that 
I  die  not."  (6.)  We  moreover  see  God's  design  in  ap- 
pointing Christ  a  prophet,  even  a  compliance  with  the 
desires  and  necessities  of  convinced  sinners.  This 
appears  plainly  to  be  his  design,  if  we  observe  the 
connexion  betwixt  the  15th  and  16th  verses  of  this 
chapter.  The  Lord  promises,  in  the  15th  verse, 
Christ  to  be  a  prophet ;  and  in  the  16th  he  tells,  that 
it  was  according  to  their  desires  in  Horeb.  (7.)  We 
may  further  take  notice  of  the  qualifications  which 
they  desire  in  this  prophet,  and  which  Christ  is  ac- 
cordingly endued  with  ;  and  they  are,  that  he  be  one 
of  themselves,  one  who  by  his  greatness  should  not  be 
a  terror  to  them,  and  that  he  be  faithful  in  declaring 
to  them  all  that  the  Lord  should  acquaint  him  with. 
Thus  we  see  in  some  measure,  and  hereafter  may  see 
more  fully,  of  what  use  it  is  to  sinners,  in  order  to 
their  believing  on  Christ,  that  he  be  a  prophet. 


man's   RECOVERY  BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST,        75 

£(%,  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  "  a  pries!  for  ever 
after  the  order  of  Melchisedtc,"  Psal.  ex.  4.  God 
having  made  him  so  by  an  oath.    And  in  his  diseharge 
of  this  office  doth  no  small  part  of  the  concernment 
of  awakened  sinners  lie.     It  is  not  my  design  at  pre- 
sent to  enter  upon  any  large  discourse  of  this  office 
of  Christ.     I  must  here  take  notice  of,  and  open  up 
the  nature  of  this  office,  in  order  to   that   end  and 
scope  which  we  now  drive  at,  the  relief  of  convinced 
sinners.     I  shall  not  stand  upon  a  recital  of  all  the 
acts  which  do  belong  to  this  office,  of  which  not  a  few 
might  be  mentioned.     There  are  two  which  deserve 
especial  consideration,  his  oblation,  and  his  interces- 
sion thereupon.     The  first  is  the  foundation  of  the 
second.     Now,  that  ye  may  understand  what  advan- 
tage flows  from  this  office  to  the  persons  of  whom  we 
discourse,  I  shall  a  little  inquire,  who  the  person  is 
to  whom  Christ  offers  sacrifice,  who  they  are  for 
whom  he  doth  so,  who  he  is  that  offers  sacrifice,  and 
what  that  sacrifice  is  that  he  offers  :  and,  upon  the 
whole,  it  will  appear  of  how  great  advantage  this  of- 
fice is  to  sinners,  and  how   much  he  is  thereby  fitted 
to  be  the  object  of  sinners'  faith.     I  shall  only  touch 
at  such  things  here  as  are  indispensably  needful  in 
order  to  lay  a  foundation  for  faith. 

1.  As  for  the  person  to  whom  he  offers  sacrifice, 
and  with  whom  he  intercedes,  no  doubt  it  is  God  on- 
ly ;  and  that  he  is  the,  just,  the  sia-revenging  God, 
who  has  declared,  that  he  "  will  by  no  means  clear 
the  guilty;"  nay,  "  that  the  soul  that  sinneth  shall 
die.5*  There  was  no  place  for  sacrifices  before  God 
was  incensed  by  sin.  It  had  no  place  under  the  first 
covenant,  wherein  Adam  was  allowed  to  come  into 
the  presence  of  God,  without  any  interposal  on  his 
behalf  by  any  other.  God  being  then  well  pleased 
with  him,  he  had  acceptance  with  God,  and  by  virtue 
of  his  acceptance,  had  a  right  to,  and  might  ask  and 
have  whatever  was  needful  for  his  happiness.  But, 
upon  the  entry  of  sin  into  the  world,  God's  favour 


76  MANfS   RECOVERY    BY    FAITH   IN   CHRIST. 

was  turned  into  anger  and  indignation  against  sinful 
man.  This  cuts  him  off  from  the  expectation  of  ad- 
vantage by  God  ;  nay  more,  threatens  him  with  ine- 
vitable ruin  and  destruction  from  him,  without  the 
interposal  of  some  one  or  other,  as  a  priest,  to  appease 
the  wrath  of  the  sin-revenging  God.     Whence, 

2.  It  is  easy  to  understand  who  the  persons  are  for 
whom  he  offers  sacrifice.  They  are  sinners,  who  are 
obnoxious  to  the  wrath  of  God  upon  the  account  of 
sin  ;  who  not  only  are  cast  out  of  the  favour  of  God, 
but  moreover  are  lying  open  to  the  stroke  of  vindic- 
tive justice.     And  this, 

3.  Clears  to  us  who  he  is  that  must  interpose  as  a 
priest.  He  must  be  one  acceptable  to  God  :  <*  Such 
a  high  priest  (says  the  apostle)  became  us,  who  is 
holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  and  separate  from  sinners," 
Heb.  vii.  26.  One  who,  upon  the  account  of  his  own 
sins,  was  obnoxious  to  the  just  indignation  of  God, 
could  be  of  no  use  to  sinners  in  this  matter.  Again, 
lie  must  be  one  who  was  capable  of  being  affected 
with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmities,  that  he  might  have 
compassion  upon  us:  and  upon  this  account  it  is  that 
the  apostle  says,  Heb.  ii.  17.  «"•  That  it  behoved 
Christ  to  be  made  like  unto  his  brethren,  that  he 
might  be  a  merciful  and  faithful  high  priest  in  things 
pertaining  to  God,  to  make  reconciliation  for  the  sins 
of  the  people;  for  in  that  he  himself  hath  suffered, 
being  tempted,  he  is  able  to  succour  them  that  are 
tempted  :"  For,  as  the  same  apostle  has  it,  Heb.  iv.  15. 
«  We  have  not  a  high  priest  which  cannot  be  touched 
with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmities,  but  was  in  all 
points  tempted  like  as  we  are,  without  sin.'5  In  fine, 
he  must  be  one  called  of  God  to  this  office  ;  for  no 
man  takes  to  himself  this  office,  but  he  that  was  call- 
ed of  God,  as  was  Aaron.59  All  which  qualifications 
are  found  in  Christ,  and  in  him  only,  "  who  is  the 
apostle  and  high  priest  of  our  profession." 

4.  We  are  to  consider  what  that  sacrifice  is,  which 
Christy  as  a  priest,  doth  offer  unto  an  incensed  God 


* 


MAX  S    RECOVERY   BY    FAITH   IN    CHRIST.        77 

for  sinners.  That  he  should  have  something  to  offer 
is  absolutely  needful,  upon  account  of  the  office : 
"  For  every  high  priest  is  ordained  to  offer  gifts  and 
sacrifices  ;  wherefore  it  is  of  necessity  that  this  man 
have  somewhat  also  to  offer,"  Heb.  viii.  3.  What  that 
sacrifice  was,  the  same  apostle  tells,  Heb.  ix.  13. 
♦'<  For  [saitfr  he]  if  the  blood  of  bulls  and  of  goats, 
and  the  ashes  of  a  heifer,  sprinkling  the  unclean, 
sanctifieth  to  the  purifying  of  the  flesh,  how  much 
more  shall  the  blood  of  Christ,  who,  through  the 
eternal  spirit,  offered  himself  without  spot  to  God, 
purge  your  consciences  from  dead  works,  to  serve  the 
living  God  ?"     The  sacrifice  he  offers  is  himself. 

What  has  been  said  of  Christ's  priestly  office,  I 
shall  bring  home  to  the  business  in  hand,  in  the  few 
following  particulars.     From  what  has  been  said,  it 
appears,  that  the  case  betwixt  God  and  sinful  man 
stands  plainly  thus.     [1.]  Man  has  sinned,  and  there- 
by  provoked  God  to  wrath.     [2.]  Incensed  justice 
lays  hold  of  sinful  man,  takes  him,  and,  like  Isaac, 
binds  him,  and  lifts  the  hand  with  the  knife  in  it,  to 
fetch  a  stroke  down  upon  the  sinner.     [3.J  In  this 
case,  no  prayers,  no  tears  of  the  sinner,  nay,  nor  any 
thing  that  the  sinner  can  think  upon,  can  avail :  u  Sa- 
crifice and  offering  thou  wouldst  not,"  says  our  Lord, 
Heb.  x.  5.     [4,]  While  things  are  in  this  desperate 
condition  with  the  sinner,  Christ,  being  made  a  priest, 
as  has  been  said,  by  virtue  of  his  office,  steps  in,  and 
pleads  for  the  sinner,  and  offers  himself  in  the  sin- 
ner's room,  to  suffer  what  justice  was  ready  to  have 
inflicted  upon  the  sinner.     [5.]  Justice  accepts  of  the 
sacrifice  of  this  lamb  of  God's  providing,  and  lets  the 
sinner  go,  but  slays  the  sacrifice.     [6.]  This  being 
done,  God  is  appeased ;  he  has  no  more  to  charge 
the  sinner  with,  for  the  sacrifice  has  suffered;  nay 
more,  the  sacrifice  being  of  infinitely   more  value 
than  the  sinner,  doth  deserve  and  purchase  a  great 
many  favours  for  him,  all  which  this  high  priest  takes 
care  to  have  bestowed  on  him  j  that  is  to  say,  he  in* 

T 


78        man's  recovery  by  FAITH  IS  CHRIST. 

tercedes  for  hini,  that  he  may  lose  none  of  these  things 
which  Christ  has  purchased  for  him;  for  his  inter- 
cession is  nothing  else  but  that  care,  if  I  may  so  speak, 
which  the  high  priest  of  our  profession  takes,  that  all 
those  for  whom  he  did  offer  himself  a  sacrifice  obtain 
the  advantage  of  that  sacrifice.  And  of  how  great 
use  this  office  is  to  such  sinners  as  are  in  the  jailor's 
ease,  may  appear  in  part  from  what  has  already  been 
discoursed  on  this  head,  and  may  more  fully  appear 
from  what  we  shall  afterwards  discourse  on  the  same. 
Now  we  come, 

Bdly9  To  speak  of  Christ's  being  a  king.  As  he  is 
by  God  appointed  to  be  a  prophet  and  a  priest,  so  he 
is  likewise  to  be  a  king  :  "  I  have  set  my  king  upon 
my  holy  hill  of  Zion,"  Psal.  ii.  6.  His  professed  ad- 
herence to  this  cost  him  his  life.  This  was  his 
charge,  that  he  made  himself  a  king.  I  cannot  stand 
to  speak  of  all  these  things  which  do  belong  to  Christ's 
kingly  office.  I  shall  only  hint  at  a  few  things  which 
are  of  especial  use  to  our  present  purpose.  [1.]  He 
has  power  and  authority,  by  virtue  of  this  office,  to 
enact  all  such  laws  as  may  contribute  to  the  good 
and  advantage  of  his  subjects.  [2.]  He  has  power  to 
reduce  all  such  as  do  belong  to  his  kingdom  to  his 
obedience  :  «  Thy  people  shall  be  willing  in  the  day 
of  thy  power,"  says  God  to  him,  Psal.  ex.  3.  Some- 
times the  subjects  of  his  kingdom  do  rebel  against 
him ;  but  he  makes  them  by  his  power  willingly  to 
submit  to  him.  [3.]  He  has  power  to  protect  his 
subjects  against  all  their  enemies  ;  and  hereupon  it  is 
that  the  church's  confidence  is  founded,  Isa.  xxxiii. 
22.  "  The  Lord  is  our  judge,  the  Lord  is  our  lawgiv- 
er, the  Lord  is  our  king,  he  will  save  us."  [4.]  He 
has  power  entirely  to  make  a  conquest  of  all  his  ene- 
mies ;  for  "he  must  reign  till  he  hath  put  all  his 
enemies  under  his  feet,"  1  Cor.  xv.  25.  In  fine,  he 
has  a  power  whereby  he  is  able  even  to  subdue  all 
things  to  himself,  "  all  power  being  given  him  in 
heaven  and  in  earth  j"  and  being  made  "head  over 


man's  recovery  BY  FAITH  IN   CHRIST.         79 

all  things  to  the  church,"  he  will  take  care  to  em- 
ploy and  lay  out  all  for  (he  advantage,  peace,  rest, 
and  stability,  of  his  church  and  people.  But,  leaving 
this,  we  proceed, 

Thirdly,  To  give  a  further  account  of  the  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ,  on  whom  sinners  are  called  to  believe. — 
Two  things  we  have  said  of  him  ;  one,  that  he  is  God 
in  our  nature  ;  the  other,  that  he  is  clothed  with  a 
threefold  office.  We  add,  in  the  next  place,  as  the 
consequence  of  what  has  been  said  of  him,  that  he  is 
one  in  whom  the  convinced  sinner  will  find  relief 
against  a  threefold  evil  under  which  he  lies.  There 
are  three  things  which  do  exceedingly  burden  the 
conscience  of  a  sinner  in  any  good  measure  awaken- 
ed, ignorance,  guilt  and  the  power  of  sin.  1st,  fie 
finds  himself  extremely  ignorant,  perfectly  in  the 
dark,  as  to  the  mind  and  will  of  God.  He  knows  not 
what  hand  he  shall  turn  to,  what  is  sin,  or  what  is 
duty,  whether  he  had  best  lie  still,  or  move  out  of 
his  present  state  ,  or  if  he  find  it  ruining  to  lie  still, 
he  knows  not  what  course  to  betake  himself  to.  Now, 
for  this  plague,  which  is  one  of  the  dismal  consequen- 
ces of  man's  apostaey  from  God,  there  is  relief  in 
Christ's  prophetical  office,  by  which  he  doth  translate 
sinners  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous  light. 
What  before  was  hid  from  the  eyes  of  all  living,  that 
he  reveals  to  sinners.  That  there  were  any  thoughts 
of  merey  or  grace  for  sinners  in  the  heart  of  God, 
could  never  have  been  known  by  any,  had  not  Christ 
revealed  it;  for  "no  man  hath  seen  God  at  any 
time ;  the  only  begotten  Son,  which  is  in  the  bosom 
of  the  Father,  he  hath  declared  him,"  John  i.  18. 
2clly,  Man  is  pressed  down  with  guilt,  and  it  is  only 
in  Christ's  priestly  office  that  the  awakened  sinner 
can  find  relief  against  this;  for  there  is  no  way  of 
purging  the  conscience  from  dead  works,  but  only  by 
the  application  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  who  offered 
himself  to  God,  through  the  eternal  Spirit,  for  this 
very  end.     oily,  In  him  there  is  relief  against  the 


$0         MAS's    HECOVEKY    BY    FAITH    IK    CHRIST. 

power  of  sin,  which  is  one  part,  and  that  no  small 
part,  of  the  misery  which  man  fell  under  by  his  apos- 
taey  from  God.  He  is  insulted  over,  and  enslaved 
fey  sin ;  and  there  never  was,  nor  can  there  ever  be 
any  relief  for  him,  but  only  in  Christ,  who  has  a 
power  whereby  he  is  able  to  subdue  all  things  to  him- 
self. He  can  strengthen  the  weak,  and  make  the 
unwilling  to  become  willing,  by  a  day  of  his  power, 
and  turn  the  disobedient  to  the  wisdom  of  the  just. 
Moreover, 

Fourthly,  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  one  in  whom 
the  sinner  finds  a  threefold  tormenting  scruple  fully 
satisfied.  When  the  Lord  opens  the  sinner's  eyes, 
and  gives  him  a  view  of  his  condition,  how  matters 
stand  betwixt  God  and  him,  then  there  are  three 
things  which  lie  exceedingly  heavy  upon  the  sinner : 
1st,  Where  shall  I  get  one  that  has  ability  sufficient 
to  undertake  for  me?  The  sinner  sees  so  much  need- 
ful to  be  done  in  order  to  his  relief,  that  he  can  think 
of  none  in  heaven  or  earth  that  is  able  to  relieve  him. 
He  is,  as  it  were,  laid  in  a  grave  that  has  a  stone 
rolled  to  the  door  j  and  many  a  time  is  he  forced  to 
put  the  question,  Who  will  roll  away  the  stone? 
He  sees  mountains  lying  in  the  way,  and  cannot  think 
of  an  arm  sufficient  to  lift  them.  In  Christ  only  can 
he  be  satisfied.  He  it  is  who  is  the  "  mighty  one, 
on  whom  the  Lord  has  laid  help,"  Psal.  Ixxxix.  19. 
one  chosen  out  of  the  people  for  that  very  end,  that 
he  might  be  the  strength  of  such  as  put  their  trust 
in  him.  He  is  the  Lord  Jehovah,  in  whom  there  is 
everlasting  strength.  %dly9  When  the  sinner  hears 
of  one  that  is  able,  this  gives  him  no  relief ;  for  pre- 
sently another  doubt  perplexes  him,  and  fills  his  soul 
with  anxiety  :  Here  indeed  I  see  ability  sufficient; 
Oh  !  but  I  fear  he  has  no  mind  to  employ  and  lay  out 
his  ability  in  that  way.  This  made  many,  in  the 
days  of  Christ's  flesh,  when  toe  lived  upon  earth, 
come  to  him  with  their  hearts  full  of  fear;  they 
doubted  he  might  not  be  willing  to  employ  his  skill, 


MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY     FAITH   IN   CHRIST.        81 

to  lay  out  bis  ability  for  their  help  and  relief.     «  If 
thou  wilt,  (said  the  leper,)   thou  canst   make   me 
clean,"  Matth.  viii.  2. ;  and  so  says  the  sinner.  Now, 
in  the  discovery  of  Christ  (hat  is  here  made5  we  may 
see  an  answer  to  this  doubt.     As  he  is  the  Lord,  one 
that  has  all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth ;  whence 
it  is  that  he  is  mighty  to  save  :  so  he  is  Jesus,  one 
that  is  willing,  and  designs  to  lay  out  and  improve 
his  ability  that  way.     But  here,  Sdly,  Another  doubt 
may  stare  the  sinner  broad  in  the  face:  There  is 
perhaps  wanting  a  commission  for  the  work:    the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  wants  neither  power  nor  will ;  but 
I   much   question   the  Father's   willingness.     This 
many  times  sticks  long  with  distressed  sinners.    But 
in  this  person  there  is  answer  to  this  as  well  as  the 
former  :    He  is  Christ,  him  hath  God  the  Father 
sealed,  anointed,  and  set  apart  lor  that  very  work. 
He  it  is  that  hath  exalted  him  to  be  a  Saviour,  and 
put  power  in  his  hand  for  completing  his  work,  and 
saving  to  the  utmost  all  that  came  to  God  through 
him. 

Fifthly,  Christ  as  clothed  with  his  threefold  office^ 
is  able  to  remove  a  threefold  obstruction  that  stood 
in  the  way  of  the  sinner's  salvation  and  happiness, 
arising  from  the  nature  of  God.  1st,  Justice  had  a  plea 
against  the  sinner,  and  stood  betwixt  him  and  salva- 
tion. The  sentence  of  justice  is,  that  he  who  doth 
sin  is  worthy  of  death.  Well,  the  sinner  that  be- 
lieves in  Christ  answers,  I  am  dead,  I  suffered  in 
Christ.  2dly9  Holiness  says,  Nothing  shall  approach 
it  that  is  impure.  Well,  Christ  says,  I  have  power 
to  purge  them  from  their  filth  by  the  spirit  of  judg- 
ment and  of  burning.  Sdly,  But  then  the  difficulty 
remains,  as  to  the  discovery  of  this  to  the  sinner.  If 
God  should  call  him  to  blessedness,  he  could  not  bear 
it :  but  here  Christ  undertakes  to  be  the  messenger 
to  impart  the  welcome  news,  that  all  these  rubs  are 
out  of  the  way.  These  things  I  only  name,  because 
I  have  hinted  at;them  already,  and  hereafter,  if  the 

T3 


82       man's  recovery  by  FAITH  IN  CHRIST. 

Lord  give  life  and  strength,  I  may  have  occasion  to 
mention  them  more  accurately  and  distinctly.  At 
present,  we  design  rather  soundness  than  accuracy, 
rather  satisfaction  to  the  distressed,  than  pleasure  to 
the  curious  inquirer. 

Sixthly,  Christ  is  one  who  is  able  to  do  the  sinner 
a  threefold  kindness  with  respect  to  his  spiritual  ad- 
versaries. Three  things  they  do  against  the  sinner, 
1st,  They  charge  him  with  things  that  he  cannot  de- 
ny. 2dly9  They  lay  deep  contrivances  against  him 
that  he  cannot  discover.  Sdly,  They  fall  upon  him 
with  a  force  that  he  is  not  able  to  resist,  and  thereby 
endeavour  his  ruin.  As  for  the^rsi,  Christ  puts  an 
answer  in  the  sinner's  mouth  to  ail  Satan's  charges 
against  him.  As  to  the  second,  he  gives  him  wisdom 
to  escape  his  snares  to  know  the  depths  of  Satan. 
And  as  to  the  last,  he  furnishes  them  with  power, 
whereby  he  is  made  more  than  a  conqueror  over  all 
enemies  that  put  themselves  in  his  way. 

Seventhly,  That  there  may  be  nothing  wanting, 
this  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  one  who  can  satisfy  the 
mind,  the  conscience,  and  heart  of  sinful  man.  He 
fills  the  mind  with  light;  he  pacifies  the  conscience, 
and  stills  its  disorders  ;  and  he  presents  to  the  will  a 
suitable  object.  He  as  a  prophet  opens  blind  eyes, 
and  enlightens  a  dark  mind ;  as  a  priest,  he  stops 
the  mouth  of  a  disturbed  and  disturbing  conscience  ; 
and  as  a  king,  he  bestows  upon  man  what  is  suffi- 
cient to  content  his  heart,  even  himself,  and  all  things 
else. 

Eighthly,  To  conclude  all,  he  is  one  offered  in  the 
gospel  for  all  these  glorious  ends  to  all  who  need  him. 
He  has  bid  all  that  are  weary  and  heavy  laden  come 
to  him,  and  has  promised  them  welcome.  He  is  one 
whom  God  has  in  the  everlasting  gospel  proposed  as 
the  object  of  faith,  on  whom  sinners  are  allowed, 
warranted,  nay,  commanded  to  believe,  in  order  to 
their  salvation.  These  things  we  shall  not  any  fur- 
they  insist  on  nt  present*    I  come  ij&w* 


man's  recoveky  by  faith  in  CIIRTST.       83 

III.  To  mention  and  open  up  these  scripture  ex- 
pressions whereby  this  duly  of  believing  is  held  foi  ih, 
and  that  are  of  the  same  import  with  that  in  the 
text.  This  is  a  duty  whereupon  salvation  and  dam- 
nation do  depend;  therefore  the  Lord  has  taken 
great  eare  to  make  it s  nature  plain  ;  and  because 
sinners  are  of  many  different  sorts,  and  have  differ- 
ent ways  of  taking  up  their  condition,  the  Lord  has  ex- 
pressed it  so  many  different  ways,  that  every  one 
may  see  that  the  duty  is  suitable  to  their  circumstan- 
ces, and  expressed  in  a  way  that  is  adapted  to  their 
capacity.  This  inquiry  we  are  now  to  enter  upon, 
may  be  of  great  use  ;  therefore  we  shall  insist  at  the 
more  length  upon  it.  Some  are  ignorant  of  the  na- 
ture of  faith,  know  not  what  it  is.  This  inquiry  is 
like  to  lead  them  into  an  understanding  of  that  duty, 
which  is  the  foundation  of  all  others,  without  which 
they  signify  nothing  in  order  to  the  salvation  of  such 
as  perform  them.  Others  know  what  faith  is,  but  are 
not  confirmed  in  their  apprehensions  of  its  nature, 
and  therefore  may  be  easily  induced  to  think  them- 
selves in  a  mistake.  To  such  it  will  be  of  notable 
use  to  understand,  that  the  thoughts  of  its  nature 
lean  upon  the  plain  meaning  of  so  many  scripture 
expressions.  In  fine,  this  inquiry  is  like  to  bring 
down  the  thing  to  the  capacity  of  every  one  of  you 
who  will  give  hetd,  since  such  as  cannot  take  it  up 
under  one  notion,  may  under  another.  And  I  might 
add,  that  it  may  be  of  use  to  confirm  such  as  have 
faiths  that  it  is  so,  and  to  convince  them  who  want 
it,  that  they  do  so.  And,  to  conclude  all,  it  will  give 
light  to  the  next  general  head,  and  confirm  the  de- 
scription we  design  to  give  of  it.  These  things  have 
induced  me,  not  only  to  inquire  into  the  several  ex- 
pressions whereby  the  scriptures  hold  forth  this  du- 
ty, but  to  insist  upon  them  at  somewhat  more  length 
than  we  are  wont  to  use  upon  such  occasions.  This 
being  premised  for  showing  the  use  of  this  inquiry, 
we  come  now  to  enter  upon  it. 


S&        MAN'S   &ECOYEHY    BY   FAITH    IN   CHRIST, 

First,  Then,  to  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ* 
is  **  to  look  unto  him,"  Isa.  xlv.  22.  "  Look  unto  me, 
and  be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of  (he  earth;  for  I  am 
God,  and  there  is  none  else."     And  to  the  same  pur- 
pose is  that  of  the  apostle,  Heb.  xii.  1.  2.  '•Where- 
fore seeing  we  also  are  compassed  about  with  so  great 
a  cloud  of  witnesses,  let  us  lay  aside  every  weight, 
and  the  sin  which  doth  so  easily  beset  us;  and  let  us 
run  with  patience  the  race  that  is  set  before  us,  look- 
ing unto  Jesus,  the  author  and  finisher  of  our  faith.'5 
I  conceive  that  the  Spirit  of  God  in  this  expression 
alludes  to  the  brazen  serpent  set  up  in  the  wilderness. 
The  children  of  Israel  sinned   against   the  Lord  ; 
therefore  he  sent  fiery  serpents,  which  stung  them, 
and  many  died  of  their  wounds.     The  Lord,  in  his 
pity,  notwithstanding  the  dishonour  they  had  done  to 
him,  was  pleased  to  ordain  the  erection  of  a  brazen 
serpent  upon  a  pole,  that  whoever  was  stung  might 
look  to  it,  and  be  saved  from  death.     Just  so  all  men 
are  stung  by  sin  ;  and  all  men  had  died  of  the  wound, 
had  not  God  been  pleased  to  set  up  Jesus  Christ,  and 
given  command,  that  all  who  feel  the  smart  of  sin 
should  look  unto  him  and  be  saved.     In  this  expres- 
sion we  may  see  what  is  the  nature  of  faith.     1st, 
We  see  who  it  is  that  believe :  it  is  one  that  is  stung, 
a  sinner  that  is  sensible  of  the  smart  of  sin.     Such, 
and  such  only,  will  believe.     The  whole  Israelites, 
such  as  were  not  touched,  or  such  as  were  not  sensi- 
ble that  they  were  touched  and  stung  by  the  serpents, 
would  not  look  to  the  brazen  serpent :  they  had  no 
business  to  do  with  it;  it  was  none  of  their  concern- 
ment; it  had  no  use  to  them.     Just  so  is  it  with 
whole  sinners,  that  were  never  pained  at  the  heart 
for  sin ;  they  see  no  occasion  for  Christ,  and  cannot 
understand  of  what  use  he  is.     2t%,  We  see  here 
what  it  is  that  gives  rise  to  faith ;  it  is  a  smarting 
sense  of  present  pain  and  future  danger.     The  men 
that  were  stung  found  themselves  ill,  and  saw  ground 
to  dread  they  might  be  worse,  since  the  sting  was 


man's  recovery  by  faith  in  cusist.       So 

mortal  ;  l};is  made  them  look,  And  tins  makes  sin- 
ners look  to  Jesus  Christ ;  they  find  the  poison  of 
sin  already  tormenting  them,  and  they  see  that  this 
is  but  the  beginning  of  sorrows,  the  distemper  being 
mortal.  Sdly,  Here  we  see  what  it  is  to  which  the 
sinner  looks  ;  it  is  unto  Jesus,  and  that  as  he  is  God, 
and  a  God  laying  out  himself  for  the  salvation  of  sin- 
ners. It  is  God,  and  none  else,  that  must  save  sin- 
ners, if  they  be  saved,  kthly,  We  may  here  see  fur- 
ther, how  the  sinner  looks  to  him,  and  what  he  looks 
at  in  him;  which  is,  that  he  is  the  ordinance  of  God's 
appointment  For  his  salvation,  and  proposed  as  such. 
Moreover,  BtkJy9  Here  we  see  what  faith  itself  is  ; 
for  this  expression  of  it,  "  looking  io  Jesus,"  plainly 
imports,  (I.)  That  the  person  is  convinced  of  the 
sufficiency  of  thai  remedy  t f rat  God  has  appointed. 
(2.)  Expectation  of  relief  from  it.  And,  (3.)  The 
heart's  resting  here,  and  trusting  to  it  for  healing, 
without  betaking  itself  (o  any  other  thing,  from  a 
conviction  of  its  own  need  on  the  one  hand,  and  of  the 
sufficiency  of  this  relief  on  the  other. 

Secondly,  To  believe  on  Jesus  Christ,  is  H  to  come 
to  him,55  So  faith  is  expressed,  both  in  the  Old  and 
in  the  New  Testament.  In  that  forecited  45th  of 
Isaiah,  we  find  that  the  Lord  presses  his  people  to 
believe,  under  the  notion  of  looking  to  him,  in  ver. 
22.  ;  and  we  find,  that,  in  the  following  verses,  he 
promises  that  they  shall  obey  this  command,  that 
they  shall  believe;  and  then  he  expresses  faith  by 
coming  :  "  Surely  shall  one  say,  in  the  Lord  have  I 
righteousness  and  strength  ;  even  to  him  shall  men 
come  ;  and  ail  that  are  incensed  against  him  s(jall 
be  ashamed.  In  the  Lord  shall  all  (he  seed  of  Israel 
be  justified,  and  shall  glory. "  The  same  duty  we 
find  expressed  by  the  prophet  Jeremiah,  in  the  same 
maimer:  "  Return,  (says  the  Lord,)  ye  backsliding 
children,  and  I  will  heal  your  backs!  Mings,"  Jer.  iii. 
22.  To  which  they  answer,  *•  Behold  we  come  un- 
to thee  ;  for  thou  art  the  Lord  our  God."     And  what 


86        MAN'S    RECOVERY   BY    FAITH   Itf   CHRIST. 

their- errand  is,  the  promise  God  makes  in  (he  he- 
ginning  of  the  verse,  and  the  profession  they  make 
in  the  following?  plainly  enough  insinuates,  it  is  to 
get  healing  to  their  backsliding*-;  and  it  is  to  get 
that  salvation  from  him  which  they  had  in  vain  look- 
ed for  from  the  hills  and  multitude  of  mountains. 
And  faith  is  frequently  held  forth  by  this  same  ex- 
pression in  the  New  Testament  also,  John  vi.  35* 
37.  **  All  that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to 
me  ;  and  him  that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise 
east  out.  He  that  cometh  to  me  shall  never  hunger  ; 
and  he  that  believeth  on  me  shall  never  thirst/5  And 
he  complains,  John  v.  40.  that  they  "  would  not 
come  to  him  that  they  might  have  life.95  How,  the 
Spirit  of  God,  expressing  faith  thus,  gives  us  to  un- 
derstand, 1st,  What  the  state  of  persons  is  before 
they  do  believe :.  They  are  at  a  distance  from  God, 
like  the  prodigal  in  a  far  country,  not  near  his  fa- 
ther's house,  where  he  sustains  many  inconveniences* 
suffers  hunger  and  thirst,  is  oppressed  by  enemies^ 
and,  in  one  word,  meets  with  all  inconveniences  that 
tend  to  embitter  his  life  to  him,  and  kill*  him  out- 
right at  the  long-run.  (2.)  Here  the  Lord  insinu- 
ates to  us  what  is  the  rise  or  the  occasions  of  the 
sinner's  motion,',  or  of  his  believing,  both  upon  God's 
par*,,  and  upon  the  sinner's  part.  Upon  the  sinner's 
part,  it  is  a  conviction,  a  smarting  sense  of  present 
want,  and  of  future  wrath.  He  is  hungry,  and  can 
have  no  food;  he  is  thirsty,  and  can  have  no  drink; 
and  unless  he  gets  food  and  drink,  he  knows  he  must 
die.  He  finds  the  present  smart  and  pain,  and  knows 
he  jnust  suffer  more,  if  he  gets  not  a  supply.  The 
starving  prodigal  was  hungry,  and  would  have  been 
glad  of  the  scantiest  allowance ;  but  he  could  not 
have  it  in  that  unhappy  place  where  he  was.  Just 
so  is  it  with  sinners,  when  at  a  distance  from  Christ; 
when  the  Lord  opens  their  eyes,  to  see  what  their 
condition  is,  a  pressing  sense  of  want  following  there- 
upon is,  as  it  were,  the  spring  of  their  motion  toward 


MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST.         87 

the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  On  the  Lord's  part,  that 
which  occasions,  nay  causes,  this  coming,  is  his  call- 
ing them,  and  his  drawing  thein.  He  calls  them  to 
come  unto  him,  Matt.  xi.  28.  "Come  unto  me,  all 
ye  that  labour,  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give 
you  rest."  And  he  powerfully  draws  them  to  him ; 
for  no  man  can  come,  except  he  be  drawn.  There- 
fore we  find  the  Lord  promising  peremptorily  in  that 
just  now  quoted  scripture,  Isa.  xlv.  24.  that"  unto 
him  shall  men  come."  (3.)  We  see  to  whom  a  sin- 
ner comes  by  faith  ;  it  is  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
in  whom  there  is  righteousness  and  strength  to  be 
had,  which  is  matter  of  glorifying  to  poor  sinners. 
(4.)  We  see  what  this  coming  itself  is;  it  is  the 
same  with  believing  on  him.  And,  [1.]  This  way  of 
expressing  faith  imports,  that  the  sinner  despairs  of 
being  relieved  where  he  is.  If  the  prodigal  could 
have  been  supplied  where  he  was,  he  would  not  have 
come  home ;  so  neither  would  sinners.  [2.]  It  im- 
ports a  persuasion,  not  only  Df  Christ's  sufficiency, 
hut  his  willingness ;  or,  at  least,  that  he  is  not  un- 
willing that  we  should  be  bettered  by  his  sufficiency, 
and  have  supplies  for  our  wants,  according  to  the 
riches  of  his  glory.  [S.]  It  imports  the  souPs  rejec- 
tion of  all  other  things  which  have  any  appearance 
of  relief  in  them;  for  when  we  come  to  one,  we  go 
from  all  the  rest.  [4.]  It  imports  an  expectation  of 
relief  from  him ;  this  holds  the  soul  moving,  and 
without  this  it  could  not  move.  In  fine,  the  whole 
of  this  matter  of  deliberation,  after  felt  insufficiency 
in  other  things,  the  soul  comes  to  and  acquiesces  in 
Christ  for  salvation. 

Thirdly,  To  believe  on  Christ,  is  "  to  flee,  to  rim 
to  him.5'  He  is  that  "  strong  tower,  to  which  the 
righteous  run  and  are  safe,5'  Prov.  xviii.  to.  And 
to  the  same  purpose  is  that  of  the  apostle,  Heb.  vi. 
18.  where  God  is  said,  by  two  immutable  things,  to 
provide  for  the  strong  consolation  of  such  as  have 


88  MANfS  RECOVERY    BY    FAITH   IN   CHRIST. 

«  fled  for  refuge,  to  lay  hold  on  the  hope  set  before 
them." 

This  expression  takes  in  all  that  is  in  the  former; 
for  coming  is  included  in  flying  and  running,  yet  the 
expressions  of  running  and  flying  import  something 
more,  viz.  the  sinner's  being  exceedingly  moved  by  a 
sight  of  his  danger,  and  his  extraordinary  earnest- 
ness to  be  out  of  harm's  way.  The  awakened  sinner 
is  like  the  manslayer  of  old  :  he  was  safe  no  where 
but  in  the  city  of  refuge;  therefore  he  run  thither. 
He  was  obnoxious  to  justice;  the  avenger  of  blood 
had  a  commission  to  kill  any  murderer  he  found  out 
of  this  city.  So  is  it  with  sinners  ;  they  are  in  con- 
tinual hazard  of  their  life.  Justice  has  a  plea 
against  them,  and  pursues  them.  Death  is,  as  it 
were,  the  Serjeant  that  closely  follows  the  guilty  j 
and  if  it  overtake  them  before  they  get  into  the  city 
of  refuge,  then  they  are  gone  ;  it  will  kill  them 
doubly,  it  will  put  an  end  to  their  present  life,  and  ^ 
prove  the  beginning  of  eternal  misery  to  tbem  : 
"  How  excellent  (says  the  Psalmist)  is  thy  loving- 
kindness,  O  God  !  therefore  the  children  of  men  put 
their  trust  under  the  shadow  of  thy  wings,"  Psal. 
xxxvi.  7.  It  is  the  excellency  of  God's  loving-kind- 
ness, as  revealed  to  sinners  in  Christ  Jesus,  that  en- 
gages sinners  to  betake  themselves  to  him,  and  trust 
under  the  shadow  of  his  wings ;  as  the  pursued  birds 
are  wont  to  betake  themselves  to  the  dam,  and  there 
to  shelter  themselves. 

Fourthly,  To  believe  is  to  «  roll  over  our  burden 
upon  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  Psal.  xxii.  8.  The 
word  tSiat  is  there  rendered  trusted,  in  the  first  lan- 
guage signifies  rolling  over.  He  trusted  in  the  Lord, 
that  is,  he  rolled  himself  over  upon  the  Lord.  Hence 
it  is  that  we  find  our  Lord  inviting  such  as  are  weary 
and  heavy  laden  to  come  to  him,  that  they  may  find 
rest  to  their  souls.  Sin  is  one  of  the  heaviest  of  bur- 
dens ;  man  would  sink  under  it  quite.  Every  one 
that  feels  the  weight  of  their  sins,  will  with  the 


MAN?S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST.         89 

Psalmist  own,  that  they  are  too  heavy  for  them  to 
bear.     «  Mine   iniquities  (says  be)  are  gone  over 
mine  head  ;  as  an  heavy  burden,  they  are  too  heavy 
for  me,"  Psal.  xxxix.  i.     They  proved  a  burden  so 
heavy  to  the  angels  that  sinned,  that  its  weight  sunk 
them  into  the  bottomless  pit.     They  are  at  this  day 
so  heavy,  that  the  whole  creation  groans  under  the 
pressure  and  weight  of  them,  Rom.  viii.  22.     They 
who  have  the  first  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  and  so  have, 
as  it  were,  the  heaviest  end  of  the  burden  taken  off 
them,  yet  do  groan,  being  burdened,  2  Cor.  v.  4. 
The  very  being  of  sin,   though  its  guilt   be  taken 
away,  is  such  a  burden  as  the  saints  find  it  hard  to 
bear.     In  every  one  of  these  we  might  take  notice  of 
all  the  particulars  formerly  noted  in  the  two  first 
scripture-expressions  which  we  insisted  upon  ;  but  it 
is  needless  to  repeat  the  same  things  over  and  over. 
Fifthly, To  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is  to 
«  put  on  the  Lord  Jesus,"  Rom.  xiii.  14.  **  Put  ye 
on  the  Lord  Jesus."     Man  by  nature  is,  like  Adam, 
naked  ;  and  though  he  endeavour  to  cover  himself 
with  fig  leaf  aprons  of  his  own  framing,  it  will  not 
serve  his  turn  ;  it  will  not  hide  his  nakedness,   nor 
will  it  preserve  him  from  the  storms  of  wrath,  that 
are  the  necessary  consequents  of  sin.     No  robe  can 
cover  him,  but  that  of  Christ's  imputed  righteous- 
ness ;  and  to  believe  is  to  put  on  Christ  for  right- 
eousness.    Now,  here  we  see,  (t.)  What  man's  state 
without  Christ  is  :  he  has  no  ornament,  the  shame 
of  his  nakedness  is  seen,  and  he  is  exposed  to  storms. 
(2.)   Here  we  see  what  is  that  clothing  that  sinners 
betake   themselves  to:  it  is  Christ:  they  come  to 
him  for  white  raiment,  that  is  for  beauty  and  glor^ 
and  covering  their  shame.     (3.)  We  see  whereat  the 
nature  of  faith  lies ;  and  we  may  take  it  iip^H  three 
things.     [1.]  The  sinner  sees  in  Christ  tylratfs  suffi- 
cient for  ornament,  for  hiding  of  his  nakedness,  pre- 
serving from  the  injury  of  the  stor**-     [2.]  He  being 
convinced  of  his  need/  puts  Clu&t  as  a  covering  be- 
ll 


£0  MAN9S  KECOVERY  BY  FAITH  IN   CHRIST. 

iwixt  him  and  spectators,  that  when  they  look  to 
him  he  is  not  seen,  but  only  Christ.  His  deformity 
is  hidden  under  Christ's  beauty  and  glory.  [3.]  The 
sinner  rests  here ;  he  thinks  of  no  other  covering  or 
ornament. 

Sixthly,  To  believe  on  Christ,  is  "  to  receive  him/5 
John  i.  2.  "To  as  many  as  received  him,  to  them 
gave  he  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to 
them  that  believe  on  his  name."  And  elsewhere  it 
is  expressed  in  the  same  manner ;  only  the  object  is 
varied,  for  they  who  believe  are  said  to  receive  re- 
mission of  sins,  Acts  x.  43. ;  and  to  receive  the  atone- 
ment, Rom.  v.  11.  Here  we  may  again  understand 
something  of  the  nature  of  faith  :  for  here  we  see, 
(1.)  Who  he  is  that  believes  :  He  is  one  that  wants 
Christ ,;  he  is  one  that  wants  righteousness  ;  one  that 
is  condemned  to  die,  and  wants  a  pardon.  (2.)  We 
see  what  it  is  that  faith  eyes,  that  the  sensible  sin- 
ner receives ;  it  is  Christ,  and  all  with  him,  as  offer- 
ed to  him  ;  for  as  he  is  said  to  receive  Christ,  so  is 
he  said  to  receive  remission  of  sins,  &c.  :  and  it  is 
most  certain,  that  none  can  separate  Christ  and  his 
benefits;  he  that  takes  one  takes  all.  (3.)  We  see 
what  faith  is  ;  it  is  the  acceptation  of  what  is  offered 
for  the  ends  for  which  it  is  offered.  Christ  and  all 
his  purchase  is  made  offer  of  to  sinners,  and  that 
freely ;  and  they  accept  of  the  offer,  and  receive 
him. 

Seventhly,  To  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus,  is  « to 
lean  upon" him/'  to  "stay  ourselves  upon  him/5 
"  Who  is  this  that  cometh  up  from  the  wilderness 
leaning  upon  her  beloved  2"  Cant.  viii.  5.  that  is,  be- 
lieving on  her  beloved.  And  in  the  like  manner 
d*>*h  the  prophet  Isaiah  express  himself,  Isa.  1.  10. 
"Who  is  among  you  that  feareth  the  Lord,  that 
©beyeth  the  voice  of  his  servant,  that  walketh  in 
darkness,  **,(]  hath  no  light  ?  Let  him  trust  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  and  stay  upon  his  God."  Now* 
here  we  again  m*y  see  what  the  sinner's  state  is  be- 


MAN'S   RECOVERY  BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST.        91 

fbre  he  doth  believe  :  he  is  in  a  tottering  condition; 
he  is  not  able  to  stand  under  the  weight  of  that  bur- 
den he  has  upon  him.  He  is  not  able  to  abide  the 
shock  of  the  storm  that  is  blowing  against  him  :  if 
he  get  not  something  to  lean  to,  he  must  fall ;  and  if 
he  fall,  he  is  crushed  entirely  ;  for  he  stands  upon 
the  brink  of  the  pit,  and  if  he  falls,  he  falls  into  that 
pit  whence  there  is  no  redemption.  If  he  miss  a 
step,  and  plunge  into  the  pit,  there  is  no  stepping  up 
thenee  again  :  this  he  sees  to  be  his  case;  he  is  sen- 
sihle  of  his  danger,  and  sees  Christ  able  to  support 
him,  to  establish  him  ;  therefore  he  leans  to  him  ;  he 
expects  to  be  able  to  stand  the  shock  of  all  the  storms 
that  can  blow7  against  him  in  his  dependence  on  him. 
Eighthly,  To  believe  on  Christ,  is  "  to  lay  hold  or* 
him,  to  take  hold  of  his  strength.5'  "Let  him  take 
hold  of  my  strength,  (says  the  Lord,)  that  he  may 
make  peace  with  me,  and  he  shall  make  peace  with 
me,"  Isa.  xxvii.  5.  And  it  is  called  a  taking  hold  of 
God's  covenant,  lsa.  lvi.  4.  And  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment it  is  called  an  apprehending  of  Christ,  Phil.  iii. 
12.  "Not  as  though  I  had  already  attained,  either 
were  already  perfect ;  but  I  follow  after,  if  that  I 
may  apprehend  that  for  which  I  also  am  apprehend- 
ed of  Christ  Jesus."  And,  Heb.  vi.  18.  it  is  called 
«  a  laying  hold  on  the  hope  set  before  us."  The 
sinner  is  like  to  sink  ;  and  seeing  Christ  by  him,  he 
catches  hold  of  him,  to  keep  him  from  sinking.  We 
might  multiply  other  expressions  of  faith,  such  as 
cleaving  to  the  Lord,  opening  to  Christ,  submitting 
to  the  righteousness  of  God,  2  Kings  viii.  5.  Deut. 
iv.  4.  These  we  pass,  not  designing  a  full  enumera- 
tion, but  what  may  lay  a  foundation  for  the  following 
inquiry,  and  lead  us  into  the  meaning  of  this  word 
used  in  the  text.  We  might  have  insisted  in  show- 
ing these  three  or  four  last  expressions  to  be  com- 
prehensive of  all  the  particulars  noticed  in  the  two 
or  three  first  expressions  :  but  what  is  obvious  needs 
not  be  insisted  upon.       We  shall  therefore  waive 


92        man's  recovery  BY  FAITH  IN  CHRIST. 

the  explication  of  any  ieofc  texts  to  this  purpose, 
ami  proceed, 

IV.  To  inquire  what  is  implied  in  this  duty  en- 
joined in  the  text,  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
This  inquiry  will  be  easy,  after  such  a  foundation  has 
been  laid  in  the  preceding.  Believing  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  implies,  then, 

First,  A  sense  of  sin  and  misery.  This  is  plain 
from  all  the  expressions  whereby  the  Spirit  of  God 
elsewhere  points  forth  this  duty.  There  is  not  one 
of  them  hut  carries  in  it  an  indication  of  this.  The 
stung  Israelite  is  sensible  of  his  smart  and  danger, 
before  he  looks  to  the  brazen  serpent.  The  prodi- 
gal knows  his  Avant,  before  he  thinks  of  coming  to 
his  father's  house.  The  manslayer  understands  his 
sin  and  danger,  before  he  flees  to  the  city  of  refuge. 
The  burdened  sinner  is  sensible  of  the  weight  of  sin, 
before  he  roll  it  over  upon  another :  and  the  like  may 
be  said  of  all  the  rest  of  the  expressions  mentioned; 
putting  on,  receiving,  leaning  to,  laying  hold  of,  pen- 
ing,  and  ©leaving  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  All  of 
them  plainly  intimate  this,  that  a  sense  of  sin  and 
danger  is  the  ground-work  of  this  duty,  necessarily 
presupposed  to,  and  implied  in  it.  And,  moreover, 
"we  m^y  not  only  understand,  that  the  sense  of  sin  and 
misery  is  implied  in  the  duty,  but  also  what  sort  of 
a  sense  of  these  it  is,  which  is  requisite,  and  which 
U  implied.     And, 

1.  By  these  expressions  we  may  see,  that  it  is  a 
distinct  and  particular  knowledge  of  our  sin  and 
misery. 

The  sinner  that  betakes  himself  to  Christ  by  faith, 
knows  his  sore,  understands  well  the  evil  he  labours 
lender.  It  is  not  a  confused  and  general  apprehen- 
sion of  danger,  such  as  persons  who  are  melancholy 
sometimes  fall  under,  without  understanding  what  it 
is,  or  whence  it  flows  ;  but  they  can  tell  distinctly 
what  it  is  that  pains  them.  The  stung  man  knows 
where  he  is  wounded.    The  prodigal  can  tell  what 


MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN    CHRIST.  93 

he  wants.  The  manslayer  can  tell  why  he  makes 
such  haste  to  the  city  of  refuge.  The  burdened  sin- 
ner can  tell,  that  it  is  a  load  upon  him,  under  the 
weight  of  which  he  is  likely  to  be  crushed  that  makes 
him  flee  to  one  that  has  shoulders  able  to  carry  it. 

2.  This  sense  of  sin  and  misery,  as  it  is  distinct, 
so  it  is  deep.     A  great  many  of  those  who  live  under 
the  gospel,  and  are  furnished  with  any  tolerable 
measure  of  knowledge,  it  may  be,  can  tell  pretty 
distinctly  their  sin  and  danger,  and,  it  may  be,  know 
likewise  many  particular  sins  they  are  guilty  of:  yet 
their  sense,  however  distinct,  is  not  deep.     But  such 
as  do  believe  have  a  deep  sense  of  sin  and  misery.  It 
is  such  a  sense  as  is  fixed,  and  has  rooting  in  the 
mind  ;  it  engrosses  the  thoughts,  and  fills  the  mind 
with  apprehensions  about  the  soul's  state  and  condi- 
tion.    And,   moreover,  it  doth  not  hold  here,  but 
sinks  down  upon  the  heart,  and  takes  hold  of  the  af- 
fections, and  fills  them  likewise.     Pear,  grief,  ha- 
tred, and  revenge,  take  their  turns  in  the  soul ;  grief 
for  the  offence  done  to  God  ;  fear  for  the  consequence 
of  it,  with  respect  to  ourselves  ;  hatred  against  sin, 
and  self-revenge,  because  of  our  folly  in  bringing  on 
the  guilt  of  so  much  sin  upon  ourselves.     Many  in 
the  visible  church  who  will  pretend  they  are  sensi- 
ble of  sin,  have  never,  it  may  be,  to  this  day  been  af- 
fected with  it;  never  had  any  grief  or  fear,  any  ha- 
tred or  revenge  against  it,  and  themselves  on  its  ac- 
count.    Such  persons,  pretend  what  they  will,  are 
indeed  strangers  to  faith,  and  one  day  will  be  found 
so.     The  man  that  flees  for  his  life  to  the  city  of  re- 
fuge, not  only  knows  what  he  has  done,  and  what  sin 
deserves,   but  moreover  has  a  deep  impression  of 
both.    What  do  ye  think  was  it  that  busied  the  man's 
thoughts,  when  fleeing  to  the  eity  of  refuge  ?     Cer- 
tainly his  sin  and  danger  were  the  things  that  stuck 
with  him,  and  affected  his  heart   with  fear,  which 
made  him  flee  amain  to  the  city  of  refuge  :  and  the 
like  might  be  said  with  respect  to  the  other  expres- 
sions of  faith.  V  % 


Pi       MAWS  RECOVEEY  BY  ¥AITH  IX  CHRIST* 

3.  This  sense  of  sin  and  misery  is  a  pressing  ap- 
prehension of  both  ;  and  this  lies  in  two  things.  (1.) 
It  makes  his  present  state  and  condition  intolerable  $ 
I  mean,  it  makes  a  Christless  state  utterly  intolera- 
ble. It  is  so  uneasy,  it  cannot  be  endured*  It  is  not 
like  that  sense  of  sin  which  most  part  have,  and  have 
no  more,  that  suffers  them  to  live  contentedly  all 
their  days  in  the  world  without  Christ.  Who  of  you 
will  not  pretend  to  be  sensible  of  sin  ?  and  yet,  who 
of  you  doth  not  find  it  an  easy  thing  to  live  in  that 
condition  ?  I  appeal  to  your  consciences,  who  pre- 
tend to  be  sensible  of  sin,  whether  or  not  ye  could  live 
contentedly  all  your  days  in  your  present  state,  had 
ye  but  corn,  and  wine,  and  oil,  all  the  necessaries  for 
a  present  life  ?  I  am  sure  most  of  you  cannot  but 
own,  that  ye  would  and  could  do  so ;  ye  could  easily 
digest  sin,  and  get  rid  of  disturbance  from  that,  if 
things  in  the  world  went  well  with  you.  A  sad  and 
sure  symptom  is  this,  that  hitherto  ye  are  not  sensi- 
ble of  sin,  and  therefore  do  not  believe.  (2.)  It 
prompts  to  diligent  endeavours  after  salvation,  as 
absolutely  necessary.  The  sensible  sinner,  as  he 
cannot  rest  and  acquiesce  with  satisfaction  in  his 
present  condition,  so  it  makes  him  restless  in  look- 
ing after  relief. 

All  these  things  appear  so  plain  from  what  has 
formerly  been  discoursed,  in  the  explication  of  the 
several  scripture  expressions  which  point  forth  this 
duty,  that  it  is  needless  to  insist  upon  the  proof  of 
them  by  new  scriptures.  And  indeed,  though  the 
testimonies  alledged  had  not  given  such  pregnant 
proof  of  this,  the  reason  of  the  thing  itself  will  dis- 
cover it  to  be  indispensably  necessary  to  faith,  that 
there  be  a  distinct,  deep,  and  pressing  sense  of  sin. 
For,  (1.)  Where  there  is  only  a  confused  apprehen- 
sion of  danger,  or  indistinct  notion  of  it,  it  confounds 
and  disturbs  the  sinner,  and  puts  him  perfectly  out 
of  case  to  judge  of  the  suitableness  of  any  relief  that 
Is  offered  to  hisou    Ke  knows  uot  where  the  sore  is  j 


man's  recovery  BY    FAITH  IN  CHRIST,       95 

and  therefore  can  neither  know  what  would  be  use- 
ful, nor  whe;o  to  apply  it.  (2.)  If  impressions  of 
sin  and  danger  be  not  deep,  and  amount  to  no  more 
but  some  notions  floating  in  the  brain,  every  thing 
will  carry  the  mind  off  from  the  gospel-relief,  and 
take  it  to  other  things.  Unless  the  affections  be 
some  way  or  other  engaged,  we  seldom  do  any  thing 
to  purpose  in  any  business.  In  fine,  a  man  that  feels 
some  pain,  and  fears  s6mc  danger,  may  defer  and 
neglect  his  going  to  the  physician ;  but  one  that  is 
under  intolerable  pain,  must  take  some  one  way  or 
other  for  his  relief,  and  will  stick  at  nothing,  if  he 
Biay  obtain  it.  It  is  much  the  same  with  these  sin- 
ners, who  have  some  sense  of  sin,  but  are  strangers 
to  this  distinct,  deep,  and  pressing  apprehension  of 
their  sin  and  misery,  which  faith  comprehends  and 
implies  in  its  nature,  as  it  is  with  one  who  has  some 
sore  in  his  leg :  he  knows  where  the  pain  is ;  he 
feels  some  smart  of  the  pain  ;  but  it  is  not  such  a 
smart  as  disableshim  entirely  from  walking  or  con- 
versing with  others  :  he  goes  indeed  uneasily  with 
it ;  ay,  but  he  goes  still,  and  it  may  be,  sometimes  he 
gets  rid  of  the  thoughts  of  it,  and  therefore  can  make 
a  shift  to  live  in  that  condition.  If  one  tell  him,  that 
it  will  turn  to  a  gangrene,  and  prove  mortal ;  he  flat- 
ters himself,  that  possibly  it  may  cure  of  its  own  ac- 
cord, or  by  the  use  of  some  domestic  remedies  ,•  and 
therefore  he  will  rather  stay  still  in  that  condition, 
than  go  to  a  physician  who  cures  by  cutting  off.  Just 
so  is  it  with  half-awakened  sinners  :  they  never  come 
the  length  of  believing,  because  their  sense  of  their 
sin  is  not  so  deep  as  to  make  them  in  earnest  think 
of  the  physician.  They  hope  to  get  their  wound 
cured  at  home,  by  some  easier  remedy  than  the  cut- 
ting off  the  right  hand  or  foot,  and  plucking  out  the 
eye.  But  where  the  sense  just  now  spoken  of  is 
sound,  such  an  one  will  be  satifised  with  none  of 
those  things.  This  sense  is  not  only  presupposed  to 
faith's  first  actings  j  but,  moreover,  it  continues  ip 


96        MAN'S  KECOVEHY   BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST, 

some  measure  in  the  soul  as  long  as  we  live  here  by 
faith;  and  is  the  spring  of  all  the  after  actings  of 
faith.     But  passing  this,  this  believing  implies, 

Secondly,  Some  knowledge  of  Jesus  Chirst.  Hence 
it  is,  that  we  find  faith  called  knowledge  by  the 
prophet,  Isa.  liii.  11.  **  He  shall  see  of  the  travail  of 
his  soul,  and  shall  be  satisfied.  By  his  knowledge 
shall  my  righteous  servant  justify  many;  for  he 
shall  bear  their  iniquities."  By  his  knowledge,  that 
is,  by  faith  in  him,  shall  my  righteous  servant  jus- 
tify many  :  now  this  knowledge  is  evidently  requi- 
site. From  all  that  formerly  has  been  hinted,  in  the 
opening  up  of  the  scriptures  we  insisted  on,  not  one 
of  them  but  speaks  this  needful.  And  here  there 
must  three  things  be  known,  in  reference  to  Jesus 
Christ. 

1.  The  excellency  of  his  person.  This  is  that 
which  faith  fixes  its  eye  upon  first.  It  is  him  we 
primarily  receive  ;  it  is  to  him  we  look,  we  flee,  we 
run  ;  it  is  on  him  we  lean,  we  stay  ourselves,  and 
roll  over  our  burdens;  therefore  his  person  must  be 
known.  We  must  know  that  he  is  God  and  man  in 
one  person,  "  God  manifested  in  the  flesh.'5  Now, 
that  this  knowledge  of  the  person  of  Christ  is  a  ne- 
cessary ingredient  in  faith,  not  only  appears  from 
the  consideration  just  now  laid  down,  but  also  from 
this,  that  otherwise  we  can  know  nothing  of  his  use- 
fulness to  us,  since  all  that  has  its  rise  from  the  glo- 
rious constitution  of  his  person,  is  from  this,  that  he 
is  one  able  to  save  lost  sinners  :  therefore  of  neces- 
sity this  must  be  known. 

2.  Believing  implies  the  knowledge  of  Christ's 
fulness  to  save.  There  is  no  faith  without  this.  It 
is  the  knowledge  of  sufficiency  alone  that  can  induce 
to  reliance  ;  and  if  there  be  not  in  Christ  a  fulness 
of  all  things  that  are  requisite  in  order  to  the  effect* 
uating  the  salvation  of  sinners,  then  he  is  no  meet, 
no  suitable  preson  to  be  believed  on :  therefore  of 
necessity  he  must  be  known;  as  **  the  only  begotten 


man's  recovery  BY  FAITH  IN  CHRIST.        97 

of  the  Father,  fall  of  grace,  and  of  truth."  And  this, 
as  was  said  before,  flows  from  the  constitution  of  his 
person,  which  therefore  roust  be  known  in  order  to 
our  acquaintance  with  this.  "  And  the  word  was 
made  flesh,  and  dwelt  amongst  us;  and  we  heheld 
his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the 
Father,  full  of  grace  and  of  truth."  It  is  from  the 
union  of  the  two  natures  into  one,  the  word's  taber- 
nacling in  flesh,  that  this  glorious  fulness  of  grace 
and  of  truth  flows. 

3.  Believing  implies  the  knowledge  of  Christ's 
suitableness  to  the  sinner's  condition.  There  may 
be  fulness  arid  sufficiency  where  there  is  not  suita- 
bleness. The  city  of  refuge,  though  its  gales  had 
been  shut,  and  the  ways  to  it  impassible,  would  yet 
have  been  sufficient  to  have  preserved  such  as  should 
get  within  it :  but  in  this  case,  a  sinner,  the  man 
slayer,  could  have  no  relief  from  it,  there  being  no 
way  of  the  communication  of  that  sufficiency  to  him, 
no  way  for  him  to  have  that  security  communicated 
to  him.  Just  so  it  is  here,  Christ  clothed  in  human 
nature  is  indeed,  and  could  not  but  have  been,  suffi- 
cient to  do  all  that  was  requisite  in  order  to  our  eter- 
nal salvation  :  but  in  order  to  sinners  accepting  of 
him,  it  must  be  understood,  that  there  is  a  way  of 
conveyance,  whereby  all  this  fulness  may  be  called 
ours.  We  must  know  him,  not  only  as  full,  but  as 
he  has  assumed  the  exercise  of  his  threefold  office, 
whereby  all  the  benefits  he  has  purchased  are  made 
over  unto  us,  and  do  in  very  deed  become  ours.  But 
we  proceed  to  a 

Third  thing  implied  in  believing.  This  duty  not 
only  implies  the  sense  of  sin,  and  the  knowledge  of 
Christ  just  now  ipsisted  upon,  but  moreover  it  implies 
some  knowledge  of  the  gospel  offer  of  Christ.  This 
is  absolutely  necessary  in  order  to  our  acceptance  of 
Christ.  It  was  not  enough  to  set  the  man  slayer  a 
running  to  the  city  of  refuge,  that  he  knew  there 
was  a  city  that  had  gates  open,  and  was  sufficient  to 


03         MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY  ¥AITH   IN   CHRIST. 

preserve  him ;  but  moreover  he  must  know,  that  it 
was  designed  for  that  purpose,  that  he  had  warrant 
to  enter  in  at  these  open  gates,  and  so  to  expect  pro- 
tection. And  here  there  are  two  things  must  of  ne- 
cessity be  known. 

1.  That  Christ  and  all  his  benefits  are  indeed  offer- 
ed in  the  gospel  te  poor  sinners,  and  that  freely. — 
Hence  it  is,  that  our  cathechism  doth  thus  qualify 
the  object  of  saving  faith,  while  it  describes  faith  in 
Christ  to  be  a  saving  grace,  whereby  we  receive  and: 
rest  upon  him  as  he  is  offered  to  us  in  the  gospel. 

2.  As  we  must  know  that  he  is  offered  to  us,  so  we" 
must  know  what  the  terms  are  whereon  he  is  offered. 
That  he  is  offered  freely  doth  not  prevent  his  being 
offered  upon  terms.  If  one  offers  another  a  sum  of 
money,  if  he  will  receive  it,  he  may  be  said  to  offer 
it  upon  terms,  and  yet  offer  it  freely:  and  just  such 
are  the  gospel  terms  upon  which  the  Lord  Christ  is 
offered ;  whoever  will  take  him  and  use  him,  shall 
have  him.  But  tabe  a  little  more  particular,  here 
we  may  learn  what  these  terms  are,  from  that  of  the 
apostle,  Phil.  iii.  3.  For  "we  are  the  circumcision 
which  worship  God  in  the  Spirit,  and  rejoice  in 
Christ  Jesus,  and  have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh." 
These  are  the  persons  who  have  an  interest  in  Christ, 
who  come  up  to  these  terms ;.  and  the  knowledge  of 
them  is  necessarily  implied  in  believing.  We  must 
know,  tliat  upon  these  and  no  other  terms  may  we  be 
saved.  (1.)  We  must  know,  that  all  confidence  in 
the  flesh  is  entirely  to  be  abandoned.  There  must  be 
no  expectation  of  relief  or  salvation,  from  any  exter- 
nal privilege,  or  any  performance  of  duties.  We 
must  know,  that  our  own  prayers  and  tears  "can  be 
of  no  value  in  this  matter.  (2.)  We  must  know, 
that  we  are  only  to  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus.  What 
is  here  called  rejoicing,  is  elsewhere  called  glory- 
ing; that  *<  he  thut  glorieth  may  glory  in  the  Lord." 
And  hereil  is  opposed  to  a  having  confidence  in  the 
flesh;    which   says  plainly,  that  this  rejoicing  in 


MAN9S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST.         99 

Christ  Jesus,  is  placing  all  our  confidence  and  com- 
fort in  him  alone.  (3.)  We  must  worship  God  in  the 
spirit,  in  the  strength  of  that  spirit  which  Christ  did 
purchase  for,  and  bestows  on  such  as  do  believe  on 
him.  We  must  serve  God  in  the  way  of  his  own  ap- 
pointment. Upon  these  terms  is  Christ  offered  in 
the  gospel ;  and  these  must  be  known.  The  know- 
ledge of  them  is  undoubtedly  implied  in  faith,  as  well 
as  the  knowledge  of  sin,  and  of  Christ,  formerly  in- 
sisted upon.     This  leads  me  to  the 

Fourth  thing  implied  in  believing,  and  that  is,  the 
heart's  closing  with  the  gospel-terms  just  now  men- 
tioned. This  is  the  principal  thing,  without  which 
there  can  be  no  faith,  no  believing ;  for,  if  we  should 
speak  strictly,  this  is  faith,  and  all  the  other  things 
.mentioned  are  only  perquisites  :  yet  they  are  such  as 
are  not  only  presupposed  to  the  first  actings  of  faith, 
but  must  also  accompany  it,  in  some  measure,  as 
long  as  it  continues  in  the  soul :  that  is,  as  long  as 
believers  are  on  earth.  Now,  this  acceptance  of 
Christ  upon  the  gospel  terms  takes  in  three  things. 

1.  A  renunciation  of  all  other  tilings.  Hence  it 
is  that  believers  are  said  io  have  no  confidence  in  the 
flesh  ;  that  is,  they  have  no  expectation  of  relief  from 
any  of  these  things  corrupt  nature  is  wont  to  incline 
us  to  rely  on.  The  soul's  motion  to  Jesus  Christ,  is 
a  motion  from  all  other  things.  The  soul  that  rolls 
the  weight  of  all  over  upon  him,  doth  not  lean  to  any 
thing  besides  him.  All  the  expressions  formerly 
opened  up  do  sufficiently  intimate  to  us,  that  this  re- 
nunciation of  all  confidence  in  other  things  belongs 
to  the  nature  of  faith,  and  must  go  to  the  constitu- 
tion of  it:  and  the  same  the  scripture  plainly  enough 
declares,  when  it  expressly  enjoins  sinners  this  as  a 
part  of  their  duty,  or  rather  expresses  the  whole  of 
this  duty  by  it:  «  Ashur  shall  not  save  us,  we  will 
not  ride  upon  horses,  nor  will  we  say  any  more  to 
the  work  of  our  hands,  Ye  are  our  Gods ;  in  vain  is 
salvation  looked  for  from  the  hills,  and  the  aiulti- 


100       MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY  PAITH   IK   CHRIST. 

tude  of  mountains,"  says  the  returning  church,  Hos. 
xiv.  3.  and  Jer.  iii.  23.  And  these  two  texts  are  a 
good  commentary  upon  that  forecited  expression  of 
the  apostle,  "and  have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh." 
To  have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh,  is  to  expect  no 
salvation  from  the  hills  and  multitude  of  mountains, 
from  Ashur,  from  horses,  or  the  work  of  our  own 
hands. 

But  that  I  may  be  a  little  more  particular,  faith 
or  believing  has  in  it  an  express  renunciation,  [1.] 
Of  our  own  wisdom.  Carnal  man  is  exceedingly  in- 
clined to  trust  to  his  own  fleshy  wisdom,  which  is 
enmity  against  God,  and  to  advance  this  as  of  use 
to  direct  him  to  true  happiness.  This  was  that  which 
befooled  the  heathen  world :  they  thought  by  their 
own  wisdom  to  reach  happiness,  to  know  God.  But 
in  the  wisdom  of  God, «  the  world  by  wisdom  knew 
not  God  ;"  and  the  believer  becomes  a  fool,  that  he 
mav  be  wise,  perfectly  renouncing  his  own  wisdom, 
and  subscribing  himself  a  fool,  owning  himself, 
with  wise  Agur,  more  brutish  than  any  man.  (2.) 
Believing  has  in  it  a  renunciation  of  our  own  strength 
and  power.  Man  is  conceited  exceedingly  of  his  own 
ability.  As  long  as  man  has  a  leg  of  his  own  to  walk 
upon,  he  is  sure  never  to  look  near  Christ  Jesus. 
But  no  sooner  has  he  a  mind  for  Christ,  but  present- 
ly he  confesses  his  own  impotency.  If  the  man  be 
able  to  stand  alone,  what  means  he  to  lean  upon  ano- 
ther ?  If  lie  be  able  to  bear  his  burden,  what  needs 
he  to  roll  it  over  upon  another  ?  (3.)  Believing  has  in 
it  a  renunciation  of  man's  own  righteousness.  The 
natural  man  goes  about  with  the  carnal  Jews,  who 
were  "  ignorant  of  the  righteousness  of  God,  to  esta- 
blish his  own  righteousness,  not  submitting  to  the 
righteousness  of  God."  But  the  believer  rejects  <his, 
and  owns  with  the  church,  Isa.  lxiv.  6.  "  We  are  as 
an  unclean  thing,  and  all  our  righteousness  are  as 
filthy  rags."  The  believer  sees  his  righteousness  all 
ragged.     He  sees  here  one  duty  wanting,  and  there 


MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST,      101 

another  entirely  amissing,  which  makes  his  right- 
eousness no  better  than  a  ragged  coat,  which  is  full 
of  holes  ;  and  he  sees  what  remains  to  be  all  defiled  ; 
there  is  some  wanting,  and  what  is  not  so  is  filthy. — 
The  best  fall  short  of,  and  are  entirely  deficient  as 
to  the  practice  of  some  duties;  and  filthiness  ad- 
heres and  cleaves  to  what  they  do  perform ;  there- 
lore  they  renounce  their  own  righteousness.  (4.) 
Believing,  or  faith  in  Christ,  renounces  all  foreign 
relief;  I  mean,  relief  from  other  things  besides 
Christ.  It  will  not  trust  to  privileges,  to  saints,  to 
any  creature.  If  any  would  entice  believing  sinners 
to  follow  any  other,  then  faith  answers  the  tempter, 
as  Peter  did  our  Lord,  in  an  address  to  Christ  him- 
self, "  To  whom  shall  we  go  ?  thou  hast  the  words 
of  eternal  light."'  Now,  ail  these  are  comprehended 
in  that  of  the  apostle,  "having  no  confidence  in  the 
flesh."  And  therefore  we  find  him  rejecting  his 
own  wisdom,  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of 
Christ  Jesus;  rejecting  his  own  strength,  for  ac- 
quaintance with  the  power  and  efficacy  of  Christ's 
death ;  renouncing  his  own  righteousness,  that  he 
might  be  found  in  Christ  ;  and  counting  all  the  pri- 
vileges he  had,  as  one  of  Abraham's  children,  one  in 
covenant  with  God,  one  of  the  strictest  sects  of  the 
Jews,  to  be  but  loss  and  dung,  for  an  interest  in 
Christ. 

2.  There  is,  in  believing  on  Christ,  a  consent  of 
will  to  the  terms  of  the  gospel,  as  good  and  desirable. 
And  who  can  refuse  this,  save  such  as  are  blind  ? 
The  gospel  terms  may  be  reduced,  as  has  been  hint- 
ed just  now,  to  three.  [1.]  Seek  not  salvation  from 
that  which  cannot  save  you,  have  no  confidence  in 
the  flesh.  [2.]  Take  freely  whatever  ye  need.  Need 
ye  righteousness,  or  need  ye  strength,  or  need  ye 
wisdom,  or  redemption  ?  All  these  ye  may  have  free- 
ly in  Christ,  who  is  made  of  God  to  all  them  that 
believe,  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification  and  re- 
demption ;  in  whom  all  believers  have  righteousness 

X 


102      MAN'S   UECOVEKY   BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST. 

and  strength ;  in  whom  all  the  seed  of  Israel,  by 
this  means,  shall  be  justified  and  glorified.  This  is 
to  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus.  [3.]  Lay  out  and  improve 
what  ye  receive.  Ye  are  not  bid  spin  a  web  out  of 
your  own  bowels  ;  but  ye  are  bid  improve  what  is 
given  to  you.  Ye  are  bid  worship  God  in  spirit ;  ay, 
but  it  is  by  the  assistance  and  direction  of  the  spirit 
that  is  given  freely.  The  will  closes  with  these  terms 
as  good  and  agreeable ;  and  who  could  refuse  to  do 
so,  were  there  not  in  him  the  carnal  mind  that  is 
enmity  against  God  ?  The  world  can  conceive  nothing 
more  reasonable,  no  terms  more  encouraging,  favour- 
able and  condescending  than  these;  therefore  they 
are  embraced  as  worthy  of  the  love,  goodness,  mer- 
cy and  wisdom  of  God. 

3.  Hereon  there  ensues  an  acquiescence  and  rest 
of  soul  in  Christ  Jesus  for  salvation.  The  sinner  is 
no  more  tossed  in  perplexing  inquiries  after  a  Sa- 
viour. Now  it  fixes  upon  him,  according  to  the  pro- 
posal made  of  himself,  and  it  will  not  look  near  any 
other  thing.  It  has  tried  them  and  found  no  rest  in 
them  :  Now  it  comes  where  it  finds  rest  ;  and  there- 
fore here  the  soul  is  in  a  blessed  composure.  It  has 
confidence  in  Christ  Jesus,  rejoiceth  in  him  and  glo- 
ries in  him.  If  conscience  challenge  for  sin,  it  points 
it  to  Christ  Jesus,  and  lets  it  see  what  he  has  done, 
and  seeks  no  other  answer  to  conscience.  If  the 
threats  of  the  law  set  themselves  against  the  sinner, 
he  gets  in  behind  Christ's  righteousness  to  screen 
him,  and  here  he  thinks  himself  secure ;  therefore 
he  will  not  betake  himself  to  any  thing  else.  He 
rests  in  this  as  safe,  and  seeks  not  any  other  thing 
to  shelter  him  from  the  wrath  of  God,  to  fit  him  for 
every  good  word  and  work.  Thus  we  have  opened 
up  in  some  measure  to  you  the^nature  of  faith,  suffi- 
ciently in  order  to  our  present  design.  We  proceed 
now, 

V.  To  inquire  what  this  salvation  is,  which  a  con- 
vinced sinner  believing  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
shall  assuredly  obtain.    Upon  the  former  verse,  we 


MAN'S  RECOVERY   BY  FAITH   IN   CHRIST.      103 

did  observe,  that  this  word  is  taken  in  a  lax  sense, 
not  only  for  a  deliverance  from  evils,  but  for  a  colla- 
tion of  good  things  ;  that  is  plainly,  it  takes  in  all 
that  is  requisite  in  order  to  re-instate  the  sinner  in 
that  happy  condition  whence  Adam  fell,  or  even  into 
a  better ;  so  that  salvation  and  eternal  life  do  not 
much  differ.  Now,  here  I  shall  first  inquire,  what 
salvation  thus  taken  implies,  and  then  name  some  of 
its  properties. 

As  to  thejirst9  salvation  implies  these  three  par- 
ticulars, to  which  all  others  may  be  easily  reduced. 

1st,  Deliverance  from  wrath.  Sin  deserves  wrath  : 
the  sinner  sees  it  a  coming,  and  feels  it  beginning, 
which  makes  him  flee  for  refuge  from  the  wrath  to 
come.  Thus  it  was  with  the  jailor  in  the  text :  he 
was  like  a  man  going  abroad,  who  feels  the  begin- 
nings of  a  bitter  storm,  and  sees  the  clouds  gathering 
which  portends  a  heavy  deluge ;  and  not  being  able 
to  abide  the  very  beginnings  of  it,  he  timeously  be- 
takes himself  to  a  covert ;  he  runs  to  take  shelter 
from  the  storm.  So  this  awakened  sinner  feels  some 
of  the  drops,  as  it  were,  of  the  wrath  of  God,  in  his 
face  already ;  and  he  knows  he  is  not  able  to  abide 
any  more,  and  therefore  cries  out,  What  must  I  do 
to  be  saved"}  Where  shall  I  get  shelter?  And  here 
his  question  is  answered,  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
and  thou  shall  be  saved.  He  will  screen  thee  from 
that  storm  of  wrath  that  has  begun  to  fall  down  with 
so  great  violence. 

2dly9  It  implies  a  title  to  life  eternal.  The  man 
would  be  happy,  and  how  he  shall  be  so,  he  cannot 
tell.  He  fears  he  may  never  attain  to  it,  and  this 
pains  him.  Once  man  was  on  a  fair  way  to  eternal 
life;  but  now  he  is  far  out  of  it,  and  never  like  to 
obtain  it.  This  makes  the  poor  awakened  man 
shiver,  and  cry  out,  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  °}  I 
cannot  think  of  falling  short  of  happiness :  how  shall 
I  come  at  it  ?  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  thou 
shalt  be  saved.    There  is  the  answer :  Thou  shalt 


104       MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST. 

have  a  title  to  eternal  life;  «  for  he  that  believcth 
the  record  that  God  hath  given  of  his  Son,  putteth 
to  his  seal  that  God  is  true."  And  this  is  the  record 
that  God  hath  given  of  his  Son,  that  «  there  is  life 
eternal  in  him,"  and  that  «  he  that  hath  the  Son 
hath  life,"  1  John  v.  11,  12. 

Sdly9  It  implies  a  full  possession  of  this  life  eter- 
nal, and  perfect  deliverance  :  What  must  I  do  to  be 
saved6}  How  shall  I  get  out  of  harm's  way,  be  meet 
for,  and  be  actually  possessed  of  that  "  inheritance 
that  is  incorruptible,  and  undeiiled,  and  fades  not 
away?  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  thou 
shall  he  saved.  Ye  shall  be  made  meet  for,  nay,  put 
in  actual  possession  of,  this  blessed  inheritance,  and 
saved  from  all  these  dangers  that  lie  in  the  way.  Ye 
shall  be  kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith  un- 
to salvation,  and  shall  receive  the  end  of  your  faith, 
even  the  salvation  of  your  souls,"  1  Pet.  i.  b.  9. — 
Thus  have  we  given  some  account,  in  the  general, 
what  salvation  implies.  We  shall  now  proceed  to 
give  some  account  of  its  properties,  whereby  we  shall 
see  further  into  its  nature. 

Many  properties  of  this  salvation  might  be  named 
and  insisted  on,  were  it  needful  that  we  should  in- 
quire into  them  all.  I  shall  satisfy  myself  to  name 
and  insist  a  little  on  a  few  of  the  more  considerable 
properties  of  it.     And, 

1.  It  is  a  great  salvation.  So  the  spirit  of  God 
expressly  calls  it,  Heb.  ii.  2,  3.  «  If  the  word  spo- 
ken by  angels  was  stedfast,  and  every  transgression 
and  disobedience  received  a  just  recompence  of  re- 
ward, how  shall  we  escape  if  we  neglect  so  great  sal- 
vation, which  at  the  first  began  to  be  spoken  by  the 
Lord,  and  was  confirmed  unto  us  by  them  that  heard 
him."  And  indeed,  if  we  shall  take  a  view  of  it,  we 
shall  find  it  deserves  the  title  or  character  given  of  it. 
It  is  called  great  salvation  ;  and  it  is  so, 

(1.)  In  regard  of  its  contrivance.  It  is  not  a  thing 
that  falls  out  by  chance,  without  any  project,  fore- 


MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY  FAITH   IN  CHRIST.       105 

cast,  or  forethought ;  no,  but  it  is  one  of  the  deep 
contrivances  of  Heaven.  It  is  the  master  piece  of 
divine  wisdom.  There  was  much  wisdom  in  the 
contrivance  of  the  world,  much  in  the  creation  of 
man,  much  appears  in  the  works  of  providence ;  but 
infinitely  more  in  this.  The  manifold  wisdom  of 
God  is  to  be  seen  in  the  salvation  of  the  church, 
Eph.  iii.  10. :  wisdom  lies  in  proposing  right  ends  to 
one's  self  in  acting,  and  finding  out,  and  using  suita- 
ble means,  and  ordering  all  the  circumstances  of  ac- 
tion to  the  best  advantage.  Now,  all  these  parts  of 
wisdom  are  eminent  in  this  salvation.  Never  was 
there  a  more  noble  end  than  what  God  had  in  the 
salvation  of  the  church.  [1.]  What  more  suitable 
to  God  than  that  he  should  glorify  his  mercy  and 
grace,  the  only  attributes  which,  before  the  fall  of 
man,  had  not  been  glorified  in  any  remarkable  in- 
stance ?  God  had  made  his  infinite  wisdom,  power 
and  Godhead,  legible  in  the  creation  of  the  world. 
His  moral  perfections  were  copied  out  in  the  souls  of 
men,  and  in  the  nature  of  angels.  Thence  one  might 
learn,  that  God  was  glorious  in  holiness,  goodness, 
bounty,  justice  and  all  other  moral  perfections  :  but 
all  the  while  there  was  no  vestige,  no  foot  step  of 
mercy  ;  nor  could  there  be,  till  once  sin  entered  into 
the  world.  Vindictive  justice  was  eminent  in  the 
miserable  state  of  fallen  angels,  who  were  justly 
plunged  into  remediless  ruin  and  destruction ;  only 
mercy  seemed  veiled  and  hid.  There  was  nothing 
by  which  this  darling  attribute  could  be  known,  or 
God  receive  any  glory  on  the  account  of  it.  It  was 
not  seen  in  either  the  works  of  creation  or  provi- 
dence :  nay,  there  seemed  by  these  no  room  for  it ; 
Since,  upon  supposition  of  the  fall,  where  only  there 
was  access  for  it,  the  door  seemed  perfectly  shut 
against  its  appearance,  by  the  peremptoriness  of  the 
threatening,  "  In  the  day  thou  eatest  thou  shalt 
surely  die."  And  indeed  man  had  all  the  reason  in 
the  world  to  believe  it  should  be  so,  not  only  from 


106      MAN'S  RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST. 

the  veracity  of  God,  but  from  the  sad  and  lamenta- 
ble proof  of  God's  holy  severity,  that  was  given  in 
the  ruin  of  the  angels  that  sinned.     (2.)  What  more 
worthy  the  great  lawgiver  of  the   world,  than  to 
make  it  appear  to  the  conviction  of  all,  that  the  laws 
he  at  first  framed  were  exactly  suited  to  the  ends  of 
government,  the  glory,  the  safety,  the  comfort  and 
peace  of  the  subjects,  and  the  honour  of  the  govern- 
or?   This  end  surely,  if  any  other,  was  worthy  of 
God,  the  lawgiver  of  the  world  ;  and  this  he  had  in 
view  in  the  salvation  of  the  church  ;  and  this  he  ob- 
tains by  this  means.     The  obedience  of  the   Son  of 
God  proclaims,  that  it  is  man's  honour  to  obey  :  the 
peace  that  his  people,  when  renewed  by  his  grace, 
do  find  in  obedience,  proclaims  it  their  interest  to 
obey:  the  pain  they  suffer  in  the  ways  of  sin,  de- 
clares all  the  calumnies  cast  upon  the  ways  and  laws 
of  God  abominably  false.     [3.]  What  end  more  suit- 
able for  him  who  had  undertaken  the  protection  of 
his  subjects,  which  is  unquestionably  a  part  of  a  go- 
vernor's business  and  work,  than  to  give  an  eminent 
proof  of  his  abilities  for  defeating  the  most  crafty 
and  subtle  plots,  and  breaking  the  greatest  force  of 
his  and  his  people's  enemies  ?    And  this  is  done  in  a 
signal  manner,  in  the  salvation  of  the  church.  [4.] 
What  more  suitable  end  for  him  who  had  all  the  jar- 
ring elements  to  manage,  all  the  opposite  tendencies 
of  things  to  govern,  and  direct  to  one  common  end, 
than  to  give  a  proof  of  his  wonderful  skill  in  recon- 
ciling the  seemingly  opposite  and  irreconeileable  in- 
terests of  justice  and  mercy?  Never  was  there  any 
end  more  noble,  more  suitable,  than  that  which  God 
had  in  view  in  the  contrivance  of  this  salvation.  He 
designed  to  complete  the  discovery  he  gave  of  his 
attributes,  to  honour  his  laws,  to  expose  the  folly 
and  weakness  of  his  great  enemy,  to  show  his  glori- 
ous wisdom  in  composing  the  greatest  difference,  re- 
conciling the  most  seemingly  cross  and  irreconcilable 
interests  of  justice  and  merey. 


man's  recovery  BY  FAITH  IN   CHRIST,       107 

Thus  we  see  the  end  was  wise  :  nor  were  the  means, 
and  the  timing  of  the  means,  less  so.  Much  of  wis- 
dom was  there  laid  out  in  fitting  the  person  of  the 
Redeemer,  to  open  a  door  for  the  glorification  of  the 
grace,  mercy  and  love  of  God,  to  repair  the  honour 
of  God*9  law,  and  of  his  authority,  to  baffle  Satan's 
power  and  policy,  and  to  reconcile  and  amicably 
compose  the  opposite  interests  of  spotless  justice  and 
tender  mercy.  Much  of  wisdom  shines  in  the  timing 
of  this  discovery,  and  in  the  application  of  it.  Well 
might  it  be  called  manifold  wisdom  that  shines  here- 
in. And  justly  may  that  salvation  which  is  thus 
wisely  contrived  be  called  great,  in  respect  to  that 
wisdom  which  did  contrive  it. 

[2.]  This  is  indeed  a  great  salvation,  and  cannot 
but  be  so,  if  we  consider  the  author  of  it,  God,  the 
great  God.  He  it  is  who  contrived,  and  claims  the 
honour  of  the  accomplishment  of  this  work  of  the 
salvation  of  the  church,  as  his  due  :  and  this  honour 
is  given  him  cordially  by  all  those  who  are  saved. 
They  find  themselves  obliged  to  own  all  other  things 
unable  for  contriving,  or  for  effectuating  a  work  so 
great  as  is  the  salvation  of  sinners.  ««  In  vain  is 
salvation  looked  for  from  the  hills,  and  from  the 
multitude  of  mountains ;  in  the  Lord  alone  is  the 
salvation  of  his  people,"  Jer.  iii.  23.  And  this  ac- 
knowledgement of  the  church  is  consonant  to  that 
declaration  which  God  gives,  Isa.  xlv.  21.  "  There 
is  no  God  else  beside  me,  a  just  God,  and  a  Saviour, 
there  is  none  beside  me."  All  the  persons  of  the 
glorious  Trinity  have  their  distinct  hand  and  con- 
cernment in  this  salvation.  The  first  proposal  is 
owing  to  the  love  of  the  Father,  the  accomplishment 
of  it  to  the  Son,  and  the  application  of  it  to  the  Spirit. 
Sure  it  must  be  a  great  work  indeed,  a  great  salva- 
tion, that  busied  the  thoughts  of  the  blessed  Trinity 
from  all  eternity,  and  employed,  if  I  may  so  speak, 
their  hands  in  time.  And  such  is  the  salvation  we 
speak  of. 


103      MA^S   RECOVERY   BY  FAITH   IN  CHRIST. 

(3.)  It  is  a  great  salvation,  if  we  consider  the  way 
of  its  accomplishment,  the  means  whereby  it  is 
brought  about ;  and  these  were  the  wonderfully 
great  condescension  of  the  Son  of  God,  humbling 
himself  so  far,  as  to  take  upon  him  *<  the  form  of  a 
servant,"  of  sinful  man,  Philip,  ii.  6,  7.  his  inexpres- 
sible great  sufferings  in  soul  and  body,  and  the  ex- 
ceeding greatness  of  his  mighty  power  put  forth  in 
the  application  of  these  great  things  which  were 
purchased,  not  with  things  of  so  small  a  price,  so  in- 
considerable as  silver  or  gold,  or  such  corruptible 
dross,  but  "with  the  precious  blood  of  Christ,"! 
Pet.  i.  18. 

(4.)  It  is  great  salvation,  if  we  consider  the  man- 
ner  of  its  publication.  God  himself  brought  the  first 
news  of  it  to  Adam,  and  did  afterwards  upon  several 
occasions  carry  on  the  discovery,  by  adding  to  that 
first  revelation,  and  giving  new  beams  of  light  to  it, 
as  the  various  occasions  of  the  church  did  require, 
Heb.  ii.  2,  3.  But  that  which  is  most  remarkable, 
and  of  greatest  consideration,  is,  that  the  publica- 
tion of  this  was  a  part  of  the  work  which  a  humbled 
God,  while  tabernacling  amongst  men,  took  to  him- 
self; he  went  about  preaching  salvation. 

(5.)  This  salvation  deserves  to  be  called  great,  if 
we  take  a  view  of  the  great  evils  we  are  hereby  libe- 
rated and  saved  from.  (1.)  Hereby  we  are  saved 
from  great  pollutions.  We  are  all  by  nature  as 
black,  as  filthy  as  hell ;  we  have  by  sin  debased  our- 
selves to  hell ;  we  are  so  filthy,  that  God,  the  holy 
God,  cannot  look  upon  us  without  abhorrence ;  we 
are  abominate  by  the  holy  angels,  and  even  by  our- 
selves, when  our  eyes  are  opened.  There  is  so  much 
filthiness  in  every  sinner,  as  is  sufficient  to  make  him 
loath  himself,  if  he  but  saw  himself.  Job,  who  had 
as  great  a  testimony  given  him  by  God,  the  best 
judge,  as  ever  man  had,  yet  loaths  and  abhors  him- 
self, when  God  lets  him  see  himself.  Must  not  that 
be  great  filthiness  that  makes  not  only  God,  the  holy 


MAN'S    RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN    CHRIST.     109 

God,  load)  man  ;  but  even  man,  sinful  and  polluted 
man,  abominate  himself?  And  is  it  not  a  great  sal- 
vation to  be  saved  from  so  great  lilthiness  ?  sure  it 
is.  It  is  a  filthiness  that  the  nitre  and  soap  of  human 
endeavours  has  been  many  times  tried  upon,  but  to 
no  purpose.  Nothing  can  wash  out  the  stain,  but 
the  blood  of  God  :  and  to  be  saved  from  such  filthi- 
ness, is  a  mercy  of  no  small  consideration:  it  is  in- 
deed great  salvation.  (2.)  It  is  salvation  from  the 
guilt  of  sin.  Sin  carries  in  it  an  obligation  to  pun- 
ishment, Rom.  viii.  1.  It  ties  sin  and  punishment 
together;  and  consequently  is  like  a  strong  chain 
whereby  the  sinner  is  bound  to  destruction,  so  fast 
that  he  cannot  get  away  from  it.  He  is  tied  to  hell ; 
and  sure  when  one  finds  himself  thus  knit  todestrue- 
tion,  he  will  think  it  a  great  salvation  to  be  saved 
from  it,  to  have  this  knot  loosed.  (3.)  It  is  salva- 
tion from  the  dominion  of  sin.  Sin  is  a  great  ty- 
rant, and  imposes  a  most  heavy  and  intolerable  yoke 
upon  all  its  vassals.  We  may  see  what  a  tyrant  it 
is,  by  the  many  tragical  events  with  which  the  world 
is  daily  filled.  We  see  some  kingdoms  soaked  in 
blood,  some  families  buried  in  contempt,  some  men 
ruined  in  their  reputation,  others  in  their  bodies, 
others  in  their  estates  :  and  if  we  inquire  who  has 
done  all  this  mischief,  we  shall  find  that  sin  has  done 
it  all.  It  has  made  one  part  of  a  nation  imbrue  their 
hands  in  their  neighbour's  blood ;  it  has  hurried 
men  upon  these  foolish  and  hurtful  practices,  where- 
by they  have  ruined  their  families,  their  estates, 
their  names,  their  souls,  their  bodies.  Sure,  then, 
salvation  from  the  reign  and  dominion  of  this  insuf- 
ferable tyrant,  deserves  to  be  styled  great  salvation. 
(4.)  It  is  salvation  from  the  molesting  power  of  the 
remainders  of  sin  that  dwells  in  believers  :  and  this 
is  great  salvation.  So  grievous  are  the  workings, 
stirrings,  motions  of  (his  enemy,  that  it  makes  the 
children  of  God  many  times  look  upon  themselves  as 
wretched,  and  cry   out  with  the  apostle,  Rom.  vii. 


110     man's  recovery  by  faith  m  CHRIST. 

2&.  "  O  wretched  man  that  I  ana,  who  shall  deliver 
me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?"  And  to  be  freed 
from  that  which  makes  a  man  account  himself  mise- 
rable and  wretched,  is  certainly  a  great  salvation. 
(5.)  It  is  salvation  from  the  wrath  of  God  ;  and  how 
great  a  mercy  is  this  ?  "  Who  knows  the  power  of 
his  wrath  l"  And  who  knows  how  great  a  delive- 
rance it  is  to  be  saved  from  the  wrath  to  come  ?  Such 
only  can  who  have  their  eyes  opened,  to  see  the  dan- 
ger they  are  in  from  the  imminency  of  the  whirlwind 
of  the  Lord's  anger,  that  goes  forth  with  fury,  and 
falls  with  pain,  upon  the  head  of  the  wicked.  (6.) 
It  is  salvation  from  Satan9 s  slavery  :  and  sure  to  be 
saved  from  his  slavery,  is  a  great  salvation  indeed. 
He  « rules  in  the  children  of  disobedienee  :"  and 
where  he  reigns,  he  never  treats  one  of  his  slaves 
better  than  he  did  that  poor  child,  of  whom  we  have 
an  account  in  the  evangelists.  He  takes  them,  and 
"  tears  them,  and  bruises  them,  throwing  them  some- 
times into  the  lire,  and  sometimes  into  the  water/5 
Matth.  xvii.  14.  Mark  ix.  17.  Lukeix.  39.  Heruns 
them  into  very  different  evils,  fire  and  water,  but 
equally  destructive  to  their  life.  And  to  be  saved 
from  such  treatment,  from  such  an  enemy,  is  surely 
a  great  salvation  $  and  will  easily  be  acknowledged 
such,  by  all  who  know  how  great  a  misery  it  is  to 
be  under  such  a  yoke.  (7.]  It  is  salvation  from  the 
"  sting  of  death,"  and  from  the  "  fear  of  death." 
We  read  of  some  that  «  all  their  lifetime  have  been 
in  bondage  through  fears  of  death,"  Heb.  ii.  15. ; 
where  it  is  likewise  declared  a  part  of  Christ's  un- 
dertaking, to  deliver  such :  "Forasmuch  then  as  the 
children  are  partakes  of  flesh  and  blood,  he  also 
himself  likewise  took  part  of  the  same,  that  through 
death  he  might  destroy  him  that  had  the  power  of 
death,  that  is,  the  devil;  and  deliver  them  who 
through  fear  of  death,  were  all  their  lifetime  sub- 
ject to  bondage."  Whoever  takes  a  view  of  these 
evils,  which  this  salvation  and  deliverance  has  a  re- 
spect to*  cannot  but  own  it  a  great  salvation. 


man's  recovery  by  FAITH  IIT  CHRIST.      Ill 

(6.)  To  add  no  more  considerations  for  the  illus- 
tration of  this  property,  it  must  be  owned  to  be  a 
great  salvation,  if  we  consider  what  are  the  advan- 
tages that  follow  upon  our  deliverance  from  these 
evils  mentioned.  I  only  name  a  few  of  them.  (1.) 
Instead  of  these  filthy  robes  which  sinners  are  na- 
turally clothed  in,  they  are  clad  in  garments  of  sal- 
vation, garments  of  righteousness.  "  I  will,'5  says 
the  church,  Isa.  lxi.  10.  "greatly  rejoice  in  the  Lord, 
my  soul  shall  be  joyful  in  my  God  ;  for  he  hath 
clothed  me  with  the  garments  of  salvation,  he  hath 
covered  me  with  the  robe  of  righteousness,  as  a  bride- 
groom decketh  himself  with  ornaments,  and  as  a 
bride  adorneth  herself  with  jewels."  (2.)  This  sal- 
vation has  in  it  a  title  to  a  noble  inheritane.  Guilt  is 
the  sinner's,  the  unsaved  wretch's  title  to  wrath  ;  it 
makes  it  sure  to  him :  but  such  as  are  saved,  are 
made  sons  upon  their  believing,  John  i.  12.  "  And 
if  sons,  then  heirs,  heirs  of  God,  and  joint-heirs  with 
Christ,"  Rom.  iii.  17.  (3.)  They  who  are  partakers 
of  this  salvation,  are  put  under  the  dominion  of  grace. 
They  are  not  under  sin,  but  under  the  dominion  of 
grace,  Rom.  vi.  14.  :  and  where  grace  bears  sway, 
there  is  indeed  perfect  liberty.  Faith  working  by 
love  is  the  spring  of  all  the  obedience  they  perform 
to  these  commands,  which  are  not  grievous,  but,  on 
the  contrary,  are  pleasant,  and  have  not  only  a  great 
reward  in  the  issue,  but  even  in  the  time  wherein 
obedience  is  performed  to  them ;  see  Gal.  v.  6.  1 
John  v.  3.  Prov.  iii.  17.  Psal.  xix.  11.  (4.)  The  spi- 
rit dwells  in  all  believers,  and  abides  with  him  for- 
ever, 1  John  iv.  13.  Rom.  viii.  9.  And  hereby  re- 
lief is  provided  against  that  uneasiness  that  arises 
from  the  remainders  of  sin  here  ;  for"  through  the 
Spirit  believers  do  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body, 
that  so  they  may  live,"  Rom.  viii.  13.  And  by  the 
abounding  of  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  they  are  brought 
to  that  frame,  that  spiritual  mindedness,  which  is 
life  and  peace*  Rom*  viii.  6. ;  and  not  only  is  there, 


112       MAN?S  RECOVERY  BY   FAITH  IK   CHKIST. 

by  the  indwelling  of  the  Spirit,  provision  thus  made 
against  the  remaining  power  of  indwelling  sin 
here,  but  moreover  hereby  there  is  assurance  given 
of  full  freedom  from  it.  The  spirit  will  at  length 
entirely  cleanse  the  soul :  and  he  is  the  earnest  of 
glory  of  that  state  where  believers  are  entirely  freed 
from  sin,  2  Cor.  v.  5.  It  is  by  him  they  are  sealed 
to  the  day  of  their  final  and  complete  redemption 
from  sin,  in  all  its  concernments,  filth,  guilt,  reign, 
power  and  being,  Eph.  iv.  30.  [5.]  Instead  of  wrath 
under  which  the  sinner  was  lying,  by  this  salvation 
he  is  brought  into  a  state  of  favour  and  acceptance 
rvith  God,  through  the  beloved,  Eph.  i.  6.  Instead 
of  war  with  heaven,  they  have  peace;  for  "being 
justified  by  faith,  they  have  peace  with  God,"  Rom. 
viii.  1.  And  of  how  great  consideration  this  is,  the 
psalmist  well  understood,  who,  Psal.  xxx.  5.  tells  us, 
"  That  in  God's  favour  is  life,"  and,  Psal.  lxiii.  3. 
that  his  "  loving  kindness  is  better  than  life."  [6.] 
Satan's  slave  is  placed  upon  a  throne  by  this  salva- 
tion :  and  is  not  this  a  great  privilege  ?  Sure  it  is— 
and  this  is  the  privilege  of  all  overeomers;  and  such 
shall  all  believers  be  :  "  To  him  that  overeometh, 
will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  in  my  throne  ;  even 
as  I  also  overcame,  and  am  set  down  with  my  Father 
in  his  throne,"  Rev.  iii.  21.  [7.]  Instead  of  feared 
death,  everlasting  life  shall  he  the  privilege  of  the  na- 
tions of  them  that  are  saved9  John  iii.  36.  "  He  that 
believeth  on  the  Son,  hath  everlasting  life;"  and 
here  we  may  hold.  AH  words  are  forever  lost  who 
can  tell  what  a  life  this  is  ?  A  life  of  God,  a  life  of 
comfort,  a  life  of  promise  in  heaven  ;  and  such  a  life 
for  ever.  May  we  not  conclude  from  the  whole, 
that  this  salvation,  which  is  the  contrivance  of  so 
great  wisdom,  has  so  great  an  author  as  God,  is 
brought  about  by  so  great  means,  proclaimed  by  so 
great  a  person  as  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father, 
frees  from  so  great  evils,  and  entitles  to  so  great 
blessings,  is  indeed  a  great  salvation  ?  We  shall  pro- 
ceed now  to  a 


IfAJjfr    RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN"    CHRIST.        413 

2d  Property  of  this  salvation.  As  it  is  upon  the 
accounts  mentioned,  and  not  a  few  others,  a  great 
salvation,  so  likewise  is  it  a  complete  salvat ion.  It 
is  called  salvation  to  the  uttermost,  Heb.  vii.  25. 
"  He  is  able  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost  (hat  come 
unto  God  by  him."  Now,  the  completeness  of  this 
salvation,  we  may  take  up  in  four  particulars.  (1.) 
It  is  salvation  from  all  evils.  It  is  not  only  salva- 
tion from  many,  from  great  evils,  as  we  did  at  length 
make  appear  under  the  former  head,  but  it  is  salva- 
tion from  all  evils.  It  extends  to  all  sorts  of  evils. 
We  might  mention  many  sorts  of  evils ;  but  they  are 
all  easily  reducible  to  two  moral  evils  :  or  sins,  penal 
evils,  or  punishment.  Now,  this  salvation  extends 
to  both.  It  is  salvation  from  all  sin  :  «*  The  blood 
of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  from  all  sin,"  1  John  i.  9. 
It  is  justification  from  all  things,  Actsxiii.  39.  «  Be 
it  known  to  you  therefore,  men  and  brethren,  that 
through  this  man  is  preached  unto  you  the  forgive- 
ness of  sins  ;  and  by  him  all  that  believe  are  justi- 
fied from  all  things,  from  which  ye  could  not  be  jus- 
tified by  the  law  of  Moses."  And  if  we  be  saved 
from  all  moral  evils,  salvation  from  all  others  fol- 
lows in  course.  (2.)  It  is  salvation  from  all  degrees 
of  all  those  evils.  It  might  have  extended  to  all 
sorts  of  evils,  and  yet  not  have  comprehended  a  de- 
liverance from  all  degrees  of  them  :  but  it  is  com- 
plete in  this  respect  ;  as  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ 
cleanseth  from  all  sin,  so  it  cleanseth  from  every 
degree  ;  it  cleanseth  fully.  As  the  spirit  of  Christ 
is  able  to  subdue  all  sin,  so  is  he  able  to  subdue  all 
sin  fully.  In  a  word,  Christ  makes  thorough  work 
of  it ;  and  such  as  do  believe  shall  be  saved  from  all 
their  fears,  from  all  their  enemies,  from  all  their 
sins,  and  all  their  sorrows  ;  Christ  will  "  present 
them  without  spot  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing." 
No  stain,  no  blemish,  shall  be  left  on  them,  before  he 
have  done  with  them.  (3.)  It  is  comprehensive  of 
all  spiritual   blessings  \  nav,  of  every  good  thing. 

y 


414     man's  recovery  BY  FAITH  IN  CHRIST. 

«  God  will  give  grace  and  glory,  and  be  will  with- 
hold no  good  thing  from  them  that  walk  uprightly/' 
Psal.  lxxxiv.  11.  And  believers  are  said  to  be  "bles- 
sed with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  Christ  Jesus," 
Eph.  i.  3.  (4.)  It  comprehends  all  these  blessings  in 
their  perfection.  While  in  this  world,  the  enjoy- 
ments of  the  saints  are  not  complete  ;  but  they  shall 
be  so  ere  it  be  long.  Grace  will  ripen  into  glory. 
That  which  is  in  part  will  be  done  away,  and  that 
which  is  perfect,  will  come  in  its  room. 

3<%,  This  is  a  suitable  salvation.  How  suitable 
it  is  to  God,  we  have  hinted  already ;  and  therefore 
I  shall  only  name  a  few  things  which  may  evince  its 
congruity  to  such  poor  sinners  as  are  convinced  of 
their  need  of  salvation. 

(1.)  This  salvation  is  exceedingly  suitable  to  such 
a  poor  sinner,  because  it  is  near.  One  that  is  in  a 
great  extremity,  to  tell  him  of  a  remedy  in  some  far 
country,  at  a  great  distance,  will  rather  increase 
than  help  his  disquietment.  Such  a  remedy,  may  he 
say,  is  sufficient;  but  how  shall  it  be  got?  who  will 
bring  it  to  me?  and  may  I  not  be  dead  and  gone  be- 
fore it  arrive  ?  So  might  the  convinced  sinner  say, 
did  we  tell  him  of  a  Saviour  that  were  to  be  met 
withal  in  some  remote  country,  or  after  the  course 
of  some  years,  his  perplexity  would  hereby  be  in- 
creased. His  case  requires  speedy  relief,  it  will  not 
admit  of  long  delays  ;  and  this  salvation  is  exactly 
adapted  to  his  condition,  as  the  apostle  shows,  Rom. 
x.  6—9.  "The  righteousness  which  is  of  faith  spea- 
keth  on  this  wise,  Say  not  in  thine  heart,  Who  shall 
ascend  into  heaven  ?  (that  is,  to  bring  Christ  down 
from  above)  ;  or,  Who  shall  descend  into  the  deep  ? 
(that  is,  to  bring  up  Christ  again  from  the  dead.) 
But  what  saith  it  ?  The  word  is  nigh  thee,  even  in 
thy  mouth,  and  in  thy  heart,  that  is  the  word  of  faith 
which  we  preach,  That  if  thou  shalt  confess  with 
thy  mouth  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  shalt  believe  in  thine 
heart,  that  God  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead,  thou 


man's  recovery  BY  PAITH  IN  CHRIST.      115 

shalt  be  saved."  This  salvation  is  near  in  the  offer, 
it  is  near  in  its  advantages.  As  the  offer  brings  it 
close  home,  so  the  advantage  of  it  is  presently  to 
be  obtained.  The  jailor  soon  got  ease;  and  so  may 
every  convinced  sinner,  in  the  same  method  ;  he  may 
obtain,  if  not  present  satisfaction,  yet  present  safety. 

(2.)  This  salvation  in  its  terms  is  suited  to  the  needs 
and  desires  of  a  convinced  sinner.  He  cannot  pur- 
chase salvation  ;  therefore  salvation  freely  offered  is 
suitable  to  him.  If  money  were  required  of  such  as 
come  to  the  market  of  grace,  the  sinner  would  never 
look  near  it :  but  when  all  that  need  are  bid  come, 
and  take  and  have  all,  without  money  and  without 
price,  then  he  finds  a  market  to  his  mind,  salvation 
according  to  his  wish,  perfectly  such  as  he  would 
have. 

(3.)  It  is  suitable  in  its  nature  to  his  wants.  As 
it  is  salvation  upon  the  very  terms  he  wishes,  so  all 
the  blessings  he  needs  are  to  be  had  upon  these  terms. 
Needs  he  pardon  ?  he  may  have  it;  needs  he  repen- 
tance ?  he  may  have  it ;  in  a  word,  if  he  needs  grace 
or  glory,  he  may  have  them. 

(4.)  The  security  offered  is  suitable  to  the  very 
desires  of  such  a  one.  The  convinced  sinner  is  now 
deeply  sensible  of  the  concern,  moment,  and  import- 
ance of  salvation ;  and  therefore  he  would  not  wil- 
lingly hazard  it  upon  a  small  security.  He  would 
not  venture  so  much  upon  some  weak  probability,  he 
would  have  the  highest  security  in  this  matter,  which 
is  of  the  highest  importance.  And  what  greater  se- 
curity can  he  desire  for  his  salvation,  than  God's 
covenant  and  promise  confirmed  by  his  oath  ? 

Mhly,  This  salvation  is  called  eternal  salvation9 
Isa.  xlv.  17.  "  But  Israel  shall  be  saved  in  the  Lord 
with  an  everlasting  salvation ;  ye  shall  not  be  asha- 
med nor  confounded  world  without  end."  And  we 
are  told,  Heb.  v.9.  «  That  Christ  being  made  perfect 
through  sufferings,  is  become  the  author  of  eternal 
salvation  unto  all  'hem  that  obey  him.55  It  is  eternal 
salvation  upon  a  threefold  account.  (1.)   It  is  eternal 


116      MAN'S  RECOVERY  BY  FAITH  IN  CHRIST* 

salvation  in  its  design  and  contrivance,  the  fruit  and 
product  of  everlasting  love.  The  Father's  drawing 
sinners  in  time,  into  a  compliance  with  the  terms  of 
salvation,  is  the  fruit  of  everlasting  love,  Jer.  xxxi. 
3.  «  The  Lord  appeared  of  old  unto  me,  saying,  Yea, 
I  have  loved  thee  with  an  everlasting  love ;  therefore 
with  loving  kindness  have  I  drawn  thee."  (2.)  Tt 
is  everlasting  salvation,  because  it  is  salvation  from 
everlasting  evils.  «*  He  that  believes  not  shall  be 
damned  ;"  that  is,  as  the  spirit  of  God  comments 
upon  it  elsewhere,  he  "  shall  be  punished  with  ever- 
lasting destruction  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord, 
and  the  glory  of  his  power,5'  2  Thes.  i.  9.  (3.)  It 
is  eternal  salvation,  because  it  entitles  to,  and  puts 
man  in  possession  of,  eternal  blessings.  "  He  that  be- 
lieveth  on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life,"  John  iii. 
36.  Thus  have  we  seen  what  this  salvation  is  in  it- 
self, and  in  its  properties.     We  proceed, 

VI.  To  demonstrate  the  truth  of  the  doctrine,  that 
such  as  do  betake  themselves  by  faith  unto,  or  be- 
lieve on,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  shall  assuredly  be 
saved.     And  this  we  make  good, 

First,  From  the  eternal  and  immutable  purpose 
of  God,  that  he  that  believes  shall  be  saved.  Great 
contests  there  have  been  amoKg  Christians  about  the 
deerees  of  God  ;  but  scarce  ever  any  yet  had  the  con- 
fidence to  alledge,  that  God  had  not  decreed  this. 
Such  as  will  allow  least  to  the  decrees  of  God,  are 
forced  to  own,  that  he  has  purposed  in  himself,  that 
be  that  believes  shall  be  saved ;  and  when  God  has 
purposed  so,  who  can  contradict,  or  who  can  make 
him  fall  short  of  whatever  he  has  purposed  ?  Since 
it  is  unquestionable,  from  the  revelation  that  God 
hath  made  of  his  will,  that  he  has  purposed  the  sal- 
vation of  all  that  do  believe,  it  must  of  necessity  be 
so,  that  such  shall  infallibly  be  saved.  Could  any 
believer  fall  short  of  his  happiness,  of  the  salvation 
which  God  has  purposed  in  himself  to  bestow  on  him, 
it  must  flow  from  one  of  two  $  either  a  change  in 


MAN'S  RECOVERY  BY  FAITH  IN   CHRIST.        117 

God's  purpose,  or  God's  falling  short  of  his  intent. 
But  neither  of  the  two  can  possibly  be.  (1.)  As  for 
God's  purpose,  it  must  of  necessity  be  unchangea- 
ble, like  himself:  «*  He  is  God,  and  changes  not," 
Mai.  iii.  6.  Should  God  change,  he  would  lose  his 
name,  ««  I  am  that  I  am."  Upon  this  ground  it  is, 
that  the  wise  man  says,  Eccl.  iii.  14.  "  I  know  that 
whatever  God  doth  it  shall  be  for  ever."  God  is 
«  the  Father  of  lights,  with  whom  there  is  no  vari- 
ableness, neither  shadow  of  turning,"  James  i.  17. 
That  man  is  changeable  in  his  purpose,  flows  from 
his  weakness,  and  from  his  ignorance  of  events.  His 
purposes  are  founded  upon  a  supposition,  or  at  most 
a  probability,  that  things  shall  be  so  and  so  ;  and 
when  things  fall  out  otherwise  than  was  expected, 
man  must  suit  his  purposes  to  the  state  of  things. 
But  the  matter  is  far  otherwise  with  God,  who  doth 
not  therefore  purpose  to  act  so  and  so,  because  he 
seeth  such  things  will  fall  out ;  but  things  fall  out 
so,  because  God  purposed  in  himself  that  they  should 
so  fall  out.  All  things  are  wrought  by  him  accord- 
ing to  the  counsel  of  his  own  will ;  and  known  to 
him  are  all  his  works  from  the  beginning.  Again, 
man  changes  his  purpose,  because  he  knows  not  at 
first  what  is  best  to  be  done  :  but  the  matter  is  no- 
thing so  with  God.  (2.)  As  for  the  event  of  the 
purpose,  that  must  he  infallible.  God  cannot  fall 
short  of  his  purpose,  if  we  will  take  his  own  word 
on  it :  **  The  grass  withereth,  the  flower  fadeth,  but 
the  word  of  our  God  shall  stand  for  ever,"  Isa.  xl. 

8.  And  again,  w  I  am  God,  and  there  is  none  else  ; 
I  am  God,  and  there  is  none  like  me ;  declaring  the 
end  from  the  beginning,  and  from  ancient  times  the 
things  that  are  not  yet  done  ;  saying,  My  counsel 
shall  stand,  and  I  will  do  all  my  pleasure,"  Isa.  xlvi. 

9.  10.  And  well  may  he  say  he  will  do  so,  since 
none  is  able  to  resist  his  will ;  he  that  doth  it  must 
first  grapple  with  Omnipotence.  "  The  Lord  of 
hosts  hath  purposed,  and  who  shall  disannul  it?   bis 

Y2 


118    man's  recovery  by  faith  m  Christ. 

hand  is  stretched  out,  and  who  shall  turn  it  back  ?M 
Isa.  xiv.  27.  u  If  he  works,  who  can  let  2"  Isa.  xliii. 
13.  «  None  can  stay  his  hand,  or  say  unto  him, 
What  dost  thou  ?"  Dan.  iv.  45.  What  is  then  pur- 
posed by  God  must  be  infallibly  certain,  that  such  as 
do  by  faith  betake  themselves  to  Jesus  Christ,  shall 
be  saved. 

Secondly,  The  faithfulness  of  God  in  the  promise 
is  engaged  for  it :  so  runs  the  promise,  "  He  that 
believes  shall  be  saved''5  When  a  man's  purpose  is 
not  declared,  he  is  indeed  accountable  to  himself  for 
any  change  or  alteration  of  it,  but  not  to  others ;  but 
if  he  declare  it  openly,  especially  if  he  turn  his  pur- 
pose into  a  promise,  in  that  case  he  is  brought  under 
a  more  public  and  solemn  tie  to  stand  firmly  to  what 
is  engaged.  So  had  this  been  a  purpose  concealed 
in  the  breast  of  God,  if  I  may  so  speak  ;  however 
he  himself  should  have  been  engaged  for  its  accom- 
plishment, yet  we  had  in  that  case  nothing  to  say  : 
but  God  by  his  promise  makes  himself  a  debtor ;  such 
is  his  condescension  to  his  own  creatures.  God  can- 
not suffer  a  believer  to  fall  short  of  salvation,  as 
matters  are  now  stated,  unless  he  thereby  fall  into 
disgrace  and  contempt;  which  is  as  impossible  as  it 
is  for  him  to  resign  his  Godhead.  Certain  it  is, 
therefore,  upon  the  account  of  the  promise  of  God, 
that  a  lost  sinner,  betaking  himself  by  faith  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  shall  be  saved.  This  will  appear 
indeed  of  great  weight,  if  it  be  considered,  (1.)  That 
there  is  not  only  a  promise,  but  a  covenant.  (2.) 
That  this  covenant  has  seals  appended  to  it,  for  the 
ratification  of  it.  (3.)  That  Christ  is  the  surety  of 
this  covenant.  (4.)  That  all  the  blessings  promised 
are  bought  by  Christ  at  no  lower  rate  than  that  of 
his  own  blood.  (5.)  What  he  has  purchased  he  made 
over  in  a  testamentary  way,  by  way  of  legacy,  to  be- 
lievers. (6.)  This  testament  being  confirmed  by  the 
death  of  the  testator,  there  is  no  altering  of  it.  (7.) 
The  Holy  Spirit,  if  I  may  so  speak,  is  left  executor 


MAN'S    RECOVERY    BY    FAITH    IN    CHRIST,      119 

of  his  latter  will ;  therefore  it  is  utterly  impossible 
that  any  believer  should  miss  of  salvation.  These 
things  we  have  only  named,  because  we  hasten  to  the 
improvement  of  tiiis  truth  ;  which  we  shall  come  to, 
after  we  have  handled  a 

Third  argument  for  proof  of  the  truth  under  con- 
sideration, and  that  is  taken  from  the  experience  of 
such  as  do  believe.  And  because  this  argument  is, 
it  may  be,  less  understood,  therefore  I  shall  insist 
somewhat  the  more  largely  upon  it.  That  I  may 
prove  it  certain  that  believers  are  saved,  from  experi- 
ence, I  shall  inquire,  1st*  What  it  is  that  such  as  do 
believe  experience  ?  2dlij,  How  we  know  that  they 
do  so  ?  for  their  experience  signifies  nothing  to  us, 
unless  it  be  made  known  in  such  a  way  as  may  give 
it  some  weight. 

As  to  the  1st,  we  say,  (1.)  All  believers.,  at  death, 
do  attain  the  full  possession  of  this  great,  complete, 
suitable,  and  eternal  salvation  :  they  enter  into  rest, 
being  conducted  safe  to  glory,  by  the  glorious  Cap- 
tain of  his  people's  salvation.  But  this  is  not  that 
which  we  principally  design  to  insist  upon,  as  an  evi- 
dence of  the  certainty  of  the  salvation  of  such  as  do 
believe.     Wherefore  we  sav, 

(2.)  That  such  as  do  believe,  even  in  this  life, 
have  some  experience  of  this  salvation,  upon  their 
believing  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  We  do  not  say, 
indeed,  that  all  believers  have  the  same  degress  of 
experience,  or  can  give  alike  distinct  account  of  their 
experiences  :  but  this  we  say,  that  all  who  do  be- 
lieve, upon  their  believing,  have  some  experience; 
and  such  as  are  diligent,  and  do  carefully  improve 
that  spirit  which  is  given  them,  whereby  they  may 
know  the  things  that  are  freely  given  them  of  God, 
may  understand,  in  some  measure,  if  not  all,  yet  most 
of  the  experiences  we  shall  mention.  Ye  may  easily 
understand,  from  w  hat  has  been  at  great  length  dis- 
coursed to  you.  that  this  salvation  comprehends  a 
deliverance  from  evil,  and  a  grant  of  ail  that  is  good. 


120     man's  recovery  sr  FAITH  IN  CHRIST, 

Now,  we  shall  name  some  experiences  that  believers 
upon  their  believing,  obtain,  both  of  the  one  and  of 
the  other. 

[1.]  Then,  such  as  do  by  faith  receive  Jesus 
Christ,  upon  their  believing,  have  a  gracious  experi- 
ence of  a  begun  deliverance  from  wrath.  "Whereas, 
before  their  believing,  they  were  under  fears  of 
wrath,  and  saw  themselves  in  imminent  danger  of 
inevitable  ruin,  so  that  they  were  much  disquieted ; 
How,  upon  their  believing,  they  find  something  of  a 
blessed  calm.  True  it  is,  indeed,  they  do  not  always 
presently  find  rest,  full  rest  I  mean  ;  yet,  upon  their 
reception  of  Christ,  there  is  ever  some  beginnings  of 
rest,  and  somewhat  of  a  begun  deliverance  from 
these  crueiating  and  tormenting  fears,  which  for- 
merly did  appear  intolerable.  The  ease  of  a  belie- 
ver, at  such  a  time,  may  be  like  that  of  a  man,  who, 
falling  over  a  dreadful  precipice,  gets  hold  of  some- 
thing which  he  is  sure  is  able  to  support  him :  such 
an  one,  though  he  be  in  some  degree  free  from  that 
dreadful  fear  he  was  under,  may  yet  be  under  some 
apprehensions  of  danger  from  his  own  inability  to 
hold  the  grip  he  has  gotten.  Just  so  is  it  with  a 
poor  convinced  sinner :  at  some  times,  before  Christ 
is  discovered,  he  is  in  the  most  lamentable  case  ima- 
ginable ;  he  finds  himself  falling  headlong  into  ruin 
and  misery,  and  this  frights  him  terribly ;  he  sees 
the  pit  beneath  him,  and  finds  himself  hastening 
thither ;  and  therefore  is  in  a  dreadful  consternation, 
while  there  is  «  nothing  but  a  fearful  looking  for  of 
Wrath  and  fiery  indignation  :**  while  he  is  in  this 
ease,  Christ  is  disoovered  to  him  ;  he  sees  him  suffi- 
cient to  save  him,  and  understands  on  what  terms  he 
may  have  him  ;  he  is  pleased  with  them,  and  lays 
hold  on  Christ ;  and  thence  there  ensue  some  begin- 
nings of  rest,  though  he  may  still  be  in  some  fears 
that  he  may  lose  the  grip ;  and  this  begun  deliverance 
from  the  fears  of  wrath,  is  a  pledge  of  that  full  and 
complete  freedom  which  he  has  ground  to  expect. 


MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN  CHRIST.      121 

[2.]  Sinners,  upon  their  believing  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  have  some  experience  of  begun  salva- 
tion from  the  dominion  of  sin.  "  The  law  of  the  spi- 
rit of  life  in  Christ  Jesus  makes  thein  free,  in  some 
measure,  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death,"  Rom.  viii. 
2.  I  know,  indeed,  there  may  be  greater  complaints 
of  sin  after  believing  than  ever,  and  its  power  may 
be  felt  more  than  formerly  ;  yet  every  one  that  truly 
doth  believe,  has  some  experience  of  a  begun  delive- 
rance from  the  reign  and  dominion  of  sin.  However 
sin  may  make  more  stir  in  the  soul,  yet  it  has  not  so 
much  power  as  formerly.  Now  there  is  not  that 
willing  compliance  with  it  as  formerly  there  was  in 
all  its  commands :  now  its  title  is  disputed,  its  com- 
mands are  rejected  ;  and  when  any  of  them  are  com- 
plied withal,  there  is  a  force  put  upon  the  soul  in  its 
so  doing. 

[3.]  They  experience  some  beginnings  of  a  deli- 
verance from  the  guilt  and  ■filth  of  sin  in  their  ap- 
proaches to  God.  Before,  when  they  heard  of  God, 
they  were,  like  Adam,  ready  to  run  away  and  hide 
themselves;  they  were  afraid  to  look  him  in  the 
face :  but  now  they  begin  to  feel  some  more  confi- 
dence in  their  approaches  to  God.  They  draw  near, 
and  are  not  so  frightened  ;  nay,  they  have  some  hopes 
as  to  the  issue  of  these  their  approaches  to  God. 
These  and  many  such  experiences  of  a  begun  salva- 
tion from  evils  have  all  believers,  if  they  would  be  at 
pains  to  observe  them. 

[4.]  They  likewise  have  some  experiences  of  the 
freedom  of  Christ's  subjects.  They  find  a  freedom 
in  the  service  of  God  ;  it  becomes  natural  and  easy 
to  them.-  They  find  not  obedience  so  hurtful  as  once 
they  thought  it ;  nay,  now  they  find  a  delight  and  re- 
freshment in  it,  which  is  indeed  something  of  the  be- 
ginnings of  that  satisfaction  with  God's  likeness, 
which  is  to  be  completed  fully  in  heaven. 

[5.]  They  experience  many  times  the  beginnings 
of  heaven  in  some  refreshing  tastes  of  the  gracious 


122       MAN'S  RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST. 

communications  and  intimations  of  God's  love  to  their 
souls.  In  fine,  all  of  them,  upon  their  believing,  do 
experience,  in  less  or  in  more,  Christ  as  the  hope  of 
glory  in  their  hearts.  Some  dawnings  of  hope  there 
are  in  the  darkest  and  most  disconsolate  believer  that 
lives:  for  where  there  is  no  hope,  there  can  be  no 
use  of  means ;  it  is  hope  of  success  that  is  the  spring 
of  action. 

These  and  many  such  experiences  do  even  the 
weakest  believers  some  time  or  other  find.  That 
they  are  not  more  clearly  discerned,  to  the  comfort 
of  such  as  have  them,  is,  past  all  peradventure,  in  a 
great  measure  owing  to  their  own  negligence  and 
want  of  observation.  Now  these  things  are  eviden- 
ces of  the  truth  under  consideration.  When  sinners, 
upon  their  believing,  do  experience  the  beginnings  of 
that  salvation  which  God  has  promised  them,  they 
may  comfortably,  and  without  any  hesitation,  wait 
for  its  completion,  expecting  firmly,  that  he  who  has 
begun  that  work  will  complete  it ;  that  he  who  has 
begun  the  accomplishment  of  his  promises  will  in  due 
time  fully  accomplish  them.  Now,  these  experiences 
being  of  no  use  for  proving  the  truth  to  others,  un- 
less they  can  be  known  satisfyingly  by  them,  we 
shall, 

2dly9  Show,  in  a  word,  how  we  come  to  know  that 
believers  do  find  such  things  upon  their  believing. 
And  this  we  do, 

(1.)  By  the  account  we  have  of  the  experiences  of 
believers  in  the  word  of  God.  To  go  no  further  than 
the  text,  who  more  frighted,  who  more  terribly  sha- 
ken, and  under  greater  horror,  than  the  jailor,  when 
he  is  trembling  and  putting  the  question,  Sirs,  what 
must  I  do  to  be  saved  °l  Well,  what  becomes  of  him 
afterwards,  when  he  believes  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ?  Look  to  the  34th  verse  of  this  chapter, 
and  there  we  shall  find  him  rejoicing  and  believing. 
The  like  account  have  we  of  those  who  were  "prick- 
ed in  their  hearts,  and  cried  out,  Men  and  brethren, 


man's  recovery  BY  VAITH  IN  CHRIST*    123 

what  must  we  do?"  Acts  ii.  37.  As  perplexed  as 
they  then  were,  yet,  upon  their  believing,  the  state 
of  their  affairs  was  perfectly  altered  ;  for"  they  did 
eat  their  meat  with  gladness  and  singleness  of  heart, 
praising  God,  and  having  favour  with  all  the  peo- 
ple/' ver.  16,  47. 

(2.)  We  may  know  this,  as  from  the  testimony  of 
God,  so  from  the  testimony  of  believers  in  our  day. 
Though  there  be  but  few,  yet  we  hope  there  are  not 
wanting  some,  who  will  readily  and  cheerfully  give 
in  their  testimony  to  the  same  truth,  and  own,  that, 
upon  their  believing,  they  have  had  some  experience 
of  the  things  mentioned,  and  of  not  a  few  which  we 
have  not  mentioned. 

(3.)  Though  they  should  hold  their  peace,  yet  we 
might  even  with  our  eyes  see  the  truth  of  what  is 
asserted.  Have  we  not  sometimes  seen  some  grace- 
less and  even  profane  wretches,  who  have  been  mad 
upon  their  own  ways,  stopped  in  their  progress  and 
career  ?  Has  not  the  Lord  shaken  them,  and  filled 
them  with  his  terrors?  and  has  not  this  course  of  be- 
lieving calmed  them  ?  Have  they  not  visibly  been 
delivered  from  these  fears  of  wrath,  which  had  gone 
to  such  a  degree  ?  Has  it  not  been  clearly  seen,  that 
they  were  freed  from  that  dominion  of  sin,  under 
which  they  formerly  lived  ?  Surely  these  things  are 
obvious  proofs,  that,  upon  believing  on  the  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ,  such  persons  have  been  made  partakers 
of  some  beginnings  of  this  great  salvation,  and  that 
as  an  earnest  of  the  whole.  Several  other  things 
might  have  been  added  for  proof  of  this  great  truth : 
But,  passing  them,  we  shall  now  come  to  make  some 
practical  improvement  of  this  great  truth. 

In  the  improvement  of  this  truth,  we  shall  first 
draw  some  general  doctrinal  inferences ;  and  then 
proceed  to  trial,  which  will  lead  us  into  a  more  close 
and  particular  application. 

Is  it  so,  then,  that  a  convinced  sinner,  believing 


124        MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST* 

on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  shall  assuredly  be  saved  ? 
Then, 

1.  We  may  hence  infer,  That  faith  is  a  most  valu- 
able blessing.     Well  might  the  apostle  call  it  precious 

faith,  1.  Pet.  i.  1.  ;  for  not  only  is  it  precious  in  it- 
self, but  it  is  unspeakably  so  in  respect  of  its  conse- 
quences. It,  like  a  chain,  draws  Christ  and  all  his 
purchase  after  it :  it  is  big  with  many  and  great 
mercies.  There  are  great  and  precious  promises 
fraught  with  the  great  and  precious  blessings  of  the 
gospel,  nay,  with  Christ  himself;  and  precious  faith 
lays  hold  upon  the  promises  of  the  life  that  now  is, 
and  of  that  which  is  to  come,  of  grace  and  glory, 
and  makes  them  all  ours. 

2.  We  may  safely  hence  infer  likewise,  That  the 
preaching  of  the  wordis  agreat  blessing;  since  "  faith 
eomes  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God." 
The  whole  of  this  the  apostle  plainly  enough  declares, 
Horn.  x.  13.  m  Whosoever  shall  call  upon  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  saved.  How  then  shall 
they  call  on  him  in  whom  they  have  not  believed  ?  and 
how  shall  they  believe  in  him  of  whom  they  have  not 
heard  ?  and  how  shall  they  hear  without  a  preach- 
er ?" 

3.  Then  we  may  infer,  That  such  as  do  believe9 
whatever  their  circumstances  may  be  at  present, 
are  in  an  unspeakably  happy  condition.  They  have 
an  interest  in  the  great  salvation ;  and  what  losses 
will  not  this  compensate  and  make  up  ?  How  rich 
are  they  who  have  heaven,  and  all  the  means  leading 
to  it,  as  theirs  ?  They  have  a  good  title  to,  and 
shall  at  length  be  actually  possessed  of,  that  rich  in- 
heritance of  the  saints  in  light,  James  ii.  5.  "  Heark- 
en, my  beloved  brethren,  hath  not  God  chosen  the 
poor  of  this  world,  rich  in  faith,  and  heirs  of  the 
kingdom  which  he  hath  promised  to  them  that  love 
him  ?" 

4.  Assurance  of  salvation  is  attainable.  If  sal- 
vation be  sure  upon  our  believing,  then  we  may  be 


MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST.       125 

fully  assured  of  salvation ;  for  one  may  know  cer- 
tainly whether  he  believes  or  not,  whether  he  be  con- 
tent to  accept  of  and  close  with  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  upon  his  own  terms.  This  is  not  only  know- 
able,  but  it  may  be  more  easily  discerned  than  most 
do  apprehend.  Were  we  but,  with  any  measure  of 
seriousness  and  concern,  turning  our  eyes  inward, 
we  could  not  but  know  how  our  hearts  stand  affect- 
ed toward  Christ,  and  the  gospel-method  of  salva- 
tion ;  but  of  this  more  afterwards. 

5.  Perseverance  in  faith  is  not  the  condition  of  sal- 
vation,  or  at  least  that  which  founds  our  title  to  it ; 
for  whoever  believes  shall  be  saved.  If  once  a  per- 
son believes,  then  he  has  a  right  given  him  by  the 
promise  of  God  to  eternal  salvation.  The  promise 
of  God  doth  not  run  thus,  Believe,  and  if  ye  perse- 
vere in  believing,  then  ye  shall  be  saved ;  but,  Be- 
lieve, and  ye  shall  be  saved.  Once  lay  hold  on  and 
accept  of  Jesus  Christ  for  salvation,  and  then  saved 
ye  shall  be. 

6.  We  may  safely  infer,  from  the  doctrine  insisted 
upon,  That  unbelief  is  self-murder,  and  that  of  the 
worst  sort.  It  murders  the  soul  eternally.  Hence 
it  is,  that  it  is  said  to  be  a  rejecting  (he  counsel  of 
God  against  one's  self,  Luke  vii.  30*  "But  the  Pha- 
risees and  lawyers  rejected  the  counsel  of  God 
against  themselves  i"  that  is,  to  their  own  ruin  :  and 
so  it  may  be  said  of  every  unbeliever  :  he  rejects  the 
counsel  of  God  to  his  own  destruction  and  ruin. 
But  these  things  we  only  mention. 

We  now  proceed  to  improve  this  doctrine  for  trial. 
Is  it  so,  that  it  is  certain,  that  a  convinced  sinner 
accepting  of,  or  believing  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
shall  assuredly  be  saved  ?  Then  all  who  would  be 
saved,  are  nearly  concerned  to  try  whether  they  do 
believe  or  not.  And  that  I  may  stir  you  up  to  this 
duty,  I  shall  lay  before  you  some  few  considerations. 
And, 

1.    Consider  the  moment  and  importance  of  the 

Z 


126     man's  recovery  by    faith  IN  CHRIST. 

matter.  It  is  a  trial,  whereon  not  your  worldly 
estate,  nor  any  other  petty  temporal  concern  hangs; 
but  your  life  lies  upon  it,  and  that  even  the  life  of 
your  souls.  When  we  hid  you  try,  whether  ye  be- 
lieve or  not,  it  is  as  much  as  if  we  bade  you  try  whe- 
ther ye  shall  be  damned  or  not.  Unbelief  is  the 
damning  sin,  by  way  of  eminency  :  all  other  sins, 
without  this,  will  not,  cannot  damn  those  who  live 
under  the  gospel ;  but  this  alone  will ;  for  «  he  that 
believeth  not  shall  be  damned."  Faith,  on  the 
other  hand,  will  save.  God  has  tacked  faith  and 
salvation  together ;  and  it  passes  the  power  of  all 
the  devils  in  hell,  or  men  upon  earth,  or  sin  in  the 
heart,  to  break  the  link.  Now,  is  not  that  a  matter 
©f  the  greatest  concernment  ?  Is  not  this  a  question 
which  is  worth  your  while  to  be  satisfied  about, 
whether  ye  shall  be  saved,  or  whether  ye  shall  be 
damned  I 

2.  Consider  that  ye  had  need  to  try,  whether  ye 
have  faith  or  not;  for  all  men  have  not  faith,"  2 
Thes.  iii.  2.  Indeed  I  confess,  if  all  that  live  under 
the  gospel  had  faith,  there  were  less  occasion  for 
trying  it :  but  since  it  is  quite  otherwise,  since  there 
are  some  men,  even  within  the  verge  of  the  church, 
who  have  not  faith,  every  one  of  you  is  concerned, 
the  matter  being  of  such  consequence,  to  try,  whe- 
ther ye  be  amongst  those  wicked  and  unreasonable 
men  who  want  it,  and  so  shall  be  damned,  or  not. 
Nay  further, 

3.  There  are  but  a  very  few  among  the  swarms  of 
professors  who  have  faith  ;  and  therefore  certainly 
ye  are  nearly  concerned  to  try,  whether  ye  may  be 
among  the  feiv.  Our  Lord  tells  us,  that  few  shall 
be  saved,  Luke  xiii.  23.  "  Many  are  called,  but  few 
are  chosen,"  Matth.  xxii.  14.  Therefore  there  are 
few  believers  ;  for  all  believers  are  saved  and  chosen  ; 
and  none  shall  believe  but  they  who  are  «  chosen  to 
salvation,  through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit,  and 
belief  of  the  truth."    Now,  is  it  not  the  great  con- 


man's  recovery  BY  PAITH  IN  CHRIST.     127 

cernment  of  every  one  of  you  to  be  putting  the  ques- 
tion to  yourselves,  Am  I  among  the  few  who  believe, 
and  shall  be  saved  ?  or  am  I  not  ?  If  we  should  tell 
you  that  before  ye  go  from  this  house,  God  would 
strike  some  one  of  this  assembly  dead,  every  one 
would  be  anxious  to  know  if  he  were  the  person  : 
and  now,  when  we  tell  you,  that  the  greater  part  of 
this  assembly  have  nothing  betwixt  them  and  hell 
but  that  brittle  thing  life,  were  it  not  very  proper 
that  every  one  should  put  the  question,  Am  I  among 
the  few  that  believe,  and  shall  be  saved  ?  or  among 
the  many  who  believe  not,  and  consequently  shall  be 
damned  ?     See  Isa.  liii.  1. 

4*.  Consider,  That  many  have  been  deceived  in  this 
matter.  They  have  thought  that  they  had  faith  ;  and 
others,  it  is  like,  have  thought  so  concerning  them; 
and  yet  it  has  been  found  quite  otherwise  in  the  end. 
The  Laoriiceans  thought  themselves  "  rich,  and  in- 
creased with  goods,  and  that  they  stood  in  need  of 
nothing,"  Rev.  iii.  18.  while  in  the  mean  time  they 
were  •'*  poor,  wretched,  miserable,  blind,  and  naked.'5 
And  our  Lord  tells  us,  m  Not  ey^ry  one  that  says, 
Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
but  he  that  doth  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in 
heaven,"  Matth.  vii.  21.  Think  ye  that  ye  do  be- 
lieve ?  Well,  others  have  so  thought  likewise,  and 
have  been  mistaken  ;  and  may  it  not  be  so  with  you  ? 
and  if  it  may,  have  ye  not  reason  to  put  the  matter 
to  trial  ?     Especially  considering, 

5.  That  a  deceit  or  mistake  in  this  matter  is  of  the 
worst  consequence  imaginable.  I  might  enumerate 
not  a  few  of  the  bad,  destructive,  and  ruining  conse- 
quences of  it :  but  I  shall  only  name  three.  (1.)  It 
makes  men  neglect  an  opportunity  that  is  never  to 
be  recovered  again.  Opportunity  is  drawn  with  a 
hairy  forefront,  and  bald  behind  :  and  sure,  if  in  any 
thing  the  emblem  was  significant,  it  is  here.  Men, 
while  under  the  gospel-dispensation  of  mercy,  have 
an  opportunity  of  making  peace  with  God,  and  of 


128      MAN'S   &ECOVEKY   BY    PAITH    IN    CHRIST. 

securing  their  eternal  concerns;  but  if  once  time  be 
gone,  then  there  is  no  more  access  for  sinners  to 
treat  with  God  about  this  matter.  Now,  a  mistaken 
apprehension,  that  one  does  believe,  when  really  he 
does  not  so,  makes  him  slight  this  golden  opportu- 
nity, this  choice  season,  which  can  never  be  retrieved. 
Many  think  they  believe  already,  and  so  put  all  ex- 
hortations by  themselves,  as  belonging  to  others,  and 
not  to  them.  (2.)  This  mistake  exposes  them  to  a 
confounding  disappointment.  It  buoys  them  up  with 
hopes  of  heaven  and  happiness,  fills  them  with  big 
expectations  of  glory,  and  then  hurls  them  down 
headlong  into  the  blackest  despair,  into  inevitable 
misery.  (3.)  This  mistake  brings  upon  them  eter- 
nal and  intolerable,  as  well  as  irreparable  misery* 
It  must  of  necessity  plunge  them  headlong  into  the 
pit  whence  there  is  no  redemption.  It  is  not  one's 
apprehending  himself  to  have  faith,  but  it  is  faith 
itself  that  saves  \  and  the  want  of  it  inevitably 
damns. 

6.  Consider  that  it  is  your  interest  to  put  this  mat- 
ter to  a  fair  trial,  be  the  issue  what  it  will.  Some 
of  you,  it  is  like  may  think  otherwise  ;  ye  may  pos- 
sibly apprehend,  that  it  is  your  interest  to  sleep  on 
in  that  pleasant  dream,  that  ye  have  faith  ;  beeause 
if  once  ye  put  it  to  a  trial,  and  it  be  found  that  ye 
want  it,  then  ye  must  take  up  with  that  melancholy 
conclusion,  that  ye  must  be  damned.  To  such  I  on* 
]y  say,  in  a  word,  (1.)  This  plea  were  something  rea- 
sonable, if  it  were  possible  for  you  to  sleep  ever  on 
in  this  dream  ;  but  this  cannot  be  so.  Ye  will  be 
obliged,  even  though  unwilling,  to  see  and  know,  be- 
fore it  be  long,  whether  ye  have  faith  or  not.  (2.) 
Ye  might  say  something  for  yourselves,  if  it  were  im- 
possible for  those  who  want  faith  ever  to  come  by  it  ; 
but  this  cannot  be  said.  But  further,  I  add,  either 
you  indeed  have  faith,  or  ye  want  it :  and  which- 
soever of  the  two  be  said,  it  is  certainly  your  inter- 
est to  put  the  matter  to  a  trial. 


MAN'S   RECOVERY   RY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST.       129 

If  ye  want  faith,  then  it  is  your  interest  to  know 
so  much  :  Fop,  (l.)  One  of  the  greatest  impediments 
will  be  taken  out  of  the  way  of  jour-  believing.  No- 
thing so  great  a  let  to  faith,  as  a  groundless  conceit 
that  one  has  it  already.  (2.)  Hereby  likewise  ye 
will  be  helped  to  see  the  necessity  of  faith.  (3.)  And 
this  will  put  you  upon  the  diligent  use  of  the  means  ; 
and  who  can  tell  but  the  issue  will  be  comfortable, 
and  what  is  wanting  will  be  made  up  through  the 
mercy  of  God.  If  ye  continue  under  this  deceit,  ye 
are  certainly  ruined  :  if  ye  see  your  mistake,  ye  have 
at  least  a  peradventure  for  happiness. 

Again,  if  ye  have  faith,  it  is  past  all  doubt  your 
interest  to  bring  it  to  trial:  For,  (1.)  Before  ye  try 
and  find  that  ye  have  faith,  ye  want  the  comfort  of 
it.  Safety  indeed  results  from  the  being  of  faith  : 
for  he  that  believes  shall  be  saved:  but  solid  peace 
arid  comfort  results  from  the  knowledge  of  our  own 
faith.  While  we  know  not  that  we  have  faith,  we 
know  not  but  the  wrath  of  God  may  be  abiding  on 
ns;  we  know  not  but  we  may  be  on  the  way  to  de- 
struction ;  we  know  not  but  the  Lord  may  turn  us 
next  moment  into  the  pit :  and  what  comfort,  what 
peace,  can  people  have  in  such  a  condition  ?  (2.) 
While  we  know  not  that  we  have  faith,  God  gets 
not  the  honour  that  is  his  unquestionable  due  from 
all  believers.  As  faith  is  his  gift,  so  we  are  indis- 
pensably obliged  to  be  thankful  to  him  for  it :  but 
this  we  cannot  be  till  once  we  know  that  we  have 
faith.  Thus  God  is  robbed  of  the  glory  due  to  his 
name  :  nay,  many  times  he  is  signally  dishonoured, 
by  believers  denying  his  goodness  to  them,  and  refu- 
sing to  acknowledge  what  he  has  wrought  in  them 
and  for  them.  In  one  word,  it  is  certain,  sooner  or 
later,  all  must  be  resolved  in  this  question,  whether 
it  be  our  interest  to  be  resolved  now,  when  there  is 
access  to  rectify  what  is  found  amiss,  and  to  get 
what  upon  search  is  found  wanting  j  or  afterwards, 

Z  2 


ISO       MAN'S   RECOVEKY   BY   FAITH  IN   CHRIST. 

when  there  is  no  place  for  altering  any  thing  in  your 
condition. 

7.  The  authority  of  God  should  in  this  matter 
prevail  with  you,  2  Cor.  xiii.  5.  "  Examine  your- 
selves whether  ye  be  in  the  faith  ;  prove  your  own- 
selves  ;  know  ye  not  your  ownselves,  how  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  in  you,  except  ye  be  reprobates  ?"  God 
commands  expressly,  nay,  doubles  his  commands  to 
this  duty ;  whereby  he  at  once  checks  our  backward- 
ness to  the  duty,  and  insinuates  the  importance  and 
necessity  of  it. 

8.  To  add  no  more,  consider  that  it  is  a  strong  evi- 
dence of  the  want  offaith9  to  neglect  an  inquiry  af- 
ter it.  Such  as  will  not  judge  themselves,  have  rea- 
son to  fear  that  they  shall  be  condemned  of  the 
Lord.  Such  as  have  faith,  will  prize  it  highly  ;*  and 
such  as  do  prize  it,  will  think  it  worth  their  while 
to  inquire,  whether  they*liave  it  or  not. 

Since,  then,  we  have  made  it  appear,  to  be  of  such 
near  and  deep  concernment  to  you  all  to  try  this 
matter,  I  shall  now,  for  this  end, 

1.  Set  by  some  sorts  of  persons  among  you,  who 
without  all  doubt  are  unbelievers. 

2.  I  shall  shew  some  false  marks  by  which  some 
do  deceive  themselves. 

3.  I  shall  lay  down  some  true  marks  whereby  ye 
may  know  certainly  that  ye  do  believe.  Now,  of 
these  things  in  order, 

First9  We  say,  we  shall  set  by  some  persons  who 
are,  past  all  peradventure,  unbelievers.  There  are 
some  men  whose  sins  go  before  them  into  judgment  : 
some  unbelievers  who  have  their  names  writ  upon 
their  foreheads.  It  is  needless  to  talk  of  applying 
marks  to  them.  We  need  not  bid  a  drunkard  or  a 
swearer  try  themselves  whether  they  believe,  or  not : 
we  may  tell  them  plainly  they  do  not  believe,  and 
that  therefore  they  are  under  the  wrath  of  God. 
Therefore,  before  we  proceed  to  deal  with  close  hy- 
pocrites, whose  sins  do  follow  after,  we   shall  set 


MANfS    KECOVERT   BY    FAITH    Iff   CHRIST.       131 

aside  some,  who  without  all  doubt  want  faith,  and 
therefore,  if  they  continue  in  that  estate,  shall  be 
damned.     And, 

1.  All  of  \ou  who  are  grossly  ignorant,  are  to  be 
reckoned  among  this  sort  of  persons.     How  many 
are  there  in  this  house,  who  are  grossly  ignorant  of 
God,  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  themselves,  who  know 
no  more  of  these  things   which   do   belong  to  their 
peace,  than  if  they  had  been  born  in  Turkey  !     We 
are  grieved  to  find  such  ignorance  among  you.  Well, 
O  ignorant  sinners !  we  tell  you,  in  God's  name,  ye 
are  unbelievers.     If  we  should  ask  you,  when  we 
come  to  deal  with  you   on  a  sick-bed,  or  a  death- 
bed, do  ye  believe  ?     It  is  strange  to  think  with  what 
confidence  you  would  tell,  you  do  believe.     But  flat- 
ter not  your  ownselves ;  if  ye  be  grossly  ignorant, 
believers  you  are  not,  you  cannot  be :  (1.)  None  can 
believe,  unless  they  have  anew  heart,  and  a  new  spi- 
rit given  them  ;  faith  being  a  fruit  of  the  Spirit  in  a 
renewed  man,  and  not  a  fruit  of  the  flesh,  or  of  a 
corrupt  unrenewed  nature.     Now,  wherever  this  new 
lieart  is,  there  is  of  necessity  the  knowledge  of  God  ; 
for  a  new  heart  is  a  "  heart  to  know  God,"  Jer.  xxiv. 
7.     (2.)  None  can  believe  who  know  not  their  need 
of  Christ.     "The   whole  need  not  a  physician,  but 
the  sick."     Nor  will  such  as  do  not  know   their  dis- 
ease, ever  inquire  after  one  that  can  cure  it.     What 
occasion  should  persons  who  are  ignorant  of  their 
own  misery  find  for  a  Saviour  ?     And  how  can  they 
prize  a  Saviour,  who  know  not  his    worth?     And 
how  can  they  embrace  him,  who  neither  know  that 
he  is  offered^  nor  the  terms  whereon  he  is  so  ?  Know- 
ledge is  so  necessary  to  faith,  that  if  is  impossible  it 
should  be  without  it :  it  is  expressed  by  knowledge, 
Isa.  v.  3.  "  By  his   knowledge  shall  my  righteous 
Servant  justify  many."     It  is  so  much  allied  to  it, 
that  the  working  faith  in  conversion  is  expressed  by 
a  '*  translation  out  of  darkness  into  God's  marvellous 
light."     Lav  aside,  then,  O  ignorant  sinner  !  all  pre- 
tences to  faith.     We,  in  the  name,  and  by  the  au- 


132      man's  recovery  by  FAITH  IN  CHRIST, 

thority  of  our  great  Lord  and  Master,  do  discbarge 
such  of  you  as  are  thus  grossly  ignorant  to  make  any 
pre(ensions  to  faith  ;  for  ye  have  no  reason  to  do  so, 
ye  have  no  warrant ;  and  therefore  ye  do  it  cross  to 
the  mind  and  will  of  God.  Now,  if  all  who  belong 
to  this  one  sort  in  this  congregation  were  set  by  to  a 
corner  how  great  a  multitude  of  unbelievers,  old  and 
young,  would  we  see  ?  And  O  what  a  sad  sight 
would  it  be,  to  see  you  set  by  yourselves,  and  all  of  you 
carrying  upon  you  a  stamp  and  superscription  of  Sa- 
tan, ready  to  be  seized  by  him  as  his  prisoners,  and 
thrust  into  the  pit  ? 

2.  All  who  are  openly  profane,   who   live  in  the 
habitual  and  customary  practice  of  open  and  notori- 
ous sins,  are  to  be  numbered  amongst  this  sort,  who, 
past  all  peradventure,  are  unbelievers.     The  scrip- 
tures are  very  plain  in  asserting  this.     What  is  un- 
belief, if  not  to  deny  God  ?     And  sure  the  scripture 
reckons  such  as  live  thus,  denyers  of  God.     It  is  said 
of  such,  that  "  they  profess  to  know  God,  but  in  their 
works  do  deny  him,   being  abominable,  disobedient, 
and  to  every  good  work  reprobate,"  Tit.  i.  16.     And 
what  can  be  more  express  to  this  purpose,  than  what 
the  apostle  James  discourses  at  great  length,  chap, 
ii.     A  set  of  men  there  were  in  his  day  who  were 
profane,  but  yet  had  high  pretences  to  faith.     These 
the  apostle  there  smartly  reproves,  and  endeavours 
to     convince    them,    that    the    devils    may     have 
as  good  a  claim  to  faith    as  they    have.     "Thou 
believest,"  says  he,  ver.  199  20.  "  that  there  is  one 
God,  thou  dost  well ;  the    devils    also    believe   and 
tremble.     But    wilt  thou  know,    O  vain  man,  that 
faith  without   works  is  dead."     And  ver.  26.  «  For 
as  the  body  without  the  spirit  is  dead,  so  faith  with- 
out works  is  dead  also."     And  a  dead  faith  is  no  faith 
at  all.     Lay    aside,  therefore,    O  profane    wretch ! 
your  pretences  to  faith.     Will  ye  lie,   steal,  swear, 
and  commit  uncleanness,  and    yet   pretend  to  faith? 
Will  not  our  God  be  avenged  of  such  hellish  impu- 


man's  recovery  by  paith  'm  christ.     13S 

denee  as  (lis  2     Sure  he  will.     But  to  be  somewhat 
more  particular,  we  do, 

(1.)  Charge  such  of  you  as  are  customary  swear- 
ers, to  lay  aside  all  pretences  to  faith.  Ye  are  cer- 
tainly unbelievers  ;  and  as  sure  as  the  eternal  God 
lives,  shall  be  damned,  if  ye  continue  in  this  your  im- 
piety Our  lot  is  cast  in  an  unhappy  age,  wherein 
men  are  grown  intolerably  bold  in  blaspheming  the 
name  of  God  :  nay,  not  only  so,  but  not  a  few  glory 
in  their  shame,  and  boast  of  it,  that  they  can  outdo 
others  by  swearing  more  and  greater  oaths!  Be 
astonished,  O  heavens!  Be  ye  very  desolate  !  Has 
any  of  the  nations  served  their  gods  so?  The  poor 
Americans,  who  worship  the  devil,  will  not  treat 
him  so  ill,  as  a  set  of  men  called  Christians,  nay 
more,  reformed  Christians,  Protestants,  do  the  great 
God  of  heaven.  O  what  a  wonder  of  divine  patience 
is  it,  that  God  does  not  dash  down  the  world  about 
the  ears  of  such  sinners,  that  he  sends  them  not  alive 
into  hell !  O  what  hearts!  what  trembling  hearts 
will  these  men  have,  when,  ere  it  be  long,  they  shall 
find  God  shaking  the  earth  terribly,  when  he  "  comes 
out  of  his  place  to  punish  them  V9  Such  monsters 
as  have  torn  God's  name  by  hellish  blasphemies,  how 
will  they  look,  when  the  almighty  God  shall  grasp 
them  with  his  omnipotent  arms,  and  "  tear  them  in 
pieces,  and  there  shall  be  none  to  deliver  tb**hM 
none  that  dare  interpose  in  their  behalf?  What 
hearts  will  they  have,  who  by  their  monstrous  oaths 
have  made  God's  jealousy  burn  against  them,  when 
a  little  hence  his  wrath  will  flame  so  high,  as  to  dis- 
solve the  elements  with  fervent  heat,  and  pour  down 
the  visible  heavens  like  so  much  boiling  lead  apon 
the  heads  of  such  God  daring  sinners?  Would  to 
God  there  were  no  such  monsters  in  this  congr  ga- 
tion  ;  none  such  hearing  me  this  day,  who  boast  of 
and  glory  in  their  swearing.  If  there  be  any  such 
monsters  here,  I  do,  by  the  authority  of  the  great 
God,  charge  such  either  to  repent  of  this  impiety, 


434     man's  recovery  BY  FAITH  IN*  CHRIST. 

or»  to  be  gone,  and  leave  this  assembly.  I  know  no 
place  meet  for  such  an  one  but  hell.  But  it  is  like 
some  of  you  may  bless  yourselves  in  your  own  hearts, 
when  ye  hear  such  things,  and  say,  ye  do  not  swear 
such  monstrous  and  horrid  oaths.  Ay,  but  if  ye 
swear  habitually  the  lesser  oaths,  we  bid  you  in  the 
Lord's  name  and  authority,  lay  aside  all  pretences 
to  faith. — Some  of  you  can  swear  by  your  faith  upon 
every  turn,  and  yet  pretend  to  faith  in  Christ.  They 
who  have  faith,  will  not  dare  to  swear  by  it.  And 
such  as  do  customarily  swear  by  faith,  or  by  con- 
science, I  dare  assert  to  be  unbelievers. 

A  believer  in  Christ  will  not  make  so  light  of  pre- 
cious faith,  as  to  baffle  it  upon  every  occasion  ;  nor 
will  he  dare  to  make  that  an  idol  which  is  a  grace  ; 
the  chief  glory  whereof  is,  to  abase  the  creature,  and 
to  exalt  God.  To  swear  by  faith,  or  by  conscience, 
is  to  put  them  in  God's  stead  ;  and  that  is  an  indig- 
nity which  God  will  by  no  means  bear  with,  for  he 
has  said,  he  "  will  not  give  his  glory  to  another." 
This  sin  is  become  so  common  and  customary,  that 
there  is  but  little  hopes  of  persuading  people  to  leave 
it,  unless  God  by  a  strong  hand  do  it.  But^ince  we 
have  occasion  to  speak  of  swearing,  I  shall  only  add 
a  few  words  to  such  of  you  as  are  guilty.  (1.)  God 
has  taken  the  punishment  of  swearers  into  his  own 
hand.  Men  commonly  let  such  easily  pass  ;  but  God 
lias  said,  he  "  will  not  hold  them  guiltless."  (2.)  It 
fa  a  sin  that  brings  ruin  not  only  upon  particular 
persons,  but  upon  families.  H  The  flying  roll  that 
is  twenty  cubits  long,  and  ten  cubits  broad,  and  full 
of  curses,  enters  into  the  house  of  the  swearer,  and 
destroys  it  with  the  timber  and  stones  thereof,  and 
every  one  that  is  guilty  shall  be  cut  off,"  Zech.  v.  3. 
4.  (3.)  It  is  one  of  the  sins  that  brings  desolating 
calamities  upon  nations,  and  makes  the  land  mourn, 
Hos.  iv.  %.  3.  (4.)  So  hateful  is  this  sin  to  God,  that 
he  threatens  sue!)  as  know  any  to  be  guilty  of  it,  and 
conceal  the  sin,  Lev.  v.  1.  "  And  if  a  soul  sin*  and 


man's  recovery  BY  FAITH  IN  CHRIST.     135 

hear  the  voice  of  swearing,  and  is  a  witness,  whether 
he  hath  seen  or  known  of  it  ;  if  he  doth  not  utter  it, 
then  shall  he  bear  his  iniquity."  It  is  not  enough  to 
forbear  swearing,  but  we  must  prosecute  the  guilty. 

(2.)  Unclean  persons,  of  whom  there  are  too  ma- 
ny in  this  congregation,  are  all  to  be  reckoned  a- 
mongst  the  unbelievers.  The  defiled  and  the  unbe- 
lievers are  well  put  together  by  the  apostle,  Tit.  i. 
15.  The  works  of  the  flesh  are  enwmerated,  Gal.  v. 
19.  &c.  ;  and  imeleanness  leads  the  van.  Such  of 
you  as  live  in  uneleanness,  are  past  all  doubt  in  the 
flesh,  yet  under  the  power  of  unbelief;  for  they  that 
do  believe,  or  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  "  have  crucified 
the  flesh,  with  the  affections  and  lusts  thereof,"  Gal. 
v.  24. 

(3.)  Drunkards,  in  vain  do  ye  pretend  to  faith ; 
ye  are  unbelievers,  and  shall  have  your  part  eternal- 
ly with  them.  If  ye  look  the  forecited  list,  ye  will 
find  your  names  among  the  rest.  Ye  are  not  in 
Christ  Jesus  ;  for  they  who  are  in  Christ  Jesus  do 
not  "  walk  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  spirit,"  Rom. 
viii.  1.  Now,  to  this  class  of  unbelievers  belong, 
(1.)  Such  as  do  spend  and  habitually  throw  away 
their  time  in  ale  houses.  Against  these  there  is  a 
woe  denounced,  Isa.  v.  11.  12.  «  Woe  unto  them  that 
rise  up  early  in  the  morning  that  they  may  follow 
strong  drink,  that  continue  until  night  till  wine  in- 
flame them.  And  the  harp  and  the  viol,  the  tabret 
and  the  pipe,  and  wine  are  in  their  feasts:  but  thry 
regard  not  the  work  of  the  Lord,  neither  consider 
the  operation  of  his  hands."  Some,  it  may  be,  will 
not  be  put  by  themselves  with  drink,  yet  they  spend 
their  time  ordinarily  in  the  ale-house.  Such  persons 
are  to  be  reckoned  amongst  these  unbelievers,  whose 
God  is  their  belly,  whose  g'ory  is  in  their  shame, 
who  mind  earthly  things."  (2.)  Such  as  do  abuse 
themselves  so  with  drink,  that  they  lose  the  use  of 
their  reason  :  A  sin  so  abominable,  and  more  than 
beastly,  that  it  is  a  wonder  how  a  man  can  be  guilty 


156     man's  becotery  BY  FAITH  IN  CHRIST. 

of  it ;  it  being  such  an  evil  that  we  cannot  find  the 
like  of  it  among  the  beasts.  (3.)  Such  as  go  to  that 
height,  as  to  glory  in  their  drinking,  against  them 
God  pronounces  a  woe,  Isa.  v.  21.  "  Woe  unto  them 
that  are  mighty  to  drink  wine,  and  men  of  strength 
to  mingle  strong  drink."  (4.)  A  sort  of  sinners  that 
seem  to  outdo  all  the  rest,  belong  to  this  class,  and 
that  is,  such  as  have  the  heaven  daring  boldness,  to 
tempt  others  to  get  drunk,  not  fearing  the  curse  of 
God  that  is  denounced  against  such,  Hab.  ii.  i5. 
*<  Woe  unto  him  that  giveth  his  neighbour  drink, 
that  put  test  thy  bottle  to  him,  and  makest  him  drunk, 
also,  (hat  thou  mayest  look  upon  his  nakedness." 
God  threatens^  in  the  following  verse  of  thai  chap- 
ter, that  the  cup  of  his  right  hand,  the  cup  of  his 
fury,  shall  be  turned  unto  such.  He  will  make  them 
eternally  to  drink  of  the  cup  of  his  wrath,  yea,  the 
very  dregs  thereof.  Whoever  they  are  in  this  con- 
gregation that  belong  to  this  sort  of  men,  we  charge 
you  to  lay  aside  all  claim  to  faith.  Unbelievers  you 
are  :  aud  if  ye  do  flatter  yourselves  that  ye  do  believe 
notwithstanding,  ye  but  deceive  yourselves,  and  ruin 
your  own  souls. 

(4.)  Jill  liars  are  scored  by  as  unbelievers.  They 
are  not  the  children  of  God,  but  of  the  devil.  They 
have  his  name  upon  their  forehead,  and  do  exactly 
resemble  him  who  was  a  liar  from  the  beginning. 
They  have  no  likeness  to  the  God  of  truth.  There- 
fore every  one  that  loveth  and  tnaketh  a  lie  shall  be 
excluded  from  heaven,  Rev  xxii.  15.  In  fine,  to 
this  sort  belong  thieves,  murderers,  evil-speakers, 
deceivers,  sabbath -breakers.  &c.  AH  these  are  open- 
ly profane,  and  so,  past  all  peradventure,  unbeliev- 
ers. We  need  not  endeavour  to  find  them  ou(  by 
secret  search,  when  these  evidences  are  to  be  seen 
and  observed  by  every  one.  But,  besides  the  grossly 
ignorant  and  openly  profane, 

3.  The  habitual  neglecters  of  secret  duties*  parti- 
cularly of  prayer,  are  to  be  set  aside  from  the  num- 


MAN'S   KECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST.      137 

ber  of  believers.  Prayer  is,  if  I  may  so  speak,  the 
very  breath  of  the  new  creature  ;  as  soon  as  it  is 
created,  it  prays ;  so  that  where  there  is  an  habitual 
neglect  of  secret  prayer,  there  is  no  faith.  Are 
{here  not  here  some  of  you,  who  will  rise  from  your 
bed  in  the  morning,  and  go  to  your  work,  and  never 
bow  a  knee  to  God;  and  just  so  leave  it  at  night 
again,  and  have  never  one  cheek  from  your  conscience 
for  all  this  ?  If  there  be  any  amongst  you  who  do 
neglect  prayer,  we  charge  you  to  lay  aside  all  pre- 
tences to  faith  in  Christ. 

4».  All  that  expect  to  get  heaven  ly  their  own  prayers 
and  other  duties,  are  to  be  set  aside  as  unbelievers. 
How  many  of  this  congregation  are  there,  who,  when 
LUerrogated  as'to  their  hopes  of  heaven,  have  nothing 
else  to  found  their  hopes  upon,  but  their  religious 
performances  !  O  wretched  ignorance  !  your  own  du- 
ties are  thus  made!your  saviour.  A  certain  and  sure 
proof  that  ye  do  not  believe. 

These,  and  not  a  few  others,  are  ^questionably 
unbelievers.  Now,  set  aside  the  grossly  ignorant, 
the  profane,  the  ncglecters  of  secret  prayer,  and 
such  as  rest  upon  their  performances  for  heaven,  we 
fear  the  greatest  part  of  this  assembly  might  be  set 
aside.  Having  now  named  some  sorts  of  persons, 
who,  without  all  doubt  arc  unbelievers,  and  there- 
fore have  no  lot,  no  portion  in  Jesus  Christ ;  and 
who,  if  they  continue  in  that  state,  shall  have  their 
portion  assigned  them  in  utter  darkness,  with  hypo- 
crites and  unbelievers  ;  we  shall  proceed, 

Secondly,  To  take  notice  of  some  false  marks, 
whereby  people  judge  of  themselves,  and  conclude 
they  have  faith,  while  indeed  they  have  it  not. 
f*'l.  It  will  not  be  a  sufficient  proof  that  ye  have 
faith,  that  ye  think  so,  and  confidently  say  so. 
This  is  it  that  many  of  you  build  upon,  your  own 
confident  assertion  of  it,  upon  no  other  account, 
but  only  that  ye  think  so.  When  we  ask  you,  Ho 
ye  believe  ?  you  will  readily  reply,  Yes  indeed  wc 
believe ;  and  if  we  further  put  you  tc  it,   as  to  the 

Aa 


138  MAN'S  REC0VEBY  BY  FAITH  IN  CHRIST. 

ground  of  your  assertion,  we  shall  find  nothing  but 
the  same  thing  told  us  over  again  with  confidence  ; 
we  believe,  God  forbid  we  should  not  believe.  Nay, 
it  may  be  some  will  say,  "  Though  he  slay  us,  we 
will  trust  in  him.9'  This  we  have  had  told  us  from 
persons  who  were  as  far  from  faith  as  the  Turks  are. 
"We  intreat  you,  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  hazard  not 
your  souls  upon  a  strong  fancy  that  ye  have  faith ; 
for  we  assure  you,  in  the  Lord's  name,  that  this  is  a 
false  mark  :  for,  (1.)  Where  there  is  least  faith, 
there  is  usually  most  confidence.  Where  faith  is,  it 
occasions  a  holy  jealousy,  which  others  know  nothing 
of:  faith  makes  such  discoveries  of  the  deceitful- 
Bess  of  (he  heart,  as  makes  the  soul  suspect  itself. 
(2.)  Our  Lord  positively  says,  "That  not  every  one 
that  says,  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom 
of  heaven."  It  is  not  every  one  that  thinks  and  says 
he  believes,  that  will  be  owned  as  a  believer.  Ye 
think  ye  believe;  ye  say  ye  do  so:  well,  others  have 
both  thought  and  said  so,  who  yet  are  in  hell.  Our 
Lord  tells  us  in  Matth.  vii.  21,  22.  that  many  will 
meet  with  a  fearful  disappointment:  he  willnotown 
them,~nor  their  faith,  but  send  them  and  it  together 
to  the  pit,  telling  them  that  he  knows  them  not. 
But, 

2.  Some  think  they  believe,  because  they  have  no 
doubts,  and  never  had  any,  about  the  truth  of  the  gos- 
pel, their  pardon,  and  acceptation  with  God,  through 
Jesus  Christ.  But  take  heed  to  yourselves,  that  ye 
do  not  flatter  yourselves  upon  this  ground,  for  it  is 
a  false  one.  Ye  say,  ye  never  doubted,  therefore  ye 
believe.     But, 

(1.)  What  if  we  should  say  that  the  contrary  fol- 
lows 2  Ye  never  had  doubts,  therefore  ye  do  not  be- 
lieve. We  might  say  so  on  better  grounds:  for 
want  of  doubts  may  flow,  [1.]  From  unconcernedness 
about  the  truth  of  the  gospel.  Persons  hear  of  a 
thousand  things,  and  scarce  are  at  pains  to  be  any- 
tyi.se  satisfied,  whether  they  be  true  or  false  j  because 


MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST.     139 

tliey  are  not  concerned.  If  we  hear  that  there  is  a 
man  in  America  that  has  a  vast  estate,  and  a  huge 
revenue,  we  will  never  scruple  the  truth  of  it,  espe- 
cially if  they  who  tell  are  but  of  ordinary  credit  ; 
but  if  we  understood,  that  we  could  never  be  main- 
tained, unless  we  got  a  share  of  that  estate,  and  that 
the  owner  is  willing  to  impart  to  us  what  we  needed 
for  our  use,  we  would  soon  begin  to  be  a  little  more 
scrupulous  upon  the  point,  and  would  not  believe  the 
report  so  easily,  but  be  apt  to  entertain  a  thousand 
suspicious  thoughts  about  every  circumstance  of  the 
matter.  Just  so  is  it  with  the  most  part  of  men  and 
women  in  the  matter  before  us :  they  do  not  know 
their  need  of  Christ;  they  do  not  know  but  they 
may  be  able  to  do  their  own  business  well  enough 
'without  him ;  therefore  they  are  not  at  pains  to  in- 
quire narrowly,  and  to  be  satisfied  as  to  the  truth  of 
the  gospel-report :  they  give  it  credit,  from  an  easy 
credulity,  because  they  do  not  know  their  own  con- 
cernment in  it,  hut  were  they  once  satisfied  about 
their  concernment  in  it,  they  would  have  more  doubts 
about  it.  This  we  see  plainly  to  be  the  case  of  these 
when  God  awakens  their  conscience.  While  they 
sleep  on  in  their  natural  security,  and  see  not  their 
need  of  Christ,  they  can  easily  believe,  as  they  think, 
the  truth  of  what  the  gospel  reports  concerning  him  ; 
but  as  soon  as  they  are  awakened,  and  begin  to  know 
how  much  depends  upon  it,  then  they  find  that  doubts 
do  arise.  [2.]  Want  of  doubts  may  flow  from  a  "  pro» 
found  ignorance  of  the  mystery  of  the  gospel."  Ig* 
norant  persons  have  not  their  thoughts  exercised 
about  Christ,  the  excellency  of  his  person,  the  neces- 
sity of  his  death,  and  of  the  virtue  and  efficacy  of  it, 
as  meritorious  of  pardon,  and  satisfactory  to  the  jus- 
tice of  God ;  and  therefore  see  no  difficulty  in  giving 
a  sort  of  an  assent  to,  or  rather  in  not  questioning 
the  truth  of  the  gospel.  And  then,  [3.]  As  to  per- 
sons confident  reliance  on  Christ,  or  believing  with- 
out any  scruple,  that  they  shall  be  saved  by  him, 


40      MAN'S   KECOVEEY   BY   FAITH   IN  CHRIST. 

this  flows  from  ignorance  of  God's  holiness,  and  their 
own  sinfulness.  They  think  sin  no  great  matter, 
and  therefore  think  God  may  be  soon  reconciled  to 
them.  From  these,  and  such  other  like  causes,  may 
it  proceed,  that  ye  want  doubts,  and  that  ye  are  so 
easily  satisfied  about  this  matter  ;  and  from  the  con- 
sideration of  these  causes,  it  is  apparent,  that  want  of 
doubts  as  to  the  truth  of  the  gospel-report,  and  want 
of  difficulty  in  the  believing  of  your  own  advantage 
by  it,  is  rather  a  sign  that  ye  want  faith,  than  that  ye 
have  it.  Further,  it  is  plain,  that  where  persons 
have  just  impressions  of  their  own  sinfulness,  and  of 
God's  holiness ;  of  their  own  meanness,  of  God's 
greatness ;  of  the  hateful  nature  of  sin,  and  the 
stated  aversion  and  irreconcileable  hatred  God  "hears 
to  it ;  it  will  occasion  difficulty  in  believing  the  truth 
of  any  way  wherein  a  sinner  may  be  admitted  to  the 
enjoyment  of  God,  and  consequently  some  difficulty 
in  hazarding  a  reliance  upon  it  ;  considering  that 
there  is  naturally  much  darkness  and  weakness  in 
the  mind  of  man  since  the  fall.  But,  passing  this 
consideration,  we  say, 

(2.)  It  is  evident,  that  a  great  many,  who  have  no 
doubts,  are  yet  unquestionably  unbelievers,  because 
they  live  in  gross  ignorance,  and  in  the  habitual 
practice  of  known  sins.  In  one  word,  ye  who  think 
ye  have  faith,  because  ye  have  no  doubts,  are  like  to 
deceive  your  own  souls  ;  for  I  make  no  doubt,  there 
are  not  a  few  in  hell  roaring  out  of  their  intolerable 
^pain,  who  never  doubted  but  they  had  faith,  and 
should  be  saved,  till  sad  experience  convinced  them 
that  they  were  damned. — The  scripture,  and  the  ex- 
perience of  the  people  of  God  in  all  ages,  makes  it 
plain,  and  ineontestably  evident,  that  they  who  do  tru- 
ly believe,  find  difficulty  in  doing  so  ;  and  who  never 
found  any,  have  never  yet  seen  that  "  thp  carnal 
mind  is  enmity  against  God,  and  is  not  subject  to  the 
law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be."  They  are  the 
'whole  persons  that  need  not,  and  will  never  come  to 


MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST.       441 

the  physician.  Where  there  is  any  thing  of  the  car- 
nal mind  remaining,  there  will  be  still  found  difficul- 
ty in  believing  ;  unbelief  will  still  be  faith's  neigh- 
bour ;  and  where  is  any  thing  of  God's  marvellous 
light  in  the  soul,  this  unbelief,  and  aversion  to  be- 
lieving, will  in  more  or  less  be  discerned. 

3.  Some  conclude  that  they  themselves  and  others 
have  faith,  because  they  are  moral,  and  civil,  and 
blameless  in  their  external  conversation.  Nothing 
more  common  than  to  call  a  civil  moral  man,  a  good 
man,  and  to  conclude  all  is  right  with  him.  This  is 
a  mark  whereby  many  judge,  and  judge  amiss,  of 
their  own  estate,  and  of  the  estate  of  others  :  for  it 
is  one  that  will  not  abide  the  test  of  God's  word  ;  if 
we  weigh  it  in  the  balance  ©f  God's  sanctuary,  we 
must  write  Tekel  upon  it.  We  grant  indeed,  (1.) 
That  it  is  very  desirable  to  see  men  moral  and  blame- 
less in  their  conversation.  It  is  a  thing  praise-wor- 
thy, because  of  its  usefulness  among  men  :  and  it 
were  to  be  wished  that  there  were  more  of  it  in  the 
world  ;  therefore  we  shall  say  nothing  to  discour- 
age any  from  a  blameless  walk.  (2.)  We  grant  that 
immorality  or  profaneness  is  a  sure  mark  of  the 
want  of  faith.  But  because  profane  and  immoral 
wretches  do  not  believe,  we  must  not  therefore  con- 
elude,  that  they  who  are  not  thus  immoral  do  believe. 
For,  notwithstanding  of  what  has  been  said,  we  say, 
[1.]  That  a  man  may  be  blameless,  sober,  and  civil, 
as  to  his  external  conversation,  who  is  so  far  from 
faith,  that  he  may  be  hatching  in  his  mind  the  most 
abominable  evils  :  pride  may  reign  there,  ambition, 
worldly-mindedness,  envy,  discontent,  and  the  like. 
There  are  two  sorts  of  lusts  spoken  of  by  the  apostle, 
Ephs.  ii.  3.  ff  Among  whom  also  we  all  had  our  con- 
versation in  time  past,  in  the  lusts  of  our  flesh,  ful- 
iiiling  the  desires  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind,  and 
were  by  nature  the  children  of  wrath,  even  as  others.'* 
Here  the  apostle  gives  us  to  understand,  that  there 
are  desires  or  lusts  of  the  mind,  as  well  as  of  the 

Aa2 


142     man's  recovery  BY  FAITH  IN  CHRIST, 

flesh  ;  and  that  the  fulfilling  the  desires  of  the  mind, 
or  of  the  flesh,  proves  a  man  a  child  of  wrath,  and 
so  void  of  faith.  The  civil  moral  man,  it  may  be, 
fulfils  not  the  one,  but  he  may  be  fulfilling  the  other 
and  so  perish  eternally.  [2,]  So  far  is  a  moral  civil 
walk  from  faith,  or  from  being  a  sign  of  faith,  that 
it  has  been  found  in  many  heathens,  who  never  heard 
tell  of  faith,  but  perished  in  heathen  darkness,  quite 
ignorant  of  Christ,  and  the  way  of  salvation  by  him. 
[3.]  So  far  is  it  from  being  a  sign  of  faith,  that  in 
many  it  has  been  found  to  be  a  sad  hindrance  to  faith  ; 
inasmuch  as  they  have  abused  it  so  far  as  to  lay 
weight  upon  it,  as  did  the  proud  pharisee,  Luke 
xviii  11.  The  eyes  of  thousands  are  so  dazzled  with 
their  own  blamelessness,  that  they  can  see  no  need 
of  the  righteousness  of  Christ :  and  (his  is  destruc- 
tive eternally  to  their  souls.  Believe  it,  that  a  mo- 
ral, civil,  and  blameless  man  in  his  external  walk, 
may  be  an  unbeliever,  and,  may  be  damned.  A  pro- 
fane man  walks  openly  and  avowedly,  as  it  were,  on 
the  road  to  the  pit :  and,  like  Solomon's  simple  man, 
says  to  every  one,  that  he  is  a  fool :  but  a  civil  man 
may  be  going  the  same  road  ;  and  if  a  man  have  no 
more,  he  is  surely  in  the  road  to  eternal  damnation, 
as  well  as  the  other  ;  he  goes  only,  if  I  may  so  speak, 
in  a  cleaner  path  to  the  pit,  but  will  as  certainly 
come  thither :  O  that  we  could  get  that  fond  con- 
ceit banished  the  world,  that  there  is  no  more  requi- 
red to  make  a  man  a  Christian  but  morality.  Flat- 
ter not  yourselves;  this  is  not  faith :  I  assure  you, 
you  will  be  made  to  see  so  one  day  to  your  cost. 

4.  Others  have  some  awakenings,  by  some  common 
touches  and  motions  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  there- 
fore conclude  that  they  believe,  and  have  faith; 
especially  if  there  ensue  any  thing  like  peace  after 
them.  The  occasion  of  this  mistake,  is,  that  when 
the  Lord  works  the  work  of  faith  with  power  in  the 
soul,  he  begins  his  work  by  convincing  men  of  sin. 
Bit  it  is  a  very  perverse  and  dangerous  consequence, 


MAN?S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN  CHRIST.       143 

to  conclude  from  thence,  that  faith  is  where  there 
are  eonvictious.  For,  (i.)  1  lie  worst  of  men  may 
have,  and  have  had  convictions.  Judas,  Pilate,  Si- 
mon Magus,  and  a  great  many  others,  had  hosoms 
full  of  convictions;  and  yet,  past  all  per  ad  venture, 
were  unhelievers,  and  that  of  the  worst  sort.  (2.) 
Ill  men  may  grow  worse  hy  convictions.  Many  are 
so  far  from  being  bettered  by  them,  from  being 
brought  to  Christ  by  them,  that  they  are  put  further 
from  him,  and  that  several  ways.  1.  Some,  by  their 
convictions  are  driven  from  gross  sins  to  more  secret 
sins,  from  profaneness  to  morality,  and  hold  there; 
and  their  last  case  is,  in  several  respects*  worse  than 
their  first ;  as  is  plain  from  what  has  been  discoursed 
above.  2.  Some,  by  means  of  conviction,  have  the 
sins  of  their  whole  life  aggravate  more  grievously 
than  otherwise  they  would  have  been.  Sins  against 
light  are  the  greatest  of  sins  :  and  some  continue  all 
their  life  long  under  a  continual  vicissitude  of  sin  and 
conviction,  they  hold  on  in  sin,  though  they  have 
from  time  to  time  dreadful  throws  of  conviction. 
Some  persons  we  have  known  this  way  exercised  all 
their  life,  yea,  persons  of  great  knowledge,  who  have 
been  so  far  from  being:  beat  from  their  sin  by  con- 
victions,  that  they  have  only  served  to  aggravate 
and  enhance  their  guilt.  3.  Some  others  are  so  far 
from  being  led  to  Christ  by  their  convictions,  that 
they  make  a  Christ  of  their  convictions,  and  conclude 
all  is  well  with  them,  because  they  are  convinced, 
and  so  seek  no  further.  They  think  God  loves  them 
because  his  Spirit  deals  with  them  ;  little  minding, 
that  God's  Spirit  strove  many  a  year  with  the  old 
world,  and  then  destroyed  them  at  last.  4.  Others 
there  are,  who,  by  despising  and  quenching  convic- 
tions, pave  the  way  for  themselves  to  open  profane- 
ness, and  a  boundless  liberty  in  sinning  :  for  by  har- 
dening themselves  under  convictions,  they  provoke 
God  to  give  them  up  to  the  ways  of  their  own  hearts, 
because  when  «  they  know  God,  they  do  not  worship 


144      MAN'S  RECOVERY   BY   FAITH  IN   CHRIST. 

him  as  God,  therefore  he  gives  them  up  to  vile  af- 
fections," Rom.  i.  21,  &c.  This  was  the  unhappy 
case  of  many  in  the  heathen  world  ;  and  I  may  say 
is  the  case  of  many  in  the  Christian  world.  Like- 
wise. 5.  Convictions  many  times  terminate  in  dread- 
ful despair ;  and  so  hurry  men  headlong  to  hell,  in- 
stead of  bringing  them  into  the  way  to  heaven,  dri- 
ving them  to  the  devil,  when  they  should  come  to 
Christ.     Thus  it  fared  with  Judas  and  some  others. 

In  fine,  we  intreat  you  do  not  flatter  yourselves; 
convictions  are  no  good  sign  of  faith.  I  know  some 
are  so  ignorant  of  God,  and  of  this  work  of  the  Spi- 
rit of  God,  that  they  are  apt  to  mock  and  deride  such 
as  the  Lord  brings  to  a  conviction  of  sin,  as  mad,  or 
at  least  melancholy.  To  such  I  say,  if  ye  never 
knew  conviction  for  sin,  ye  never  knew  conversion  ; 
and  unless  ye  be  convinced  of  sin,  and  awakened,  ye 
will  never  believe,  and  so  shall  never  be  saved  :  And 
fo  laugh  at  conviction  is  a  sure  sign  of  one  that  never 
had  faith.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  let  none  rest  up- 
on convictions,  either  as  conversion,  or  as  a  sign  of 
faith  :  for  there  are  abundance  of  convictions  in  hell, 
where  there  is  not  one  grain  weight  of  faith,  nor  to 
eternity  shall  be.  Every  bosom  there  is  full  of  con- 
victions, and  yet  all  are  unbelievers  ;  and  as  many 
of  them  as  lived  under  the  gospel,  are  damned  for 
unbelief. 

5.  Some  have  knowledge  of  the  things  ofGod9  and 
therefore  conclude  that  they  do  believe  :  they  under- 
stand the  letter  of  the  gospel,  and  have  been  instruct- 
ed by  reading,  converse,  and  the  painfulness  of  mas- 
ters and  ministers  ;  therefore  they  bless  themselves 
in  their  own  hearts,  when  the  judgments  of  God  are 
denounced  against  unbelievers ;  and  when  they  are 
bid  believe,  they  put  the  exhortation  by  them,  think- 
ing that  they  believe  already,  and  that  all  is  well 
with  them.  This  is  a  dangerous  mistake,  and  ru- 
ins many  poor  souis.  We  do  indeed  grant,  that  there 
is  no  faith  without  knowledge,  and  therefore  have 


man's  recovery  BX  FAITH  IN  CHRIST.     145 

already  laid  aside  the  ignorant  as  unbelievers  :  but  we 
are  far  from  allowing  that  knowledge  is  a  sure  sign 
of  faith.  For,  (1.)  A  great  deal  more  of  the  know- 
ledge of  the  gospel  than  even  many  true  beiievers 
have,  may  be  obtained  without  any  special  aid  or  as- 
sistance of  the  Spirit  of  God ;  but  faith  is  not  to  be 
obtained  without  the  special  operation  of  the  Spirit. 
Hence  it  is  called,  "  the  faith  of  the  operation  of 
God,  and  the  work  of  faith,  that  is  wrought  by  the 
exceeding  greatness  of  God's  power,"  Col.  ii.  12. 
2  Thess.  i.  11.  Eph.  i.  19.  (2,)  One  may  have  much 
knowledge,  and  yet  live  in  open  profaneness,  and  the 
continued  practice  of  known  sins  ;  which  is  utterly 
inconsistent  with  the  least  spark  of  saving  grace. 
(3.)  An  unbeliever  may  have  such  a  measure  of  the 
knowledge  of  Christ,  and  of  the  way  of  salvation  by 
him,  as  to  be  able  to  instruct  others  in  the  knowledge 
of  him  :  Judas  had  this,  and  yet  wanted  faith.  Nay, 
(4.)  One  may  not  only  be  capable  of  teaehing  others, 
•but  may  even  excel  others,  and  be  eminent  for  such 
gifts  as  are  of  use  for  the  edification  of  the  church, 
and  yet  be  void  of  saving  faith  ;  no  doubt  Judas  was 
beyond  many  others  :  being  a  disciple  of  the  highest 
form,  he  had  gifts  in  a  suitable  measure,  but  no  grace. 
But  what  need  I  say  more  upon  this  head  ?  the  devil, 
no  doubt,  has  more  knowledge  of,  and  insight  into 
the  mystery  of  the  gospel,  as  to  the  letter,  than  per- 
haps any  man  on  earth  ;  and  yet  has  a  heart  full  of 
malice,  spite  and  irreconcilable  enmity  to  it.  Men, 
after  the  same  manner,  may  have  their  head  full  of 
notions  of  truth,  and  be  perfectly  void  of  saving 
grace:  like  the  toad,  which  has  a  precious  stone  in 
its  head,  and  yet  has  its  body  full  of  poison. 

6.  Every  sort  of  concern  about  salvation  is  not  a 
sufficient  evidence  of  faith.  Some  have  some  con- 
cern, and  are  some  way  thoughtful  about  salvation, 
and  about  freedom  from  wrath,  and  yet  are  strangers 
to,  and  never  come  the  length  of  the  precious  faith 
of  God's  elect.     O  what  a  length  went  the  young 


146       MAN'S  RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST. 

man  in  the  gospel,  in  his  concern  about  salvation  ! 
we  may  see  the  history,  Matth.  xix.  6.  &e.  and  Mark 
x.  17.  Now,  I  shall  take  notice  of  several  evidences 
of  some  concern  about  salvation  in  his  conduct,  to 
let  you  see  that  all  eoncern  about  salvation  will  not 
prove  you  real  believers.  (1.)  He  was  sensible  that 
it  was  not  any  enjoyment  of  a  present  life  that  could 
make  him  happy.  Though  he  was  a  young  man,  as 
Mark  tells  us,  a  young  man  that  had  the  advantage 
of  a  fair  estate,  and  a  ruler,  as  Luke  tells  us  ;  yet 
he  had  something  more  in  view  than  the  present  tern* 
poral  life :  it  was  eternal  life  he  would  have.  (2.) 
Such  was  his  sense  of  the  worth  of  eternal  life,  and 
of  his  need  of  it,  notwithstanding  his  youth,  health, 
honour  and  wealth,  that  he  bad  strong  desires  after 
eternal  life.  This  the  whole  series  of  the  history 
makes  evident.  (3.)  His  desires  were  not  mere 
sluggish  wishes  :  they  put  him  upon  a  eoncern  about 
the  means  whereby  this  life  was  to  be  obtained.  This 
was  the  question  he  came  to  our  Lord  about  :  «  Good 
Master,95  says  he,  **  what  good  thing  shall  I  do  that 
I  may  inherit  eternal  life  V*  (4.)  As  far  as  he  knew 
he  had  practised.  The  poor  man  knew  no  more  but 
the  commands,  and  that  they  ought  to  be  kept  ;  and 
those  he  had  kept,  and  that  universally,  without  any 
exception  of  any  of  them,  and  that  with  diligence 
and  continuance:  "  All  these  have  I  kept,  and  that 
from  my  youth."  There  is  universality,  diligence, 
and  continuance.  (5.)  He  had  a  sense  of  his  own 
ignorance :  he  was  jealous  of  the  shortness  of  his 
knowledge,  and  that  he  yet  lacked  something.  (6.) 
This  sense  did  lead  him  to  seek  after,  and  desire  in- 
struction ;  and  he  came  to  the  right  hand,  Christ. 
(7.)  When  became,  every  thing  in  his  carriage  dis- 
covered his  great  concern:  First,  He  come  running, 
he  was  afraid  of  being  in  a  mistake,  he  was  desi- 
rous to  be  informed;  and  these  two  together  made 
him  run.  Secondly,  He  took  all  feasible  methods  to 
obtain  his  desire  at  Christ's  hand;  he  gave  him  an 


61 


MAN  S    RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN    CHRIST.      li<7 

epithet  importing  much  respect  to  him,  as  able  and 
willing.  "  Good  Master,"  says  he.  (Master)  points 
at  his  ability,  and  (good)  at  his  willingness  :  and 
moreover,  Mark  tells  us,  that  he  kneeled  to  him. 
(8.)  Such  was  his  concern  for  salvation,  that  lie  re- 
solved to  scruple  nothing  that  was  enjoined  him.  He 
knew  of  no  reserve  in  his  own  heart.  The  words 
say  plainly,  to  any  one  that  considers  the  import  of 
them,  that  the  man  had  a  resolution  to  do  any  thing 
that  was  enjoined  him.  He  knew  not  that  there  was 
any  thing  he  would  not  do.  «  What  shall  I  do  V9 
says  he.  He  was  resolved  to  decline  nothing  that 
he  could  be  desired  to  do,  in  order  to  obtain  eternal 
life.  Now,  thus  far  he  did  go  in  concern  for  salva- 
tion, and  yet  he  fell  short  of  it ;  as  far  as  his  con- 
cern brought  him,  it  led  him  not  to  faith  ;  he  fell 
short  of  that.  Now,  ye  who  think  that  ye  believe, 
because  ye  have  some  concern  about  your  souls  and 
eternal  life,  do  ye  come  this  man's  length  ?  1  fear 
few  of  you  can  say,  ye  do  :  and  yet  ye  must  and  will 
advance  farther,  if  ye  have  faith,  and  be  saved  ;  for 
this  man  and  Christ  parted,  and  we  never  hear  of 
their  meeting  again. 

7.  Some  joy  in  hearing  the  word,  some  affection  to 
and  delight  in  the gospel-repori  concerning  Christ, -arc 
not  sufficient  marks  of  faith.  Many  people,  espe- 
cially of  the  younger  sort,  are  ready  to  mistake  this 
for  faith,  or  a  sure  sign  of  faith  ;  therefore,  to  un- 
deceive them,  we  shall  shew,  1.  Whence  it  is  that 
people  take  it  for  faith,  or  an  evidence  of  it  at  least, 
2.  Whence  this  may  arise  that  may  occasion  this 
flash  of  tenderness,  where  there  is  no  faith.  3.  That 
it  is  indeed  no  sign  of  faith. 

As  to  the  first,  it  is  no  great  wonder  it  should  be 
mistakenfor  faith,  or  an  evidence  of  it,  if  we  consi- 
der, (1.)  The  state  of  the  person  in  whom  faith  is 
wrought,  and  the  state  of  the  soul  in  which  such  flash- 
es of  affection  and  tenderness  are  ordinarily  wrought. 
When  the  Lord  works  faith,  he  works  conviction  to 


148      MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY  FAITH  IN   CHRIST. 

clear  the  way  ;  so,  usually  these  flashes  follow  some 
£1  and  awakenings.  (2.)  Asfa.this  w -rough, 
and  comes  by  hearing  of  the  word,  and  by the .Spurt 
«f  Cod's  concurring  with  his  power;  so  these flasn- 
°e   a^eoccaslcdbfthe  word,  and  by  the  operation 
of  The  Spirit,  though  hut  a  common  operation,  giving 
«ome  superficial  talte  and  relish  of  the  sweetness  of 
heavenW  things.     (S.)  As  faith,  when  wrought   in 
the  soul!  glu el  it,  as  it  were,  to  the  ordinances  ;  so 
the  usual  Iffeet  of  these  tastes  is,  a  great  and  strong 
desire  after  the  ordinances,  which  makes  them  mul- 
tinlv  duties,  and  delight  in  approaching  to  God.    (*  ) 
is  faith  makes  the  soul  seek  beyond  the  bare  per- 
formance  of  duties,  for  communion  with  Christ  in 
5he  ordinances ;  so  persons  who  have  such  flashes, 
Say   finTan   unsatisnedness  with  the  ordinances, 
when   they  find  not  that  same  relish  as  formerly. 
W  one  that  considers  duly  these  things,  will  think 
it  no  wonder  to  find  that  there  are  mistakes  in  this 

mtm,l  We  shall  a  little  inquire  into  the  rise  of  ttese 
dnthM  of  concern,  delight,  and  tenderness,  which 
fook To  like Tthat  oy  wideh  believers  find  upon  the* 
helievine.     And  if  we  observe,  we  shall  find  some 
one  op  other  of  the  following  particulars,  or  at  least 
Concurrence  of  more  of  them,  to  have  an  influence 
nrmn  those  persons,  to  the  production  of  these  ei- 
SS.     (10  Novelty.    The  things  of  the  gospel  are 
new  many  times  to  people  ;  and  new  things,  especial- 
ly wheu  of  such  a  nature  that  they  threaten  us  no 
hu^lmt,  o the  contrary,  eminently  promote  our 
advantaeL  will  very  readily  work  upon  oup  affec- 
?fons   S  ^i  some  delight,  which  longer  custom 
S^inna^ce  doth  aLe.    W™*£fl* 
wimethine  in  a  person's  circumstances,  which  tailing 
ia  whh  the  proposal  of  the  sweet  offers  of  the  gospel, 
naTreimv'ocLsion  those  flashes  of  (^» 
are  now  discoursing  of :  as  for  instance,  a  person  nn- 
ler  distress  of  mind  will  desire  freedom ,  f rom  it    a d 
if,  upon  such  an  occasion,  the  mind  be  entertained 


MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN    CHRIST.       149 

with  the  joys,  of  heaven,  the  love,  mercy,  and  grace 
of  God  in  Christ  to  sinners  ;  if  the  mind  hereby  find 
a  diversion  from  its  trouble,  this  may  occasion  great 
delight.  The  like  instance  we  may  have,  when  per- 
sons fall  out  with  the  world  upon  some  signal  disap- 
pointment. (3.)  This  may  be  considerably  aug- 
mented by  the  strength  of  the  passions  in  youth. 
(4.)  A  variety  of  gifts  in  preachers  may  occasion 
this.  (5.)  Something  taking  and  peculiar  in  some 
men's  way  of  preaching  occasions  this.  Some  have 
fluency  of  language,  plenty  of  matter,  warmness  of 
affection  ;  when  these  meet  together,  such  affections 
will  readily  be  moved.  (6.)  A  surprise  may  have  a 
great  influence  this  way.  These  we  may  possibly 
afterwards  have  occasion  to  discourse  more  fully  of: 
now  we  but  name  thein^  and  proceed, 

Sdly,  To  show  that  these  are  no  sure  signs  of 
faith.  And,  for  clearing  this,  we  say,  (1.)  We  have 
let  you  see  how  such  affections  may  be  excited,  with- 
out any  special  operation  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  which 
faith  can  never  be.  (2.)  The  scriptures  give  us  an 
account  of  such  persons  who  had  the  Hashes  we  speak 
©f.  Our  Lord,  speaking  to  the  Jews  of  John  the  Bap- 
tist, says,  "  He  was  a  burning  and  a  shining  light, 
and  ye  were  willing  to  rejoice  in  his  light  for  a  sea- 
son," John  v.  35.  And  these  hearers  of  the  word, 
that  are  resembled  to  the  stony  ground,  received  the 
word  with  joy,  and  yet  proved  naught  in  a  day  of 
trial.  (3.)  Our  own  observation  may  furnish  us 
with  instances,  more  than  enough,  of  persons  who 
have  had  great  flashes  of  joy,  which  have  terminated 
in  nothing,  or  worse  than  nothing.  But  leaving  this, 
we   say, 

8.  The  multiplication  of  religions  duties  is  no  suf- 
ficient mark  of  faith.  Some  do  apprehend,  if  they 
be  punctual  in  their  attendance  upon  the  duties  of 
religion,  that  this  is  proof  enough  that  they  do  be- 
lieve. But  how  far  this  is  from  truth,  is  easy  enough 
to  be   discerned,  by   any  that  duly  considers  what 

Bb 


150      MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY    FAITH   I3ST   CHRIST. 

great  proficiency  some  have  made  this  way,  who  yet 
have  remained  utterly  unacquainted  with  God,  and 
strangers  to  the  faith  of  God's  elect.     If  ye  have  no 
other  proof  of  your  faith  than  this,  that  ye  are  punc- 
tual in  your  attendance  upon  the  duties  of  religon, 
what  do,  or  have  ye,  more  than  they  with  whom  the 
prophet  Isaiah  had  to  do  ?     A  people  they  were  who 
did  abound  in  all  these  performances,  and  yet  were 
naught.     Look  at  them  in  that  representation  the 
prophet  gives  of  them,  Isa.  lviii.  1.     We  shall  find 
they  had  more  to  say  upon  this  score  than,  I  believe, 
most  of  you  can  pretend  unto.     "  They  seek  me  dai- 
ly/' says  God,  «  and  delight  to  know  my  ways,  as  a 
nation  that  did  righteousness,  and  forsook  not  the  or- 
dinance of  their  God:  they  ask  of  me  the  ordinance 
of  justice  ;  they  take  delight  in  approaching  to  God" 
One  would  think,  here  are  surely  a  set  of  excellent 
persons,  believers  no  doubt :  but,  notwithstanding  all 
this,  God  rejects  all  their  duties,  and  themselves  also, 
with  the  greatest  detestation  and  abhorrence,  as  we 
find  the  prophet  telling  them,  both  in  this  and  in  the 
first  chapter  of  his  prophecies.     We  may  here  ob- 
serve, that  they  went  a  great  way  in  the  performance 
©f  duty     for,  (1.)  We  find  that  they  seek  God.     They 
do  not  live,  as  many  othes  did,  in  a  careless  neglect 
of  him,  whereby  there  is  an  incontestable  evidence 
given  of  an  utter  and  entire  want  of  faith.     (2.)  They 
seek  him  in  the  ordinances  of  his  own  appointment; 
as  this  prophet  hints  here,  and  gives  a  more  full  ac- 
count in  the  first  chapter  of  his  prophecy.     They  did 
not  invent  to  themselves  new  and  uncouth  ways  of 
serving  and  seeking  God,  such  as  their  own  extrava- 
gant fancies  might  suggest  to  them  ;  but  they  ad- 
hered to  the  ordinances  of  their  God,  his   appoint- 
ments.    (3.)  Their  attendance  was  not  a  piece  of 
force  and  violence  put  upon  them  :  they  took  delight 
in  duty,  and  in  approaching  to  God.     (4)  They  were 
frequent  and  close  in  their  applications  to  duty  ;    they 
sought  God  daily.     (5.)   They  are  desirous  of  fur- 


man's  recovery  by  TAITH  IN  CHRIST,       151 

ther  information  as  to  their  duty ;  they  did  ask  of 
God  the  ordinance  of  justice.  (6.)  They  did  not 
only  go  on  in  the  performance  of  the  ordinary  duties 
of  religion,  but  they  did  likewise  multiply  the  more 
extraordinary ;  such  as  the  fasting  spoken  of  in  the 
ensuing  verses.  Thus  far  did  they  go  ;  but,  notwith- 
standing all  this,  they  were  void  of  faith.  Thus  far 
may  ye  go,  and  yet  be  utter  strangers  to  the  faith 
of  God's  elect.  Indeed,  such  as  are  habitual  neg- 
lecters  of  duties,  cannot  reasonably  pretend  to  any 
interest  or  concern  in  this  faith  of  God's  elect  :  yet 
neither  can  such  as  multiply  them  say,  on  this  ac* 
count,  that  they  have  faith  ;  since  it  is  plain,  in  the 
instance  just  now  mentioned,  that  this  may  be  to  a 
high  degree,  while  faith  is  wanting.  And  no  doubt 
Paul,  before  his  conversion,  was  short  of  none  in  per- 
formances of  this  sort.     Nay,  further  we  add, 

9.  Every  change  upon  the  man,  even  to  the  better, 
is  no  sure  proof  of  faith.  For  great  alterations,  as 
to  people's  sentiments,  or  to  their  inclination  and 
conversation,  may  be  wrought,  where  there  is  no 
gracious  change  upon  the  heart,  but  it  continues  as 
before.  Some,  when  they  find  themselves  altered 
to  the  better,  from  what  once  they  were,  do  present- 
ly begin  to  think,  that  now  they  have  faith,  and  that 
all  shall  be  well  with  them.  But  there  is  a  vast 
mistake  here,  a  most  dangerous,  ruining,  and  soul 
destroying  error.  Indeed,  we  must  own,  that  where 
there  is  no  change,  there  can  be  no  faith  ;  for  faith 
is  the  gift  of  God,  the  work  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
and  is  not  born  with  men,  but  wrought  in  them  ;  and 
when  it  comes,  it  comes  not  alene ;  it  is  one  of  the 
most  essential  parts  of  the  new  man,  or  new  crea- 
ture. That  here  we  may  undeceive  any  of  you  who 
lay  weight  upon  that  which  may  fail  you,  if  trusted 
to,  we  shall  insist  a  little  in  shewing  you  what  chan- 
ges there  may  he  on  a  man,  who  yet  continues  a 
stranger  to  the  precious  faith  of  God's  elect.  How 
these  changes  are  to  be  distinguished  from  the  other, 


152     man's  recovery  by  FAITH  IN  CHRIST. 

which  persons  really  regenerate  do  undergo,  we  may 
afterwards  have  occasion  to  discourse,  when  we  come 
to  give  the  marks  of  faith  that  will  abide  the  trial. 
We  say,  then,  that  some  change  wrought  upon  you 
to  the  better,  is  not  proof  enough  that  ye  have  faitli ; 
since  there  may  be  a  great  change  wrought  upon  per- 
sons who  never  did  believe,  and  that  upon  the  whole 
man.     For, 

(1.)  There  may  be  a  great  change  wrought  upon 
the  mind  or  understanding  of  a  man.  Man  is  na- 
turally blind,  and  knows  not  his  way.  Sin  has  put 
out  the  eye  of  the  soul  ;  and  hence  men  are  said  to 
be  in  darkness,  or  to  be  darkness  itself  in  the  ab- 
stract, before  the  Lord  begin  to  deal  with  them  ;  and 
when  the  Lord  begins  to  work  upon  them,  then  he 
enlightens  their  minds,  translating  them  from  dark- 
ness to  his  light.  But  one  who  never  was  savingly 
illuminated,  nor,  it  may  be,  ever  shall,  may  yet  un- 
dergo a  great  change  in  the  understanding.  I  tell 
you  a  threefold  change  upon  the  mind  that  one  may 
undergo  who  never  was  savingly  enlightened.  [1.] 
Such  an  one  may,  by  mere  diligence  and  application, 
without  any  supernatural  assistance,  attain  a  great 
deal  of  knowledge  of  the  truths  of  God,  and  of  the 
things  of  religion,  that  he  had  not  before.  There 
are  few,  if  any  of  you,  so  very  dull,  but  could  attain 
to  a  great  measure  of  knowledge,  would  ye  apply 
yourselves  to  reading,  study,  and  meditation  ;  ye 
might  get  your  minds  fraught  with  much  head  know- 
ledge of  religion  ;  and  some  by  this  means  do  attain 
a  great  measure  of  knowledge,  which  makes  a  great 
change  upon  their  minds  ;  the  mind  that  formerly 
was  full  of  the  blackness  of  darkness  and  gross  ig- 
norance, is  now  furnished  with  a  stock  of  knowledge. 
But  all  this  may  be  without  any  faith,  or  without 
any  supernatural  work  of  God  upon  the  soul ;  yea, 
it  may  be  in  one  utterly  void  of  any  regard  to  God. 
[2.]  There  may  further  be  a  change  to  something 
yet  higher  j  the  mind  may  have    a  beam  or  ray  of 


man's  recovery  BY  FAITH  IN  CHRIST.     152 

supernatural  light  darted  into  it,  whereby  it  may 
not  only  understand  these  truths,  as  it  doth  other 
truths,  hut  may  further  come  to  see  some  peeuliar 
beauty  and  usefulness  in  them.  That  one  that  is 
void  of  the  saving  faith  of  God's  elect  may  reach 
this  illumination,  the  aposlle  asserts  plainly,  while 
he  makes  it  one  of  the  attainments  of  them  who  may 
fall  irrecoverably  away,  Heb.  vi.  4.  Nay,  [3.]  This 
light  may  be  increased  to  such  a  degree,  as  to  put 
them  in  a  capacity  to  unfold  the  truths  of  the  gospel 
to  others.  Thus  there  may  be  a  great  change  wrought 
upon  the  mind  or  understanding,  a  change  from  gross 
ignorance  to  some  acquired  knowledge  ;  from  this 
acquired  knowledge  to  some  degree  of  spiritual  il- 
lumination, and  from  that  to  a  high  degree  of  spirit- 
ual light,  such  as  Judas  and  Balaam  had,  whereby 
they  were  capacitated  to  know  and  understand  the 
things  of  God,  in  a  degree  so  eminent,  as  to  be  able 
to  instruct  others.  All  this  change  may  one  that  is 
an  unbeliever  undergo,  and  yet  continue  so  still,  and 
perish  eternally  in  unbelief. 

(2.  There  may  be  a  great  change  upon  the  consci- 
ence, and  yet  the  soul  may  be  void  of  faith.  There 
may  be  a  change  from  deep  security  to  awakenings 
and  convictions,  and  from  such  troubles  again  to  a 
sort  of  peace,  calmness,  and  serenity  of  conscience. 
Thus  many  times  it  is  with  temporary  believers.  If 
the  thunderings  of  the  law  make  sinners  begin  to 
shake  and  bestir  themselves,  then  the  joys  of  heaven, 
presented  to  the  soul's  view  in  the  light  of  a  beam  of 
supernatural  common  illumination,  will  immediately 
calm,  compose,  and  settle  all  again. 

(3.)  There  may  be  a  great  change  wrought  on  the 
affections,  where  there  is  no  faith.  One  may  have 
flashes  of  joy  and  grief  about  spiritual  objects.  Nay 
more,  there  may  be  something  like  an  abiding  change 
wrought  on  the  affections ;  the  delight  in  spiritual 
duties,  the  sorrow  for  sin,  fear  of  wrath,  that  is  at- 
tained, may  be  kept  up  in  the  soul  for  a  long  time. 

Bb2 


15&     man's  recovery  BY    FAITH  IN  CHRIST, 

But  of  this  we  have  spoken  sufficiently  already  | 
wherefore  we  proceed  to, 

(4.)  A  change  that  may  be,  where  there  is  no 
faith,  and  that  is  upon  the  will.  See  what  a  will  the 
Israelites  had,  Deut.  v.  27.  The  will  may  be  wrought 
so  far  upon,  as  to  arrive  at  many  faint  inclinations, 
wishings,  and  wouldings,  after  grace.  The  man  that 
is  awakened  in  some  measure,  hears  so  much  of  the 
excellency  of  grace,  and  of  the  beauty  of  holiness, 
which  he  is  convinced  in  his  judgment  is  true,  that 
it  may  induce  and  draw  the  will  to  some  wishes,  and 
even  to  some  resolutions  of  seeking  after  it.  In  line 
there  may  be, 

(5.)  Great  changes  upon  the  conversation  where 
there  is  no  faith.  The  openly  profane  man  may  be 
changed  into  a  civil,  moral,  and  blameless  man;  the 
eivil  man,  by  some  common  work  of  God's  Spirit, 
may  be  turned  into  a  professor,  who  may  multiply 
religious  duties,  and  pretend  as  high  as  any.  Where 
persons  live  under  a  faithful  ministry,  and  under  the 
influence  of  lively  ordinances,  they  may  find  it  al- 
most impossible,  through  the  power  of  conviction,  to 
continue  in  open  profaneness,  or,  it  may  be,  to  rest 
upon  mere  civility.  These  minds  may  be  so  filled 
with  light,  that  conscience  will  not  suffer  them  to 
rest  short  at  least  of  a  form  of  godliness  ;  and  there- 
fore many  upon  such  occasions  go  this  length,  and 
step  no  further.  As  some  do  escape  the  pollutions 
of  the  world  through  lust,  who  are  yet  again  entan- 
gled therein,  and  overcome,  2  Pet.  ii.  2.  ;  so  some, 
who  have  been  entangled  for  a  considerable  time, 
are  afterwards  pulled,  as  it  were,  out  of  the  snare 
again,  and  reach  a  blameless  walk  before  the  world; 
and,  it  may  be,  make  a  fair  profession  of  religion, 
and  yet  are  unacquainted  with  faith.  Paul,  before 
his  conversion,  was  blameless  concerning  the  right- 
eousness that  is  of  the  law :  ?>nd  why  may  not  one, 
who  has  for  a  while  been  profane,  reform,  and  go  as 
great  a  length  that  way  as  Paul  did?  There  is  no 
doubt  he  may. 


man's  recovery  BY  FAITH  IN  CHRIST.     155 

10.  In  the  last  place,  we  say,  that  ye  may  have 
some  sort  of  faith,  and  yet  want  the  saving  faith  of 
God's  elect.  Every  one  that  believes  has  not  that 
faith  which  we  have  been  discoursing  of.  There  are 
three  sorts  of  faith  which  ye  may  have,  and  yet  be 
eternally  ruined,  getting  your  portion  with  hypocrites 
and  unbelievers. 

(1.)  There  is  a  sort  of  faith  that  we  may  call  a 
cradle  faith.  It  is  of  an  age,  if  I  may  so  speak,  with 
the  person  who  has  it.  Some  of  you,  though  ye  say 
ye  believe,  ye  cannot  tell  how  ye  came  to  believe  ; 
only  as  long  as  ye  can  mind  any  thing,  ye  remember 
ye  still  did  so;  from  the  time  ye  could  distinguish 
betwixt  good  and  evil,  ye  did  always  believe  ;  ye 
brought  it  from  the  cradle  with  you.  This  is  the 
common  faith  that  most  part  have,  and  they  go  no 
further.  And  if  we  could  but  once  get  men  and 
women  persuaded  that  this  faith  will  not  save  them, 
we  would,  we  think,  have  gained  much  upon  them. 
Believe  it,  my  friends,  this  faith  never  saved  one, 
and  to  eternity  never  will  save  any  ;  but  many  one  it 
has  ruined.  I  have  a  four-fold  exception  to  lay  against 
this  faith.  [1.]  It  is  a  plant  not  of  God's  planting. 
The  faith  of  God's  elect  is  a  plant  that  is  planted  by 
the  hand  of  God  ;  hence  it  is  called,  "  the  faith  of 
the  operation  of  God,"  and  "  the  gift  of  God  :"  but 
this  faith,  that  is  so  rife  among  you,  is  a  weed  that 
grows  up  of  its  own  accord,  without  any  sort  of 
pains.  They  who  have  it,  are  not  debtors  to  God 
for  it,  since  it  sprung  up  with  them,  and  God  had  no 
hand  in  its  production.  [2.]  It  is  in  a  bad  soil  that 
it  grows,  in  a  corrupt  unrenewed  nature.  Ye  who 
say,  ye  do  believe,  dare  ye  say.  as  in  the  sight  of  God, 
that  ever  your  hearts  were  changed  and  renewed  ? 
I  am  sure  many  of  you  dare  not  say  it ;  or,  if  ye  do, 
conscience  will  tell  you  to  your  face,  that  you  lie  ; 
yet,  nowithstanding  this,  you  will  maintain  that  ye 
believe,  and  so  think  yourselves  sure  of  salvation.  I 
beseech  you,  by  all  the  love  you  bear  to  your  own 


156     man's  recovery  BY  TAITH  IN  CHRIST* 

souls,  do  not  hazard  them  upon  this  faith  ;  for,  as 
sure  as  God  lives,  it  will  deceive  you.  There  never 
grew  a  tree  in  nature's  garden,  in  a  soil  so  bad  as 
that  of  an  unrenewed  nature,  that  ever  was  capable 
of  bearing  so  choice  a  fruit  as  salvation  is.  All  that 
grows  there  is  sin,  and  the  fruit  of  that  is  death. 
"  The  wages  of  sin  is  death-,"  Rom.  iii.  23.  ;  and  if 
ye  expect  any  other,  ye  wii!  meet  with  a  disappoint- 
ment that  will  not  be  easy  to  be  borne.  [3]  This 
faith  of  yours  is  not  kept  alive  by  influences  from 
heaven,  as  is  the  faith  of  God's  elect.  As  the  pre- 
cious faith  of  God's  elect  is  at  first  planted  in  the  soul 
by  the  blessed  hand  of  him  who  is  the  Author  of  faith 
to  all  them  that  believe  ;  so  it  receives  all  its  increases 
from  him.  He  nourishes  it  by  influences  from  above  ; 
it  derives  all  its  growth  from  him.  The  gentle 
breezes  of  the  Spirit,  the  north  and  south  winds, 
breathing  in  the  ordinances,  quicken  all  the  graces  of 
the  Spirit,  and  cause  them  to  send  forth  a  savoury 
and  fragant  smell.  FaMi  holds  its  life,  its  all  of 
Christ.  But  this  faith  of  yours  quite  overlooks  the 
Mediator  ;  it  sees  no  need  of  him  ;  it  leads  not  to 
him.  That  which  it  lays  hold  upon,  is  some  wrong 
notion  of  God,  as  if  he  were  altogether  such  an  one 
as  yourselves,  a  God  that  has  as  light  thoughts  of 
sin  as  ye  have,  and  can  with  as  much  ease  pass  it  by 
without  any  resentment,  as  ye  can  commit  it.  God 
doth  indeed  take  pleasure  in  them  that  hope  in  his 
mercy ;  but  it  is  in  his  mercy  as  discovered  in  the 
gospel  method  of  salvation  ;  and  any  faith  that  hath 
no  respect  to  this  will  be  rejected  of  God.  The  faith 
of  God's  elect  fetches  every  thing  from  Christ,  as  the 
way  and  the  treasure  ;  and  it  comes  all  to  him  as  the 
end.  This  faith  of  yours,  when  ye  have  need  of  par- 
don, carries  you  straightway  to  God's  mercy,  with- 
out ever  owning  Christ,  but  the  faith  of  God's  elect 
leads  the  believer  to  Christ,  as  to  him  whom  mercy 
has  exalted,  to  be  the  Prince  and  the  Saviour,  to 
give  repentance  and  remission  of  sins.    Thus  faith* 


MAS'S   RECOVERY    BY  FAITH   IN    CHRIST.       157 

saving  faith,  comes  to  Christ  for  all,  while  that  com- 
mon faith  that  ye  rest  upon  quite  neglects  him.  [4.] 
As  is  the  tree,  so  is  the  fruit.  This  faith  of  yours, 
as  it  is  not  of  God's  planting,  but  a  weed  sprung  out 
of  corrupt  nature's  soil,  and  is  kept  alive  by  igno- 
rance of  God's  holiness  and  justice,  and  the  exceed- 
ing sinfulness  of  sin  ;  so  its  fruit  is  answerable  to 
the  root.  We  see  not  the  fruits  of  holiness  grow  up- 
on it;  but,  on  the  contrary,  formality,  a  neglect  of 
God,  indifferency  about  salvation,  and  all  the  con- 
cerns of  religion.  And  whether  ye  will  believe  it  or 
not,  when  these  fruits  continue  a  while,  they  will  ri- 
pen into  damnation.  This  faith  will  not  save  you, 
ami  therefore  trust  not  to  it. 

(2.)  Ye  may  have  a  faith,  which  I  may  call  a  ra- 
tional faith,  for  destruction's  sake.  This  is  a  step 
beyond  the  former.  That  common  faith  is  merely 
the  fruit  of  custom  and  education  ;  but  this  goes  a 
degree  farther.  Some  men  of  refined  spirits  are  not 
accustomed  to  take  truth  upon  trust  from  others,  but 
to  search  into  it  themselves,  that  they  may  give  their 
assent  to  it  upon  solid  and  rational  grounds.  And 
such  persons  are  apt  to  think  it  irrational  to  a  high 
degree,  to  use  less  caution  in  inquiring  into  the 
grounds  whereon  they  do  believe  that  religion  they 
are  to  hazard  their  souls  upon  :  and  certainly  thus 
far  are  they  in  the  right.  Well,  then,  that  they 
may  be  satisfied  in  this  matter,  they  inquire  what 
reason  they  have  to  believe  that  these  persons  did 
indeed  write  the  scripture,  who  are  given  out  to  he 
the  penmen  of  it ;  and  whether,  if  they  be  found  to 
be  the  penmen  of  it,  they  be  persons  worthy  to  be 
credited.  Upon  search,  they  find  both  to  be  con- 
firmed, by  the  greatest  historical  evidence  possible : 
and  thus  they  are  brought  to  give  a  general  assent, 
and  take  up  a  firm  persuasion  of  the  truth  of  the 
scripture  in  general,  and  particularly  of  the  truths 
concerning  Jesus  Christ ;  and  h^re  they  rest,  and  take 
this  for  saving  faith.     And  this  sort  of  faith  is  com- 


158      man's  recovery  by  FAITH  IN  CHRIST. 

uion  enough  among  the  more  learned  sort,  as  the 
other  is  among  the  more  ignorant.  Many  a  learned 
man  has  gone  to  hell  with  this  faith,  which  is  suffi- 
cient indeed  to  put  an  accent  upon  their  misery,  and 
to  vindicate  the  justice  of  God  in  their  eternal  de- 
struction ;  but  is  no  way  useful  to  them  for  salvation. 
The  nature,  uses,  and  defects  of  this  faith,  I  shall  not 
insist  on  :  because  few  of  you  are  much  concerned  in 
it,  it  being  not  ordinarily  to  be  found  among  any, 
save  those  who  have  more  leisure  and  occasion  for 
reading  than  most  of  you  have. 

(3.)  Ye  may  yet  go  a  step  further,  and  reach  that 
faith,  which  by  practical  divines  is  called  a  tempo- 
rary faith  ;  such  as  was  that  which  the  hearers  com- 
pared to  the  stoney  ground  had,  of  whom  our  Lord 
speaks  in  the  parable  of  the  sower,  Matth.  xiii.  29. 
And  this  steps  further  than  that  faith  which  we  last 
mentioned,  in  two  things.  First,  In  its  rise.  The 
former  sort  of  faith  is  the  fruit  merely  of  the  exer- 
cise of  the  rational  faculties ;  but  this  is  produced  by 
an  operation  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  The  power  of 
the  Spirit  going  along  with  the  dispensation  of  the 
word,  doth  by  a  common  operation  produce  this  ef- 
fect in  the  soul.  Secondly,  The  former  faith  has  a 
respect  principally,  if  not  only,  to  the  truth  of  the 
gospel ;  whereas  this  has  likewise  a  respect  to  the 
beauty,  sweetness,  and  goodness  of  the  things  them- 
selves ;  and  hence  we  are  told,  that  they  received  the 
word  with  joy.  They  saw  a  beauty,  sweetness,  and 
usefulness  in  the  things  discovered,  as  well  as  truth 
in  the  discovery  ;  and  both,  by  a  beam  of  superna- 
tural light,  let  in  upon  the  soul  by  a  common  opera- 
tion of  the  Spirit  of  God.  But  although  this  faith 
goes  thus  far  ;  yet  in  two  things  it  falls  short  of  the 
faith  of  God's  elect.  First,  It  has  no  abiding  root  ; 
it  is  only  a  transient  work  upon  the  soul,  without 
the  communication  of  any  inward  and  abiding  princi- 
ple ;  the  heart  is  not  changed  ;  only  there  is  a  tran- 
sient eifect  wrought  upon  the  rational  powers  of  the 


. 


MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST.       159 

soul.  Secondly,  It  never  carries  (he  soul  the  length 
of  a  full  closure  with  the  gospel-method  of  salvation* 
whatever  apprehension  of  the  excellency  thereof  may 
be  in  it ;  yet  there  is  never  such  a  view  got  of  all  the 
parts  of  that  contrivance,  as  is  sufficient  to  determine 
the  heart  to  an  approbation  of  it. 

Several  other  sorts  of  faith  might  likewise  be 
named,  which  persons  may  have,  and  yet  fall  short 
of  that  which  is  saving  :  but  I  shall  pass  them,  be- 
cause there  is  not  so  great  danger  that  they  be  mis- 
taken, and  put  in  the  room  of  the  faith  we  now  in- 
quire after. 

Thus  far  have  we  gone  in  a  discovery  of  the  sandy 
foundations  whereon  many  of  you  do  build  your  hopes 
of  heaven,  and  we  fear  that  yet  many  of  you  will 
hold  on  in  the  old  course,  holding  fast  deceit,  and 
building  upon  the  sand.  If  ye  do  so,  then  we  assure 
you,  in  the  name  of  God,  the  foundation  will  fail  you  ; 
and  the  higher  your  expectations  are  raised,  the 
more  confounding  will  your  disappointment  be.  Since 
the  hazard  has  been  laid  before  you,  God  is  free,  we 
are  free  of  your  blood  ;  and  therefore  your  destruc- 
tion is  entirely  of  yourselves ;  and  this  will  be  no 
mean  aggravation  of  your  misery. 

We  shall  now  proceed  to  lay  before  you, 

Thirdly,  The  true  marks  of  the  faith  of  God's 
elect,  whereby  we  may  know  and  be  sure  that  ye  do 
believe,  and  that,  believing,  ye  shall  be  saved  ;  which 
was  the  last  thing  we  proposed  in  our  entry  upon 
this  use  of  the  doctrine. 

But  before  we  come  to  the  marks  themselves,  wc 
shall  lay  before  you  a  few  things.     And, 

1.  We  take  it  for  granted,  that  there  are  marks 
whereby  faith  may  be  known.  A  very  considerable 
part  of  the  scripture  is  said  to  be  written  on  this  very 
design,  to  assist  persons  in  making  a  judgement  of 
their  own  state,  whether  they  do  believe  or  not,  1 
John  v.  13.  **.  These  things  have  I  written  unto  you, 
that  believe  on  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God,  that  ye 


160       MAff'S    RECOVEKY   BY  FAITH   IN    CHRIST, 

may  (know)  that  ye  have  eternal  life,  and  that  ye 
may  believe  on  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God.'5 

2.  That  we  may  make  so  clear  a  judgment  of  our 
case  by  these  marks,  as  to  reach  joy  in  faith's  appre- 
hension of  our  own  interest  in  Christ  and  salvation, 
there  is  requisite  a  special  influence  of  the  Spirit  of 
God.  God  keeps  comfort  in  his  own  hand,  and  he  is 
most  sovereign  and  absolute  in  the  dispensing  of  it. 
Yet, 

3.  We  may  say,  there  are  such  marks  as  may, 
through  an  ordinary  influence  of  the  Spirit,  keep  the 
soul  up  in  such  a  comfortable  persuasion  of  its  be- 
lieving, of  the  reality  of  its  faith,  as  will  at  least 
keep  from  disquieting  and  sinking  discouragements, 
and  engage  it  to  a  cheerful  attendance  to  all  com- 
manded duties,  as  not  being  despondent  of  a  blessed 
issue  of  what  concerns  it. 

4.  There  are  some  marks  which  have  a  respect  to 
the  reality  and  others  which  do  respect  the  degree  of 
faith.  We  design  only  to  insist  upon  such  as  have  a 
respect  to  the  reality  of  it  $  and  shall  not  spend  time 
in  offering  marks  whereby  we  may  know  where  faith 
is  in  its  highest  degree :  for  when  it  comes  to  that, 
it  will  evidence  itself  to  the  soul  by  these  blessed 
concomitants  of  it,  "peace  of  conscience,  and  joy  in 
the  Holy  Ghost."  Our  business  now  leading  the 
other  way,  we  shall  inquire  into  those  evidences  of 
faith  which  are  to  be  found  for  ordinary  in  all  them 
that  do  really  believe,  that  is  when  not  under  the  im- 
mediate influence  of  some  temptation.  There  are, 
moreover,  some  marks  that  are  steadable  upon  all 
occasions,  in  a  storm,  as  well  as  in  fair  weather  ; 
they  are  of  use  to  the  soul  in  all  its  greatest  straits 
and  perplexities  ;  there  are  others  which  are  not  dis- 
cernible in  storms.  We  shall  only  insist  upon  the 
former,  and  shall  not  spend  your  time  in  handling 
many,  because  one  solid  mark  may  be  of  more  real 
and  solid  use  than  many. 

The  way  being  thus  far  cleared,  I  shall  now  pro- 


MAxV's    RECOVERY    BY    FAITH    IH    CHRIST.      161 

eeed  to  lay  before  you  some  of  these  evidences  of 
faith,  these  marks  whereby  ye  may  safely  conclude 
that  ye  do  believe.     And, 

1st,  We  say  one  may  know  and  be  sure  that  he 
doth  believe,  and  that  even  in  the  midst  of  all  temp- 
tations that  may  befal  him,  by  his  heart3 s  choosing, 
embracing,  and  approving  God's  way  of  saving  sin- 
ners by  the  mediation  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  relying 
thereon,  with  a  renunciation  of  all  other  pretended 
ivays.  This  mark  indeed  is  not  distinct  from  faith; 
for  it  is  one  of  the  principal  actings  of  saving  faith, 
jet  it  is  such  an  one  as  is  discernible  by  all  that  will 
reflect  upon  themselves,  and  that  even  under  great 
storms  and  violent  temptations.  Now,  that  ye  may 
understand  this  mark  distinctly,  we  shall,  1.  Give 
some  short  account  of  the  gospel- contrivance  for  the 
salvation  of  sinners.  2.  We  shall  shew,  Wherein  it 
is  that  this  approbation  of  the  gospel-method  of  sal- 
vation consists.  3.  We  shall  shew,  how  faith  doth 
approve  of  it.  And  lastly,  How  it  doth  discover, 
even  under  the  greatest  temptations,  that  it  indeed 
doth  approve  of  this  method,  to  an  utter  rejection  of 
all  others. 

1.  As  for  the  gospel-contrivance  which  faith  ap- 
proves of,  ye  may  take  some  account  of  it  in  the  fol- 
lowing remarks. 

(1.)  It  leans  upon  a  twofold  supposition  in  refer- 
ence to  man's  estate.  The  one  is  that  which  we  find 
our  Lord  asserting  of  the  church  of  Laodicea,  Rev. 
iii.  17.  And  it  is  equally  true  of  all  naturally.  All 
men,  by  nature,  "  are  wretched,  and  miserable,  and 
poor,  and  blind,  and  naked."  Poor  straying  apos- 
tate man  has  his  eyes  put  out,  and  knows  not  how  to 
take  one  step  towards  happiness  ;  he  is  as  blind  as  a 
stone.  Nor  has  he  any  thing  to  screen  himself  from 
the  wrath  of  a  sin-revenging  God  :  sin  has  made  him 
naked  :  he  has  now  no  garment  to  clothe  him,  to 
keep  the  shame  of  his  nakedness  from  being  seen. 
He  is  a  perfect  bankrupt,  and  cannot  go  to  the  charge 

Cc 


±62     MAN'S   EECOVEKi    BY  FAITH   IN   CHRIST. 

of  one  good  thought.  Ransack  his  heart,  look  never 
so  narrowly  into  it,  ye  shall  not  there  find  so  much 
goodness  left  by  sin,  as  to  furnish  out  one  really  good 
and  acceptable  thought.  Upon  all  these  accounts, 
he  is  miserable  and  wretched  with  a  witness.  Again, 
this  contrivance  lays  down  as  a  foundation  this  grand 
supposition,  that  man  can  do  nothing  for  the  supply 
of  his  own  wants. 

(2.)  The  gospel  is  a  discovery  of  a  blessed  contri- 
vance that  God  has  laid  down  for  the  salvation  of 
sinners,  for  providing  them  a  blessed  supply  of  all 
these  defects.  There  was  from  eternity  a  happy 
contrivance  framed,  for  providing  sinful  man  with  a 
garment,  a  robe  of  righteousness,  that  the  shame  of 
his  nakedness  may  not  appear;  and  for  preparing 
eye  salve  to  him,  to  cure  his  natural  folly  and  blind- 
ness ;  and  riches  to  him,  that  he  may  have  a  suffi- 
cient stock  to  live  upon  in  time  and  for  eternity,  even 
riches  of  grace  and  riches  of  glory,  the  unsearcha- 
ble riches  of  Christ.    For, 

(3.)  This  blessed  project  provides  all  this  supply 
for  poor  sinful  man.  in  Jesus  Christ,  the  Mediator 
of  the  covenant :  "  All  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and 
of  knowledge  are  hid  in  him  ;  for  it  pleased  the  Fa- 
ther, that  in  him  should  all  fulness  dwell,55  Col.  i.  19. 
and  ii.  3.  And  that  upon  this  blessed  design,  that 
all  his  people  might  come  to  him  as  the  great  repos- 
itory of  wisdom,  and  thence  derive  such  supplies  as 
they  find  occasion  for.  He  is  able  to  furnish  them 
with  riches  of  grace  here,  and  riches  of  glory  here- 
after ;  for  with  him  "  are  durable  riches  and  right- 
eousness," Prov.  viii.  18.  And  hence  it  is  that  we 
find  him  pressing  the  Laodicean  church  to  come  to 
him,  that  she  might  have  "  gold  tried  in  the  fire, 
that  she  might  be  rich ;  and  white  raiment  that  she 
might  be  clothed,  that  the  shame  of  her  nakedness 
might  not  appear ;  and  eye-salve,  that  she  might 
see,55  Rev.  iii.  18. 

(4.)  There  is  in  this  contrivance  a  way  laid  down, 


MAN'S    RECOVERY    BY   FAITH   IN    CHRIST.      163 

for  putting  the  persons  whom  God  designs  to  save 
in  the  actual  possession  of  that  blessed  provision 
that  is  made  for  them  in  a  Mediator;  and  sueh  a  way 
as  is  exactly  adapted  to  the  wise  and  holy  ends  God 
proposes  to  himself  in  the  whole  project. 

(5.)  The  great  design  God  aims  at,  both  in  mak- 
ing this  provision  for  the  supply  of  the  wants  of  elect 
sinners,  and  in  putting  them  in  the  possession  of  it, 
is,  on  the  one  hand,  to  advance  glorious  grace  ;  and, 
on  the  other,  to  lay  man  low.  This  is  expressly  as- 
serted to  be  the  design  of  God  in  carrying  on  this 
project  and  contrivance,  1  Cor.  i.  29.  30.  31.  Christ 
Jesus  "  is  made  of  God  to  us  wisdom,  righteousness, 
sanctiiication,  and  redemption ;  that  no  flesh  might 
glory  in  his  sight,  but  that  he  that  glorieth  may  glory 
in  the  Lord."  Man  has  wisdom,  but  there  is  no  access 
for  him  to  glory  in  it,  since  God  has  provided  ant! 
treasured  it  up  for  him  in  Christ  Jesus  ;  and  not  on- 
ly so,  but  actually  put  him  in  possession  of  it ;  for 
he  is  made  of  God  wisdom  to  him.  Man,  by  this 
means,  is  clothed  in  a  stately  robe  of  righteousness ; 
but  he  has  nothing  to  glory  of,  since,  I  may  say,  God 
not  only  prepares  the  robe,  but  puts  it  on.  Christ 
Jesus  being  made  of  God  righteousness  to  man,  he  is 
made  holy,  and  so  made  meet  to  be  a  sharer  of  the 
inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light  ;  but  what  has  he 
to  boast  of,  since  it  is  entirely  owing  to  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  that  he  is  so?  This  is  that  great  con- 
trivance which  faith  approves  of. 

2.  As  for  the  nature  of  this  approbation  whicli 
faith  gives  of  it,  whereby  it  evidences  its  own  truth 
and  reality,  we  may  take  it  up  in  four  things. 

(1.)  Some  knowledge  of  it.  Approbation  ever  im- 
plies knowledge  :  there  is  no  approving  of  that  which 
we  know  not.  And  before  we  do  approve  this  bles- 
sed contrivance,  we  must  see  it  in  a  supernatural 
light :  none  ever  will  approve  of  it,  who  see  it  only 
with  a  carnal  eye  ;  for  to  such  it  is  foolish  and 
weak.    To  save  sinners  by  a  crucified  Saviour,  in 


164      MAN'S  RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN  CHK1ST. 

such  a  way  as  to  ascribe  all  the  glory  of  it  to  the 
grace,  mercy,  and  love  of  God,  without  allowing 
ikvm  to  divide  the  spoils  with  God,  "  is  foolishness  to 
the  Greeks,  and  a  stumbling  block  to  the  Jews,"  1 
Cor,  i.  23. ;  and  it  ever  will  be  so,  unless  to  those  in- 
to whose  minds  and  hearts  God  has  «{  shined,  to  give 
the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in 
the  face  of  Jesus  Christ." 

(3.)  It  takes  in  the  heart's  satisfaction  with  God's 
ends  and  designs  in  this  blessed  device.  What  these 
are,  ye  may  understand  from  what  we  did  just  now 
discourse  to  you.  They  are  easily  reducible  to  these 
three.  First9  he' aims  at  the  salvation  of  his  own 
elect.  Secondly,  He  designs  to  save  them  in  such  a 
way,  as  that  they  shall  have  no  share  in  the  glory  of 
their  salvation.  Thirdly,  He  designs  to  have  all  the 
glory  of  it  to  his  own  blessed  name.  Now,  when 
one  approves  the  gospel-contrivance  for  the  salva- 
tion of  sinners,  then  his  heart  is  satisfied  with  all 
these  designs.  The  first  of  them  would  relish  well 
enough  even  with  a  carnal  heart ;  it  is  natural  to 
every  one  to  desire  salvation  :  but  the  other  two  will 
never  go  down  with  any  who  is  not,  by  a  day  of  God's 
power,  made  willing.  Nothing  but  omnipotent  grace 
can  make  man  content  to  stoop  so  low,  that  the  Lord 
alone  may  be  exalted. 

(3.)  This  approbation  takes  in  the  heart's  satis- 
faction with  the  means  God  has  made  choice  of  for 
compassing  these  blessed  designs.  The  misd  sees 
them  in  God's  light,  and  the  heart  rests  in  them  as 
proper  and  sufficient,  such  as  became  the  wisdom  of 
God  to  appoint  and  make  use  of,  in  order  to  the  at- 
tainment of  these  ends  ;  and  hereon, 

(4.)  There  ensues  the  heart's  cleaving  to  this  con- 
trivance, even  to  the  whole  of  it,  with  universal  sa- 
tisfaction, being  fully  content  with  it  in  all  its  parts, 
and  preferring  it  to  all  other  ways  ;  nay,  not  only  so, 
but  counting  them  loss  and  dung,  so  it  may  have  an 
interest  in  this^  way  and  method  of  God's  contriving. 


MAN'S     RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   Iff   CHRIST.      165 

This  is  that  acting  of  saving  faith  that  gives  a  sure 
title  to  Christ  and  all  his  purchase.  He  that  thus 
approves  of  this  blessed  device,  in  so  doing  putteth  to 
his  seal  that  God  is  true  in  the  record  he  hath  borne; 
and  this  is  the  record  tha  t  God  hath  borne,  that  he 
hath  provided  life,  and  that  "  this  life  is  in  his  Son," 
1  John  v,  10.  When  once  a  sinner  is  brought  this 
length,  then  God  reaches  all  his  design,  g^ts  all  that 
glory  he  is  seeking:  and  therefore  no  more  can  be 
required  in  order  to  the  sinner's  obtaining  the  advan- 
tage of  that  eontrivance.  It  were  easy  to  make  it 
appear*  that  all  the  descriptions  of  saving  faith  that 
we  find  in  the  scriptures  terminate  here.  I  proceed 
now, 

3.  To  inquire  particularly,  how  faith  doth  approve 
of  this  contrivance  ;  or,  what  is  in  it  that  it  doth  ap- 
prove. And  in  answer  to  this,  we  sav  faith  approves 
of  it, 

(1.)  As  away/idl  of  infinite  wisdom.  The  mani- 
fold wisdom  of  God  shines  with  such  a  dazzling  lus- 
tre in  the  eye  of  faith,  that  it  fills  the  soul  with  ad- 
miration at  the  depth  of  wisdom  that  doth  appear  in 
this  blessed  contrivance,  which  reconciles  the  seem- 
ingly irreconcileable  interests  of  justice  and  mercy  in 
God,  the  one  whereof  seems  to  rest  satisfied  with  no- 
thing short  of  the  sinner's  death,  and  the  other  de- 
mands his  life  :  moreover,  it  admires  this  contri- 
vance, because  it  reconciles  these  two  seemingly  irre- 
concileable desires,  viz.  that  of  the  glory  of  God, 
and  our  own  salvation.  Both  these  we  should  ever 
have,  and  both  these  every  one  that  is  savingly  en- 
lightened will  have  :  But  how  they  could  have  been 
together,  in  the  same  soul,  the  wit  of  men  or  angels 
could  never  have  contrived.  For  the  glory  of  God's 
faithfulness  in  his  threatenings,  of  his  authority,  pu- 
rity, and  wisdom  in  his  law,  seem  to  rest  satisfied 
with  nothing  short  of  the  sinner's  destruction  ;  there- 
fore, in  desiring  the  g'ory  of  God,  he  must  have  at 
#nce  desired  his  own  damnation ,   and  consequently* 

Cc3 


166      man's  BECOVERY   BY  YAITH   IN   CHRIST. 

in  desiring  his  own  salvation,  he  must  have  desired 
God's  dishonour.  But  now  this  blessed  contrivance 
lets  us  see  how  these  two  may  be,  not  only  reconcil- 
ed, but  made  inseparable  one  from  the  other.  Fur- 
ther, as  faith  approves  of,  and  admires  the  wisdom 
of  God  in  the  contrivance,  so, 

(2.)  Faith  approves  of  this  as  a  w&yfulloflove  and 
goodness;  and  consequently,  as  that  which  highly 
suits  the  nature  of  God,  who  represents  himself  as 
love,  "  God  is  love,"  1  John  iv.  8.  And  the  soul 
sees  and  perceives  a  blessed  suitableness  betwixt 
God's  nature  and  his  actings.  Hereby  it  perceives 
the  love  of  God  in  that  he  laid  down  his  life  for  his 
people.  This  is  that  which  the  apostle  takes  notice 
of,  Tit.  Hi.  5. — 7.  "  But  after  that  the  kindness  and 
love  of  God  our  Saviour  towards  men  appeared,  not 
by  works  of  righteousness  which  we  have  done,  but 
according  to  his  mercy,  he  saved  us,  by  the  washing 
of  regeneration,  and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
which  he  shed  on  us  abundantly,  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Saviour  :  that  being  justified  by  his  grace, 
we  should  be  made  heirs,  according  to  the  hope  of 
eternal  life."  Thus  faith  sees  this  way,  as  that 
which  is  full  of  kindness,  grace,  mercy,  and  love ; 
and  it  is  highly  pleased  with  it  as  such. 

(3.)  Faith  approves  it  as  a  way  wherein  much  of 
the  power  of  God  appears,  in  that  it  infallibly  ob- 
tains his  end :  "  Christ  crucified  to  the  Jews  is  a 
stumbling  block,  and  to  the  Greeks  foolishness;  but 
to  them  that  believe  he  is  the  wisdom  of  God,  and 
the  power  of  God."  They  see  more  power,  strength, 
and  efficacy  in  it,  than  any  creature  can  pretend 
justly  unto;  and  therefore  they  do,  on  this  account, 
approve  of  it,  as  becoming  the  omnipotent  God. 

(4.)  Faith  approves  of  this  way  as  that  which  ex- 
eeedingly  honours  God's  law  in  all  its  parts.  The 
obedience  that  the  Son  of  God  gave  to  it  in  his  life, 
was  the  highest  honour  it  was  capable  of:  and  there- 
in there  was  a  glorious  testimony  of  respect  given 


MAN'S    RECOVERY    BY    FAITH    IN    CHRIST.        4  67 

to  the  authority  of  God,  his  wisdom,  goodness,  and 
purity,  in  the  framing  the  law :  nor  was  the  sanc- 
tion of  the  law  less  honoured  by  Christ's  undergoing 
the  penalty  in  his  death,  than  the  precept  was  by  the 
obedience  of  his  life. 

(5.)  Faith  looks  upon  this  way  as  a  way  that  is 
full  of  peace,  and  approves  it  as  such,  all  challenges 
being  answered  by  it.  The  law  has  nothing  to  de- 
mand. If  it  require  perfect  obedience,  then  Christ 
hath  fulfilled  all  righteousness,  and  so  is  become 
fi  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one 
that  believes:'*  if  i<  demand  the  bearing  of  the  pe- 
nalty, then  Christ  has  done  that  also;  he  became 
obedient  even  unto  death :  so  that  he  answered  the 
law  in  both  its  demands.  God,  by  raising  him  from 
the  dead,  declared  himself  satisfied,  both  as  to  the 
one  and  as  to  the  other.  And  God  justifying,  con- 
science has  no  more  right  to  open  its  mouth  against 
the  sinner.  Thus  is  the  peace  and  comfort  of  the 
sinner  excellently  provided  for  by  this  contrivance  : 
and  faith  approves  of  it  with  respect  to  this. 

(6.)  Faith  approves  it  as  a  way  full  of  security 
for  poor  sinners.  The  soul  doth  by  faith  see  provi- 
sion laid  in  against  all  these  things  whence  it  has 
any  reason  to  fear  hurt ;  and  all  this  put  in  the  hand 
of  one  who  is  wise  to  dispense  it  seasonably,  and  has 
engaged  to  do  no  less.  It  sees  a  fountain  standing 
ever  open,  for  preventing  any  hazard  from  the  guilt 
of  sin  ;  it  sees  armour  laid  in  for  preventing  any  dan- 
ger from  the  power  of  sin  ;  and  withal  strength  pro- 
vided, for  the  management  of  that  armour.  In  one 
word,  it  sees  here  what  is  sufficient  to  satisfy  all 
its  desires.  These  may  be  all  reduced  to  two,  God's 
glory,  and  its  own  salvation.  Here  it  sees  them  so 
well  provided  for,  that  they  are  now  not  only  con- 
sistent, but  linked  together,  after  such  a  sort,  that 
not  only  the  salvation  of  sinners  is  consistent  with 
the  glory  of  God,  but,  moreover,  the  greater  the 
sinner  be,  the  greater  glory  has  God  in  his  salvation : 


168     man's  recovery  by  faith  m  Christ. 

and  upon  this  account  the  heart  doth  approve  this 
blessed  device,  as  that  which  in  particular  is  suited 
to  its  own  salvation,  counting  it  a  "  faithful  saying, 
and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  came  into 
the  world  to  save  sinners,  of  whom  itself  is  chief." 
Hereon  the  soul  cleaves  to  this  way  with  satisfac- 
tion and  delight,  as  the  only  way  wherein  its  own  sal- 
vation and  God's  glory  are  both  provided  for.  I  pro- 
ceed now, 

i.  To  inquire,   how  faith  doth   discover  its  satis- 
faction with,  and  approbation  of  this  way  of  salva- 
tion.    And  this  it  doth, 

(1.)  By  the  soul's  betaking  itself,  in  all  its  straits, 
fears,  and  storms,  to  this  as  Us  anchor.  If  guilt 
be  charged  upon  the  soul,  it  has  no  other  relief  but 
this  :  if  the  temptation  represent  God's  glory  and 
the  soul's  salvation  inconsistent,  the  soul  flees  to  this 
as  to  its  only  refuge  :  if  death  and  judgment,  and  its 
appearance  before  God,  present  themselves  to  the 
soul's  eye  ;  it  fixes  only  on  this,  as  that  which  alone 
can  give  it  relief  in  all  its  perplexities. 

(2.)  In  that  the  soul  doth  ever  confidently  reject 
all  other  ways  that  may  be  tendered.  Other  ways 
there  are  which  will  offer  themselves  to  the  soul  in 
its  straits  for  its  relief;  such  as,  diversions  to  take 
off  the  mind,  duties  te  satisfy  the  conscience,  promis- 
es of  amendment  for  the  futuje  :  failh  rejects  all 
these  as  insufficient;  it  will  not  look  to  them  for  re- 
lief. 

(3.)  When  at  any  time,  through  the  power  of  temp- 
tation, any  thing  has  been  attributed  to  self,  to  a  de- 
rogation from  the  glory  of  grace  in  this  contrivance, 
faith  will  discover  its  satisfaction  with  this  way,  by 
the  soul's  displeasure  with  itself,  for  discrediting 
this  blessed  contrivance. 

(4.)  The  soul  discovers  its  approbation  of  this  way 
by  that  high  satisfaction  and  delight  which  it  takes 
in  its  own  conformity  to  it.  When  faith  gets  the  soul 
moulded  into  the  very  frame  of  this  contrivance,  rest- 


man's  recovery  by  faith  in  chkist.    169 

ing  in  this  way,  taking  shame  to  itself,  attributing 
all  to  God,  then  it  fills  the  soul  with  refreshing  sweet- 
ness and  satisfaction.  The  conformity  the  soul  sees 
in  ifself  to  this  way,  makes  it  lovely  to  itself, 

(5.)  It  discovers  its  approbation  of  this  way,  in 
that  it  will  refuse  to  abandon  it.  Sometimes,  thro' 
the  power  of 'temptation,  it  may  be  made  to  fear  ex- 
ceedingly, that  it  get  not  hold  taken  of  this  blessed 
device  ;  but  it  will  not  be  beat  from  this,  that  it  is  a 
way  sufficient,  and  able  particularly  to  save  it,  could 
it  but  bring  itself  to  venture  on  it.  Therefore  it  will 
lay  the  weight  of  its  salvation  upon  this  way,  and  none 
other;  and  the  doubts  that  are  in  such  a  soul,  are 
not  about  the  sufficiency  of  the  way,  but  about  its 
own  being  in  it. 

2dly9  But,  passing  this  mark,  I  shall  now  offer  a 
second.  Wherever  saving  faith  is,  it  will  discover 
itself,  by  leading  the  believer  to  an  approbation  of 
the  whole  law  of  God,  not  only  as  holy,  just,  and 
spiritual,  but  as  good. 

A  stranger  to  the  faith  of  God's  elect  may  ap- 
prove of  some  of  the  commands  of  God.  A  tem- 
perate man  may  applaud  highly  the  law  that  forbids 
drunkenness  :  the  churl  may  approve  the  law  that  for- 
bids prodigality.  In  a  word,  every  one  may  approve 
such  precepts  as  strike  not  against  his  own  peculiar  sin 
or  sins  ;  but  the  believer  approves  the  whole  revela- 
tion of  God's  will  concerning  man's  holiness  and 
obedience. 

An  unbeliever  may  be  induced  to  own  the  law  to  be 
spiritual,  just,  and  holy  ;  but  never  can  he,  nor  will 
lie,  be  induced  practically  to  own  it  as  good :  here  it 
sticks.  It  is  only  faith  that  can  say,  that  his  com- 
mandments are  not  grievous  ;  for  "  the  carnal  mind 
is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can 
be."  The  light  of  nature  may  oblige  men  to  judge 
such  and  such  things  lawful  or  unlawful,  just  or  un- 
just; but  the  unrenewed  will,  can  never  be  induced 
to  bend  toward  the  law  of  God  as  that  which  is  good. 


170      MAN'S  RECOVERY  BY  FAITH  IN  CHRIST. 

Whatever  it  may  be  said  to  do  as  to. some  of  God's 
commands,  yet  it  can  never  have  an  equal  respect 
to  them  all :  for  an  unrenewed  will  is  not  subject, 
nor  can  be  subject,  to  the  law  of  God.  It  is  faith 
that  receives  Christ  as  a  king,  and  so  subjects  the 
soul  to  all  his  laws.  It  receives  him  as  the  King  of 
Salem,  as  the  King  of  peace,  one  that  has  framed 
all  his  laws  so,  that  they  all  concur  to  promote  that 
great  end  of  government,  the  peace  of  his  subjects. 
And  this  engages  the  soul  to  love  the  law  of  the 
Lord,  and  to  delight  in  it.  "  O  how  love  I  thy  law," 
says  the  Psalmist,  "  it  is  my  meditation  all  the  day," 
Psal.  cxix.  97.  The  righteous  man's  delight  is  in 
the  law  of  the  Lord,  Psal.  i.  2.  And  it  is  only  the 
righteous  man  who  can  delight  in  the  law  of  the 
Lord;  for,  if  we  speak  strictly,  the  ungodly,  the  un- 
believer, can  delight  in  or  approve  of  none  of  God's 
laws.  Sometimes  indeed,  as  has  been  said,  the  un- 
renewed man  may  reflect  with  delight  on  some  of 
God's  precepts;  but  he  has  no  regard  to  them  as 
such.  It  is  rather  the  things  enjoined,  than  the  pre- 
cept enjoining,  that  pleases  him.  It  is  not  the  con- 
gruity  of  the  thing  to  the  divine  will,  but  to  his  own 
inclination,  that  gains  his  approbation. 

Now,  what  say  ye  to  this  evidence?  Can  ye  say, 
that  ye  approve  of,  and  consent  cheerfully  to,  the 
whole  revelation  of  God's  will,  concerning  that  holi- 
ness and  obedience  which  he  requires  of  us  in  the 
scripture  ?  Such  as  do  indeed  approve  thus  of  the 
law  of  God,  may  it  is  like  be  perplexed  about  it, 
while  others,  who  are  alienate  from  the  life  of  God, 
will  boldly  pretend  unto  it.  To  these  bold  pretend- 
ers I  shall  only  say,  if  they  wilfully  deceive  them- 
selves, they  will  one  day  smart  for  their  folly  :  and 
if  they  do  hold  fast  this  mistake,  it  will  issue  iii  ano- 
ther, and  that  an  irrecoverable  one ;  it  will  make 
them  stumble  into  hell,  instead  of  going  to  heaven. 
As  for  such  who  know  not  well  whether  they  do  thus 
approve  of  the  law  of  God  or  not,  I  shall  endeavour 


MAN'S    RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN  CHRIST,      171 

their  relief,  by  mentioning  some  of  the  ordinary 
ways  whereby  the  soul  is  wont  to  express  or  disco- 
ver its  approbation  of  the  whole  of  that  obedience 
and  holiness  which  God  requires  of  us,  and  that  even 
while  it  is  at  the  lowest  ebb  of  strength  and  comfort. 

1.  The  believing  soul  looks  at  that  change  of  its 
nature,  and  its  renovation  into  a  conformity  to  the 
law  of  God,  with  unspeakable  satisfaction.  None 
doubt,  who  know  any  thing  of  the  gospel,  that  all 
believers  are  renewed  and  changed,  born  again  of  the 
water  and  Spirit,  renewed  after  the  image  of  God,  be- 
ing created  again  in  Christ  Jesus  to  good  works,  Eph. 
ii.  10.  I  do  moreover  suppose,  that  all  who  have  under- 
gone this  change  since  they  came  to  years,  are  in 
some  measure  conscious  of  it.  I  do  not  say,  that 
every  one  can  see  distinctly  all  the  lineaments  and 
draughts  of  the  new  creature,  every  particular  law 
written  upon  the  heart ;  or  that  every  one  can  even  see 

^.,  so  much  of  this  change,  know  its  renovation  so  far,  as 
to  be  sure  he  is  a  new  creature,  created  in  Christ  Je- 
sus to  good  works.  But  few,  if  any,  of  the  persons 
named,  will  be  found,  who  cannot  say,  and  who  do 
not  know,  that  once  they  had  no  liking  to  holiness, 
or  to  the  law  of  God,  but  had  an  aversion  from  con- 
formity to  it ;  but  now,  if  they  see  no  more,  yet 
they  see  a  desire  of  being  universally  holy,  and  that 
they  have  no  quarrel  at  it.  Thus  far  they  see  and 
know.  Now,  this  change  is  satisfying,  in  some  mea- 
sure, to  the  believing  soul :  it  looks  back  with  delight 
to  it,  and  thereby  discovers  \U  love  to  the  revela- 
tion of  God's  will  concerning  holiness. 

2.  The  believing  soul  discovers  its  liking  to  the 
law  of  God,  by  cherishing  and  entertaining  the  mo- 
tions that  it  fmds  in  itself  towards  this  law.  In  the 
renovation  of  our  natures,  we  are  made  partakers  of 
the  divine  nature  :  we  have  a  principle  of  life,  a  new 
heart,  implanted  in  us ;  and  this,  though  it  be  not 
always  discernible,  yet  is  ever  acting  and  exerting 
its  power  in  motions  and  inclinations  towards  the  law 


172         man's  recovery  BY  FAITH  IN  CHRIST. 

of  God,  and  obedience  thereto.  Every  believer  caw* 
not  but  feel  these  in  himself,  if  he  observe  carefully. 
Now,  the  believing  soul  entertains  and  cherishes 
these,  and  takes  a  peculiar  delight  in  so  doing ;  he 
has  peace  and  rest  while  he  does  it :  "  Great  peace 
have  all  they  that  love  thy  law."  Whereas,  on  the 
other  hand,  he  has  none  when  he  does  otherwise. 

3.  It  conceives  a  particular  satisfaction  in  such 
acts  of  obedience  as  carry  in  them  any  good  degree 
of  conformity  to  the  law  of  God.  When  a  believer 
attains  to  liveliness,  spirituality,  and  concern,  joined 
with  self  denial,  and  a  dependance  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  for  acceptance  in  any  duty  or  act  of  obedi- 
ence, then  he  is  pleased  therewith  :  and  herein  he 
discovers  a  great  love  to  the  law,  respecting  both  the 
matter  and  manner  of  the  duty  performed. 

4.  The  believer  discovers  his  delight  in  the  law  of 
the  Lord,  by  that  sweet  complacency  and  satisfaction 
which  he  will  find  in  any  measure  of  this  holiness 
that  others  have  attained  to.  Faith  looks  at  the  ho- 
liness required  by  the  law  transcribed  into  the  lives 
of  fellow-believers,  and  is  highly  pleased  therewith  ; 
and  the  more  there  is  of  it  transcribed  into  the  walk 
and  life  of  any,  the  higher  value  it  will  teach  us  to 
put  upon  them.  It  makes  us  look  on  such  as  have 
any  thing  of  this  image  of  God  as  excellent  and  hap- 
py. If  the  believer  cannot  see  himself  conformed 
to  this  law,  yet  he  is  pleased  to  see  others,  and  looks 
upon  them  as  the  excellent  ones  of  the  earth.  If  he 
cannot  get  his  own  heart  so  engaged  as  he  would 
wish  ;  yet  he  will  look  upon  them  as  happy,  in  whose 
hearts  are  the  ways  of  God.  This  is  a  clear  proof 
of  the  believer's  being  pleased  with,  and  of  his  de- 
lighting in  the  revelation  of  the  will  of  God  concern- 
ing man's  holiness,  when  he  is  delighted  with  the 
picture  of  it,  wherever  he  sees  it,  in  himself  or 
others. 

5.  The  believer  discovers  his  liking  to  God's  law, 
that  enjoins  holiness,  in  that  he  will  not  entertain 


MAN'S   RECOVERY  BY   FAITH   IS   CHRIST.       173 

the  least  dislike  of  it,  when  he  is  under  the  greatest 
temptations  to  do  so.  When  he  falls  under  appre- 
hensions that  he  shall  be  ruined  for  want  of  a  due 
compliance  with  the  law,  he  may  well  be  displeased 
with  himself,  but  he  will  not  be  so  with  the  com- 
mandment, Rom.  vii.  10. — 12.  w  The  commandment 
which  was  ordained  unto  life,  I  found  to  be  unto 
death ;  but  the  law  is  holy,  and  the  commandment 
holy,  just,  and  good."  However  it  be  with  me,  what- 
ever becomes  of  me,  though  I  die  and  perish,  yet 
the  law  is  good.  The  soul  under  the  conduct  of 
faith,  though  it  cannot  reach  a  full  compliance  with 
the  will  of  God,  yet  it  dislikes  nothing  in  it.  Though 
the  law  enjoins  duties  cross  to  its  natural  inclina- 
tions, attended  with  great  difficulties,  and  interfer- 
ing with  interests  in  the  world,  yea,  and  such  as 
expose  to  great  hazards ;  yet  it  will  entertain  no 
dislike  at  any  thing  in  this  good  law,  nor  desire  to 
have  any  alteration  or  abatement.  Itself  it  would 
have  changed,  and  brought  to  a  compliance  with  the 
will  of  God;  but  never  will  it  desire  any  alteration 
in  the  law.  It  may  desire  some  alteration  sometimes 
in  God's  providential  disposal  of  its  concerns  ;  but 
as  to  the  commands  which  respect  our  holiness  and 
obedience,  it  wills,  it  wishes  no  change ;  and  this  is  a 
sure  proof  of  its  high  esteem  of  the  law. 

6.  That  soul  that  is  under  the  conduct  of  faith, 
will  evidence  its  satisfaction  with  the  law  by  its  dis- 
pleasure with  itself,  upon  every  occasion  wherein 
there  is  any  new  discovery  of  its  own  want  of  con- 
formity to  the  law  in  any  notable  instance.  No  soon- 
er comes  it  to  understand,  that  it  has  fallen  short  of 
conformity  to,  or  swerved  from  the  law,  in  any  nota- 
ble instance,  but  it  is  filled  with  self-abhorrence. 
Holiness  it  would  be  clothed  with,  and  likes  ;  and 
therefore,  when  it  gets  a  view  of  itself  without  it, 
in  any  eminent  measure,  it  cannot  be  reconciled 
to  itself. 

7.  Faith  discovers  its  approbation  of  the  law,  by 

D  d 


174       MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST, 

filling  the  soul  with  desires  anil  longings  after  a  con- 
formity to  the  law.  It  puts  the  prayer  of  the  Psal- 
mist in  the  soul5s  mouth.  "  O  that  my  ways  were  di- 
rected to  keep  thy  statutes,"  Psal.  cxix.  5.  That 
psalm  is  full  of  such  desires,  which  are  so  many  il- 
lustrious proofs  of  the  Psalmist's  faith. 

8.  To  conclude,  the  soul  under  the  conduct  of  faith 
shows  its  approbation  of,  and  satisfaction  with,  the 
whole  revelation  of  the  will  of  God  concerning  that 
holiness  he  requires  of  man,  by  refusing  to  be  satis- 
fied with  any  condition,  wherein  it  falls  short  of  a 
full  conformity  to  it.  Tell  such  a  soul,  that  God  is 
reconciled  to  it ;  nay,  though  God  himself  intimate 
to  the  believer's  soul,  (hat  he  is  reconciled  to  him, 
that  he  has  forgiven  his  sins,  that  he  means  to  take 
him  to  heaven,  that  it  shall  pass  the  power  of  devils 
or  men  to  disappoint  him  of  heaven  ;  yet  all  this  will 
not  make  him  satisfied,  till  he  obtain  a  full  confor- 
mity to  the  law  of  God.  The  believer  says,  with 
Hainan  in  another  case,  Esth.  v.  13.  «  All  this  avail- 
cth  me  nothing,  so  long  as  I  see  Mordecai :55  so  long 
as  I  see  any  sin,  nothing  can  satisfy  fully  :  "  But 
when  I  awake,  I  shall  be  satisfied  with  thy  likeness,55 
Psal.  xvii.  15.  Never  will  I  be  satisfied  till  I  belike 
thee,  says  the  believing  soul.  Now,  if  ye  can  say, 
that  ye  do  thus  approve  the  whole  revelation  of  the 
will  of  God  concerning  duty,  then  ye  do  believe  j  if 
not,  ye  do  not  believe.     We  now  proceed  to  a 

Third  mark,  whereby  ye  may  know  whether  ye  do 
believe  or  not ;  and  that  is  taken  from  the  express 
testimony  of  the  apostle  Peter,  M  To  you,  therefore, 
who  believe,  he  is  precious,55 1  Pet.  ii.  7.  Wherever 
there  is  faith,  it  raises  Christ  high,  and  places  him 
on  the  throne,  both  in  the  mind  and  in  the  affections. 
Now,  how  is  it  with  you  ?  Is  Christ  precious  to  you  ? 
(1.)  Have  ye  many  thoughts  about  him  ?  serious  and 
sober  thoughts,  I  mean.  Few  of  you,  I  fear,  have 
so;  and  a  sure  proof  this  is,  that  ye  have  no  high 
esteem  of,  and  sincere  love  for  him.    (2.)  Are  ye 


MANfS   RECOVERY   BY  FAITH   IX   CHRIST.       175 

at  much  pains  to  commend  him  to  the  esteem  and 
affection  of  others,  especially  of  those  whom  ye  love 
most?  What  say  ye  to  this,  parents,  children,  hus- 
bands^ wives  ?  take  ye  care  to  commend  Christ  to 
one  another  ?  (3.)  Do  ye  prize  opportunities  of  see- 
ing Christ,  of  getting  into  his  acquaintance  ?  Do  ye 
prize  the  means  of  his  own  appointment,  for  getting 
discoveries  of  him  ?  (4.)  Can  ordinances  satisfy  you 
without  him  ?  Can  ye  this  day  go  home  from  this 
house,  as  great  strangers  to  Christ  as  ye  came,  and 
yet  go  well  satisfied  with  your  day's  work?  Then  I 
dare  say  ye  do  not  believe.  (5.)  Do  ye  resolutely 
part  with  every  thing  that  comes  in  competition  with 
Christ  ?  When  you  must  lose  the  world  or  Christ,  or 
disoblige  the  world  or  Christ,  which  of  the  two  do 
ye  make  choice  of  ?  (6.)  Can  other  things  satisfy 
without  Christ  ?  If  so,  then  truly  he  is  not,  and  can- 
not be  said  to  be,  precious  to  you. 

Other  marks  of  faith  I  shall  now  pass  ;  and  shall 
reduce  those  three  that  I  have  given  you,  to  three 
questions,  which  I  crave  leave  to  interrogate  your 
consciences  seriously  upon  :  1.  Are  you  pleased  with, 
do  you  rest  satisfied  with  Christ  Jesus  himself?  See 
ye  any  loveliness  in  his  person  ?  or  is  he  to  you  one 
void  of  form  or  comeliness  ?  2.  Do  you  renounce  your 
own  wisdom,  righteousness,  and  strength,  and  ven- 
ture your  all  upon  his  wisdom,  righteousness,  and 
strength  ?  3.  Are  you  pleased  with  his  yoke?  do  you 
really  think  his  burden  light,  and  his  yoke  easy  ?  If 
ye  dare  assert,  then,  that  ye  have  seen,  and  are  plea- 
sed with  the  person  of  Christ,  that  ye  are  satisfied 
with  his  provision  for  your  salvation,  and  with  his 
yoke ;  then  I  dare,  in  Christ's  name,  assert  you  be- 
lievers. 

I  shall  conclude  this  use,  by  speaking  a  little  to 
several  sorts  of  persons  among  you.  We  have  now 
been  laying  before  you  some  marks,  or  characters, 
whereby  ye  may  know  yourselves.  Let  me  therefore 
seriously,  as  in  God's  sight,  inquire  of  you,  Have  ye 


176       MAN'S    RECOVERY   BY  FAITH   IN    CHRIST. 

applied  those  characters  to  yourselves,  that  ye  might 
know  what  your  state  is,  whether  ye  do  believe  or 
not?  Some,  I  hope,  have  made  conscience  of  doing 
so,  out  of  a  real  desire  to  be  at  a  point  in  this  great 
matter:  others,  I  fear,  have  not  been  at  pains  to  be 
satisfied  in  this  matter,  either  out  of  carelessness,  or 
out  of  fear  that  possibly  the  result  of  the  trial  might 
not  be  satisfying  $  or  out  of  a  vain  presumption  that 
it  was  needless. 

To  the  latter  sort,  I  say,  (1.)  Is  it  not  worth  your 
while  to  know  whether  ye  do  believe  on  the  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ  or  not?  Care  ye  not  whether  ye  be  saved 
or  damned — whether  heaven  or  hell  be  your  portion  ? 
(2.  Have  ye  no  regard  to  the  command  of  God,  that 
bids  you  <<  try  your  ownselves,  and  prove  yourselves," 
that  bids  you  «  give  all  diligence  to  make  your  call- 
ing and  election  sure  ?"  (3.)  Though  ye  be  afraid  to 
know  the  worst,  and  endeavour  never  so  industrious- 
ly to  hoodwink  yourselves,  ye  will  be  made  at  last  to 
know  what  ye  are.  (4.)  Supposing  the  worst,  whe- 
ther will  the  knowledge  of  the  worst  now  or  hereaf- 
ter, when  there  will  be  no  remedy,  be  most  painful 
and  terrible  ?  (5.)  Are  ye  so  sure,  that  ye  need  not  a 
trial  ?  Have  not  others  thought  themselves  believers, 
and  yet  have  found  themselves  in  a  mistake  ?  (6.) 
Your  carelessness  and  neglect  of  trying,  is  a  suffi- 
cient trial ;  it  plainly  shows,  that  you  are  not  sincere, 
that  you  are  unbelievers  ;  and  therefore  we  shall  list 
you  amongst  them.  Believers  not  only  try  them- 
selves, but  do,  moreover,  apply  to  God  that  he  may 
try  them,  Psal.  exxxix.  23.  "  Search  me,  O  God, 
and  know  my  heart :  try  me,  and  know  my  thoughts." 

As  for  those  who  have  been  at  pains  to  apply  these 
things  to  themselves,  I  shall  put  this  question  to  them : 
Do  you  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus,  or  do  you  not? 
Ye  may  be  cast  all  into  three  sorts  and  ranks. 

1.  Some  of  you  are  found  unbelievers  with  a  wit- 
ness ;  and  your  sin  is  written  in  legible  characters© 
even  as  it  were  with  a  sun- beam. 


MAN'S   RECOVERY  BY  FAITH   1ST  CHRIST.        177 

2.  Some  have  endeavoured  to  know,  but  scarce  can 
determine,  whether  they  do  believe  or  not. 

3.  A  third  sort  there  is,  who  can  say  they  believe  on 
tlie  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

I  shall  speak  shortly  to  each  of  these  sorts  of  per- 
sons, and  then  conclude  this  subject. 

First,  I  shall  address  myself  to  unbelievers,  who 
make,  I  fear,  the  most  considerable  part  in  this  audi- 
tory. To  this  sort  belong  all  the  openly  profane, 
swearers,  drunkards,  liars,  unclean,  fornicators,  and 
adulterers,  profaners  of  the  Lord's  day ;  and,  more- 
over, all  grossly  ignorant  sinners,  all  self-righteous 
sinners,  all  habitual  neglecters  of  duties,  secret,  pri- 
vate, or  public ;  in  one  word,  all  who  do  not  approve 
of  God's  contrivance  for  the  salvation  of  sinners,  who 
approve  not  of  the  law  of  God,  to  whom  Christ  is  not 
precious.  I  shall  speak  to  you,  as  shortly  as  may 
be,  of  your  sin,  your  danger,  and  your  duty. 

1.  I  begin  with  your  sin.  I  shall  not  insist  in  dis- 
coursing of  the  nature  of  unbelief  in  the  general;  I 
shall  only  name  some  of  the  ingredients  in  your  sin. 
If  one  be  accused  of  murder,  adultery,  incest,  or  the 
like,  his  name  is  presently  odious,  and  every  one  looks 
on  him  as  a  monster,  and  that  justly.  Yet  your  sin 
goes  a  step  beyond  any  or  all  of  these:  It  has  no  pa- 
rallel. While  ye  view  it  in  bulk,  it  appears  little  :  I 
shall  therefore  give  you  a  view  of  it  in  its  parts,  and 
expostulate  with  you  in  reference  to  your  guilt. 

|l.)  Is  it  a  small  thing  to  you,  O  unbelievers  !  to 
trample  upon  the  authority  of  God,  to  contemn  it  in 
the  most  signal  instance  ?  God  has  put  a  special  stamp 
of  his  authority  on  the  command,  to  believe  on  the 
Lord  Jesus,  1  John  iii.  23.  "  This  is  his  command- 
ment, that  we  should  believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son 
Jesus  Christ ;"  and  will  nothing  less  serve,  than  to 
attack  that  command  which  God  has  declared  his 
most  special  regard  unto  ? 

(2.)  Is  it  a  small  thing  with  you,  unbelievers,  to 
charge  a  lie  upon  the  God  of  truth  ?  And  this  is  your 

Dd3 


±78      MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY    FAITH   IN   CHRIST. 

sin,  1  John  v.  10.  "  He  that  believeth  not  God,  hatli 
made  him  a  liar,  because  lie  believeth  not  the  record 
that  God  gave  of  his  Son."  Nay,  you  seal  this  mon- 
strous untruth,  that  the  God  of  truth  is  a  liar  ;  for 
as  he  that  believeth  putteth  his  seal  to  the  faith- 
fulness of  God,  so  the  unbeliever  calls  God  a  liar, 
and  sets  his  seal  to  it. 

(3.)  Ye  impute  folly  to  the  only  wise  God,  and  that 
in  the  most  signal  instance  of  his  wisdom.  AH  the 
treasures  of  wisdom  are  laid  out  in  this  contrivance. 
Here  is  manifold  wisdom,  wisdom  in  a  mystery,  the 
admiration  of  angels,  the  wonder  of  the  world  for  wis- 
dom. Is  it  then  so  light  a  matter  for  you  to  charge 
God,  as  ye  do,  with  folly  ?  Unbelief  calls  it  foolish- 
ness in  the  abstract ;  while  faith  calls  this  contri- 
vance wisdom,  and  even  a  master-piece  of  wisdom. 

(4.)  Ye  charge  God  with  a  defect  of  goodness,  and 
reject,  yea^  trample  upon  his  love,  grace,  mercy,  and 
kindness.     This  is  the  glass  wherein  alone  all  these 
things  are  to  be  seen  ;  herein  appears  the  love,  the 
kindness,  the  mercy  of  God  :  this  is  his  name,  where- 
by he  desires  to  be  known,  "  The  Lord,  the  Lord 
God,  merciful  and  gracious;"  this  is  his  blessed  face 
which  he  has  discovered  to  us  under  the  gospel.  Un- 
belief breaks  the  glass  wherein  God's  goodness  is  to 
be  seen,  blurs  this  title  and  name  which  God  values 
himself  upon,  spits  in  the  very  face  of  God,  and  con- 
temns the  discovery  he  has  made  of  himself.     In  a 
word,  it  makes  an  attempt  upon  the  very  life  of  God, 
in  this  matter.     It  endeavours  to  rifle  his  cabinet, 
and  carry  away  the  most  precious  crown-jewel  in 
heaven,  that  glory  which  he  will  not  give  to  any  o- 
ther,  that  is  dear  to  him  as  his  life.     The  believer, 
like  Abraham,  Rom.  iv.  gives  glory  to  God  ;  and  the 
unbeliever  takes  it  away  as  much  as  he  possibly  can. 
(5.)  Ye  who  are  unbelievers  call  Christ  accursed, 
whom  God  has  blessed,  in  whom  all  the  elect  ones 
are  blessed,  whom  all  the  angels  and  saints  above  do 
bless  aad  eternally  praise.    Was  it  not  enough,  that 


i 


man's  recovery  BY  FAITH  IN  CHRIST.      179 

our  Lord  while  on  earth,  did  suffer  of  this  sort  from 
his  unnatural  countrymen,  that  ye  must  add  to  their 
wickedness?  It  may  be,  ye  may  think  to  refuse  the 
charge  ;  but  this  is  a  vain  attempt,  it  cannot  do.— 
Where  Christ  has  once  been  preached,  every  one  ei- 
ther says,  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  or  calls  him,  at 
bestj  practically  accursed,  and  rejects  him  as  a  hor- 
rid impostor.  And  is  this  a  small  sin,  to  treat  the 
Lord  of  glory  so? 

(6.)  As  if  this  were  not  enough,  ye  imbrue  your 
hands  in  the  blood  of  God9  crucifying  to  yourselves 
afresh  the  Son  of  God,  and  practically  owning  and 
avouching  as  yours  the  cursed  impiety  of  the  Jews. 
Believe  it,  not  upon  my  word,  but  upon  the  testimo- 
ny of  God's  word,  that  they  may  have  a  hand  in  cru- 
cifying Christ,  who  never  saw  him  in  the  face.  Those 
we  find  charged  with  tins  guilt,  by  the  apostle  to  the 
Hebrews,  Heb.  vi.  6.  We  have  no  reason  to  suspect 
that  most  of  them  ever  saw  Christ  in  the  face. 

(7.)  But  may  not  all  this  suffice  ?  Has  not  the  Son 
of  God  suffered  enough  at  your  hands,  when  ye  treat 
him  as  a  cursed  deceiver ,  and,  with  the  wicked  Jews, 
cry  out  by  your  practice,  "  Crucify  him,  this  fellow 
is  not  worthy  to  live  :"  But  must  there  be  some 
further  evidence  of  your  spite  against  the  Lamb  of 
GjhI  ?  Ay,  more,  every  unbeliever  tramples  under 
foot  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God.  It  is  not  enough 
that  Christ  is  maligned,  and  by  your  practice  refu- 
sed as  an  impostor  ;  but  ye  must  crucify  him  :  and, 
as  if  your  spite  could  not  terminate  with  his  death, 
ye  trample  his  blood  under  foot.  Ye  have  already 
in  practice  rejected  Christ  ;  there  wants  but  one  step 
to  involve  you  in  the  guilt  of  those  of  whom  the 
apostle  says,  Heb.  x.  29.  that  they  "  trode  under  foot 
the  Son  of  God,  and  counted  the  blood  of  the  cove- 
nant an  unholy  thing."  All  unbelief  has  something 
of  this  in  it. 

(8.)  And  that  nothing  might  be  wanting  to  enhance 
your  guilt,   all  this  is  done  under  the  pretence  of 


ISO      MAN^  EECOVERY  BT  FAITH  IN  CHRIST. 

friendship;  ye  cry,  Hail  Master,  and  then  crucify 
him ;  ye  betray  the  Son  of  Man  with  a  kiss.  Ye 
wear  his  livery,  eat  his  bread,  eall  him  Master ;  and 
yet  lift  up  the  heel  against  him  :  a  crime  not  to  be 
paralleled  by  any,  but  that  -of  Judas  j  the  Jews 
owned  themselves  his  enemies.     See  Heb.  x.  19. 

(9.)  That  the  whole  Trinity  may  bear  its  propor* 
lion  in  your  cursed  opposition  to  it,  ye  do  despite  un- 
to the  Spirit  of  God.  What  can  be  a  higher  con- 
tempt  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  than  to  refuse  his  testi- 
mony, resist  his  strivings,  and  thereby  grieve  him; 
and  this  every  one  of  you  has  done  many  a^lay. 

(10.)  Ye  declare  a  gospel  ministry  useless  ;  ye  call 
not  only  ministers,  but  all  who  have  owned  Christ, 
fools:  ye  justify  their  persecutors,  and  mock  both 
God  and  man  in  your  professed  adherence  to  the 
name  of  Christ,  and  profession  of  religion.  In  one 
word,  ye  reject  Christ,  resist  his  Spirit,  and  maltreat 
his  ambassadors. 

Thus  far  have  we  shortly  laid  before  you  your  sin. 
"With  the  like  brevity,  I  shall, 

2.  Represent  your  danger.  Unbelievers,  ye  sit 
secure,  ye  fear  no  ill.  Ye  do  perhaps  promise  your- 
selves peace,  and,  with  the  fool  in  the  gospel,  have 
long  ago  sung  a  requiem  to  yourselves,  Soul,  take  thee 
rest.  Well  were  it  for  you,  could  ye  always  deem 
so  :  but  think  on  it,  this  will  not  do  ;  I  assure  you, 
your  hazard  is  great  beyond  thought,  as  secure  as 
ye  sit.  That  I  may,  if  possible,  awaken  you,  I  shall 
shortly  tell  you,  what  it  is  ye  are  in  hazard  of,  and 
then  show  wherein  your  hazard  lies.  And  if,  after 
a  just  consideration  of  these  two,  ye  think  it  not 
worth  your  while  to  provide  for  own  security,  then 
sleep  on. 

If  ye  ask  what  ye  have  to  fear,  I  shall  give  you  a 

short  account  of  it,  from  four  scripture  expressions* 

(1.)  It  is  damnation  ye  have  to  fear:  "  He  that 

belie  veth  shall  be  saved  ;  he  that  belie veth  not  shall 

be  damned."    So  says  the  bcripture,  Mark  xvi.  16. 


MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST.      181 

Damnation,  though  jested  at  by  some,  is  yet  a  very 
grave  and  momentous  thing.  A  sentence  passed  by 
The  great  Judge,  before  so  solemn  an  assembly  as 
that  of  angels  and  men,  adjudging  poor  sinners  to 
hell,  by  an  irrevocable  sentence,  and  unalterable  ap- 
pointment, is  sure  no  light  matter. 

(2.)  It  is  wrath  the  unbeliever  has  to  fear,  and  is 
in  hazard  of:  «  He  that  believeth  not  is  condemned 
already,  and  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him," 
John  iii,  18,  3(5.  And  "  who  knows  the  power  of 
God's  wrath  ?M  Who  can  endure  the  anger  of  an 
incensed  God  ?  This  expression  is  designed  to  point 
forth  the  severitv  of  the  sentence.  It  is  borrowed 
from  men,  who,  though  they  may  sometimes  calmly, 
without  any  anger,  punish  ;  yet,  when  they  are  in 
wrath,  they  deal  with  greater  severity,  and  are  not 
influenced  with  these  mitigating  considerations, 
which  sometimes  bind  up  their  hand.  Th«  angry 
man  designs  not  the  good  of  the  person  he  punishes, 
as  the  other  does,  but  his  ruin.  So  when  God  de- 
signs to  ruin  impenitent  sinners,  he  is  said  to  deal 
with  them  in  wrath,  2  Thess.  i.  8.  9. 

(3.)  It  is  destruction.  This  tells  the  event.  They 
who  fear  not  God,  know  him  not,  and  obey  not  the 
gospel,  are  doomed  to  everlasting  destruction,  2 
Thess.  i.  9.  Ruin  or  destruction  is  the  doom  of  un- 
believers. Their  hopes  for  the  future,  as  well  as 
their  present  enjoyments,  are  entirely  destroyed, and 
that  with  an  everlasting  destruction. 

(i.)  It  is  called  punishment;  and  this  points  out 
the  nature  of  that  which  ye  are  in  hazard  of  It  is 
a  punishment,  and  that  a  sore  one,  proportioned  to 
your  crime.  The  love  of  God,  as  great  as  it  is.  is 
contemned,  by  rejecting  the  gospel  proposal,  for 
the  salvation  of  sinners  ;  even  the  love  of  the  Fa- 
ther, which  is  so  highly  commended  in  giving  his 
Son,  and  the  love  of  the  Son  that  is  so  highly  mag- 
nified in  giving  himself.  This  punishment  will  be 
proportioned  to  the  value  of  that  blood  that  i9  tram* 


182      MAX'S    RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST. 


pled  upon.  If  ye  be  charged  with  so  great  a  debt  as 
is  the  price  of  the  blood  of  God,  it  will  not  be  soon 
paid.  It  is  great  in  proportion  to  the  means  en- 
joyed, whereby  ye  might  have  obtained  an  interest 
among  God's  chosen  ones,  had  ye  managed  suitably. 
In  fine,  it  is  great  in  proportion  to  that  salvation 
which  is  slighted,  the  greatness  whereof  we  did  il- 
lustrate at  some  length  formerly.  "  If  the  word 
spoken  by  angels,  was  stedfast,  and  every  transgres- 
sion and  disobedience  received  a  just  reeompence  of 
reward  ;  how  shall  we  escape,  if  we  neglect  so  great 
salvation,  which  at  the  first  began  to  be  spoken  by 
the  Lord,  fand  was  afterwards  confirmed  unto  us  by 
them  that  heard  him  2"  Heb.  ii.  2.  3.  M  He  that 
despised  Moses9  law,  died  without  mercy,  under  two 
or  three  witnesses  :  of  how  much  sorer  punishment, 
suppose  ye,  shall  he  be  thought  worthy,  who  hath 
trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God,  and  hath  counted 
the  blood  of  the  covenant  wherewith  he  was  sancti- 
fied, an  unholy  thing,  and  hath  done  despite  unto  the 
Spirit  of  grace  ?  For  we  know  him  that  hath  said, 
Vengeance  belongeth  unto  me,  and  I  will  repay, 
saith  the  Lord." 

But  wherein  lies  our  hazard,  will  he  say,  of  all 
these  evils  ye  speak  of?  I  answer,  Ye  are  indeed  in 
Imminent  danger.     For, 

(1.)  The  nature  of  God  makes  your  punishment 
necessary.  Sin,  every  sin,  is  the"  abominable  thing 
which  God  hates,"  Jer.  xliv.  4.  Much  more  is  un- 
belief so,  which,  on  the  account  formerly  mention- 
ed, has  something  in  it  beyond  other  sins. 

(2.)  God  has  threatened  unbelievers  with  wrath, 

damnation,  destruction,  and  punishment ;  and  when 

once  he  threatens,  all  his  attributes  stand  engaged 

for  the  execution.    Has  he  said,  and  will  he  not  do  ? 

(3.)  He  has  impartially  punished  others  :  and  is  not 
this  proof  enough  of  the  measure  ye  may  expect  to 
meet  with  ?  The  carcases  of  the  Israelites  fell  in  the 
wilderness,  for  unbelief. 


man's  kecovery  BY  FAITH  IN  CHRIST.     183 

(4.)  There  is  na  possible  remedy  for  your  sin.  Such 
as  reject  Cnrist,  reject  the  only  remedy  ;  and  if "  we 
sin  wilfully,  after  we  receive  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  there  remaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sins, 
but  a  certain  fearful  looking  for  of  judgment,  and 
fiery  indignation,  which  shall  devour  the  adversa- 
ries," Heb.  x.  26,  27. 

(5.)  To  make  all  sure,  the  oath  of  God  is  engaged 
for  your  punishment,  Heb.  iii.  18.  and  to  "  whom 
sware  he  that  they  should  not  enter  into  his  rest,  but 
to  them  that  believed  not  V9  Had  we  time  to  dis- 
course of  these  things  at  length,  your  danger  might 
be  easily  manifested. 

3.  I  shall  now  shut  up  what  I  have  to  say  to  you, 
in  a  short  account  of  your  duty,  having  already  laid 
before  you  your  sin  and  imminent  danger.  The  sum 
of  this  is  that  which  is  contained  in  the  words  ^four 
text,  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Before  we 
come  to  press  this  duty  upon  you,  we  must  acquaint 
you,  that  we  come  not  in  our  own  name  to  treat  with 
you  upon  this  head ;  but  under  the  character  and  no- 
tion of  Christ's  ambassador,  clothed  with  a  commis- 
sion from  him.  We  do  come  to  you  in  his  name,  and 
shall  treat  with  you  according  to  the  instructions  re- 
ceived from  our  great  Lord  and  Master.  According 
to  our  instructions,  then,  we  do  in  his  name  demand 
and  require  several  things,  all  comprehended  in  that 
short  one,  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

(1.)  That  ye  do  own  and  acknowledge  yourselves 
fools,  blind  and  ignorant  sinners,  utterly  void  of,  and 
incapable  by  your  own  endeavours  to  attain  to,  any 
measure  or  degree  of  the  saving  knowledge  of  God  ; 
and  that  ye  do  receive,  rest,  rely,  and  believe,  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  for  instruction,  wisdom,  and  un- 
derstanding of  all  things  that  are  needful  to  be  known, 
in  order  to  your  acceptance  with  God,  and  partaking 
of  his  salvation :  «  Trust  in  the  Lord  with  all  thy 
heart,  and  lean  not  to  thine  own  understanding," 
Prov.  iii.  b.  "  Let  no  man  deceive  himself ;  if  any 


184       MAN*S    RECOVERY   BY     2A1TH   IS   CHRIST. 

man  among  you  seemeth  to  be  wise  in  this  world,  let 
him  become  a  fool  that  he  may  be  xr ise,"  1  Cor.  Hi. 
18. ;  which  he  can  no  otherwise  be,  than  by  trusting 
entirely  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  made  of 
God,  to  all  them  that  believe,  wisdom. 

(2.)  We  do,  in  our  great  Lord  and  Master's  name, 
demand  and  require,  that  in  your  appearances  at  the 
bar  of  God,  or  of  his  deputy,  your  own  conscience, 
to  answer  for  your  sins,  ye  do  never  once  look  to,  or 
in  the  least  expect  to  be  absolved,  acquitted,  or  jus- 
tified, on  account  of  any  righteousness  of  your  own; 
but  that  ye  shall  here  disclaim  your  own  righteous- 
ness entirely,  without  offering  to  plead  in  your  own 
justification,  your  own  doings  or  sufferings,  resting 
and  relying  only  upon  that  righteousness  which  Christ 
has  wrought,  pleading  only  that  Christ  has  suffered 
all  the  punishment  that  the  law  did  threaten  you 
with,  and  has  yielded  a  full  and  complete  obedience 
to  all  its  demands  in  your  name  ;  to  which  righteous- 
ness, active  and  passive,  ye  trust,  as  that  only 
whereby  ye  can  be  absolved  at  the  bar  of  God  from 
the  charge  laid  against  you,  and  have  a  title  to  that 
life  and  happiness  which  is  the  promised  reward 
thereof.  Ye  must,  with  the  Apostle,  Phil.  iii.  9. 
"  count  all  but  loss  and  dung,  that  ye  may  win  Christ, 
and  be  found  in  him,  not  having  your  own  righteous- 
ness which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is  through 
the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God 
by  faith." 

(3.)  Whereas  ye  have  by  your  sins  rendered  your- 
selves justly  obnoxious  and  liable  to  the  displeasure, 
anger,  and  wrath,  of  the  holy  and  just  God,  we  do 
require,  that  ye  shall  never  offer  to  him  your  own 
faith  or  obedience,  your  doing  or  suffering,  your 
prayers  or  tears,  as  a  satisfaction  for  the  offence  done 
him,  or  a  propitiatory  offering  to  atone  him,  and  turn 
away  his  anger;  but  that  ye  do  trust  only  to  the 
Lamb  of  God,  whom  we  set  forth  as  a  propitiation 
through  faith  in  his  blood,  in  whom  alone  God  is 
well  pleased  with,  and  accepts  of  sinners. 


man's  recovery  BY  FAITH  IN  CHRIST.       485 

(4.)  We  do  further  demand,  in  Christ  our  Mas- 
ter's name,  that  ye  believe  on  and  receive  him  as 
your  absolute  and  sovereign  Lord  ;  that  ye  readily 
and  cheerfully  obey  all  his  commandments,  that  ye 
willingly  submit  to  his  providential  disposal  of  you. 

(5.)  We  do  require,  that  ye  believe  on  and  receive 
him  as  the  Author,  Preserver,  and  Maintainer  of 
spiritual  life,  and  of  the  whole  work  of  sanctifiea- 
1ion,  to  whom  alone  ye  are  to  trust,  for  the  begin- 
nings, progress,  and  completion  of  a  work  of  sanc- 
tification,  he  being  made  of  God  sanctitieation,  as 
well  as  righteousness,  to  all  them  that  believe. 

(6.)  We  do  further  demand,  that  ye  do  all  in  the 
name  of  Christ,  Col.  iii.  17.  and  that  ye  attempt  no 
duty,  go  forth  against  no  enemy,  but  in  his  name  and 
strength,  and  under  his  conduct;  trusting  to  him  on- 
ly for  strength/protection,  through  bearing,  and  ac- 
ceptance. 

In  fine,  to  sum  up  all,  we  do,  in  our  great  Lord's 
name,  require  a  present  ready  compliance  with  all 
and  every  one  of  these  demands.  We  have  no  in- 
structions to  allow  you  one  hour's  delay :  H  Now  is 
the  accepted  time,  now  is  the  day  of  salvation  ;  and 
to-day,  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice,  harden  not  your 
hearts.55  We  have  no  commission  to  speak  of  to- 
morrows. Nor  will  we,  nor  can  we,  nor  dare  we, 
part  these  demands.  Comply  with  all  or  none.  That 
short  one  in  our  text  implies  them  all  and  more, 
which  we  shall  not  now  insist  upon,  having  at  length 
opened  the  nature  of  this  duty  in  our  explication  of 
that  doctrine  which  we  are  now  improving.       P 

This  is  the  substance  of  what  we  do  in  our  Lord's 
name  crave;  and  we  are  instructed  to  press  those  de- 
mands, and  urge  your  compliance  with  them,  1.  By 
intreaties;  2.  By  commands  ;  S.  By  threats. 

1.  Know  then,  O  unbelievers,  though  our  blessed 
Lord  and  Master  might  peremptorily  require  obedi- 
ence to,  and  acceptance  of  these  demands,  and,  up- 
on the  first  refusal,  turn  you  all  into  hell ;  vet  such 

Ee 


186  MAN'S  RECOVERY  BY  FAITH  IN  CHRIST. 

is  his  condescension,  that  he  has  given  us  in  commis- 
sion to  beseech  and  intreat  your  compliance.  There- 
fore, as  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though  God  did 
beseech  you  by  us,  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead  be 
ye  reconciled  to  God  ;  which  can  no  otherwise  be, 
than  upon  an  acceptance  of  the  terms  we  have  pro- 
posed to  you.  We  want  not  motives  to  enforce  our 
petition  ;  we  are  rather  straitened  with  the  number 
of  them  than  with  want.  We  have  so  many  in  our 
view,  that  we  know  not  where  to  begin,  nor  how  to 
end. 

(1.)  We  earnestly,  in  Christ's  stead,  beseech  your 
falling  in  with  the  demands  made  upon  you,  which 
are  in  themselves  worthy  of  all  acceptation.     We 
crave  no  unreasonable  thing,  when  we  bid  you  be- 
lieve on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     The  request  is  suit- 
ed to  all  the  principles  of  reason.     What  more  suit- 
able than  for  the  creature  to  grant  the  request,  com- 
ply with  the  desire,  (pardon  the  expression)  of  the 
Creator  ?  What  more  suitable  to  that  rational  prin- 
ciple of  self-preservation,   and  allowable  self  love, 
than  for  a  captive  to  accept  of  a  deliverer,  a  slave  to 
receive   a  Redeemer,   a  condemned  malefactor  to 
welcome  a  pardon,  a  sinner  to  entertain  a  Saviour, 
a  wanderer  to  lay  hold  upon  a  guide,  a  poor  man  to 
accept  of  riches  when  offered,  and  a  pursued  offen- 
der to  betake  himself  to  the  city  of  refuge  ?  Nothing 
sure  can  better  quadrate  with  that  principle  that  is 
interwoven  in  the  very  frame  of  our  natures.  Again, 
what  more  suited  to  our  interest  than  this  ?  This  is  a 
rational  principle  when  kept  within  just  bounds  ;  and 
it  has  a  great  influence,  for  ordinary,  upon  the  ac- 
tions of  men.     Interest,  real  or  mistaken,  rules  the 
world  ;  and  never  did  it  more  appear  than  here, 
pleading  strongly  for  your  acceptance  of,  and  com- 
pliance with,  our  desire.     A  compliance  will  take 
you  from  the  dunghill  to  the  throne,  will  enrich  beg- 
gars with  all  the  fulness  of  God  ;  will  make  the  chil- 
dren, nay,  the  slaves  of  Satan,  heirs  of  heaven,  and 


MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN    CHRIST.      187 

advance  them  to  the  estate  and  dignity  of  being  sons 
of  the  Most  High.  It  is  not  a  few  things,  but  all 
things,  that  ye  may  make  yours,  by  accepting  of  this 
offer.  If  ye  believe,  all  things  are  yours,  things 
present,  and  things  to  come,  grace  and  glory  ;  «  all 
are  yours,  and  ye  are  Christ's.55  Once  more,  no- 
thing more  suitable  to  that  principle  of  gratitude, 
that  is  judged  to  be  so  much  suited  to  the  nature  of 
man,  that  he  cannot  forego  it  without  sinking  him- 
self a  degree  below  the  very  beasts.  Nothing,  I  say, 
is  more  agreeable  to  gratitude.  He  who  gave  you 
all  that  ye  possess,  to  whom  alone  ye  must  owe  all 
that  ye  shall  to  eternity  enjoy,  asks  this  small  and 
reasonable  boon,  this  just  desire;  and  we,  in  bis 
stead,  beseech,  intreat,  and  request  your  compliance. 
Shall  we  get  a  refusal,  when  our  demand  is  so  high- 
ly reasonable  ?  Reason,  self  love,  interest,  gratitude, 
all  second  our  request.  If  ye  refuse  in  this,  if  ye 
will  not  hear  these  seconding  and  urging  our  earnest 
request,  then  we  take  God,  angels,  and  men,  to  wit- 
ness against  you,  that  rather  than  comply  with  the 
desire  of  the  ambassador  of  Christ,  supplicating  you 
in  his  name,  you  will  not  stand  to  counteract  all  the 
principles  of  reason,  self  preservation,  interest,  and 
gratitude,  to  hear  whom  ye  will  not  refuse  in  any 
other  case. 

(2.)  We  beseech  you,  in  Christ's  stead,  to  accept  of 
him  ;  for,  we  dare  say,  he  is  worthy  of  your  accept- 
ance, worthy  for  whom  ye  should  do  this  thing.     He 
js  the  «  only  begotten  of  the  Father,"  and  is  posses- 
sed of  all  the  glorious  perfections  of  the  Father ;  hf» 
is  the  "  express  image  of  his  person,"  the  **  image  of 
the  invisible  God."     And  as  upon  account  of  his  per- 
sonal excellencies,  so  upon  account  of  the  good  offi- 
ces  he  has  done  you,  he  deserves  good  treatment  ai 
jour  hand.     He  has  honoured  your  nature,  by  join 
ing  it  to  his  own,  in  a  glorious  and  mystical  personal 
union.      He  has  given  the  most  pregnant  proof  of 
matchless  love  to  lost  sinners:  he  left  the  Father's 


188      MAN'S  RECOVERY  BY  FAITH  IN  CHRIST. 

bosom  to  bring  them  there:  he  died,  that  they  might 
live ;  he  suffered,  that  they  might  be  saved.  In  a 
word,  all  the  perfections  of  the  divine  nature,  all  the 
perfections  of  your  own,  all  the  wounds,  every  drop 
of  the  blood  of  the  crucified  Saviour  of  the  world,  all 
the  tears  he  shed,  all  the  drops  of  blood  he  in  his 
agonies  did  sweat  for  the  relief  of  poor  sinners  ;  all 
cry  with  one  voice,  Sinners,  we  beseech  you,  believe 
on  the  Lord  Jesus.  Can  you  refuse  what  is  craved 
by  such  an  one  ? 

(3.)  We  pray  you.  by  the  "  mercies  of  God,"  in 
the  "  bowels  of  the  Lord  Jesus,"  believe  on  him,  ac- 
cept of  him,  for  his  heart  is  upon  this  request.  No- 
thing more  acceptable  to  him,  than  a  compliance 
with  this  call  j  he  laid  the  foundation  of  this  offer  we 
make  to  you,  in  his  own  blood ;  he  wept  at  sinned 
folly,  that  would  not  comply  with  it  5  he  has  insti- 
tuted a  gospel  ministry  for  this  very  end,  and  has 
been,  if  I  may  so  speak,  at  a  vast  expense  of  gifts 
and  grace  for  the  maintenance  of  his  own  ordinance. 
He  has  given  them  the  most  peremptory  orders,  to 
call  you,  to  beseech  you,  to  command,  to  threaten, 
nay,  to  compel  you  to  a  compliance.  Will  ye  refuse 
our  Master  that  request  he  has  so  much  at  heart  ? 

(4.)  We  beseech  you,  accept  of  him  now,  grant 
our  request,  as  ye  would  have  yours  granted  by  him, 
at  that  day  when  ye  shall  be  obliged  to  supplicate 
him,  standing  before  his  bar,  as  pannels  before  the 
Judge  of  all  the  earth.  None  shall  have  their  re- 
quest granted  in  that  day,  who  will  not  grant  ours 
now.  Will  ye  not  then  hear  our  Master  now?  If  ye 
refuse  him  now,  how  will  ye  think  to  obtain  any  fa- 
vour from  him  then  ? 

(5.)  We  beseech  you,  in  the  name  of  all  the  glori- 
ous Trinity,  to  grant  our  demands.  We  are  ambas- 
sadors for  Christ,  and  God  doth  beseech  you  by  us. 
God  the  Father,  God  the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy 
Ghost,  do  all  join  in  the  supplication.  Never  were 
there  such  three  names  at  a  supplication,  never  such 


MAN'S  RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN    CHRIST.      189 

three  hands  at  a  petition.  O  sinners  !  what  hearts 
have  ye,  if  ye  can  refuse  the  desire,  the  supplication, 
the  intreaties  of  a  whole  Trinity  ?  All  the  love  of  the 
Father,  all  the  grace  of  the  Son,  and  all  blessings  that 
are  enjoyed  by  communion  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  all 
plead  with  you  for  your  compliance.  Can  ye  refuse 
us  then,  O  sinners,  O  rocks,  O  hearts  harder  than 
rocks  ? 

(6.)  Once  more,  we  beseech  you,  be  ye  reconciled 
to  God,  accept  of,  and  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  for  we  assure  you,  in  our  great  Master's 
name,  he  is  no  ordinary  supplicant.  He  never  came 
with  such  a  supplication  to  the  fallen  angels  :  he  ne- 
ver came  with  it  to  many  nations  of  the  world,  who 
would,  we  make  no  doubt,  welcome  it,  if  they  knew 
it,  and  had  it.  Kings  are  not  ordinary  petitioners, 
and  therefore  it  is  no  wonder  they  take  ill  with  a 
repulse. 

Now,  O  sinners !  what  answer  shall  we  give  to 
him  that  sent  us  ?  what  return  shall  we  give  to  our 
Master  ?  Shall  we  say  that  we  came  to  the  congre- 
gation of  Ceres,  that  we  showed  his  commission,  told 
our  errand,  in  his  name  supplicated  for  a  compliance 
with  his  demand  ?  But  that  ye  would  not  hear  him, 
though  we  besought  you  in  his  name,  by  all  the  ties 
of  reason,  self-preservation,  interest,  and  gratitude, 
by  the  glorious  worth  of  Christ,  by  all  the  marks  of 
his  love  to  mankind,  by  all  his  concern  for  sinners; 
that  we  had  a  whole  Trinity  seconding  us,  and  that 
yet  we  meet  with  a  refusal  ?  Are  ye  willing  that  we 
take  witnesses  upon  this  refusal,  and,  in  our  Mas- 
ter's name,  protest,  that  this  our  reasonable,  nay, 
advantageous  request,  was  refused  ?  It  is  a  wonder 
that  ever  the  commands  of  a  God  should  be  disobey- 
ed ;  but  it  is  yet  a  greater,  that  ever  the  request, 
the  intreaty  of  a  God,  should  be  denied.  Be  aston- 
ished, O  heavens,  at  this,  God  beseeching !  and  man 
refusing. 

2.  If  this  will  not  prevail  with  you,  then  know* 

Ee2 


190      MA^S   RECOYERY   BY  FAITH   IN   CHRIST. 

that  we  are  instructed  by  our  great  Lord  and  Mas- 
ter, to  make  use  of  his  authority,  and  in  his  name  to 
command  your  compliance.  We  do,  therefore,  in 
the  name  of  our  Lord  and  Master  Jesus  Christ,  com- 
mand every  one  of  you,  young  and  old,  rich  and  poor, 
high  and  low,  to  believe  on  him,  and  receive  him. 
Beware  of  despising  his  authority.  If  ye  be  wise, 
obey  his  command.     For, 

(1.)  Never  was  there  a  command  given  by  any 
king,  that  deserved  more  respect,  upon  account  of 
the  matter  of  it.  If  ye  look  to  it,  ye  will  find  it 
nothing  else  but  this,  Christ  commands  you  to  be 
happy,  commands  you  to  heaven  ;  and  will  ye,  out 
of  hatred  of  God's  authority,  damn  your  own  souls? 

(2.)  Obey  this  command  :  for  it  is  his,  who  is 
'«  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords,  the  Prince  of 
the  kings  of  the  earth,"  the  high  and  only  Poten- 
tate, who,  on  account  of  the  supereminent  excellen- 
cy of  his  nature,  his  interest  in  us  by  creation  and 
preservation,  has  the  unquestionable  right  to  our 
obedience,  without  any  reservation. 

(3.)  Dispute  not  this  command ;  for  it  is  his  who 
did  command  you  out  of  nothing,  and  who  can,  with 
the  like  facility,  command  you  into  hell,  which  isin- 
finitely  worse  than  nothing. 

(4.)  If  ye  will  obey  this  command,  we  have  an  al- 
lowance, in  his  name,  to  make   offer  of  himself,  and 
of  all  his  glorious  purchase  ;  and,  according  to  our 
commission,  we  do  here,  in  the  name  of  our  great 
Lord  and  Master,  offer  him  for  wisdom,  righteous- 
ness, sanctification,  and  redemption  :  we  offer  him, 
and  all  he  has,   to  every  one   within   these   doors. 
Whoever  ye  be,  whatever  your  sins  are,  though  as 
great  as  ever  were  the  sins  of  any  of  the  sons  of  A- 
dam,  we  do  here  offer  Christ  to  you,  and  do  promise, 
that,  if  ye  will  accept  of  him.  he  will  "in  no  wise 
cast  you  out ;"  nay,  he  shall  save  you,  make  you  sons 
of  God.  nay,   heirs,  yea,   and  joint  heirs  with  him- 
self*   Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  ye  shall  be  sa- 


MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH   IN  CHRIST.      191 

ved.  Take  him,  and  have  him  ;  take  him,  and  have 
with  him  all  things:  all  the  blessings  that  the  infi- 
nite, eternal,  electing  love  of  the  Father,  designed 
for  his  chosen  ones;  all  the  blessings  that  the  pre- 
cious blood  of  God,  one  drop  whereof  was  of  more 
value  than  ten  thousand  worlds,  did  purchase  ;  all 
that  the  great  and  precious  promises  of  the  life  that 
now  is,  and  of  that  which  is  to  come,  are  able  to 
grasp  or  comprehend  ;  all  that  quick  sighted  faith, 
that  looks  from  one  eternity  to  another,  from  eternal 
electing  love,  projecting  mercy,  to  eternal  salvation, 
flowing  from  that  fountain,  can  set  its  eye  upon  ;  all 
that  the  enlarged  capacity  of  a  perfected  soul  can 
hold  or  desire  to  all  eternity  :  in  one  word,  all  that  a 
God  can  bestow,  or  a  creature  receive  ;  if  ye  re- 
ceive Christ,  all  is  and  shall  be  yours, 

3.  But  if  we  can  neither  prevail  by  commands  nor 
intreaties  with  you,  then  we  give  you  to  understand, 
that  we  have  it  in  commission  to  urge  you  to  a  com- 
pliance by  thrcatenings. 

(1.)  If  ye  believe  not,  now  in  the  accepted  time, 
in  this  your  day,  then  the  things  which  belong  to  your 
peace  will  be  "  hid  from  your  eyes/5  Our  Master 
will  give  over  treating  with  you,  call  home  his  am- 
bassadors, or  give  them  commission  to  turn  to  others ; 
as  we  find  he  did  when  the  Jews  rejected  the  gospel 
offer,  Acts  xiii.  46.  «  Paul  and  Barnabas  waxed  bold, 
and  said,  It  was  necessary  that  the  word  of  God 
should  first  have  been  spoken  to  you  :  but  seeing  ye 
put  it  from  you,  and  judge  yourselves  unworthy  of 
everlasting  life,  lo,  we  turn  to  the  Gentiles,  for  so 
hath  the  Lord  commanded  us." 

(2.)  We  do,  in  our  great  Lord  and  Master's  name, 
proclaim  war  against  you.  Unbelievers,  finally  re- 
jecting Christ,  are  to  him  as  Amalek,  with  whom  the 
Lord  has  sworn  he  will  have  war  from  generation  to 
generation. 

(3.)  We  are  bid  tell  you,  in  the  Lord's  name,  O 
unbelievers !  that  though  ye  disobey  one  command*, 


192        MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   BAITH   IN   CHRIST* 

ye  shall  be  made  to  obey  another,  nothing  so  much 
to  your  comfort  and  advantage.  If  yc  obey  not  that 
command,  «  Believe,  and  be  saved  ;'*  then  ye  shall 
be  obliged  to  obey  that,  "  Go,  ye  cursed,  into  ever- 
lasting fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels/9 
Now,  choose  you  which  ye  will  obey*  This  day  ye 
have  had  life  and  death  set  before  you ;  either  then, 
ye  must  choose  life,  and  live;  or  choose  death,  and 
die.  An  answer  we  do,  in  our  master's  name,  de- 
mand. If  once  he  ealls  us  back,  and  forbid  us  to 
treat  any  more  with  you  ;  if  he  give  up  dealing  with 
you,  then  we  may  say^  Wo  to  you  when  he  departs 
from  you.  When  he  calls  home  his  ambassadors,  be 
will  send  his  armies  in  their  room,  who  shall  destroy 
those  rebels  "  who  would  not  that  he  should  reign 
over  them."  Ye  have  life  and  death  set  before  you, 
choose  which  of  them  ye  will. 

Having  thus  addressed  myself  to  unbelievers  a- 
mong  you,  I  shall  now, 

Secondly,  Speak  a  word  shortly  to  you,  who,  after 
search,  are  in  doubt  about  yourselves,  whether  ye  do 
believe  or  not.  Waiving  many  things  I  once  de- 
signed, I  shall  address  you  in  a  few  words. 

1.  I  must  confess  your  case  is  very  sad  and  deplo- 
rable. Nothing  more  woful  than  to  be  thus  in  sus- 
pense, without  knowing  what  your  case  is.  You 
hang  betwixt  heaven  and  hell:  if  ye  be  concerned 
about  your  state,  a  sad  conflict  betwixt  hope  and  fear 
will  torment  you.  You  can  have  no  comfort  in  any 
enjoyment,  if  ye  continue  so.  O  what  a  lamentable 
ease  are  ye  in  !  for  ye  run  a  risk  for  eternity,  and 
lose  the  comforts  of  time. 

2.  Think  on  it,  I  assure  you  it  will  be  a  work  of 
difficulty  to  get  satisfaction  about  your  believing.— 
The  words  whereby  this  is  set  forth  in  scripture,  do 
all  import  pains.  It  is  not  just  to  look,  and  to  be  at 
a  point;  but  there  is  searching,  proving,  trying. 
The  candle  of  the  Lord  must  be  lighted,  and  ye  must 
search ;  the  touchstone  must  be  brought;  and  ye  must 


MAN'S  KBCO™  B?  WITH  IN   CHKIST.     1»* 

-VAe  .  the  furnace  must  be  kindled,  and 
prove  yourselves ,  the  i'rn  yourselves  in 

make  your  call ioj ^^  '  ^  "f  the  gospel,  the 
rity,  your  own  •JJ^"^8^  0ut  of  this  state, 
arlory  of  Christ,  bid  you  aii  «»  hefore  vou  the 

&  And,  tor  your  direction,  I  shall   ay  betow  y 

few  particulars  t^'^*^  ^ 

&TS&&&  b'tt  intJrposiUon  of  our  Lord 

JTSSude  not  that  ye  want  [^-^£ 

not  .«  or  Jted  all  ^Qg^ffSS^  or  af- 
others  have  iound,  either  be or e, 

^  ^ffil£Sr^**&2*  law-\ork, 

mUch  "distinctness,  confidence  and  c earner , 

very  time  of  conversio n,  w Jj>^  «aWe.  tta ,  ^  g  rf 

a  distinct  account  of  the  time,  p  at  , 

out  of  themselves  to  Christ ;  and  this  is  au  . 

of  sm  that  l-M^^SJrS^taSV 
amidst  the  mist  raised  by  the  J  ow  »         their 

tan,  and  the  world,    •«  ^    ™ king  £  ^ 

souls;  nor  can  they  reach  tli at  joy  admitied 

°f  2hiScl°ciVude  not  that  ye  are  unbelievers,  because 
Te  s'ee  no  all  things  as  they  should  U  with jou  8m 
L  its  being,  sin  raging  and  tyrann.zmg,  sin  in  the 


194      MAN'S   RECOVERY    BY   FAITH   IN  CHRIST. 

heart,  drawn  out  to  some  acts  of  impiety,  and  pre- 
vailing in  various  degrees,  are  no  sufficient  evidences 
of  the  want  of  grace,  or  the  want  of  faith.  Yet  let 
none  sin  because  grace  abounds, 

3.  Study  the  nature  of  the  covenant  of  grace  well. 
This  will  be  exceedingly  helpful  to  you,  and  remove 
many  rubs  out  of  your  way,  and  answer  many  of  your 
doubts;  particularly,  study  to  know  the  ground  of 
your  acceptance  with  God,  and  of  your  admission  and 
access  into  a  covenant-relation:  it  is  not  your  freedom 
from  sin,  it  is  not  freedom  from  gross  sins,  nor  is  it  any 
thing  wrought  in  us,  or  by  us,  but  only  the  sovereign 
free  grace  of  God  in  Christ,  which  glories  in  remo- 
ving the  greatest  offences,  in  bestowing  the  choicest 
mercies  upon  the  chief  of  sinners.  Therefore  none 
can  be  ruined,  whatever  his  sins  be,  who  is  willing  to 
owe  salvation  to  free  grace  in  Christ.  The  greatest 
sinner  may  be  saved  in  this  way,  as  well  as  the  least ; 
there  is  no  odds  with  free  grace  ;  it  is  no  more  diffi- 
cult to  forgive  the  worst  of  sinners,  than  to  forgive 
the  least  sinner.  Nay,  the  greater  persons'  sins  be, 
they  have  the  greater  need,' so  they  have  the  greater 
encouragement  to  come,  in  regard  that  God  has  de- 
clared, that  the  design  of  all  his  dealings  with  sin- 
ners, is  the  glory  and  advancement  of  his  grace  in 
their  salvation;  and  that  the  greater  the  sins  of 
such  as  do  apply  to  grace  for  salvation  are,  the 
more  it  is  glorified.  But  beware  that  ye  sin  not, 
because  grace  abounds.  There  is  here  great  encou- 
ragement to  such  as  are  great  sinners,  but  none  to 
any  to  be  so.  ■«  Shall  we  sin  because  grace  abounds  ? 
God  forbid." 

4.  Study  the  condescension  of  the  covenant  to  the 
state  of  believers,  who  carry  about  with  them  still  a 
body  of  sin  and  death,  while  they  are  here  in  this 
house  of  their  pilgrimage.  It  accepts  of  sincere  o- 
hedience,  it  provides  influences  for  enabling  believ- 
ers to  perform  it,  it  provides  pardon  for  failings. 

5.  Study  acquaintance  with  the  springs  of  thateo- 


MAN'S   RECOVERY   BY   FAITH    IN   CHRIST.      195 

venant-peace  which  believers  enjoy  in  their  walk 
with  God.  It  is  not  their  own  merit,  but  God's 
mercy  ;  it  is  not  their  own  blamelessness,  but  the  ef- 
ficacy of  Christ's  blood  to  take  away  spots  ;  it  is  not 
the  evenness  of  our  walk,  and  our  freedom  from  trips; 
but  it  is  the  testimony  of  a  good  conscience,  bearing 
witness,  that  it  is  our  exercise  to  have  and  "  keep  a 
conscience  void  of  offence  towards  God  and  man,"  by 
continual  dependence  on  God  in  Christ,  for  mercy  to 
remove  sin,  and  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need.  En- 
deavour to  understand  these  things  well,  and  you  will 
then  be  soon  eased  of  many  of  your  fears. 

6.  Acquaint  yourselves  with  these  marks  of  grace, 
which  point  at  its  being,  rather  than  its  degree,  and 
are  to  be  found  in  the  soul,  under  all  its  temptations. 
Such  are  these  which  we  named  already,  and  cannot 
stand  to  repeat. 

7.  Pray  for  the  influence  of  that  Spirit  which 
searcheth  the  deep  things  of  God,  and  can  let  in  such 
a  beam  of  light  into  the  soul,  as  will  clear  to  you  ful- 
ly what  is  your  state. 

8.  Once  more  1  say,  wait  upon  the  Lord  in  the 
use  of  all  means,  and  then  ye  shall  know  your  state. 
There  is  much  of  sovereignty  in  God's  way  of  deal- 
ing with  people,  about  this  assurance  now  sought 
after.  "  When  he  giveth  quietness,  who  can  give 
trouble?  and  when  he  hideth  his  face,  who  can  be- 
hold him  1"  Job  xxxiv.  29.  Therefore  wait  his  time. 
"  The  husbandman  waiteth  for  the  precious  fruits  of 
the  earth,  and  hath  long  patience  for  it,  until  he  re- 
ceive the  early  and  the  latter  rain,5'  James  v.  7. 
"Light  is  sown  for  the  righteous/'  Psal.  xcvii.  11. 
Impatience,  frowardness,  sloth,  and  weariness,  are 
indications  of  a  soul  not  in  a  very  good  state :  there- 
fore wait,  for  it  is  «  good  that  a  man  should  both  hope 
and  quietly  wait  for  the  salvation  of  God,"  Lam.  iii. 
26. 

Thirdly,  We  come  now  to  speak  to  such  as  can 
upon  solid  grounds  say,  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of 


1&6      MAN'S  RECOVERY    BY   FAITH   IN    CHRIST. 

God's  grace,  that  they  do  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus. 
We  had  once  some  design  to  hold  forth  your  duty  at 
length  from  another  scripture  ;  but  this  we  shall  wave, 
at  least  for  some  time,  and  only  at  present  bespeak 
you  very  shortly. 

1.  Has  God  wrought  the  work  of  faith  with  pow- 
er in  you?  then  bless  his  name.  u  Take  the  cup  of 
salvation,  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord,"  and  of- 
fer praise  to  him,  4(  who  remembered  you  in  your 
low  estate,  because  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever." 

2.  Walk  humbly  with  your  God.  Pretences  to 
faith,  without  humility,  are  most  vain.  It  is  peculiar 
to  faith,  to  lay  man  low,  that  God  alone  may  be  ex- 
alted. 

3.  Ye  are  by  faith  ingrafted  in  Christ,  then  bring 
forth  much  fruit  ;  for  hereby  will  he  be  glorified, 

and  hereby  will  ye  make  it  appear,  to  your  own  satis- 
faction, and  the  conviction  of  others,  that  ye  are  in- 
grafted upon  that  Root  of  Jesse. 

4.  Ye  have  by  faith  acknowledged  Christ  your 
head ;  depend  on  him  for  influences  of  light  and 
strength,  (hat  ye  may  be  all  and  in  all  to  you. 

5.  Be  tender  of  his  honour  and  glory.  The  ho- 
nour of  your  blessed  Lord  and  Master  should  be  dear 
to  you,  and  will  be  so,  if  ye  be  indeed  his  disciples. 

6.  Pity  those  ye  have  left  behind  you  in  black  na- 
ture, "  without  Godf  and  without  Christ,  and  with- 
out hope  in  the  world." 

7.  Endeavour  their  salvation.  Commend  Christ 
and  religion  to  them,  by  your  'practice  and  by  your 
conversation. 

8.  Sympathise  with,  and  seek  the  good  of  God's 
people,  to  whom  ye  are  joined  in  society,  under  the 
blessed  Mediator's  conduct  and  government;  that  it 
may  thereby  appear  that  ye  are  members  of  the  same 
body,  of  which  Christ  is  the  glorious  and  exalted 
Prince  and  Head. 

Conclusion.  We  have  now,  for  the  space  of  eight 
Lord's  days,  laid  before  you  who  are  in  a  state  of  na- 


MAN'S   RECOVERY  BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST.      19/ 

ttire,  your  sin,  misery,  and  hazard.  We  have  for 
mteen  or  sixteen  Sabbaths  more,  insisted  on  the  way 
or  your  escape,  and  have  urged  you  to  betake  your- 

selves  to  if.  ** 

Now,  I  shall  conclude  all  with  that  question  of  the 
prophet,  Isa.  1,„.  i.     «  Who  liath  b(!,ieved  oup  re. 

port?  to  whom  is  the  arm  of  the  Lord  revealed?" 
VY  hat  man,  what  woman,  is  there  in  this  congrega- 
tion, that  has  believed  our  report,  in  the  discovery  we 
made  either  of  sin,  or  of  the  Saviour  of  sinners  ?  Are 
there  none  at  all?  Have  we  spent  our  strength  in 
va  n,  and  laboured  in  the  fire  ?  Have  we  cast  the  gos- 
pel net  so  often,  and  caught  nothing?  Shall  we  live 
this  melancholy  account  of  our  embassy  to  you  ?  Lord, 
we  came  to  the  congregation  of  Ceres,  and  displayed 
thy  terrors  before  their  eyes ;  yet  none  was  alarmed. 
We  proclaimed  a  Saviour,  but  none  received  our  re- 
port.     They  would  none  of  thee,  but  rejected  the 
counsel  of  God  against  themselves.     Must  we,  with 
Jllias,  be  made  to  intercede  with  God  against  you? 
If  we  be  put  upon  this,  we  have  a  heavier  charge 
against  you,  than  he  had  against  Israel.     «  Lord  savs 
he,    they  have  killed  thy  prophets,  and  digged  down 
thine  altars,  -  Rom.  xi.  2.  3.    But  we  may  sly,  Lord, 
they  have  killed  thy  son,  rejected  thy  gospel,  and 
mocked  thy  servants.  &    F 

Now,  as  for  you  who  have  not  believed  our  report.  I 
have  two  or  three  words  to  leave  with  vou.  (±.)  Ye  are 
the  plague  of  the  church,  the  burden  of  the  land,  the 
Achan  in  our  camp.      No  sin  has  so  great  a  hand  iu 
the  Lord  s  quarrel,  as  unbelief.  (2.)  Ye  are  the  cum. 
berers  of  the  ground  ;  and  who  can  tell  but  God,  who 
has  spared  you  long,  and  dunged  and  digged  about 
you,  may  issue  forth  that  command,  «  Cut  it  down 
why  eumberetl.  it  the  ground  ?»  (3.)  The  Lord  be 
judge  betwixt  you  and   us.     We  have  warned  vou, 
and  ye  will  not  take  warning :  we  have  offered  Christ. 
and  ye  have^  refused  him.     What  will  ye  answer  at 
the  bar  of  God,  when  ye  and  we  shall  be  seated  to- 
gether,  and  wc  shall  tell,  Lord,  we  offered  thee  to 

F  f 


198       MAN'S   RECOVERY  BY   FAITH   IN   CHRIST. 

these  wretches ;  but  they  would  none  of  thee.  (4.) 
"If  our  gospel  be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  lost; 
in  whom  the  god  of  this  world  has  blinded  the  eyes 
of  them  that  believe  not,  lest  the  light  of  this  glori- 
ous gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  image  of  God, 
should  shine  into  them,"  2  Cor.  iv.  3.  £. 

To  you,  if  any  such  there  be,  who  have  lelieved 
ourreport,  we  say,  '(1.)  We  bless  the  Lord  who  has 
given  you  counsel,  and  desire  to  join  in  an  eternal 
song  on  your  behalf,  and  to  bear  a  part  in  that  bles- 
sed consort,  where  your  salvation  will  come  in  as  one 
of  the  grounds  of  the  song.  (2.)  Whatever  God  has 
done  for  you,  ascribe  the  glory  of  it  to  him,  and  to  him 
alone ,  for  from  the  laying  of  the  corner  stone,  nay, 
from  the  first  wound  of  the  ground  in  digging  a  place 
for  it,  to  the  putting  on  the  cop-stone,  all  is  his  doing* 
and  his  only.  If  we  have  been  instrumental,  pray 
for  us,  that  we  may  be  found  of  him  in  peace  at  his  ap- 
pearance, and  may  be  helped  to  a  faithful  discharge, 
and  a  successful  management  of  our  work,  to  the  good 
of  souls.  (3.)  Dearly  beloved  in  our  Lord,  since  we 
'«*  look  for  the  Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  from 
heaven,  "  who  shall  change  our  vile  bodies,  that  they 
may  be  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  body,  ac- 
cording to  the  working  whereby  he  is  able  to  subdue 
all  things  unto  himself,"  stand  fast  in  the  Lord  :  for 
what  is  our  hope,  our  joy,  our  crown,  cur  glory,  in 
the  day  of  the  Lord  ?  Are  not  even  ye,  if  ye  stand 
fast  in  the  Lord  ?  Prepare  for  sufferings.  All  that 
will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus,  must  travel  through 
hardships  and  difficulties.  It  is  the  character  of 
the  glorified  saints  ;  they  are  a  people  "  come  out  of 
great  tribulation,  who  have  washen  their  garments 
in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb."  Prepare,  stand  fast ; 
and  he  who  is  able  shall  i6  present  you  faultless,  be 
fore  the  presence  of  his  glory,  with  exceeding  joy, 
Jude,  ver.  24. 

To  him  be  glory  in  all  the  churches.    Jlmen. 

END  OF  PART  SECOND. 


tt 


THE 


GREAT  CONCERN  OF  SALVATION, 


PART  III. 


The  Christian's  Duty,  with  respect  to  both  Person- 
al and  Family  Religion. 


JOSHUA  xxiv.  15. 

And  if  it  seem  evil  unto  yon,  to  serve  the  Lord,  choose 
ye  this  day  whom  ye  xvill  serve ;  whether  the  gods 
which  your  fathers  served9  that  were  on  the  other  side 
of  the  flood  ;  or  the  gods  of  the  Jlmorites9  in  whose 
land  ye  dwell ;  but  as  for  me  and  my  house,  we  will 
serve  the  Lord. 

A  HIS  verse  is  a  part  of  the  last  discourse  where- 
with Joshua,  the  famed  captain-general  of  Israel,  en- 
tertained that  people  at  Shechem,  whither  he  had 
called  them  together,  that  he  might  speak  his  mind 
to  them  before  his  death,  as  we  may  understand  from 
the  beginning  of  this  chapter. 

And  in  this  farewell  discourse,  he  first  reminds 
them  of  the  humbling  story  of  their  forefathers*  idol- 
atry, before  the  Lord  called  them,  in  the  2d  verse ; 
and  thence  to  the  14th  verse,  he  entertains  them 
with  a  short  rehearsal  of  the  Lord's  remarkable 
kindness,  in  the  whole  course  of  his  providence  to 
Abraham,  and  to  his  seed,  for  near  the  space  of  five 
hundred  years;  that  is,  from  the  time  of  Abraham's 


2  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  DUTY. 

being  called  to  the  present  time,  wherein  his  seed 
were  put  in  the  peaceable  possession  of  the  land  of 
Canaan,  according  to  the  promise  made  to  Abraham. 
After  this,  in  the  14th  verse,  he  infers,  from  the 
whole,  a  serious  exhortation  to  serve  the  Lord,  of 
whose  goodness  they  and  their  fathers  had  so  ample 
proofs,  and  to  abandon  those  idols  whom  their  fa- 
thers served  on  the  other  side  the  flood,  the  river  Eu- 
phrates, and  in  Egypt. 

And  in  the  words  we  have  read,  he  presses  this  ex- 
hortation, 

1.  By  an  argument.     And, 

2.  By  a  declaration  of  his  own  resolution. 

The  argument  lies  in  the  first  part  of  the  verse* 
And  if  it  seem  evil,  &c. 
F#r  opening  it,  we  are, 

1.  To  see  what  the  argument  is. 

2.  How  it  is  expressed. 

3.  Why  it  is  so  expressed. 

As  for  the  argument,  it  is  shortly  this  :  If,  while  I 
exhort  you  to  serve  the  Lord,  and  abandon  strange 
gods,  I  press  you  to  nothing  but  what  is  evidently 
your  interest,  as  well  as  your  duty;  then  surely  ye 
ought  cheerfully,  and  of  choice  tp,comply.  But  so 
it  is  clearly  :  for  what  can  be  irtore  evidently  for 
your  good,  than  to  abandon  idols,  which  your  fathers 
found  it  their  interest  to  leave,  and  which  were  not 
able  to  deliver  you  from  your  slavery  in  Egypt;  and 
idols  which  were  not  able  to  defend  their  worshippers 
against  you,  and  to  cleave  to  that  God  of  whose 
goodness  ye  have  had  large  proofs,  and  your  fathers 
also  for  a  long  tract  of  time?  This  is  the  argument* 
Next,  "We  are  to  look,  how  it  is  expressed ;  and 
we  find  that  it  is  proposed, 

1.  By  laying  down  a  supposition,  If  it  seem  evih  &c« 

2.  By  a  sort  of  concession  upon  that  supposition, 
Choose  ije  this  day*  &c. 

First,  We  say  he  makes  a  supposition,  If  it  seem 
evil  unto  you,  &c.  that  is,  if,  after  all  that  ye  have 


THE  CHRISTIAN'S  BtfTT.  3 

heard  and  seen  of  the  vanity  of  idols,  and  the  advan- 
tage of  the  Lord's  service,  ye  can  find  just  reason  to 
think  it  for  your  hurt,  I  am  not  to  hinder  you  from 
choosing  where  ye  may  do  better.  Now,  this  sup- 
position imports  the  evident  absurdity  of  the  thing 
supposed,  as  much  as  if  he  had  said,  If  ye  seriously 
consider  things,  it  cannot  but  seem  just,  reasonable* 
and  for  your  interest,  to  serve  the  Lord. 

Secondly,  We  have,  as  it  were,  a  concession,  Choose 
ye  this  day  whom  ye  will  serve;  that  is,  if  there  be 
any  with  whom  ye  may  be  better,  look  out  for  them, 
and  serve  them  ;  and  this,  as  the  supposition,  implies 
also  a  strong  insinuation  of  the  absurdity  of  that 
which  seems  allowed,  as  much,  as  if  he  had  said,  it 
is  clear  as  the  sun,  if  ye  leave  the  Lord,  ye  can  no 
where  be  so  well  ;  and,  therefore,  were  ye  left  to 
your  choice,  and  did  choose  well,  ye  must  serve  God  $ 
reason  and  interest  bind  you  to  it. 

That  which  we  are  to  consider,  is  why  this  form 
of  expression  is  used  ;  why  is  one  thing  in  appear- 
ance said,  and  the  contrary  meant  ?  He  supposes,  that 
it  may  seem  evil  to  serve  the  Lord,  when  he  intends 
it  highly  absurd  that  it  should  do  so  :  he  refers  it  to 
them  to  choose  another,  when  he  means,  that  it  is 
foolish  to  thiuk  of  such  a  thing.  For  answer,  this 
way  of  expressing  it  gives  the  argument  several  ad- 
vantages. 

1.  It  clearly  proposes  a  very  advantageous  and  en- 
gaging discovery  of  God,  as  one  that,  in  the  propo- 
sal of  duty,  has  such  a  regard  to  man's  advantage, 
that  he  would  bid  him  do  nothing  but  what  is  for  his 
interest ;  as  if  he  had  said.  If  this  were  not  for  your 
good,  and  what  may  evidently  appear  to  be  so,  I 
would  not  press  it  on  you.     Again, 

2.  This  expression  sets  in  a  clearer  light  the  ab- 
surdity of  that  which  he  dissuades  from.  Had  he 
pressed  them  only  by  a  plain  proposal  of  the  advan- 
tage of  the  Lord's  service,  they  might  havr  heard 
this  without  a  due  impression  of  the  evil  of  the  cob- 


&  THE  CHRISTIANAS  BUT!?. 

trary  course ;  but  now  they  cannot  miss  to  see  how 
hateful  it  is,  when  il  is,  as  it  were,  proposed  to  them 
to  consider  and  choose. 

Sx  Thus,  by  proposing  what  at  present  must  ap- 
pear detestable,  it  not  only  obliges  tbem  to  an  ac- 
ceptance of  God's  service*  but  to  a  plain  and  suita- 
ble declaration  of  their  abhorrence  of  the  service  of 
idols.  This  effect  we  see  it  had  upon  them  ;  for  they 
usher  in  their  answer  with  a  God, forbid;  which  ex- 
presseth  a  detestation  of  the  wa)  refused. 

4.  This  serves  to  insinuate  a  suspicion  of  them, 
which  might  oblige  them  to  declare  themselves  with 
more  plainness,  and  with  more  vehemeney  and  con- 
cern;  which  might  be  a  standing  witness  against 
them  and  their  posterity,  when  straying  from  God. 
Now  having  opened  this  argument,  we  shall  next  offer 
a  few  observations  from  it,  and  so  go  on  to  the  next 
part  of  the  verse,  which  is  the  thing  we  design  to 
insist  on. 

And,  of  many  observations,  we  only  offer  the  few 
following. 

1.  Every  man  is  obliged  to  serve  some  god.  This 
the  argument  not  only  supposes,  but  insinuates  as  a 
thing  ridiculous,  or  so  absurd,  that  it  is  not  to  be  sup- 
posed, that  any  rational  man  can  be  guilty  of  reject- 
ing all  gods  :  they  must  serve  God  or  idols. 

2.  The  Lord  binds  no  man  to  any  thing  but  what 
is  for  his  good;  and  what  may,  arad  will,  upon  due 
consideration,  appear  to  be  for  it. 

3.  The  Lord  will  have  such  as  serve  him,  to  do  it 
upon  a  rational  conviction  of  the  advantage  of  his 
service  ;  and  therefore  says,  If  it  seem  evil  unto  you, 
go  where  you  may  do  better. 

4.  The  Lord  fears  not  the  issue  of  a  fair  delibera- 
tion, and  the  serious  consideration  and  comparison, 
both  of  what  may  be  said  for  him  and  against  him ; 
and,  therefore  he  bids  them  look  if  they  could,  upon 
a  due  consideration,  prefer  idols  to  him. 

5.  Snch  as  look  well  to  idols  will  soon  see  the  foi- 


THE    CHRISTIANS    DUTY.  5 

ly  of  them:     It  is  but  look  to  them,  and  ye  must  ab- 
hor them. 

6.  To  be  satisfied  who  is  to  be  preferred,  God  or 
idols,  requires  no  long  time  to  deliberate ;  it  is  but 
look,  and  ye  shall  be  satisfied,  Chooseyethis  day.  Ye 
may  be  clear  on  the  point,  says  he,  this  very  mo- 
ment, before  ye  leave  the  spot. 

Thus  far  have  we  considered  the  argument.  Wc 
have  next  Joshua's  own  resolution  :  But  as  for  me9 
and  my  house,  ive  will  serve  the  Lord. 

This  being  that  which  we  had  the  principal  regard 
to  in  the  choice  of  this  text,  we  shall  more  particu- 
larly notice  every  thing  in  it.     And, 

1.  We  have  the  thing  resolved  upon,  and  that  is 
the  Lord's  service  ;  service,  though  it  be  sometimes 
more  strictly  taken  in  the  scripture,  yet  here  is,  no 
doubt,  to  be  taken  in  its  full  latitude,  for  the  whole 
of  that  obedience  that  the  Lord  Jehovah,  who  has 
the  only  indisputable  title  to  our  obedience,  requires. 
He  is  Lord  \  and  we  are  universally  in  all  things,  in 
all  respects,  subject  to  him,  and  therefore  obliged  in 
all  things  to  serve  him,  to  whom  we  are  accountable. 
Whence,  by  the  bye,  observe,  (1.)  God  has  an  un- 
questionable title  to  man's  obedience  ;  he  is  the  Lord, 
in  a  way  of  eminence,  to  whom  obedience  is  due  from 
all. — (2.)  There  is  something  engaging  in  God's  ser- 
vice, sufficient,  when  known,  to  engage  man  to  make 
it  his  choice,  notwithstanding  that  strong  inclination 
he  has  to  command,  and  that  eager  desire  he  has  of 
liberty. 

2.  We  have,  in  the  words,  the  resolution  itself : 
We  will.  There  is  no  constraint  in  it.  It  is  our 
choice  :  not  only  do  we  look  upon  it  as  our  duty,  that 
which  we  are  bound  to  do,  but  we  look  on  it  as  our 
privilege,  and  our  will  is  set  upon  it  as  good.  Whence 
ve  may  again  note,  (1.)  People  should  serve  the 
Lord  willingly  :  this  is  a  binding  example,  one  ap- 
proveu  of  God,  and  proposed  to  our  imitation.  (2.) 
Such  as  know  the  Lord's  service  will  make  it  their 
choice. 


6  THE   CHRISTIAN'S   DWTY. 

3.  We  have  the  person  by  whom  the  resolution  is 
taken,  Joshua,  an  old  man,  who  had  followed  Got! 
through  a  wilderness,  and  many  trials  ;  and  Joshua, 
a  great  man,  a  great  general.  Here  it  may  be  re- 
marked, (1.)  That  a  long  trial  of  God's  service,  even 
when  attended  with  no  small  outward  disadvantages, 
will  not  make  any  forego  it,  but  rather  engage  them 
to  it.  (2.)  It  derogates  nothing  from  the  character 
of  the  greatest  to  serve  the  Lord.  (3.)  As  the  head 
of  a  family  may  prevail  much  upon  those  in  the  fami- 
ly, so  his  whole  interest  in  them,  and  influence  on 
them,  whether  children  or  servants,  ought  to  be  era- 
ployed,  in  order  to  engage  them  to  serve  the  Lord. 

4.  We  have  in  the  words  the  firmness  of  the  reso- 
lution insinuated,  partly  on  the  declaration  of  it,  and 
partly  in  the  adversative  particle  but :  But  as  for  me 
and  my  house,  we  will  serve  the  Lord.  But  as  for 
me,  this  form  of  expressing  it  seems  to  import  these 
three  things.  (1.)  That  he  himself  had  considered 
the  matter  seriously.  (2.)  That  he  was  come  to  a 
firm  resolution.  (3.)  That  whatever  way  their  choice 
would  fall,  it  would  have  no  influence  upon  him,  toal- 
ter  him.  Whence  observe,  (1.)  Acquaintance  with 
God  fixes  people  immoveably  in  his  way. — (2.)  Such 
as  do  in  earnest  engage  in  God's  way,  from  their  own 
acquaintance  with  it,  will  not  depend  upon  others  in 
their  resolutions. 

5.  In  the  words,  we  have  the  extent  of  his  resolu- 
tion :  As  for  me.  and  my  house;  which  imports,  we 
conceive,  (1.)  A  desire  of  the  peopled  engaging  to 
do  so,  and  is  as  much  as  if  he  had  said,  I  would  have 
you  resolve  upon  it;  and  were  ye  as  much  under  my 
influence  as  my  house  is,  I  would  use  my  utmost  in- 
terest to  persuade  you. — (2.)  A  direct  declaration  of 
his  own  resolution  to  keep  firm  to  God's  service. — (3.} 
An  engagement  to  improve  his  utmost  interest,  wheth- 
er by  authority,  persuasion,  or  example,  to  engage 
all  his  own  family  *o  follow  the  Lord;  as  if  he  had 
said,  if  I  cannot  prevail  with  all  whom  I  would  have 


THE  CHRISTIAN  S    DUTY.  7 

engaged  in  the  service  of  God,  jet  I  shall  want  none 
of  those  whom  I  may  have  an  influence  on.  Whence 
observe,  (i.)  Real  religion  will  make  men  careful 
that  they  themselves  serve  the  Lord. — (2.)  It  will  not 
rest  there,  but  will  lead  us  to  do  our  utmost  for  en- 
gaging others. 

6.  We  have  in  the  words,  the  order ;  he  first  speaks 
of  himself,  and  then  his  family  :  whence  we  may 
note,  (1.)  True  religion  looks  first  inward  to  a  man's 
self.  (2.)  Where  a  man  is  right  engaged  himself,  he 
will  use  his  utmost  endeavours  to  have  his  family  en- 
gaged also  in  the  service  of  God. 

Now,  the  design  of  this  resolution,  we  may  from 
the  whole  see,  is  to  enforce  the  duty  exhorted  to  in 
the  former  verse ;  and  it  has  a  considerable  influence 
this  way, 

1.  In  that  it  speaks  the  thoughts  of  a  wise  man 
to  favour  the  way  of  God. 

2.  It  contains  the  thoughts  of  a  dying  wise  man 
in  favour  of  God's  service  ;  and,  finally,  of  one  that 
they  stood  under  many  ties  to  have  a  special  regard 
to. 

We  design  not  to  discourse  all  these  truths  ;  we 
shall  therefore  take  up  the  sum  of  this  resolution  in 
three  truths,  which,  if  the  Lord  will,  we  design  at 
some  length  to  insist  on. 

Doct.  I.  "  Such  as  engage  in  the  service  of  God, 
ought  to  do  it  deliberately,  resolutely,  and  willing- 
ly/5 

Doct.  IT.  "  True  religion  begins  at  home ;"  or, "A 
man  must  be  himself  a  servant  of  God,  before  he 
can  engage  others  aright." 

Doct.  IN.  "Where  a  man  is  himself  engaged  in 
the  Lord's  service,  he  will  endeavour  to  have  his 
family  engaged  also." 


3  THE  CHRISTIANAS  DUTY. 

The  rise  of  these  truths  from  the  words,  we  shall 
not  insist  upon,  because  it  is  sufficiently  clear  from 
what  has  already  been  said  in  opening  them. 

We  shall  now  begin  with  the  first  of  them,  That 
such  as  engage  in  the  service  of  the  Lord,  ought  to 
serve  him  resolutely,  deliberately,  and  willingly. 

That  we  ought  to  serve  the  Lord,  innumerable 
scripture  precepts  require,  and  even  the  light  of  na- 
ture testifies. 

And  that  we  should  do  it  deliberately  and  resolute- 
ly, our  Lord,  in  the  parable  of  the  foolish  builder, 
who  counts  not  the  cost,  Luke  xiv.  28,  plainly  e- 
nough  teaeheth. 

Nor  is  it  less  plain,  that  willingness  is  required  in 
order  to  acceptance,  since  it  deserves  not  the  name 
of  service  that  is  constrained.  Where  the  will  is 
wanting,  nothing  can  be  accepted  :  and  where  this  is, 
many  imperfections  will  not  hinder  acceptance,  2 
Cor.  viii.  12.  For  if  there  be  a  willing  mind,  it  is  ac- 
cepted according  to  that  a  man  hath,  and  not  ac- 
cording to  that  he  hath  not. 

But  that  we  may  further  clear  this  truth,  we  shall, 

I.  Show  what  it  is  to  serve  the  Lord. 

II.  Show  what  it  is  to  do  it  deliberately,  resolute- 
ly, and  willingly. 

III.  We  shall  inquire,  why  we  are  obliged  to  serve 
the  Lord  willingly,  deliberately,  and  resolutely. 

IV.  In  answer  to  an  objection  that  may  be  moved 
for  the  doctrine  of  faith  in  Christ,  as  we  have  for- 
merly preached  it,  we  shall  endeavour  to  show,  what 
place  there  is  for  such  service  in  the  second  covenant, 
and  what  necessity  of  it  even  to  believers. 

I.  Wc  are  to  begin  with  the  first  of  these  :  and, 
that  we  may  open  unto  you  this  head,  we  shall  com« 
prise  that  account  we  are  to  offer  of  the  Lord's  ser- 
Tice  in  a  few  remarks.     And, 

1.  Though,  by  the  service  of  God,  the  scripture 
means  many  things,  and  uses  the  expression  in  seve- 
ral senses,  yet  there  are  three  things  principally  and 


THE    CHRISTIAN'S    DUTY.  9 

mainly  called  the  services  of  God.  (1.)  There  is 
the  solemn  service  of  God  in  the  duties  of  his  wor- 
ship ;  so  we  may  understand  our  Lord's  words  to  the 
tempter,  Matt.  iv.  10,  "Thou  shalt  worship  the 
Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou  serve.55  (2.) 
There  is  the  ordinary  service  of  God,  in  the  course 
of  our  walk  with  him  :  Of  this  it  is  the  apostle  speaks, 
Heb.  xii.  28.  "  Let  us  have  grace  to  serve  the  Lord 
with  reverence  and  godly  fear."  And,  (3.)  There 
is  the  extraordinary  service  of  God,  in  some  notable 
duties,  called  for  of  some  persons,  in  some  special 
seasons;  and  from  their  compliance  with  those  du- 
ties, they  are  called  the  servants  of  the  Lord  :  and 
thus  Mouses,  Rev.  xv.  3.  is  called  the  servant  of  God, 
in  a  way  of  eminency.  They  who  got  the  victory, 
are  said  to  "  sing  the  song  of  Moses,  the  servant  of 
the  Lord,  and  the  song  of  the  Lamb'^  All  these 
three  significations  are  here  intended,  at  least  none 
of  them  can  be  excluded.  We  must  serve  the  Lord 
in  the  duties  of  his  worship,  in  the  whole  course  of 
our  walk,  endeavouring  to  do  always  the  things  that 
please  him  ;  and  when  called  to  extraordinary  duties, 
we  must  not  decline  them. 

2.  There  are  three  things  requisite  to  fit  a  man  to 
serve  the  Lord,  or  to  do  any  thing  that  can  justly 
challenge  that  name.  Men  are  not  naturally  fit  for 
the  Lord's  service  ;  and  they  far  mistake  it,  who 
think  that  they  may,  just  when  they  please,  put  their 
hand  to  the  Lord's  work,  and  do  it  right.  Nay,  be- 
fore ever  we  can  do  any  thing  that  God  will  own  as 
service,  we  must;  (1.)  Give  up  with  our  old  masters. 
We  are  all  by  nature  the  servants  of  Satan  and  sin  ; 
"  for  their  servants  we  are  to  whom  we  obey,  whe- 
ther of  sin  unto  death,  or  of  obedience  unto  right- 
eousness," Rom.  vi.  16.  And  no  less  sure  it  is,  that 
we  all  naturally  serve  and  obey  divers  lusts :  but  now 
we  must  renounce  these,  before  we  serve  the  Lord; 
for  we  are  assured,  that  there  is  no  serving  two  mas- 
ters.   The  Lord  will  not  halve  it  with  sin,  Matt.  vi. 


10  THE    CHRISTIAN'S   DUTI. 

24.  "  No  man  can  serve  two  masters  :  for  either  lie 
will  hate  the  one,  and  love  the  other ;  or  else  he  will 
hold  to  the  one,  and  despise  the  other :  ye  cannot 
serve  God  and  mammon."  And,  I  assure  you,  this 
is  no  easy  matter  to  get  a  sinner  and  his  old  master 
fairly  parted ;  no  less  than  the  mighty  power  of  God 
can  do  it.  Sometimes  there  may  be  out-casts,  but 
matters  are  quickly  made  up  betwixt  them,  and  all 
agreed  again,  until  God  himself  effectually  persuade 
to  a  seperation.  (2.)  There  must  be  a  fair  engaging 
to  Christ  as  our  Master.  We  must  accept  of  him  for 
our  Lord.  A  master  will  not  allow  one  to  come  in, 
and  put  his  hand  to  his  service,  unless  he  first  co- 
venant and  engage  to  own  him  for  his  Lord  ;  and 
this  is  no  easy  matter,  to  bring  a  sinner,  who  is  na- 
turally an  enemy,  to  come  this  length.  To  call  Christ 
Lord,  is  something  more  than  to  resolve,  under  a  con- 
viction, to  live  better,  and  serve  the  Lord;  nay,  it  is 
somewhat  more  than,  under  some  work  on  the  affec- 
tions, to  go  to  a  corner,  and  make  or  write  a  person- 
al covenant.  I  fear,  personal  covenanting,  however 
good  and  justifiable  in  itself,  yet  it  is  far  mistaken, 
and  much  abused  by  some,  while  it  is  made  a  ground 
of  hope  by  some,  who  never  understood  what  conver- 
sion meant,  never  were  humbled,  and  taken  off  their 
own  bottom,  and  engaged  to  the  Lord  by  the  power 
of  his  grace.  Tf  any  man  think  this  an  easy  matter, 
to  call  Christ  Lord,  he  has  never  yet  done  it  to  pur- 
pose. I  am  sure,  the  great  apostle  thought  it  no 
easy  matter,  but  a  thing  so  far  above  the  line  of  na- 
ture, that  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  required  to 
bring  ns  to  it.  1  Cor.  xii.  3.  "  Wherefore  I  give 
you  to  understand,  that  no  man  speaking  by  the  Spi- 
rit of  God,  calleth  Jesus  accursed  ;  and  that  no  man 
can  say,  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy 
Ghost. "  (3.)  Before  any  can  serve  God,  he  must 
have  a  heart  suited  to  the  work.  The  carnal  man 
is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  but  opposite  to 
every  duty. — Before  the  fruit  be  good,  the  tree  must 


THE  CHRISTIAN'S    DUTY.  11 

lie  good.  It  is  one  of  the  many  mad  attempts  that  a 
deceitful  heart,  and  deceitful  devil,  put  people  upon, 
under  convictions,  to  serve  the  Lord,  in  newness  of 
life,  with  old  hearts  :  But  they  who  have  learned  of 
'.Christ,  Matt.  vii.  17.  thai  the  tree  must  first  be  made 
good,  before  the  fruit  can  be  so,  will  know  other 
things.  First  we  must  be  created  in  Christ,  and 
then  we  may  walk  in  good  works,  Eph.  ii.  10.  Now, 
not  one  piece  of  service  that  is  acceptable  can  any 
perform,  without  these  three  pre-requisites. 

3.  That  ye  may  understand  what  it  is  to  serve  the 
Lord,  we  shall  offer  you  this  remark,  that,  before 
any  piece  of  work  performed  by  us  can  justly  chal- 
lenge this  honourable  name  of  service  done  to  the 
Lord,  it  must  have  these  six  qualifications. 

(1.)  It  must  be  a  thing  commanded,  otherwise  it  is 
serving  our  own  fancy,  and  not  the  Lord.  The  mas- 
ter's precept  is  the  measure  of  the  servant's  obedi- 
ence. We  never  find  the  Lord  approving  any  for  do- 
ing what  he  did  not  command  them ;  nay,  we  find 
him,  even  when  he  has  forbid  things,  rather  chal- 
lenging the  doers,  because  they  did  what  he  com- 
manded not,  than  because  they  did  what  he  forbade. 
Jer.  vii.  31.  <*  They  have  built  the  high  places  of 
Tophet,  which  is  in  the  valley  of  the  son  of  Hinnom, 
to  burn  their  sons  and  their  daughters  in  the  fire ; 
which  I  commanded  them  not,  neither  came  it  into 
my  heart."  And  to  the  same  purpose  is  chap.  xix. 
5.  "  Who  hath  required  this  at  your  hand?"  Will 
one  day  be  the  entertainment  of  such  services  as  are 
done  without  a  command  ?  And  there  is^one  com- 
mand that  puts  them  all  to  the  door,  Deut.  xii.  32. 
«  What  thing  soever  I  command  you,  observe  to  do 
it ;  thou  shah  not  add  thereto,  nor  diminish  from 
it." 

(2.)  There  must  be  a  regard  had  to  the  authority 
of  the  command  in  the  doing.  If  men  shall,  upon 
sinistrous  motives,  as  very  oft  they  may,  do  the 
things  that  are  commanded,  God  will  not  reckon  this 


1&  THE   CHRISTIAN'S   DUTY. 

for  service  done  to  him :  men  who  cannot  pry  into 
the  hearts  of  the  doers,  may;  but  such  deceits  take 
not  with  God.  It  is  not  obedience,  that  is  not  done 
because  commanded.  It  is  frequently  repeated  in 
the  erection  of  the  tabernacle,  that  every  thing  was 
done  "  as  the  Lord  commanded  Moses,"  Exod.  xvi. 
34.  and  xxiv.  4,  &c.  and  that  to  intimate,  that  Moses 
in  every  step  had  his  eye  upon  the  command  ;  and 
sp  should  we,  in  every  thing,  eye  (he  command. 

(3.)  Every  duty,  that  it  may  be  service  to  God, 
must  be  done  in  the  name  of  Christ.  God  will  ac- 
cept of  no  service  but  what  is  offered  on  this  altar, 
Col.  iii.  17.  *«  And  whatsoever  ye  do  in  word  or  deed, 
do  all  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  giving  thanks 
to  God,  and  the  Father  by  him."  In  the  name  of 
Jesus  is,  [1.]  By  the  command  of  Jesus,  Matt.  xvii. 
%0.  Nothing,  I  am  sure,  can  be  done  in  his  name, 
that  has  not  the  warrant  of  his  command.  [2.]  In 
the  name  of  Christ,  is  in  the  strength  received  from 
Christ,  Luke  x.  17.  It  was  the  name  of  Christ,  that 
is,  the  power  of  Christ,  that  cured  the  lame  man, 
Acts  iv.  10. :  and  it  must  be  this  that  must  enable  us 
to  duty.  [3.]  In  the  name  of  Christ,  is  in  a  depend- 
ence upon  him  for  the  acceptance  of  our  service  ;  for 
all  our  sacrifices  must  be  offered  upon  this  altar, 
which  sanctifieth  the  gifts  that  are  put  on  it.  [4.] 
In  the  name  of  Christ,  is  to  the  glory  of  Christ.  Nor 
will  any  service  be  accepted  that  runs  not  in  this 
channel. 

(4.)  Every  piece  of  service,  that  God  will  own  as 
such,  must  be  done  in  faith :  «  For  without  faith  it  is 
impossible  to  please  God  ;  for  whatever  is  not  of 
faith  is  sin."  Now,  faith  looks  at  the  promise  as  its 
only  security,  both  for  thorough  bearing,  acceptance, 
and  reward. 

(5.)  Service  must  be  done  in  the  manner  that  is  re- 
quired. It  is  not  enough  that  the  thing  be  done,  but 
it  must  be  done  in  the  manner  that  is  commanded; 
for  even  this  comes  in  as  a  part  of  the  command, 


THE    CHRISTIANS   DUTY.  13 

Psal.  cxix.  4.  «  Thou  hast  commanded  us  to  keep 
thy  precepts  diligently." 

(6.)  Service  must  be  done  in  the  proper  time.  God 
has  filled  up  our  time  with  work,  and  every  duty  has 
its  own  time,  and  we  must  do  every  thing  in  its  sea- 
son ;"  and,  *'  to-day,  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice."  If 
the  command  be,  to-day,  obedience  to-morrow  will 
not  answer  it.  If  any  of  these  be  wauling,  then  God 
will  own  no  duty  as  service  done  to  him. 

*.  To  add  no  more,  we  offer  this  one  remark,  for 
clearing  what  is  meant  by  the  Lord's  service  ;  and 
that  is,  that  one  may  be  called  a  servant  of  the  Lord, 
or  claim  this  title,  it  is  not  enough  to  do  some  one 
piece  of  commanded  duty  ;  nay,  nor  is  it  enough  to 
multiply  duties.  But,  (1.)  There  must  be  an  equal 
respect  unto  all  God's  commands :  "  Then  shall  I 
not  be  ashamed  when  I  have  respect  unto  all  thy 
commands,"  says  the  Psalmist,  Psal.  cxix.  6.  The 
heart  must  be  reconciled  to  all,  and  count  tbemtobe 
right  concerning  all  things.  (2.)  There  must  be  fix- 
ed bensail  of  will  towards  a  compliance  with  them 
all  A  servant  must  have  it  to  say,  with  the  apostle, 
Heb.  xiii.  18.  that  he  is  ■«  in  all  things  willing  to  live 
honestly."  And,  (3.)  There  must  be  a  constant  and 
permanent  endeavour  to  comply  with  them.  We 
must  "  show  the  same  diligence  to  the  full  assurance 
of  hope  unto  the  end."  Heb.  vi.  11.  And  surely,  if 
these  few  things  were  duly  weighed,  most  who  have 
hitherto  looked  upon  themselves  as  good  servants, 
would  begin  to  be  jealous  of  themselves,  as  mistaken 
in  this  matter. 

II.  We  are  next  to  show  you  what  this  deliberation, 
resolution  and  willingness  is,  which  ought  to  accom- 
pany an  engagement  in  the  Lord's  service.  As  for 
the 

First  of  them,  deliberation,  we  shall  open  its  na- 
ture in  the  following*observations,  in  as  far  as  it  re- 
spects our  present  purpose.  That  what  we  do  in  mat- 
ters of  great  moment  ought  to  be  done  deliberately, 


14  THE    CHRISTIANAS   DUTY. 

is  what  none  will  deny;  and  therefore  none  cTtnques>~ 
th*n  the  necessity  of  acting  deliberately,  when  we  en- 
gage ourselves  to  the  service  of  God.  Only  some 
may  be  at  a  stand  concerning  the  meaning  of  it, 
which  we  shall  endeavour  to  open. 

(1.)  When  we  say  that  men  should  engage  in  the 
service  of  the  Lord  deliberately,  we  do  not  mean,  that 
they  should  take  a  long,  or  indeed  any  time,  to  con- 
sider, before  they  do  engage  in  the  service  of  God, 
"Whether  they  shall  do  it  or  not.  This  is  only  requi- 
site in  cases  where  it  is  hard  to  discern  what  is  ad- 
viseable,  and  where  duty  doth  not  oblige  to  do  any 
thing  presently,  without  loss  of  time.  Here  all 
things  are  quite  otherwise  :  We  are  born  under  an 
obligation  to  serve  the  Lord  ;  and  the  reasonableness 
as  well  as  the  advantage  of  it,  are  so  obvious,  that  to 
be  ignorant  of  them,  is  to  be  culpably  blind.     Nor, 

(2.)  Doth  this  deliberation  import  any  doubt  or 
hesitation,  whether  we  may  do  better  elsewhere : 
this  were  wicked  and  highly  faulty.     But, 

(3.)  To  engage  in  the  Lord's  service  deliberately, 
is  to  engage  upon  knowledge  of  that  service,  which 
w  devote  ourselves  to.  It  is  the  sin,  the  folly  of  ma- 
ny, especially,  when  some  way  convinced  of  sin,  and 
the  bitter  issue- of  its  service,  that  presently  they  re- 
solve they  will  serve  the  Lord  ;  but  in  the  mean 
time  they  know  not  what  it  is  to  serve  the  Lord,  ei- 
ther as  to  matter  or  manner.  Most  part  think,  that 
to  serve  the  Lord  is  only  to  perform  some  of  the  ex- 
ternal duties  of  religion,  and  that  without  respect  to 
any  of  those  circumstances  we  have  mentioned.  But 
all  ought  to  know  who  are  in  case  to  serve  the  Lord, 
what  service  he  requires,  what  way  he  will  have  it 
done;  and  all  the  particulars  mentioned  formerly, 
when  treating  of  the  first  general  head,  for  explica- 
tion of  this  truth. 

(4.)  That  one  may  be  justly  said  to  have  been  de- 
liberate in  this  undertaking;  it  is  necessary  that  he 
know  so  much  of  his  obligation,  both  by  duty  and  in- 


THE    CHRISTIANAS    DUTY,  15 

terest,  to  undertake  this  service,  that  nothing  that 
may  afterwards  fall  in  his  way  may  be  able  to  make 
him  think  he  has  acted  cross,  either  to  duty  or  inter- 
est, in  the  undertaking,  or  that  he  might  have  em- 
ployed himself  to  more  advantage  otherwise. 

(5.)  A  man  that  engages  deliberately,  will  look  to 
all  the  disadvantages,  real  or  seeming,  that  attend 
this  undertaking,  and  know  when  he  engages,  that 
the  advantages  will  outweigh  the  disadvantages. 
And, 

(6.)  A  man  that  engages  deliberately,  will  know 
that  what  he  engages  in  is  practicable,  and  how  it 
may  be  done.  Upon  the  whole,  to  engage  in  the 
Lord's  service  deliberately,  is  to  do  it,  after  we  are 
acquainted  with  the  nature  of  the  work,  and  have  so 
much  knowledge  of  the  advantage  and  practicable- 
ness  of  the  undertaking,  that  nothing  that  falls  in  or 
may  occur  afterward,  may  be  able  either  to  make 
us  repent  our  undertaking,  or  quit  it  as  impractica- 
ble. 

Some  know  not  the  service  they  bind  themselves  to, 
and  therefore  engage  rashly ;  and  when  they  come 
to  understand  it,  they  find  it  not  suited  to  their  ex- 
pectation, and  therefore  they  quit  it.  Some  know 
not  the  advantage  of  it,  and  therefore  when  the  ser- 
vice of  sin  seems  to  bid  fairer,  they  rue  their  bargain  ; 
others  look  not  at  some  seeming  disadvantages  that 
attend  the  service  of  the  Lord,  and  therefore  they 
begin  upon  sight  of  them  to  wish  they  had  not  en- 
gaged in  it :  the  Psalmist  came  near  to  this,  PsaK 
lxxxiii.  13.  And,  in  a  word,  some  bind  themselves, 
without  ever  thinking  what  strength  the  work  re- 
quires, and  where  it  is  to  be  got ;  and  after  experi- 
ence tells  them,  it  requires  more  than  they  have, 
they  are  fair  to  quit  it ;  but  deliberation  prevents  all 
these.     And  thus  much  for  deliberation. 

2dly.  We  must  engage  in  the  service  of  God  resa* 
lutely  ;  that  is, 

(1.)  We  must  lay  our  account  with  difficulties^  not 

Gg2 


16  THE    CHRISTIANAS    DUTY* 

indeed  from  the  service  itself,  for  the  Lord's  **  yoke 
is  easy,  and  his  burden  light  ;"  but  from  our  own 
corruption  and  enemies,  that  oppose  us  in  the  under- 
taking. Every  one  that  puts  his  hand  to  the  Lord's 
Work,  must  lay  his  account  with  fighting,  as  well  as 
working :  he  must  be  like  the  buiiders  upon  the  wall 
of  Jerusalem,  Neh.  iv.  17.  work  with  one  hand,  and 
hold  a  weapon  with  the  other. 

(2.)  To  engage  resolutely,  is  to  resolve  not  to  quit 
the  work  upon  account  of  difficulties,  or  say  with  the 
sluggard,  "There  is  a  lion  in  the  way,  and  I  shall  be 
slain  in  the  streets ;"  but  to  hazard  all,  and  so  sur- 
mount these  difficulties,  or  die  in  the  quarrel. 

[3.]  To  engage  resolutely  in  the  Lord's  service,  is 
to  do  it  upon  a  conviction,  that  we  are  not  at  liberty, 
upon  the  account  of  any  real  or  seeming  difficulty, 
to  quit  it;  but  that  of  necessity,  we  must  not  only 
engage,  but  in  the  Lord's  strength  we  must,  in  spite 
of  all  difficulties,  persevere  to  the  end.     But  now, 

Sdly9  This  is  not  all;  but  further,  we  must  en- 
gage willingly  in  God's  service.  Some  do  serve,  but 
the  want  of  this  spoils  all.     Now  this  unwillingness, 

[1.]  Excludes  constraint.  We  must  not,  like  the 
slave  that's  bound,  engage  in  the  work  for  fear  of  the 
whip.  Some  multiply  performances,  others  serious- 
ly, as  they  think,  under  awakenings  of  conscience,  or 
sickness,  resolve  to  serve  the  Lord  ;  aye,  but  it  is  on- 
ly fear,  either  of  hell,  or  the  lashes  of  conscience, 
that  obliges  them  to  it ;  cross  their  inclination,  take 
these  out  of  the  way,  and  they  would  not  serve  the 
Lord. 

(2.)  Willingness  excludes  selfish  regards,  such  as 
only  eye  the  advantageous  consequences  of  God's  ser- 
vice. Some  serve  the  Lord,  like  Jehu,  because  they 
see  it  makes  at  present  for  their  interest :  but  if  it 
were  not  so,  they  would  act  otherwise ;  and  some, 
out  of  hopes  to  get  heaven  for  their  service,  do  the 
same*    But  this  will  not  do  :  this  is  indeed  a  sort  of 


THE   CHRISTIAN'S   DUTT.  IT 

constraint;  for,  could  the  service  and  its  consequen- 
ces be  parted,  the  service  would  not  be  chosen. 

(3.)  Willingness  imports  a  liking  of  the  service, 
as  well  as  the  consequences,  a  suitableness  in  the  will 
to  the  service,  which  makes  even  the  service  itself 
the  object  of  our  choice,  and  makes  it,  even  when 
the  consequences  are  not  eyed,  appear  agreeable  and 
pleasing;  and  this  can  never  be  where  the  heart  is 
not  renewed  ;  for"  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against 
God,  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed 
can  be.55  Rom  viii.  7.  And  therefore,  till  a  day  of  God's 
power  change  the  heart  of  man,  and  create  him  in 
Christ  Jesus  to  good  works,  there  is  no  possibility  of 
engaging  willingly  in  the  service  of  God.  Psal.  ex.  3. 

III.  We  are  now  come  to  offer  some  reasons  why 
we  should  engage  in  the  service  of  God,  deliberately, 
resolutely,  and  of  choice.    Of  many  we  name  a  few. 

1.  It  is  suitable  to  the  rational  nature;  for  we  de- 
base ourselves,  and  act  not  like  rational  men,  if  we 
act  not  resolutely,  deliberately,  and  willingly,  in  a 
matter  especially  of  so  great  moment.  Not  to  act 
deliberately,  speaks  us  foolish  ;  not  to  act  resolutely, 
speaks  us  weak ;  and  not  to  act  willingly,  speaks  us 
slaves. 

2.  The  nature  and  honour  of  God  makes  such  ser- 
vice necessary.  That  service  which  is  unbecoming 
a  rational  nature,  cannot  surely  be  acceptable  to  God, 
who  is  the  highest  reason.  What  is  reproachful  to 
the  nature  of  man  to  perform,  must  surely  be  so  to 
the  nature  of  God  to  accept.  If  man  cannot  act  iu- 
deliberately,  irresolutely,  or  unwillingly,  without  re- 
proaching his  nature,  surely  the  holy  God  cannot  ac- 
cept of  what  is  so  done,  without  reproaching  his 
own  ;  and  if  it  he  dishonourable  for  man  to  perform 
such  service,  as  is  not  the  fruit  of  deliberation,  choice, 
and  resolution,  surely  it  is  also  dishonourable  for  God 
to  accept  it. 

3.  The  nature  of  the  service  requires  it;  for  it  is 
called,  Itom.  xii.  1.  "  Our  reasonable  service."  It  is 


IS  THE    CHRISTIAN'S    DUTY. 

so  by  way  of  eminence ;  and  surely,  without  those 
three  properties  mentioned,  it  cannot  deserve  that 
name, 

4.  Unless  it  be  done  thus,  we  are  not  like  to  con- 
tinue in  it  ;  and  this  will  be  both  dishonourable  and 
disadvantageous.  What  is  rashly  undertaken,  is  usu- 
ally quickly  given  over :  what  is  irresolutely  engaged 
in,  is  easily  hindered  :  and  what  is  the  fruit  of  con- 
straint, cannot  be  permanent :  and  this  spoils  all  ; 
for  unless  it  be  continued  in,  we  lose  what  we  have 
wrought,  and  all  the  length  we  have  gone  will  not  be 
remembered.  Ezek.  xviii.  24.  "When  the  right- 
eous turneth  away  from  his  righteousness,  and  com- 
rnitteth  iniquity,  and  doth  according  to  all  theabom- 
inatious  that  the  wicked  man  doth,  shall  he  live  ?  All 
his  righteousness  that  he  hath  done,  shall  not  be  men- 
tioned ;  in  his  trespass  that  he  hath  trespassed,  and 
in  his  sin  that  he  hath  sinned,  in  them  shall  he  die." 

IV.  The  only  thing  remaining,  is  to  show,  what 
place  now,  under  the  gospel  dispensation,  is  left  for 
this  service  ;  and  that  in  answer  to  a  common  objec- 
tion that  is  made  against  it,  upon  supposition  of  ad- 
mitting the  doctrine  of  faith,  may  some  say,  "  If  we 
believe,  what  ye  not  long  ago  taught,  that  we  are  to  be 
justified  only  by  faith,  then  what  need  of  serving  the 
Lord  ?  what  need  ofholiness  ?  if  the  obedience  of  ano- 
ther must  be  our  righteousness  before  God,  we  may 
spare  our  pains  ;  there  is  no  need  that  we  obey." 

This  objection  is  old  indeed,  and  I  may  say  it  is 
Dew  also.  It  is  one  of  the  many  artifices  that  the 
enemies  of  the  grace  of  God  have  made  use  of  for 
discrediting  the  justification  of  sinners  before  God, 
by  the  imputed  righteousness  of  Christ ;  and  at  this 
day,  it  is  mightily  urged  by  Papists,  Soeinians,  and 
especially  Arminians,  who  swarm  in  these  lands; 
and  therefore,  before  we  come  to  answer  it,  we  have 
two  or  three  things  to  say  in  reference  to  it.     And, 

1.  We  do  indeed  confess,  that  any  doctrine  that  has 
•not  a  favourable  aspect  upon  holiness,  is  to  be  sus- 


THE    CHttISTIAN*S    DUTY.  19 

pecfed  ;  and  we  do  profess  ourselves  willing  (hat  our 
doctrines  shall  be  tried  by  their  influeuce  upon  holi- 
ness: and  further,  we  do  solemnly  protest,  that  as 
soon  as  the  charge  laid  against  the  doctrine  of  faith 
shall  be  fairly  proven,  we  shall  abandon  it.     But, 

2.  We  are  not  resolved  to  quit  it,  because  some 
men,  whose  lives  and  pens  smell  not  over  much  of 
holiness,  are  pleased  to  alledge  that  it  favours  not 
holiness. 

3.  We  must  say,  it  seems  very  hard  to  alledge,  that 
Calvin's  doctrine  of  justification  is  an  enemy  to  holi- 
ness, while  the  opposers  and  enemies  of  this  doctrine, 
at  the  same  time,  nickname  the  maintainers  of  \% 
Puritans,  Precisians,  and  I  know  not  what,  because 
they  will  not  take  so  great  a  latitude  in  their  practice 
as  themselves  ;  nay,  frequently,  because  they  cannot 
get  their  walk  condemned,  they  pass  a  judgment  up- 
on their  hearts,  and  usurp  God's  prerogative*  calling 
them  hypocrites. 

4.  We  hope  to  show  sufficient  reason  for  holiness, 
and  to  give  it  a  very  useful  room,  though  we  allow 
it  not  that  place  which  is  due  to  the  righteousness  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

What  place,  will  you  say,  has  it?  of  what  use  is 
it  ?  I  answer  by  showing, 

lstn  What  place  it  has  not ;  and  we  say, 
(1.)  It  is  of  no  use  in  order  to  merit  any  thing,  ei- 
ther in  time  or  eternity,  at  the  hand  of  God  ;  it  can- 
not merit  or  deserve  the  least  temporal  blessing  ;  far 
less  can  it  deserve  heaven,  and  those  glorious  spirit- 
ual privileges  that  are  there  enjoyed  :  "What,  can  a 
man  be  profitable  unto  God,  as  he  that  is  wise  may 
be  profitable  unto  himself?  Is  it  any  pleasure  to  the 
Almighty  that  thou  art  righteous?  Or  is  it  gain  to 
him  that  thou  makest  thy  ways  perfect  V9  Job  xxii. 
2.  3  "  If  thou  be  righteous,  what  givest  thou  him  ? 
or  what  receiveth  he  thine  of  hand  ?  Thy  wickedness 
may  hurt  a  man  as  thou  art,  and  thy  righteousness 
may  profit  the  »oa  of  man/'  Job  xxxv.  7.  8.     Onr 


20  THE    CHRISTIAN'S   DUTY. 

goodness  extends  not  to  him,  and  therefore  it  be- 
comes us  when  we  have  done  all,  to  own  that  we  are 
unprofitable  servants. 

(2.)  Our  service  we  do  to  the  Lord,  is  not  that  up- 
on the  account  whereof  we  are  justified  before  God. 
When  we  stand  at  the  tribunal  of  God,  to  be  tried  for 
our  life,  our  plea  must  not  be,  Lord,  we  have  served 
thee  according  to  thy  law ;  this  will  stand  us  in  no 
stead,  «  for  by  the  works  of  the  law  will  no  flesh  be 
justified."  Gal.  ii.  16.  Our  service,  if  weighed  in 
the  balance  of  the  sanctuary,  will  be  found  wanting. 

(3.)  Our  service  will  not  be  so  much  as  a  part  of 
that  righteousness,  upon  the  account  whereof  we  are 
to  be  justified  before  God,  Christ  will  not  halve  the 
matter  so,  either  he  will  be  our  entire  righteousness, 
or  not  at  all.  He  will  not  compound  the  matter,  for 
so  we  should  have  somewhat  to  boast  of,  and  should 
not  glory  only  in  the  Lord. 

(4.)  Sincere  service,  by  the  gracious  acceptation  of 
God,  is  not  put  in  that  same  place,  under  the  cove- 
nant of  grace,  which  perfect  obedience  had  under  the 
covenant  of  works.  This  is  contrary  to  the  whole 
tenour  of  the  scriptures.  But  what  need,  will  ye  say, 
can  there  be  of  this  service,  since  it  is  not  allowed  to 
have  any  part  in  our  justification  ?  We  answer  by 
showing, 

2dty9  And  positively,  That  it  is  of  very  great  use, 
and  there  is  an  indispensable  necessity  for  it;  and  that, 

(f.)  Upon  the  account  of  the  command  of  God. — 
Now,  this  binds  still,  and  would  have  bound,  though 
there  had  been  no  reward  annexed  to  it ;  and  this  is 
still  in  force,  for  *•  this  is  the  will  of  God,  even  our 
sanetification."     1  Thess.  iv.  3. 

(.2.)  It  is  indispensably  necessary,  in  regard  of  the 
believer's  voluntary  engagement  to  it.  When  faith 
once  gets  a  view  of  Christ,  it  says  to  him,  as  Thomas 
did  npon  another  occasion,  «  My  Lord  and  my  God  ;" 
and  if  once  we  call  Christ  Lord,  we  thereby  bind  our- 
selves to  be  his  servants* 

(3.)  It  is  necessary  from  the  new  nature,  regene- 


THE    CHRISTIANAS    DUTY.  21 

ration.  Believers  are  "created  in  Christ  Jesus  to 
good  works.55  Eph.  ii.  10.  They  are  born  again  ; 
they  are  partakers  of  the  divine  natHre.  Now,  our 
Lord  assures  us,  that  a  good  tree  cannot  bring  forth 
bad  fruit — Know,  "  whosoever  is  born  of  God,  sin- 
neth  not."  John  v.  18.  It  is  as  natural  for  the  new 
man  to  be  holy,  as  for  the  old  man  to  be  otherwise. 

(4.)  It  is  the  necessary  result  of  these  principal 
graces  of  the  new  creature,  viz.  love  and  gratitude. 
Hear  the  great  apostle  Paul,  2  Cor.  v.  14,  15.  "  The 
love  of  Christ  eonstraineth  us,  because  we  thus  judge, 
that  if  one  died  for  all,  then  were  all  dead  ;  and  that 
lie  died  for  all,  that  they  which  live,  should  not  hence- 
forth live  unto  themselves,  but  unto  him  who  died 
for  them,  and  rose  again." 

(5.)  It  is  uecessary  that  we  serve  the  Lord,  in  or- 
der to  obtain  the  great  ends  which  all  believers  do 
propose  to  themselves;  as,  [1.]  It  is  the  way  to  glo- 
rify the  Lord,  which  is  certainly  the  believer's  main 
end;  and  hereby  certainly  is  God  glorified,  if  we 
bring  forth  much  fruit.  Hence  that  exhortation,— 
"  Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that  they  may 
see  your  good  works,  and  glorify  your  father  which 
is  in  heaven."  Maith.  v.  16.  Again,  [2.]  It  is  the 
way  to  be  made  meet  for  the  enjoyment  of  God, 
which  the  believer  aims  at,  as  one  of  his  principal 
and  most  noble  designs.  Now,  the  more  we  abound 
in  the  service  of  God,  the  more  meet  we  are  for  the 
enjoyment  of  God,  who  is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  keep 
up  communion  with  those  who  are  not  holy.  Justi- 
fication is  necessary  to  give  us  a  right  unto  the  enjoy- 
ment of  God,  and  communion  with  him.  Sanctifica- 
tion  is  necessary  to  make  us  meet  for  the  actual  en- 
joyment of  it.  Again,  [3.]  To  serve  the  Lord,  to  be 
holy,  is  the  way  to  perfect  our  natures,  and  to  bring 
them  to  the  highest  pitch  of  perfection  they  are  ca- 
pable of.  This  is  our  wisdom  and  understanding, 
Deut.  iv.  6,  and  consequently  our  glory  and  honour 
to  serve  the  Lord.    Further,*  [4.]  To  serve  the  Lord, 


22  THE    CHRISTIAN'S   BUTT. 

is  the  way  to  be  useful  to  others.  And  this  is  one  of 
the  believer's  great  designs,  and  it  is  gained  by  this  ; 
for  this  is  profitable  both  for  their  conviction  and  eon- 
version  ;  nay,  and  many  other  ways  not  now  to  be 
insisted  on. 

(6.)  It  is  necessary  that  believers  serve  the  Lord, 
in  regard  of  the  great  provision  that  the  Lord  baa 
made  for  them  under  the  gospel,  in  order  to  fit.  them 
for  this  service :  there  is  an  abundant  provision  of 
grace  to  enable  them  to  serve  God  acceptably,  with 
reverence  and  godly  fear.  Now,  upon  these  accounts, 
ye  may  see  how  necessary  it  is  that  we  serve  the 
Lord,  though  we  are  not  to  be  justified  by  our  ser- 
vice. And  not  a  few  or  her  no  less  considerable 
grounds  of  obedience  under  the  New  Testament  dis- 
pensation, might  be  mentioned,  were  it  not  that  we 
hasten  to  the  application,  which  now  follows. 

It  now  remains  that  we  apply  this  truth  ;  and  we 
shall,  in  the  first  place,  draw  some  few  general  infe- 
rences, for  information  from  the  words.  Is  it  so, 
that  they  who  engage  in  the  service  of  God,  should 
do  it  of  choice,  resolutely,  and  deliberately  ?  Then, 

1.  It  is  not  so  easy  a  thing  to  engage  in  the  service 
of  God,  as  some  may  think,  to  get  the  will  of  man, 
that  is  obstinately  set  against  God,  brought  to  a  com- 
pliance with  his  will  in  all  things  is  very  hard  :  **  The 
carnal  mind  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  nor  in- 
deed can  be."  And  O  what  a  mighty  difficulty  is  it, 
do  ye  think,  to  do  this  after  a  deliberate  view  of  all 
the  difficulties  of  this  service,  and  a  discovery  of  its 
opposition  to  corrupt  nature  ?  Such  of  you  as  think 
it  easy  to  engage  in  the  service  of  the  Lord,  are  yet 
to  begin. 

2.  No  unregenerate  man  is  aright  engaged  in  God's 
service ;  for  no  unregenerate  man,  after  a  deliberate 
view  thereof,  and  the  consequences  of  it,  will  engage, 
or  can  engage  in  it  ;  and,  therefore,  sirs,  think  upon 
it  seriously*  if  you  be  not  born  again,  je  are  not  yet 
servants  of  God. 


THE   CHRISTIAN'S   DUTY.  23 

3.  We  may  draw  this  conclusion  from  the  doc- 
trine, that  God  has  no  mind  to  cheat  his  servants. 
All  the  plot  of  Satan  and  sin  is  to  get  people  enga- 
ged hefore  they  think :  for  if  they  think,  they  de- 
spair of  carrying  their  point :  hut  God  will  have  us 
deliberate.  It  is  the  peculiar  glory  of  man,  that  he 
is  capable  of  considering  what  he  doth  before  he  do 
it,  and  that  he  can  weigh  all  the  circumstances  of  ac- 
tions ;  but  profane  sinners  dare  not  do  so;  they  dare 
not  go  alone,  and  consider  what  were  the  motives 
prompting  them  to  what  they  did,  what  way  they  will 
make  their  account  to  God,  what  they  have  to  ex- 
pect after  this  life  is  done.  To  think  of  these  things, 
and  the  like,  would  make  them  mad :  but  the  godly 
man  can  go  alone,  and  look  to  his  whole  actions,  and 
do  it  without  fear  ;  and  can  look  to  all  things  past, 
present,  and  to  come,  without  discomposure;  and 
when  he  chooses  the  service  of  God ;  he  does  it  deli- 
berately :  the  Lord  will  have  him  to  do  so,  and  there- 
fore he  knows  he  is  not  circumvented. 

4?.  We  may  infer,  that  there  is  a  vast  odds  betwixt 
the  service  of  God,  and  the  service  of  sin.  We  can- 
not become  God's  servants  without  acting  like  men, 
acting  rationally,  deliberately,  and  resolutely :  but, 
on  the  other  hand,  there  is  none  can  engage,  or  con- 
tinue in  the  service  of  sin,  but  he  must  lay  aside  the 
exercise  of  reason,  and  act  like  a  beast. 

Did  we  not  design  brevity,  we  might  improve  this 
doctrine  many  other  ways  than  for  information,  now 
discussed,  viz.  for  trial,  reproof,  conviction,  and  cau- 
tion. But  we  shall  waive  all  these,  and  only  insist 
upon  exhortation. 

Is  it  so,  that  we  should  not  only  engage  in  the  ser- 
vice of  God,  but  that  we  should  do  it  deliberately,  re- 
solutely, willingly?  Then,  my  friends,  we  intreat, 
an:!,  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  exhort  you  all  this  day, 
to  make  choice  of  the  Lord  for  your  God  and  Mas- 
ter, and  cheerfully,  resolutely,  and  deliberately,  en- 
gage yourselves  ia  his  service  j  and,  with  the  people 

H  h 


24  THE  CHRISTIANAS  DUTY. 

of  Israel,  say,  and  hold  hv  it.  We  tpill  serve  the  Lord, 
This  exhortation  comprises  the  whole  of  our  com- 
mission from  the  eternal  God  to  you.  If  we  prevail 
not  in  this,  we  gain  nothing,  nor  can  we  do  you  any 
service,  nor  can  ye  do  us  any  real  kindness.  If  we 
prevail  not  in  this,  then  ye  are  for  ever  ruined,  and 
We  have  lost  our  labour  as  to  you,  your  damnation  is 
sure;  the  gospel  will  aggravate  your  sin,  aecent 
your  misery,  and  we  shall  be  witnesses  against  you  : 
surely,  therefore,  it  is  of  moment,  and  worthy  of  se- 
rious consideration,  what  ye  will  answer,  what  ye  re- 
solve to  do.  Instead  of  many  motives  I  might  use  on 
this  occasion,  we  shall  answer  some  questions  that 
will  readily  cast  up  in  the  minds  of  such  among  you, 
as  entertain  any  serious  thoughts  about  the  matter; 
and,  in  the  answers  to  them,  we  shall  couch  motives 
sufficient,  if  the  Lord  breathe  upon  them,  to  persuade 
the  most  obstinate  enemies  ;  and,  if  the  Lord  breathe 
not,  nothing  will  be  able  to  effectuate  this. 

There  are  six  questions  will  readily  employ  the 
thoughts  of  such  as  are  in  earnest  about  this  matter. 
i.  Who  is  the  Lord,  that  we  should  serve  him  ?  2 
Will  he  accept  of  service  at  our  hand  ?  4.  What 
work  will  he  employ  us  in  ?  5.  Whom  shall  we  be 
joined  withal?  6.  What  wages  will  he  allow  ? — 
These  are  the  most  material  concerns  of  one  that 
means  to  list  himself  a  servant ;  if  he  get  a  satisfying 
answer  upon  all  these  heads,  he  must  engage,  Now 
of  each  of  these  in  order  ;  and, 

1st  Some  of  you  will  think,  Who  is  the  Lord  that 
me  should  serve  him 9  We  know  him  not;  and  we 
would  fain  be  some  way  acquainted  with  him  before 
We  engage,  at  least  we  would  know  who  he  is. 

For  answer  to  this,  we  say,  It  is  very  reasonable 
ihat  ye  know  him,  to  whom  ye  submit  yourselves,  be- 
fore ye  do  it ;  and  would  to  God  this  method  had 
been  still  followed  by  you,  and  then  I  am  sure  Satan 
had  not  this  day  had  so  many  servants,  nor  Christ  so 
many  enemies.    We  cannot  pretend  to  tell  what  God 


THE  CHRISTIAN'S  B¥TY.  25 

is ;  for  none  can  search  out  the  Almighty  to  perfec- 
tion. Bat  only  we  shall  tell  you,  he  has  all  the 
qualifications  of  a  master  that  a  servant  that  is  vise 
could  wish. 

1.  He  is  great,  whom  we  call  you  to  serve.  Most 
kings  on  earth  are  but  slaves;  and  to  serve  most  of 
them,  is  but  to  serve  them  who  are  slaves  to  the  ba- 
sest of  lusts  :  But  "  the  Lord  is  a  great  God,  and  a 
great  King,  even  the  King  eternal,  immortal,  and  in- 
visible, the  high  and  only  Potentate,  the  Prince  of  the 
kings  of  the  earth."  None  may  compare  with  him 
for  the  excellency  of  his  person.  Thus  saith  the 
Lord,  Isa.  xliv.  8.  "  Is  there  a  God  besides  me  ?  yea, 
there  is  no  God,  I  know  not  any.'*  None  is  equal  to 
him  in  the  magnificence  of  his  habitation.  "  The 
heaven  is  my  throne,  and  the  earth  is  my  footstool,55 
saith  the  Lord,  Isa.  Ixvi.  1.  None  equal  to  him  in 
wisdom  $  he  is  the  "  only  wise  God."  And  as  for 
power,  who  can  compare  ? — For  "  what  pleased  the 
Lord,  that  hath  he  done  in  heaven,  and  in  earth,  and 
in  all  high  places."  And,  in  a  word,  he  is  the  only 
Master,  and  all  are  his  servants. 

2.  As  he  is  great  and  honourable,  so  he  is  gflod.— 
«  The  Lord  is  good  and  upright,"  Psalm  xxv.  8.  and 
in  other  places  of  scripture  innumerable.  The  good- 
ness that  a  servant  would  desire  in  a  master,  lies  in 
three  things,  and  they  are  all  eminently  in  God  ;  he 
is  peerless  in  them  all.  (1.)  He  is  a  good  Master, 
that  puts  his  servants  upon  no  work  but  what  is  suit- 
able and  reasonable.  (2.)  Who  bestows  upon  them, 
when  careful,  vast  largesses,  or  great  proofs  of  his 
bounty.  And,  (3.)  Who  is  indulgent,  compassionate, 
and  merciful  to  the  failings  of  his  servants,  when 
they  do  not  willingly  commit  faults,  nor  obstinately 
persist  in  them.  And  in  all  these  three  respects  the 
Lord  is  matchless. 

That  his  work  is  easy,  we  shall  afterwards  show 
at  more  length  :  at  present  it  is  enough  to  tell,  that 
he  who  canaot.lie  or  mistake,  has  told  us,  that  m  his 


36  THE'  CHRISTIAN'S   DWTY. 

yoke  is  easy,  and  his  burden  light."  And  who  knows 
jsot  his  bounty  ?  who  feels  not  the  effects  of  it  ?  His 
bounty  is  great  above  the  heavens,  and  all  shave 
largely  in  it ;  for  whatever  there  is  of  goodness  and 
inerey  in  the  lot  of  any,  that  is  the  fruit  of  his  boun- 
ty. But,  besides  the  common  effects  of  it,  he  has 
particular  favours  he  bestows  upon  such  as  arf  emi- 
nently faithful.  Look  what  marks  of  his  respect, 
and  what  glorious  tokens  of  his  bounty,  Abraham, 
Isaac,  Jacob,  Moses,  Joshua,  David,  and  the  rest  got, 
and  that  both  in  spirituals  and  temporals.  Nor  is 
liis  mercy  less  to  them  that  fear  him,  because  of 
their  infirmities.  Though  he  has  taken  all  imagina- 
ble care  to  caution  his  people  against  sin,  yet  he  will 
not  narrowly  mark  iniquity  with  them,  nor  enter  in- 
to judgment.  «  Litile  children,  these  things  write  I 
to  you,  that  ye  sin  not :  but  if  any  man  sin,  we  have 
an  advocate  with  the  Father,"  i  John  ii.  i.  The  co- 
venant of  grace  is  not  behind  with  the  covenant  of 
works,  in  forbidding  sin,  and  providing  against  it  j 
the  whole  of  it  was  revealed,  preached,  and  written, 
that  we  sin  not :  but  this  is  the  peculiar  glory  of  the 
gospel,  that  while  the  law  leaves  sinners  sinking  un- 
der the  curse,  the  gospel  sends  and  relieves  them, 
and  shows  that  there  is  «  an  Advocate  with  the  Fa- 
ther." 

3.  The  Lord  is  a  faithful  God  ;  what  bargain  he 
makes,  he  will  keep.  Has  he  promised  you  a  great 
reward  ?  ye  may  depend  upon  it :  "  He  is  not  a  man, 
that  he  should  lie,  or  the  son  of  man  that  he  should 
repent."  If  he  make  himself  known  to  you  by  the 
same  of  God  Almighty,  as  he  did  to  Abraham,  Isaac, 
and  Jacob,  see  Exod.  vi.  2.  to  make  them  believe 
that  what  he  promised  he  was  able  to  perform,  I  as- 
sure you,  he  will  not  fail  to  make  himself  known  to 
you  also,  as  Jehovah  God,  that  gives  a  being  to  his 
promise;  as  he  did  to  Moses,  when  he  called  him  to 
see  the  accomplishment  of  the  promises  made  to 
Abraham,  in  the  deliverance  of  his  people  out  of 


THE    CHRISTIAN'S   DUTY*  27 

Egypt.     But,  being  satisfied  that  the  Master  is  wor- 
thy beyond  compare,  the 

2d  Question  will  follow,  Will  he  accept  of  us  for 
servants?  A  question  truly  not  impertinent,  after 
the  former  answer ;  for  it  is  no  wonder  though  any 
that  knows  God,  or  knows  himself,  doubt  whether  he 
shall  be  admitted  a  servant  of  the  Lord ;  and  they 
that  never  saw  any  difficulty  here,  we  fear  not  to  tell 
them,  that  they  serve  an  ill  master  to  this  very  day, 
even  the  god  of  this  world,  the  Spirit  that  works  in 
the  children  of  disobedience.  But  to  the  question  we 
say, 

1.  The  Lord  has  taken  some  servants,  and  owned 
them  as  such,  even  out  of  the  race  of  fallen  man. 
We  hear  him  speak  of  his  servant  Abraham,  his  ser- 
vant Moses,  and  David ;  and  that  is  encouragement 
to  thee  :  men  they  were,  sinful  men  they  were  ;  and 
even  the  father  of  the  faithful,  Abraham,  was  au 
idolater. 

2.  The  Lord  wants  neither  work  nor  wages  for 
you ;  the  work  he  gives  his  servants  is  even  to  show 
forth  his  glory  ;  and  this  is  enough  to  employ  innu- 
merable millions  more  than  have  any  being.  And 
hence  it  is,  that  his  servants  many  times  find  the 
work  too  great  for  them,  and  therefore  call  on  all 
the  creatures  to  praise  the  Lord.  So  we  find  the 
Psalmist  calling  upon  fire,  hail,  snow,  vapours,  &e. 
to  praise  the  Lord,  Psal.  exlviii.  ;  and  he  concludes 
the  book  of  Psalms  thus:  "Let  every  thing  that 
hath  breath  praise  the  Lord  :  Praise  yc  the  Lord," 
Psal.  el.  6.  Nor  is  there  any  searcity  of  wages  :  ashe 
has  work  for  you,  so  his  treasures  are  inexhaustible ; 
there  is  no  want  of  any  good  thing  to  them  that  fear 
Mm,  for  in  him  dwells  all  fulness. 

3.  We  have  this  more  to  say  for  your  encourage- 
ment, he  will  not  cast  at  or  reject  you  because  you 
are  sinners.  Hear  what  such  an  one,  a  sinner,  a 
great  sinner,  has  to  speak  to  this  purpose,  1  Tim.  i.  12. 
«  I  thank  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  wjio  hath  enabled 

Hh2 


28  THE  christian's  duty. 

me,  for  that  he  counted  me  faithful,  putting  me  into 
the  ministry,  who  was  before  a  blasphemer,  and  a 
persecutor,  and  injurious."  See  a  sinner  made  a  ser- 
vant, and  one  of  the  first  rank  made  a  prime  minis- 
ter. 

4.  We  have  this  further  to  answer,  he  calls  you  to 
his  service  ;  be  then  of  good  courage  :  arise,  for  the 
Master  calls  thee.  Matt.  xi.  29.  «  Take  my  yoke 
upon  you,  says  our  Lord :  there  is  an  invitation.  The 
encouragement  follows,  «  And  ye  shall  find  rest  to 
your  souls."  And  the  reason  is  subjoined,  «  for  my 
yoke  is  easy,  and  my  burden  light." 

3dly9  Ye  may  next  inquire,  Upon  what  terms?  I 
see  he  will  admit  me;  but,  may  be.  the  terms  are 
too  high.  Nay,  this  shall  not  hinder,  if  ye  have  a 
mind  ;  for  there  is  nothing  more  engaging  and  rea- 
sonable than  they  are.  And  I  shall  shortly  lay  be- 
fore you  these  six  particulars,  as  the  terms  whereon 
he  will  adroit  you. 

i.  Ye  must  renounce  your  old  masters.  Ye  cannot 
serve  two  masters  ;  and  therefore,  if  ye  choose  the 
Lord,  ye  must  abandon  the  gods  whom  your  fathers 
served  on  the  other  side  the  flood,  and  the  gods  o 
the  Canaanites,  among  whom  ye  dwell ;  that  is,  in 
plain  terms,  Ye  must  not  serve  Satan,  ye  must  not 
serve  divers  lusts,  ye  must  not  serve  the  world,  ye 
must  not  serve  men ;  all  other  masters  you  must  for- 
sake, for  "  ye  cannot  serve  God  and  mammon." 
And  sure  this  is  no  hard  condition,  but  what  every 
servant  must  lay  his  account  with ;  and  none  have 
reason  to  do  it  with  so  much  cheerfulness  as  they 
who  quit  sin. 

2.  Ye  must  be  reconciled  to  him  upon  gospel-terms. 
A  master  will  not  admit  his  enemy  to  his  family  as 
a  servant :  who  would  keep  in  his  house  one  that  has 
a  design  to  ruin  him  ?  Reasonable  it  is,  then,  to 
the  highest  degree,  that  before  ye  be  admitted  to  the 
family,  ye  lay  down  the  enmity  that  your  hearts  are 
jfcaturally  full  of  against  God,  and  be  reconciled  upon 


THE  CHKI9TIATTS   DUTT.  29 

the  terms  prescribed  in  the  gospel,  which  are  compri- 
sed by  the  apostle  to  the  Pliilippians  in  two  words* 
*  Having  no  confidence  in  the  flesh,"  and  «  rejoicing 
in  Christ  Jesus ;"  which  are  indeed  equivalent  to 
other  two  words  made  use  of  by  our  Lord, "Deny 
himself,  and  follow  me."  "  If  any  man  will  come 
after  me,  let  him  deny  himself  and  follow  me." 
For  what  he  adds  about  taking  up  the  cross,  is  inclu- 
ded in  the  latter  words,  "  Follow  me."  And  of  the 
same  force  are  the  first  two  words  mentioned,  Phil, 
iii.  3.  "  We  are  the  circumcision  which  worship 
God  in  the  spirit,  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  have 
no  confidence  in  the  flesh."  Here  shortly  are  the 
gospel-terms  as  to  acceptance  with  God,  and  justifi- 
eaton  before  him ;  there  must  be  no  confidence  in  the 
flesh,  no  expectation  thence.  But  what  is  that,  the 
flesh,  ye  will  say,  on  which  we  are  not  to  rest,  in 
which  we  are  to  have  no  confidence?  I  will  tell  you 
some  things  called  so  by  the  apostle,  in  the  following 
verses  ef  that  third  chapter  to  the  Pliilippians. 

(1.)  He  calls  church  privileges  so,  external  privile- 
ges: "  Circumcised  the  eighth  day ;"  that  is  to  say, 
it  is  not  enough  that  a  man  was  baptised,  that  he  got 
his  communion,  that  he  is  a  hearer  of  preaching,  and 
the  like. 

(2.)  Church  membership  :  "  Of  the  stock  of  Is- 
rael." A  man  may  be  a  Christian,  and  sprung  of 
godly  progenitors,  and  go  to  ruin.  There  are  many 
who  may  cry,  Father  Abraham,  may  be  of  his  seed, 
and  yet  go  to  the  pit  themselves  for  all  that.  Again, 

(3.)  It  is  not  enough  to  be  a  member  of  the  purest 
church  on  earth  :  this  is  flesh  also.  Paul  was  not  of 
one  of  the  tribes  that  degenerated  ;  but  of "  the  tribe 
of  Benjamin,  a  Hebrew  of  the  Hebrews."  A  man 
may  not  only  be  a  Christian,  but  a  Protestant ;  not 
6nly  a  Protestant  but  a  Presbyterian  ;  but  if  he  lean 
to  either,  he  is  no  servant  of  God,  were  he  in  prin- 
ciple never  so  staunch  to  both  ;  it  is  flesh,  and  must 
not  be  trusted  to. 


S0  THE    CHRISTIANS   BITTY* 

(4.)  To  be  of  the  strictest  party  of  the  purest 
church,  is  not  to  be  trusted  to ;  it  is  not  enough  that 
ye  are  one  of  the  strictest  among  the  Presbyterians, 
even  one  whom  the  world  accounts  a  Puritan.  Paul 
was  of  the  purest  church  then  on  earth,  and  one  of 
the  purest  and  strictest  party,  "  concerning  the  law 
a  Pharisee." 

(5.)  He  not  only  was  of  the  strictest  party,  but  he 
exeelled  most  of  them,  <•'  concerning  zeal,  persecut- 
ing the  church/'  It  is  not  enough  to  be  really  of  the 
strictest  party,  and  even  to  outrun  most  of  the  strict- 
est in  duty. 

(6.)  He  was  one  that  was  concerned  only  for  reli- 
gion, and  the  honour  of  his  profession,  but  he  was 
blameless  concerning  the  righteousness  of  the  law. 
His  religion  led  him  to  respect  all  God's  commands, 
and  his  practice  came  so  near  to  his  principles,  that 
no  body  could  lay  any  thing  to  his  charge  ;  he  had 
great  attainments,  but  he  counts  them  all  flesh  ;  and 
they  are  so,  upon  a  triple  account :  they  are  things, 
most  of  them  performed  by  man,  who  is  flesh;  they 
are  tainted  all  of  them  with  sin,  which  is  the  work 
of  the  flesh;  they  are  done  in  subserviency  to  a 
carnal  design,  opposite  to  the  spiritual  design  of 
the  gospel  :  so  that  by  flesh  is  to  be  understood 
whatever  is  done  by  man,  or  whatever  is  tainted 
with  corruption,  and  that  even  after  as  well  as  be- 
fore conversion ;  for  the  apostle  excludes  from  any 
share  in  his  dependence  for  justification,  even  attain- 
ments after  conversion,  while  he  says,  "  What  things 
were  gain  to  me,"  that  is,  while  a  Pharisee,  "  those 
I  counted  loss  for  Christ;"  and  then  he  subjoins, 
<*  Yea,  doubtless,  and  I  count  all  things  but  loss." 
The  first  expression,  "  What  things  were  gain," 
was  too  narrow,  because  it  comprehends  only  what 
he  had  before  ;  and  therefore  he  adds  this  more  com- 
prehensive one  to  supply  that,  «  all  things ;"  and 
that  is  the  same  with  his  own  righteousness^  which 
lie  would  not  be  found  in,  in  the  following  verses.  In 


THE  CHRISTIANAS  DUTY.  31 

one  word,  to  have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh,  is  to  trust 
in  nothing  that  can  be  called  our  own,  because  done 
by  us  that  can  be  called  but  flesh,  as  tainted  with  sin, 
and  done  by  sinful  man.  It  is  net  that  we  are  not  to 
prize  church-privileges,  nay,  certainly  it  is  a  great 
advantage  to  partake  of  the  ordinances,  to  be  of  the 
purest  church,  and  the  strictest  party,  and  the  most 
zealous  of  that  party,  and  to  be  blameless,  to  be,  as 
we  said,  a  Presbyterian,  and  the  strictest,  is  duty, 
and  our  honour  too  :  but  yet  we  are  to  have  no  con- 
fidence in  this  ;  but  we  are  to  "rejoice  in  Christ  Je- 
sus." If  conscience  challenge,  we  are  to  flee  to  the 
blood  of  Christ,  and  sprinkle  conscience  by  that.  If 
we  be  carried  to  the  bar  of  God,  and  there  accused, 
all  that  is  laid  to  our  charge  Christ  must  answer  for 
it.  If  the  law  require  perfect  obedience,  Christ  has 
fulfilled  all  righteousness,  and  is  made  of  God 6*  right- 
eousness to  them  that  believe  ;"  aud  this  is  our  joy. 
If  conscience  accuse,  and  lay  a  great  charge  against 
us,  Christ  has  died  ;  and  this  is  our  joy.  If  any  be 
so  bold  as  to  condemn  the  believer,  God  has  justified 
him,  while  he  raised  Christ  from  the  dead,  as  being 
fully  satisfied  with  what  he  paid  on  the  account  of 
sinners.  And,  in  a  word,  wherever  we  are  straight- 
ened, there  is  still  found  ground  of  sorrow  in  our- 
selves, but  joy  in  the  Lord  Christ,  «  in  whom  believ- 
ing, we  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable,  and  full  of  glo- 
ry." Now,  if  ye  mean  to  serve  the  Lord,  ye  must,  up- 
on the  said  terms,  be  reconciled  to  him  :  ye  must 
«  have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh ;  ye  must  rejoice 
in  Christ  Jesus." 

o.  He  will  admit  you  to  be  his  servants  upon  these 
terms,  that  ye  comply  with  all  his  commands.  Ye 
must  take  up  his  cross,  hate  father  and  mother,  (that 
is,  reject  them  with  disdain,  when  they  come  in 
competition  with  him.)  Ye  must  cut  off  the  right 
hand,  pluck  out  the  right  eye.  But  ye  will  say,  this 
is  hard.  I  answer,  no  master  will  admit  a  servant,  but 
such  as  will  obey  him  ;  and  that  these  things  are  not 


32  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  BUTT. 

really  hard,  is  plain  if  we  consider,  (1.)  That  all  these 
things  he  will  have  us  to  part  with,  are  prejudicial 
to  us :  if  we  must  hate  father  and  mother,  it  is  only 
when  they  come  in  betwixt  Christ  and  us ;  and  we 
are  bid  cut  off  the  right  hand,  pluck  out  the  right 
eye,  when  they  offend,  and  offend  so,  that  we  must 
part  with  heaven  if  we  keep  them.  (2.)  We  are  on- 
ly bid  do  these  things,  when  the  very  doing  of  that 
which  seems  prejudicial  to  us,  turns  hugely  to  our 
advantage;  for  if  we  part  with  any  thing  for  Christ, 
we  are  to  expect  a  vast  income,  even  to  an  hundred 
fold  in  this  life,  and  life  eternal  after  it.  And,  fur- 
ther, this  will  appear  both  reasonable  and  easy.  For, 

4.  A  condition  on  which  God  will  admit  us  to  serve 
him,  is,  that  we  do  his  work  at  his  own  expense.  If 
we  go  in  God's  way,  we  must  go  in  the  strength  of 
the  Lord.  If  we  need,  we  must  come  boldly  to  the 
throne  of  grace  for  grace;  and,  in  a  word,  if  we  mean 
to  serve  him  acceptably,  with  reverence  and  godly 
fear,  we  must  have  grace  to  do  it,  Heb.  xii.  28, — . 
*  Wherefore  we  receiving  a  kingdom  that  cannot  be 
moved,  let  us  have  grace,  that  we  may  serve  God  ac- 
ceptably, with  reverence  and  godly  fear."  We  must 
do  all  in  the  name  of  Christ,  and  that  is  in  his  strength, 
for  the  apostle  elsewhere  tells  us,  that  he  could  "do 
all  things  through  Christ  strengthening  him."  And 
Christ  tells  also  his  disciples,  that  they  can  do  nothing 
without  him ;  and  sure  I  am  this  is  a  very  fair  condition, 
for  it  makes  the  hardest  work  easy  ;  it  is  all  one  to 
call  a  man  with  his  present  strength  to  a  work  easy 
to  him,  or  to  call  him  to  a  work  far  above  it,  and  in- 
crease his  strength  in  proportion  to  his  work.  And 
thus  it  is  in  this  case  ;  the  strength  of  God's  people 
is  still  kept  equal  to,  if  not  above  their  Work. 

5.  He  will  admit  you  to  his  service,  but  you  must 
wear  his  livery,  and  that  in  general,  is  holiness;  for 
"holiness  becometh  the  Lord's  house  forever ;"  but 
more  particularly  we  are  bid  "be  clothed  with  hu- 
mility," 1  Pet.  v.  5.    The  seraphs  have  wings  to  co» 


TJHB  CHIlISTIAtf's  DUTY.  S3 

ver  their  feet  and  (heir  face,  that  is,  a  clothing  of 
humility  in  a  sense  of  God's  glory,  and  their  own  im- 
perfections ;  and  we  must  wear  the  same  garb ;  we 
must  not  glory  in  ourselves,  or  our  ornaments ;  but 
w  let  him  that  glories,  glory  in  the  Lord." 

0.  He  will  admit  you  to  his  service  ;  but  then  ye 
must  serve  him  for  ever.  He  will  have  his  servants 
to  be  for  him  for  ever,  and  not  for  another;  and 
when  all  things  are  as  we  would  wish  about  his  ser- 
vice, sure  we  have  reason  10  say,  that  we  lote  our 
Master,  and  we  love  his  service,  and  we  will  not  part ; 
but  every  one  of  us  say,  I  and  my  seed,  I  and  my 
house,  and  all  that  will  take  my  advice,  shall  serve 
the  Lord  for  ever.  Upon  these  terms  the  Lord  will 
accept  you. 

%thly9  Will  ye  say,  What  work  will  lie  set  us  to$ 
We  cannot  tell  you  all  the  particulars ;  and  such  as 
are  engaging  in  service  do  not  expect  this  ;  but  I  will 
tell  you  all  that  ye  can  desire  about  it. 

1.  It  is  easy  work,  in  that  forecited,  Matt.  xi.  29. 
'*  Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of  me,  for  I  am 
meek  and  lowly  in  heart,  and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto 
your  souls.  For  my  yoke  is  easy,  and  my  burden 
light."  The  service  of  sin  is  labour,  and  toil,  and  a 
heavy  load  :  so  in  the  28th  verse,  "  Come  unto  me, 
all  ye  that  labour,  and  are  heavy  laden."  The  ser- 
vice of  Christ  is  easy,  and  in  it  his  people  find  rest; 
a  work  that  is  rest  must  be  very  sweet,  and  such  is 
the  Lord's  work.  Would  to  God  we  could  make  you 
understand  that  sweet  repose  and  blessed  rest  there 
is  in  the  service  of  God !  O  how  engaging  would  it 
be! 

2.  It  is  a  pleasant  work  :  "  Wisdom's  ways  are 
ways  of  pleasantness,  and  all  her  paths  peace,"  Prov. 
iii.  16.  ;  and  in  keeping  God's  commands,  as  well  as 
for  keeping  them,  there  is  great  reward,  Psal.  xix. 
11. 

3.  It  is  honourable.     All  the  works  that  the  Lord 


3£«  THE  CHRISTIAN^  DUTY, 

commands,  as  well  as  these  which  he  does,  are  hon- 
ourable and  glorious,  Psal.  cxi.  3. 

4,  It  is  profitable.  Godliness  is  truly  great  gain  $ 
it  is  profitable  for  all  things;  it  has  the  promise  of 
the  life  that  now  is,  and  that  which  is  to  come.  If 
he  calls  us  to  any  piece  of  service,  all  the  profit  comes 
still  to  our  account.  If  he  calls  us  to  suffer,  "  then 
our  light  afflictions,  that  are  but  for  a  moment,  work 
for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of 
glory,"  2  Cor.  iv.  17.  And  in  a  word,  the  man, 
"  that  is  righteous  is  profitable  to  himself,"  Job  xxii. 
2.    But, 

bthly,  Wlwm  shall  we  have  with  us  in  this  work  $ 
This  is  a  very  considerable  point,  and  of  great  con- 
cern, because  servants  are  not  alone  in  the  work,  and 
very  much  of  their  comfort  depends  upon  their  fel- 
low servants:  Now,  as  to  this,  all  is  encouraging. 
For, 

1.  The  glorious  Mediator  is  not  ashamed  to  serve 
the  Lord ;  "  Behold  my  servant  whom  1  uphold, 
mine  elect  in  whom  my  soul  delighteth,"  Isa.  xlii.  1. 

2.  Angels  join  in  serving  the  Lord  ;  hence  the  an- 
gel took  occasion  to  prevent  John's  worshipping  of 
him,  Rev.  xix.  10.  "  See  thou  do  it  not:  I  am  thy 
fellow  servant,  and  of  thy  brethren  that  have  the 
testimony  of  Jesus." 

3.  The  saints9  the  excellent  ones  of  the  earth,  are 
joined  in  this  work ;  all  the  general  assembly  and 
church  of  the  first-born,  whose  names  are  written  in 
heaven.  So  that  we  see,  as  the  work  is  pleasing,  so 
the  society  is  very  engaging. 

Gihly,  But  if  ye  say,  What  reward  way  we  look 
for  ?    I  answer,  though  there  were  no  reward,  what 
is  said  is  enough.     But  yet  we  say, 

1.  There  is  a  reward^  Psal.  six.  11.  "  And  he  that 
eoiaes  to  God  must  believe  that  he  is,  and  that  he  is 
a  rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  seek  him,"  Ilcb. 
xi.  6. 

2.  This  is  a  sure  reward,  Tit.  i.  2.     "  In  hope  of 


•ehe  chkxstian's  butt.  35 

eternal  life,  which  God  that  cannot  lie  promised  be- 
fore the  world  was/5 

3.  It  is  a  durable  reward ;  it  is  eternal ;  and  we  re- 
ceive a  kingdom  that  cannot  be  shaken,  who  serve 
God  acceptably,  with  reverence  and  godly  fear,  Heb. 
xii.  28. 

4.  So  great  a  reward  it  is,  that  «•  eye  has  not  seen, 
car  has  not  heard,  it  has  not  entered  into  the  heart 
of  man  to  conceive,5*  1  Cor.  ii.  9.  "  In  keeping 
them  there  is  great  reward/*  Psal.  xix.  11.  Upon 
the  whole,  we  conclude,  that  whatever  ye  can  desire, 
ye  have  here  for  your  encouragement.  A  Master, 
great,  good,  and  faithful ;  sufficient  security  of  ac- 
ceptance, the  terms  reasonable,  the  work  desirable, 
the  company  incomparable,  and  the  reward  great 
and  inviting. 

But  may  some  say,  We  fear  the  preeiseness  of  the 
way.  ye  oblige  us  to  an  intolerable  strictness  and  ri- 
gorousness  in  our  walk.     We  answer, 

1.  The  .way  of  God  is  indeed  strict,  and  we  can 
make  no  allowance  for  you  to  indulge  any  lust,  not  so 
much  as  to  bow  in  the  house  of  Rimmon. 

2.  If  this  affright  you,  truly  we  must  say,  that  all 
is  not  right,  the  heart  is  not  changed  ;  for  when  once 
this  is  done,  the  difficulty  is  over  here.     But, 

O  then,  I  fear,  says  the  soul,  that  I  shall  not  get  a 
perverse  heart  kept  in  this  sweet  way,  which  is  in- 
deed a  way  of  peace  and  pleasantness.  And  there- 
fore, 

3.  Ye  must  look  to  God,  that  he  may  take  away 
the  heart  of  stone,  and  give  you  a  heart  to  fear  him  ; 
for  there  is  a  necessity  for  it,  that  the  tree  be  good, 
and  then  the  fruit  will  be  so,  and  never  till  then.  But, 

4.  It  may  be,  the  strictness  you  fear  is  not  real, 
but  imaginary;  as,  (1.)  It  may  be,  ye  imagine  it  will 
not  allow  you  to  be  joyful ;  but  this  is  a  fond  vain  de- 
lusion. Religion  gives  a  man  the  most  solid  ground 
of  joy  ;  it  gives  him  allowance  to  rejoice,  it  directs 
how  to  make  joy  run   in  the  right  channel,  which 

I  i 


36  THE    CHRISTIAN'S   B¥TT. 

makes  it  double ;  and  then  it  superadds  a  command, 
P*  Rejoice  in  the  Lord  always;  and  again,  1  say,  re- 
joice "  Phil.  iv.  4.  (2.)  It  may  be,  ye  think  it  will 
not  allow  you  the  use  of  lawful  comforts  :  but  this  is 
a  vast  mistake  ;  it  will  not  allow  you  to  abuse  them ; 
but  it  bids  you  use  them  :  «  Eat  thy  bread  with  joy, 
and  drink  thy  wine  with  a  merry  heart,  for  God  now 
-aceeptetb  thy  works,"  says  the  wise  man,Eccles.ix. 
7.  (3.)  You  suspect  it  will  not  allow  you  to  be  civil 
and  well  bred.  This  is  a  shameless  mistake;  true 
religion  makes  men  the  most  pleasant  company  in 
the  world  ;  it  makes  them  g«ntle,  meek,  affable,  not 
soon  angry,  loth  to  give  offence,  careful  to  please  all 
men  in  all  things  lawful,  fills  their  hearts  with  love, 
and  makes  them  edifying  in  their  discourse. 

But  again,  may  ye  6ay,  I  will  never  be  able  for  this 
service,  it  is  too  great  a  work  for  me.     I  answer, 

1.  It  is  truly  said,  ye  can  do  nothing, «  without  me 
(says  Christ)  ye  can  do  nothing,"  John  xv.  5.  Ay ,  but, 

2.  It  is  said  to  no  purpose,  unless  ye  say.  more,  viz. 
That  the  Lord  cannot  make  you  able;  if  ye  be  wil- 
ling, the  Lord  will  make  you  able. 

3.  God  is  able  to  strengthen  you  with  all  might, 
according  to  the  glorious  working  of  his  mighty 
power,  whereby  he  is  able  to  subdue  all  things  to 
himself,  to  perfect  strength  in  weakness,  and  to 
make  thee  weak  as  David,  and  David  as  an  angel  of 
God. 

Now  upon  the  whole,  to  re-assurae  my  exhortation, 
My  friends,  in  the  bowels  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  we  be- 
seech you  this  day,  comply  with  our  exhortation, 
**  Serve  the  Lord,  and  choose  him  this  day ;  and  if 
not,  tell  me.  All  things  are  fair,  the  service,  the 
Master,  the  terms,  the  reward  ;  and  if  ye  have  a 
mind  to  serve,  there  is  nothing  can  come  in  your  of- 
fer like  this.  This  is  what  we  seek,  God  is  our  wit- 
ness :  it  is  not  yours,  but  you.  Through  his  grace, 
were  we  sure  to  carry  this,  we  would  have  it  at  any 
rate,  and  nothing  will  please  but  this.    And  now,  If 


THE    CHRISTIAN'S   DUTY.  37 

ye  refuse,  we  take  God  to  record  against  you,  that  ye 
have  had  a  fair  offer,  and  have  sitten  it. 

Thus  far  for  the  first  doctrine. 

We  come  now  to  the  second,  which  you  may  take 
thus,  to  be  somewhat  more  clear  than  in  the  first  pro- 
posal of  it. 

Doer,  II.  "  Such  as  have  any  true  and  sincere 
regard  unto  the  Lord,  and  his  service,  will  make  their 
own  religion,  or  personal  religion,  their  first  and 
main  care."  But  as  for  us,  &c.  first  me,  and  then 
my  house. 

I  say,  they  will  make  it  their  first  care,  they  will 
begin  with  it.  Before  they  look  what  others  are  do- 
ing, they  will  first  observe  how  all  is  with  themselves. 
Again,  they  will  make  it  their  main  eare,  they  will 
be  concerned  mainly,  and  most  deeply,  that  they 
themselves  be  well  stated  with  respect  unto  the  Lord, 
and  his  service :  but  we  do  not  say,  that  they  will 
make  it  their  only  concern.  Nay,  they  will  be  deeply 
concerned  with  the  state  of  their  families,  and  with 
the  state  of  the  church;  but  they  will  begin  here  at 
home,  and  look  how  they  in  their  own  service  are 
stated.  We  say,  they  will  make  their  own  religion, 
or  personal  religion,  their  first  aud  main  care.  When 
we  speak  of  their  own  service,  or  personal  religion, 
we  call  it  so,  to  distinguish  it  from  family  religion, 
and  from  the  y^i  more  public  service  of  God  in  our 
church  assemblies.  We  shall  not  spend  time  in 
proving  this  truth.  What  we  offer,  when  we  come 
to  the  reasons  of  the  doctrine,  will  sufficiently  con- 
firm it.  Now,  then,  in  discussing  this  truth,  we  shall 
shortly, 

I.  Tell  yon  what  it  is  in  their  own  religion,  or  in 
their  own  serving  of  the  Lord,  that  such  as  have  a 
sincere  regard  unto  him  and  his  service  are  first  and 
mainly  concerned  about. 

II.  We  shall  offer  you  some  reasons  of  the  doc* 
trine,  and  show  you  why  they  are  first  and  mainly 
concerned  about  their  own  religion. 


38  THE   CHRISTIAN'S   DWTT. 

We  begin  with  the 

I.  And,  among  other  things,  such  as  are  truly  sin- 
cere, and  have  any  real  concern  for  the  Lord  and  his 
service,  they  will  he  deeply  concerned. 

1.  About  the  reality  of  their  engagement  in  the 
Lord's  service:  a  question  it  will  be  that  will  lie  ve- 
ry near,  and  be  much  upon  the  heart  of  every  one 
■who  is  truly  in  earnest  in  this  matter.  Am  I  yet  en- 
tered in  the  Lord's  service  ?  Have  I  accepted  him 
upon  his  own  terms,  as  my  Lord  and  Master  ?  Have 
1  yet  felt  that  powerful  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
without  which  none  can  in  sincerity  say,  «  that  Jesus 
is  the  Lord,"  1  Cor.  xii.  3. 

This  is  the  foundation  of  all ;  for  if  we  be  not  ill 
Yery  deed  his  servants  in  vain  look  we  for  his  ser- 
vants* allowance,  their  acceptance  in,  or  their  reward 
for  their  work.  This,  I  say  is  the  foundation;  and 
Iherefore  the  wise  builder  will  lay  it  surely,  will  dig 
deep,  Luke  vi.  48.  i  that  is,  he  will  use  his  best  and 
most  vigorous  endeavours  to  remove  and  take  out  of 
the  way  the  rubbish  that  intervenes  betwixt  him  and 
the  Rock  ;  and  he  will  be  sure  to  see  it,  and  see  that 
his  foundation  be  laid  exactly  on  the  Rock.  This  is 
the  first  and  great  concern  of  a  sincere  soul,  that  they 
be  not  deceiving  themselves,  but  that  they  be  really 
engaged  in  the  Lord's  service. 

2.  Sincere  souls  will  be  deeply  concerned  about  the 
soundness  of  their  hearts  in  the  way  of  the  Lord. 
No  heart  can  be  found  in  the  way  of  the  Lord,  that 
is  not  renewed ;  and  therefore  this  will  be  the  care 
of  every  one  who  has  any  real  regard  unto  the  Lord, 
or  his  service,  that  they  have  a  heart  to  fear  and 
serve  the  Lord,  according  as  the  Lord  has  promised 
imto  his  people,  Ezek.  xi.  19,  20. ;  and  which  we  find 
the  saints  earnestly  praying  for,  as  being  under  the 
greatest  concern  to  have  it,  Psal.  cxix.  80.  «  Let 
(says  the  godly  Psalmist)  my  heart  be  found  in  thy 
statutes,  that  I  be  not  ashamed."  And  no  wonder 
though  they  be  brought  under  deep  concern  as  to  this, 


THE    CHRISTIAN'S   DUTY,  39 

since  the  Lord,  who  searches  the  heart,  hath  fre- 
quently missed  and  quarrelled  the  want  of  this,  under 
the  fairest  pretences,  nay,  and  the  most  sincere  en- 
gagements ;  I  say,  sincere  as  to  any  thing  discerned, 
either  by  the  persons  themselves,  or  onlookers,  as  we 
find,  Deut.  v.  27.  29.  The  people,  in  the  27th  verse, 
engage  fairly  to  serve  the  Lord;  and  we  have  no 
reason  to  doubt  their  being  so  far  ingenuous,  that 
they  really  meant  what  they  said.  Say  they  to  Mo- 
ses, m  Go  thou  near,  and  hear  all  that  the  Lord  our 
God  shall  say  ;  and  speak  thou  unto  us  all  that  the 
Lord  our  God  shall  speak  unto  thee,  and  we  will 
hear  it  and  doit.55  A  fair  engagement!  But,  ah! 
there  is  a  lamentable  want !  A  sound  heart  is  want* 
ing,  and  that  will  spoil  all.  This,  I  verily  believe, 
they  understood  not.  Moses  scarce  understood  ;  ay, 
but  God  never  misses  it,  ver.  29.  "  They  have  well 
said  all  that  they  have  spoken.  O  that  there  were 
such  a  heart  in  them,  that  they  would  fear  me,  and 
keep  all  my  commandments  always,  that  it  might  be 
well  with  them,  and  with  their  children,  for  ever.5* 
Some  of  you  think,  and  some  of  you  will  not  stand  to 
say  it,  Whatever  faults  be  in  our  practice,  yet,  bles- 
sed be  God,  we  have  good  hearts  to  God.  O  hellish 
delusion  !  He  that  thinks  his  heart  is  good,  is  blind- 
folded by  the  devil,  and  has  a  heart  no  better  than 
the  devil5s  :  for  "  the  heart,55  by  the  testimony  of 
God,  ••is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately 
wicked,55  Jer.  xvii.  9. 

3.  Sueh  as  have  any  thing  of  a  real  regard  unto 
the  Lord's  service,  will  be  mightily  concerned  about 
the  singleness  of  their  eye.  Of  how  great  moment 
this  is,  our  Lord  tells  us,55  Matth.  vi.  22.  23.  Our 
Lord,  in  the  preceding  part  of  the  chapter,  had  been 
directing  them  to  whom  he  preached,  as  to  the  ends 
they  should  have  :  he  tells  them  that  self  should  not 
be  their  end  in  their  prayers  and  fastings,  and  their 
end  should  not  be  to  amass  earthly  treasure  and 
riches,  but  that  it  should  be  God's  glory,  and  the  en- 

Ii3 


40  THE    CIIKISTIAN'S   DVf 7. 

joyment  of  him,  which  is  heavenly  treasure  indeed  ; 
and  here  he  teaches  the  importance  of  being  right  as 
to  the  end  :  (1.)  Plainly,  ver.  21. ;  and,  (2.)  By  this 
similitude,  ver.  22.  wherein  he  compares  the  main 
end,  or  the  soul's  intention,  unto  the  eye  of  the  body, 
and  shows,  that  the  direction  of  the  whole  life,  and 
rectitude  of  all  the  actions  of  life,  depend  upon  the 
sincerity  and  rectitude  of  the  end,  as  the  direction  of 
the  whole  body  doth  upon  the  sincerity,  and  single- 
ness, and  clearness,  of  the  bodily  eye.  No  wonder, 
then,  that  such  as  are  in  earnest  about  the  service  of 
the  Lord  be  concerned  about  this,  since  the  whole  de- 
pends upon  it.  A  squint  look  as  to  the  end  will  quite 
spoil,  and  render  altogether  useless,  the  most  fair 
and  specious  performances.  "  Take  heed,"  says  the 
blessed  Jesus,  in  the  first  verse  of  the  same  chapter, 
**  th^t  ye  do  not  your  alms  before  men,  to  be  seen  of 
them  i"  otherwise  ye  have  no  reward  of  your  Fa- 
ther which  is  in  heaven.  Many  of  you  multiply|duties, 
but,  God  knows,  few  look  to  their  own  ends  and  aim 
in  duties.  But  take  heed;  ye  see,  a  squint  look  to 
the  applause  of  men  will  make  all  to  no  purpose. 

4.  Sincere  souls  will  make  it  their  first  and  great 
care,  that,  in  their  serving  of  the  Lord,  they  have  a 
safe  rule,  as  well  as  a  single  eye.  Much  labour  may 
be  lost  to  no  purpose,  if  this  be  not  looked  to.  And 
hence  it  is  we  find  the  saints  in  scripture  mightily 
concerned  about  this,  and  looking,  and  that  deser- 
vedly, on  the  word,  as  a  "  light  unto  their  feet,  and 
a  lamp  unto  their  paths ;"  and  hence  are  they  most 
earnest  for  instruction  in  the  word,  as  the  only  sure 
and  safe  rule,  directing  us  how  we  should  serve  the 
Lord.  How  earnestly,  and  how  frequently,  does  the 
Psalmist  press  this  desire,  in  that  119th  psalm 
throughout!  wherein  we  have  the  mighty  concern  of 
the  Psalmist,  about  the  rule,  clearly  evidenced:  and 
bo  wonder,  since  the  Lord  may  justly  send  us,  both 
for  our  sustenance  in  working,  and  our  reward  for  it 
when  it  is  done,  to  those  who  prescribed  us  our  work  j 


THK  CHRISTIAN'S    DUTY.  41 

for  surely  to  serve  the  Lord  is  to  do  whatever  he 
commands  us.  We  may  not  add  unto  the  word  which 
he  commands  us;  from  this  we  are  bound  up  by  an 
express  prohibition,  Deut.  iv.  2. 

5.  Such  as  are  indeed  sincere,  will  he,  in  the  first 
place,  and  principally,  concerned  about  the  diligence 
of  their  hand  in  the  work  of  the  Lord.  What  our 
hand  finds  to  do,  we  are  to  do  it  with  all  our  might ; 
and  he  is  cursed  with  a  curse  that  doth  the  work  of 
the  Lord  slothfully.  Much,  therefore,  it  is  upon  the 
soul  to  shun,  and  how  he  may  shun  that  curse,  Jer. 
xlviii.  10.  *<  Cursed  be  he  that  doth  the  work  of  the 
Lord  deceitfully/*  or  negligently.*  as  the  word  is  ren- 
dered in  the  margin  of  some  of  our  Bibles. 

6.  To  add  no  snore,  thev  will  be  much  concerned 
about  their  acceptance,  and  their  pleasing  him  who 
hath  called  them  to  his  service.  If  God  accept,  then 
all  is  well  with  them  ;  and  if  fee  reject,  then  nothing 
can  compensate  the  loss  they  have  by  his  hiding , 
and  therefore  they  lay  aside  all  entanglements*  that 
they  may  please  him  who  hath  chosen  them  to  be 
his  soldiers  and  servants,  3  Tim.  ii  4.  Thus  have 
we  performed  what  we  promised  in  the  first  place, 
and  have  showed  you  what  it  is  in  their  own  service 
of  God,  or  in  their  personal  religion,  that  gets  the 
first  and  chief  room  in  the  care  and  concern  of  the 
Lord's  people ;  and  it  is  the  reality  of  their  engage- 
ment, the  soundness  of  their  heart,  the  singleness  of 
their  eye,  the  diligence  of  their  hand,  the  safety  of 
their  rule*  and  finally,  their  acceptance  in  it.  Be- 
fore they  look  to  other  things,  they  first  look  to 
this,  and  this  is  the  first  in  their  thoughts,  and  con- 
cern.    We  are  now, 

II.  To  show  the  rise  of  this  concern,  and  to  tell 
you  zvhij  such  as  have  any  sincere  regard  unto  the 
Lord,  or  his  service,  make  their  own  religion  their 
first  and  main  concern.  Now,  of  this  we  may  take 
the  following  reasons. 

1.  They  will  do  it,  because  the  command  of  God 


42  THE    CHRISTIANAS    BITTY* 

has  a  first  and  principal  respect  unto  our  own  reli- 
gion, personal  religion.  The  commands  are  directed 
to  particular  persons :  "  Thou  shalt  have  no  other 
gods  before  me  ;  thou  shalt  not  make  graven  images  ; 
remember  thou  the  Sabbath-day.  And  not  only  so, 
but  their  first  look  is  to  what  concerns  these  parti- 
cular persons  immediaetly ;  it  first  binds  thee  as  to 
thine  own  practice,  and  then  calls  thee  to  regard  it 
with  respect  to  others  :  "  Thou  shalt  not  make  unto 
thee  any  graven  images ;"  and  first  thou  art  to  "  re- 
member the  Sabbath,"  and  then  to  look  that  thy  ser- 
vant and  stranger  do  so.  We  must  begin  at  home, 
east  out  the  beam  out  of  our  own  eye,  before  we  look 
to  the  mote  in  our  neighbour's. 

2.  Such  as  are  sincere  will  look  first  and  mainly 
to  their  own  religion,  because  it  is  doubly  important ; 
important  in  itself,  and  important,  because  without 
it  we  are  not  in  a  capacity  to  serve  the  Lord,  either 
in  our  families  or  in  public.  If  the  tree  be  not  made 
good,  none  of  the  fruit  can  be  good.  If  we  be  not 
really  the  Lord's  servants,  if  our  heartsbe  not  sound, 
our  eye  single,  our  hand  diligent  in  our  personal  and 
private  work,  walk,  and  way,  it  is  utterly  impossible 
we  should  be  so  in  the  more  public  duties  of  religion. 

3.  They  will  be,  and  are,  first  and  principally  con- 
cerned about  their  own  religion,  because  a  due  con- 
cern about  our  own  religion  is,  if  not  the  spring,  yet 
one  of  the  principal  inducements  unto,  and  effectual 
means  for  engaging  to  vigour  and  diligence  in  the 
other  more  public  duties  of  religion ;  yea,  so  neces- 
sary is  the  connexion  betwixt  diligence  in  this  and  in 
the  other,  that  public  religion  rises  and  falls,  ebbs 
and  flows,  abates  and  increases,  according  as  our  per- 
sonal religion  rises  or  falls.  When  saints  are  in  a 
good  case,  Zion  will  be  much  upon  their  hearts. 

4.  The  truly  sincere  will  make  their  own  religion 
their  first  and  main  concern,  because  it  lies  most 
within  their  own  reach.  We  cannot  get  our  fami- 
lies, congregations,   and  far  less  churches,  as  we 


THE    CHRISTIAN'S   BUTT.  *3 

would  have  them ;  but  what  wc  may  through  grace 
reach,  that  .we  are  obliged  not  to  want.  Though 
Joshua  cannot  get  all  Israel  engaged  in  the  service 
of  the  Lord,  yet  himself  he  may  ;  and  therefore, 
what  his  hand  finds  to  do,  what  he  may  be  able,  thro' 
grace,  to  go  through,  is  that  he  is  engaged  to  do,  and 
to  do  it  with  his  might,  Eeel.ix.  JO. 

5.  Sincere  souls  will  make  their  own  religion  their 
first  concern,  because*  upon  their  success  in  this,  they 
have  the  greatest  venture.  David,  (hough  his  house 
be  not  so  with  God^  if  he  himself  be  right,  may  have 
peace.  Ministers,  who  have  been  faithful,  may  thro' 
grace  have  peace,  though  Israel  be  not  gathered. 
But  there  is  an  indispensable  necessity  that  we  our- 
selves be  personally  religious  ;  "  without  holiness  no 
man  shall  see  the  Lord,"  Keb.  xii.  14. 

6.  I  may  add,  sincere  souls  will  begin  with,  and 
lay  out  their  main  eoneern  about  personal  religion, 
because  the  footsteps  of  the  flock  lead  this  way.  And 
we  are  bid,  when  in  search  after  the  Lord,  go  our 
ways  out  by  the  footsteps  of  the  flock  :  now,  we  may 
see  others  who  have  gone  before,  and  who  through 
faith  and  patience  have  inherited  (he  promises,  tak- 
ing this  way.  So  we  find  Joshua  doth,  so  we  find  Da- 
vid resolved  to  do,  Psal.  ci.  2.  where  first  he  resolves 
upon  a  perfect  heart,  and  then  a  perfect  way,  and 
then  to  go  to  what  was  more  public.  And  thus  much 
for  the  doctrinal  part. 

We  come  now  to  make  some  application. 

Use  1.  Of  information.  Is  it  so,  that  such  as  have 
any  sincere  regard  to  the  service  of  the  Lord,  begin 
at  their  own  religion  ?  Then, 

i.  We  may  conclude  it  a  dangerous  perverting  of 
the  order  enjoined  by  the  Lord,  and  followed  by  his 
people,  to  begin  with  a  concern  about  the  public. 
Some  there  are,  and  not  a  few  there  have  been,  who 
have  lived  either  profanely,  or  at  best  in  an  estrange- 
ment from  the  power  of  religion,  who  all  of  a  sud- 
den, either  from  openly  profane,  careless  Gallios,  or 


44  the  christian's  duty. 

dead  and  lazy  formalists,  turn  mighty  zealots,  and, 
Jehu-like  outrun  others  in  a  mighty  copeern  for  the 
public,  taking  all  that  is  amiss  severely:  but  none 
know  how  they  came  by  it ;  they  were  never  exer- 
cised about  their  own  souls.  This  is  a  perverse  me- 
thod :  and  Satan  is  here,  though  clothed  as  an  angel 
of  light.     And  this  is  exceedingly  dangerous, 

1st,  To  the  person  himself;  because,  (1.)  It  might- 
ily strengthens  him  in  a  proud  and  vain  conceit  of 
himself,  while  he  sees  not  what  is  at  home,  but  only 
sees  himself  abroad,  where  he  runs  before  others ; 
and  surely  growth  in  pride  is  growth  in  all  sin.  God 
gives  grace  to  the  humble  ;  and  if  so,  sure  I  am,  the 
proud  advance  in  gracelessness,  and  sin  gathers 
strength.  Again,  (2.)  It  is  dangerous  to  the  persons, 
because  this  runs  them  commonly  to  such  heights, 
that  they  can  neither  go  forward,  nor  stand  the  ground 
they  come  to;  and  therefore  they  must  fall,  and  some 
of  them  fall  into  utter  ruin,  make  shipwreck  of  faith, 
and  of  a  good  conscience,  and  are  lost  for  ever. 

2dly9  It  is  dangerous  to  the  cause  they  espouse : 
for,  (1.)  They  take  wrong  means  ;  and  the  more  we 
tamper  with  improper  means,  still  the  worse,  and 
the  further  we  are  from  our  friend.  (2.)  Their  end 
is  not  right  laid,  their  views  not  single  ;  and  this, 
with  the  wrong  steps  they  take  in  the  way  is  found 
really  to  do  religion  more  injury,  than  ever  their  for- 
wardness did  it  service. 

Sly9  It  is  dangerous  to  those  who  embark  with 
them  in  the  same  work:  For,  (1.)  It  sets  them  off 
from  the  true  way  of  reaching  the  most  excellent 
aims.  And,  (2.)  It  lays  them  open  to  a  hazard  of 
apostacy,  and  failing,  when  their  leaders  fall.  Be- 
ware, therefore,  of  perverting  the  Lord's  order. 

2.  We  may  draw  this  conclusion  from  the  doctrine, 
that  all  concern  about  the  public,  that  takes  us  off 
from  a  concern  about  our  own  souls,  in  the  first  and 
principal  place,  is  dangerous,  and  to  be  suspected. 
It  is  dangerous  to  spend  all  our  time,  and  talk,  and 


THE   CHRISTIANS   DFTY.  45 

thoughts,  about  others,  while  we  are  careless  about 
ourselves. 

3.  It  is  a  dangerous  and  terrible  issue  of  exercise 
about  our  own  souls,  to  lose  it  quite,  before  any  real 
outgate  be  got  in  the  Lord's  ordinary  way;  in  a  great 
deal,  a  flood  of  concern  about  ihe  public  ;  and  this  is 
the  issue  of  some  exercises  at  this  time.  Some  are 
for  a  while  concerned  about  their  own  souls  ;  but  all 
of  a  sudden  this  wears  oif,  we  cannot  tell  how,  and 
presently  there  is  nothing  but  zeal  about  the  public. 
We  are  obliged  to  speak  of  this  upon  a  double  ac- 
count :  (1)  To  prevent  the  offence,  and  guard  against 
the  evils,  that  the  fall  of  such  persons  may  do,  and 
give  to  such  as  are  established  in  the  Lord's  way  ; 
and,  (2.)  To  guard  people  against  a  dangerous  mis- 
take, which  is  really  dangerous,  because  it  is  a  mis- 
take, and  a  mistake  in  a  matter  of  very  high  con- 
cernment, and  most  of  all,  because  it  is  such  a  mis 
take  so  well  masked  with  a  white  veil,  that  it  is  hard 
to  discern  it. 

4.  We  may  draw  this  conclusion,  that  such  of  you 
as  were  never  concerned  about  your  own  religion, 
and  that  to  some  purpose,  whatever  ye  think  of  your- 
selves, or  whatever  others  may  think  of  you,  ye  ne- 
ver struck  a  fair  stroke  about  the  public  :  if  ye  have 
done  any  thing  there,  ye  have  begun  at  the  wrong 
end,  and  ye  have  no  reason  to  expect  acceptance  at 
the  Lord's  hand. 

Use  2.  Is  for  trial.  Is  it  so,  that  such  who  have 
any  sincere  regard  to  religion,  to  God,  or  his  honour 
and  service,  do  make  their  own  religion  their  first  and 
great  concern  ?  Then  surely  we  are  all  concerned  to 
try  whether  we  do  make  our  own  religion  our  main 
concern.  If  we  do  not,  then  surely  we  are  naught ; 
and  therefore  it  is  of  the  highest  importance  to  us, 
to  be  satisfied  as  to  this,  and  to  be  distinct  in  our 
thoughts  about  it.  Now,  that  we  may  some  w  ay  help 
you  here,  we  shall  enter  upon  a  search  for  this  con- 
cern, that  we  may  know  whether  really  we  have  been 


46  the  christian's  betz. 

under  any  concern  about  our  religion*  yea,  or  not. 
Now,  past  all  peradventure,  if  we  be  indeed  concern- 
ed about  our  religion,  this  will  be  found  in>  our 
thoughts,  in  our  affections,  in  our  words,  and  in  our 
actions  ;  aud  therefore  in  all  these  we  shall  search 
for  it. 

We  say,  if  ye  be  concerned  about  your  own  reli- 
gion, then  surely  this  concern  will  appear  in  your 
thoughts  about  it.  And  we  shall  therefore  put  a  few 
serious  questions  toyou,  with  respect  unto  your  own 
thoughts. 

(1.)  Have  ye  any  thoughts  about  what  concerns 
your  own  religion  ?  Some  of  you,  I  fear,  dare  scarce 
say,  that  ever  ye  think  about  God  or  his  service,  save 
only  when  ye  are  in  the  church,  hearing  the  minister 
speak  about  such  things ;  n&y,  I  fear,  that  not  a  few 
of  you  do  scarce  even  then  think  about  your  own  re- 
ligion. Do  not  many  of  you  allow  your  thoughts  to 
rove,  ye  know  not  where  ?  or  if  ye  listen  to  what  is 
said,  ye  apply  nothing  of  it ;  or  if  ye  do,  it  is  only 
to  others  ?  Is  it  not  thus  with  many  of  you  ?  Well,  I 
assure  you,  ye  have  no  religion,  nor  have  ye  any  con- 
cern about  religion  ;  the  wicked  atheist's  character 
is  yours.  "  God  is  not  in  all  his  thoughts,55  Psal  x.  4. 
If  ye  think  not  of  religion,  of  your  own  religion,  not 
only  when  attending  ordinances,  but  also  at  other 
times*  ve  have  no  concern  about  it. 

(2.)  Though  your  thoughts  be  some  way  and  some- 
times employed  about  this,  yet  ye  may  have  no- such 
concern  as  that  which  we  inquire  after ;  and  there- 
fore we  interrogate  you,  in  the  next  place,  do  your 
thoughts  run  naturally,  and,  as  it  were,  of  their 
own  accord,  in  this  channel  ?  Some  people  think  about 
their  souls,  and  the  concerns  of  their  own  salvation, 
but  never  except  when  they  are  compelled  to  it ;  but 
surely  this  speaks  them  not  suitably  concerned  about 
it.  What  a  man  is  concerned  about,  his  mind  runs 
to  it,  as  it  were.,  without  bidding.  Ye  are  many  of 
y<Mi  concerned  about  the  things  of  the  world,  well, 


THE    CHRISTIAN'S   DUTY.  47 

if  ye  have  a  bargain  of  any  moment,  which  ye  are 
(concerned  about,  ye  will  not  need  to  force  your 
thoughts  toward  that;  nay,  Mat.  vi.  21.  "Where 
the  treasure  is,  there  the  heart  will  be,"  and  there- 
lore  the  thoughts  will  run  that  way  ;  nay,  they  will 
run  over  the  belly  of  all  impediments.  Is  it  so  about 
your  religion  ?  Do  your  thoughts  still  run  thither? 
If  it  he  not  so,  then  surely  ye  have  no  concern  about 
your  own  religion.  He  that  never  thinks  about  his 
own  religion,  is  never  poring  in  his  thoughts  (except 
when  driven  to  it)  to  know  how  matters  are  with 
him,  whether  he  be  a  servant  of  God  or  not  ?  I  fear 
not  to  say,  he  is  none,  and  is  not  concerned  to  be  one. 

(3.)  Do  your  thoughts  dwell  upon  this  ?  Is  the 
reality  of  your  own  engagement  in  the  Lord's  service, 
the  soundness  of  your  heart,  singleness  of  your  eye, 
&c.  the  subjects  to  which  not  only  your  minds  run 
naturally,  as  it  were,  and  of  its  own  accord,  but  also 
that  which  your  thoughts  fix  on  ?  As  our  minds  do 
readily  run  to  the  thoughts  of  that  whereabout  we 
are  concerned,  so  they  are  strongly  inclined  to  fix 
there,  and  the  mind  loves  to  exercise  its  thoughts 
about  that,  Isa.  xxvi.  3.  The  mind  or  thought  is 
stayed  upon  God.  The  man  that  trusts  in  the  Lord, 
will  desire  to  have  his  thoughts  thus  stayed.  Is  it  so 
with  you  ?  If  it  be  not  so  in  some  measure,  then 
truly  you  have  reason  to  think  that  ye  have  never 
been  in  earnest  concerned  about  your  own  religion. 

Object.  But  here  may  some  poor  exercised  soul 
say,  Now,  indeed,  ye  have  found  me  :  for  I  could  ne- 
ver all  my  days  get  my  thoughts  fixed  upon  any  thing 
that  is  good  ;  still  my  mind  gets  away,  and  is  carried 
etFsometintes  after  one  vanity,  and  sometimes  after 
another. 

To  such  I  have  a  few  things  to  offer  for  their  re- 
lief [1.]  Is  this  straying  of  thy  mind  thy  burden 
and  grief?  If  it  be,  then  surely  it  speaks  thy  soul  de- 
sirous of  fixing  here.  Again.  [2.]  Dost  thou  strive 
to  keep  thy  thoughts  fixed  ?     Dost  thou  endeavour 

K  k 


48  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  DUTY, 

to  fix  them,  and  cry  to  God  to  fix  them  ?  If  so,  then 
undoubtedly  thy  mind  is  carried  away  violently,  by 
some  enemy,  and  thai  is  not  thine  own  deed.  Thy 
soul  is  desirous  to  fix,  bui  something  forces  it  off; 
either  the  power  of  thy  domestic  enemy,  that  enemy 
that  is  in  thine  own  bosom,  I  mean  sin,  or  of  some 
foreign  enemy,  Satan  or  the  world  shakes  you  ;  and 
this  makes  nothing  against  you.  Therefore,  I  say, 
£3.]  Do  ye  as  oft  as  your  mind  is  away,  bring  it  back 
again,  and  that  with  grief  and  sorrow  for  its  depart- 
ings  ?  If  so,  then  surely  ye  have  no  reason  to  doubt 
your  concern  upon  this  account.  Having  thus  obvi- 
ated this  exception,  we  proceed  in  our  search  ;  and, 

(4.)  We  say,  Do  ye  think  frequently  upon  this 
subject  ?  They  who  are  deeply  concerned  about  any 
thing,  their  thoughts  will  be  frequently  employed 
about  it  ;  so,  if  thou  be  concerned  about  thine  own 
religion,  many  a  thought  it  will  cost  thee.  They 
will  ever  and  anon  look  to  the  singleness  of  their  own 
eye,  the  diligence  of  their  hand,  and  the  soundness  of 
their  heart ;  if  they  cannot  get  long  dwelt,  yet  they 
will  oft  come  to  it,  who  are  in  good  earnest  in  the 
matter.  The  religious  man  «  meditates  day  and 
night  in  God's  law,"  Psal.  i.  2.  He  is  ever  thinking 
about  the  Lord's  testimonies,  and  how  far  he  is  fra- 
med into  a  suitableness  to  them,  or  how  far  it  is 
otherwise  with  him.  Now,  if  it  be  not  thus  with  you, 
truly  ye  have  never  been  brought  under  any  concern 
about  religion  to  any  purpose. 

(5.)  Are  your  thoughts  about  your  religion  dis- 
tinct ?  Some  there  are,  who  have  sometimes  thought 
about  their  souls,  but  they  cannot  tell  well  what  they 
ttieau  by  them,  they  are  so  confused  :  they  think  and 
think  on,  and  after,  may  be  twenty  years  thinking, 
they  are  as  far  from  any  distinctness  as  before ;  but 
still  tbey  go  on.  Now  and  then  they  will  have  some 
thoughts,  issuing  in  some  work  upon  the  affections, 
full  as  uncertain  and  indistinct :  Is  it  thus  with  you? 
But  that  ye  may  know  yet  more  clearly  what  we 


THE    CHKISTIxiK's    DUTY.  49 

mean  by  this  question,  I  shall  break  it  into  a  few 
other  questions.  And,  [1.]  I  say,  Can  ye  tell  what 
that  is  in  your  religion  that  takes  up  your  minds  and 
thoughts?  Many  of  you  have,  it  may  be,  some 
thoughts,  but  ye  cannot  tell  about  what  they  are  em- 
ployed. Is  it  about  the  singleness  of  your  eye,  about 
the  sincerity  of  your  heart?  or,  can  ye  tell  wherea- 
bout it  is  that  ye  employ  your  thoughts  ?  If  not, 
truly  your  concern  signifies  but  very  little^it  will  not 
stand  you  in  much  stead.  Again,  [2.]  Have  ye  any 
distinct  em\  in  your  thinking  about  religion  ?  what 
design  ye  by  thinking  about  it?  Is  it  only  to 
think,  without  thinking  to  any  purpose?  Some  peo- 
ple both  think  and  speak  about  religion,  but  I  fear 
they  are  not  aiming  really  at  any  distinct  end  ;  see 
Psal.  xxvii.  4. ;  and  the  concern  of  such  is  but  little 
worth.  Ye  think  about  your  religion ;  well,  what  do 
ye  expect  or  propose  to  have  by  your  thinking  about 
it  ?  Would  ye  know  your  ease,  or  what  way  to  come 
to  it  ?  what  is  the  remedy  of  it  ?  or  how  to  apply  it? 
Aim  ye  at  such  ends  ?  If  not,  then  truly  all  your 
thoughts  are  to  little  purpose.  Once  more,  [3.]  Get 
ye  any  distinct  issue  of  your  thoughts  ?  Are  ye  like 
the  door  upon  the  hinges  ?  Ye  think,  and  ye  can 
never  1  ell  what  ye  have  got,  or  what  ye  have  done, 
by  all  your  thoughts.  If  this  be  all,  then  truly  I  can- 
not well  tell  what  to  think  of  your  thoughts  ;  I  think, 
I  may  say,  ye  can  have  but  little  comfort  of  them. 

(6.)  What  sort  of  thoughts  have  ye  ?  People  may 
have  thoughts  enough,  and  even  about  religion,  and, 
it  may  be,  such  as  do  someway  respect  their  own  re- 
ligion, and  yet,  they  are  uot  much  concerned  about 
it,  while  their  minds  are  only  busied  in  applauding 
and  flattering  thoughts  of  their  own  case  :  but  now* 
is  it  otherwise  with  you  ?  Do  you  apply  yourselves 
to  searching  and  trying  thoughts  ?  have  ye  many  jeal- 
ousies and  suspicions  of  yourselves  ?  do  ye  often  make 
diligent  search  into  your  own  ease  ?  have  ye  many 
doubts  and  questionings?    If  your  thoughts  be  not 


50  THE    CHSISTIAN'S   B¥TY. 

in  some  measure  exercised  this  way,  it  is  a  sad  evi- 
dence that  ye  are  not,  nor  have  ever  been,  under  any 
true  concern  about  your  own  religion :  for  such 
thoughts  have  the  saints  had,  who  have  been  in  earn- 
est in  the  matter  ;  of  whom  we  have  a  large  account 
in  scripture  history,  particularly  Psal.  exxxix.  23. 2*. 

2.  We  shall  search  for  this  concern  about  our  owa 
religion,  in  the  affections.  Wherever  we  are  con* 
cerned,  all  our  affections  will  be  employed  about  that, 
set  upon  it,  or  set  against  what  is  opposite  to  it* 
.Wow, 

(1.)  We  interrogate  you  on  it :  Are  your  affections 
employed  about  your  own  religion  ?  do  ye  grieve  that 
things  are  wrong  with  yourselves  ?  do  ye  fear  that 
ihey  may  be  so  ?  do  ye  hate  what  is  prejudicial  to 
your  own  religion  ?  do  your  souls  cleave  to  any  thing 
that  may  any  way  contribute  to  the  bettering  things 
with  you  ?  Say,  my  friends,  is  it  thus  with  you  ?  or 
is  it  not  ?  I  fear,  that  many  of  you  who  can  sorrow 
and  lament  bitterly,  if  any  worldly  thing  frame  with* 
or  fall  out  to  you  otherwise  than  as  you  would  wish, 
yet  never  all  your  life-long  knew  what  it  was  to  be 
grieved  indeed  for  sin,  or  that  matters  were  not  right 
with  respect  unto  your  spiritual  case.  Ye  have  n© 
fears,  no  joys,  no  griefs,  no  zeal,  nor  any  affections 
about  these  things.  Surely  then  religion,  your  owa 
religion,  is  not  the  one  thing  with  you,  your  main 
thing;  it  is  not :  Nay,  surely  you  have  no  concern 
about  it  :  *!  Where  the  treasure  is,"  or  any  part  of 
it,  «  there  will  the  heart  be,"  Matt.  vi.  20,  21. 

(2.)  Are  your  affections  frequently  employed  about 
your  own  religion  ?  have  ye  frequent  fears,  griefs, 
joys,  and  other  affections  from  this  spring  ?  Man, 
woman,  if  thou  art  concerned  about  thine  own  reli- 
gion, to  have  it  right,  thou  wilt  be  oft  looking  to  it ; 
and  every  look  will  set  thy  affections  to  work  one 
way  or  other.  If  thou  findest  thyself  wrong,  the 
soul  will  stretch  its  affeetions,  like  its  wings,  to  fly 
out  of  that  case  j  and  if  otherwise*  it  will,  if  I  may 


THE  CHRISTIAN^  DUTY.  51 

so  say,  clasp  them  about  what  it  has,  to  hold  it  fast. 
So  David,  when  he  thought  upon  his  ways,  and  found 
them  wrong,  "made  haste  and  delayed  not  to  turn 
his  feet  to  God's  testimonies,"  Psal.  exix.  59.  And 
the  spouse,  Cant.  iii.  4.  when  she  found  the  Lord  in 
her  embraces,  "  she  held  him,  and  would  not  let  him 
go."  He  whose  affections  are  not  frequently  employ- 
ed about  his  own  soul's  case,  surely  he  was  never 
concerned  about  it  as  he  ought. 

(3.)  Whereabout  is  the  edge  of  thy  affections,  the 
favour  and  zeal  of  them  employed  ?  If  this  be  not 
about  thine  own  soul,  thine  own  religion,  truly  thou 
art  not  concerned.  Where  there  is  any  thing  of 
true  heat  and  warmth,  ye  know  that  which  is  nearest 
will  meet  with  most  of  it,  and  partake  most  of  it.  If 
thou  hast  any  affection  about  religion  at  all,  then  the 
heat  of  them,  the  fervour  of  them,  will  be  employed 
about  thine  own  religion;  if  there  be  a  fire  of  zeal 
against  sin,  it  will  consume  the  beam  in  thine  own 
eye,  before  it  reach  to  the  mote  in  thy  neighbour's, 
Matt.  v.  7.  If  it  be  not  thus  with  thee,  thy  affections 
are  not  about  thine  own  religion. 

(4.)  Hast  thou  any  rest,  whilst  either  thou  seest 
ground  to  think  thyself  wrong,  or  art  in  uncertainty 
about  thine  own  religion  ?  Canst  thou  live  quietly 
and  easily  while  not  settled  as  to  the  everlasting  con- 
cerns of  thy  soul?  If  thou  canst,  thy  affections  are 
not  set  on,  nor  art  thou  truly  concerned  about  those 
which  do  belong  unto  thy  peace.  I  know  not  what  to 
say  of  some  people,  who  have  no  more  assurance  of 
salvation  than  of  damnation,  and  yet  can  rest  secure, 
and  be  quiet  and  very  well  content  in  that  case :  I 
can  assure  such,  that  they  were  never  aright  con- 
cerned about  their  own  religion.  Some  doubt,  and 
they  never  seek  to  be  satisfied  :  May  be  I  may  be  sa- 
ved, sayest  thou;  may  be  thou  mayest  be  damned, 
say  I.  What  ground  hast  thou  to  hope  that  thou 
shalt  be  saved?  If  ye  will  speak  what  is  true,  ye 
•"will  say,  truly  I  have  none.     But  I  have  somewhat 

Kk2 


ot  3FHE  CHRISTIAN'S  BtXY, 

to  say,  as  a  ground  of  my  conjecture :  ±st9  Thou  tie 
servest  damnation.     %dly9  Thou  who  canst  sit  stilt 
quietly  in  that  case,  thou  wast  never  concerned  to  he 
saved;  and  1  never  knew  one  get  to  heaven  who  laid 
not  salvation  to  heart,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  37. 

(5.)  Thou  hast,  it  may  be,  some  affections  about 
thine  own  religion ;  but  when  is  it  that  they  are  mo- 
ved ?  and  what  gives  rise  to  them  ?  Hast  thou  ne- 
ver these  affections  but  when  thou  hearest  a  preach- 
ing, or  when  thou  meetest  with  some  awakening  pro- 
vidence? Truly,  if  thou  never  hast  any  concern 
about  religion,  save  when  thou  hast  some  external 
gause  exciting  thee,  then  thy  concern  about  religion 
is  of  no  great  value.  True  concern  about  religion 
will  turn  the  souPs  eye  inward,  to  commune  with  it- 
self, and  take  counsel  in  our  own  heart,  how  to  get 
what  is  amiss  amended;  and  this  will  set  thy  affec- 
tions a-work;  "How  long  shall  I  take  counsel  in  my 
soul,  having  sorrow  in  my  heart  daily  2"  Psal.  xiii. 
2.     But  to  go  on, 

3.  Having  searched  the  mind  and  affections,  we 
come  now  to  inquire  for  this  concern  in  your  words  : 
and  if  there  be  any  thing  indeed  of  a  real  concern  up- 
on (he  soul  about  religion,  herein  it  will  appear;  for, 
*'  out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the  mouth  speak- 
eth,"  Matt.  xii.  34.  Now,  that  we  may  bring  this 
mattor  to  some  issue,  I  shall  put  a  few  questions  to 
you  in  reference  to  your  words  or  discourse.     And, 

(1.)  I  interrogate  you  on  this,  Do  ye  ever  keep  up 
smy  converse,  and  discourse  with  yourselves  ?  and  if 
ye  do,  whereabouts  is  it  ?  Do  ye  never  commune  with 
your  own  hearts  ?  If  not,  then  surely  ye  do  but  little 
regard  your  own  interest.  He  that  never  converses 
with  his  own  heart,  is  not  under  any  concern  about 
the  state  of  his  own  soul,  and  will  undoubtedly  be 
found  among  these  who,  while  they  are  busy  about 
many  things,  do  yet  neglect  the  one  thing  necessary. 
JFfae  Lord  commands  it>  and  our  soul's  ease  requires 


Tii£  christian's  duty.  53 

it,  that  we  commune  with  our  own  hearts,  Psal.  iv.  4. 
and  lxxxvii.  6. 

(2.)  What  discourse  have  ye  with  the  Lord  ?  Have 
ye  any  converse  with  the  Lord  ;  any  converse,  in 
prayer,  in  meditation,  or  ejaculation?  If  ye  have 
none,  then  surely  never  were  ye  under  any  concern 
about  his  service ;  and  if  yc  have  any  converse  with 
him,  if  ye  speak  to  the  Lord,  and  this  be  not  the  thing 
ye  have  been  speaking  to  the  Lord  about,  it  speaks 
you  not  under  any  concern :  for  we  find  saints  have 
been  ever  most  concerned  about  this;  and,  in  the  ac- 
count we  have  of  the  saints'  exercise,  we  sec  clearly 
the  most  of  their  words  employed  about  this. 

(3.)  What  converse,  what  discourse  have  ye,  when 
ye  meet  with  the  Lord's  people  ?  Is  it  what  may  be 
some  way  subservient  to  this  glorious  end  ?  Are 
your  words  employed  in  telling  what  God  has  done 
for  your  soul,  or  in  learning  what  he  has  done  for 
others  ?  **  Come  here,  all  that  fear  God,  and  I  will 
tell  what  he  has  dons  for  my  soul,"  Psal.  Ixvi.  16. 

(4.)  What  sort  of  discourse  like  ye  best  to  keep 
np  ?  is  it  about  this  great  concern  ?  oris  it  about  any 
thing  else  ?  Look  to  it,  that  converse  that  ye  like 
best,  is  like  to  speak  what  your  soul  is  under  the 
greatest  concern  for:  if  it  be  converse  about  the 
world  ;  ye  are  lovers  of  this  world  j  if  it  be  about  the 
faults  of  others,  and  the  public,  pride  predominates  | 
if  it  be  mainly  about  your  own  souls,  it  speaks  some- 
what of  concern  about  them.     But  now,  in  the 

Mko  And  last  place,  we  shall  look  to  your  deeds, 
that  we  may  see  what  it  is  that  lieth  nearest  your 
hearts,  and  whether  ye  be  under  any  due  concern  for 
religion,  and  your  own  religion.     And  here, 

(1.)  I  would  ask  you,  What  work  put  ye  your 
hands  to  ?  Is  it  the  work  of  your  salvation  ?  We 
are  bid  "work  out  our  own  salvation  with  fear  and 
trembling,"  Phil.  ii.  12.  Now,  is  this  the  work  ye 
employ  yourselves  about  ?  or,  are  ye  busy  about  other 
works.,  while  this  is  neglected?    I  fear*  with  most? 


M  THE    CHRISTIAN'S    DUTY. 

this  is  but  little  heeded  :  ay,  but  if  ye  were  under  a 
true  concern  about  your  own  religion,  then,  [1.] 
There  would  be  much  time  employed  about  that 
which  directly  tends  to,  and,  one  way  or  other,  has 
somewhat  of  an  immediate  influence  upon  your  sal- 
vation. And,  [2.]  All  our  works  would  be  done  in  a 
subserviency  to  this  end.  Now,  is  it  so  with  you,  or 
not  ?  Do  ye  pray  hard,  and  wrestle  earnestly  with 
the  Lord  about  your  soul's  state  ?  Are  ye  much 
in  believing,  much  in  mortifying  sin,  holding  under 
the  body  of  sin  ?  Is  this  the  work  ye  are  busied  about  ? 
Some  of  you,  we  fear,  never  thought  about  this  work ; 
and  as  for  you,  it  is  no  hard  matter  to  tell  what  your 
ease  is,  ye  are  yet  strangers  to  any  real  concern 
about  religion. 

(2.)  What  work  are  ye  most  diligent  about  ?  what 
is  it  that  ye  apply  your  might  to  ?  Do  ye  "  give  all 
diligence  to  make  your  calling  and  election  sure?" 
2  Pet.  i.  10. ;  or,  are  there  not  among  you,  who  in  any 
other  business  will  work  hard,  toil  sore  about  it,  but 
if  once  ye  be  put  to  work  about  this  matter  of  the 
highest  importance,  ye  presently  fall  dead  and  life- 
less, to  such  a  degree,  that  all  is  presently  out  of 
case  with  you ;  ye  are  weary,  before  well  begun,  of 
any  work  that  has  any  near  relation  to  your  own  sal- 
vation. If  this  be  your  case,  then  ye  are  under  no 
real  concern  about  your  religion. 

(3.)  What  work  are  ye  most  concerned  to  have 
earned  forward,  and  brought  to  some  comfortable 
period  ?  Can  ye  not  be  well  enough  pleased,  if  your 
other  business  frame  well  with  you,  and  go  right  in 
your  hand,  though  the  work  of  your  salvation  lie  be- 
hind ?  or,  dare  ye  say,  that  no  attainment  in  salvation- 
work  is  able  to  satisfy  you,  till  you  reach  the  recom- 
penee  of  reward  ?  Do  ye  indeed  forget  the  things 
that  are  behind,  and  press  forward  unto  this  ?  Can 
nothing  short  of  assurance,  as  to  your  calling  and 
election,  please  you  ?  If  so,  it  bodes  well;  and  if 
-otherwise^  it  makes  a  sad  discovery  of  want  of  a  suit* 


Tins  christian's  duty.  §3 

able  regard  to  that  which  ye  indeed  ought  to  he  main- 
ly concerned  about.  Surely  he  that  can  rest  satis- 
lied,  though  salvation-work  be  far  behind,  provided 
other  things  go  well,  is  not  under  an  equal  concern 
for  salvation  and  for  these  tilings;  the  other  things 
are  certainly  preferred  by  him. 

Now,  if  ye  have  been  using  your  judgments  in  any 
measure,  ye  may  know  whether  ye  be,  or  have  been, 
tinder  any  real  concern  about  your  own  salvation,  or 
whether  ye  have  made  your  own  religion  your  first 
and  great  concern :  and  therefore  we  shall  proceed 
to  speak  something  in  a  more  particular  way,  to  the 
several  sorts  of  persons  of  which  this  assembly  may 
consist.     And  here  we  shall  speak, 

1st,  To  those  who  are  under  no  real  concern,  whe- 
ther about  their  own  religion  or  that  of  others. 

2dly,  To  those  whose  religion  lies  much,  or  mainly, 
in  a  concern  about  others,  and  about  the  public. 

Silly,  To  those  who  are  indeed  under  a  deep  and 
Special  concern  about  their  own  religion:  the  publie 
they  would  fain  have  right ;  but  their  exercise  is, 
first,  to  be  sure  that  they  themselves  arc  so,  and  then 
they  contribute  their  share  to  put  matters  otherwise 
right. 

Mhly,  We  shall  apply  this  truth  to  all,  in  some  ex- 
hortalions,  suitable  to  the  scope  of  the  truth  insisted 
on. 

Now,  of  each  of  these  we  shall  speak  very  shortly. 
And, 

First,  We  are  to  begin  with  those  who  are  under 
no  concern  about  religion  ;  and  to  such  we  shall  speak 
some  things,  1st.  For  conviction.  2dly,  Expostula- 
tion.    And,  Sdhj,  Terror. 

And  to  follow  this  order,  1st,  We  shall  speak  some 
things  for  your  conviction :  though  this  be  the  case 
of  most  of  you,  yet  we  fear  few  of  you  will  take  with 
it :  and  therefore,  notwithstanding  all  that  has  been 
already  said  for  your  conviction,  we  shall  yet  offer 
two  or  three  words  more.    And, 


36  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  DUTY. 

(1.)  We  say,  men  and  women,  did  religion  evev 
lake  up  your  hearts  and  heads  ?  was  it  ever  really 
your  exercise,  to  kmnv  whether  ye  were  right  or 
wrong?  Did  ye  ever  put  it  to  the  trial,  whether  ye 
were  Satan's  slaves,  the  devil's  vassals,  or  the  ser- 
vants of  the  Lord  ?  if  not,  to  this  very  day  ye  are 
Satan's  servants,  and  never  had  any  concern  about 
religion, 

(2.)  Did  ye  ever  lay  down  this  conclusion,  I  am 
lost,  undone,  miserable,  wretched,  blind,  and  naked, 
I  want  faith,  I  want  grace,  I  want  God,  I  want  Christ, 
I  have  destroyed  myself?  If  not,  then  ye  never  have 
been  under  any  concern  of  a  right  sort. 

(3.)  Did  ye  ever  resolve  upon  it,  that  go  the  world 
as  it  will,  and  come  what  will,  I  have  no  concern  like 
my  soul ;  and  therefore  I  shall  never  be  at  rest,  or 
take  ease,  or  be  quiet,  until  I  get  matters  in  some 
measure  right  betwixt  the  Lord  and  me?  If  ye 
have  not  been  brought  under  some  such  resolutions 
as  this,  from  a  conviction  that  all  is  of  no  avail  to 
you,  if  ye  lose  your  soul;  then  surely  to  this  very 
day,  ye  are  perfect  Gallios  in  God's  matters,  and  your 
own  most  precious  interests. 

(4.)  Can  any  thing  give  thee  content,  while  thou 
livest  altogether  at  peradventures  about  salvation, 
about  Christ  ?  Then  yet  hast  thou  reason  to  fear, 
that  thou  hast  never  been  concerned  about  that 
which  thou  canst  be  pleased  without,  I  mean  salva- 
tion, and  an  interest  in  Christ. 

2dhf,  Having  offered  some  things  by  way  of  con- 
viction, we  shall  now  a  little  expostulate  with  you. 
And, 

(1.)  Can  it  be,  ye  were  ever  concerned  about  any 
thing  ?  Did  ye  ever  think  seriously,  speak  seriously, 
or  act  seriously  about  any  thing  ?  If  not,  thou  art 
certainly  a  fool,  a  madman.     If  thou  hast,  then, 

(2.)  Man  or  woman,  is  there  any  thing  equally 
worthy  of  thy  concern,  as  the  salvation  of  thy  soul? 
What  art  thou  profited  if  thou  gain  a  world,  and  lose 


THE  CHRISTIAN^  DUTY.  hj 

this?  And  mayest  not  thou  he  happy  if  thou  save 
this,  though  thou  lose  a  world  ? 

(3.)  Thinkest  thou,  then,  to  save  this  without  con- 
cern ?  Think  it  not  ;  tor  not  only  must  thou  strive, 
must  thou  run,  hut  every  running,  and  every  striving, 
will  not  do  the  business ;  and  therefore  thou  must 
so  strive,  and  so  run,  that  ye  may  obtain. 

(4.)  Is  it  not  thy  wisdom  to  prevent  that,  which, 
if  once  it  come,  cannot  be  remedied,  I  mean  the  loss 
of  thy  soul?  Know  "  the  soul's  redemption  is  pre- 
cious, and  ceases  forever,"  Psal.  xlviii.  9. 

(5.)  Canst  thou,  wilt  thou  sit  unconcernedly,  when 
God  is  sinking  thee  into  a  sea  of  brimstone,  as  now 
thou  dost  when  he  is  threatening  to  do  it?  If  not, 
bethink  thyself  in  time,  ere  it  be  too  late. 

(6.)  Are  ye  not  ashamed  to  be  unconcerned  abovt  this 
ahout  which  all  others  are  so  deeply  concerned ?  and 
yet  none  of  them  have  so  great  an  interest  in  the 
matter  as  ye.  The  devil  is  concerned  ;  he  goes  about 
seeking  whom  he  may  destroy.  Will  not  ye  be  con- 
cerned about  the  preservation  of  that  which  he  and 
all  his  instruments  are  so  much  concerned  to  destroy  ? 
Ministers  are  concerned  ;  they  preach,  they  pray, 
they  sweat,  they  think,  they  toil,  many  a  trembling 
heart  have  they  for  fear  of  your  ruin.  Tbey  spend 
their  time  and  strength  about  your  salvation,  while 
many  times  they  fear,  that  by  this  means  their  own 
salvation  be  neglected.  And  now,  whether,  I  pray, 
have  ye  or  they  most  concern  in  this  matter  ?  They 
may,  if  they  be  faithful,  yea,  they  will  go  to  heaven, 
whatever  come  of  you  ;  are  ye  then  mad,  so  far  to 
overlook  your  own  great  interest  ?  God  is  concern- 
ed :  can  ye  doubt  of  it,  while  he  is  held  forth  in  the 
gospel,  as  bleeding,  dying,  weeping,  sweating  blood, 
and  all  to  prevent  your  ruin?  Can  ye  doubt  of  it, 
while  he  is  heard  inviting,  calling,  entreating,  pro- 
mising, offering,  protesting,  nay.  and  even  swearing, 
his  concern  in  the  matter  :  "  At  I  live  saith  the  Lord, 
I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  him  that  dietb, 


£8  TH1K  CHRISTIAN'S  BVI1. 

saith  the  Lord  God/5  Ezek.  sviii,  32.  and  xxxiii.  11* 
And  what  need  has  God  of  any  of  you?  «  Can  ye  be 
profitable  to  him,  as  he  that  is  righteous  is  profitable 
unto  himself  V9  Consider  this,  and  be  ashamed,  and 
horribly  confounded,  O  careless  unconcerned  souls  ! 

Sdly%  We  now  come  to  speak  a  word  for  terror  to 
you  :  know  then  for  certain, 

(1.)  That  soul  which  ye  will  not  be  concerned  to 
save,  ye  ihall  lose :  and  will  any  thing  make  up  the 
ioss  ?  what  will  all  the  world  profit  you,  while  \q 
have  lost  a  precious  soul,  without  hope  of  recovery  ? 

(2.)  That  damnation  which  ye  were  not  careful  to 
prevent,  shall  be  your  portion  ;  and  who  among  yoa 
"  can  dwell  with  everlasting  burnings  2  who  among 
you  can  dwell  with  devouring  fires  V9 

(3.)  These  things  which  now  ye  are  concerned 
about,  and  pursue  with  so  much  eagerness,  shall  be 
your  everlasting  tormentors,  ami  what  profit  will  ye 
have  of  these  things,  whereof  then  ye  will  be 
ashamed  ? 

(4.)  When  all  this  misery  shall  come  upon  you, 
there  shall  not  be  any  concerned  for  ye;  when  this 
shall  come  upon  you,  then  who  shall  be  sorrowful* 
©r  lament  for  you  ?  God  will  "'laugh  at  your  ca- 
lamity, and  mock  when  your  fear  cometh.  The 
righteous  also  shall  see,  and  fear,  and  shall  laugh  at 
him,  saying,  Lo  this  is  the  man  that  made  not  God 
his  strength,  but  trusted  in  the  abundance  of  his 
riches,  and  strengthened  himself  in  his  wickedness," 
Psal.  liii.  6,  7.     But  we  proceed, 

Secondly,  The  next  sort  of  persons  to  whom  we 
promised  to  speak,  are  they  who  are  indeed  under 
some  concern  for  religion,  but  their  main  concern 
seems  to  be  about  public  matters,  the  carriage  of 
•ethers,  and  miscarriages  of  those  who  are  in  any  pub- 
lie  trust ;  and  they  relish  converse  about  this  most 
of  all,  and  spend  most  of  their  time  this  way.  What 
we  are  to  say  to  those,  is  not  to  dissuade  any  from  & 


THE  CHRISTIANAS    DUTY.  69 

due  regard  to  the  public,   but  on  design  to  obviate 
some  dangerous  extremes.     Now,  to  sueh  we  say, 

1,  Whatever  any  may  account  of  you,  ye  have  rea- 
son to  suspect  and  be  jealous  of  yourselves  :  we  have 
showed,  from  the  word  of  the  Lord,  that  where  there 
is  any  thing  of  a  sincere  regard  to  the  Lord's  service, 
it  will  show  itself,  (1.)  In  a  deep  concern   to  have, 
and   keep  matters  right    at  home  ;  and  since  your 
main  concern  lies  another  way,  truly  your  religion, 
though   your   pretences   be  never  so   high,   or   the 
thoughts  of  ministers  or  others  never  so  favourable, 
is  deservedly  suspicious,  and  you  have  reason  to  doubt 
it;  and  I  will  tell  you  some  of  the  grounds  whereon. 
(1,)  I  am  sure  your  hearts  are,  as  well  as  these  of 
others,  "  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately 
wicked,"  and  would   willingly  deceive  you.     (2.)  I 
am  no  less  sure,  that  while  you  are  much  abroad  in 
observing  others,  and  little  at  home  in  self  searching, 
and  self-condemning,  they  have  a  special  advantage 
for  deceiving  you,  which  they,  no  doubt,  will  not  lose, 
(3.)  Your  dislike  or  light  esteem  of  those  things 
which  speak  a  spiritually  healthy  constitution,  with 
your  liking  to  those  things  that  discover  a  vitiated 
spiritual  palate  and  senses,  gives  me  ground  to  fear 
you  are  not  right.     When  people  love  not  so  well  to 
hear  the  sweet  and  plain  truths  of  the  gospel,  as  con- 
tinual reflections  upon  public  failings,  it  discovers  a 
spirit  embittered  and  rankled,  and  not  under  the  due 
impressions  of  its  own  deep  concern  in  the  plain  gos- 
pel truths:   "  As  new  born  babes,  desire  the  sincere 
milk  of  the  word,  that  ye  may  grow  thereby;  if  so 
be  ye  have  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious,"  1  Pet. 
ii.  2,  3.     When   once   people   begin  to  weary  of  the 
preaching  of  Christ,  and  him  crucified,  and  of  hear- 
ing the  way  of  salvation,  the  means  of  salvation,  the 
marks  of  grace,  and  soul-exercise,  the  Lord's  work 
and  way  of  translating  souls  out  of  darkness  into  his 
marvellous  light,  and  of  carrying  on  the  work  of  sal- 
vation to  a  blessed  period ;  when  once,  1  say,  this 

L  1 


**a 


7©.  THE    CHIIISTIAITS   DUTY. 

cannot  be  heard,  and  nothing  is  relished  but  debates, 
though  about  truths,  and  precious  truths  of  God,  I 
must  say,  their  religion  is,  if  not  quite  wanting,  yet 
very  low.  (<&.)  I  am  much  afraid  of  such,  because 
pride  is  strong  in  them,  and  is  encouraged  in  both 
its  parts.  It  consists  in  low  thoughts  of  others,  and 
high  thoughts  of  ourselves :  Now,  both  these  parts 
ef  pride  are  strengthened ;  for,  [1.]  What  way  can 
be  more  effectual  to  sink  others  in  our  own  esteem, 
than  always  to  pry  into,  discourse  of,  and  judge  them 
for  their  faults,  real  or  supposed  ?  Again,  [2.]  What 
eau  raise  us  higher  in  our  own  conceit,  than  to  look 
little  into  our  own  hearts,  these  iilthy  sinks  of  sin  : 
to  look  at  ourselves,  when,  like  Jehu,  we  appear  vefy 
far  beyond  others  in  zeal  for  the  Lord,  and  to  com- 
pare ourselves  with  others,  when  we  have  debased 
them  as  low  as  we  can  ?  Thus  is  pride  fed  ;  and 
where  it  grows  strong,  all  grace  will  languish :  «  God 
resisted)  the  proud,  but  giveth  grace  unto  the  hum- 
ble," James  iv.  6.  Much  more  might  be  added,  up- 
on (he  most  clear  scripture-evidences  :  but  we  go  on. 

2.  We  say  io  such,  However  specious  like  your 
services  have  been,  you  have  reason  to  be  jealous  of 
them,  and  to  fear  the  want  of  an  ingredient  that  will 
spoil  all,  I  mean  singleness  as  to  your  aim.  Many 
are  deceived  as  to  this  matter  }  and  ye  have  reason 
to  be  afraid.  If  the  tree  be  naught,  assuredly  the 
fruit  is  so  too  ;  and  what  ground  ye  have  to  suspect 
the  former,  we  have  hinted  just  now  :  fear  there- 
fore the  latter.  A  squint  look  to  a  by-end,  will  be  a 
dead  fly  :  it  will  make  the  finest  ointment  stink ;  and 
God  knows  there  is  ground  to  fear,  that  there  may  be 
some  such  by  look.  What  we  might  offer  for  clear- 
ing of  this  must  be  passed  by;  for  our  design  will  not 
allow  us  to  enlarge  upon  those  pasticulars. 

3.  We  say  to  you.  Look  iu  yourselves;  for  when- 
ever trying  times  come,  you  will  be  meet  tools  for  the 
devil  to  make  use  of,  to  ruin  the  church  of  God. 
The  church  has  ever  suftVitd  more  by  false  friends, 


THE   CHRISTIAN'S   DUTY.  71 

and  the  mistakes  of  the  really  godly,  especially  when 
going  to  this  extreme,  than  by  open  enemies  ;  and  I 
will  tell  you  several  grounds  upon  which  I  am  apt  to 
think,  that  ye  will  err  and  wander  from  the  way,  and 
that  to  your  own  wounding,  and  to  the  wounding  of 
the  church.  (1.)  Your  carriage  casts  you  without 
the  reach  of  God's  promise,  of  guiding  in  such  times. 
It  is  the  humble,  and  not  the  self  conceited  Christian, 
that  the  Lord  will  guide:  "  The  meek  will  he  guide 
in  judgment,  the  meek  will  he  teach  his  way,55  Psal. 
xxv.  9.  (2.)  You  will  be  easily  persuaded  to  neg- 
lect the  means  of  guidance,  I  mean  an  attendance 
upon  Christ's  faithful  ministers.  This  sort  of  peo- 
ple have  many  prejudices  against  ministers,  and  it  is 
easy  to  drive  them  to  the  height  of  deserting  their 
ministry;  and  then  surely  thry  are  an  easy  prey  to 
every  seducer,  and  to  every  fenej.  Christ's  direc- 
tion to  his  spouse  at  noon,  lh»t  19,  in  times  of  adver- 
sity, and  when  it  is  hard  to  know  who  is  right,  or  who 
is  wrong,  is  to  keep  cloee  by  faithful  ministers.  *  If 
thou  know  not,  O  thou  fairest  among  women,  go  thy 
way  forth  by  the  footsteps  of  the  flock,  and  feed  thy 
kids  beside  the  shepherds  tents,"  Cant.  i.  9.  (3.) 
In  that  time  offences  will  abound  :  and  if  thou  wilt 
break  thy  neck  upon  the  faults,  either  of  ministers  or 
of  Christians,  thou  wilt  not  want  stumbling-blocks, 
and  the  devil  will  be  sure  to  improve  them  all,  to 
nurse  you  up  in  the  good  conceit  ihou  hast  entertain 
ed  of  thyself,  and  in  undervaluing  thoughts  of  others. 
Many  more  of  the  like  sort  we  pass. 

4.  I  shall  leave  you,  with  this  ©ne  awful  warning, 
•who  have  any  hankering  toward  this  extreme  :  Be- 
ware  lest,  while  ye  expect  to  be  rewarded  of  the. 
Lord  for  your  public  zeal  and  concern,  ye  be  damned 
for  want  of  personal  godliness,  Bead,  consider,  and 
tremble,  at  that  awful  beacon  of  the  Lord's  holy  jeal- 
ousy in  this  sort:  *  Many  will  say  to  me  in  that  day, 
Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not  prophesied  in  thy  name  ? 
and  in  thy  name  east  out  devils  ?   and  in  thy  name 


72  THE    CHRISTIANAS   BUTT. 

done  many  wonderful  works  ?  And  then  I  will  pro- 
fess  unto  them?  I  never  knew  ye ;  depart  from  me, 
ye  that  work  iniquity,"  Matt.  vii.  22,  23.  Here  are 
men  far  forward  in  public  appearances,  and  yet  dam- 
ned for  want  of  personal  godliness.  For  the  Lord's 
sake,  remember,  and  fear  that  ye  fall  not  into  the 
like  condemnation.  Neglect  not  the  public  :  but  O 
begin  at  home,  and  employ  your  first  and  great  care 
there  ;  and  when  ye  go  abroad,  be  sure  ye  keep  with- 
in your  own  sphere.     But, 

Thirdly,  Leaving  this  sort  of  people,  I  come,  in 
the  next  place,  to  speak  a  word  to  such  as  are  indeed 
under  a  deep  concern,  and  that  first  and  mainly  about 
tbeir  own  souls,  though  they  dare  not  forsake  Zion  ; 
with  Joshua,  they  would  have  all  Israel  choose  the 
Lord  :  but  whatever  come  of  this,  one  thing  they 
take  care  to  be  sure  of,  that  they  themselves  are 
G«d's  servants.  Now,  to  such  we  have  only  a  few 
words  to  say. 

1.  Sirs,  what  ye  have,  hold  fast.  Say  against  this 
order  who  will,  we  dare  say  it  is  God's,  and  will  be 
owned  by  him  ;  and  if  ye  hold  on,  I  dare  in  God's 
name  say  unto  you,  that  ye  shall  be  helped,  and  ho- 
noured to  stand  by  him,  when  others,  whose  preten- 
ces are  high,  will  turn  their  back  on  him  :  ye  shall 
bring  forth  your  fruit  in  its  season,  as  the  tree  plant- 
ed by  the  rivers  of  water,  Psal.  i.  3. 

2.  I  say  to  you,  Beware  of  such  as  would  divert 
you  from  this  course :  hold  at  a  distance  from  such 
whose  conversation  has  any  tendency  to  beget  preju- 
dices against  a  gospel-ministry  and  ordinances.  As- 
suredly their  steps  take  hold  of  death,  and  lead  to  it, 
pretend  what  they  will ;  God  never  ordained  his  babes 
to  live  without  milk,  and  some  to  feed  them  also.  If 
once  ye  be  prevailed  with  to  disgust  your  food,  all  will 
quickly  go  wrong  with  you  :  if  you  want  it  a  while, 
hanger  will  go  off,  and  you  will  be  filled  with  wind, 
and  will  not  be  aware  till  ye  just  die.  If  ye  have  got 
any  good  of  ministers  and  ordinances,  I  say  to  you, 


9a     titm-ir  **> 


THE    CHRISTIAN'S   B¥TY.  73 

hold  by  them,  and  beware  of  any  thing  that  may  de- 
prive you  of  the  advantage  of  them,  or  lessen  your 
benefit  by  tbem.  Deserting  ordinances  will  entirely 
deprive  you  of  the  advantage  of  them,  and  prejudices 
nourished  against  them  will  make  your  advantage 
less. 

3.  Beware  of  spending  your  time,  and  of  such  as 
would  draw  you  to  spend  your  time  in  love-kiiling, 
and  prejudice-hatching  debates :  "  Only  by  pride 
cometh  contention,  but  with  the  well  advised  is  wis- 
dom," Prov.  xiii.  10. 

4.  For  the  Lord's  sake,  make  earnest  of  growing 
in  religion.  What  ye  have  happily  begun,  take  no 
rest  till  it  come  to  a  blessed  issue  :  "  Press  forward 
toward  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ. 
Forget  the  things  that  are  behind,  and  press  forward. 
Give  all  diligence  to  make  your  calling  and  election 
sure.  Workout  the  work  of  your  salvation  with 
fear  and  trembling,  knowing  that  it  is  God  who  work- 
eth  in  you  to  will  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure.  And 
ye  shall  undoubtedly  reap  in  due  time,  if  ye  faint  not. 
I  now  proceed, 

Fourthly,  To  shut  up  the  whole,  in  a  few  words  of 
exhortation  toall.  We  had  some  thoughts  of  branch- 
ing this  exhortation  cut  into  several  parts  ;  and  wc 
indeed  justly  might  do  so  :  but  designing  to  conclude 
this  second  doctrine  presently,  we  shall  wrap  all  up  ia 
one. 

Is  it  so,  that  such  as  have  any  real  regard  unto  the 
honour  of  the  Lord,  do  make  their  own  religiou  their 
first  and  great  concern?  Then,  my  friends,  let  me, 
in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  beseech  intreat,  and  request 
you,  to  be  concerned  about  your  own  religion  :  make 
this  sure  by  any  means :  serve  ye  the  Lord,  take 
others  what  course  they  will :  and  even  begin  at  this ; 
znake  this  your  first  and  great  care.    For, 

1.  This  is  the  foundatiou  of  all  ;  and  as  the  found- 
ation is  right  or  wrong,  so  it  will  fare  with  the  whole 
superstructure.    This  is  the  root,  and  as  it  is  goo$ 

LIS 


7%  THE   CHRISTIAN'S   DITTY. 

or  evil,  so  will  the  fruit  be  ;  this  is  the  spring,  and  if 
any  thing  be  .amiss  here,  all  the  streams  will  partake 
in  the  evil  and  hurt ;  O  therefore  by  any  means  make 
all  right  here. 

2.  Make  this  your  first  and  great  concern,  for  it 
will  be  herein,  and  with  respect  to  this  mainly,  that 
ye  will  be  tried  ;  all  the  trials  that  the  Lord  brings 
on  his  people,  do  still  try  this,  how  matters  are  here, 
whether  the  foundation  be  right  laid,  and  how  far  the 
work  is  carried  on. 

3.  Death  and  judgment  will  be  comfortable  or  bit- 
ter, as  it  is  right  or  wrong  with  you  in  this  respect. 
Your  salvation  and  damnation  depend  upon  it:  "  He 
that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned  ;  he  that  bclievefh 
shall  be  saved."  He  that  for  his  own  part  betakes 
not  himself  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  for  salvation,  in 
the  gospel-method,  shall  assuredly  be  damned,  come 
of  others  what  will. 

4*.  Make  this  your  first  and  great  care ;  for  truly 
the  defect  of  this  is  the  spring  and  true  source  of 
that  lamentable  defect  of  family-religion,  and  of  a  due 
eonoern  for  the  public,  which  is  matter  of  deep  con- 
cern to  all  that  fear  the  Lord  this  day.  What !  is  it 
any  wonder  that  the  man  that  takes  no  care 
of  his  own  soul,  be  unconcerned  about  the  souls  of 
others  ?  How  can  he,  that  is  posting  to  the  pit  him- 
self, take  care  of  others,  and  endeavour  to  preserve 
them  from  running  to  their  own  ruin  ?  Never  will 
any  reasonable  man  believe,  that  he  who  goes  on  in 
sin  himself,  will,  in  his  station,  be  really  zealous  for 
repressing  it  in  others.  Unless  we  prevail  with  you 
to  be  concerned  about  your  own  souls,  we  despair  of 
getting  you  any  way  serious  in  reforming  your  fami- 
lies. 

5.  Make  this  your  first  and  great  care  ;  for  this 
will  help  you  to  employ  your  zeal  the  right  way,  in 
reforming  others  ;  it  will  make  you  first  concerned 
for  their  souls,  and  to  have  them  built  upon  the  sure 
foundation.    It  is  the  folly  of  some  professors  to  be 


THE    CHRISTIAN'S   DUTY.  75 

always  for  debating,  when  they  come  into  conversa- 
tion with  persons  that  they  suppose,  and  it  may  be 
not  without  ground,  are  strangers,  nay,  and  enemies 
to  religion  ;  and  that  not  so  much  to  bring  them  to 
acquaintance  with  the  power  of  religion,  but  to  be  of 
their  judgment,  in  some  points  of  controversy  that 
are  tossed  in  the  day  we  live  in,  which  I  do  confess 
are  of  very  great  moment.  But  here  they  mistake  ; 
for  they  should  first  endeavour  to  bring  the  man  un- 
der a  real  concern  about  his  soul  ;  and  then  you  have 
brought  him  one  step  towards  the  embracement  of 
any  principle  or  practice  that  is  according  to  godli- 
ness :  and  if  ye  gain  not  this  point  with  a  graceless 
man,  a  man  that  is  not  exercised  to  godliness,  it  is  of 
no  great  consequence  what  his  profession  be,  Papist, 
Preiatist,  Presbyterian,  or  any  thing  else  ;  for  he 
will  be  true  to  no  profession  :  it  is  not  a  real  princi- 
ple that  holds  him  ;  and  he  is  ready  to  be,  upon  any 
temptation,  a  scandal  to  that  way  which  he  cleaves 
to.  O  make  your  own  religion  your  first  and  great 
care,  and  this  will  learn  you  where  to  begin  with 
ethers. 

6.  O  make  personal  religion  your  first  and  great 
concern;  for,  alas!  here  it  is  that  the  main defect  is 
among  you.  We  have  oft  complained,  and  we  have 
daily  new  reason  to  complain  of  you,  that  many  at 
leant  among  you  are  going  in  the  broad  and  most  pa- 
tent roads  to  the  pit,  some  in  that  of  ignorance  of  God, 
of  hers  in  that  of  drunkenness,  some  in  that  of  abomi- 
nable oaths,  and  swinish  lusts,  and  others  in  that  of 
devilish  revenge  rdm\  contentions,  always  leading  down 
to  deaUi  'am\  distinction,  and  that  openly.  J  know 
most  have  long  since  laid  down  a  conclusion,  that 
they  shall  have  peace,  though  they  walk  in  the  way 
of  their  own  hearts,  adding  drunkenness  to  thirst, 
one  sin  to  another.  But.  assuredly  ye  are  deceived  : 
*'  Be  not  deceived  :  thus  saith  the  Lord,  neither  for- 
nicators, nor  adulterers,  nor  effeminate,  nor  abusers 
of  themselves  with  mankind,  nor  covetous,  nor  drunk- 


7S  the  christian's  butt. 

ards,  nop  revilers,  nor  extortioners,  shall  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  God,"  1  Cor.  vi.  9,  10.  And  the  same 
shall  be  the  fate  of  cursers  and  swearers  :  "  Then 
said  he  to  me,  This  is  the  curse  that  goeth  forth  over 
the  face  of  the  whole  earth ;  for  every  one  that 
stealeth  shall  be  cut  off  as  on  this  side,  according  to 
it ;  and  every  one  that  sweareth  shall  be  cut  off  as 
on  that  side,  according  to  it.  I  will  bring  it  forth, 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  and  it  shall  enter  into  the 
house  of  the  thief,  and  into  the  house  of  him  that 
sweareth  falsely  by  my  name.  And  it  shall  remain 
in  the  midst  of  his  house,  and  shall  consume  it,  with 
the  timber  thereof,  and  the  stones  thereof, "  Zech. 
v.  3,  4.  Now,  are  there  not  sueh  among  you  ?  Are 
there  not  unclean  persons,  swearers,  drunkards,  and 
the  like,  among  you  ?  And  ye  who  are  such,  have 
not  ye  need  to  be  concerned  to  be  religious  ?  Sure 
ye  have  none  as  yet.  And  now,  to  bring  this  home 
to  you,  let  me  interrogate  you  upon  three  things. 
(1.)  Do  ye  believe  that  the  words  ye  have  heard  are 
the  words  of  God  ?  If  not,  then  be  gone,  you  have 
nothing  to  do  here.  If  ye  do,  then,  (2  )Doye  hope 
to  get  to  heaven,  when  God  has  said,  ye  shall  never 
get  there  ?  If  ye  do,  ye  are  mad  :  if  ye  hope  to  get 
heaven  in  spite  of  God,  assuredly  ye  are  mad :  and 
if  ye  believe  there  is  a  heaven,  and  yet  live  in  that 
which  ye  know  will  debar  you  thence,  ye  are  mad  in- 
deed. (3.)  If  God,  by  a  gospel-dispensation,  prevail 
not  so  far  with  you,  as  to  make  you  leave  the  open 
road  to  hell,  is  he  like  to  prevail  with  you,  to  bring 
you  over  to  a  compliance  with  the  gospel-eall  entire- 
ly ?  No,  no,  surely  no.  My  friends,  look  in  time  ; 
for,  as  the  Lord  liveth,  ye  are  in  imminent  danger, 
danger  greater  than  ye  are  well  aware  of;  and  whe- 
ther ye  will  hear,  or  whether  ye  will  forbear,  know, 
that  if  ye  die,  your  blood  is  on  your  own  heads ;  ye 
have  got  warning.  Take  warning,  and  make  person- 
al religion  indeed  your  first  and  great  concern. 
7.  O  make  your  own  religion  your  Srst  and  great 





the  christian's  duty.  77 

eare ;  for  here  many  are  deceived ;  many  have  a 
name  to  five,  who  are  dead,  and  appear  to  be  some- 
thing who  yvt*  when  weighed  in  the  balance  of  the 
sanctuary,  will  be  found  wanting,  and  have  a  Tekel 
writ  upon  them. 

S.  To  add  no  more,  consider  seriously  how  sad  a 
deceit  in  this  matter  is.  O  terrible  deceit,  to  mis- 
take heaven,  and  instead  of  h  to  slip  into  hell  !  To 
mistake  the  broad  road,  and  think  it  the  narrow  ! 
How  terribly  will  the  poor  deluded  souls,  that  swell 
with  the  hopes  of  heaven  and  glory,  look,  when,  in- 
stead of  falling  into  the  rivers  of  pleasure,  they  shall 
sink  like  lead  in  the  mighty  waters  of  God's  holy, 
just,  and  terrible  indignation  against  sin  !  As  ye 
would  not  meet  with  this  terrible  disappointment, 
look  to  yourselves;  make  sure  your  own  religion ; 
lay  the  foundation  well,  and  then  ye  may  have  peace, 
and  the  Lord  will  establish  it.  Now,  for  your  direc- 
tion, I  shall  only  offer  two  or  three  short  words. 

1.  Bring  yourselves  to  the  light,  to  the  standard  of 
God's  word,  and  try  yourselves  by  that  which  is  the 
true  test,  the  balance  of  the  sanctuary,  the  counsel 
of  the  Lord,  which  shall  stand. 

2.  Whatever  judgment  the  word  passes  on  you, 
though  it  read  your  name  amongst  the  black  roll  of 
those  who  are  doomed  to  the  bottomless  pit,  hear  it, 
and  believe  it,  for  assuredly  the  scripture  cannot  be 
broken. 

3.  Cry  to  the  Lord,  that  he  may  give  his  Spirit 
to  open  your  eyes,  to  know  how  matters  are  with 
you. 

4.  When  God,  by  his  word  and  Spirit,  has  wound- 
ed you,  wait  upon  him  for  cure,  in  the  same  way; 
for  it  is  thence  also  you  must  have  your  acquaintance 
with  the  blessed  Physician,  Jesus  Christ,  in  whom 
alone  your  help  is. 

Having  thus  finished  the  second  doctrine,  I  now 
proceed  to 
Doct.  III.  «  Such  as  are  sincerely  religions  them- 


78  THE   CHRISTIAN'S   DUTY, 

selves,  will  take  care  that  their  families,  and  all  whom 
they  can  have  any  influence  upon,  be  so  too."  Or 
shortly  thus  :  "  Such  as  are  sincere  will  be  really 
eareful  to  maintain  family-religion  :/  But  as  for  me 
and  my  house ,  we  will  serve  the  Lord. 

Which  shows  us,  (1.)  That  God  requires  house- 
hold religion,  even  that  we  and  our  houses  serve  the 
Lord.  Now,  what  is  not  required,  or  commanded, 
eannot  be  service  done  to  the  Lord.  (2.)  That  we, 
and  our  houses  or  families,  should  join  in,  or  per- 
form jointly,  some  part  of  service  to  the  Lord.  (3.) 
That  a  master  of  a  family  is  called  to  take  care  of, 
and  may  engage  some  way  for  his  house  or  family 
serving  the  Lord. 

Now,  in  the  further  prosecuting  of  this  point,  we 
shall  show  you, 

I.  Wherein  family-religion  lies, 

II.  Whence  it  is,  that  such  as  are  sincere,  are  s& 
much  concerned  about  it,  as  we  here  find  Joshua,  and 
others  of  the  saints  in  scripture. 

I.  Now,  we  begin  with  the  first ;  and  shall  only 
here  observe,  that  family-religion  consists  of  three 
parts,  or  is  comprehensive  of  the  three  following 
particulars:  1.  Family-instruction.  2.  Family-wor- 
ship. 3.  Family  government,  or  order.  And  about 
these  it  is  that  a  religious  master  will  be  concerned  ; 
and  he  that  is  not  in  some  measure  carefully  exercised 
in  these  three,  there  is  reason  to  fear  he  has  no  reli- 
gion. Now,  we  shall  a  little  open  these  three  unto 
you.     And, 

1.  We  say,  that  family 'instruction  is  that  which 
such  as  are  sincerely  religious  will  be  careful  of. 
Assuredly  there  will  be  nothing  that  will  lie  nearer 
the  heart  of  a  conscientious  master  of  a  family,  next 
to  the  salvation  of  his  own  soul,  than  the  salvation  of 
his  family,  his  children  and  servants  ;  and  one  great 
part  of  his  care  will  undoubtedly  discover  itself  this 
way,  in  a  deep  concern  to  have  them  accurately  in- 
structed in  the  knowledge  of  their  duty  toward  God, 


THE   CHRISTIAN'S   BVTY.  79 

their  neighbour,  and  themselves ;  and,  in  a  word,  the 
whole  of  that  knowledge  which  is  necessary,  in  order 
to  their  walk  with  God  here,  and  their  enjoyment  of 
God  hereafter.  And  this  part  of  family-religion  we 
find  the  Lord  very  punctual  and  express  in  command- 
ing, Deut.  vi.  6,  7,  8,  9.  «  And  these  words  which  I 
command  thee  this  day,  shall  be  in  thine  heart,  and 
thou  shalt  teach  them  diligently  unto  thy  children, 
and  shalt  talk  of  them  when  thou  sit  rest  in  thine 
house,  and  when  thou  walkest  by  the  way,  and  when 
thou  liest  down,  and  when  thou  risest  up  :  And  thou 
shalt  bind  them  for  a  sign  upon  thine  hand,  and  they 
shall  be  as  frontlets  between  thine  eves:  and  thou 
shalt  write  them  upon  the  posts  of  rhy  house,  and  on 
thy  gates."  In  which  observe,  1st,  Personal  reli- 
gion enjoined  :  "  They  shall  be  in  thine  heart."  2dly, 
Domestic  religion  :  M  Thou  shalt  teach  them  diligent- 
ly." Here  also  we  have  a  plain  account  of  this  first 
part  of  family-religion,  and  a  clear  command  for  it  ; 
we  see  who  they  are  about  whose  instruction  we  are 
to  concern  ourselves  ;  it  is  our  children,  and  those 
who  are  in  our  house,  that  is  children  and  servants; 
for  under  the  notion  of  children  servants  are  frequent- 
ly comprehended,  as  particularly  in  the  fifth  com- 
mand. There  it  is  agreed  by  all,  that  under  that  of 
parent  and  child,  all  relations,  and  particularly  mas- 
ter and  servant,  are  comprehended.  "We  see  also 
the  manner  how  this  duty  is  to  be  managed,  and  that 
is  diligently.  And  this  is  yet  more  particularly 
opened,  as  to  the  ways  and  reasons  wherein  we  are 
to  evidence  our  diligence,  and  special  care  of  the  in- 
struction of  those  under  our  charge.  Now,  two  v*  ays 
we  ought  to  manage  this  piece  of  family-religion. 
And,  (1.)  By  precept :  (2.)  By  our  walk.  We  ought 
to  teach  them  diligently  both  ways;  we  ought  to  in- 
culcate and  carefully  press  upon  them  the  knowledge 
of  the  Lord  ;  and  what  we  thus  teach  them  by  word, 
we  ought  strongly  to  enfore  by  a  suitable  walk.  Pa- 
Treats  and  waters  should  b$  in  case  to  *ay  to  their 


3@  THE    CHRISTIANS    DUTY. 

children  and  servants,  with  Gideon  in  another  case, 
66  Look  on  uie,  and  do  likewise,"  Judg,  i.  17. ;  and 
with  the  apostle,  Phil,  iii.  17.  "  Be  followers  toge- 
ther of  me,  and  mark  them  which  walk  so,  as  ye 
have  us  for  example."  Then  are  children  and  ser- 
vants like  to  be  won  over  to  a  compliance  with  the 
will  of  the  Lord  in  his  word,  when  it  is  not  only 
clearly  held  forth  to  them  in  word,  but  when  also  it 
is  pointed  forth  in  a  lively  and  speaking  example* 
If  the  Spirit  of  God  gives  us  ground,  as  it  does,  1  Pet, 
iii.  1.  to  believe  that  a  holy  and  shining  conversation, 
without  the  word,  may  prove  effectual  towards  the 
winning  over  of  unbelievers  toward  theembraeement 
of  religion,  what  may  we  expect,  if  the  word  and  such 
teaching  be  joined  together  !  Surely  we  might  think 
to  see  somewhat  else  than  what  is  to  be  seen  at  this 
day.  And  O  how  hard  will  many  find  it  to  answer 
for  their  defects  here,  in  that  day,  when  they  shall 
stand  at  the  bar  of  God  !  Nay,  would  to  God  we 
might  not  say,  for  their  direct  counteracting  duty, 
in  both  these  respects,  while  instead  of  instructing 
them  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  by  example  and  pre- 
cept, they  run  them  forward,  to  a  course  of  sin  by 
both !  O  prodigious  villainy !  and  yet  common 
among  men,  among  Christians  ! 

2.  Family-worship  is  comprised  under  family-reli- 
gion, as  a  principal  part  of  it ;  every  family  should  lift  a 
little  church  unto  the  Lord  :  and  so  we  find  mention 
made  of  the  church  of  God  in  houses,  or  of  families 
being  churches  unto  the  Lord,  **  Greet  (or  salute) 
the  church  that  is  in  thine  house,"  Rom.  xvi.  5.  and 
else  where  ;  and  past  all  doubt,  every  family  ought  to 
be  a  church,  wherein  God  should  be  solemnly  wor- 
shipped,both  oa  ordinary  and  extraordinary  occasions; 
so  Job's  house  was,  Job.  i.  5.  Now,  of  this  family- 
worship,  the  more  ordinary  parts  are  three  : 

(i.)  Solemn  invocation  of  the  name  of  God  by 
prayer.  Our  Lord  teaches  us  to  join  together  in 
prayer,  by  putting  the  persons  praying  in  the  plural 


12SE  CHHISTIAN'S   BWTY.  %1t 

inim1>er  in  the  Lord's  prayer,  «  Our  Father  which 
art  in  heaven."  Again,  w  Give  us  this  day  our  daily 
bread.5*  Our  dependence  upon  God,  not  only  in  our 
single  capacities,  but  as  we  are  members  of  families, 
requires  suitable  acknowledgements  of  the  Lord  ; 
and  our  want  of  family-mercies  requires  our  joining 
in  craving  them  by  prayer  from  the  Lord.  Our 
guilt  of  family-sins  requires  family  acknowledge- 
ments, and  application  for  pardon ;  and  therefore  as- 
suredly families,  whether  greater,  as  nations,  or  les- 
ser, which  call  not  upon  the  name  of  God,  shall  have 
the  Lord's  fury  poured  out  upon  them,  Jer.  x.  25. 
«  Pour  out  thy  fury  upon  the  heathen  that  know  thee 
not,  and  on  the  families  that  call  not  on  thy  name." 
Where  by  families  we  are  to  understand  all  families, 
whether  greater  or  lesser;  for  surely  if  nations,  in 
their  national  capacity,  be  called  to  worship  the  Lord, 
and  call  upon  his  name,  so  also  lesser  families  are ; 
and  for  their  neglect,  are  liable  to  the  same  ven- 
geance. 

(2.)  Solemn  readme  of  the  word  belongs  to  family, 
worship.  What  can  be  more  plain  to  this  purpose, 
than  the  command  we  have  formerly  quoted  from 
Dcut.  vi.  6.  ;  aud  this  we  are  to  do,  that  the  «  word 
of  the  Lord  may  dwell  in  us  richly,  in  all  wisdom.'* 
Col.  iii.  16. 

(3.)  Solemn  praises  are  also  required,  as  a  part  of 
family-worship,  and  undoubtedly  as  family  sins  and 
wants  call  for  family- prayer,  so  family-mercies  re- 
quire family  praises,  and  brings  us  under  the  apos- 
tle's injunction,  in  that  foreeited  Col.  iii.  16.  «  Let 
the  word  of  Christ  dwell  in  you  richly,  in  all  wisdom, 
teaching  and  admonishing  one  another,  in  Psalms, 
and  hymns,  and  spiritual  songs,  singing  with  grace  in 
your  hearts  to  the  Lord.'5 

o.  It  remains  that  we  open  the  third  and  last  branch 
of  family-religion,  \\z.  family-government  ;  and  this 
lies  in  several  particulars:  (i.)  In  commanding  (he 
family,  children  and  servants,  to  walk  in  all  the  ways 

M  m 


95 


82  the  christian's  duty. 

of  obedience.  This  is  that  which  the  Lord  so  highly 
praises  in  Abraham,  Gen.  xviii.  19.  **  I  know  him, 
saith  the  Lord,  thai  lie  will  command  his  children, 
and  his  household  after  him.  and  they  shall  keep  the 
way  of  the  Lord,"  &e.  (2.)  In  obliging,  by  reproof, 
admonition,  and  correction,  such  as  are  in  the  fami- 
ly, to  abandon  any  thing  sinful  and  scandalous  in 
their  practice,  Gen.  xxxv.  2.  "  Then  Jacob  said  un- 
to his  household,  and  to  all  that  were  with  him,  Put 
away  the  strange  gods  that  are  among  you,  and  be 
clean,  and  change  your  garments ;  and  let  us  arise 
and  go  up  to  Bethel ;  and  I  will  make  there  an  altar 
unio  God,  who  answered  me  in  the  day  of  my  dis 
tress,  and  was  with  me  in  the  way  which  I  went. 
Here  we  have  an  eminent  example,  both  of  family- 
worship,  and  family-order ;  and  indeed,  as  to  the  de- 
portment, 1  mean,  as  to  the  outward  man,  and  what 
is  to  be  seen  of  servants  and  children,  we  see  from 
the  fourth  command,  that  parents  and  masters  of  fa- 
milies are  accountable  for  it  to  the  Lord,  who  has  not 
on!y  enjoined  them  to  keep  the  Sabbath-day,  but  to 
take  care  that  all  within  their  doors  do.  (3.)  This 
lies  in  expelling  such  out  of  the  family  as  do,  notwith- 
standing the  use  of  these  means  for  their  reforma- 
tion, persist  in  walking  contrary  to  God.  «  I  will 
walk  within  my  house  with  a  perfect  heart.*5  Here 
is  the  spring.  See  what  follows  :  "  He  that  walketh 
in  a  perfect  way,  he  shall  serve  me :  he  that  work- 
cth  deceit  shall  not  dwell  within  my  house:  he  that 
telleth  lies  shall  not  tarry  in  my  sight,"  Psal.  ci.  2. 
6.  Here  we  see  a  lively  character  of  one  that  has  a 
true  regard  to  the  maintenance  of  family-religion. 
How  rare  are  such  instances  in  our  day  !  But  leav- 
ing this,  we  shall  proceed. 

II.  The  next  thing  we  proposed,  was  to  show 
whence  it  is  that  such  as  are  sincerely  religious  them- 
selves will  be  careful  to  maintain  family-religion. 
"We  might  indeed,  for  the  proof  of  this  truth,  have 
mentioned  and  illustrated  the  eminent  examples  ©f 


THE  GHKISTIAtf's  DUTY.  8£ 

pious  care  about  family  religion,  recorded  in  scrip- 
ture :  but  what  we  are  to  all  edge  under  this  head 
will  supersede  that,  and  will  sufficiently  prove  the 
doctrine,  and  show,  that  there  is  an  indissoluble  tie 
betwixt  sincerity  and  a  regard  to  this. 

1.  Then  persons  who  are  themselves  sincerely  re- 
ligious, will  be  careful  to  maintain  family-religion, 
because  they  have  a  regard  to  all  God's  commands* 
The  authority  of  the  Lord,  wherever  it  is  stamped, 
binds  them  to  a  compliance.  Sincerity  has  for  its 
inseparable  companion,  a  respect  to  all  God's  com- 
mands :  «  Then  shall  I  not  be  ashamed,  when  I  have 
respect  to  all  thy  commands,"  Psal.  cxix.  6.  And 
from  this  respect  to  the  command  it  is  that  a  care 
about  family-religion  flows :  for  undoubtedly  it  is  a 
part  of  commanded  duty.  We  are  here  told,  it  is  a 
piece  of  service  to  the  Lord  ;  and  what  is  commanded 
is  only  so.  What  he  never  required,  that  he  will  ne~ 
ver  own  a  service  done  to  him ;  but  what  has  been 
alledged  from  the  word  of  God  under  the  former 
bead,  puts  this  beyond  dispute. 

2.  This  regard  to  the  maintenance  of  family-reli- 
gion, flows  from  the  very  naturevf  that  supernatural 
principle  wherewith  all  that  are  truly  sincere  are  en- 
dued, which  in  scripture  is  called,  the  new  heart,  a 
heart  of  jlesh,  a  new  creature,  a  new  spirit ,  &c.  This 
principle  being  suited  and  framed  to  an  universal 
compliance  with  the  Lord's  will,  aims  at  this  in  all 
things.  They  who  have  it  are  said  to  be  "  created 
in  Christ  Jesus  to  good  works,"  Eph.  ii.  10.  And 
particularly,  as  the  old  heart  would  be  in  all  respects 
independent  of  the  Lord,  so,  on  the  other  hand,  this 
new  heart  is  strongly  bent  to  acknowledge  its  de- 
pendence on  the  Lord,  in  the  ways  of  bis  own  ap- 
pointment, in  all  its  ways,  in  all  stations  and  relations 
wherein  it  is  put :  and  hence  as  it  leads  to  own  the 
Lord  in  our  single  capacity,  so  it  leads  us  also,  if  we 
are  possessed  of  it,  to  do  so  in  our  family-capacity  ; 
and,  in  a  word,  as  it  leads  us  to  worship  and  serve. 


S4r  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  DUTY; 

the  Lord  ourselves,  so  it  powerfully  influences  to  lay 
out  ourselves  to  have  all  others  to  serve  the  same 
Lord,  more  especially  such  as  we  may  have  influence 
tipon,  our  children  and  servants. 

3.  Such  as  are  sincere  have  an  entire  love  to  the 
'Lord,  aud  hence  a  delight  in  all  ordinances,  private  as 
well  as  public,  and  secret,  wherein  any  measure  of 
eoxnmuDioh  with  the  Lord  may  be  reached.  «  Lord," 
says  David, "  I  have  loved  the  habitation  of  thy  house* 
the  place  where  thine  honour  dwelleth,"  Psal.  xxvi. 
S.  The  Lord's  honour  dwelleth  in  all  his  ordinances, 
and  in  every  place  where  he  records  his  name ;  that 
is,  in  every  ordinance,  there  he  moets  with  his  peo- 
ple, and  there  be  blesseth  them.  And  indeed  by  fa- 
mily-religion the  Lord  is  signally  honoured ;  for 
thereby  we,  (1.)  Acknowledge,  that  we  hold  our  fa- 
milies of  the  Lard,  that  it  is  to  him  we  owe  them,  and 
say  by  our  practice  what  worthy  Jacob  said,  Gen. 
xxxii.  10.  «  O  Ged  of  my  father  Abraham,  and  God 
of  my  father  Isaac,  I  am  not  worthy  of  the  least  of 
all  the  mercies,  and  of  all  the  truth  which  thou  hast 
showed  unto  thy  servant;  for  with  my  staflTI  passed 
over  this  Jordan,  and  now  I  am  beaome  two  bands." 
Again,  (2.)  We  hereby  own  our  families  and  all  that 
we  are,  to  be  still  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  and  at  his 
sovereign  disposal  ;  while  all  the  advantages  and 
mercies  we  want,  and  would  have  or  enjoy,  and  would 
wish  continued  with  us,  we  apply  to  him  for  them  by 
prayer ;  and  all  the  evils  we  would  have  removed  or 
prevented,  we  likewise  look  to  him  for  their  removal 
and  prevention,  acknowledging  him  the  Author  of  all 
our  mercies,  in  the  continual  ascriptions  of  praises  to 
him.  In  this  way  we  acknowledge  plainly,  that  of 
him,  and  through  him,  are  all  things,  in  whose  hand 
is  the  breath,  and  all  the  concernments  of  every  li- 
ving thing,  who  kills  and  makes  alive,  wounds  and 
heals,  makes  rich  and  poor.  And,  in  a  word,  here- 
by we  own  him  the  uncontrollable  Lord  of  all :  "  The 
Lord  giveth;  and  the  Lord  taketb*  and  blessed  be  the 


THE   CHRISTIAN'S  DUTY.  85 

name  of  the  Lord.  He  doth  what  pleased  him ;  and 
who  may  say  to  him,  What  dost  thou  V9  (3.)  These 
acknowledgements  honour  God,  in  that  they  are  pub- 
lic, whereby  God's  glory  is  manifested  to  others,  and 
they  instructed,  and  excited  by  example  unto  the  like 
acknowledgements.  Assuredly,  therefore,  they  who 
love  the  place  where  God's  honour  dwells,  and  that 
which  contributes  toward  its  manifestation,  as  all 
sincere  souls  do,  will  not  dare  to  neglect  this  family- 
religion,  whereby  it  is  so  signally  furthered. 

4.  Such  as  are  sincerely  religious  will  be  careful  to 
maintain  family-religion,  because  they  have  a  sincere 
love  to  those  in  their  house.     They  love  their  neigh- 
bour as  themselves ;  and  no  way  can  love  manifest 
itself  more  than  in  a  due  care  for  their  salvation, 
leading  to  the  use  of  all  those  means  whereby  this  is 
promoted.    Memorable  to  this  purpose  are  the  Lord's 
words  concerning  Abraham,  Gen.  xviii.  19.  «  For  I 
know  him,  that  he  will  command  his  children  and  his 
household  after  him,  and  they  shall  keep  the  way  of 
the  Lord,  to  do  justice  and  judgment,  that  the  Lord 
may  bring  upon  Abraham  that  which  he  hath  spoken 
of  him.     Here  we  have  a  double  connexion,  very  re- 
markable.    (1.)  A  connexion  betwixt  family-religion, 
a  due  care  of  it,  and  its  success.     He  will  command, 
and  they  shall  keep  the  way  of  the  Lord ;  he  will 
take  due  care,  and  his  care  shall  not  be  in  vain  : 
«  Train  up  a  child  in  the  way  wherein  he  should  go, 
and  when  he  is  old  he  will  not  depart  from  it."     Or- 
dinarily an  universal  care  this  way  is  not  altogether 
without  some  influence  upon  some  in  the  family  ;  and 
if  we  save  one  child,  one  servant  by  it,  is  not  this  a 
rich  reward  for  all  the  attendance  we  can  give  to  it? 
(2.)  There  is  a  connexion  betwixt  the  success  and  the 
promised   blessings :  <•  They  shall  keep  the  way  of 
the  Lord,  and  the  Lord  will  bring  on  Abraham,  and 
his  seed,  all  the  good  things  that  he  has  spoken." 
So  here  we  see  of  how  great  consequence  it  is  to 

M  m  3 


80  THE  CHRISTIANAS  tttttttl 

those  in  our  families;  it  is  the  way  to  make  them  re- 
ligious, and  that  is  the  way  to  make  them  happy. 

5.  Such  as  are  sincere  will  be  eareful  to  maintain 
family  religion,  from  the  conscience  of  the  charge 
tbey  have  of  them.  Masters  and  parents  have  the 
eharge  of  their  families,  and  are  in  some  measure  ac- 
countable to  God  for  them.  Parents  are  command- 
ed  to  train  up  their  children,  and  masters  to  command 
their  household  to  keep  the  way  of  the  Lord,  as  we 
see  the  Lord's  testimony  of  Abraham.  Thus  we  see, 
in  the  fourth  commandment,  the  master  of  the  fami- 
ly is  obliged  to  see  to  the  religious  observance  of  the 
Sabbath  by  all  within  his  house,  and  so  he  has  a 
charge  for  which  he  is  accountable  to  the  great  God  ; 
and  therefore  a  sincere  person  looks  on  himself  as 
bound  to  be  careful  to  maintain  the  worship  of  God 
in  his  family,  and  amongst  those  whom  he  has  the 
sharge  of.  This  made  holy  Job  concerned  to  sacri- 
fice for  his  children  ;  and  the  neglect  of  parental  du- 
ty in  Eli  provoked  the  Lord's  displeasure. 

6.  The  care  of  persons  who  are  sincerely  religious 
to  maintain  family-religion,  flows  from  the,  force  of 
their  solemn  engagements  and  vows  to  the  Lord  in 
their  baptism,  which  are  again  renewed  upon  their 
offering  children  to  the  Lord  in  that  ordinace.  Here 
they  are  solemnly  and  deeply  sworn  to  be  the  Lord's, 
and  to  walk  with  God,  in  and  before  their  families, 
to  instruct  them  by  example  and  precept.  And  this 
surely  cannot  be  performed  where  family-jeligion  is 
iraot  taken  care  of  in  all  its  parts.  How  terrible  will 
it  be  to  parents  and  masters  of  families,  when  their 
children  and  servants,  from  generation  to  generation, 
shall  accuse  them  as  faulty,  and  the  cause  of  their 
want  of  family-religion  ?  Indeed,  say  they,  we  never 
worshipped  God  in  our  families;  why?  we  never  saw 
the  worship  of  God  in  our  father's  or  master's  fami- 
lies ?  How  terrible  will  this  he,  when  God  shall  say. 
Is  it  so?  hast  thou  damned  thy  child,  thy  servant ? 
Is  this  the  performance  of  the  solemn  yews  whrth 


THE   CHRISTIAN'S    DUTY.  87 

thou  toekest  on  before  so  many  witnesses?  How 
confounded  wilt  thou  then  look  ?  Other  things  to 
this  purpose  we  may  have  occasion  to  touch  at  after- 
wards.    From  what  has  been  said,  it  is  plain, 

1.  That  all  who  are  sincere  will  undoubtedly  be 
aareful  to  maintain  family-religion. 

2.  Whence  it  is  so.  It  is  from  the  force  of  all 
these  ties  we  have  mentioned,  and  others  of  the  like 
nature,  we  may  afterwards  have  occasion  to  mention. 

We  shall  now  make  some  practical  improvement  of 
this  point.     And, 

Use  1.  For  information.  We  may  draw  from  it 
the  few  following  inferences,  amongst  many.  Is  it 
so,  that  such  as  are  sincerely  religious  themselves 
will  be  conscientiously  careful  about  family  religion  ? 
Then, 

1.  We  have  undoubtedly  reason  to  suspect  their 
religion  who  are  triflers  in  this  matter.     Since  a 
suitable  concern  about  our  own  salvation,  and  the 
means  leading  thereto,  leads  to  a  due  concern  about 
the  souls  of  our  families,  no  doubt,  when  we  see  per- 
sons trifle  here,  it  gives  us  ground  to  be  jealous,  that 
they  are  not  under  a  due  concern  about  their  own 
souls.     Now,  of  trklers  in  this  sort,  who  seem  all  to 
fa!!  under  that  heavy  curse  that  is  pronounced,  Jer. 
xlviii.  10.  against  such  as  do  the  work  of  the  Lord 
negligently,  there  are  three  sorts.     (1.)  Such  as  do 
the  work  of  the  Lord  by  parts.     They  will,  it  may  be, 
read  a  chapter,  but  never  a  word  of  praying,  or  of 
singing  pra?ses  to  the  Lord  ifi  their  families ;  though 
there  is  full  as  much  ground  for  the  one  as  for  the 
other,  from  the  command  of  God,  and  from  our  own 
necessities.     The  reading  of  the  word  is  not  like  to 
turn  to  any  great  or  good  account  to  us,  if  we  join 
not  prayer  for  the  Lord's  Spirit,  to  cause  us  to  un- 
derstand what  we  read.     And  he  well  understood  this 
who  spent  so  great  a  part  of  that  long  psalm  in  pray- 
ing for  light,  Psalm  cxix.  18.  "  Open  mine  eyes,  that 
I  Eaay  see  wonders  out  of  thy  law,"  is  a  petition  ttaft 


8*  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  DUTY* 

should  go  alone;  with  the  reading  of  the  word.     And 
indeed  praises  ought  not  to  be  forgot,  and  praise  will 
be  ever  looked  on  as  comely  for  the  qpright :   « It  is 
a  good  thing  to  give  thanks  to  the  name  of  the  Lord  :" 
and  the  true  way  it  is  to  obtain  much  of  him.  Memo- 
rable, above  many,  are  the  words  of  the  Psalmist  to 
this  purpose,  ««  Let  the  people  praise  thee :  O  God, 
let  all  the  people  praise  thee."     There  is  the  exhor- 
tation :  well,  what  follows  on  it  ?     The  ensuing  verse 
tells  :  "  Then  shall  the  earth  yield  her  increase;  and 
God,  even  our  God,  shall  bless  us,"  Psal.  Ixvii.  5,  6. 
All  the  duties  of  religion,  whether  domestic,  or  pub- 
lic, or  secret,  have  a  mutual  subserviency  to  one  an- 
other, as  well  as  a  tendency  to  promote  the  design  of 
all  :  and  therefore  one  cannot  be  taken  away,  without 
a  manifest  injury  done  to  the  rest,  and  done  to  the 
very  design. — Such  who  deal  thus  are  undoubtedly 
triflers,  and  are  to  be  accounted  contemners  of  the 
Lord's  authority;  for  assuredly,  if  it  werjs  regard  to 
the  Lord's  command  that  made  them  careful  of  one 
part,   the  same  regard  and  deference  to  the  Lord's 
command  would   make  them  perform  all  the  other 
parts.     If  we  cut  and  carve,  take  and  leave,  as  we 
see  meet,  in  those  things  which  are  equally  establish- 
ed by  the  Lord,  we  do  the  work  of  the  Lord  deceit- 
fully: and  m  cursed  is  he  that  doth  the  work  of  the 
Lard  deceitfully.''     And,  (2.)  Such  are  to  be  account- 
ed triScrs  as  do  seldom  worship  God  in  their  families  : 
it  may  be,  on  the  Sabbath  night  they  will  read  or 
sing,  or  so,  but  no  more  till  the  next  Sabbath.  They 
who  confine  all  their  religion  to  the  Sabbath,  I  dare 
say,  they  never  kept  the  Sabbath  duly.     No  doubt,  we 
ought  to  worship  God  in  our  families  daily,  we  ought 
to  confess  our  sins,  cry  to  him  for  a  gracious  supply 
of  all  our  wants,  and  to  praise  him  for  his  mercy  to- 
wards us.     Surely,  when  we  are  bid  "  pray  always 
with  all  prayer,"  Eph.  vi.  18. ;  this  is  at  least  to  be 
understood  that  we  ought  to  be  frequently  employe*! 
in  tjiis  sort  of  "prayer,  as  well  as  any  other.    No  less 


HJETE  CHRISTIAN'S  t>VTX*  §9 

cAu  be  meant  also,  where  we  are  bid,  t  Thess  v.  17. 
46  pray  without  ceasing.''  Undoubtedly,  therefore, 
triflers  they  are,  who  do  frequently  neglect,  who,  up- 
on every  trifling  occasion,  will  baulk  family  religion, 
while  there  is  every  day  both  a  clear  call  to  it,  and  a 
fair  occasion  for  it.  The  Lord's  mercies  are  new 
every  morning,  and  so  are  both  our  sins  and  our 
wants,  and  therefore  so  ought  our  applications  to 
God.  "  It  is  a  good  thing  to  give  thanks  unto  the 
Lord,  and  to  sing  praises  to  thy  name,  O  Most  High  : 
to  show  forth  thy  loving  kindness  in  the  morning,  and 
thy  faithfulness  every  night,"  Psal.  xcii.  1,  2.  (8.) 
Such  are  triflers,  as,  notwithstanding  the  clear  com- 
mand we  have  to  be  "  fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the 
Lord/'  do  yet,  with  a  cold  indifference,  and  even  as 
they  were  asleep,  manage  this  work.  Is  this  to  serve 
the  Lord  with  all  our  strength,  with  ail  our  heart 
and  soul,  as  we  are  commanded?  Nay,  sure  it  is 
not.  Let  such  take,  heed  who  thus  offer  to  the  Lord 
&  carcase,  a  form,  who  please  themselves  with  the 
mere  performance  of  the  duties,  without  considering 
tow  they  are  performed ;  let  such,  I  say,  look  with 
trembling  and  astonishment  to  that  word  of  the  pro- 
phet, «  Cursed  be  the  deceiver,  that  hath  in  his  flock 
a  male,  and  voweth  and  sacrificeth  to  the  Lord  a  cor* 
»upt  thing,"  Mai.  i.  14. 

We  may  draw  this  inference  from  it,  that  such  as 
do  entirely  neglect  family-religion  are  undoubtedly 
strangers  to  sincerity.  Think  on  this,  ye  who  to 
this  day  never  bowed  a  knee  to  God  in  your  fami- 
lies ;  undoubtedly,  ye  are  under  a  mistake  as  to  your 
ease ;  and  be  your  thoughts  of  yourselves  what  they 
will,  God  looks  on  you  as  persons  void  of  all  reli- 
gion. For,  (1.)  Is  not  family-religion  a  duty  ?  sure 
it  is ;  all  the  Lord's  people,  in  all  generations,  have 
thought  so  ;  the  Lord  has  approven  them  in  it.  Abra- 
ham, as  we  have  heard,  was  highly  commended  for 
this.  It  is  one  of  the  noted  evidences,  Job.  i.  5.  of 
the  piety  of  Job,  of  whom  God  did  in  a  manner  glo- 


80  THE   CHRISTIANAS   BUTT. 

ry.  It  is  plainly  enjoined  in  the  fourth  command, 
as  judicious  Durham  solidly  clears.  But  what  need 
I  say  more  ?  It  is  so  clear,  that  nobody  denies  it,  who 
has  any  sense  of  religion ;  and  even  they  who  neg- 
lect it  must  own  it  a  duty.  Again,  (2.)  Is  not,  then, 
your  neglect  of  it  a  sin  against  light,  that  is,  a  sin  of 
deeper  than  ordinary  dye,  a  blacker  hue,  and  conse- 
quently to  be  more  severely  punished  by  the  holy  and 
jealous  God  ?  *i  He  that  knows  his  master's  will, 
and  does  it  not,  is  to  be  beaten  with  many  stripes.55 
(3.)  Is  it  a  sin  you  are  only  once  guilty  of  in  your 
life  ?  Nay,  but  it  is  a  sin  ye  are  every  day  guilty  of. 
And  is  it  consistent  with  any  thing  of  the  reality  of 
religion,  to  live  in  the  constant  and  habitual  neglect 
of  any  duty,  or  the  commission  of  any  known  sin? 
Nay,  surely  it  is  not ;  for  the  Lord  is  plain  with  us  in 
this  matter;  "  He  that  eommitteth  sin  (that  is,  who 
lives  in  a  course  of  sin,)  is  of  the  devil,  for  the  devil 
sinneth  from  the  beginning.  Whosoever  is  born  of 
God,  doth  not  commit  sin  ;  for  his  seed  remaineth  in 
him  :  and  he  cannot  sin,  because  he  is  born  of  God,'* 
1  John  iii.  8.  9.  Vain,  therefore,  are  all  your  pre- 
tences to  any  thing  of  the  reality  of  religion,  who 
live  in  the  neglect  of  family-religion. 

3.  We  may  from  this  doctrine  learn,  whence  it  is 
that  there  is  such  a  sad  neglect  of  family-religion 
this  day.  It  is  from  a  want  of  sincere  personal  reli- 
gion. Few  there  are  who  are  themselves  under  a 
due  concern  about  their  own  souls ;  and  hence  it  is 
that  there  are  so  few  careful  about  the  souls  of  their 
families.  Now,  that  this  flows  from  a  defect  of  per- 
sonal religion,  is  plainly  beyond  contradiction,  if  we 
consider,  (1.)  That  where  there  is  that  sincerity  that 
will  not  make  ashamed,  there  undoubtedly  is  to  be 
found  a  regard,  and  an  equal  respect  to  all  God's 
commands:  "  Then  shall  I  not  be  ashamed,  when  I 
have  respect  to  all  thy  commands,"  Psal.  cxix.  6. 
Again,  (2.)  Experience  shows,  that  they  who  are 
negligent  in  this  matter,  are  also  careless  about  their 


THE  CHRISTIANS  BITTY.  91 

own  souls.  Look  to  it,  ye  who  neglect  family-reli- 
gion ;  I  fear  ye  are  not  careful  about  personal  reli- 
gion. He  that  will  easily  baulk  and  neglect  family- 
prayers  will  be  as  ready  to  neglect  secret  prater. 
This  is  well  known  in  experience.  (3.)  The  very 
excuses  that  they  make  use  of  for  this  neglect,  speak 
the  want  of  a  heart  to  it:  for  surely,  when  people 
are  kept  from  a  thing  by  frivolous  and  trifling  diffi- 
eulties,  it  is  a  sign  they  have  no  great  mind  to  it. 

Object.  1.  Say  some,  We  cannot  pray,  we  never 
were  taught  to  pray. 

I  answer,  (1.)  If  thou  meanest  that  thou  canst  not 
do  it  as  ihou  oughtest,  very  true  ;  neither  canst  thou 
do  any  duty  :  wilt  thou  therefore  give  over  all  ?  (2.) 
Didst  thou  ever  try  it?  did  ye  ever  sit  down  with 
your  family  and  make  a  mint  at  it  ?  What  knowest 
thou,  but  it  might  have  fallen  out  to  thee,  as  to  the 
man  with  the  withered  hand  ?  If  thou  hadst  made  a 
fair  trial  to  pray,  thou  perhaps  mightest  have  got 
strength  thou  didst  never  expect.  It  is  want  of  will 
and  inclination,  not  of  strength  and  ability  that  hin- 
ders. (3.)  Did  ye  ever  cry  to  God  to  teach  you  ? 
Did  ye  ever  with  the  disciples,  cry,  Master,  or  Lord, 
teach  us  to  pray  ?  If  not,  surely  it  is  want  of  will 
that  keeps  you  from  duty.  Ye  have  no  mind  to  it. 
(4.)  Can  ye  do  anything?  Yes,  will  ye  say,  we  can 
work  at  our  ordinary  employments.  Well,  but  could 
you  do  this  at  first  ?  Did  ye  not  come  to  a  skill  in 
these  things,  after  many  fainter  essays,  and  pains  ta- 
ken to  learn?  No  doubt  ye  did.  Even  so  ye  must 
learn  to  pray.  (5  )  Have  ye  any  sense  of  family-sins, 
family- mercies^  or  family  wants  ?  If  ye  have,  sure  I 
am,  what  ye  are  sensible  of,  ye  ean  speak.  Can  ye 
tell  your  neighbour?  and  may  ye  not  also  tell  these 
things  to  God  ?  But, 

Object.  2.  Say  ye,  When  we  come  before  God, 
we  must  speak  well,  and  when  we  come  before  the 
great  King,  we  must  have  words  in  good  order  ;  and 
now  I  cannot  order  my  words  aright. 


9%  T«B  ©HRlSTIAlf's  B^f^f. 

AnsW.  (1.)  It  is  not  words  that  God  seeks.  Maury 
a  time  he  has  rejected  good  words,  for  want  of  a  cor- 
respondent frame  of  heart,  Deut.  v.  29.;  but  he  ne- 
ver rejected  a  prayer  because  it  was  not  right  word- 
ed. (2.)  I  say,  if  thy  words  express  the  real  senti- 
ments of  thy  heart,  and  thou  be  upon  the  matter 
right,  God  will  pass  by  many  indecencies  and  fail- 
ings in  thy  words ;  so  he  did  with  Job  :  Job  had  ma- 
ny harsh  expressions  concerning  God,  both  to  him, 
and  of  him;  and  yet,  because  he  was  upon  the  matter 
right,  he  passes  by  these  failings,  while  he  reproves 
his  three  friends ;  "  Ye  have  not  spoken  of  me  the 
things  that  are  right,  as  my  servant  Job,"  chap,  xlii. 
6.  [3.]  In  prayer,  we  address  God  as  a  Father,  and 
we  know  parents  will  not  quarrel  their  children  in 
nonage;  though  they  lisp  and  speak  after  their  owa 
way  ;  nor  will  God  be  worse  than  our  parents  in  this 
respect.  [4.]  Utterance  is  God's  gift,  and  therefore, 
would  ye  have  it  ?  to  the  Lord  ye  must  look  for  it. 
[5.]  As  far  as  thou  understandest  thy  needs,  or  the' 
Lord's  mercies,  and  art  affected  with  them,  in  so  far 
ye  will  still  find  words  to  express  your  concern  ;  and  if 
any  man  teach  you  to  speak  beyond  your  understand- 
ing and  concern,  he  teaches  you  to  mock  God.  But, 
[6]  If  this  hold,  it  strikes  as  well  against  secret 
prayer,  as  family  prayer,  and  so  we  must  quit  all 
prayer. 

Object.  5.  But  say  ye,  Ah  !  I  cannot  get  confi- 
dence. 

Awsw.  [1.]  Will  this  excuse  bear  you  out  at  God's 
hand  ?  Dare  ye  make  it  to  him  ?  No,  I  am  sure,  ye 
dare  not.  [2.]  Whether  will  it  require  greater  con- 
fidence to  pray  before  your  family,  or  to  stand  at  the 
bar  of  God,  and  before  angels  and  men,  and  tell  ye 
had  never  confidence  to  pray  in  your  families  ?  [3."] 
This  is  horrible  pride  ;  ye  think  ye  cannot  pray,  so 
as  to  gain  repute  ;  and  because  ye  cannot  gain  your 
end,  cursed  self,  therefore  ye  rob  God  of  his  glory. 
j>]  Wither  is  it  that  thou  canst  not  get  confidence 


THE   CHRISTIAN'S  BtfTY.  93 

to  pray  before  men,  or  before  God  ?  If  thou  say  thou 
canst  not  get  confidence  to  pray  to  God,  then  ye 
should  not  pray  in  secret  either,  nor  yet  in  public.  If 
thou  say,  it  is  before  men  that  thou  art  ashamed,  then 
is  not  this  horrible  impiety,  to  be  more  influenced  by 
a  foolish  regard  to  man,  than  by  a  regard  to  God  ? 
If  thou  hast  confidence  to  appear  before  God,  thou 
mayest  easily  appear  before  men.  Place  but  thyself 
under  the  eye  of  God,  and  set  thyself  to  prayer,  and 
then  all  thoughts  of  men  will  quickly  be  gone. 

Object.  4.  But  say  some,  We  cannot  get  time. 

JLnsiv.  (1.)  For  what  has  God  given  thee  time  ? 
was  it  not  to  serve  him,  to  save  thine  own  soul,  and 
the  souls  of  thy  family  ?  (2.)  Whereon  spendest  thou 
thy  time  ?  On  thy  business  or  family,  wilt  thou  an* 
swer  ?  Well,  if  so,  this  is  the  compendious,  shortest, 
and  surest  way  to  carry  all  forward.  It  is  the  way 
to  get  God  with  you,  then  ye  will  be  prosperous.  Fi- 
nally, It  is  not  true,  for  there  is  none  of  you  ^11,  but 
idle  away,  either  upon  no  business,  or  wtfrse  than 
none,  more  than  this  would  require.  Now  this  much 
for  the  third  inference. 

4.  We  mav  from  our  doctrine  draw  this  inference. 
That  ministers  have  not  the  only  charge,  or  all  the 
care  and  charge  of  the  souls  of  the  people ;  masters 
of  families,  and  parents,  have  also  a  charge.  And 
think  on  it,  God  will  require  at  your  hands  the  blood 
of  your  children,  and  of  your  servants,  if  they  per- 
ish through  your  negligence.  Now,  that  ye  have 
the  charge,  and  are  answerable  to  God  for  children 
and  servants,  is  past  all  contradiction.  For,  (l.) 
Parents  and  masters  of  families  have  a  considerable 
interest  with  servants  and  children.  Children  and 
servants  pay  somewhat  of  reverence  and  respect  un- 
to their  parents  and  masters,  and  allow  them  some 
interest  in  their  affection.  Now,  all  this  interest 
with  them  should  be  improven  towards  their  salva- 
tion, and  their  engagement  in  God's  service.  (2  ) 
Not  only  have  ye  an  influence  upon  them  this  way* 

N  a 


T-«. 


9i  THE   CHRISTIAN'S   DUTY, 

but  ye  have  a  power  of  commanding  them  ;  and  this 
should  be  improven  likewise  toward  their  engage- 
ment in  the  Lord's  way.  (3.)  Ye  have  frequent  op- 
portunities of  conversing  with  them,  and  ye  are  ac- 
countable for  the  improvement  of  these,  towards 
their  good ;  God  expressly  requiring  your  care 
as  to  the  improvement  of  these,  Deut.  vi.  6.  7. 
Finally,  (4.)  Parents  have  a  charge  directly  gi- 
Ten  to  them  ;  it  is  enjoined,  "  that  they  train  up  their 
children  in  the  way  of  the  Lord  ;"  and  to  them  it  is 
that  the  Lord  enjoins  the  forming  of  the  tender  years 
of  their  posterity.  God  has  placed  his  testimonies 
amongst  us ;  and  we  are  all,  according  to  our  res- 
pective stations  and  opportunities,  obliged  to  propa- 
gate both  the  knowledge  and  the  practice  of  them : 
"  He  established  a  testimony  in  Jacob,  and  appointed 
a  law  in  Israel,  which  he  commanded  our  fathers, 
that  they  should  make  them  known  to  their  children  ; 
that  the  generation  to  come  might  know  thetn,  even 
the  children  which  should  be  born,  who  should  arise 
and  declare  them  to  their  children/*  Psal.  Ixxviii. 
3.  6. 

Use  2.  Of  lamentation.  This  doctrine  may  be  im- 
proven for  lamentation.  Is  it  so,  that  such  as  are 
themselves  sincerely  religious  will  be  conscientiously 
careful  to  maintain  family-religion  ?  Then  surely  we 
have  reason  to  lament  the  woful  neglect  of  this  duty, 
and  of  a  due  regard  unto  it  in  the  day  wherein  we 
live.  That  this  is  either  entirely  neglected,  or  la- 
mentably trifled  over  by  the  generality  of  parents  and 
masters  of  families  in  our  days,  is,  alas!  too,  too  evi- 
dent. For,  (1.)  Their  horrid  and  abounding  igno- 
rance of  God  speaks  it  out.  Were  parents  conscien- 
tiously careful  to  train  up  their  children  from  their 
tender  years,  in  the  knowledge  of  God,  as  they  are 
commanded  j  were  they  speaking  to  them  of  the  things 
of  God,  when  they  sit  in  their  houses,  when  they  walk 
in  their  fields,  when  they  lie  down  and  rise  up  ;  and 
were  these  beginnings  cultivated  by  masters  of  families 
when  they  get  them  home  to  be  servants  j  surely  there 


THE   CHRISTIAN'S   DUTY.  ©5 

would  not  be  so  much  ignorance  of  God  this  day  in  the 
land  as  there  is.  Again,  (2.)  The  abounding  impiety 
that  there  is  in  the  land,  speaks  few  Abrahams  to  be 
is  it,  who  will  command  their  children  and  their  ser- 
vants to  walk  in  the  ways  of  the  Lord.  Magistrates 
are  no  doubt  faulty*  and  ministers  too;  but  the  rise 
of  all  is,  the  negligence  of  parents  and  masters  of 
families;  and  at  their  hand  will  the  Lord  require  it* 
(3.)  The  impiety  of  young  ones,  in  particular,  speaks 
this  aloud.  O  how  sadly  doth  it  speak  the  wicked- 
ness of  parents,  when  their  children  do  lisp  out  oaths 
as  soon  as  they  begin  to  speak,  when  children  talk 
obscenely  as  soon  as  they  begin  to  converse  ;  it  tells 
us,  their  parents  have  not  done,  and  do  not  their  part. 
Finally,  It  is  what  cannot  be  denied,  it  is  what  ye 
must  confess,  because  there  are  too  many  witnesses 
of  its  truth,  even  as  many  children,  as  many  servants, 
as  many  sojourners,  as  there  are  in  many  of  your 
families,  as  many  witnesses  there  are  against  most  of 
you,  that  ye  either  perfectly  trifle  in  this,  or  totally 
neglect  family-religion. 

Now,  surely  we  have  reason  heavily  to  lament  this, 
and  to  mourn  over  it.     For, 

1.  It  gives  us  a  sad  character  of  the  present  gene- 
ration. It  tells  us  what  sort  of  persons  most  part  of 
parents  and  masters  of  families  are  in  the  day  where 
in  we  live,  even  that  they  are  destitute  of  any  thing 
of  real  and  sincere  respect  unto  the  Lord  and  his  ser- 
vice ;  and  though  they  be  called  Christians,  yet  re- 
ally they  know  not  Christ;  nor  are  they  careful  to 
honour  him,  or  engage  others  to  do  it ;  nay  more, 
that  they  are  horribly  perjured,  because  solemnly 
sworn  to  instruct  by  precept  and  example,  and  even 
to  train  up  their  children  and  families  in  acquaint- 
ance with  the  Lord  ;  and  yet  they  make  no  con- 
science of  performing  what  they  have  vowed  to  the 
Lord,  the  most  high  God. 

2.  We  have  reason  to  lament  this,  because  it  gives 
tis  a  sad  prospect  of  the  rising  generation.  Who  shall 


!P6  THE    CHRISTIAN'S   DUTY. 

form  the  rising  generation  ?  Who  shall  train  them  tip 
in  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  and  engage  them  to 
the  way  of  the  Lord  ?  It  may  be  ye  will  say,  Let 
ministers  do  it.  But,  ah  !  if  others  do  not  their 
part,  all  that  ministers  can  do  will  not  prevail.  Mi- 
nisters are  little  with  them ;  ministers  have  many  to 
attend.  Ministers  are  called  to  preach  the  word,  to 
attend  to  the  exercise  of  discipline,  and  this  takes 
much  of  their  work  and  time.  But  parents,  and 
Blasters  of  families,  they  have  few  only  to  look  to, 
they  are  much  with  them,  have  more  interest  with 
them,  and  more  access  to  notiee  them;  and  if  they 
improve  not  these  advantages,  the  rising  generation 
is  not  likely  to  transmit  to  their  posterity  a  good  ac- 
count of  religion.  This  generation  is  sensibly  worse 
than  the  former ;  and  we  may  expect  the  next  to  be 
worse  ;  and  God  knows  where  this  neglect  is  like  to 
laiKl  us  ere  long,  even  in  downright  atheJsm. 

3,  This  is  a  lamentation,  and  shall  be  for  a  lamen- 
tation, because  of  the  dreadful  and  heavy  doom  it  is 
like  to  bring  on  us  altogether.  Eli's  neglect  cost  hiia 
and  his  family  dear.  What  sad  things  this  may  in 
time  bring  upon  parents  and  children,  families,  con- 
gregatiens,  and  nations,  God  only  knows.  But  sure  I 
a  4  it  will  make  the  day  of  judgment  a  terrible  day  to 
many  of  them,  when  children  and  servants  shall  go,  as 
it  vvere,  in  shoals  to  the  pit,  cursing  their  parents  and 
their  masters,  who  brought  them  there.  And  parents 
and  masters  of  families  shall  be  in  multitudes  plun- 
ged headlong  in  endless  destruction,  because  they 
have  not  only  murdered  their  own  souls,  but  also  im- 
brued their  hands  in  the  blood  of  their  children  and 
servants.  O  how  doleful  will  the  reckoning  be  a- 
mongst  them  at  that  day  !  when  the  children  and  ser- 
vants shall  upbraid  their  parents  and  masters  :  "  Now, 
now,  we  must  to  the  pit,  and  we  have  you  to  blame 
for  it ;  your  cursed  example,  and  lamentable  negli- 
gence, has  brought  us  to  the  pit.  We  never  saw  you 
worship  God  yourselves,  and  ye  never  worshipped 


THE   CHRISTIAN'S   DUTY.  97 

God  in  your  families.  Ye  did  not  instruct  us  in  the 
way  of  the  Lord,  nor  train  us  up  to  it,  and  now  we 
are  indeed  ruined  and  damned  for  our  sins ;  bat  our 
blood  lies  at  your  doors,  who  might  have  done  much 
to  have  saved  us,  but  did  not."  And,  on  the  other 
hand,  how  will  the  shrieks  of  parents  fill  every  ear  ? 
«  I  have  damned  myself,  I  have  damned  my  children, 
I  have  damned  my  servants.  While  I  fed  their  bo- 
dies, and  clothed  their  backs,  I  have  ruined  their 
souls,  and  brought  double  damnation  on  myself.  O 
let  us  mourn  over  this  sad  evil,  that  will  undoubted- 
ly have  this  dismal  and  terrible  issue.  What  can 
affect  your  hearts,  if  this  do  not  ? 

4.  Let  us  lament  what  none  can  seriously  look  up- 
on, and  not  lament,  even  a  perishing  generation,  a 
ruined  and  destroyed  multitude,  and  that  not  without 
the  most  terrible  aggravations  of  their  misery.     (1.) 
Is  it  not  lamentable  to  see  children  and  servants  fet- 
tered in  chains  of  darkness,  and  reserved  in  them  to 
judgment,  to  see  them  driven,  as  it  were,  to  damna- 
tion and  death  eternal?     (2.)    Is  it  not  yet  more 
dreadful  to  see  them  destroyed  by  those  who  are  un- 
der the  strongest  ties  to  endeavour  their  relief?  (3.) 
Is  it  not  sad  to  see  them,  who  pretend  love  to  their 
children,  and  servants,  hugging  a  bit  of  clay,  their 
bodies  I  mean,  while  they  are  damning  their  immor- 
tal souls  ?     Surely  this  is  to  be  lamented  ;  and  that 
it  is  not  more  noticed  and  bewailed,  will  ere  long  oe- 
casion  a  bitter  lamentation.     But  we  proceed  next  to 
Use3.     Of  reproof  ;  and  that,  1.  To  such  as  tri- 
fle in  this  duty.     2-  To  such  as  halve  family-religion. 
3.  To  such  as  totally  neglect  it.     4*.  To  such  as,  in- 
stead of  family-religion,  do  live  in  family -wickedness* 
1.  Then,  we  say,  this  reaches  a  reproof  to  such  as 
do  trifle  in  family-religion  :  some  there  ar£  who  make 
the  fashion,  at  least,  of  attending  all  the  duties  of  it  j 
but  with  such  faintness,  deadness,  and  coldrifeness5 
as  says   their  duty  is  their  burden,  and  not  their 
choice.    They  can  scarce  tell  what  advantage  they 

Nn2 


§S  THE   CHRISTIAN'S   BUTT* 

make  of  it.     Such  our  doctrine  reproves,  and  fauify 
ye  are.    For, 

(1.)  This  says  personal  religion  is  either  altoge- 
ther wanting,  or  under  a  sad  decay.  Personal  and 
family -religion  go  together  %  as  there  is  an  increase 
in  zeal,  and  carefulness  about  the  one,  so  there  will 
be  about  the  other.  When  David  looked  well  to 
himself,  when  he  behaved  himself  wisely  in  a  perfect 
way,  he  then  also  walked  within  his  house  with  a 
perfect  heart,  Psal.  ci.  2.  Surely  your  trifling  in  fa- 
mily-religion is  the  genuine  fruit  of  trifling  in  private 
and  personal  religion. 

(2.)  Ye  deprive  yourselves  of  the  comfort  of  fami- 
ly-religion. The  Lord  has  not  said  to  the  seed  of 
Jacob,  "  Seek  ye  my  face  in  vain j"  nay,  he  is  good 
to  the  soul  that  seeks  him,  to  them  that  wait  for  him. 
"  In  keeping  his  commands  there  is  great  reward  ;" 
hut  they  who  trifle,  miss  this  great  reward  ;  for  he 
only  « is  a  rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  seek 
him,55  Heb.  xi.  6. 

(3.)  Ye  miss  the  mark,  ye  do  not  reach  the  scope 
and  intendment  of  these  duties,  the  engagement  of 
your  families  to  the  Lord.  It  will  not  be  a  coldrifo 
and  formal  performance  of  duty,  that  will  either 
please  God^  or  profit  yourselves,  or  gain  others. 

(4.)  Faulty  ye  are  to  a  high  degree;  ye  provoke 
the  Lord  to  anger.  God  is  a  spirit,  and  he  requires 
those  who  worship  him,  to  do  it  in  spirit  and  in  truth. 
We  must  be  fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord.  He 
spews  the  lukewarm  out  of  his  mouth,  and  has  pro- 
nounced a  curse  against  those  who  serve  him  with  the 
worst:  "Cursed  be  the  deceiver,  who  hath  in  his 
flock  a  male,  and  voweth  and  saci  ificeth  to  God  a  cor- 
rupt thing,"  Mai.  i.  1&. 

2.  This  doctrine  teaches  a  reproof  to  such  as  halts 
family-religion.  Some  there  are  who  will  not  en- 
tirely omit,  nor  yet  will  they  entirely  perform.  They 
go  a  part  of  the  way  with  God,  but  they  will  not  go 
the  whole.    To  such  we  say, 


THE    CHMSTIAK's   BUTT.  99 

(1.)  Ye  disjoin  what  the  Lord  has  joined.  The 
whole  law  of  the  Lord  is  knit  together;  and  all  the 
parts  of  it  are  subservient  to  each  other :  and  it  is  re- 
markably so  with  respect  to  family-religion ;  and 
particularly  with  respect  to  family-worship.  Pray- 
er obtains  from  the  Lord  influences  of  light,  whereby 
we  are  made  to  understand  his  word  :  and  discoveries 
of  the  Lord  in  the  word  fill  our  mouths  with  the  high 
praises  of  the  Lord.  Let  no  man,  therefore,  sepa- 
rate these  which  the  Lord  has  joined. 

(2.)  Ye  betray  naughtiness  of  heart.  A  sincere 
heart  counts  God's  commands  all  of  them  to  be  right 
concerning  all  t  hings.  They  who  have  not  a  respect 
to  all  the  Lord's  commands,  shall,  when  they  are 
tried,  be  exposed  to  just  shame  and  contempt,  Psal. 
exi.  6.  Now,  while  ye  thus  pick  out  some,  and  re- 
ject others,  ye  practically  declare  how  naughty  your 
heart  is. 

(3.)  Ye  trample  upon  the  authority  of  the  Lord  in 
the  command  :  "  He  that  breaks  one  is  guilty  of  all." 
If  the  Lord's  authority  were  the  motive  that  induced 
yon  to  do  the  one  part  of  this  duty,  it  would  also  pre- 
vail with  you  to  do  the  other.  If  the  true  reason 
why  ye  read  a  chapter  sometimes  in  your  family, 
were  because  the  Lord  commands  it,  ye  would,  for 
the  very  same  reason,  pray  in  your  families.  It  is 
not  the  authority  of  the  Lord  that  sticks  with  you, 
otherwise  it  would  be  in  all  respects  of  the  like  and 
equal  consideration  and  weight  with  you.  This  is 
not  that  which  prevails  with  you,  and  therefore  ye 
are  guilty  of  signal  contempt  of  the  Lord. 

(k)  Ye  lose  even  what  ye  do.  God  will  have  all 
or  none.  Ye  must  either  receive  or  reject  all  his 
laws.  He  will  allow  no  man  to  pick  and  choose  $ 
and  since  ye  are  not  clear  for  all,  ye  will  be  no  better 
of  all  the  lengths  ye  go.  Instead,  therefore,  of  a  re- 
ward for  what  ye  have  done,  ye  may  expect  to  be 
sent  to  the  pit  for  what  has  been  left  undone. 

S.  This  doctrine  teaches  a  sad  and  sharp  rejjroQf 


100  THE   CHRISTIANS   BITTY. 

to  the  total  neglecters  of  family-religion.  And  even 
of  this  sort  there  are  not  a  few.  Some  there  are 
hearing,  it  may  be,  who  have  lived,  some  ten,  some 
twenty  years  and  upwards  in  a  family,  and  never  a 
word  all  the  while  of  any  thing  like  family-religion. 
To  such  we  say, 

(1.)  Ye  are  going  in  the  dear  way  to  destruction* 
You  heard  us  prove,  from  the  most  solid  scripture- 
evidence,  that  where  there  is  heart*  sincerity,  any 
thing  of  real  personal  godliness,  there  will  be  also  a 
conscientious  care  to  maintain  the  worship  of  God, 
and  all  the  parts  of  family-religion. 

(2.)  As  if  that  were  not  enough,  ye  do  what  in  you 
lies  to  ruin  the  souls  of  your  children  and  families. 
He  as  really  is  guilty  of  the  murder  of  his  son  or  ser- 
vant, who  neglects  his  instruction,  as  he  is  who  stabs 
a  dagger  to  his  heart. 

(3.)  What  in  you  lies  ye  do  to  frustrate  the  gospel, 
and  make  ministers  lose  their  pains.  Then  is  the 
gospel  like  to  be  successful  towards  the  salvation  of 
souls,  when  every  one  doth  his  part :  but  ye  are  so 
far  from  furthering  the  gospel,  that  ye  join  issue  with 
the  god  of  this  world,  in  blindfolding  the  children  of 
men,  lest  the  glorious  light  of  the  gospel  should  shine 
into  their  minds. 

Ye  sin  against  the  Lord  with  a  high  hand  :  ye 
say  upon  the  matter,  that  he  shall  not  dwell  in  your 
house,  when  ye  refuse  to  invite  him  in,  and  to  urge 
his  stay. 

4.  To  those  this  doctrine  reaches  a  rebuke,  who 
not  only  neglect  family-religion,  but  who,  I  may  say, 
maintain  family- irreligion9  and  instruct  their  families 
to  neglect  the  Lord  and  his  service. 

(1.)  By  the  neglect  of  family -worship;  children 
and  servants  who  never  see  any  thing  like  the  wor- 
ship of  God  in  the  families  wherein  they  live,  and  who 
are  not  instructed  in  the  way  of  the  Lord,  are  there- 
by laid  open  to  the  conduct  of  their  own  hearts,  and 
taught  also  to  neglect  it* 


THE  GHHISTIAK's   DtfTY.  10* 

(2.)  By  example  of  many  parents,  children  and  ser- 
vants are'taught  to  go  a  greater  length  rfThey  not  only 
see  the  worship  of  God  neglected,  family-religion  trif- 
led over  and  slighted,  but  they  see  their  parents  and 
masters  living  careless  of  personal  religion,  neglect- 
ing  secret  prayer,  reading  of  the  word:  nay,  more, 
living  in  the  practice  of  known  sin,  drinking,  swear- 
ing, speaking  profanely.  Here  is  the  example,  and 
readily  it  is  followed  by  corrupt  nature.  Children 
and  servants  are  ready  to  write  after  this  copy  :  "  As 
for  the  word  that  thou  hast  spoken  to  us  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord,  we  will  not  hearken  unto  thee  :  but  we 
Viil  certainly  do  whatsoever  thing  goeth  out  of  our 
own  mouth,  to  burn  incense  unto  the  queen  of  heaven, 
and  to  pour  out  drink  offerings  unto  her,  as  we  have 
done,  we  and  our  fathers,  our  kings  and  our  princes, 
in  the  cities  of  Judah  and  streets  of  Jerusalem  :  for 
then  had  we  plenty  of  victuals,  and  were  well,  and 
saw  no  evil,"  Jer.  xliv.  16, 17. 

(3.)  Children  are  not  only  by  many  parents  drawn 
on  to  sin,  but  by  some  even  cherished  in  it.  While 
they  laugh  at,  and  excuse,  and  sometimes  tempt  their 
children  to  iniquity. 

(4.)  Children  are  misled  by  parents  not  correcting 
them,  and  that  severely  for  sin  :  "  Folly  is  bound  up 
in  the  heart  of  the  child,  but  the  rod  of  correction 
will  drive  it  away  :"  and  therefore,  «  he  that  spares 
the  rod  hates  the  child.5'  Eli  stands  a  monument 
of  the  terrible  consequences  of  indulging  children  in 

ill.  ,  . 

These  and  such  ways  do  many  in  our  day  teach 
both  children  and  servants  irreligion.  Now*  to  such 
we  say, 

[1.]  Is  it  not  enough  that  ye  yourselves  join  issue 
with  Satan,  but  will  ye  thus  draw  others  into  the 
confederacy  ?  Ye  are  not  only  against  the  Lord,  but 
ye  are  ringleaders  in  the  way  to  destraction. 

[2.]  Not  content  to  draw  others,  ye  drive  your 
children  and  servants  to  sin :  and  is  it  not  enough  to 


102  TUB    CHRISTIAN'S   DUTY. 

destroy  your  own  souls,  unless  ye  openly  and  evident- 
ly murder  your  families  ? 

[3.]  Is  it  not  enough  that  ye  banish  God  your  house, 
but  will  ye  banish  him  the  world  ?  This  is  the  plain 
tendency  of  what  ye  do.  Ye  are  as  those  who  poison 
a  fountain.  By  poisoning  your  children  and  servant  s, 
ye  poison,  it  may  be,  those  who  are  to  be  the  heads 
of  many  families,  and  thereby  spread,  or  at  least  con- 
tribute your  utmost  toward  the  spreading  destruc- 
tion through  the  world,  and  that  to  all  succeeding 
generations. 

Finally,  That  I  may  shut  up  this  use  of  reproof, 
we  shall  put  all  the  four  sorts  of  persons  we  have 
named  together,  and  we  have  a  fourfold  heavy  charge 
against  them. 

1.  We  say,  ye  are  guilty  of  horrid  cruelty.  Ho 
that  doth  not  what  in  him  lies  for  preventing  sin  in 
liis  neighbour,  hates  him,  in  God's  account,  in  his 
heart :  «  Thou  shalt  not  hate  thy  brother  in  thine 
heart ;  thou  shalt  in  any  wise  rebuke  thy  neighbour, 
and  not  suifer  sin  upon  him,"  Lev.  xix.  17  And  ha 
that  hates  his  brother  in  the  least  degree,  is  by  our 
Lord  accounted  a  murderer,  and  adjudged  to  punish- 
ment, Matt.  v.  21.  Now,  according  to  this  law,  and 
righteous  it  is,  ye  are  guilty  of  dreadful  cruelty,  not 
against  an  enemy,  but  against  your  friends  j  not 
against  your  neighbour,  but  your  own  children  ;  not 
against  their  bodies,  but  their  souls.  To  neglect  a 
due  care  of  them,  is  to  murder  their  souls :  and  ve- 
rily ye  have  the  blood  of  their  souls  on  you. 

2.  Ye  are  guilty  of  the  most  horrid  perjury*  How 
oft  have  some  of  you  sworn,  with  hands  lifted  up  to 
the  most  high  God,  before  many  witnesses,  to  serve 
the  Lord,  to  worship  him?  Every  child  ye  have 
baptized,  ye  solemnly  vowed  to  serve  the  Lord,  and 
to  cause  your  houses  to  do  so.  But  all  the  vows  of 
God  cannot  tie  you.  Well,  the  time  hastens  on 
apace,  when  the  breach  of  solemn  vows  of  this  na- 
ture will  fall  heavy  upon  you,  and  the  Lord  will 


THE   CHRISTIANAS   D¥TT.  105 

avenge  the  quarrel  of  his  covenant.    And  surely  this 
will  end  in  your  utter  destruction. 

3.  Ye  are  guilty  of  denying  the  faith,  and  are  in- 
deed worse  than  infidels,  ••  But  if  any  man  provide 
not  for  his  own,  and  especially  for  those  of  his  own 
house,  he  hath  denied  the  faith,  and  is  worse  than 
an  infidel."  1  Tim.  v.  8.  Now,  sure,  if  he  who  neg- 
lects the  care  of  his  house  in  temporals  be  guilty  of 
this,  much  more  he  who  is  guilty  this  way  in  spirit- 
uals. 

4.  Ye  are  guilty  of  an  horid  rejection  of  the  Lord 
and  his  yoke,  in  that,  (1.)  Ye  will  not  stoop  to  his 
authority  in  all  his  commands.  (2.)  In  that  ye  open- 
ly contemn  his  authority,  before  children,  and  ser- 
vants, and  sojourners.  And,  (3.)  Ye  induce  others 
to  do  the  like,  and,  at  least  by  your  example,  do  en- 
courage others  to  contemn  the  Lord ;  and  that  such 
as  are  most  likely  to  be  swayed  by  it,  and  even  such 
as  you  are  especially  bound  to  train  up  in  the  Lord's 
service. 

Now,  surely,  when  these  four  are  taken  together, 
as  they  are  ground  of  a  just  reproof ;  so  they  will,  if 
repentance  prevent  not,  be  a  just  ground  for  a  terri- 
ble sentence  in  the  great  day  ;  and  therefore  consi- 
der of  it  in  time,  and  betake  yourselves  to  the  Lord 
by  the  exercise  of  repentance.     But  this  I  leave. 

Use  4.  Of  exhortation.  It  now  only  remains, 
that  we  improve  this  truth  in  a  way  of  exhortation. 
Is  it  so,  that  such  as  are  themselves  sincerely  reli- 
gious will  be  conscientiously  careful  to  maintain  fa- 
mily-religion ?  Then  surely  all,  as  they  would  not 
be  thought  either  irreligious,  or  unsound  in  religion, 
are  obliged  to  maintain  family-religion. 

Masters  of  families,  I  shall  here  address  you  in  a 
matter  of  th%highest  concernment  to  your  souls,  and 
those  of  your  family  :  Set  up  family-religion  :  make 
conscience  of  it  in  all  its  parts  ;  and  be  in  earnest  in 
this  matter,  we  beseech  and  request  you.     For, 

lsf>  The  Lord  eommands  joti  to  do  so.     The  a«- 


i#*  THE   CHRISTIAN'S   BUT¥. 

tbority  of  God,  enjoining  it  in  all  its  parts,  will  be 
motive  enough  to  any  who  have  subjected  themselves 
unto  the  Lord,  taken  his  yoke  upon  them,  and  sur- 
rendered themselves  to  his  conduct.  I  need  not 
stand  to  mention  particular  testimonies  for  proof 
of  this,  having  already  done  it  in  the  doctrinal  part 
of  this  discourse:  I  shall  only  add  that  one  exhorta- 
tion of  Moses,  the  man  of  God,  to  the  people  of  Is- 
rael, «  Only  take  heed  to  thyself,  and  keep  thy  soul 
diligently,  lest  thou  forget  the  things  which  thine 
eyes  have  seen,  and  lest  they  depart  from  thin©  heart 
all  the  days  of  thy  life  ;  but  teach  them  thy  sons,  and 
the  sous'  sons,"  Deut.  iv.  9. 

2dly,  For  your  upstirring  to  this  duty  consider, 
that,  as  the  whole  of  religion  is  a  reasonable  service, 
so  this  in  particular  is  highly  so.  The  Lord  demands 
nothing  that  can  be  denied  ;  and  to  disobey  him  is 
the  most  unreasonable  wickedness,  and  the  height  of 
injustice. 

1.  Surely  there  is  nothing  more  reasonable  than 
family  instruction*  Dost  thou  think  it  reasonable  to 
feed  and  cloth  thy  children  and  servants,  and  is  it  not 
fully  as  reasonable  that  thou  shouldst  instruct 
them  in  the  things  that  belong  to  their  everlasting* 
peace  ?  Sure  it  is.  But  to  clear  this  yet  a  little 
farther,  take  only  these  few  particulars  into  conside- 
ration. 

(l.(  Your  children  are  all  born  ignorant,  like  the 
wild  ass's  colt,  Job  xi.  12.  Children,  as  when  born 
they  know  not  the  ways  and  means  of  maintaining 
themselves  in  natural  life,  so  the?  are  ignorant  of  all 
that  concerns  their  spiritual  life.  Nor  can  they  under- 
stand how  to  live,  without  they  be  taught,  far  less 
how  to  provide  for  the  life  of  their  souls. 

(2,)  As  they  have  not  knowledge,  $o  this  their 
want  of  it  must  be  ruining  to  them,  if  not  made  up 
by  seasonable  instruction  :  that  the  soul  be  without 
knowledge  is  not  good.  A  man  cannot  be  without 
the  knowledge  of  what  eoneerns  the  present  life, 
without  considerable  prejudice,  far  less  without  the 


THE  CHRISTIANAS  DUTi.  10 J 

knowledge  of  those  things  that  concern  the  life  of  his 
soul :  "  The  Lord  comes  in  flaming  fire,  to  take  ven- 
geance on  them  that  know  not  God,  and  obey  not  the 
gospel ;  who  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  de- 
struction from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  the  glo- 
ry of  his  power,"  2  Thess.  i.  8. 

(3.)  Some  one  or  other,  therefore,  must  instruct 
your  families  in  the  knowledge  of  God,  else  they  pe- 
rish eternally.  Knowledge  of  these  things  is  abso- 
lutely necessary,  and  how  can  they  get  this,  unless 
somebody  teach  them?  Nay,  I  may  say,  not  only  is 
instruction  requisite,  but  a  considerable  care  and  dili- 
gence is  necessary.  Religion  and  the  truths  that  con- 
cern it,  are  not  all  to  be  learned  at  one  lesson.  Nay, 
but  it  w  ill  require  frequent  instructions :  precept 
must  be  upon  precept,  line  upon  line  and  here  a 
little  and  there  a  little.  There  must  be  a  speak- 
ing of  fhe  things  of  God,  when  we  go  out  and  when 
we  come  in,  when  we  sit  down  and  when  we  rise  up, 
as  it  is  enjoined,  Deut.  vi.  6,  &c.  if  we  would  have 
them  to  slick.  So  dull  is  man,  that  he  is  not  taught 
the  easiest  arts  or  sciences  without  great  pains,  much 
less  is  it  then  to  be  expected,  that  he  should  learn 
supernatural  and  divine  truth,  without  much  care 
about  his  instruction. 

(4.)  As  children  want  naturally  the  knowledge  of 
God,  which  yet  they  must  have  or  perish,  and  which 
they  cannot  obtain  without  they  be  instructed ;  so 
none  are  in  such  case,  and  so  much  concerned  to  in- 
struct them,  as  parents.  For,  [1.]  None  are  so  near- 
ly related  to  them  as  parents  are.  Man,  woman, 
what  is  thy  child  but  a  piece  of  thyself?  And  who 
so  much  concerned  to  have  every  thing  that  is  need- 
ful provided  for  thee,  as  thou  thyself  art  and  ought 
to  be  ?  [2.]  None  have  such  a  fair  opportunity  as 
thou  hast ;  for  it  is  but  little  others  can  be  with  them, 
but  thou  art  with  them  when  they  lie  down  and  rise 
up,  go  out  and  come  in,  and  so  hast  the  most  proper 
opportunities  for  this  end.    [3.]  None  else  has  sueb 

O  o 


106  *THE   CHRISTIAN'S   BUTX. 

access  to  know  the  temper  of  children  and  servants  ; 
and  this  goes  a  great  way  in  the  instruction  of  chil- 
dren and  others.  They  who  know  their  tempers 
and  capacities  are  in  best  case  to  deal  with  them, 
[4.]  None  are  like  to  prevail  so  far  with  them,  he- 
cause  none  has  such  an  interest  in  their  affections. 
The  more  we  love  the  master,  the  better  will  his  les- 
son be  learned.  [5.]  None  are  like  to  be  so  much 
the  better  for  it,  if  thy  children  and  servants  be  in- 
structed in  the  way  of  the  Lord,  as  thou.  To  whom 
will  the  profit,  to  whom  will  the  comfort  come  ?  Sure- 
ly to  thee  :  «  A  wise  son  maketli  a  glad  father,  Prov. 
x.  1.  [6.]  None  are  so  much  concerned,  because 
none  are  like  so  to  smart  by  it,  if  thy  children  or  ser- 
vants miscarry  :  "  A  foolish  son  is  the  heaviness  of 
his  mother,"  Prov.  x.  1.  And  frequently,  a  son  that 
eauseth  shame  is  the  name  given  to  such.  Now,  to 
whom  doth  he  cause  shame  and  sorrow,  is  it  not  to 
his  parents  ?  surely  it  is  :  f*  For  he  that  beget teth  a 
fool  doth  it  to  his  sorrow,9'  Prov,  xvii.  21.  Many 
other  considerations  I  might  add,  to  show  none  so 
much  concerned,  nor  so  much  obliged  as  parents  and 
masters  of  families,  in  regard  of  the  dependence  of 
children  and  servants  upon  them,  and  in  regard  of 
the  access  they  have  to  deal  with  children  before 
they  are  prepossessed  with  prejudices.  But  I  pro- 
ceed. 

2.  Nor  is  family  worship  less  reasonable  than  fa- 
mily-instruction.    For, 

(1.)  There  is  in  every  family,  and  I  may  say  every 
day.  a  visible  ground  for  it  in  all  its  parts.  Every 
family  is  daily  loaded  with  new  mercies  that  are  com- 
mon to  all  the  family,  and  redound  to  the  advantage 
of  die  whole  ;  surely,  then,  it  is  but  reasonable  that 
there  should  be  an  acknowledgement  of  the  Lord  as 
the  Author  of  those  mercies;  and  his  goodness  should 
be  celebrated  in  songs  of  praise.  Every  day  family- 
sins  are  committed  ,•  and  therefore  need  there  is  of 
pardon,  of  confession.,  of  repentance.    Family- wants 


*THE    CHRISTIAN'S   DUTY.  107 

call  still  for  family-supplications;  and  the  snares, 
dangers,  and  darkness  of  the  way,  require  a  daily 
attendance  to  the  word,  as  the  unerring  guide  of  your 
way. 

(2.)  As  there  is  daily  reason  for  all  the  parts  of 
it,  so  there  is  a  reason  for  a  joint  and  public  perform- 
ance of  all  those  duties.  [I.]  All  the  family  are  wit- 
nesses of  the  Lord's  goodness  in  his  bestowing  mer- 
cies, of  his  justice  in  inflicting  strokes,  of  their  owa 
sins,  and  wants,  and  darkness :  and  therefore  we 
ought  publicly,  and  together,  ta  acknowledge  God's 
goodness  and  justice,  and  our  faith  in  his  mercy  and 
bounty  ;  since  the  family  are  witnesses  of  the  one, 
they  ought  to  be  so  of  the  other  also.  [2.]  Since, 
in  your  family-capacity,  ye  do  rejoice  for  one  ano- 
ther, and  sorrow  with  one  another;  since,  I  say,  ye 
should  bear  a  part  with  each  other,  both  in  pray- 
er and  praises,  there  ought  to  be  a  public  testifica- 
tion of  this,  and  ye  ought  to  join  together  for  this  end. 
(3.)  Masters  of  families  should  undoubtedly  ac- 
quaint all  in  their  family  with  the  God  of  their  fa- 
thers; and  no  way  so  effectual  for  this  end,  as  to 
bring  them  all  and  frequently  to  the  Lord  in  the  du- 
ties of  his  own  appointment,  in  which  his  power  and 
glory  are  to  be  seen. 

(4.)  All  who  have  families  should,  before  the 
world,  own  themselves  every  way  dependent  on  the 
Lord,  and  acknowledge  him  in  all  their  ways.  And 
this  is  the  true  way  to  answer  their  duty  in  this  mat- 
ter. 

3.  There  is  full  as  good  reason  for  family-govern-' 
merit  as  for  anv  of  the  rest.     For, 

(1.)  To  glorify  God,  and  to  enjoy  him,  is  the  chief 
end  of  man,  and  that  which  he  ought  to  aim  at :  as 
in  all  other  things  that  he  doth,  so  particularly  in 
entering  into  family-society.  Our  families  surely, 
and  all  our  concerns  should  be  so  ordered  as  to  con- 
tribute some  way  toward  the  furtherance  of  our  eter- 
nal advantage. 


168  THE    CHRISTIAN'S  BUTT. 

(2,)  This  end  can  never  be  obtained,  unless  all  in 
the  family  be  tied  to  walk  according  to  that  rule 
Tvhich  the  Lord  has  given  us  as  the  way  toward  the 
tnjoyment  of  himself. 

[8.]  Any  in  the  family  who  walk  not  according  to 
4he  Lord's  will  in  this  matter,  they  do  counteract  that 
which  all  the  family  should  design ;  and  therefore, 
if  they  will  persist  in  that  course,  they  ought  to  be 
expelled  the  family.  In  a  word,  to  be  somewhat 
more  plain,  what  ean  be  more  reasonable,  than  that 
all  who  live  in  your  family,  should  be  obliged  to  look 
io  the  advantage  of  the  family ;  and  that  such  as  will 
siot  d©  soj  should  be  turned  out  of  it  ?  And  surely 
«very  sin  allowed  has  a  visible  tendency  to  bring 
down  ruin  on  the  family.  Now  this  much  for  the 
second  motive. 

Sdly,  As  the  Lord's  command,  and  the  reasonable- 
Bess  of  the  thing,  should  have  weight,  so  I  would 
liave  you  consider  next,  that  this  is  a  path  the  Lord's 
people  have  in  all  generations  trode.  If  thou  expect 
to  have  their  end,  thou  must  walk  in  their  way,  and 
go  by  the  footsteps  of  the  flock  ;  and  surely  they  will 
all  lead  you  to  a  careful  attendance  upon  the  Lord  in 
the  whole  of  this  duty.  To  which  of  the  saints  will 
^e  turn,  if  ye  mean  to  countenance  vourself  in  a  near- 
l^et  of  this  ?  Sure  none  of  them.  You  will  find  god- 
ly Abraham,  we  have  frequently  cited  ;  Jacob  and 
Joshua,  Job  and  David,  we  have  already  mentioned 
also;  and  they  are  followed  by  the  saints  in  all  ge- 
nerations. 

stilly.  Consider,  that  a  due  care  for  the  mainte- 
nance of  family-religion  is  necessary.  For  evincing 
your  sincerity,  would  ye  be  satisfied  that  the  world 
look  on  you  as  either  void  of  all  religion,  or  not  sound 
in  it  ?  And  what  peace  do  ye,  can  you  promise  your- 
selves, while  conscience  has  this  to  throw  in  your 
teeth,  and  ye  live  either  in  the  neglect  or  superficial 
performance  of  a  known  duty  ?  How  ean  ye  satisfy 
any  other,  or  yourselves,  that  ye  have  any  regard  at 


THE  CHRISTIANS  BITTY.  109 

all  to  that  sum  of  the  second  table  of  the  law,  that 
requires  you  to  love  your  neighbour  as  yourself  ?  I 
say,  who  will  believe  that  the  man  will  love  his  neigh- 
bour as  himself,  who  loves  not  his  child,  his  servant  ? 
And  who  will  or  can  justly  believe,  that  thou  lovest 
child  or  servant,  while  thou  takest  no  care  of  their 
souls?  It  is  impossible  that  thou  canst  satisfy  either 
others  or  yourselves,  that  ye  are  in  earnest  about  re- 
ligion, while  ye  fail  here. 

5thly9  For  thy  further  excitement,  know,  that  the 
vows  of  God  are  upon  you  to  this  matter.  Ye  are 
solemnly  sworn,  not  only  when  ye  yourselves  were 
offered  to  the  Lord,  but  when  ye  offered  your  chil- 
dren ;  and  when  ye  were  married  also,  then  ye  en- 
tered the  relation,  and  then  ye  engaged  to  do  all  the 
duties  that  it  doth  draw  after  it.  Now,  can  ye  bear 
the  reproach  of  perjury,  of  breach  of  solemn  vows  to 
the  Lord?  Now,  here  there  is  a  signal  defect;  and 
here  I  would  put  a  question  to  you  all  who  have  thus 
engaged  to  a  performance  of  all  duties.  When  ye 
did  vow,  were  ye  really  resolved  to  do  what  ye  pro- 
mised ?  If  not,  ye  have  mocked  God  after  the  bold- 
est manner.  If  ye  were  then,  what  has  altered  your 
resolution?  Mind,  God  has  no  pleasure  in  fools; 
and  the  man  who  shall  ascend  to  the  hill  of  God,  is 
he  that  sweareth,  and  ehangeth  not. 

6thly,  Consider  the  great  advantages  which  attend 
conscientious  diligence  in  performing  this  duty,  and 
that  to  yourselves,  your  children,  your  servants,  and 
the  public. 

1.  I  say,  Ye  shall  be  gainers.  Every  part  of  re- 
ligion has  its  own  reward ;  "  Godliness  is  profitable 
for  all  things  ;"  and  every  piece  of  it  is  profitable  for 
some  valuable  end  and  purpose.  Now,  this  remark- 
able part  of  religion  is  profitable  for  thyself  many 
ways.  For,  [1.]  In  all  the  duties  of  family-religion* 
thou  mayest  have  communion  with  the  Lord,  *'  who 
said  not  to  the  seed  of  Jacob,  seek  ye  me  in  vain." 
He  never  bids  his  people  set  about  any  duty,  but  that 

O  o2 


110  THE  CHRISTIANS  DUTY* 

wherein  lie  was  to  be  enjoyed.  And  there  are  this 
day  on  God's  earthfsome  who  can  say,  as  in  the  sight 
of  God,  that  some  of  the  sweetest  opportunities  they 
ever  had  on  earth,  were  family-occasions ;  and  that 
never  did  they  more  remarkably  enjoy  the  Lord's 
presence,  than  in  family-worship.  Some  of  conside- 
rable quality  we  have  known  go  into  eternity,  bless- 
ing God  for  family  religion,  and  others  will  do  so. 
(2.)  It  is  the  way  for  thee  to  win  souls  ;  and  this  is 
of  great  advantage  to  thee  :  «  He  that  winneth  souls 
is  wise;  and  they  who  turn  many  to  righteousness 
shall  shine  as  the  stars  in  the  firmament  for  ever  and 
ever."  And  surely,  if  thou  win  a  soul  of  a  son  or 
servant,  thou  shalt  have  the  advantage  and  comfort 
of  it  doubly.  To  have  contributed  toward  the  sal- 
vation of  any,  gives  much  pleasure  ;  much  more  to 
have  done  so  toward  the  advantage  of  a  child  or  ser- 
vant. Again,  (3.)  If  thou  art  successful,  and  dost 
gain  them,  surely  it  redounds  to  thy  advantage ;  for 
it  will  conciliate  and  engage  their  affection  much  to 
thee,  lay  a  powerful  enforcement  to  obedience  on 
them,  and  engage  them  to  improve  their  interest  at 
the  throne  of  grace  on  your  behalf,  and  procure  a 
blessing  from  the  Lord  to  thy  family.  (4.)  If  they 
be  not  engaged,  yet  thy  respect  to  God,  in  witnessing 
for  him,  and  cleaving  to  him,  when  tempted  by  so 
strong  a  discouragement  as  the  universal  backward- 
ness of  thy  family  is,  shall  not  go  without  a  reward. 
(5.)  Surely,  since  the  Lord,  we  find,  would  bless  a 
family  for  the  sake  of  a  religious  servant,  as  we  find 
the  Lord  blessed  Potiphar's  house  for  Joseph's  sake, 
Gen.  xxxix.  5.  and  Laban's  house  for  Jacob's  sake, 
he  will  no  less,  if  not  more,  bless  a  house  on  account 
of  a  religious  master  of  a  family.  (6.)  It  is  the  true 
way  to  obtain  honour  and  respect  from  the  Lord,  a^d 
even  intimacy  with  him.  This  put  Abraham  on  God's 
secrets,  Gen.  xviii.  18.  When  God  was  to  do  a  great 
work  of  justice,,  he  would  not  conceal  it  from  Abra- 
haiB;  because  he  was  one  that  would,  he  knew,  make 


THE  CHRISTIAN'S  BUTT.  Ill 

conscience  in  particular  of  this  duty.  Finally,  the 
true  method  to  make  dutiful  children  and  servants, 
is  to  engage  them  to  God's  way.  If  once  they  come 
to  have  a  due  regard  for  the  Lord,  they  will  learn 
soon  to  pay  a  due  respect  to  parents  and  masters. 

2.  This  family  religion  will  he  no  less  profitable  to 
thy  children  ;  and,  yc  know,  their  gain  should  he  ac- 
counted gain  by  you.     Every  parent   should  be  of 
John's  mind,  third  epistle,  ver.  4.  «  I  have  no  great- 
er joy,  than  to  hear  that  my  children   walk  in  the 
truth;"  and  (hat  particularly  because  it  contributes 
to  their  advantage,  and  that  many  ways.     (1.)  It  is 
God's  way,  the  means   of  his  appointment  toward 
their  engagement  in  the  Lord's  way  : •"  Train  up  a 
child  in  the  way  that  he  should  go,  and  when  he  is 
oSd,  he  will  not  depart  from  it,"  Prov.  xxii.  6.     The 
way  to  engage  them  to  the  Lord,  is  to  "  bring  them 
up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord,"  Eph. 
vi.  4.     And  what  can  be  so  much  to  their  advantage 
as  peace  and  acquaintance  with  God,  whereby  good 
shall  come  to  f  hem,  in  time,  and  to  eternity  ?     (2.) 
If  this  be  not  reached,  yet  it  is  a  way  that  will  not 
readily  fail  of  keeping  them  from  running  to  the 
same  excess  of  riot  with  others,  whereby  they  make 
themselves  a  disgrace  to  their  parents,  and  all  con- 
cerned in  therri.     It   would  be   a   check   to   them, 
whereby  they  might  be  kept  from  adventuring  upon 
these  bold  heights  that  some  run  to.     I  remember 
the  noble  Lord  Russel,  son  to  the  Marquis  of  Bedford, 
in  his  speech  on  the  scaifold,  July,  21.  1683,  blesses 
God  for  religious  education :  "  For,   (says  he)  even 
-when  I  minded  it  least,  it  still  hung  about  me,  and 
fjave  me  checks  ;  and  hath  now  for  many  years  so 
influenced  and  possessed  me,  that  I  feel  the  happy 
effects  of  it  in  this  my  extremity."     [3.]  Though  the 
advantage  may  never  be  seen  by  you,  yet  it  may  lay 
a  foundation  for  their  happiness,  when  far  from  you. 
Good  education  may  be  like  seeds  in  the  ground, 
which  may  lie  dead  till  a  shower  come,  and  then  it 


±1%  THE  CHRISTIANAS  DUTY. 

will  bud  and  bring  forth  fruit.  It  may  be,  when  thy 
eyes  are  shut,  and  thy  children  in  some  far  country, 
Gjd  may  try  them  with  some  awakening  providence, 
that  may  put  life  in  the  seed  thou  hast  sown.  It  is 
the  unhappiness  of  many  in  this  day,  that  they  are 
not  acquainted  with  the  first  principles  of  religion  ; 
and  therefore,  when  evil  befalls  them  afar  off,  or 
among  persons  ignorant  of  God,  whither  their  wick- 
edness drives  them,  then  there  is  nothing  in  them  to 
work  upon.  Providences  that  are  the  most  rousing, 
are  like  showers  falling  upon  earth,  without  seed  in 
it,  that  surely  will  have  no  product. 

3.  We  have  likewise  an  inducement  to  this,  from 
its  advantage  to  servants.  Servants  are  called  chil- 
dren in  scripture;  Naaman's  servants  call  him  father, 
2  Kings  v.  13.  ;  and  no  doubt  a  fatherly  care  there 
should  be  of  servants.  They  are  undoubtedly  at 
least  to  come  in  amongst  the  first  rank  of  neighbours, 
whom  ye  should  love  as  yourself.  Now,  they  have 
a  double  advantage.  [1.]  It  is  the  way  to  bring  them 
to  saving  acquaintance  with  the  Lord  :  «<  Abraham 
will  command  his  house  after  him,  and  they  shall 
keep  the  way  of  the  Lord,"  Gen.  xviii.  11.  [2.[  It 
is  the  way  to  make  him  useful  as  a  servant  to  thee  : 
and  what  he  doth  this  way  is  both  his  advantage  and 
thine.  [3.]  When  he  comes  to  be  a  master,  it  is 
like  to  engage  him  to  the  same  course;  and  this  will 
be  not  only  his,  but  his  posterity's  advantage. 

4.  The  advantage  of  this  to  the  public,  both  church 
and  state,  should  invite  you.  For  consider,  [1.] 
Hereby  you  train  up  persons  fit  to  serve  God  and 
their  country  faithfully,  in  public  employments,  ei- 
ther in  church  or  state.  [2.]  Hereby  ye  propose  a 
good  example  to  engage  others  to  those  ways  that  are 
for  the  good  and  honour  of  the  state.  They  that 
are  good  Christians  will  ever  be  good  subjects.  [3.] 
Thou  contributest  a  notable  part  toward  the  mainte- 
nance both  of  church  and  state,  in  as  much  as  thou 
endeavourest,  as  far  as  thy  power  reaches*  to  keep 


THE  CHBISTIAN'S    BUTT.  IIS 

the  subjects  of  either  of  them  tip  in  their  fear  of 
God,  and  their  duty  toward  both  church  and  com- 
monweahh. 

7thly9  On  the  other  hand,  consider  the  sad  and  la- 
mentable consequences  of  a  neglect  in  this  matter, 
with  respect  to  your  children  and  servants,  yourself 
and  the  public. 

1.  I  say,  Consider  the  sad  disadvantages  with  re- 
spect unto  the  children  themselves.  They  are  left, 
f  I.]  Destitute  of  that  which  is  most  profitable  and 
useful  for  them  in  time,  and  after  I i iri e  ;  for  m  godli- 
ness is  profitable  for  all  things,  having  the  promise  of 
the  life  that  now  is,  and  ef  that  which  is  to  come." 
[2.]  They  are  exposed,  as  it  were,  to  wild  beasts.  If 
you  will  not  educate  them  in  the  way  of  the  Lord, 
the  devil  and  their  own  corruptions  will  educate  them 
in  the  way  to  h$H  ;  if  ye  will  not  teach  them  to  pray, 
the  devil  will  teach  them  to  swear.  A  young  man, 
void  of  understanding,  is  a  prey  to  every  destroying 
lust.  See  Prov.  vii.  6,  7,  &e.  [3.]  Not  only  so,  but 
hereby  they  are,  as  it  were,  hedged  and  fenced 
against  both  ordinances  and  providences,  through 
their  ignorance  of  God,  and  the  principles  of  religion  j 
they  can  be  bettered  by  neither  of  them. 

2.  It  is  sadly  disadvantageous  with  respect  unto 
public ;  for,    [1.]  The  public  loses  the  use  and 

advantage  which  either  church  or  state  might  have 
had  by  them,  if  iliey  had  been  duly  educated.  Again, 
[2.]  Instead  of  being  helpful,  they  are  hurtful.  [3.] 
Not  only  hurtful,  but  even  destructive  and  ruining; 
for  to  corrupt  a  family,  is  in  effect  to  corrupt  a  na- 
tion ;  because  a  family  quickly  spreads  itself,  and  is 
like  to  carry  this  plague  along  with  it. 

f>.  It  is  sadly  disadvantageous  to  you  :  for,  [1.]  It 
is  not  like  fhat  your  children  shall  prove,  as  they 
otherwise  might,  the  slay  and  comfort  of  your  old 
age  ;  it  is  not  probable,  that  they  who  have  not  been 
dutifully  used  by  you,  shall  use  you  dutifully.  Ly- 
curgus  made  a  law;  that  children  who  were  not  well 


114  THE  CHRISTIANAS  DUTY. 

educated  should  not  provide  for  their  parents  when 
gld.  [2.]  They  are  like  to  procure  thee  sorrow,  in 
as  mueh  as  they  are  like  to  run  to  evil,  and  fall  into 
mischief;  which  will  be  so  mueh  the  heavier  on  thee 
because  thou  art  faulty  in  it.  The  Switzers  have  a 
law,  that,  when  children  are  guilty  of  any  capital  of- 
fence, parents  are  to  be  the  executioners,  to  teach 
that  they  are  to  blame  in  this  matter.  [3.]  They 
are  like  not  on]y  to  perish,  but  to  sink  you  with  them. 
They  will  be  as  so  many  millstones  tied  about  your 
neck,  to  make  you  sink  the  deeper  under  the  wrath 
of  God  :  and  your  misery  will  for  ever  be  increased, 
by  the  accession  you  have  had  to  theirs. 

Now,  for  your  help  in  this  duty,  I  shall  conclude 
with  two  or  three  advices. 

1.  Would  ye  deal  to  any  purpose  in  this  matter? 
then  be  sure  that  ye  be  personally  religious. 

2.  Begin  early  to  be  so:  put  off  no  time,  but  set 
about  the  study  of  it  now. 

3.  Study  much  the  worth  of  souls,  the  worth  of 
children  and  servants'  souls. 

4.  Learn  well  the  meaning  of  that  command, 
H  Love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself." 

Finally9  Study  to  be  lively  in  religion,  and  then  ye 
will  go  on  without  restraint. 

Now,  upon  the  whole,  consider :  "  x\nd  if  it  seem 
evil  to  you  this  day  to  serve  the  Lord,  choose  ye  whom 
ye  will  serve:"  but  through  grace,  the  advice  I  give 
I  resolve  to  follow  :  "-But  as  for  me,  and  my  house, 
we  will  serve  the  Lord." 


THE  END, 


SUBSCRIBERS'  NAMES, 


Amherst,  Ms. 

Benony  Blodget 
Alvea  Barnura 
Seth  Coleman 
"William  Cowles 
Joseph  Church 
Zebina  Cowles 
Elijah  Clark 
N.  C.  Dickinson 
Noah  Dickinson 
S  F  Dickinson 
Eli  Dickinson 
Nathan  Franklin 
Peter  Goodell 
Noah  Howe 
Lucy  Hastings 
©avid  Moody 
Lucena  Mattoon 
Calvin  Merril  &  Son 
Wheeler  Marsh 
R os well  Moody 
John  Morton,  jun 
Rev.  David  Parsons 
D.  Palmer 
Simeon  Rood 
Darius  Root 
Moses  Stacy- 
Joel  Smith  2d 
Eliab  Thomas 
Samuel  D  Ward 
Ebenezer  Williams 
Jon.  C.  Warner 

Belchertoivn,  Ms, 
Moses  Stacy 
Darius  Root 
Nathan  Allen 
Oliver  Bridgeman 
Wright  Bridgeman 
Amasa  Dantcn 
George  Gilbert 
Joseph  Graves 
Parke  Holland 
Abner  Hunt 
John  Marshall 
Elihu  Smead 
Giles  Smith 
Thomas  Sabin 
Nath.  Walker 
J«Ee?h  Wiate'r 


Brookfield,  Ms.  George  Vossetter 


James  Drake 
Charles  Delano 

Bloomfield,  JV.  J. 

J.  C.  Baldwin 
Amos  Dodd 
Joel  Jones 
Robert  Ward 
Samuel  Ward 
Caleb  S.  Ward 
E.  D  Ward 

Botilehill,  JV.  J. 

N.  L  Burnett 
Ichabod  Burnett 
B.  Burroughs 
William  Carter 
R.  C.  Denman 
Electa  Lyon 
Luke  Miller 

Bashing  Ridge }  J\V. 

Joseph  Annin 
PS  Anderson 
Robert  M.  Bedell 
Alex.  Finley 
Rev.  Robert  Finley 
Wm.  B.  Gaston 
J.W.  Miller 

Bernardstovrn,  N.  J. 

Wm.C  Annin 
John  Annin 
David  Burgie 
Robert  Cross 
Wrm.  D.  Douglass 
James  Irven 
J.Kirkpatrick 
Amos  Moffett 

Bridge-water,  JV.  J. 

Joseph  Stryker 
>X»gdaU»  Talmage 


Bethlehem,  €o;*, 

Benj  Avery 
Nathan  Burton 
H.P.Bristol 
J.  B   Bellamy 
Joseph  Brooks 
Mrs.  M  Clark 
Samuel  Dunham 
David  Hamblia 
Leverett  Judd 
Moses  Knapp 
G.  D.  Kasson 
B.  T.  Lake 
Mrs.  L  Leavitt 
Sally  B.  Payne 
F  N  Prudden 
Wm  Steele 
Mrs  R  Steel 

Bristol,  Con, 

Silva  Benton 
Rev  J  Cone 
Abel  Lewis 
Noah  Lewis 
Seth  Richards 

Branford,  Con. 

Joshua  Fowler 
Augustus  Fields 
Elezur  Harrison 
Sarah  Harrison 
Jacob  Harrison 
Dan  Linsley,  10  copies 
Eunice  Linsley 
Elizabeth  Maltby 
Benjamin  Maltby 

Chatham,  N.  J. 

Samuel  Condit,  jun 
Stephen  Day,  jun 
David  Day 
Joseph  Day 
John  French 
Mute!  G«»UBg 


116 


Win  Jesstip 
Benj  P  Lum 
Stephen  Muchmore 
Josiah  Miiler 
David  Morrison 
Jonathan  Pierson 
Fanny  Smith 
Jonathan  Walker 
Matthias  Ward 

Cornel,  JV.  T. 

Joseph  Cronght 
Joseph  Christian 

Clinton,  JSf.  IT. 

Henry  Bush 
Clark  Boughton 
Henry  Gale 
B  S  Hutchins 
Samuel  Mead 
Isaac  Russell 
Andrew  Sarles 
T  L  Stockbridge 
Frederic  Uhl 
Oliver  Wirnopel 
B  B  Van  Wagner 

Clermont,  JV.  T. 

Henry  Clow 
Z  P  Foland 
J  S  Livingston 
■J  Lapham 
Jacob  Park 
]£nos  Strong 

Catskiil 

Rev.  David  Porter 

Claverac,  N  T. 

Abraham  Deeker 
Jonathan  Fellows 
Phiness  Freland 
A  L  Fonda 
W  J  Bermance 
Hiram  Jutson 
Frederick  Melius 


Tunis  Oslerhout 
Walter  Studley 

Canaan,  Con. 

Daniel  Fellows 

Chatham,  Con. 

B  J  Child 
Gardner  Child 

Charlton,  J\f$. 

William  Buffum 
John  A  Haven 
Moses  Hammond 
Thomas  Parker 

Conway,  Ms. 

Aaron  Boot 
William  Billings 
Job  Howland 
John  Howland 
William  Slow 
Samuel  Ware 

Durham,  Con. 

Jabez  Bailey 
James  Bishop 
Daniel  Bates 
Samuel  Birdsey 
Samuel  Curtis 
Samuel  C  Camp 
Dennis  Camp 
A  Chamberlin 
Ebenezer  Camp 
Nathan  O  Camp,  10  co 
Richard  Hubbard 
Samuel  Hall 
Anson  Hosmer 
James  Parmele  jun 
Phineas  Parmele 
Harvey  Robinson 
Joseph  Smith  jun 
Rev.  David  Smith 
Seth  Seward 
Wm  Smith  2  copies 


Kachael  Scranton 
SethTebbals 
John  White 

JDanbw^y,  Con. 

Horace  Bull 
Oliver  Burr 
John  N.  Smith 
Nathaniel  Wood 

Deerfield,  Ms* 

John  Amsden 
Eliel  Allin 
Ralph  Arms 
Timothy  Billings 
Theodore  Barnard 
Wm  Barnard 
Elizabeth  Barnard 
A  bner  Cooley 
Erastus  Clapp 
Oliver  Cooley 
Samuel  Catlin 
Ralph  Clark 
T  W  Dickinson 
Giles  Hubbard 
Paul  Hawks 
Daniel  S.  Hawks 
William  Hore 
Henry  Hitchcock 
Zenos  Hawks 
Milton  Powers 
Gideon  Sprague 
Judah  Wright 


Elizabethtoivn,  JV.  Jt 

Isaac  Crane 
Benjamin  Cleaveland 
Isaac  L.  Davis 
L  B  Hendricks 
John  Halsted 
Caleb  O  Halsted 
Elijah  Kellogg 
David  Meeker 
Isaac  S.  Miller 
David  O  Price 
Martin  E  Thompson 
Aaron  Woodruffjun 


117 


John  Chandler,  jun 

Enfield,  Con. 

G.  Atwell,  VDM 
Robert  M  Abbe 
Solomon  Bond 
Jonathan  Button  . 
Christopher  Bullen 
George  Chapin 
Benjamin  Chapin 
William  Dixon 
Simeon  Field 
Elisha  Holton 
Nahum  King 
Jabez  King 
Henry  King 
Levi  Meacham 
Rev.  N  Prudden 
Timothy  Pease 
LorrainT  Pease 
Aaron  Pease 
Phillip  Parsons 
Sime«n  Parsons 
Eben  Parsons 
Jabez  Phelps 
William  Raynolds 
Peter  Raynolds 
Hannah  Raynolds 
Joseph  Olmsted 

Franklin,  N.  J. 
Garrit  R  Garritson 
Garret  Voorheis 

Fishkill,  N.  Y. 
Allard  Anthony 
James  Brumfield 
Isaac  Browen 
Roger  Barton 
J  Burroughs 
Corn,  Burgordius 
Gilbert  L  Budd 
Sam.  Chatterton 
John  Curtess 
James  Colter 
Peter  Cromwell 
Daniel  Coe 
Abraham  Dubois 
David  P.  Flagler 
John  Gridley 
James  Given 
Ezekiel  Green 
Richard  Griffin 
Laurence  Halsted 
Jolyi  Jacocks 


Thomas  Laurance 
James  Meddaugh 
I  Van  Nostrand 
Silas  Niles 
Richard  Pudney 
Cornelius  Peterson 
Robert  Palmer 
Benjamin  Pollock 
Francis  Purdy 
John  Pinkney 
John  Rogers 
David  Randolph 
Rich.  Southerland 
Isaac  Sebring 
Benj.  Thorn,  25 
J  Van  Voorhis 
Josesph  Wale 
William  Wells 

Farming-ion,   Con* 

Joel  Bunnel 
Richard  Cowles 
Timothy  Cowles 
George  Daniels 
Sidney  Hart 
Daniel  Jones 
Seth  Lewis 
Nathaniel  Olmsted 
A  Porter 
Simon  Wells 
Joel  Warner 

Grange,  JV.  F. 

J«hn  Hagamanjtm 
Josiah  Carroil 

Goshen,  Can, 

William  Brown 
Giles  Griswold,  jun 
Mrs  R  P  Stanly 
David  Wad  hams 
Isaac  Wadhams 

Granby,  Ms. 

Gad  Alvord 
Titus  Bartlett 
Simeon  Barton 
Asahel  Bartlett 
Benjamin  Churok 
Perez  Cook 
Benjamin  F  Clarke 
Chester  Cowles 
Warren  Carver 
Zenas  Dickinsom 


Joseph  Dickinson 
John  H  Dickinson 
Waitstil  Dickinson 
John  Davis 
Joseph  Eastman 
Wm  Eastman 
Charles  Ferry 
Elijah  C  Ferry 
Lodensy  Gillet 
Jonathan  Kellogg 
Daniel  Lathrop 
Aaron  Moody 
Giles  Montague 
Azor  Moody, 
John  Moody  jun 
John  Montague 
John  Preston 
John  Preston,  jun 
Nathan  Smith 
Titus  Smith 
Ebenezer  Smith 
Samuel  Smith,  2  co 
Edward  Saekefc 
Wm  Snow 
Adolphus  Smith 
Henry  F.  Stanley 
John  Stebbins 
Heman  Stebbins 
Levi  Taylor 
Sarah  Taylor 
Henrv  Wheelock 
M.White 

Greenfield,  Ms. 
Enos  H.  Burt 
Daniel  Clay 
Elijah  Hastings 
Hooker  Leavitt 
Ansel  Phelps 
Cyrus  Morlindale 

Glastenburtf,  Con. 
Norman  Hubbard 

Hanover,  .V.  /. 
Eliza  ©  Beacli 
E  Boudinot 
Ellis  Cook 
Rev  Aaron  Condit 
Isaac  Cosgrove 
Epaphras  Cook 
Calvin  Green 
Daniel  Hopping 
Fannv  Halsted 
David  Wllalstel 
Harvey  Hopping 


US 


G  W  Richards 
John  Robinson 
Thomas  Irwin 
Nathan  Taylor,  jun 
Joanna  Tuttle 
B  B  Foster 
Jas.  T  Moffatt 
Abigail  Tuttle 
Henry  Thorp 
Cornelius  Voorhies 
J  Woodruff,  jun 

Hillsborough,  N.  f. 

Daniel  Hoagland 

Hudson,  N.  Y. 

Stephen  Allen 
Aretus  Andrews 
Henry  Adams 
A  Van  Alstyne 
Luther  Banister 
John  Van  Buren 
Robert  P.  Betts 
B  Bingham 
Ezra  Bounce 
Charles  Cady 
Rev  John  Chester 
John  Crawford 
Reuben  Clark 
Eiinhaz  Cleaveland 
John  V  Deuell 
John  T  Everts 
James  Freland 
Noah  Gardner 
Henry  Gardner 
Benj.*  Hancock 
Joel  Hayes,  jun. 
M  HolHster 
J  S  Hamilton 
Thomas  Jenkins 
Peter  Johns 
James  Leroy 
W  B  Morton 
"Walker  Noble 
W  R  Macy 
Wra  Neyes. 
John  Payne 
James  Raynolds 
John  Raymor 
Isaac  Reed 
Frederick  Starr 
Jacob  Shaffer 
Elijah  Spencer 
EWStanoard 


A  Trowbridge 
Isaac  Ward 
Wm  Whiting 
S  H  Webster 
John  Wier 
Philip  White,  jun 
James  Webster 
Isaac  S  Wooster 
O  Whitiker 
John  A  Whitney 
Eliiah  Waterman 
Hartford,  Con. 
Samuel  C  Aikin 
William  Dunham 
Uzal  Minor 
Henry  Morse 
B  h  J  Russell  jr 
Mary  Spencer 
Elizabeth  Win  chip 

E.  Hartford,  Con. 

George  Allen 
Robert  Alexander 
Russei  Bid  well 
Mrs  Lucy  Bidwell 
R  Bidwell 
Ashbel  Bidwell 
Makens  Bemont 
Sarah  M  Burnham 
Timothy  Buckland 
Ira  Bemont 
A  B  Collins 
Samuel  Flagg 
Mervin  Evens 
Mrs  Ruth  Goodwin 
Levi  Goodwin 
Eli  Judson 
Heppy  Kenfield 
Titus  Merrill 
SCathaa  Merrow 
Mary  L  Olmsted 
Martha  Payne 
David  Porter 
Amelia  Reynolds 
BHsha  Roberts 
Lois  Robe 
Sally  Si  mends 
Rus^el  SimondjJ 
Ebenezer  Thomas 
Julia  Viets 
James  Williams 
Moses  Williams 
Lucy  Wilkinson 
Caraslius  Wells 


»M  Hampton,  $ty. 
Eli  P  Ashman 
Samuel  Alvord 
Juna  Allen 
George  Bryant 
E.  Barnard 
Abner  Bryant 
Wm  Butler,  6  co 
Johu  Breck 
Wm  Bliss 
Charles  Chapman 
William  Coolidge 
Enos  Clark 
Luther  Clark 
James  Clapp 
Thomas  Cook 
Joseph  Cook 
Cephas  Clapp 
Elijah  Cook 
Solomon  Clark 
Clement  Coffia 
Daniel  Clapp 
Lewis  Dickinson 
A  M'Donald 
Isaac  Damon 
Bettise  Davis 
Simeon  Day 
Benjamin  Dean 
David  L.  Dewey 
Eli  Edwards 
Gideon  Edwards 
Robert  B  Edwards 
Nathaniel  Fowle 
Hervey  Frink 
J  H  Henshaw 
Alex  Hayden 
Elijah  T  Hayden 
Asa  Jones 
Enoch  Jewett 
Z  Knight 
Daniel  King 
John  Kelton,  jun 
Joseph  Lyman 
Sjivester  Lyman 
Asahel  Lyman 
Theodore  Lyman 
John  Little 
E  H  Mills 
Ephraim  Marsh,  jr 
Abel  Marsh 
Elisha  Morgan 
EHsha  Mather 
S  M  Maltby 
White  Osbora 
Me*  S  P*ei1* 


«9 


Noadiah  Pease 
Thomas  Pratt 
Elihu  Pomroy 
Oliver  Pomroy 
Jesse  Parker 
Jonathan  Parsons 
Seth  Pomroy 
Robert  Peckham 
Seth  Russel 
John  Kussel 
liezekiah  Russel  jr 
John  J  Rogers 
Lewis  Strong 
Nathan  Storrs 
Daniel  Stebbins 
Elihu  Smith 
Levi  Strong  « 

B.  Southwick 
Elihu  Strong 
Lewis  S  Sage 
S  B  Scott 
Zebina  Smith 
Collins  Thorp 
Rev  S.  Williams 
ft  M  Wright 
Chester  White 
Israel  Wright 
Z  Wilder 
Benj  Worlow 

S.  Hampton,  Ms. 

Nathan  Barns  22  eo 
Stephen  Bates 
Walter  Bates 
Samuel  Coleman 
Lemuel  Coleman 
.Roger  Clap 
Elisha  Clark  jun 
.Peres  Clap 
Asahel  Chapman 
Elisha  Clap 
Rela  Clap 
Nathan  Clap 
Samuel  Cowles 
Justin  Clark 
Elisha  Edwards 
Rev  Vinson  Gould 
Oren  D  Hannum. 
Eliphalet  Hatch 
John  Lyman 
Luther  Loomis 
Gaius  Lyman 
Moses  Lyman 
A  polios  Metcalf 


Joseph  Russell 
Joseph  Ranger  i 
Stephen  Strong 
Ira  Searl 
Israel  Searl 
Silas  Sheldon 
Elisha  Strong 
Abner  Sheldon,  jun 
Clarissa  Sheldon 
Job  S  Strong 
Hani  W  Sheldon 
John  Strong 
John  Strong,  jun 
Obadiah  Walker 
Stephen  Woolcott 

E.  Hampton,  Ms. 

Worcester  Avery 
Thadeus  Clap 
David  Chapman 
Bohan  Clark 
Isaac  Clap 
Joseph  Clap 
Levi  Clap,  jun 
Spencer  Clap 
Solomon  Clap 
Obadiah  Janes  2d 
Solomon  Lyman 
Silas  Ludden 
Orenzo  Parsons 
Ichabod  Wright 
Rev  P  Williston 
Luther  Wright 
Hezekiah  Wright 

TV.  Hampton,  Ms. 

Joel  Rust 

Hadley,  Ms. 

Nath  Cooledge,  jun 
David  G©ok 
John  Cook 
Sifas  Cook 
Gad  Cook 
Elisha  Cook 
Elisha  Colt 
Daniel  Dickinson 
Wm  Dickinson 
Bonney  h  VAuon 
Joseph  Eastman 
Joseph  Eastman  2d 
Samuel  Eastman 
Svlvester  Goodman 


John  Hopkins 
Joseph  Hooker 
Timothy  Hopkins 
Stephen  Johnson 
Stephen  Montague 
Jedidiah  Montague 
Lewis  Marsh 
Enos  Nash 
Elias  Sheldon 
Erastus  Smith  2d 
Windsor  Smith 
Thomas  Smith 
Wm  Shepherd 
Horace  Seymour 
Parks  Smith 
Elihu  Smith 
Oliver  Smith 
Wm  Stall 
Elihu  Warner 
Lemuel  Warner 

S.  Hadley,  Ms. 

Plinny  Moody 
Betsey  Nash 

Hatfield,  Ms. 

Remem.  Bardwel! 
Wm.  Bard  well 
Rosweil  Billings 
Frederic  Chapin 
Rufus  Cole 
Wm  Cook 
Israel  Dickinson 
Moses  Field 
Eben  Fitch 
Silas  Graves,  jun 
Levi  Graves 
Timothy  Grr 
Solomon  Gi\r 
John  Has»; 
Content  Hastings 
Samuel  Hastings 
Wm.  Morton 
Oliver 
Porter 
Samuel  Partr 
Sam  Partridge  2d 
Joseph  Smith 
Elijah  Smith 
Benj  Smith 
Samuel  Smith 
Moses  St.- 
Silas  Tubbs 
jPaniel  White 


120 


Daniel  Wait 
Amasa  Wells 
Elihu  Wliite 
David  Wait 
Gad  Wait 

North  Haven,  Con 

Joseph  D  Beach 

Kingston,  JVJ 

Robert  Baytes 
Joseph  BHttan 
Wm  Breece 
Isaac  Gulick 
Lewis  Heath 
Randol  Hutchinson 
Jane  Mr  son 
Rachaei  Perkins 
Elijah  Stout 

Kingston,  JV  T» 

Peter  Dumount 
A  J  Delamarter,JF 
Edward  Elting  4  co 
Th  Van  Gaasbush 
Jacob  Hermance 
Luke  Kiertted 
Stephen  Morse 
Peter  E  Osterftottt 
Hannah  Radcliff 
John  Snyder 
Geo  D  Scott 
H  B  Stephenson 
Elihu  Wright 
Marga  Wynkoop 
Moses  Yeomans 

Leicester,  JWs. 

Thomas  Green 
Austin  Hersey 
Alpheus  Smith 
Rosweli  Sprague 
William  Remich 

Ludlow,  Ms. 

John  Dorman 


Elisha  Fuller 
Zenas  Lawrence 
Leonard  Miller 
Daniel  Miller 
Job  Pease 
Calvin  Salmoa 
John  Wilder 

Longmeado-w,  J\f&. 

Gaius  Bliss 
Isaac  Corkins 
Stephen  Cooley 
Ebenezer  Colton 
Dennis  Colton 
Jacob  Colton 
Alexander  FiekJ 
Thomas  Hale 
Rev.  R  S  Storrtf 
Abiel  Pease 
John  Wool  worth 
Walter  White,  jun 
Wm  Wool  worth 

Litchfield,  Con. 

Joseph  Adams 
Elizabeth  Broome 
Rev.  L  Beecher 
James  Brace 
Dennis  Beech 
Henry  Bulkly 
Nenemiah  Bell 
Dennis  Bradley 
Levi  Coe 
J.  Carrington 
Silas  E  Cheney 
Tobias  Cleaver 
John  Churchill,  jun. 
Eiias  Hull 
Daniel  Huntington 
Elisha  Marsh 
James  May,  jun 
William  Marsh 
Jonathan  Mason 
Ambrose  Norton 
Timothv  Peck 
Eliada  Peck 
William  Rew 
Edward  Roberts 
Samuel  Sheldon 
Thomas  Trobridge 
Isaac  Thompson 


Curtis  Woodruff 
David  Winship 
David  Wessells 
William  Ward  jun 

Mtchfield  Farms v 

Mark  Baldwin 
Abigal  Barnard 
Benton  Bernard 
Rev.  Amos  Chase 
Harmon  Ensign 
Sam.  Ensign,  jun 
Jesse  Ensign 
Harlo  Frost 
Anson  Hubbard 
Roswell  Harrison 
Simeon  Harrison 
William  Hall 
J  T  Mansfield 
Mary  F  Mailory 
James  Morris 
Simeon  B  Parker 
Rut  us  Smith 
Ephraim  Smedley 
Jabez  Whittelsey 
R  N  Whittelsey 
Henry  Whittelsey 
James  Woodruff 

Lenox,  Ms. 

Jarvis  Webster 

Latintoivn,  N.  Y. 

Amos  Perkins 

JMosristown,  N.  J. 

Theodosia  Ford 
Ben.  Lindsly 
S  A  Prudden 
Enos  W  Pierson 

Middleburgh,  NJ 

John  Broach 
Christopher  Nevius 
Ezekiel  Van  Nest 
C  C  Thompson 


121 


Garrit  Thompson 

Melville,  JV.  7. 

Jacob  Beekman 
Charles  S  ted  man 
Cornelius  Terhune 
Garrit  Voorhees 
Peter  Voorhees 
Isaac  Voorhees 

Millstone,  JsT.  J. 

Joshua  Combs 
J  H  Disborough 
Arrietta  Duryea 
A  Frelinghuysen 
C  Frelinghuysen 
Daniel  Hoagland 
Henry  P.  Stryler 
Cyrenus  Thompson 
Peter  Thompson 
A  D  Voorhees 
Peter  Hulick 
James  Hagerman 

Mlddletoxvn,  Con. 

Emily  Adams 
Erastus  Avery 
William  Bayley 
Leonard  Bulkley 
Sally  Belden 
Nelly  Belcher 
Josiah  Belden 
Mrs  Sibbil  Bishop 
Sam  Boardman 
Abigal  Bolles 
Esther  Bacon 
Charles  R  Bano 
Sam  J  Bull 
Asahel  C  Bates 
Gurdon  Brown 
Oliver  D  Beebe 
Mlndwell  Bills 
Abijah  Burritt 
Bowin  Bailey 
Eliada  Bushnell 
Jabez  Brainard,  jun 
Thomas  Brown 
Solomon  Bidwell 
John  Church 
Elizabeth  CornwcU 
Thomas  Child 


Thomas  Child  juu 
Charles  Cooley 
Alfred  Cone 
Earl  Cooley 
Cornwell  Doud 
Mary  H  Doan 
George  Durrie 
CWDeming 
Israel  Driggs 
Eleazer  Doud 
T  S  Derby 
AVm  Danforth 
Wm  Doyl 
Martha  Edwards 
Sally  Edwards 
Henry  Fairchild 
Thomas  Greenfield 
Richard  Graves 
M  C  L  Hommedieu 
Levi  Haynes 
Ann  S  Hendley 
Robert  Hart 
Thomas  Hall 
Abigal  Johnson 
Hannah  A  Johnson 
Jehiel  Johnson 
John  R  Jewett 
Russel  McKee 
Leverett  Knowles 
Clark  &  Zyman 
George  Lewes 

Lucinda  B  Miller 

Lynd  Maynard 

Elizabeth  Nott 

Nathaniel  Newbury 

D  A  Northrop 

Wm  Newberry 

Mary  Porter 

Benoni  Plum 

Sally  Parsons 

Jacob  Pledger 

Russel  Porter 

Eliz.  Perkins 

ffia  Ranney 

Joseph  Ranney 

Lyman  Roice 

George  Russell 

Dan.  Russell,  jun 

»#biah  Savage 

Solomon  Sage 

Isaac  Sage 

Simeon  Richards 

Phebe  Stow 


r#mos  Sage 


Rufus  Sage 
Edward  Stow 
Sally  Savage 
Justus  Sage 
Henry  Stocking 
Asa.  Sage 
Samuel  Stocking 
Ursula  Smith 
Abijah  Savage 
Hannah  Savage 
Allen  Sage 
Amzsa  Savage 
Isaac  R  Sherman 
John  H  Sumne 
Thomas  Sill 
George  Stocking 
Edmund  C  Smith 
George  Southmayc 
Abigal  Stuart 
Susan  Spalding 
John  S  Towner 
Samuel  Thomas 
^nson  Treat 
Wm  Trowbridge 
James  Terry 
Joshua  L  frilliams 
Nathan  Wilcox 
Wm  White 
WR  JFalwortU 
Joseph  ^Fright 
Rhoda  White 
James  S  JFhelpley 
Sophia  White 
Isaac  White 

Montague,  Ms 

Rev  A  R  Gates 
A  R  Grant 
Welthy  Gunn 

Mt.  Pleasant  NY 

Robert  Ausev 
J  L  Chapman. 
Jas  M'Cord 
John  K  Clap 
Moses  w  Collier 
P  D  H  M'Donald 
Robt  K  Foster 
Joshua  Fowler 
Elizabeth  Qafre 


Pp3 


122 


John  Hitchcock 
John  Hubbard 
Gilead  Honeywell 
Wm  P  Jones 
Jesse  Jennings 
Goold  St  John 
Daniel  de  Lanoy 
Samuel  C  Mott 
James  B  Merritt 
Samuel  Taylor 
C  Thompson 
John  Truesdell 
Mrs  Sarah  Tucker 
Caleb  WqWb 
Fanny  Wallice 
O  h  M  Yale 

Marlborough,  Con 

Julius  Curtis 

Mbnson,  Ms. 
Joshua  Fuller 
Montgomery,  Ms. 
Joshua  Bosworth 

Newark,  NJ 

David  filing 
J  Ten  Brook 
Nathan  Bolls 
^shbel  Bulkley 
Wm  S  Baldwin 
^Zaron  L  Burnett 
Eieazer  Ball 
Ephraim  Beach 
Israel  Beach, jun 
Isaac  Baldwin 
Jonathan  Cory 
Rev  H  Cumming 
II  H  Cumming 
Neh  J  Crane 
Sidney  Crane 
Wm  Canfield 
Oren  Colton 
Jas  S  Condit 
Samuel  H  Cox 
Geo  R  Downing 
John  Downer 


Henry  Dean 
Luther  Goble 
John  Gardner 
Susan  Higgins 
Silas  Hayes 
J  C  Hornblower 
Moses  Harris 
Hezekiah  Hinsdale 
Moses  Lyon 
Ephraim  Leonard 
Obah  Meeker 
*/?aron  Nuttman 
Isaac  Nichols 
Andrew  Rankin 
JFard  Richmond 
N  G  Reading 
Charles  R  Ross 
M  Smith 
Charles  Shipman 
Samuel  Socring 
Wm  Tuttle 
John  Tavlor 
Rev  S  JFhelpley 
^2rch.  Woodruff 
Nathan  F  JFood 
C  Woodruff 
John  Ward 
R  Woodruff 
J  C  ?f  heeler 
John  Young 
*#bijah  Youngs 

Neivmilford,  Con. 

Mason  Pickett 
Sherman  Turrcll 

Northguilford  Con 

T  Benton,  13  co 
Sally  Elliott 
Levi  Eowler 
Josiah  Fowler 

Northford,  Con. 

Sol.  Talmage,  10  co 
Elnathan  Tyler 

Neto  York. 

L.  Brewster,  10 


v5bner  Rurnham 

Orange,  NJ 

Nathaniel  Brewer 
James  Cornwell 
David  Condit 
H  B  Campbell 
Moses  Dodd 
Stephen  Dodd 
Rev  *£sa  Hillyer 
Uzal  Harrison 
Moses  S  Harrison 
Jacob  Harrison 
Joseph  Munn,  jun 
Giles  MandeviUe 
Silas  Munn 
Isaac  Ogden 
Joseph  Peck 
Mrs  Hannah    Peck 
William  Pierson 
Jotham  Quinby 
Benj  Ward 
Zenas  Ward 

Princeton.   N  J 

Isaac  Cool 
C  M  Campbell 
Wm  Hunt 
Gideon  Smith 
»/2bijah  Smith 
Eben  Townsend 
Thomas  White 

Philipstoxvn,  JV  T 

Wm  Budd 
Benj  Delamater 
Robert  Hustis 
Joseph  Hustis 
John  Haight 
Fredk  Knapp 
Joshua  Mead 
Gilbert  Mead  3  co 
Samuel  Meeker 
Gabriel  Odell 
Thomas  Sarles,  jun 
WmD  Smith 
John  Warren,  6  co 
Samuel  W  Ward 
Geo  Weeks,  6  co 
Lnos  Wright 


Poughkeepsie  NY 

James  Bell 
Jacob  Bash 
Rev  C  C  Cuylor 
Albert  Cocks 
Thomas  Carman 
John  Dusenbury 
Isaac  Jewell 
Ephraim  Jackson 
D'r  J  L  Van  Kleeck 
Rev  Lewis  Leonard 
John  Lewis 
Jeremiah  Martin 
Edmund  Moms 
John  Nelson 
Jane  Plummer 
John  Pells 
A.  G  Storm 
Oliver  Stephens 
»>?masa  Stone 
Thos  W  Talmage 
Isaac  Valentine 
Ahm  Vananden 
John  Wilson 
James  Wilson 
Daniel  Williams 

PleasantvalleyNY 

Jared  Blakslee,  jun 
Walter  Burr 
Harlright  Blakslee 
Oliver  D  Collins 
Zeph  Churchill 
James  Downs 
John  Gabaudan 
James  Harbrook 
Nathaniel  Haight 
Jacob  Haight 
Thomas  Handly 
Archibald  Ladue 
Wm  Maccun 
Caleb  Masten 
N  Nobles 
John  Pearsall 
Halsted  Price 
Geo  H"  Peters 
John  B  Smith 
David  Waugh 

Plymouth^  Con 

M  Atom 


Orrin  Braynard 
He  man  Clark 
Eleazer  Darrow 
Isaiah  Doolittle 
Titus  Darrow 
Rufus  Fuller 
Jacob  Fenn 
Samuel  Fenn,  4th 
James  Grilly 
Mrs  C  Hungerford 
Robert  Johnson 
Joel  Langdon 
Miles  Morse 
Jeremiah  Morse 
Lyman  Potter 
Simeon  Porter 
Joseph  Sutliff 

Plainfield,  NH 
Rev  Nathan  Waldo 

Peekskitt,  N  Y 
Wm  Robbins 

Plainjield,  NJ 
Martin  Runyan 

Randolph,  N.  J. 
Thomas  Wolfe 

Rockeyhill,  N.  J. 

Wm  */2rbuthnot 
John  Hagan 
Wm  Laning 

Rhinebeck,N.  Y. 

JohnBaird 
J  Barrin^ar 
J  L  Bensinger 
S  Mc  Carty 
David  Eiseffir 
Jacob  Conklin 
Aaron  Camp 
Peter  Freligh 
Stephen  Fralick 
Lemuel  H«yt 
Joseph  Hyzer 
Wm  H  Irvine 
Wait  Jaquos 


Frederic  Klein 
John  A  Kip 
A  D  Lamater 
Walter  Lundoa 
Eli  Murdock 
Evod  Myers 
John  Miller 
^mos  Perkins 
Isaac  Peck 
William  Ring 
Holdred  &  Uai  sbek 
C  Rvnders 
WmSchell 
H  H  Seymour 
Henry  Shop 
Samuel  Stivers 
BBV  Steenbergh 
Jacob  Shultz 
J  F  Squires 
James  II  Styles 
John  J  Smith 
Lewis  Tatar 
H  J  T raver 
Philip  Valentine 
I  V  Vredenburgh 
G  Van  Wagner 

Redhook,  N  %. 

J  P  Ackert 
David  v^dams 
E  Adams 
E  Adams,  jun 
,rames  Bottum 
Charlotte  Corre 
Arm  Corre 
John  Dubois 
Andrew  Drom 
Truman  Downs 
Henry  Davis 
Cyprian  Elton 
MrsC  Hoffman 
Jacob  A  Hermance 
C  G  Massoneau 
G  I)  Phillips 
Henry  P  Powers 
Matthias  Rew 
Mrs  Jane  Radcliff 
Anth  Van  Shoyck 

Springfield,  N  J 

James  Anderson 


12i 


Thos  Bond,  jua 
Simeon  Bryant 
Samuel  Bi4nt 
J  G  Broadwell 
Wm  Crossman 
Samuel  Crane 
T  B  Yan  Court 
Joseph  Denmau 
A  Van  Doren 
Mrs  Mary  Denmau 
Wm.  Frazee 
Sara.  H  Gardner 
Mrs  M  Hutchings 
Jacob  Mc  Intire 
Eiiakim  Ludlow- 
James  Lyon 
ER  Mooney 
Samuel  Meeker 
C  Morehouse 
Thomas  Osborn 
Seth  Raymond 
Daniel  Ross 
Samuel  Ross 
Mrs  Abigal  Roll 
Lecta  Skinner 
Dr  Daniel  SutSa 
Cath.  M  Steel 
Abraham  Sofer 
A.  R  Thompson 
Mrs  Sarah  Tnttle 
R  S  Woodruff 
Jonas  ?Fade,jun 
Caleb  Wade 
Eliza  Wade 
Samuel  JFoodrufif 
Mary  Woodruff 

Sammerville,  JV.  J. 

Mrs  Compton 
Jacob  Ellison 
James  Foster 
John  Juny 
George  Van  Nest 
JP^  Nevius 
George  Reemer,  jr 
A  Van  Ratta 
DLTourette 
Henry  While 
Henry  ?Fhitenack 
Catharine  Wheeler 

Salsbnry,  Con. 

John  A  Duteher 


Sheffield,  Coil. 

Wm  Ashley 
Horace  Bush 
Henry  Bradford 
R  P  Barnard 
Obadiah  .Bush 
Hilem  Rennet 
Elijah  Carrier 
SCallinder 
Mrs  E  Clark 
Joseph  Curtis 
Leneas  Dibble 
Cath.  Ensigu 
Eli  Ensign 
E5am  Ellithorp 
Wm  Fellows 
-Benj.  Ferry 
Joseph  Griggs 
Caniield  &  Co 
Noah  E  Hubbard 
A  sah  el  In  graham. 
Sylvester  Kellogg 
E  Kellogg 
Elisha  Lee 
Darius  Mason 
Asa,  Mason 
Sylvester  Root 
A  A  Root,  13  eo 
Mahitable  Stillman 
Amos  Seymour 
Sarah  Trobridge 
K  D  Whitney 

Sharon,  Con. 

.IE  Poland 

Springfield)  Ms. 

Charles  AWyn 
Win  ^?spinwall 
Caleb  ^Iden 
Eph.  ^fllis 
Eliphalet  Ahhy 
George  .Bliss 
Harvey  JEftdwell 
Moses'  .Burt,  jun 
JFarriner  &  co.  2  c 
Pelatiah  _SIiss 
Daniel  2?ulkley 
Lewis  i?ates 
Elijah  .Blake 


Daniel  C  -Brewer 
Edward  -Bliss 
Jeremiah  .Beals 
Thos  Bridgman 
Luther  Bliss 
A\exv  Bliss 
Calvin  Bliss 
Calvin  Burt 
»/2sher  Bartlett 
Plinny  Bartlett 
^ilen  .Bangs 
Justin  .Brown 
JFalter  .Bates 
Simeon  -Brown 
.Bradford  .Buck 
.August.  J?urnham 
John  .Barlow 
David  Conner,  jun. 
Urban  W  .Butler 
Uri  Bishop 
Roxana  .Bosworth 
Henry  .Bosworth 
Henry  .Bates 
Elijah  .Booth 
Charles  -Burnham 
Erastus  C  -Baker 
Joshua  Childs 
Joseph  Carew 
Sarah  Coffrin 
Sylvester  Clark 
Eliphalet  Chapiu 
J  B  Colton 
Joshua  Crosby 
Isaiah  Call 
Nathan  Crocker 
Samuel  Chandler 
Samuel  Car  well 
Samuel  Carter 
Levi  Chandler 
Geo  Colton 
Ahnev  Crane 
Charles  Dewey 
Caleb  Ellison 
Eli  Foster 
Thaddeus  Ferney 
John  Grennels 
Parley  Grovenor 
Josiah  Hitch  cockjr 
Joseph  Hopkins 
Andrew  Hyde 
Giles  Humbert 
Reuben  Harlow 
Daniel  Hartung,  jr 
Isabel  Hubbard 
Solomon  Hatch 


125 


John  H  Hawkins 
Stephen  Jones 
Parmenas  King 
»/£Ipheus  Kibbe 
John  B  Kirkham 
JVm  Lloyd 
Peter  Lloyd 
H  J   Lombard 
TVm  Miller 
Orren  Morehouse 
Joel  Miller 
Sir  Guy  C  Noble 
Rev  S  "Osgood 
Richard  Orchard 
Jonathan  Packard 
Russel  Perkins 
J-.cob  Pease 
Wm  Parks 
Levi  Pratt,  jun 
»#mos  Putnam 
Nahum  Patch 
Otis  M  Quivey 
Horace  Richardson 
Lemuel  G  Robbins 
Jacob  Rose 
Thomas  Rogers 
Jraos  Rice 
David  Rice 
Zimri  Richmond 
Joseph  Roberts 
Isaac  Stratton 
Christo  Stebbins 
Elam  Stockbridge 
Rufus  Sikes 
Gad  Sacket 
Calvin  Sears 
Oliver  Sexton,  jun 
Elijah  Spooner 
John  Stephenson 
Elijah  Snell 
Charlotte    Stebbins 
Henry  Stebbins 
Jamiu  Strong 
Nathan  Tinkham 
Silas  Temple 
'^David  Tibbals 
Joel  bright 
milord  Earner 
Theod  Warriner 
Jeremy  Warriner 
Elie  Waste 
Charles  Wood 
J5enj  Ward  well 
Luther  Ward  well 
John  Warner 


Eber  Ward 

Steph  Worthingten 

W  Springfield  Ms 

*^aron  Ashley 
benjamin  Ashley 
i?enj  Ashley,  jun 
Roderick  Jl\\ei\ 
^raunah  .Men 
TVm  S  5owg 
Linus  2?agg 
Ezekiel  J9agg 
Oliver  i/agg 
Genupath  i?liss 
Moses  7?iiss 
Reuben  JEJoyd 
Charles  Urbckett 
»/?aron  Day 
Rodney  Day 
j^righam    Day 
Wm  Dorry 
Daniel  Day 
Ezekiel  Day 
Mrs  Drusilla  Ely 
Justin  Ely 
Alfred  Ely  ; 
Oren  Loomis 
Jude  LuddingtOn 
Sally  Morgan 
Electa  Miller 
Mrs  Eliz  Miller 
S  G  Morley 
John  Rockwell 
Gretas  Smith 
Samuel  Smith 
Jonath  Smith,  jun 
P  &  W  Smith 
Jere   Stebbins 
Lydia  Todd 
Horace  White 
Eiisha  Winchell  jr 

Saybrook,  Con 

Ezra  Williams 

Somers,   *A/*  Y 


*#aron   Drown 
Charles  barker 
»^uj>ustin  i^anks 


Lemon  Galpin 
James  Hawley 
Noah  Newman 
John  Owen 
Nath  Ruggles 
Isaac  Smith 
Nath  Smith 
Daniel  Wright 
Amy  White 

Sunderla?id,  Ms 

Isaac  Graves 
David  Graves 
David  Hubbard 
David  Montague 
Levi  Russel 
Amos  Russel 
Rev  J  Taylor 
Oliver  Williams 

Sturbridge,  Ms 

Levi  Darns 
Geo  Davis 

Alphleda  Gibbs 
Joshua  Fiske 
Stephen  Newei 
Rev  Otis  Lane 
Mrs  Lois  Hervey 
Samuel  Newell 

Spencer,  Ms 

Chas  I?onsny 
.Bradley  Smith 
Polly  Whittimore 

Somers,  Con 

Joseph  Abbett 
Orren   Clark 
Oliver  Chapin,  2d 
Reuben  Chapin 
Laban  A  Dickinson 
Seth  Dwight 
H  a  Hamilton 
Vashni  flail 
Cba  w  Kibbe 
Giles  Pease 
Martha  Pease 


12G 


Rev  WIj  Strong 
Abel  »$ikes 
iSarah  Sheldon 

W  Nuffield,  Con 

Normand  Allyn 
Czardus  Gillet 
Wm  Hatheway 
Harlow  Perkins 

Warren,  Con 

.Benjamin  Mallory 

Woodbury,  Con 

Nathan  Percy 

Watertotvn,  Con 

Younglove   Cutler 
Clark  Davis 
Joseph  Edwards 
Gideon  French 
RevUGridley 
Joel  Hangerford  jr 
.*,b:icr  a  Hard 
Eben  Johnson 
Gideon  Johnson 
Mrs  Lockwood 
Ehenezer  Lewis 
Isaac  Merriam,  jun 
David  R  Merriam 

Sherman  Osborn 

Wm  »$eovil 

•Stela  Scovil 

David  JFoodward 

Waierbury,  Con 
benjamin  Upson 
Westfield,  Ms. 

Elijah  i?ates 
John  Crooks 
Jonathan  Capron 
Neh.   Carter, jun 
Samuel  Cex 


Augustus  Collins 
Simeon  Collins 
Henry  Douglass 
Russel  Dewey 
Timothy  Dewey 
S  Douglass 
Samuel  Fowler 
Amos  Fowler 
Med  ad  Fowler 
*#aron  Fish 
Olney  Goff 
Eli  Granger 
Erastus  Grant 
benjamin  Hastings 
Johnlngersoll 
Edward  Jessup 
Rev  Isaac  Knapp 
D  &  L  King 
^21ba  Kimball 
Douglass  King 
Lyman  Lewis 
A  Z  Lvman 
Dan.  S  Mallory 
Jacob  Morse 
Oliver  Mosley 
John  Mather 
Paul  Noble 
Aiftxv  Mc  Neal 
Philander  Noble 
Horace  Noble 
Daniel  Noble,  jun 
JJenjamm  Olds 
Eber  Phelps 
Justus  Preston 
Mary  Parks 
Gad  Palmer 
Gad  Root,  jun 
Isaac  Remingcon 
Ellis  Ripley 
Silas  Root  . 
Elijah  jacket 
•^shiir  /Shepherd 
Thomas  ♦Spencer 
fFarham  Jacket 
John  H  Stow 
Roland  Taylor 
♦Samuel  Taylor 
John  W  Taylor 
Joshua  Whipple 
Isaac  FPells 
Ira  Yeamans 
Roswell  Yeamans 


Wheathf,  Ms. 

Martin  Woods 

E.  Windsor,  Con. 

Joel  ^bbe 
David  Ahhe 
Sylv.  jBurnham, 
Zelots  Collins 
Caleb  Fen  ton 
Nich.  Gardner 
Giles  Gardner 
Ehim  Griswold 
Stephen  Heath 
S  3  ohnson,  jun 
S  Kingsbury 
.Augustus  Prior 
Phinehas  Parsons 
Jonathan  Pasco 
Chester  PFells 

Wethersfield,   Con 

Mrs  M  Akiey 
Mrs  Mary  Adams 
Mrs  Roxana  i?unce 
Mrs  6'arah  ifarreli 
B  D  J3uck 
J  S  ifaardman 
Elisha  Coleman 
George  Crane 
,  Mrs  §  Deming 
Nancy  Deming 
Jesse  Deming 
Pamela  Francis 
George  Francis 
Daniel  Francis 
Wifmm  Goodrich 
Moses  Griswold 
Jared  Goodrich 
John  Grlsvvokl 
Theodore  Harrison 
Nathl  Hurlburt 
Leiden  Miner 
Gor.  H  Montague 
George  Olcott 
John  Palmer 
Henry  Rver 
Elisha  Robbing 
Jehiel  Robbins 


127 


#am.  Richards 
Mella  Stoddard 
Eunice  Standish 
Lucy  Wraith 
George  Smith 
Levi  Smith 
Mrs  Rhoda  Tryon 
Leiden  TFblcott 
Thomas  Earner 
Ezekiel  Williams 
Stephen  Millard  jr. 
John  JFarner,  jun. 
Enos  Earner 
Allen  miliams 

Wilbraham,  Ms. 
Abner  iteeke 


Gaius  J9rewer 
Tim.  .Brewer 
Wm  jBrewer,  jun 
Alvin  Bennett 
Enoch  Crocker 
Ichabad  Cone 
Wm  Eaton 
Henry  Fuller 
Samuel  Hale 
JDaniel  Isham 
Isaac  Morris 
Wm  Rice 
Josiah  Shephard 
Nathan  Sisson 
Achsah  Stacy 
Moses  Stebbins 
Rev.  Ezek.  Terry 
Elijah  Torrey 


Solomon  JFarrmci' 
Abner  TFarriner 
Aaron  Woodward 
Solomon  bright 

Ware,  Ms 

Aaron  Cunningham 
Rufus  King 
Argal  Morse 
Thomas  Sherman 

Worihington,  Ms* 

Darnel  branch 
Spencer  Clark 


AD  Y  EKT*  ISE  ME  NT. 


It  is  ndt  in  our  power  to  publish  the  names  of  all 
tlie  subscribers  to  this  volume,  as  a  number  of  towns 
yet  remain  to  be  heard  from.    Eliz.  Town,  Aug.  8L 


H  182   824< 


*f*  A  V  %**  •  *   * 


^°** 


i** 


-     .  Deacidified  using  the  Bookkeeper  c 

J*§*Ar  *  Neutralizing  agent:  Magnesium  Oxi 

X  Treatment  Date:  August  2005 

^>         i**  ••J^##  ^  :>  PreservationTechnologies 

Vllflb*  A  W0RLD  LEADER  ,N  PAPER  PRESERVATION 
O  V               ^  ^^^^nTE^S  1  111  Thomson  Park  Drive 

A   ..  tv$^S  I    *%  *  Cranberry  Township,  PA  1 6066 

Jr^  V^SsSgJBS^  4  (724)  779  211' 


>°o 


•      o 


."•     A 


<*    *<7V.» 


w^°-   -Sis''    Jp^ 


r 


v 


i* 


|S*  •  V^T^V4         ^   V  V 

o^  -ay 


*"  ♦: 


r*»  °        **T^iC »         • 


i* 


I 


JUL  82 


N.  MANCHESTER 
^^  INDIANA  46962 


V*  •: 


V*1 


ret-1  ^ 


LIBRARY  OF  CONGRESS 


0  014  650  389  5 


nmtmffl 


qcna 


a 


HP 

JBBH1 

aSsi