3Y- 3
I THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, f
| Princeton, N. J. f
ft. «.»
BR 120 .B49 1836
Beveridge, William, 1637-
1708.
Private thoughts on religion
3Y^ 3
THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, f
Princeton, N. J. §
BR 120 .B49 1836
Beveridge, William, 1637-
1708.
Private thoughts on religion
, I , X
PRIVATE THOUGHTS
ON
RELIGION,
AND
A CHRISTIAN LIFE.
IN TWO PARTS.
BY
WILLIAM BEVERIDGE, D.D.,
LATE LORD BISHOP OF ST. ASAPH.
WITH
AN INTRODUCTORY ESSAY,
EY
THOMAS CHALMERS, D.D., LL.D., & F.R.S.E.,
PHOFESSOR OF THEOLOGY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH,
AND CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF FRANCE.
GLASGOW:
PRINTED FOP, WILLIAM COLLINS;
■:.i\ i R & BOYD, W. VVHYTE & CO. VV. OL1PHANT & SON, EDINBURGH,
W. F. HAKEMAN, AND WM. CUURY, JUN. & CO. DUBLIN;
v\ HITTAKER & HAMILTON, ADAMS, & CO. AND
SIMPKIN & MARSHALL, LONDON.
M.DCCC.XXXVI.
*» n
IBE^M ■■:S!EEID)<S'IS9
J5GO\W\
Printed by W. Collins
Ul isgow.
PROPERTY
INTRODUCTORY ESSAY.
There is a passage in the New Testament, where
the Law is made to stand to the sinner in the rela-
tion of a first husband ; and on this relation being
dissolved, which it is at the moment when the sinner
becomes a believer, then Christ stands to him in
the relation of a second husband ; under which new
relation, he brings forth fruit unto God, or, to use
the expression of the Apostle, " lives unto God."
There is another passage from which we can gather,
what indeed is abundantly manifest from the whole
of Scripture, that to live unto God is in every way
tantamount to living unto Christ — it being there
represented as the general habit of believers, " to
live no longer unto themselves, but unto him who
died for them and rose again." So that though
there be no single quotation, where the two phrases
are brought together, still it is a sound, because
truly a scriptural, representation of the state of a
believer, that he is dead unto the Law, and alive
unto Christ.
Now we arc sensible, that these, and similar
phrases, have been understood in two meanings,
\\
igfa not opposite, are at least wholly dis-
other; that is, cither as expressive
• . or the personal character of a
•- judicial state, we mean that
. which he is put by the judgment or
f a law. If the law, for example, condemn
B are judicially, by that law, in a state of
iiiation. This may he viewed distinctly from
our p haracter. Now the first meaning of
-. or that by which they are expressive of
• . would be more accurately rendered,
banging each of the phrases, into "dead
•• alive by Christ." Whereas
dead at i the law,*' and "alive unto
. without any change, accurately to
ond meaning, or that which is descrip-
fthe p< i -<>nal character of those to whom it is
applied. There is no liberty used with the Bible,
affirm, that whether the one or other of
[lings be indeed the meaning in any par-
• , the doctrine involved in each is true and
me— that, in the first instance, every
! by the law, and alive by Christ; and
I instance, he is dead unto the
. .ud alive unto Christ, — or, in other words, that
i the former truth has been realized,
liter truth shall he realized also.
■ and indeed ev. ry man is dead
This ifl naturally the judicial state of
ill* immandments, and made
llty of their violation. We have all
It demanded not any given
■ bat a whole obedience and
V1L
tins we have all come short of. We have at least
incurred the sentence ; and if the execution of it has
not yet been fully inflicted, it is at least in sure
reserve for those on whom it is to fall. They are
like malefactors in custody. Their doom is awaiting
them. They are not yet dead in reality, but they
are dead in law. They have the dread prospect of
the reality before them ; and, if they have nought
but the law to deal with, they may well tremble or
be in despair, as the prisoners of a hopeless con-
demnation.
The greater part of men are at ease, even amid
the urgencies of a state so alarming. That they
have broken the law of God gives them no concern;
and their life passes as carelessly along, as if the
future reckoning, and future vengeance, were all a
fable. So cheap do they hold the high jurisprudence
of Heaven, that they are scarcely conscious of having
offended against it ; or if ever visited with the suspi-
cion that their obedience is not up to the lofty stan-
dard of God's commandments, they compound the
matter in another way, and bring down the com-
mandments of God to the lowly standard of their
own obedience. God hath revealed himself to the
world, under the impressive character of a God who
is not to be mocked — yet would they inflict upon
him most degrading mockery, by robbing every
proclamation of his against the transgressors of the
law of all effect and all significancy. If there be
any dignity in Heaven's throne, or any truth, and
power, and force of character in him who sittetli
thereon, his ordinations must stand fast, and his
penalties, by which their authority is guarded, must
VI
which, though not opposite, arc at least wholly dis-
tinct from each other; that is, either as expressive
of the judicial state, or the personal character of a
believer. By one's judicial state, we mean that
state into which he is put by the judgment or
sentence of a law. If the law, for example, condemn
us, we are judicially, by that law, in a state of
condemnation. This may be viewed distinctly from
our personal character. Now the first meaning of
the phrases, or that by which they are expressive of
a judicial state, would be more accurately rendered,
by slightly changing each of the phrases, into "dead
by the law," and " alive by Christ." Whereas
the " being dead unto the law," and " alive unto
Christ," serve, without any change, accurately to
express the second meaning, or that which is descrip-
tive of the personal character of those to whom it is
applied. There is no liberty used with the Bible,
when we affirm, that whether the one or other of
these meanings be indeed the meaning in any par-
ticular case, the doctrine involved in each is true and
scriptural doctrine — that, in the first instance, every
believer is dead by the law, and alive by Christ; and
that, in the second instance, he is dead unto the
law, and alive unto Christ, — or, in other words, that
in whomsoever the former truth has been realized,
the latter truth shall be realized also.
iy believer, and indeed every man is dead
by the law. This is naturally the judicial state of
all. The law issued its commandments, and made
death the penalty of their violation. We have all
incurred that penalty. It demanded not any given
friction of obedience, hut a whole obedience — and
Vll
this we have all come short of. We have at least
incurred the sentence ; and if the execution of it has
not yet been fully inflicted, it is at least in sure
reserve for those on whom it is to fall. They are
like malefactors in custody. Their doom is awaiting
them. They are not yet dead in reality, but they
are dead in law. They have the dread prospect of
the reality before them ; and, if they have nought
but the law to deal with, they may well tremble or
be in despair, as the prisoners of a hopeless con-
demnation.
The greater part of men are at ease, even amid
the urgencies of a state so alarming. That they
have broken the law of God gives them no concern;
and their life passes as carelessly along, as if the
future reckoning, and future vengeance, were all a
fable. So cheap do they hold the high jurisprudence
of Heaven, that they are scarcely conscious of having
offended against it ; or if ever visited with the suspi-
cion that their obedience is not up to the lofty stan-
dard of God's commandments, they compound the
matter in another way, and bring down the com-
mandments of God to the lowly standard of their
own obedience. God hath revealed himself to the
world, under the impressive character of a God who
is not to be mocked — yet would they inflict upon
him most degrading mockery, by robbing every
proclamation of his against the transgressors of the
law of all effect and all significancy. If there be
any dignity in Heaven's throne, or any truth, and
power, and force of character in him who sittetli
thereon, his ordinations must stand fast, and his
penalties, by which their authority is guarded, mint
Vlll
fulfilment. The government of the Supreme
would be despoiled of all its majesty, if mercy were
It hand to obliterate the guilt of our rebellion
against it. The carnal heart of man may be proof
il these demonstrations of guilt and of danger :
. totwithstanding, it is true that we have incurred
the debt, and come under the denunciations of a law,
whereof it has been said, that heaven and earth
away ere one jot or one tittle of it shall
fail.
This is the appalling condition of humanity,
seldom it may be adverted to, and however
slightly it may be felt, in the listlcssness of nature.
To the great mojority of men, all secure and uncon-
• hey are, it gives no disturbance. They are
uch hurried with the manifold relations in which
they stand to the things and the interests that are
around them, that they overlook their great relation
• i God the lawgiver, and to that law, all whose
mandates have a force and a sanction that cannot
In- recalled. They are asleep to the awful realities
<>i their state. They have trampled upon an autho-
rity which must he vindicated. They have incurred
a threatening which must be discharged. They
insulted a throne whose dignity must be as-
! —and cast contempt on a government, which
shall rise in its might and its majesty from the de-
gradation which they have tried to inflict upon it.
The high attributes of the Divinity are against
them. His Justice demands a satisfaction. His
Holiness cannot hut manifest the force of its recoil
moral evil. I lis word stands committed to
death and the destruction of sinners— and a
IX
nature so immutable as his, never can recede from
those great principles which mark the character of
his administration. The greater part of men escape
from all this terror, while they live in mere insensi-
bility; and some there are, who, because less enor-
mous transgressors than their fellows, can lull their
every apprehension, and be at ease. But the law
will admit of no compromise. It will treat with no
degree or modification of evil. They have broken
some of the things contained in the book of God's
law, and by the law they are dead.
The most exempt, perhaps, from all disquietude
on the score of that death to which the law has
condemned them, are they who, decorous in all the
proprieties, and honourable in all the equities, and
alive, by the tenderness of a softened, sympathetic
nature, to all the kindnesses of life, stand the freest
from all those visible delinquencies by which the law
is most notoriously and most disgracefully violated.
They lie not — they steal not — they defraud not.
They are ever prompt in humanity, and most punc-
tual in justice. They acquit themselves of every
relative duty to the satisfaction of those who are
the objects of it; and exemplary in all the moralities
of our social state, they sustain upon earth a high
and honourable reputation. Nevertheless it is pos-
sible, nay it is frequent, that a man may be signa-
lized by all these graces of character, and yet be
devoid of godliness. The first and greatest com-
mandment, which is the love of God, may be the
object, not of his occasional, but of his constant and
habitual disobedience. In reference to this part of
the law, he may have not merely fallen into many
a 3
X
linfiil acts, but more desperate still, he may be in a
continual Btate of sinfulness. Instead of offending
me times by the deeds of his hand, he may
[ending him at all times, by that settled and
invariable bent which there is in the desires of his
That bent may he wholly towards the
. and wholly away from him who made the
world. He may have a thousand constitutional
virtues: to use a familiar expression, he may have
many good points or properties of character, and yet
Dot be in all his thoughts. His Father in
:i may have as little reason to be pleased with
liim, as an earthly father with that child, in whose
history there may he a number of conformities with
wi will, but in whose heart there is an obvious
Bullenness, or, at least, an utter disregard and indif-
ference towards him. " Give me thy heart," says
. and " love him with all thy heart," says the
law of God. It is by viewing the law, in all its
ht, that we are made to feel how deep the con-
demnation is into which the law has placed us.
Our may look fair in the eye of society,
while it is manifest, to the eye of our own conscience,
that <>ur affections are altogether set on time, and
mi the < nature, and altogether turned from the
Those virtues, which give us a flourish-
UpOIl earth, are not enough to transplant
i. The law which said, "Do these
things and live," finds its very first doing, or demand,
tisfied, and bars our entrance into heaven. It
, not perhaps of many specific sins; but,
!!v decisive of our fortune through cter-
o
i an unremitting course or
XI
current of* sinfulness ; and so, dead by the law, the
gate of life is shut against us.
The counter-part to this awful truth, that by
the law the sinner is dead, is, that by Christ the
believer is made alive. We may understand, in word
and in letter, how this can be, even though we our-
selves have had no part in the process. We may have
the knowledge, though perhaps not the faith in it; and
just as a spectator might look intelligently to a pro-
cess in which he does not personally share, so might
we have the literal apprehension of that way by
which the sinner, who by the law is judicially dead,
might by Christ become judicially alive. But aware
of it though we be, it cannot be too often re-
iterated ; and may the Spirit give a power and a
demonstration to this important truth, when we
say again how it is that the transgressor is made
free. The sentence then is not annulled, it is only
transferred. It is lifted up from his head, because
laid on the head of another, who rather than that
man should die, did himself bear the burden of it.
For this purpose did he bow himself down unto the
sacrifice, and submitted to that deep, that mysterious
endurance, under which he had to sustain the weight
of a world's atonement. The vials of the Lawgiver's
wrath were exhausted upon him. The law was
magnified and made honourable in him. In him the
work of vengeance was completed, and every attribute
of the Godhead that man had insulted by his dis-
obedience, did, on the cross of Christ, obtain its
ample reparation. There, and under a weight of
suffering which nought but the strength of the Di-
vinity could uphold, the sacredncss of the Divinity
Xll
'..fully manifested ; when, like a rainbow after
torm, the mercy of heaven arose out of the
dark and warring elements, and has ever since shone
upon our world, like a beauteous halo that now
- and irradiates all the other perfections of the
Godhead. And the sight of it is as free to all, as
i> the sun in the firmament. The elements of light
. and the other common bounties of nature,
arc not more designed for the use of each and all of
the human species, than is the widely sounding call
I -ook unto me all ye ends of the earth, and be ye
saved." And whosoever he be that looks, and looks
believingly, shall live. He is lightened of the
burden of his guilt so soon as he puts faith in the
Saviour. That great peace-offering for the sins of
the world, becomes a peace-offering unto him. He
ingea conditions with his surety. His guilt is
put to Christ's account, and Christ's righteousness
is put to his account. He obtains his full discharge
from the sentence that was against him ; and whereas
\r, the law he was dead, he hath made his escape
from this judgment, and now by Christ is alive.*
W e wish that we could give the adequate im-
ion of that perfect welcome and good-will,
with all men are invited to the mercy-seat.
I nder the economy of the law there was a curse
unced upon every one who continued not in all
rda that wire written in its book to do them ;
•d the question is, how ran any who has trans-
'' o much as one of these precepts, make his
'
1 " statement of this doctrine, we refer
h. and 9th Articles of Bishop Beve
ww" «P by himself in the following Treatise.
Xlll
escape from this felt denunciation ? Many there
arc who, to bring this about, would still keep up
the old economy of the law, though in such a re-
duced and mutilated way, as might permit of an
outlet to all but the most enormous of criminals.
But the gospel provides this outlet in another way,
more direct, and distinct, and consistent, by taking
down the old economy, and setting up a new eco-
nomy altogether. Christ hath redeemed us from
the curse of the law being made a curse for us; and
while by this expedient the honours of the com-
mandment have been fully vindicated — by this ex-
pedient, also, the mercy of God, as if released from
the impediment which held it, now goes forth re-
joicingly, and in all its amplitude, to the farthest
limits of a guilty world. There is not one so sunk
in iniquity, that God, in Christ, does not beseech
to enter forthwith into reconciliation. There is not
one man under sentence of death by the law, to
whom eternal life is not offered, and offered freely,
as the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The sceptre of forgiveness is held out even to the
chief of sinners; and away of access has been opened,
by which one and all of them are invited to draw
nigh. Heaven would have shrunk, so etherial and
so sensitive is its holiness — it would have shrunk,
in (juick and immediate recoil, from the approaches
of the guilty; but the way by which they now come
is a consecrated way, consecrated by the blood of an
everlasting covenant; and alonu which all of us are
beckoned to move, by every call, and every signal of
encouragement. We arc dead by the law, but it is
a death from which we are bidden, by the voice of
XIV
the gospel, to come forth. And he that belie veth
in, « though he were dead, yet shall he live."
This is the truth implied in the expression, that
B Christian is dead by the law, and alive by Christ.
We shall now consider the truth implied in the other
expression, that a Christian is dead unto the law,
and alive unto Christ. The former expression is
Scant of the judicial state of a believer. The
hitter is significant of his personal character. We
>rhaps hotter understand the phrase of being
k- dead unto the law," when we think of such analo-
gous phrases, as, the being dead unto sin ; or dead
unto the world ; or dead to the fascinations of plea-
sure ; or dead to the sensibilities of the heart ; or
dead to tin- urgencies of temptation. It expresses
character, for it expresses man's insensibility, or the
property that he has of being unmoved by certain
objects that are addressed to him, but which either
irably or painfully affect the feelings of other
men. He who can look unsoftened and unimpressed
• mi a scene of wretchedness, or of cruel suffering, is
.had to compassion. He who pities, and is in ten-
, is alive to it. He who can look without
delight on the glories of a landscape, is dead to the
charms of nature's scenerv. He who can be told,
without emotion, of some noble deeds of generosity
'■r honour, is dead to the higher beauties of the
mind, to the charms of moral grace, or of moral
A m in is (had unto that, which, when present to
him as an object of thought, is nevertheless not an
object of feeling; and more especially when that
which is lovely i> placed within his view, and no
love is awakened by it. It will therefore require
some explanation, that we might apprehend aright
the phrase of the apostle — " dead to the law." He
cannot mean to say of himself, that he is dead to
the beauties of that holiness which it contains — that
he is dead to the worth of those virtues which lie
en o raven either on the first or second division of its
o
tablet of jurisprudence — that he sees nought to ad-
mire in the godliness that is set forth in the one,
or the humanity that is set forth in the other — that
he is utterly devoid of aught like a taste, or an in-
clination within him, which can at all respond to
that picture of moral excellence which the law puts
before him ; and so yielding no homage of desire
towards it, he may have as good as renounced it in
his doings. This surely is not the interpretation
which can be put upon it ; for the apostle elsewhere
says of himself that he delighted in the law ; and he
eulogises it as holy, and just, and good. Holy
men of old loved the law, and it was their medita-
tion all the day long — and the lyre of the Psalmist
is re-echoed by the longings of every Christian heart,
when he says, " O how I love thy law ;" and " blessed
is the man that delightcth greatly in its command-
ments."
There must be something else then, in and about
the law, to which a believer is dead, than either
the Tightness of its precepts, or the moral and spi-
ritual beauty of its perfections, when these are rea-
lized upon the character. Every true believer is
most thoroughly alive both to the one and the other
— and the question remains, What is it of the law
to which he has become dead J. Perhaps this ques-
XIV
the gospel, to come forth. And he that believeth
in, " though he were dead, yet shall he live."
This is the truth implied in the expression, that
■ Christian is dead by the law, and alive by Christ.
ihall now consider the truth implied in the other
expression, that a Christian is dead unto the law,
live unto Christ. rrhe former expression is
..ant of the judicial state of a believer. The
latter is significant of his personal character. We
>rhaps better understand the phrase of being
d unto the law," when we think of such analo-
gous phrases, as, the being dead unto sin ; or dead
unto the world ; or dead to the fascinations of plea-
sure ; or dead to the sensibilities of the heart; or
dead to the urgencies of temptation. It expresses
character, for it expresses man's insensibility, or the
property that he has of being unmoved by certain
objects that are addressed to him, but which either
pleasurably or painfully affect the feelings of other
men. He who can look unsoftcned and unimpressed
of wretchedness, or of cruel suffering, is
to compassion. He who pities, and is in ten-
• ;^ alive to it. He who can look without
I on the glories of a landscape, is dead to the
•harms of nature's scenery. He who can be told,
without emotion, of some noble deeds of generosity
or honour, is dead to the higher beauties of the
mind, to the charms of moral grace, or of moral
■' unto that, which, when present to
:" object of thought, is nevertheless not an
"'' feeling; and more especially when that
which is lovely is placed within his view, and no
XV
love is awakened by it. It will therefore require
some explanation, that we might apprehend aright
the phrase of the apostle — " dead to the law." He
cannot mean to say of himself, that he is dead to
the beauties of that holiness which it contains — that
lie is dead to the worth of those virtues which lie
engraven either on the first or second division of its
tablet of jurisprudence — that he sees nought to ad-
mire in the godliness that is set forth in the one,
or the humanity that is set forth in the other — that
lie is utterly devoid of aught like a taste, or an in-
clination within him, which can at all respond to
that picture of moral excellence which the law puts
before him ; and so yielding no homage of desire
towards it, he may have as good as renounced it in
his doings. This surely is not the interpretation
which can be put upon it. ; for the apostle elsewhere
says of himself that he delighted in the law ; and he
eulogises it as holy, and just, and good. Holy
men of old loved the law, and it was their medita-
tion all the day long — and the lyre of the Psalmist
is re-echoed by the longings of every Christian heart,
when he says, " O how I love thy law ;" and " blessed
is the man that delighteth greatly in its command-
ments."
There must be something else then, in and about
the law, to which a believer is dead, than either
the Tightness of its precepts, or the moral and spi-
ritual beauty of its perfections, when these are rea-
lized upon the character. Every true believer is
most thoroughly alive both to the one and the other
— and the question remains, What is it of the law
to which he has become dead? Perhaps this ques-
XVI
answered by the apostle's own state-
ment, that we are dead in Christ, or that we have
partakers in his death — not that we partake
with him in its sufferings, for this he endured alone,
hut we partake with him in its immunities, now that
sufferings arc over. The heliever stands now
in the same relation to the law, that the man does,
who haa already sustained the execution of its sen-
tence upon his person. It has no further claim
upon him. lie needs to fear no more, for he has
to suffer no more. Its threatenings have all been
discharged — not upon himself, it is true, but upon
another tor his sake, and by whom they have for
Keen averted from his own soul. He may now
as little, and feel as little, of the law's severity,
in the dead body of the executed criminal:
and it is in this sense that the believer is dead unto
the law — not dead to the worth and the loveliness
"* i; dments, but altogether dead to the
: of is condemnation — not unmoved by the
and the rightnesa of its moralities, but wholly
onmoi iU8e now wholly placed beyond the
of its menaces — not dead to its voice, when it
to the way of peace and pleasantness, but now
conclusively ^\u\ to it. voice as a relentless judge,
01 its countenance as a Bert e and determined avenger,
M that the believel may at once walk before God
without iVar, and yet walk before him in rightcous-
and in holine
Ihr older authors, w1,msC writings are so much
" hly fraught than those of our own days with
■ ' deep and well-exercised intellect, on
•nous questions of theology, tell us of the law
XV11
being now set aside as a covenant, while it remains
with ns as a rule of life. This single change of
economy teaches us, to what of the law it is that we
are dead, and to what of it we are still alive. We
are dead to all those jealousies which are apt to arise
about the terms and the punctualities of a bargain.
There is no longer the lifting up of a bond, upon
the one side, and this re-acted to by the spirit of
bondage, upon the other. There are a dread and a
distrust, and the feeling of a divided interest, be-
tween two parties, when it is the business of the one
to look after the due performance of certain cove-
nanted articles, and of the other, by his square and
regular performance of these, just to do as much as
that he may escape the denounced penalty, or as
that he may earn the stipulated reward. " I call
you no longer servants, but sons," did our Saviour
say to his disciples; and this, perhaps, goes most
effectually to distinguish between the obedience
which is under the old, and that which is under the
new economy. We do the very same things under
both, but in a wholly different spirit. As sons, we
do them from the feeling of love. As servants, we
do them by the force of law. It is the spontaneous
taste of the one. It is the servile task of the other.
The meat and drink of the servant lie in the hire
which is given for the doinij of his master's will.
The meat and drink of the son lie in the very doing
of that will. He does not feel it to be a service,
hut the very solace and satisfaction of his own reno-
vated spirit. It is well to apprehend this distinction ;
for it, in truth, is that which marks, most precisely,
the evangelical from the legal obedience. To all
XV111
i lings, which have been termed the feelings,
or the tears of legality, the believer under the eco-
Nfew Testament is altogether dead. He
is Dot exempted from service, but it is service in the
newness of the spirit, and not in the oldness of the
letter — not gone about in the style of a hireling, who
looks merely to his reward, and is satisfied if he can
but fulfil the literalities of that contract by which the
reward is secured to him. We see how at once, by
tingle change, a new character is given to his
obedience — how, when dead to the law, which tells
him to do this and live, he looks away from all those
narrow suspicions, and all those besetting fears, where-
a mercenary service is encompassed — and how
when alive to the gospel, which first gives him life,
and then bids him do, he instantly ascends upon a
higher walk of obedience, being now urged onward
• iste t.»r the virtues of the law, and not by the
«)t its violations — and instead of looking for
distinct reward alter the keeping of the com-
ments, which in truth argues nothing spontane-
I in the character at all, feeling even now,
that in the keeping of the commandments there is a
ard.
W ith this explanation of what it is to be dead
unto the law, we may fully understand what it is to
( i. As to he dead unto any object,
'••nit that .sensibility which the object is fitted
to awaken then to be alive unto any object, is just
to have the sensibility. One of our poets designates
l nsibility to be one who is feelingly
1 ach fine impulse. It is thus that we are
alive to the call of distress— alive to the charms of a
XIX
landscape — alive to the obligations of honour — alive
to the charms of gratitude or friendship. It marks
an attribute of the personal character, because it
marks its degree of sensibility to any such objects
as are presented to it : and we may easily consider
what the result will be when Christ is the object,
and when he to whom this object is addressed is
alive unto Christ. Let us only conceive him to
cast an intelligent look upon the Saviour, to com-
pute aright the mighty surrender which he had to
make, when he had to surrender the glory of heaven,
for a death equivalent in its soreness to the eternity
of accursed millions in hell — let us think of the ten-
derness to our world which urged him forth upon
the errand to seek and to save it, and the strength
of that unquenchable love which so bore him up
amid the pains and the perils of his great undertak-
ing— let us but look on the fearful agonies, and
listen to the cries, that, in the hour and power of
darkness, were extorted from him, who had the
energy of the Godhead to sustain him, and who,
from the garden to the cross, had to travel through
a mystery of suffering, that sinners might go free —
let us but connect this terror, and these shrinkings,
of the incarnate Godhead, with the peace of our own
unburdened consciences, as we draw near unto the
mercy-seat, and plead our full acquittal from that
vengeance which has already been discbarged, from
that penalty which has been already borne — let us
bring together in thought, even as they stand to-
gether in reality, the love of Christ and our own
dear-bought liberty, and that to him all the immuni-
ties of our present grace, and all the brightest visions
XX
ii future immortality are owing. To be awake
unto all this with the eye of the understanding, and
to be alive unto all this with the susceptibilities of
the heart, is just to be in that practical state which
we now endeavour to set forth — and under which it
is, that every true Christian gives up the devoted-
of his whole life, as an offering of gratitude to
him who hath redeemed it — and feeling that " he is
Dot hia own, but bought with a price, lives no longer
to himself, but to the Saviour who died for him and
who rose again."
But it is the unceasing aim of gratitude to gratify
ject : and the question comes to be. What precise
direction will this affection, now stirring and alive in
our hearts towards Christ, impress upon our history.
This will resolve itself into the other question, of
how is it that Christ is most gratified? what is it
that In- chiefly wills of us, or that we can do, which
bis desires are most set upon? For the resolution
of this inquiry, the Scriptures of truth give us abun-
timonies. I lis will is our sanctification.
'1 he great and ultimate object for which he put
forth his hand upon us was to make us holy. He
himself up for us, that we might give ovrselves
up unto the guidance of that word, and the gracious
tion ol* that Spirit, whereby he purifies unto
If a peculiar people, and makes them zealous
"I works. He has now risen to the throne of
ppointed Mediatorship j and the voice that he
edtohis first disciples, still issues therefrom
to the disciples of all ages—" If ye love me, keep
>mmajidments;"and, " Ye arc my friends, if ye
''" u- ' command you." Now the com,
XXL
mandments of Christ to whom we are alive, are
just the individual commandments of that law to
which we arc dead. The things to which we were
before driven by the terrors of authority, are the
very things to which we are now drawn by the ties
of gratitude. God in bis love to righteousness
framed all the virtues which compose it into the ar-
ticles of a covenant that we bad violated, but which
now in Christ is settled and set by. And God in
bis still unabated love to righteousness, yet wills to
impress all the virtues of it upon our person. What
before he inscribed on the records of a written com-
mandment, he would now infuse within the reposi-
tories of a believer's breast — and those precepts
which, under the old economy, were the ground of
a condemnation that is now taken away, compose,
under the new economy, a rule of life, the obliga-
tion of which rcmaineth with us for ever.
Though the law be now taken away from the eye
of the believer, yet Christ stands in its place, and
these very virtues which were exacted by the one,
are still taught and exemplified by the other.* He
is the image and representation of his Father, and
loni? ere the moralities of absolute and everlasting
rectitude were impressed on a tablet of jurisprudence,
they had their place and their living delineation in the
character of the Godhead. The laws and threaten-
ings of the tablet are now expunged and taken away
from the sight of the believer, but the character re-
mains in full view, and now more impressively bodied
* We igain refer tin- reach r t<> that Section, in the Second Part
of this Work, winch treat9 of " The Imitation of Christ," lor an
admirable illustration ol our preceding argument.
xxu
than ever, because now a sensible representa-
tion has been given of it in the person of Jesus
Christ. And to be alive unto Christ, is to be alive
I i the beauties of this representation. There is
implied by it than gratitude for his love. It
Further implies the admiration of his loveliness.
With both together we superadd to the obedience
precepts, the imitation of his example; and it
is in the busy prosecution of them, that every true
disciple abounds in the fruits of righteousness, and
10 lives unto God. The matter of the command-
ment is the same that it ever was. The motive only
is changed. Then we wrought for the favour of
: or rather, under the despair of having fallen
short, we wrought for the purpose of some possible
(Scape, or to mitigate the vengeance that we found
awaiting us. Now we work in the secure
tnd conscious possession of this favour, and rejoice
in the will and the ways of him who rejoices over
od. It has ceased to be the service
int. It has come to be the service of
willingni is. It is a thank-offering, and more than
if is our now voluntary deference to that law
pta we love, and love the more, that we
aoi been placed beyond the reach of its pen-
It is to the latter only that we arc dead,
for to the former we are most thoroughly alive; and,
I of the servilities of a forced obedience, we
rendei unto Cod the spontaneous homage of a
an, the love and loyalty of a friend,
thus thai i veT) true disciple, while dead unto
• living unto God. We can imagine the
he written on a tablet, and suspended between
XXlll
us and God ; him pointing both to its precepts and
its penalties, and we become conscious of our utter
deficiency from the one, and tremblingly alive to a
dread of the other. It is well that this be felt b)
the sinner, till he is prevailed upon to flee from the
coming wrath which is thus denounced upon him by
the law, and to flee for refuge to the hope set before
him in the gospel. Thus it is, in the language of
Paul to the Colossians, that the hand-writing of
ordinances that was against us, is blotted out, and
taken out of the way; and the believer is now dead
to the terror of all those penalties, to which afore-
time he had been most powerfully alive. The
penalties are now taken out of sight, but the pre-
cepts are not taken out of sight. It is true that the
frightful inscription, which stood as a barrier or an
interdict between him and God, is now removed ;
and the consequence is, that he is now brought nigh
unto God, whose character has undergone no change,
but who bears the same unaltered love to all the
moralities of righteousness as before. And so those
identical virtues which, under the law, are addressed
unto men as the precepts of an authoritative code,
and have been resisted by all, arc still addressed unto
men as the persuasions of a now reconciled friend,
and which every believer in Jesus Christ finds to be
irresistible. They stood then associated with the
frown, and the compulsion, and the curse, and all
the other accompaniments of a ministry of condem-
nation, to which by this time he is dead. They
stand now associated with the kindness, and the af-
fectionate urgency, and the sympathy of manifested
example, and the native beauties of holiness, to all
X X 1 V
bich he is now most thoroughly, and most feel-
ingly alive. The expression of a wish from God
: the new dispensation, has a greater moral
ascendancy over the believer's heart, than even a
landment had under the old. In a word, the
spirit of bondage has fled away, and in its place has
the spirit of adoption, in the power of which
he lives unto God, and abounds in all the fruits, and
all the performances of willing obedience.
We may now understand how it is that a change
in the judicial state brings about a change in the
private character; how it is, that he who is dead by
the law, when he is made alive by Christ, becomes
• had unto the law and alive unto Christ. When
we receive the truth that is in Jesus, we are justified :
for then we are justified by faith. And to under-
the way in which this truth makes us holy;
ar, how is it that we are sanctified by faith, we have
only to consider the believer as dead unto the law,
in the sense wherein we have already explained it,
. because he now believes that Christ hath re-
d him from its condemnation and its curse.
It is because of the connection between his faith and
• He is no longer alive to the terror of
threatenings which are by the law, now that
its threatenings to have been all of them
• Hew no longer under the dread of its
■ now tha< the vengeance is absorbed.
<> longer afraid of a reckoning for the debts
;i',i.';' that b« had incurred, seeing that
h« been reckoned with as his surety— Hear-
ts of his disobedience, and giving him
"ard of his own perfect rUt-
XXV
eousness. It is just because he has been made ju-
dicially alive by Christ, that he is now dead to all
the alarm of that judicial condemnation under which
he aforetime lay. The one comes simply and im-
mediately out of faith in the other; and is the same
sort of moral phenomenon with that of a man ceasing
to have the apprehension of a danger that impended
over him, on the moment of being made to perceive
that the danger has passed away.
But the believer is not only dead unto the law,
but alive unto Christ. This is because of the con-
nection between his faith and his gratitude. It is
by Christ's work that we are released from the pains
of a violated law ; but yet, it is his will that we do
the precepts of it; and in his person too there is the
highest exemplification of its graces and virtues.
When we believe in his work, we become alive to a
sense of cordial and willing obligation ; and when
we understand what his will is, we become alive to
the moralities of that very law, to whose menaces wc
are altogether dead. It is at that transition by
which we are released from its penalties, that we be-
come rivetted to the admiration of its perfections,
and the devoted followers of its truth and justice,
and humanity and holiness. Every man who has
been made alive by Christ, must be alive to him; so
as to live no longer to himself, but to live unto Christ
who died for him, and who rose again. There is
nought in the gospel which exempts us from obe-
dience, but every thing in it and about it which ex-
cites us to obedience — to obedience in a better
spirit than wc could possibly have under the law —
to obedience, if we may so speak, in a higher style
B 37
XXVI
-not the obedience that is extorted by terror
or by power, but the obedience to which we are urged
te and by gratitude. And amid all the dark-
of human controversy and explanation, one
[s clcar — even the apostolical test of our truly
Christ, that we keep his commandments.
But, while we insist on this as the true test of
discipleship, we are no less strenuous in insisting on
I faith, convinced as we are of the intimate
connectiou which subsists between a sound faith and
i sound practice. Without the former we have
the highest authority for stating, that it is impos-
sible to please God ; though the latter we hold
to be no less necessary as the indispensable pre-
paration for heaven, since without holiness no man
God; and therefore would we labour to
every inquirer acquainted with the founda-
tion of a Christian's hope, as well as the rule of a
Christian's practice. And, for this purpose, instead
EFering any further exposition of our own on
two most important topics, we would recom-
. to his perusal the two following Treatises of
B ■ *' Thoughts on Religion," and
•• On a Christian Life," where he will find an ad-
le conjunction of the great doctrines of Chris-
.. with those grains and accomplishments of
( hristian character, which form the necessary
quences of a genuine faith in these
and from which are derived the only mo-
fsufficienl ind potency, for establishing
ithority of Christian morality in the heart, and
it in the life.
In hi this learned and pious pre-
XXV11
late gives an enumeration of the articles of his faith,
with a clearness and precision which indicate that he
had a distinct and scriptural view of the dispensation
of grace, in all its relations and dependencies; while
the " Resolutions" formed thereupon, deduced as
they are from the articles of his faith, and deriving
from them their whole force and urgency of motive,
are admirahly fitted for regulating the affections and
conduct of the aspiring candidate for heaven. And
we apprehend, that it is from the want of such dis-
tinct and well-defined rules for the government of
their thoughts, and actions, and general intercourse
in the world, which this pious hishop deemed so
necessary for the regulation of his own heart and
life, that many professing Christians, not otherwise
defective in a sound orthodoxy, do nevertheless ex-
hibit much that is defective and inconsistent in their
Christian profession. In this so important a branch
of Christian duty, and so conducive to the consistency
and comfort of the Christian life, the example of this
excellent prelate is highly worthy of imitation ; and
when entered into, in an humble dependence on the
strength and sufficiency of Him in whose grace alone
he can be strong, the Christian disciple will find it
conducive to his personal sanctification and growth
in the divine life.
The second Treatise contains a no less excellent
and valuable exposition of several important topics,
which are intimately connected witli the formation
and successful prosecution of the Christian life.
His observations on the Christian education of
children, are entitled to the serious regard of those
parents who are in earnest to biing up their children
XXV1I1
in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; and, in
the subsequent topics, which form the concluding
portion of his work, there is a close and forcible ap-
plication of truth to the conscience, addressed with
all the power and solemn earnestness of a man, who
felt as well as understood the truths he was expound-
Bishop Bcveridgc was an eminent and success-
ful minister of the gospel of Christ, and was a dis-
tinguished ornament of that church of which he was
a dignitary; and we cannot give a better portraiture
of this truly good and pious man, both as a private
Christian and as a public functionary, than by tran-
scribing the following character of him, as drawn by
his biographer.
" This great and good Bishop had very early
addicted himself to piety and a religious course of
life, of which his Private Thoughts upon Religion
will be a Lasting evidence. They were written in
linger years; and he must a considerable time
before this, have devoted himself to such practices,
otherwise he could never have drawn up so judicious
and a declaration of his faith, nor have formed
such excellent resolutions so agreeable to the Chris-
tian lile in all its parts. These things show him to
quainted with the life and power of religion
iid that even from a child he knew the
Holy Scriptures, And as his piety was early, so it
■ nail i nl and conspicuous, in all the parts
md stations of his life. As he had formed such
• he made suitable improvements
then,: and they, at length, grew up into such
• that all his actions savoured of nothing
piety and religion. His holy example was a
XXIX
very great ornament to our church ; and he honoured
his profession and function by zealously discharging
all the duties thereof. How remarkable was his
piety towards God ! What an awful sense of the
divine Majesty did he always express ! How did
he delight in his worship and service, and frequent
his house of prayer ! How great was his charity
to men ; how earnestly was he concerned for their
welfare, as his pathetic addresses to them in his dis-
courses plainly discover ! How did the Christian
spirit run through all his actions, and what a won-
derful pattern was he of primitive purity, holiness,
and devotion ! As he was remarkable for his great
piety and zeal for religion, so he was highly to be
esteemed for his learning, which he wholly applied
to promote the interest of his great Master. He
was one of extensive and almost universal reading:
he was well skilled in the oriental lano-ua^cs, and
the Jewish learning, as may appear from many of
his sermons ; and, indeed, he was furnished to a very
eminent degree with all useful knowledge. He
was very much to be admired for his readiness in the
Scriptures ; he had made it his business to acquaint
himself thoroughly with those sacred oracles, whereby
he was furnished unto all good works: he was able
to produce suitable passages from them on all occa-
sions, and was very happy in explaining them to
others. Thus he improved his time and his abilities
in serving God, and doing good, till he arrived at a
good old age, when it pleased his great Master to
give him rest from his labours, and to assign him
a place in those mansions of bliss, where he had
always laid up his treasure, and to which his heart
XXX
had been all along devoted through the whole course
of his life and actions. He was so highly esteemed
g all learned and good men, that when he was
. one of the chief of his order deservedly said
of him, ' There goes one of the greatest, and one of
the bc^t men, that ever England bred.' "
T. C.
'.n DREWS, March, 1828.
CONTENTS.
PART FIRST.
THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.
Page
Preface, 39
Thoughts on Religion, i!)
Article I. I believe there is one God, the Being of all
beings, 51
Art. II. I believe that whatsoever the most high God
would have me to believe or do, in order to his glory,
and my happiness, he hath revealed to me in his holy
Scriptnres, 58
Art. III. I believe that as there is one God, so this one
God is three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 8G
Art. IV. I helieve that I was conceived in sin and brought
forth in iniquity; and that, ever since, I have been con-
tinually conceiving mischief and bringing forth vanity, 89
Art. V. I believe the Son of God became the Son of man,
that I, the son of man, might become the son of God, 91
Art. VI. I believe that Christ lived to God, and died for
sin, that I might die to sin, and live with God, . 98
.//•/. VII. I believe that Christ rose from the grave, that
1 might rise from sin, and that he is ascended into hea-
ven, (hat I might come unto him, . . . .101
Art. VIII. I believe that my person is only justified by
the merit of Christ imputed to me; and that my nature
is only sanctified by the Spirit of Christ implanted in me. In I
wxii CONTENTS.
Page
Art. IX. I believe God entered into a double covenant with
man, the covenant of works made with the first, and the
i made in the second Adam, . .119
Art. X. I believe that as God entered into a covenant of
with us, so bath he signed this covenant to us by a
double Beal, baptism and the Lord's supper, . . 129
Art. XI. I believe that, after a short separation, my soul
and body shall be united together again, in order to appear
before the judgment-seat of Christ, and be finally sentenced
according to my deserts, ...... 140
A> i. XII. I believe there are two other worlds besides this
1 live m — i world of misery for unrepenting sinners, and a
world of glory for believing saints, .... 150
RESOLUTIONS
FORMED UPON THE FOREGOING ARTICLES.
. I. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to walk by
rule, and therefore think it necessary to resolve upon
to walk by, . . . . . . .159
II. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to make the
divine word the rule of all the rules I propose to myself, 160
.III. I am resolved, that as I am not able to think or
any thing that is good without the influence of the
divil 0 I will not pretend to merit any favour
from God upon account of anything I do for his glory
and service, 162
rVEB8ATTON IN GENERAL, . . . 161-
I. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to make
(In ist the pattern of my life here, that so Christ may be
tin portion * • t my soul hereafter, .... 165
HI am resolved, by the grace of God, to walk by
I, nth, and not by light, on earth, that so 1 may live by
and not by faith, in heaven, .... 166
III. I am resolved, by the grace of God, always to be
i, on Uod as always looking upon me, . 196
75
CONTENTS. XXXlll
Page
Concerning my Thoughts, ...... 170
Resol. I. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to watch as
much over the inward motions of my heart as the outward
actions of my life, 172
Resol. II. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to stop every
thought at its first entering into my heart, and to examine
it, whence it comes, and whither it tends, . . . 173
licsol. III. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to be
as fearful to let in vain as careful to keep out sinful
thoughts,
Resol. IV. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to be always
exercising my thoughts upon good objects, that the devil
may not exercise them upon bad, .... 17?
Resol. V. I am resolved, by the grace of God, so to marshal
my thoughts, that they may not justle out one another,
nor any of them prejudice the business I am about, 179
Concerning my Affections ,181
Resol. I. I am resolved; by the grace of God, always to make
my affections subservient to the dictates of my under-
standing, that my reason may not follow but guide my
affections, .... ... 183
Resol. II. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to love God
as the best of goods, and to hate sin as the worst of
evils, ......... 185
Resol. HI. I am resolved, by the assistance of divine grace,
to make God the principal object of my joy, and sin the
principal object of my grief and sorrow; so as to grieve
for sin more than suffering, and for suffering only for sin's
sake, 189
Resol. IV. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to desire
spiritual mercies more than temporal ; and temporal mer-
cies only in reference to spiritual, . . . L91
Resol. V. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to hope for
nothing so much as the promises, and to fear nothing so
much as the threatenings of God, .... 193
Resol. VI. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to arm my-
self with that spiritual courage and magnanimity, as to
13 3
CONTENTS.
Page
I through all duties and difficulties wliatsover, for the
incement of God's glory and my own happiness, 197
VII. I am resolved, by the grace of God, so to be
not to Bin, and therefore to be angry at nothing
but Bin 1"
mng my Words, 202
. I. I am resolved, by the grace of God, never to speak
much, lest I often speak too much, and not to speak at
r than to no purpose, .... 203
II. I am resolved, by the grace of God, not only to
(I the wickedness of swearing falsely, but likewise the
very appearance of swearing at all, . . . 205
III. I am resolved, by the grace of God, always to
mal :ue and heart go together, so as never to
tk with the one what I do not think in the other, 208
I V. I am resolved by the grace of God, to speak of
other men's sins only before their faces, and of their vir-
tue- < nly behind their backs, .... 210
V. I am resolved, by the grace of God, always to
tly to my superiors, humbly to my inferiors,
• ivilly to all, ••..... 212
. ION8, 214
I I am resolved, by the grace of God, to do every
'•'in.' in ob • the will of God, . . . 215
1 1. I -in. resolved, by the .mace of God, to do every
' ith prudence and discretion, as well as with zeal
and ... 21 fi
111 Ived, by the grace of God, never to set
or my heart, about any thing but what
-I i" itself and will be esteemed so
219
by the grace of God, to do all
i God, . 229
'■ by the grace of God, to mingle such '
'•'ll' my business, as to further my business
CONTENTS. XXXV
Page
Concerning my Relations, 2'il
Eesol. I. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to honour and
obey the king or prince, whom God is pleased to set over
me, as well as to expect that he should safeguard and pro-
tect me, whom God is pleased to set under him, , 228
Resol. II. I am resolved, by the same divine grace, to be as
constant in loving my wife as cautious in choosing her, 231
Iiesol. III. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to do my
endeavour to give to God whatsoever children he shall be
pleased to give to me, that as they are mine by nature
they may be his by grace, 235
Resol. IV. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to do my
duty to my servants, as well as expect they should do
theirs to me, ....... 238
Iiesol. V. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to feed the
flock that God shall set me over with wholesome food,
neither starving them by idleness, poisoning them with
error, nor putting them up with impertinence, . . 240
Iiesol. VI. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to be as faith-
ful and constant to my friend, as I would have my friend
to be faithful and constant to me. .... 245
Concerning my Talents, 217
Resol. I. I am resolved, if possible, to redeem my past time,
by using a double diligence for the future, to employ and
improve all the gifts and endowments botli of body and
mind, to the glory and service of my great Creator, . 219
Resol. II. I am resolved, by the divine grace, to employ my
riches, the outward blessings of providence, to the same
end ; and to observe such a due medium in the dispensing
of them as to avoid prodigality on the one hand and cove-
tousness on the other, ......
Resol. III. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to improve
the authority God gives me over others, to the suppression
of vice, and the encouragement of virtue; and so for the
exaltation of God's name on earth, and their souls in
heaven, 254
CONTENTS.
Page
IV. I am resolved, by the grace of God, to improve
the affections God stirs up in others towards me, to the
itimng up their affections towards God, . . . 256
V. 1 am resolved, hy the grace of God, to improve
.1 thought to the producing of good affections in
: i, and as good actions with respect to God, . 269
, VI. 1 am resolved, hy the grace of God, to improve
iv affliction God lays upon me, as an earnest or token
of his affection towards me, ..... 261
PART SECOND.
THOUGHTS OX A CHRISTIAN LIFE.
Pre
On
On
On
On
On
On
On
ducation of a Christian,
the knowledge of God,
the Mystery of the Trinity,
y Riches, Section I.
Worldly Riches, Section II.
: nial,
to niter in at the Strait Gate
itation of Christ, .
. and Election,
ppearance of Christ, the Sun of Righteousnes
267
273
294
320
349
369
391
415
438
462
.301
PART FIRST.
PRIVATE THOUGHTS
ON
RELIGION.
PREFACE.
After so great a name as that of Bishop Beveridgc
in the title, it were as superfluous to attempt any
further recommendation of these papers, as it would
be impossible to effect it. If any thing can add to
the esteem they must every where meet with, upon
the account of so great an author, it must be a serious
perusal and application of them.
Those that read them with the same spirit of
candour with which this great man always read the
works of others, and with the same spirit of piety
with which he wrote his own, will undoubtedly dis-
cover in them such a lively idea of the great genius
of the author, and so sensibly experience the good
influence of them upon their minds, as will more
effectually engage their approbation, than the highest
encomiums from another hand.
The great misfortune is, that those who have
most need to be instructed and reformed have no
true taste or relish for books of this nature : their
eves are dazzled with the glittering appearand- of
the objects of sense, and their hearts enslaved to
the works of darkness: so that the beams of divine
40
light arc but troublesome and offensive to them:
point of faith is a contradiction to their prin-
ciples, and every precept enjoined a reproach to
their morals. And therefore, in order to stave off
those self-condemning thoughts, that naturally arise
from the serious perusal of such sort of treatises,
they scoff at, and despise them, as dull and insipid —
not worth the consideration of men of more refined
puts and deeper penetration, who are too wise to be
guided by the rule of God's word, and too obstinate
to be persuded to walk in any other path but that
which the devil has chalked out for them, the path
which leads to destruction.
But these men would do well to consider, before
they arc wholly under the power of darkness, that
this is not really owing to any flaws or defects in
Mich perform an ces, but to their own reprobate minds
and depraved judgments, which tarnish the beauty,
cast a mist before the truth, frustrate the influence,
and pervert the design of them ; like a vitiated
palate, which nauseates the most delicious taste; or
a foul or disordered stomach, that turns the most
wholesome food into poison and corruption. So that
tiny must first divest themselves of their lust and
their prejudice and partiality, before they can
\pe.t to reap any benefit or advantage by this,
Of any other discourses, that tend to the promoting
i 1 piety and religion.
tag thus opened the way to the reading of
t!n book, it may not be improper, in order to set it
true light, and do justice to the author of it,
lomething more particularly concerning both;
and to advertise the reader that the following sheets
41
were written by the Bishop in his younger years,
upon his first entrance into holy orders. And
though they may not, perhaps, be so perfect and
correct as if he himself had lived to give the finish-
ing stroke to them, and fit them for the press with
his own hand ; yet, as the roughness of a jewel does
not lessen the worth and value of it, when the bright-
ness of its natural lustre, even under that disadvan-
tage, outshines that of others, which arc polished
and refined by art ; so it is to be hoped the candid
and judicious reader will, in this well-designed piece,
however unfinished, discover such singular beauties
and graces, as few others, even at the highest pitch
of their attainments, and with the utmost care and
diligence, are able to come up to.
As to the author's design in writing these papers,
it is sufficiently set forth in the title of them. He
considered that truth of doctrine and innocency of
life were both absolutely necessary to the due ex-
ercise of the sacred function into which he had the
honour and happiness to be admitted. He knew
the power of example to prevail even beyond that
of precept, and was very solicitous, with the blessed
apostle, to " make his own calling and election sure,
lest that by any means, when he had preached to
others, he himself should be a cast-away." To the
end, therefore, that he might both save himself and
them that heard him, that both by his life and doc-
trine he might set forth the glory of God, and set
forward the salvation of men, he drew up these
Articles to settle his principles in point of faith, and
formed these Resolutions upon them, to regulate
his actions with regard to practice.
42
What great tilings might not the church promise
herself from a foundation so well laid, — from princi-
settled with so much learning and judgment,
and resolutions formed upon such strict rules of
piety and religion ! What glorious expectations in
an age of that degeneracy of faith and manners,
wherein he lived, might not be justly raised from
hence, for the future reformation of both !
And, indeed, this excellent person did even more
than satisfy all these extraordinary hopes which the
early and ample specimens he gave of his virtue and
knowledge had made the world conceive of him.
Ii>r. having taken this prudent and effectual care to
ground and determine his own faith and practice,
and being ever mindful of the injunction laid upon
him when he was ordained priest, " To consider the
en I of his ministry towards the children of God —
towards the spouse and body of Christ, he never
' his labour, care, and diligence, until he had
done all that in him lay (as our holy church does
most admirably express the duty of that order) to
biin- all Mich as were committed to his charge unto
thai agreement in the faith and knowledge of God,
11 °
and to that ripeness and perfectness of age in Christ,
that there should be no place left amonff them for
1 ■'">■ -l" in religion, or for viciousness in life."
While his care of souls was chiefly confined to
the bounds of a single parish, with what labour and
' ■■'' did he apply himself to the discharge of his
''>'> "' ^e ... ral puts and offices of it ! how
;,'l and instructive was he in his discourses
,";1" ^e pulpit! how warm and affectionate in his
private exhortations ! how orthodox in his doctrine !
43
how regular and uniform in the public worship of the
church ! In a word, so zealous was he, and heavenly-
minded, in all the spiritual exercises of his parochial
function, and his labours were so remarkably crowned
with blessing and success, that as he himself was
justly styled the great reviver and restorer of pri-
mitive piety, so his parish was deservedly proposed
as the best model and pattern for the rest of its
neighbours to copy after.
Nor was the Archdeacon, or the Bishop, less
vigilant than the Parish-priest: his care and diligence
increased as his power in the church was enlarged:
and as he had before discharged the duty of a faith-
ful pastor over his single fold, so when his authority
was extended to larger districts, he still pursued the
same pious and laborious methods of advancing the
honour and interest of religion, by watching over
both clergy and laity, and giving them all necessary
direction and assistance for the effectual performance
of their respective duties.
Accordingly, he was no sooner advanced to the
episcopal chair, but, in a most pathetic and obliging
letter to the clergy of his diocese, he recommended
to them, " the duty of catechising and instructing
the people committed to their charge in the principles
of the Christian religion, to the end that they might
know what they were to believe, and do, in order to
salvation ;" and told them, " He thought it necessary
to begin with that, without which, whatever else he
or they should do, would turn to little or no account,
as to the main end of the ministry." And, to enable
them to do this the more effectually, he sent them
a plain and easy exposition upon the church catechism ;
44
of which I need say nothing more, and can say no-
thin q greater, than that it was drawn up by himself,
in a method which, in the opinion of so great a judge,
seemed of all others the most proper to instruct the
people.
Thus endeavouring to make himself and others
every day wiser and better, labouring to establish
sound principles, and settle good manners wherever
he came, as it was the foundation which this holy
man laid in these Articles and Resolutions ; so we
Bee it was the great work of his life to build upon it,
as might easily be made appear, from a faithful and
particular relation of the several stages and passages
of his ministry, the bare enumeration of which would
swell this preface into a book. That fair portrait
will, I hope, be drawn by some abler pen.
In the meantime, there is yet another instance
of his great concern and unwearied endeavours for
the establishing of sound doctrine, which I must not
omit to mention, because it is a work of so much
affinity with these Articles, and what the reader may,
with great advantage, have recourse to for further
satisfaction upon these general heads of divinity,
which he has here given us only in abridgment — it
i bis learned Imposition of the Thirty-nine Articles,
which is promised, in a short time, to be committed
'" ,nr press, and which is the more earnestly de-
lired and expected, as being a performance which
,ll(' church at this time so much wants, and which
he, beyond others, was in such an extraordinary
manner qualified for.
Such discourses as these— the one giving a true
!l1"" of the doctrine of our church, the other
45
endeavouring to establish it by an orthodox faith,
and an unspotted life — were never more seasonable
than in this age, when the very beiug of the church
is called in question, under a pretence of maintaining
her rights, and the principles of Christianity are no
longer secretly undermined, but openly attacked, —
when books are published against all revealed reli-
gion, and Deism insults and triumphs bare-faced,
without restraint, without reproach. In a word,
when we are arrived to that dissoluteness of manners
as well as principles, that persons of the highest
quality and station are addressed in print, as patrons
of Libertinism: and that which has, in all ages, been
called and esteemed the greatest wisdom, is scoffed
at by false wit ; and Christianity, under the notion
of enthusiasm, exposed to the contempt of the
meanest capacities, and hooted out of the world by
the very dregs of the people.
In so general an inundation of profaneness, and
licentiousness, Providence seemed indeed to have
raised up this great and good man to stand in the
gap, and stem the tide against it: but where the
torrent is so impetuous, and the forces that should
unite in striving to divert it so weak and pusillani-
mous, there is more danger the very opposers should
be borne down the stream, than there are hopes of
making good the opposition. But however the doc-
trine and discipline of our church may be represented,
exploded, and despised, and our holy religion become
only a name, which is almost every were spoken
against, this good Bishop will nevertheless have the
honour, as he already enjoys the reward, not only of
bearing testimony against the growing evil, but of
46
having done all that he could (and who could do
more than he !) to restrian and subdue it.
It may, perhaps, be thought a bad omen to our
church to have lost so able a champion, when she
seems to stand so much in need of him. But
blessed be God, we have not altogether lost him ;
he has left behind him, in these excellent papers,
(to say nothing of his sermons, and other incompara-
ble writings) such clear reasoning, and convincing
arguments, for the grounding of our principles, and
such useful rules and directions for the government
of our conversation, that we may yet hope for a happy
reformation in both, if we are not wanting to ourselves
in the use and application of them.
Would the clergy — the younger sort especially —
take this method, upon their first admission into
holy orders, (and it ought to be no hard matter to
persuade them to it, since it is the very end and
design of their ministry,) it could not fail, by the
blessing of God, of producing very admirable eilbcts.
Their principles, thus prudently settled, would stand
the shock even of a fiery trial; and their resolutions,
thus maturely formed, would undauntedly bear up
against the most powerful temptation.
This, if any thing, would raise the dignity of
the priesthood to its first institution — silence all the
loud clamours, as well as malicious whispers, that,
like echoes, arc redoubled and reverberated upon
them — and gain them such an interest and reputation
; the people, and such an honour and authority
the discharge of their function, that from rever-
encing the person, and commending the pattern,
they would insensibly proceed to the imitation of it,
amo
in
47
till, by degrees, the flock too, as well as the shepherd,
would become wise to salvation — would devoutly
" sanctify the Lord God in their hearts," and not
only so, but be " ready always to give an answer to
every one that should ask them a reason of the hope
that is in them."
And were both clergy and laity thus rightly
principled, and firmly resolved, the enemies of our
Zion would have both less encouragement to attack,
and less power to hurt us; our national church might
then despise all the wicked attempts and designs
that are daily made and formed against her, and
assume to herself that comfortable promise and
assurance, that our Saviour himself has given, that
even the gates of hell shall never prevail against
her.
.Ml that I have further to say, is only to apologize
for having said so much upon a subject that so little
needs it, and to close the whole with my hearty
prayers to the throne of grace, that this pious and
excellent book may meet with that desired effect and
success which the author aimed at in the composing
of it, and may be as useful to others as it was to
himself.
THOUGHTS ON RELIGION.
When, in my serious thoughts, and more retired
meditations, I am got into the closet of my heart,
and there hegin to look within myself, and consider
what I am, I presently find myself to be a reasonable
creature: for was I not so, it would be impossible
for me thus to reason and reflect. But, am I a
reasonable creature ? Why then, I am sure, within
this veil of flesh there dwells a soul, and that of a
higher nature, than either plants or brutes are en-
dued with ; for they have souls indeed, but yet
they know it not, and that because their souls, or
material forms, as the philosophers term them, are
not any thing really and essentially distinct from the
very matter of their bodies ; which being not capable
of a reflective act, though they are, they know it not
and though they act, they know it not; it being im-
possible for them to look within themselves, or to
reflect upon their own existence or actions. But it
is not so with me : I not only know I have a soul,
but that I have such a soul, which can consider of
itself, and deliberate of every particular action that
C 37
50
issues from it. Nay, I can consider, that I am now
considering of my own actions, and can reflect upon
myself reflecting ; insomuch, that had I nothing else
to do, I could spin out one reflection upon another,
to infinity.
And, indeed, was there never another argument
in the world to convince me of the spiritual nature
of my soul, this alone would be sufficient to wrest
the belief and confession of it from me : for what
below a spirit can thus reflect upon itself? or what
below a spirit can put forth itself into such actions,
as I find I can exercise myself in ? My soul can, in
a moment, mount from earth to heaven, fly from
pole to pole, and view all the courses and motions
of the celestial bodies, the sun, moon, and stars; and
then the next moment returning to myself again, I
can consider where I have been, what glorious ob-
jects have been presented to my view ; and wonder at
the nimbleness and activity of my soul, that can run
over so many millions of miles, and finish so great a
work in so small a space of time. And are such
like acts as these, the effects of drossy earth, or im-
penetrable matter? Can any thing below a spirit
raise itself so much beyond the reach of material
actions ?
15ut stay a little; what is this soul of mine that I
un now Bpeaking of, that it is so nimble in its ac-
tions, and so spiritual in its nature? Why, it is
that which actuates and informs the several organs
o
and members of my body, and enables me not only
to perform the natural actions of life and sense; but
likewise to understand, consult, argue, and conclude;
to will and nil], hope and despair, desire and ab-
51
hor, joy and grieve, love and hate; to be angry now,
and again appeased. It is that by which at this
very time, my head is inditing, my hand is writing,
and my heart resolving, what to believe, and how to
practise. In a word, my soul is myself; and there-
fore when I speak of my soul, I speak of no other
person but myself.
Not as if I totally excluded this earthly sub-
stance of my body from being a part of myself: I
know it is. But I think it most proper and reason-
able to denominate myself from my better part : for
alas ! take away my soul, and my body falls, of course,
into its primitive corruption, and moulders into the
dust, from whence it was first taken. " All flesh is
grass," saith the prophet, " and all the goodliness
thereof is as the flower of the field." And this is
no metaphorical expression, but a real truth ; for
what is that which I feed upon, but merely grass
digested into corn, flesh, and the like; which by a
second digestion, is transfused and converted into
the substance of my body ? And thence it is, that
my body is but like the grass, of flower or the field,
fading, transient, and momentary, to-day flourishing
in all its glory, to-morrow cut down, dried up, and
withered. But now, how far is this beneath the spi-
ritual and incorruptible nature of my immortal soul,
which subsists of itself, and can never be dissolved,
being not compounded of an earthly or elementary
matter, as the body is, but is a pure spiritual sub-
stance infused into me by God, to whom, after a
short abode in the body, it is to return, and to live
and continue for ever, either in a state of happiness
or misery, in another life.
c 2
52
But must it so indeed? How much then does
it concern me, seriously to bethink myself, where I
had best to lead this everlasting life, in the heavenly
mansions of eternal glory, or else in the dreadful
dungeon of infernal misery? But betwixt these, (as
there is no medium, so) there is no comparison ; and
therefore, I shall not put it to the question, which
place to choose to live in ; but, without giving the other
that honour to stand in competition with it, I this
morning, with the leave of the most high God, do
choose the land of Canaan, the kingdom of heaven,
to be the lot of mine inheritance, the only seat of
bliss and glory for my soul to rest and dwell in, to
all eternity.
But heaven, they say, is a place hard to come at,
vea, the King of that glorious place hath told me,
that " strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, that
leads to eternal life, and that there be but few that
find it." Vea, and that " many shall seek to enter
in, and shall not be able." What therefore must I
do .J Why, I must cither resolve to make it my
whole business to get to heaven, or else I must never
hope or expect to come thither. Without any fur-
ther dispute, therefore, about it — I resolve, at this
time, in the presence of almighty God, that from
tins day forward, I will make it my whole business
here upon earth, to look after my happiness in hea-
rer and to walk circumspectly in those blessed paths,
that (iod hath appointed all to walk in, that ever
expect to come to him.
Now, though there be but one way, and that a
narrow one too, that leads to heaven; yet there are
two things requisite, to all those that walk in it; and
53
they are faith and obedience, to believe and to live
aright. So that it as much behoves me, to have my
faith rightly confirmed in the fundamentals of reli-
gion, as to have my obedience exactly conformed to
the laws of God. And these two duties are so in-
separably united, that the former cannot well be
supposed without the latter; for I cannot obey what
God hath commanded me, unless I first believe what
he hath taught me. And they are both equally
difficult, as they are necessary: indeed, of the two,
I think it is harder to lay the sure foundation of
faith, than to build the superstructure of obedience
upon it ; for it seems next to impossible, for one
that believes every truth, not to obey every com-
mand that is written in the word of God. But it
is not so easy a thing as it is commonly thought, to
believe the word of God, and to be firmly established
in the necessary points of religion; especially in
these wicked times wherein we live; in which there
are so many pernicious errors and damnable heresies
crept into the articles of some men's faith, as do
not only shock the foundation of the church of
Christ, but strike at the root of all religion. The
first thing, therefore, that by the grace of God, I
am resolved to do, in reference to my everlasting
state, is to see my faith, that it be both rightly
placed and firmly fixed ; that I may not be as a
" wave tossed to and fro with every wind of doc-
trine, by the cunning craftiness of those that lie in
wait to deceive ;" but that I may be thoroughly set-
tled in my faith and judgment concerning those
things, the knowledge of, and assent unto which, is
absolutely necessary to my future happiness. Let.
54
therefore, what times soever come upon me ; let what
temptations soever be thrown before me ; I am re-
solved, by the grace of God, steadfastly to believe as
followeth.
ARTICLE I.
/ believe there is One God, the Being of all things.
The other articles of my faith I think to be true,
because they are so; this is true, because I think it
so : for if there was no God, and so this article not
true, I could not be, and so not think it true. But
in that I think, I am sure I am ; and in that I am,
I am sure there is a God ; for if there was no God,
how came I to be ? How came I hither ? Who
gave me my being ? Myself? That could not be ;
for before I had a being, I was nothing ; and there-
fore, could do nothing, much less make myself a be-
ing. Did my parents give me my being ? Alas !
they knew not that I should be, before I was; and,
therefore, certainly, could not give me my being,
when I was not.
As to my soul, (which I call myself,) it is plain,
they could not give me that, because it is a being of
a spiritual nature, quite distinct from matter, (as
my own experience tells me,) and, therefore, could
not he the product of any natural or material agent:
for, that a bodily substance should give being to a
spiritual one, implies a contradiction. And if it
could neither make itself, nor take its rise from any
cart lily or secondary cause, I may certainly conclude,
from my own reason, as well as from divine revela-
55
tion, that it must be infused by God, though I am
not able to determine, either when or how it was
done.
As to my body ; indeed, I must own it was de-
rived from my parents, who were immediately con-
cerned in bringing the materials of it together : but,
then, who made up these coarse materials into the
form or figure of a body ? Was this the effect of
natural generation ? But how came my parents by
this generative power ? Did they derive it, by suc-
cession, from our first parents in paradise ? Be it
so. But whence came they ? Did they spring out
of the earth ? No: what then ? Were they made
by chance ? This could not be ; for as chance sel-
dom or never produces any one effect that is regular
and uniform, so it cannot be supposed, that a being
of such admirable beauty, symmetry, and proportion,
and such a nice contexture of parts as the body of
a man is, should ever be jumbled together by a for-
tuitous concourse of atoms, which nothing but the
chimeras of Epicurus could ever reduce into a regu-
lar form and composition.
And the like may be said of all other created be-
ings in the world. For there is no natural cause
can give being to any thing, unless it has that be-
ing it gives in itself; for it is a received maxim in
philosophy, that nothing can give what it has not.
And so, however the bodies of men, or brutes, or
plants, may now, in the ordinary course of nature,
be produced by generation, yet there must needs be
some one supreme almighty Being in the world,
that has the being of all other beings in itself; who
first created these several species ; and endued them
56
with this generative power to propagate their kind.
And this supreme Being is that which we call God.
Hence it is, that there is not a leaf — no, not a
line, in this great book of the creation, wherein we
may not clearly read the existence and perfections of
the great and glorious Creator, and that even by the
glimmering light of nature. For who is it that be-
decked yonder stately canopy of heaven with those
glittering spangles, the stars? Who is it that com-
mands the sun to run his course and the moon to
ride her circuit so constantly about the world ? Who
is it that formed me so curiously in my mother's
womb? Who is it that gives my stomach power to
digest such variety of meats into chyle, and my
heart or liver to turn them all to blood ; and thence
to send each particle to its proper place, and all to
keep up this crazy carcase? Doubtless these, and
such like things, however ordinary or natural they
may appear to us at present, are in themselves very
great and wonderful effects, that must, at first, be
produced by some infinitely powerful and superna-
tural agent, the high and mighty God, who is not
only the chiefest of beings, but the Being of all be-
ings whatsoever.
I say the Being of all beings, because whatsoever
excellency or perfection is in any other thing, is emi-
nently, yea, infinitely comprehended in him; so that
be is not only the creature's perfection in the con-
crete, but in the abstract too; he is not only all-wise,
ill-good, all-mighty, &c, but he is all-wisdom, all-
goodness, all-might, all-mercy, all-justice, all-glory,
&c. And as he is the ocean and abyss of all these
perfection* in bimself; so is he the fountain of them
57
all to ns. Insomuch that we have nothing, not so
much as the least moment of life, but what is com-
municated to us from this ever-living God. And
not only what we, poor sinful worms are, or have,
but even whatsoever those nobler creatures the an-
gels have, it is but a beam darted from the sun, it is
but a stream flowing from this overflowing fountain.
Lift up thine eyes, therefore, O my soul, and fix
them a little upon this glorious object ! How glo-
rious, how transcendcntly glorious, must he needs
be, who is the Being of all beings, the perfection of
all perfections, the very glory of all glories, the
eternal God ! He is the glory of love and goodness,
who is good, and doth good continually unto me,
though I be evil, and do evil continually against
him. He is the glory of wisdom and knowledge,
unto whom all the secret thoughts, the inward mo-
lions and retirements of my soul, are exactly known
and manifest. Never did a thought lurk so secretly
in my heart, but that his all-seeing eye could espy
it out: even at this time he knows what I am now
thinking of, and what I am doing, as well as mvself.
And indeed, well may he know what I think, and
speak, and do, when I can neither think nor speak,
nor do any thing, unless himself be pleased to give
me strength to do it. He is the <j;lory of might and
power, who did but speak the word, and there pre-
sently went out that commanding power from him,
by which this stately fabric of the world was
formed and fashioned. And as he created all things
by the word of his power, so I believe he preserves
and governs all things by the power of the same
word: yea, so great is his power and sovereignty,
c3
58
that he can as easily throw my soul from my body
into hell, or nothing, as I can throw this book out
of my hand to the ground ; nay, he need not throw
me into nothing ; but, as if I should let go my hold,
the book would presently fall ; so, should God but
take away his supporting hand from under me, I
should, of myself, immediately fall down to nothing.
This, therefore, is that God, whom I believe to be the
Being of all beings ; and so the Creator, preserver,
governor, and disposer, of all things in the world.
ARTICLE II.
/ believe, that whatsoever the most high God would
have me to believe or do, in order to his glory,
and my happiness, he hath revealed to me in his
holy Scrijrtures.
Upon the same account that I believe there is a
God, I believe likewise, that this God is to be wor-
shipped ; the same light that discovers the one, dis-
covering the other too. And therefore it is, that
as there is no nation or people in the world, but
acknowledge some deity ; so there is none but wor-
ship that deity which they acknowledge ; yea, though
it he but a stick or a stone, yet if they fancy any
thing of divinity in it, they presently perform wor-
Bhip and homage to it. Nay, that God is to be
worshipped, is a truth more generally acknowledged,
than that there is a God. No nation, I confess,
- v, i denied the latter, but no particular person ever
denied the former: so that the very persons, who,
through diabolical delusions, and their own prevalent
59
corruptions, have suspected the existence of a deity,
could not but acknowledge that he was to be wor-
shipped, if he did exist; worship being that which is
contained in the very notion of a Deity ; which is,
that he is the Being of all beings, upon whom all
other things or beings do depend, and unto whom
they are beholden both for their essence and sub-
sistence. And if there be such a Being, that is the
spring and fountain of all other beings, it is neces-
sary that all others should reverence and worship
him, without whom they could not subsist. And
therefore it is, that men are generally more super-
stitious in their worshipping than they ought to be,
rather than deny that worship to him which they
oiifrht to give.
That, therefore, there is a God, and that this
God is to be worshipped, I do not doubt, but the
great question is, who is this God whom I ought to
worship ? And, what is that worship which I ought
to perform unto him ? The former I have resolved
upon in the foregoing article, as the light of reason
and my natural conscience suggested to me ; the
latter I am resolved to search out in this, namely,
Which of all the several kinds of worship that men
perform to the Deity, and the several religions that
men profess in the world, I had best make choice of
to profess and adhere to. The general inclinations
which arc naturally implanted in my soul to some
religion, it is impossible for me to shift off"; but
there being such a multiplicity of religions in the
world, I desire now seriously to consider with my-
self, which of them all to restrain these my general
inclinations to.
60
And the reason of this my inquiry is not, that I
am in the least dissatisfied with that religion I have
already embraced, but because it is natural for all
men to have an overbearing opinion and esteem for
that particular religion they are born and bred up in.
That, therefore, I may not seem biassed by the pre-
judice of education, I am resolved to prove and ex-
amine them all, that I may see and hold fast to that
which is best. For though I do not, in the least,
question, but that I shall, upon inquiry, find the
Christian religion to be the only true religion in the
world, yet I cannot say it is, unless I find it, upon
good grounds, to be so indeed ; for, to profess my-
self a Christian, and believe that Christians are only
in the right, because my forefathers were so, is no
more than the heathens and Mahometans have to
say for themselves.
Indeed, there was never any religion so barbarous
and diabolical, but it was preferred before all other
religions whatsoever, by them that did profess it ;
otherwise they would not have professed it. The
Indians that worship the devil, would think it as
strange doctrine to say that Christ was to be feared
more than the devil; as such as believe in Christ
think it is, to say the devil is to be preferred before
Christ. So do the Mahometans call all that believe
not in Mahomet, as well as Christians call those
that believe not in Christ, infidels. And why, say
they, may not you be mistaken, as well as we ?
Especially, when there is at least, six to one against
your Christian religion ; all of which think they
serve God aright, and expect happiness thereby as
well as you. So that to be a Christian, only upon
61
the grounds of birth or education, is all one, as if I
was a Turk or a heathen ; for if I had been born
amongst them, I should have had the same reason
for their religion, as now I have for my own ; the
premises are the same, though the conclusion be
ever so different. It is still upon the same grounds
that I profess religion, though it be another religion
which I profess upon these grounds ; so that I can
see but very little difference betwixt being a Turk
by profession, and a Christian only by education ;
which commonly is the means and occasion, but
ought by no means to be the ground of any religion.
And hence it is, that in my looking out for the
truest religion, being conscious to myself how great
an ascendant Christianity hath over me, beyond the
rest, as beinsr that religion whereinto I was born
and baptized, that which the supreme authority has
enjoined, and my parents educated me in, that which
every one I meet withal highly approves of, that
which I myself have, by a long-continued profession,
made almost natural to me ; I am resolved to be
more jealous and suspicious of this religion than of
the rest, and be sure not to entertain it any longer
without being convinced, by solid and substantial
arguments, of the truth and certainty of it.
That, therefore I may make diligent and impar-
tial inquiry into all religions, and so be sure to find
out the best, I shall for a time, look upon myself as
one not at all interested in any particular religion
whatsoever, much less in the Christian religion ; but
only as one who desires, in general, to serve and
obey him that made me, in a right manner, and
thereby to be made partaker of that happiness my
62
nature is capable of. In order to this, it will be
necessary to propose to myself some certain marks or
characters, whereby I may be able to judge and make
choice of the religion I intend to embrace : and they
are, in general, these two, namely,
First, That is the best religion, wherein God is
worshipped and served most like himself, that is,
most suitably and conformably to his nature and
will. And,
Secondly, Since all men naturally desire, and
aspire after happiness, and our greatest happiness
consists in the fruition of God, that is certainly the
best religion, which gives me the best and most
comfortable assurances of being happy with God to
all eternity.
To embrace a religion without these marks, would
be worse than to have no religion at all ; for better
it is to perform no worship to God, than such as is
displeasing to him ; to do him no service, than such
as will be ineffectual to make me happy, and not only
frustrate my expectations of bliss, but make me for
ever miserable.
The religion, then, that I am to look after, must
be such a one, wherein I may be sure to please God,
and to be made happy with him; and, by conse-
quence, .such a one, wherein all the cause of his dis-
pleasure and my misery may be removed ; and that
is sin. For sin being infinitely opposite to him, as
he is a Being of infinite purity and holiness, must
certainly set me at the greatest distance from him,
and render me most odious in his sight ; and whoso-
ever docs so, must make me as miserable as misery
can make me. For as our holiness consisteth in
63
likeness, so doth our happiness in nearness to God :
and if it be our happiness to be near unto him, it
must certainly be our misery to be at a distance from
him. In enjoying him we enjoy all things, he be-
ing and having all things in himself; and so in not
enjoying him, we are not only deprived of all that we
can enjoy, but made liable to the punishments that
are the consequence of it.
That there is no such thing in nature, as virtue
and vice, as good and evil, as grace and sin, is what
I can by no means persuade myself to, for my con-
science tells me, that there is : and not only mine,
but every one that ever yet lived upon the face of
the earth; all people of whatever nation or lan-
guage, still acknowledge sin to be sin, and that
the displeasing the deity, which they worship, is
indeed an evil that ought to be carefully avoided.
And, therefore, the very heathens did not only up-
braid others with it, but likewise often checked
themselves for it ; and all men naturally desire to
seem, though not to be, holy. But let others say
what they will, I, for my own part, cannot but see
sin in myself, by the very light of nature. For,
my reason tells me, that if God be God, he must
be just and perfect ; and if I be not so too, I am not
like him ; and, therefore, must needs displease him ;
it being impossible any thing should please him but
what is like unto him. And this deformity to the
will and nature of God is that which we call sin, or
which the word sin, in its proper notion, brings into
my mind.
And being thus conscious to myself, that 1 have
sinned against my Maker, I may reasonably con-
64
dude, that as he is omniscient, and, by consequence,
a witness of these my offences, so must he likewise
be just in the punishment of them ; for it cannot
stand with his justice, to put up with such offences,
without laying suitable punishments upon the of-
fender. And these punishments must be infinite and
eternal ; for wherein doth the nature of divine justice
consist, but in giving to sin its just punishments, as
well as to virtue its due rewards ? Now that the
punishment of sin in this world, is not so much as it
deserves, nor, by consequence, as much, as in justice,
ought to be laid upon it, to me it is clear, in that
every sin being committed against an infinite God,
deserves infinite punishment; whereas all the pun-
ishments we suffer in this world cannot be any more
than finite, the world itself being no more than finite,
that we suffer them in.
Upon these grounds, therefore, it is, that I am
fully satisfied in my conscience, that I am a sinner ;
that it cannot stand with the justice, nor the exist-
ence of God that made me, to pardon my sins, with-
out satisfaction made to his divine justice for them ;
and yet, that unless they be pardoned, it is impos-
sible for me to be happy here, or hereafter. And
therefore must I look after some religion, wherein I
may be sure my sins may be thus pardoned, and my
soul made happy, wherein I may please God, and God
nay bless me. Which, that I may be the better
able to discover, I shall take a brief survey of all the
religions I ever heard of, or believe to be in the world.
Now, though there be as many kinds of religions
as nations; yen, almost as particular persons in the
world; yet may they all be reduced to these four;
65
the Pagan, Mahometan, Jewish, and Christian reli-
gions.
As to the first, it is indeed of a very large extent,
and comprehends under it all such as neither ac-
knowledge Mahomet to be a prophet, nor expect a
promised Messiah, nor believe in a crucified Jesus :
and, since it is the majority of numbers that usually
carries the vogue, let me sec whether the pagan re-
ligion, being farther extended, and more generally
professed than any, or indeed all the rest, be not the
true religion, wherein God is most rightly wor-
shipped, and I may be the most certainly saved.
And here, when I take a view of this religion, as it
is dispersed through several parts of Asia, Africa,
and America, I find them very devout in worshipping
their deities, such as they are, and they have great
numbers of them : some worship the sun, others the
moon and stars, others the earth, and other elements,
serpents, trees, and the like. And others again
pay homage and adoration to images and statues, in
the fashion of men and women, hogs, horses, and
other shapes; and some to the devil himself, as in
Pegu, &C.
But now, to go no farther, this seems to me, at
fust sight to be a very strange and absurd sort of
religion ; or rather, it is quite the reverse of it. For
the true notion we have of religion, is the worship-
ping the true God, in a true manner; and this is
the worshipping false gods in a fa'se manner. For,
I cannot entertain any other notion of God, than as
one supreme almighty Being, who made and governs
nil things, and who, as he is a Spirit, ought to be
worshipped in a spiritual manner. And, therefore,
66
as the very supposing more deities than one implies
a contradiction ; so the paying divine homage in a
gross, carnal manner, to material and corporeal be-
ings, which are either the work of men's hands, or
at best, but creatures like ourselves, which can
neither hear nor understand what we say to them,
much less give us what we desire of them, is not
religion, but idolatry and superstition, or rather
madness and delusion. So that this religion, I see,
if I should embrace it, would be so far from making
me happy, that the more zealous I should be for it,
the more miserable I should be by it. For he that
made these things cannot but be very angry at me,
if I should give that worship to them, which is only
due to himself; and so the way whereby I expect
my sins should be pardoned, they would be more
increased; it being a sin against the very light of
nature, to prefer any thing before God, or to wor-
ship any thing in his stead; therefore, leaving these
to their superstitious idolatries, and diabolical delu-
sions, I must go and seek for the true religion some-
where else.
The next religion that hath the most suffrages
and votes on its side, is the Mahometan religion, so
called from one Mahomet an Arabian, who, about a
thousand years ago, by the assistance of one Sergius
a Xestorian monk, compiled a book in the Arabian
tongue, which he called Alcoran, which he made the
rule of his followers' faith and manners, pretending
that it was sent from heaven to him, by the hand of
the angel Gabriel.
This book I have perused, and must confess, find
many tilings in it agreeable to right reason : as that
07
there is but one God, gracious and merciful, the
Lord of the whole universe; that this God we are
to resign ourselves wholly to ; that all that obey him
shall be certainly rewarded, and all that disobey him,
as certainly punished ; and the like. But yet, I
dare not venture my soul upon it, nor become one
of the professors of it ; because, as there are many
things consonant, so there are many things dissonant
to the natural light that is implanted in me; as, that
God should swear by figs and olives, by mount Sinai,
as this book makes him to do, in the chapter of the
figs : that Solomon should have an army composed
of men, and devils, and birds ; and that he should
discourse with a bird, which acquainted him with the
affairs of the queen of Sheba, and the like.
As to the argument whereby he would persuade
us, that this book was sent from God, namely, that
there are no contradictions in it, I take to be very
false and frivolous. For besides that there are
many books compiled by men, which have no con-
tradictions in them, it is certain, there are a great
many plain contradictions in this book, which over-
throw his suppositions. Thus, in the chapter of
the table, he saith, that " all that believe in God,
and the resurrection of the dead, and have done
good works, shall be saved ;" but, in the chapter of
gratification, he saith, " all that do not believe in
the Alcoran shall be destroyed :" and so in the
chapter of Hod. In like manner, he tells us again,
in the chapter of the table, that the books of the
Old and New Testaments were sent from God, and
at the same time, supposes that the Alcoran was
sent from him too; which to me, seems impossible.
68
For, my reason tells me that God, who is truth and
wisdom itself, cannot be guilty of falsehood and con-
tradiction. And if these books contradict one
another, as it is evident they do in many instances,
it is plain, God could not be the author of both ;
and by consequence, if the Scripture be true, the
Alcoran must of necessity be false. To instance
but in one particular, the Alcoran says, in the chap-
ter of women, " God hath no son :" in the scripture,
Matt. iii. 17, God said of Jesus, " This is my be-
loved Son, in whom I am well pleased ; and Heb. iv.
14. it expressly calls that Jesus, " the Son of God ;"
and so in many other things. Now it is impossible,
that both these should be true, or, by consequence,
that that should be true which says both are so.
But if this were granted, there is still another
objection against this religion ; and that is, that the
rewards therein promised will not avail to make me
bappy, though I should be partaker of them. For
all the promises made to us in this paradise, are but
mere sensible pleasures; or that we shall have all
manner of herbs, and fruits, and drinks, and women
with exceeding great and black eyes, as in the chapter
of the merciful and judgment, and elsewhere; and
such pleasures as these, though they may, indeed,
affect my body, yet they cannot be the happiness of
my soul. Indeed, I know not how this book should
promise any higher happiness than that of the body,
because it shows no means of attaining to it ; it shows
no May, how my sins may be pardoned, and so my
soul made happy. It saith, I confess, that God is
gracious and merciful, and therefore will pardon sin ;
M he is also just and righteous, and therefore must
09
punish it. And how these two can stand together,
is not manifested in the Alcoran; and therefore I
dare not trust my soul with it.
Thus, upon diligent search, have I found the
two religions, that are most generally professed, to
have little or nothing of religion in them. I shall
therefore, in the next place, take a view of that reli-
gion which hath the fewest followers, and that is
the Jewish. A religion, not established by any
human laws, nor, indeed, generally professed in any
nation, but only by a company of despicable people,
scattered up and down the world, which as the
prophet expresses it, " are become a proverb of
reproach, and a by-word among all nations whither
they are driven." The principles of this religion
are contained in a book written in the Hebrew
tongue, which they call the Torah, or law composed
of several precepts, promises, and threatening ;
together with histories of things past, and prophecies
of things to come : this book, they say, was written
by men inspired by God himself; and therefore they
avouch it not to be of human invention, but merely
of divine institution.
This book also I have diligently read and ex-
amined into, and must ingenuously confess, that at
the very first glance, mcthought I read divinity in
it, and could not but conclude, from the majesty of
its style, the purity of its precepts, the harmony of
its parts, the certainty of its promises, and the ex-
cellency of its rewards, that it could be derived from
no other author but God himself. It is here only
that I find my Maker worshipped under the proper
notion of a deity, as he is Jehovah, and that is the
right manner, for we are here commanded " to love
and serve him with all our hearts, with all our souls,
our might and mind," which is indeed, the perfection
of all true worship whatsoever. And as God is here
worshipped aright, so is the happiness which is here
entailed upon this true worship, the highest that it
is possible a creature should be made capable of,
being nothing less than the enjoyment of him we
worship, so as to have him to be a God to us, and
ourselves to be a people to him.
But that which I look upon, still, as the surest
character of the true religion, is its holding forth
the way, how, I being a sinner, can be invested with
this happiness, or how God can show his justice, in
punishing sin itself, and yet be so merciful, as to
pardon and remit it to me, and so receive me to his
favour; which the religions I viewed before did not
so much as pretend to, nor offer at all at. And this
is what this book of the law does likewise discover
to me, by showing that God almighty would not
visit our sins upon ourselves but upon another per-
son ; that he would appoint and ordain one to be our
sponsor or mediator; who, by his infinite merit,
should bear and atone for our iniquities, and to
show his love and mercy, in justifying and acquitting
us from our sins, at the same time that he manifests
his justice, in inflicting the punishment of them upon
this person in our stead. A method so deep and
mysterious, that if God himself had not revealed it,
I am confident no mortal man could ever have dis-
covered or thought of it.
Neither arc there any doubts and scruples con-
cerning this great mystery, but what this book does
71
clearly answer and resolve ; as will appear more
plainly from a distinct consideration of the several
objections that are urged against it.
As, 1. That it does not seem agreeable either to
reason or Scripture, that one man should bear the
sins of another ; because every man has enough to do
to bear his own burden; and since sin is committed
against an infinite God, and therefore deserves in-
finite punishment, how can any finite creature bear
this infinite punishment ? especially, it being due to
so many thousands of people as there are in the
world !
But this book sufficiently unties this knot for me,
by showing me, that it is not a mere man, but God
himself, that would bear these my sins; even he
whose name is, Jehovah Tsidkenu, " The Lord
our righteousness," where the essential name of the
most high God, which cannot possibly be given to
any, but to him, who is the Being of all beings, is
here given to him, who should thus bear my sins,
and justify my person ; whence David also callcth
him Lord. Isaiah calleth him, " the mighty God."
Yea, and the Lord of hosts himself, with his own
mouth, calls him " his fellow."
Object. 2. But my reason tells me, God is a pure
act, and, therefore, how can he suffer any punish-
ments? or, suppose he could, how can one nature
satisfy for the offences of another? It was man
that stood guilty; and how can it stand with the
justice of God, not to punish man for the sins he is
guilty of?
To resolve this doubt, this holy book assures me,
that this God should become man, expressly telling
no
me that as his name is " Wonderful, Counsellor,
the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince
of Peace," so he should be born a child, and given
as a son. And, therefore, at the same time that
the Lord of hosts calls him his fellow, he calls him
a man too, " Against the man that is my fellow,
saith the Lord of hosts."
Object 3. But if he be born as other men are,
he must needs be a sinner, as other men be ; for
such as are born by natural generation, must neces-
sarily be born also in natural corruption.
To remove this obstacle, this holy book tells me,
that " a virgin shall conceive and bear this Son, and
his name shall be Emmanuel." And so being be-
gotten, but not by a sinful man, himself shall be a
man, but not a sinful man : and so being God and
man, he is every way fit to mediate betwixt God and
man ; to reconcile God to me, and me to God, that
my sins may be pardoned, God's wrath appeased,
and so my soul made happy in the enjoyment of him.
But there is one thing more yet, that keeps me
from settling upon this religion ; and that is, the ex-
piration of the time in which this book promiseth
this person should come into the world; for it is
expressly said, that " seventy weeks are determined
upon thy people, and upon the city, to finish the
transgressions, and to make an end of sins, and to
make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in
everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision,
and the prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy."
From which anointing he is, in the next verse, called
Messiah, the Anointed, (under which name he is,
from hence, expected by the Jews,) and the begin-
73
ning of these seventy weeks is expressly said to be
" at the going forth of the commandment to build
and restore Jerusalem." Now if we understand
these seventy weeks in the largest sense for seventy
weeks, or sabbaths of years, as it is expressed, Lev.
xxv. 8. the time of the Messiah's coming must have
been but 490 years after the commandment for the
building of the city ; whereas whether we understand
it of the decree and command that Cyrus made,
2 Chron. xxxvi. 22, 23. Ezra i. 1, 2, 3. or that
which Darius made, Ezra vi. or that Artaxerxes
made, chap. vii. I say, whichsoever of these decrees
we understand this prophecy of, it is evident that it
is above 2000 years since they were all made ; and
therefore, the time of this person's coming hath been
expired above 1600 years at least.
So likewise doth this book of the law, as they
call it, assure us, that " the sceptre shall not depart
from Judah, nor a Lawgiver from between his feet,
until Shiloh come," where the Jews themselves,
Jonathan and Onkelos, expound the word Shiloh by
Messiah ; and so doth the Jerusalem Targum too.
Now it is plain that there hath been neither sceptre
nor lawgiver in Judah, nor any political government
at all among the Jews, for above 1600 years; which
plainly shows either their prophecies and expectations
of a Messiah are false, or that he came into the
world so many ages since, as were here prefixed.
So likewise it was expressly foretold in this book,
that " the glory of the second temple should be
greater than the glory of the former." Now the
Jews themselves acknowledge, that there were five of
the principal things which were in the first, wanting
D 37
74
in the second temple, namely, 1. The ark with
the mercy-seat and cherubim. 2. The Shechinah,
or divine presence. 3. The holy prophetical Spirit.
4. The Urim and Thummim. 5. The heavenly
fire. And from the want of these five things, they
say, the words " I will be glorified," Hag. i. 8.
wants an he at the end, which in numeration denotes
five. Yea, and when the very foundation of the
second temple was laid, the old men that had seen
the first, wept to see how far short it was likely to
come of the former, Ezra iii. 12. To make up
therefore the glory of the second temple, to be
greater than the glory of the first, notwithstanding
the want of so many glorious things, they must, of
necessity, understand it of the coming of the Mes-
siah into it, who, ver. 8. is called " The Desire of
all nations." Whereas the Jews themselves cannot
but confess that this temple hath been demolished
above 1 600 years ; and therefore, it is impossible for
the Messiah to come into it, and for its glory to be
greater than the glory of the first temple ; and, by
consequence, for the word which they profess to be-
lieve in to be true.
Indeed, the time of the Messiah's coming was so
expressly set down in these and the like places, that
Elias, one of their great rabbies, gathered from hence
that the world should last 6000 years, 2000 without
the law, 2000 under the law, and 2000 under the
Messiah, Sanh. c. II. which computation of the
Messiah's coming after 4000 years, from the begin-
ning of the world, comes near the time of the sceptre's
departing from Judah, and the end of Daniel's
. eventy weeks. Which shows, that this rabbi was
?.5
fully convinced, that it was about that time that the
Messiah should come. And therefore it was, like-
wise, that above 1G00 years ago, the Jews did so
generally expect his coming ; and that so many did
pretend to be the person, as Baz-Cozbah, who about
that time, vaunting himself to be the man, almost
the whole nation unanimously concurred in following
him, insomuch, that, as the Jews report, there were
no less than 400,000, or as others, 500,000 men
slain by Adrian the emperor, in the city Bitter, all
fighting in defence of this pretended Messiah.
There were likewise many others that fancied them-
selves to be the man, and were esteemed by some,
till manifestly convinced of their error, as we may
read in some of their books. And unto this day
many of them hold that he is already come, but
that, by reason of their sins, he is not yet revealed
unto them.
Hence it is, that my natural reason draws me
into this dilemma, that either that book which the
Jews receive as the word of God is indeed not so ;
or else that they do not rightly apply it : and so,
that either their religion is a false religion, or else
their profession of it a false profession : and there-
fore, I must go hence and seek me some other reli-
gion to fix my soul upon. Not as if my reason
told me, that all the prophecies which I have men-
tioned here, were false in themselves, but only that
they appear so to this sort of professors ; for, for my
own part, I cannot shake off my faith in this law.
which they profess to believe in ; especially now I
have so seriously perused it, and so deliberately
weighed and considered of it. Neither can I believe
d 2
76
that ever any Mahometan or Indian, that did, with
out prejudice, set himself to read it through, and t<
examine every particular, by the light of unbiasse<
reason, could say, it was ever hatched in a humai
brain ; but that it is indeed of a heavenly stamp am
divine authority. And, therefore, though I an
forced by the strength of reason to shake hands wit]
this religion, yet the same reason will not suffer m
to lay aside that law, which they do profess, bu
only their profession of it. So that whatsoever re
ligion I settle upon, my natural conscience still com
mands me to stick close to this book of the Jewis
law, and to receive and entertain it as the word c
the glorious Jehovah, the Being of all beings.
Well, there is but one religion more generall
professed in the world, that I am to search into
which, if, upon good grounds, I cannot fix upon,
shall be the most miserable of all creatures; an
that is the Christian religion, so named from Jesi
Christ, whose doctrine, life, and death, is recorde
by four several persons, in a book which they ca
the Gospel. And this book appears to mej to b
of undoubted authority, as to the truth and certaint
of those things that are therein recorded. For,
they had been false, both the persons that wrol
them, and He of whom they wrote, had so mar
malicious enemies, ready, upon all occasions, to a<
cuse them, that they had long ago been condemns
for lies and forgeries. But now, these writings ha>
been extant for above 1600 years, and never so muc
as suspected ; but even, by the worst of enemies, a
knowledged to be a true relation of what passed i
the world about that time : my reason will not perm
77
me to be their first accuser, but enjoins me to receive
them, under that notion, in which they have been
brought down to me through so many generations,
without any interruption whatsoever. For this
general reception on all hands, is a sufficient ground
for me to build my faith upon, as to the truth of the
relation, though not a sufficient ground to believe
every thing contained in the book to be the word
of God himself; for, in this particular, it is not the
testimony of others that I am to build upon, but its
own ; I may read its verity in man's testimony, but
its divinity only in its own doctrines.
This book, therefore, I have also diligently
perused, and find it expressly asserts, that Jesus
Christ, whose life and death it records, was indeed
that person, who was long promised by God, and
expected by the Jews ; and, that all the prophecies
under the old law, concerning that Messiah, God-
man, were actually fulfilled in this person : which if,
upon diligent search, I can find to be true, I shall
presently subscribe, both with hand and heart, to
this religion. It is a comfort to me that it acknow-
ledgeth the Jewish law to be sent from God ; for,
truly, if it did not, my conscience would scarcely
permit me to give any credit to it, being so fully
convinced that that book is indeed of a hio-hcr ex-
o
tract than human invention, and of greater authority
than human institution. And therefore it is that I
cannot, I dare not believe, but that every particular
prophecy contained in it, either is, or shall be, cer-
tainly fulfilled, according to every circumstance of
time and place mentioned therein; and by conse-
quence, that this prophecy, in particular, concerning
78
the Messiah's coming, is already past; the time
wherein it was foretold he should come heing so
long ago expired. So that I do not now doubt
whether the Messiah be come or no, but whether
this Jesus Christ, whom this book of the gospel
speaks of, was indeed the person. And this I shall
best find out by comparing the Christian's gospel
with the Jewish law ; or the histories of Christ under
the one, with the prophecies of the Messiah under
the other ; still concluding, that if whatsoever was
foretold concerning the Messiah, was fulfilled in
this Jesus Christ, then he was indeed the Messiah
that was to come into the world. And, to make
this comparison the more exact, I shall run through
the several circumstances that attended his birth,
life, death, resurrection, and ascension, and show
how punctually the prophecies were fulfilled in every
particular.
And first, for the birth of the Messiah, the law
saith, he was to be born of the seed of Abraham,
Gen. xxii. 18. and David, 2 Sam. vii. 17. and of the
stem of Jesse, Isa. xi. 1. from whence he is fre-
quently called by the Jews, Bar-David, the son of
David. The gospel saith, Jesus Christ was the son
of David, the son of Abraham, Matt. i. 1. The
law, that he was to be born of a virgin, Isa. vii. 14.
The gospel, that Mary, a virgin, brought forth this
Jesus, Matt. i. 18. Luke i. 17, 31 — 35. chap. ii. 5,
6, 7. The law, that he was to be born at Beth-
lehem Ephratah, Mic. v. 2. The gospel, that this
Jesus was born there, Matt. ii. 1. Luke iv. 5. 6.
The law says, that he was to be brought out of
Egypt, Hos. xi. 1. The gospel, that Jesus was
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called thence. Matt. ii. 19, 20. The law saith,
that one should go before the Messiah, Mai. iii. 5.
and should cry in the wilderness, Isa. xl. 3. The
gospel, that John Baptist did so before Christ, Matt.
iii. 1, 2. Marki. 2, 3. The law, that the Messiah
should preach the doctrine of salvation in Galilee,
who sitting before in darkness should see great light,
Isa. ix. 1, 2. The gospel, that Jesus did so, Matt,
iv. 12 — 23. The law, that, in the Messiah's days,
the eyes of the blind should be opened, and the ears
of the deaf should be unstopped, and the lame leap,
and the tongue of the dumb sing, Isa. xxxv. 5, 6.
The gospel, that it was so in the days of Jesus
Christ, Matt. iv. 23. chap. xi. 5. But for all these
wonders and miracles, the law saith, they should
hear but not understand, and see, yet not perceive,
Isa. vi. 9. And the gospel, that seeing they did
not see, and hearing they did not hear, neither did
they understand, Matt. xiii. 13. Mark iv. 12. The
law, that he should be despised and rejected of men,
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, Isa.
liii. 3. The gospel, that Jesus Christ had no where
to lay his head, Matt. viii. 20. . His soul was ex-
ceeding sorrowful even unto death, Matt. xxvi. 38.
yea, he was in an agony, and his sweat was as drops
of blood, Luke xxii. 24<. so well was he acquainted
with grief. The law says, that he should ride into
Jerusalem upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of
an ass, Zech. ix. 9. And the gospel, that Jesus
Christ, as he was going to Jerusalem, having found
as ass, sat thereon, John xii. 14. Matt. xxi. 6. At
which time, the law saith, the people should cry,
Hosannah, blessed is he that cometh in the name of
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the Lord, Psal. cxviii. 26. The gospel, that the
multitude did so to Christ, Matt. xxi. 9. The law,
that one of his own familiar friends, in whom he
trusted, which did eat of his bread, should lift up
his heel against him, Psal. xli. 9. The gospel, that
Judas, who was one of Christ's disciple|s, and so ate
of his bread, did betray him into the hands of the
Jews, Matt. xxvi. 47. Luke xxii. 46. The law,
that he should be prized at, and sold for thirty pieces
of silver, with which should be bought the potter's
field, Zech. xi. 12, 13. The gospel, that they
covenanted with Judas to betray Jesus for thirty
pieces of silver, Matt. xxvi. 15. with which they
afterwards bought the potter's field, chap, xxvii. 7.
The law, that he should be numbered amongst
transgressors, Isa. liii. 12. The gospel, that Jesus
was crucified betwixt .two thieves, Mark xv. 27.
Matt, xxvii. 38. The law, that he should be
wounded and bruised, Isa. liii. 5. The gospel, that
they scourged Jesus, Matt, xxvii. 20. and smote
him, Mark xv. 19. The law saith, they should
pierce his hands and feet, Psal. xxii. 16. Zech. xii.
10. The gospel, that they crucified Jesus, Matt,
xxvii. 35. Luke xxiii. which was a death, wherein
they used to pierce the hands and feet of those that
were put to death, and nailed them to the cross.
IJut though they should pierce his flesh, yet the law
saith, that they should not break his bones, no not
one of them, Exod. xii. 46. Numb. xi. 12. Psal.
xxxiv. 20. The gospel, that they brake not the
legs of Christ, John xix. 33 — 36. The law, that
they who should see him, should laugh him to scorn,
shoot out their lips, and shake their heads, saying,
81
He trusted in the Lord that he would deliver him ;
let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him,
Psal. xxii. 8. The gospel, that the scribes and
elders did so to Christ, Matt, xxvii. 42, 43. The
law saith, they should give him gall for meat, and
vinegar to drink, Psal. lxix. 31. And the gospel,
that they gave Christ vinegar to drink mingled with
gall, Matt, xxvii. 34—48. The law, that they
should part his garments amongst them, and cast
lots upon his vesture, Psal. xxii. 19. The gospel,
that they parted Jesus' garments, casting lots, Matt.
xxvii. 34. John xix. 23. Mark xv. 24.
And as for the time of this Jesus' coming into
the world, it is certain, that this Jesus came before
the second temple was demolished ; for it is said, that
he went into it, Luke xix. 45 ; yea, himself taught
daily in it, ver. 47, by which means the glory of the
second temple was greater than the glory of the first,
according to the prophecy, Hag. ii. 9. And as for
Jacob's prophecy, that the sceptre should not depart
from Judah, nor the lawgiver, till Shiloh, or the
Messiah, came, Gen. xlix. 10. it is certain that it
did not depart from Judah, till Herod, by the senate
of Rome, was made king of Judea, in whose days
this Jesus was born, Matt. ii. 1. Luke i. 5. And
so did Daniel's seventy weeks, or 490 years, exactly
reach unto, and were determined in, the days ot this
Jesus, as might easily be demonstrated. So that
all the old prophecies, concerning the time of the
Messiah's coming, are perfectly fulfilled in this Jesus
of Nazareth.
But further, the law saith that though the Mes-
siah should be crucified, yet God will not leave his
d 3
82
soul in hell, nor suffer his Holy One to see corrup-
tion, Psal. xvi. 10. and that when God should make
his soul an offering for sin, he should see his seed,
and prolong his days, Isa. liii. 10. which plainly
implies, that though the Messiah should die, yet
he should rise again, and that within few days too,
otherwise he would have seen corruption. Now the
gospel saith, that this Jesus rose from the dead,
Matt, xxviii. 6. Luke xxiv. 6. and that he was seen
of several after his resurrection, as of Mary Mag-
dalene, Matt, xxviii. 9. of the eleven disciples, ver. 16,
17, 18. Mark xvi. 14. of the two that were going
to Emmaus, Luke xxiv. 13, 14, 15. of Peter, ver.
34. and of the disciples that were gathered together,
the door being shut, John xx. 19. And, to be
sure it was himself and not an apparition, Thomas,
one of the twelve, thrust his hands into his side and
found it flesh and blood indeed, as before, John xx.
27. And he ate before them, Luke xx. 43. which
it is impossible for a spirit to do ; yea, he was seen
of above five hundred at one time, 1 Cor. xv. 6.
and of Paul himself, ver. 8. Neither did he lie so
long as to see corruption, for he was buried but the
day before the sabbath, Mark xv. 42. and rose the
day after, chap. xv. 1.
Lastly, He was not only to rise again, but the
law saith, he was to ascend on high, to lead cap-
tivity captive, and to give gifts to men, Psal. Ixviii.
18. Now this cannot but be an undoubted char-
acter of the Messiah, not only to rise from the dead,
but to ascend up to heaven, and thence to dispense
his gifts among the children of men ; and that Jesus
did so, is likewise evident from the gospel ; for after
83
lie had spoken with them, he was received up into
heaven, and there sat at the right hand of God,
Mark xvi. 19. Luke xxiv. 51. And he gave such
gifts to men, as that his disciples, of a sudden, were
enabled to speak all manner of languages, Acts ii. S.
to work many signs and wonders, chap. v. 12. to heal
all manner of diseases, ver. 15, 16. yea, with a word
speaking, to cure a man lame from his mother's
womb, chap. iii. 6, 7.
Thus the gospel seems to me to be a perfect
transcript of the law, and the histories of Jesus
nothing else but the prophecies of Christ turned
into a history. And, when to this I join the con-
sideration of the piety of the life which this man
led, the purity of the doctrines which he taught, and
the miraculousness of the works he wrought, I can-
not but be further confirmed in the truth of what is
here related. For the miracles which he wrought,
as the healing of the sick with a word of his mouth,
raising the dead, feeding so many thousands with
five loaves, and the like, were so powerful, and con-
vincing, that his very enemies, that would not be-
lieve him to be the Messiah, could scarce deny him
to be a God, Joseph. Antiq. 1. xviii. c. 4. And it
is to this day, a tenet amongst some of them, that
the miracles which Jesus did, were not the delusions
and jugglcments of the devil, but real miracles,
wrought, as they say, by the virtue of the name of
God, Jehovah, which he had gotten out of the
temple. By which it is plain, they acknowledged
God to be the author of them, which I cannot see
how lie should be, unless they were agreeable to his
will, and for the glory of his name.
84
Neither was the doctrine of the gospel only esta-
blished at the first, but likewise propagated by mi-
racles afterwards, as it was necessary it should be ;
for if it had been propagated without miracles, itself
had been the greatest miracle of all. It was, no
doubt, a great miracle, that a doctrine so much con-
trary to flesh and blood, should be propagated by
any means whatsoever ; but a far greater, that it
should be propagated by a company of simple and
illiterate men, who had neither power to force, nor
eloquence to persuade men to the embracing of it.
For who would have thought that such persons as
these were, should ever make any of the Jews —
who expected a king for their Messiah to advanca
them to temporal dignities — believe that that Jesus,
whom themselves scourged and crucified at Jerusa-
lem, was the person ? Or, that they should be able
to propagate the gospel amongst the Gentiles also,
who neither believed in the true God, nor expected
any thing of a Messiah to come and redeem them ?
But this they did, and brought over not only many
persons, but whole nations and countries to the pro-
fession of the gospel ; propagating this most holy
doctrine among the most barbarous and sinful people
in the world, in spite of all the opposition that the
world, the flesh, and the devil, could make against
it. Now can any man, that exerciseth his reason,
think they did all this purely by their own strength ?
No sure, none of these wonderful effects could ever
have been produced by any thing less than the wis-
dom, and power, and faithfulness of their Lord and
master, whose service they were engaged in, and
who promised to be with them " to the end of the
85
world." Questionless, it was nothing else but the
Spirit of the most high God, that went along with
them, and accompanied the word they preached :
otherwise, it never could have made such deep im-
pression upon the hearts of them that heard it, as
not only to command their attention, but to hinder
them from resisting, when they strove and endea-
voured to do it, the power and authority by which
the disciples spake.
And now, methinks, I begin to perceive this Di-
vine Spirit is come upon me too, and seems, by its
powerful influence, to be working up my heart into
a thorough persuasion, that it is Christ, and Christ
alone, I am to cast my soul upon ; that it is he alone
that is the way to life, and his word alone, the word
of life, which, " whosoever believes, and is baptized
into, shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall
be damned." Away, then, with your Pagan idola-
tries, your Mahometan superstitions, and Jewish
ceremonies ; it is the Christian religion alone that I
am resolved to live and die in, because it is this alone
in which I am taught to worship God aright, to ob-
tain the pardon and remission of my sins, and to be
made eternally happy. And, since all its doctrines
and precepts are contained in the holy Scriptures,
it is necessary that I shall assent unto them, as a
standing revelation of God's will, and an eternal
treasure of divine knowledge ; whereby all that sin-
cerely believe in Christ, may be sufficiently in-
structed, as well as thoroughly furnished, unto every
good word and work.
Without any more ado, therefore, I believe, and
am verily persuaded, that all the books of the ancient
86
law, with all those that have been received into the
canon of the Scripture by the church of God, since
the coming of Christ, which we call the New Tes-
tament ; I say, that all these books, from the begin-
ning of Genesis to the end of the Revelations, are
indeed the word of the eternal God, dictated by his
own Spirit, unto such as himself was pleased to em-
ploy in the writing of them ; and that they contain
in them a perfect and complete rule of faith and
manners ; upon the due observance of which, I can-
not fail of worshipping and serving God in such a
manner as will be acceptable to him here, and of
enjoying hereafter " those exceeding great and pre-
cious promises" that he has reserved in heaven for
such as do so.
Unto these books, therefore of the law and gospel,
I am resolved by his grace that wrote them, to con-
form all the ensuing articles of my faith, and all the
actions and resolutions of my life. Insomuch, that
whatsoever I find it hath pleased his Sacred Majesty
herein to insert, I believe it is my duty to believe ;
and whatsoever he hath been pleased to command
me, I believe it is my duty to perform.
ARTICLE III.
/ believe that as there is one God, so this one God
is three Persons, — Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
This, I confess, is a mystery which I cannot
possibly conceive, yet it is a truth which I can easily
believe ; yea, therefore it is so true, that I can easily
believe it, because it is so high, that I cannot pos-
87
sibly conceive it ; for it is impossible any thing should
be true of the infinite Creator, which can be fully
expressed to the capacities of a finite creature ; and,
for this reason, I ever did, and ever shall, look upon
those apprehensions of God to be the truest, where-
by we apprehend him to be the most incomprehensi-
ble ; and that to be the most true of God, which
seems most impossible unto us.
Upon this ground, therefore, it is, that the mys-
teries of the gospel, which I am less able to conceive,
1 think myself the more obliged to believe; especially
this mystery of mysteries, the Trinity in Unity, and
Unity in Trinity, which I am so far from being able
to comprehend, or indeed to apprehend, that I can-
not set myself seriously to think of it, or to screw
up my thoughts a little concerning it, but I imme-
diately lose myself, as in a trance or ecstacy : that
God the Father should be one perfect God of him-
self, God the Son one perfect God of himself, and
God the Holy Ghost one perfect God of himself:
and yet that these three should be but one perfect
God of himself; so that one should be perfectly
three, and three perfectly one ; that the Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost should be three, and yet but one ;
but one and yet three ! O heart-amazing, thought-
devouring, inconceivable mystery ! Who cannot
believe it to be true of the glorious Deity ? Cer-
tainly, none but such as are able to apprehend it,
which I am sure I cannot, and believe no other
creature can. And, because no creature can possi-
bly conceive how it should be so, I therefore believe
it really to be so, namely, that the Being of all beings
is but one in essence, yet three in substance ; but
88
one nature, yet three persons ; and that those three
persons in that one nature, though absolutely dis-
tinct from one another, are yet but the same God.
And I believe these three persons, in this one na-
ture, are indeed to one another as they are expressed
to be to us, that the one is really a Father to the
other, that the other is really a Son to him, the
third the product of both : and yet that there is
neither first, second, nor third amongst them, either
in time or nature. So that he that begat was
not at all before him that was begotten, nor he that
proceeded from them both, any whit after either
of them. And therefore, that God is not termed
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as if the divine na-
ture of the one should beget the divine nature of
the second; or the divine nature of the first and se-
cond should issue forth the divine nature of the
third ; (for then there would be three divine natures,
and so three Gods, essentially distinct from one an-
other; by this means also, only the Father would be
truly God, because he only would be essentially of
and from himself, and the other two from him :) but
what I think myself obliged to believe, is, that it
was not the divine nature, but the divine person of
the Father, which did, from eternity, beget the di-
vine person of the Son; and from the divine persons
of the Father and of the Son, did, from eternity,
proceed the divine person of the Holy Ghost : and
so one not being before the other, in time or nature,
as they are from eternity, three perfectly distinct
persons, so they are but one co-essential God. But
dive not, O my soul, too deep into this bottomless
ocean, this abyss of mysteries ! It is the holy of
89
holies, presume not to enter into it ; but let this suf-
fice thee, that he, who knows best himself, hath
avouched it to himself, and therefore thou oughtest
to believe it, see Matt, xxviii. 19. " Go ye therefore
and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."
And again, 1 John v. 7. " There are three that
bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and
the Holy Ghost, and these three are one."
ARTICLE IV.
/ believe that I teas conceived in sin, and brought
forth in iniquity ; and that, ever since, I have
been continually conceiving mischief, and bringing
forth vanity.
This article of my faith, I must of necessity be-
lieve, whether I will or not ; for if I could not be-
lieve it to be true, I should therefore have the more
cause to believe it to be so ; because, unless my heart
was naturally very sinful and corrupt, it would be
impossible for me not to believe that which I have so
much cause continually to bewail ; or, if I do not
bewail it, I have still the more cause to believe it;
and, therefore, am so much the more persuaded ot
it, by how much the less I find myself affected with
it. For, certainly, I must be a hard-hearted wretch
indeed, steeped in sin, and fraught with corruption
to the highest, if I know myself so oft to have in-
censed the wrath of the most high God against me,
as I do, and yet not be sensible of my natural cor-
ruption, nor acknowledge myself to be, by nature.
90
a child of wrath, as well as others. For, I verily
believe that the want of such a due sense of myself,
argues as much original corruption, as murder and
whoredom do actual pollution. And I shall ever
suspect those to be most under the power of that
corruption, that labour most by arguments to divest
it of its power.
And, therefore, for my own part, I am resolved,
by the grace of God, never to go about to confute
that by wilful arguments, which I find so true by
woful experience. If there be not a bitter root in
my heart, whence proceeds so much bitter fruit in
my life and conversation ? Alas ! I can neither set
my hand nor heart about any thing, but I still show
myself to be the sinful offspring of sinful parents,
by being the sinful parent of a sinful offspring.
Nay, I do not only betray the inbred venom of my
heart, by poisoning my common actions, but even
my most religious performances also, with sin. I
cannot pray, but I sin ; nay, I cannot hear, or preach
a sermon, but I sin ; I cannot give an alms, or re-
ceive the sacrament, but I sin ; nay, I cannot so
much as confess my sins, but my very confessions
are still aggravations of them ; my repentance needs
to be repented of, my tears want washing, and the
very washing of my tears need still to be washed
over again with the blood of my Redeemer. Thus,
not only the worst of my sins, but even the best of
my duties, speak me a child of Adam ; insomuch,
that whensoever I reflect upon my past actions, me-
thinks I cannot but look upon my whole life, from
the time of my conception to this very moment, to
be but as one continued act of sin.
91
And whence can such a continued stream of cor-
ruption flow, but from the corrupt cistern of my
heart ? And whence can that corrupt cistern of
my heart be filled, but from the corrupt fountain of
my nature ? Cease, therefore, O my soul, to gain-
say the power of original sin within thee, and labour
now to subdue it under thee. But, why do I speak
of my subduing this sin myself? Surely this
would be both an argument for it, and an addition to
it. " It is to thee, O my God, who art both the
Searcher and Cleanser of hearts, that I desire to
make my moan ! It is to thee I cry out in the bit-
terness of my soul, ' O wretched man that I am !
who shall deliver me from the body of this death ?'
Who shall ? Oh ! who can do it but thyself ?
Arise thou, therefore, O my God, and show thyself
as infinitely merciful in the pardoning, as thou art
infinitely powerful in the purging away of my sins."
ARTICLE V.
/ believe the Son of God became the Son of man,
that 7, the son of man, might become the son of
God.
Oh ! how comfortably does this raise me from
the lowest abasement of sin and misery, which I have
before acknowledged to be my natural state, to the
highest exaltation of happiness and glory, in a spi-
ritual one ! This is that great article of faith, by
which all the benefits of our Saviour's death and
passion are made over to me in the new covenant,
and by which, if I perform the conditions therein
92
required, I shall not only be retrieved from the bon-
dage and corruption that are inherent in me, as a
child of wrath, but be justified and accepted as the
son of God, and be made a joint heir with Christ.
This is a point of the greatest moment and concern,
which, by the grace and assistance of him of whom
I speak, and in whom I thus believe, I shall there-
fore be the more exact and particular in the search-
er and examining into.
Now, when I say, and believe, that God became
man, I do not so understand it, as if the divine na-
ture took upon it a human person, but that a divine
person took upon him the human nature, that is, it
was not the divine nature, in general, without respect
to the persons, but one of the persons in the divine
nature, which took flesh upon him, and yet to speak
precisely, it was not the divine person abstracted or
distinct from the divine nature, but it was the divine
nature in that person which thus took upon it the
human. And this was not the first or third, but
the second person only in the sacred Trinity, that
thus assumed our nature; and, considering the mys-
terious order and economy of the divine persons, it
seems to be necessary that it should.
For, first, the Father could not have become this
Son of man, because then, he that had begotten
from eternity should have been begotten in time ;
by which means, as he was the Father to the Son,
so would the Son also have been the Father unto
him ; and so the order betwixt the Father and Son
destroyed.
Nor, secondly, could the Holy Ghost have taken
our nature upon him, because the bond of personal
93
union betwixt the divine and human nature is from
the Spirit, (and thence it is, that every one that is>
partaker of Christ's person, is partaker of his Spirit
also,) which could not be if the Spirit itself had been
the person assuming. For, I cannot conceive, how
the same person could unite itself, by itself, to the
assumed nature ; and therefore we read, that in the
virgin's conception of our Saviour, it was neither the
Father nor the Son himself, but the Spirit of the
Most High which did overshadow her.
And, further, if the Holy Ghost had been my
Redeemer, who should have been my Sanctifier ? If
he had died personally for me, who should have ap-
plied his death effectually to me ? That I could not
do it myself, is, beyond contradiction, evident ; and
that either the Father, or the Son, should do it, is
not agreeable to the nature or order of the divine
operations ; they, as I believe, never acting any thing
ad extra, personally, but by the Spirit proceeding
from them both. And therefore it is that Christ,
to comfort his disciples after his death, promised) them
in his lifetime, that he would send them the Com-
forter, " which is the Spirit of truth." He doth not
say he will come again personally, but mystically to
them, by his Spirit.
But now that the Spirit, whose office it is to apply
the merit and mediation of God-man to me, could
not have done it, if himself had been that God-man,
seems to me as clear and manifest as the other; for,
if he had done it, he should cither have done it by
the Father, by the Son, or by himself. He could
not do it by the Father, nor the Son, because he
does nothing bv them, but all things from them.
94.
The Father acts in the Son by the Spirit, the Son
from the Father by the Spirit ; the Spirit from the
Father and the Son. And therefore it likewise
follows, that as the Spirit could not unite itself
before, so neither can it apply itself here, to the
human nature : for, to assume the human nature into
the divine, and to apply the divine nature to the
human, are two distinct offices; and, therefore, to be
performed by two distinct persons. The first could
have been done only by one that was really man, as
well as God ; the other, only by one that was merely
God, and not man.
And that must needs be so : for, otherwise, God
should act upon man by man, by the person man, as
well as God; and, by consequence, all the dispensa-
tions of his grace towards us, would have been stopped
in the frailty of the human, though perfect nature.
So that it would have availed me nothing, if the
Spirit had taken my nature upon him; because,
though he had assumed the human, I could not
thence have participated in the divine nature ; nay,
therefore, I could not have participated of this, be-
cause he had assumed that by which alone I could
be brought into this capacity ; and so by this means
I should be farther off than I was before.
And lastly, as, if the Father had become man,
there would have been two Fathers; so if the Spirit
had become man, there would have been two Sons,
the second person begotten from eternity, and the
third person begotten in time. But now, by the
Son's taking our nature upon him, these and far
greater difficulties are avoided, which we might
easily perceive, could we sufficiently dive into the
05
eptli of that wisdom of the Father, in sending his
>on, rather than his Spirit, or coming himself in his
wn person. However to us it cannot hut seem
lost equitable, (if reason may hold the balance,) that
e, who is the middle person between the Father
nd the Spirit, should become the Mediator betwixt
jod and man : and that he, who is the Son of God
[i the glorious Trinity, should become the Son of
lan in his gracious mystery.
But, on the other side, as it was not the divine
ature, but a divine person that did assume, so
ieither was it a human person, but the human nature
hat was assumed ; for otherwise, if he had assumed
he person of any one man in the world, his death
iad been beneficial to none but him whose person
le thus assumed and represented. Whereas, now
hat he has assumed the nature of man in general,
11 that partake of that nature, are capable of par-
aking of the benefit he purchased for us, by dying
ti our stead. And thus under each Adam, as the
epresentation was universal, so were the effects
lesigned to be ; " For as in Adam all died, even so
n Christ shall all be made alive."
Again, when I say, the Son of God became the
Son of man, I do not mean, as if, by this, he should
ease to be what he was before, the Son of God,
or he did not leave his Godhead to take upon him
he manhood ; but I believe he took the manhood
nto his Godhead ; he did not put off the one, to put
m the other, but be put one upon the other :
ieither do I believe that the human nature, when
ssumed into the divine, ceased to be human; but as
he divine person so assumed the human nature, as
still to remain a divine person, so the human nature
was so assumed into a divine person, as still to remain
a human nature : God, therefore, so became man, as
to be both perfectly God, and perfectly man, united
together in one person.
I say, in one person ; for if he should be God
and man in distinct persons, this would avail me no
more, than if he should be God only, and not man,
or man only, and not God ; because the merit and
value both of his active and passive obedience is
grounded merely upon the union of the two natures
in one and the same person. He therefore, by his
life and death merited so much for us, because the
same person, that so lived and died, was God as well
as man ; and every action that he did, and every
passion that he suffered, was done and suffered by
him that was God, as well as man. And hence it
is, that Christ, of all the persons in the world, is so
fit, yea, only fit, to be my Redeemer, Mediator, and
Surety ; because he alone is both God and man in
one person. If he was not man, he could not un-
dertake that office ; if he was not God, he could not
perform it : if he was not man, he could not be
capable of being bound for me ; if he was not God,
he would not be able to pay my debt. It was man
by whom the covenant was broken ; and, therefore,
man must have suitable punishment laid upon him :
it was God with whom it was broken; and, therefore,
( rod must have sufficient satisfaction made unto him :
and, as for that satisfaction, it was man that had
offended, and therefore man alone could make it
suitable ; it was God that was offended, and there-
fore God alone could make it sufficient.
97
The sum of all this is — man can suffer, but lie
cannot satisfy; God can satisfy, but lie cannot suffer;
but Christ, being both God and man, can both suffer
and satisfy too ; and so is perfectly fit both to suffer
for man, and to make satisfaction unto God, to re-
concile God to man, and man to God. And thus,
Christ having assumed my nature into his person,
and so satisfied divine justice for my sins, I am re-
ceived into grace and favour again with the most
high God.
Upon this principle, I believe, that I, by nature
the son of man, am made by grace the son of God,
as really as Christ, by nature the Son of God, was
made by office the Son of man : and so, though in
myself, " I may say to corruption, thou art my
mother," yet in Christ, I may say to God, " Abba,
Father." Neither do I believe this to be a meta-
phorical expression, namely, because he doth that
for me, which a father doth for his child, even pro-
vide for me whilst young, and give me my portion
when come to age; but I believe, that in the same
propriety of speech that my earthly father was called
the father of my natural self, is God the father of
my spiritual self: for, why was my earthly father
called my father, but because that I, as to my natural
being, was born of what proceeded from him, namely,
his seed ? Why so, as to my spiritual being, am I
born of what proceeds from God, his Spirit: and as
I was not born of the very substance of my natural
parents, but only of what came from them ; so
neither is my spiritual self begotten again, quickened
and constituted of the very substance of my heavenly
Father, God, but of the Spirit and spiritual infhi-
E 37
98
ences proceeding from him. Thus therefore it is,
that I believe that Christ, the Son of God, became
the Son of man ; and thus it is that I believe myself,
the son of man, to be made thereby the son of God.
" I believe, O my God and Father — do thou help
mine unbelief, and every day more and more increase
my faith, till itself shall be done away, and turned
into the most perfect vision and fruition of thine
own glorious Godhead !"
ARTICLE VI.
I believe that Christ lived to God, and died for sin,
that I might die to sin, and live with God.
And thus, by faith, I follow my Saviour from
the womb to the tomb, from his incarnation to his
death and passion, believing all that he did or suf-
fered, to be for my sake : for Christ did not only
take my nature upon him, but he suffered and obey-
ed; he underwent miseries, and undertook duties
lor me ; so that not only his passive, but likewise
his active obedience unto God, in that nature, was
still for me. Not as if I believed, his duty as man
was not God's debt, by the law of creation : yes ; I
believe that he owed that obedience unto God,
that if he had committed but one sin, and that of
the lightest tincture, in all his life-time, he would
have been so far from being able to satisfy for my
sins, that he could not have satisfied for his own.
" For such an High Priest became us, who is holy,
harmless, separate from sinners, and made higher
than the heavens ; who needed not daily, as those
99
high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own
sins, and then for the people's." 80 that if he had
not had these qualifications in their absolute perfec-
tion, he could not have been our High Priest, nor by
consequence, have made atonement for, nor expiated
any sins whatsoever. But now, though both as
man, and as God-man or Mediator too, it behoved
him to be thus faithful and spotless ; yet, as being
God, co-equal and co-essential with the Father, it
was not out of duty, but merely upon our account,
that he thus subjected his neck to the yoke of his
own law ; himself, as God, being the legislator or
lawgiver, and so no more under it than the Father
himself.
And hereupon it is, that I verily believe, that
whatsoever Christ either did or suffered in the flesh,
was meritorious; not that his life was righteous
towards God, only that his death might be meri-
torious for us (which I believe, otherwise it could
not have been) but that his life was equally meri-
torious as righteous. So that I believe my person
is as really accepted, as perfectly righteous, by the
righteousness of his life imputed to me, as my sins
are pardoned by God, for the bitterness of the death
he suffered for them ; his righteousness being as
really by faith imputed to me, as my sins were laid
upon him : as those are set upon his, so is that set
upon my score; and so every thing he did in his
life, as well as every thing he suffered in his death,
is mine: by the latter God looks upon me as per-
fectly innocent, and therefore not to be thrown down
to hell; by the former he looks upon me as perfectly
righteous, and therefore to be brought up to heaven.
e 2
100
And, as for his death, I believe it was not only
as much, but infinitely more, satisfactory to divine
justice, than though I should have died to eternity.
For, by that means, justice is actually and perfectly
satisfied already, which it could never have been, by
my suffering for my sins myself; for if justice by
that means could ever be satisfied — if it could ever
say, " It is enough ;" it could not stand with the
same justice, now satisfied, still to inflict punishment,
nor by consequence, could the damned justly scorch
in the flames of God's wrath for ever. Neither did
the death of my Saviour reach only to the con-
demning, but likewise to the commanding power of
sin ; it did not only pluck out its sting, but likewise
deprive it of its strength ; so that he did not only
merit by his death, that I should never die for sin,
but likewise that I should die to it. Neither did
he only merit by his life, that I should be accounted
righteous in him before God ; but likewise that I
should be made righteous in myself by God. Yea,
I believe that Christ by his death hath so fully dis-
charged the debt I owe to God, that now, for the
remission of my sins, and the accepting of my person
(if I perform the condition he requires in his cove-
nant) I may not only appeal to the throne of grace,
but likewise to the judgment-seat of God; I may
not only cry, Mercy, mercy, O gracious Father;
but, Justice, justice, my righteous God ; I may not
only say, Lord, be gracious and merciful, but, be
just and faithful, to acquit me from that debt, and
cancel that bond which my Surety hath paid for me,
and which thou hast promised to accept of; being
" not only gracious and merciful, but just and faith-
101
ful, to forgive me my sins, and to cleanse me from all
unrighteousness."
ARTICLE VII.
I believe that Christ rose from the grave, that I might
rise from sin, and that he is ascended into heaven
that I may come unto him.
As Christ came from heaven to earth, so I believe
he went from earth to heaven, and all for the accom-
plishment of my salvation ; that after he had lived a
most holy life, he died a most cruel death ; that he
was apprehended, arraigned, accused, and condemned,
by such as could not pronounce the sentence against
him ; (did not himself, at the same time, vouchsafe
them breath to do it?) that he came into the world
to take away the sins of it, to bring sinners to the
joys of life, and was himself by those very sinners
brought into the pangs of death. But yet, as it
was not in the power of death long to detain the
Lord of life; so, though the worms had power to
send him to the grave, yet I believe they had not
power or time to feed upon him there ; for " he rose
again from the dead the third day :" he lay three
days, that I might believe he was not alive, but
dead; he rose the third day, that I might believe he
is not dead, but lives ; he decended down to hell,
that he might make full satisfaction to God's justice
for my Sins ; but he is now ascended up into heaven,
that he might make intercession to God's mercy for
my soul; thither I believe he is gone, and there 1
believe he is, not as a private person, but as the
102
head and Saviour of his church. And under this
capacity, as I believe that Christ is there for me,
so I am there in him : " For where the head is,
there must the members be also ;" that is, I am as
really there in him, my representative now, as I
shall be in my proper person hereafter; and he is
as really preparing my mansion for me there, as I
am preparing myself for that mansion here. Nay,
I believe, that he is not only preparing a mansion
for me in heaven, but that himself is likewise pre-
paring me for this mansion, upon earth, continually
sending down and issuing forth from himself fresh
supplies and influences of his grace and Spirit; and
all to qualify me for his service, and " make me meet
to be partaker of his inheritance with the saints in
light."
Which inheritance, I believe, he doth so much
desire his Father to bestow upon me, as he claims it
for me ; himself having purchased it with the price
of his own blood. And as he hath purchased the
inheritance itself, so likewise the way unto it for
me; and, therefore, sues out for the pardon of those
sins, and subduing those corruptions which would
make me unworthy of it ; and for the conveyance of
those graces to me, whereby I may walk directly to
it ; not only saying to his Father, concerning me, as
Paul said to Philemon, concerning Onesimus, " If
this thy servant oweth thee any thing, set it upon
my account ; I will repay it." But what is this thy
servant oweth thee, see, it is set upon my score al-
ready, and I have paid it ; what punishments he is
indebted to thee, for all the offences he hath com-
mitted against thee, behold I have borne them al-
103
ready ; see how I have been " wounded for his trans-
gressions, and bruised for his iniquities ; the chas-
tisement of his peace was upon me ; with my stripes
therefore let him be healed." And thus, as he
once shed his blood for me amongst men, he now
pleads it for me before God; and that not only for
the washing out the guilt of my transgressions, but
likewise for the washing away the filth of my cor-
ruptions ; himself having purchased the donation of
the Spirit from the Father, he there claims the com-
munication of it unto me.
And that he hath thus undertaken to plead my
cause for me, I have it under his own hand and
seal ; himself by his Spirit assuring me, that if I sin,
" I have an advocate with the Father, even Jesus
Christ the righteous." So that I believe, he is not
so much my solicitor at the mercy-seat, as my ad-
vocate at the judgment-seat of God, there pleading
my right and title to the crown of glory, and to
every step of the way that I must go through the
kingdom of grace unto it. In a word, I believe,
that Christ, upon promise and engagement to pay
such a price for it in time, did purchase this inheri-
tance for me from eternity ; whereupon I was even
then immediately chosen and elected unto it, and
had, by this means, a place in heaven before I had
any being upon earth ; and when the time appointed,
by covenant, was come, I believe, Christ, according
to his promise, paid the purchase-money, even laid
down his life for me ; and then forthwith went up
and took possession of this my kingdom, not for
himself, but for me as my proxy and representative :
so that whilst I am in my infancy, under age, I am
104
in possession, though I have not as yet the enjoy-
ment of this my inheritance ; but this is reserved for
me till I come to age. And howsoever, though I
do not enjoy the whole as yet, my Father allows me
as much of it as he sees convenient, so much grace,
and so much comfort, as he thinks best ; which are
as a pledge of what he has laid up for me in his
kino-dom which is above.
ARTICLE VIII.
I believe, that my person is only justified by the merit
of Christ imputed to me ; and that my nature is
only sanctified by the Spiint of Christ implanted
in me.
And thus I do not only believe Christ to be my
Saviour, but I believe only Christ to be my Saviour.
It was he alone that trod the wine-press of his Fa-
ther's wrath, filled with the sour and bitter grapes
of my sins. It was he that carried on the great
work of my salvation, being himself both the author
and the finisher of it. I say, it was he, and he
alone ; for what person or persons in the world could
do it, besides himself! the angels could not if they
would, the devils would not if they could; and as
for my fellow-creatures, I may as well satisfy for
their sins, as they for mine ; and how little able
even the best of us are to do either, that is, to atone
either for our own transgressions, or those of others,
every man's experience will sufficiently inform him.
For how should we, poor worms of the earth, ever
hope, by our slime and mortar (if I may so speak)
105
of our own natural abilities, to raise up a tower,
" whose top may reach to heaven ?" Can we ex-
pect, by the strength of our own hands, to take hea-
ven by violence ? or by the price of our own works
to purchase eternal glory ? It is a matter of admira-
tion to me, how any one, that pretends to the use
of his reason, can imagine, that he should be accepted
before God for what comes from himself. For how
is it possible that I should be justified by good works,
when I can do no good works at all before I be first
justified? My works cannot be accepted as good,
until my person be so ; nor can my person be ac-
cepted by God, till first ingrafted into Christ : before
which ingrafting into the true vine, it is impossible
I should bring forth good fruit ; for the " plowing
of the wicked is sin," says Solomon, yea, " the sa-
crifices of the wicked are an abomination to the
Lord." And, if both the civil and spiritual actions
of the wicked be sin, which of all their actions shall
have the honour to justify them before God ? I
know not how it is with others, but, for my own
part, I do not remember, neither do I believe, that
I ever prayed in all my life time with that reverence,
or heard with that attention, or received the sacra-
ment with that faith, or did any other work whatso-
ever, with that pure heart and single eye, as I ought
to have done. Insomuch, that I look upon all my
" righteousness as filthy rags;" and it is in the
robes only of the righteousness of the Son of God,
that I dare appear before the Majesty of heaven.
Nay, suppose I could at length attain to that perfec-
tion, as to do good works, exactly conformable to
the will of God, yet must they have better eyes than
e 3
106
J, that can see how my obedience in one kind, can
satisfy for my disobedience in another; or how that
which God commands me, should merit any thing
from him.
No, I believe there is no person can merit any
thing from God, but he that can do more than is
required of him ; which it is impossible any creature
should do. For, in that it is a creature, it con-
tinually depends upon God, and therefore is bound
to do every thing it can, by any means possible,
do for him ; especially, considering, that the crea-
ture's dependence upon God is such, that it is be-
holden to him even for every action that issues from
it; without whom, as it is impossible any thing
should be, so likewise that any thing should act,
especially what is good. So that to say, a man of
himself can merit any thing from God, is as much
as to say, that he can merit by that which of him-
self he doth not do ; or that one person can merit
by that which another performs, which is a plain
contradiction. For in that it merits, it is necessarily
implied, that itself acts that by which it is said to
merit; but in that it doth not depend upon itself, but
on another in what it acts, it is as necessarily im-
plied, that itself doth not do that by which it is said
to merit.
Upon this account, I shall never be induced to
believe that any creature, by any thing it doth, or
can do, can merit, or deserve any thing at the hand
of God, till it can be proved, that a creature can
merit by that which God doth ; or, that God can be
bound to bestow any thing upon us, for that which
himself alone is pleased to work in us, and by us ;
107
which, in plain terms, would be as much as to say,
that because God had been pleased to do one good
turn for us, he is therefore bound to do more; and,
because God hath enabled us to do our duty, he
should therefore be bound to give us glory.
It is not, therefore, in the power of any person
in the world to merit any thing from God, but such
a one who is absolutely co-essential with him, and so
depends not upon him, either for his existence or
actions. And, as there is no person can merit any
thing from God, unless he be essentially the same
with him; so likewise, unless he be personally dis-
tinct from him : forasmuch as, though a person may
be said to merit for himself, yet he cannot be said,
without a gross solecism, to merit any thing from
himself. So that he that is not as perfectly another
person from God, as really as the same in nature
with him, can never be said to merit any thing at
his hands.
But, further, God the Father could not properly
be said to do it in his own person, because, being
(according to our conception) the party offended,
should he have undertaken this work for me, he, in
his own person, must have undertaken to make satis-
faction to his own person, for the offences committed
against himself; which if he should have done, his
mercy might have been much exalted, but his jus-
tice could not have been satisfied by it. For jus-
tice requires, either that the party offending should
be punished for these offences, or, at least, some fit
person in his stead, which the Father himself cannot
be said to be, in that he was the party offended, to
whom the satisfaction was to be made : and it is
10S
absurd to suppose, that the same person should be
capable of making satisfaction both by and to himself
at the same time.
It remains, therefore, that there were only two
persons in the holy Trinity, who could possibly be
invested with this capacity, the Son and the Spirit.
As to the latter, though he be indeed the same in
nature with the Father, and a distinct person from
him, and so far in a capacity to make satisfaction to
him ; yet not being capable both of assuming the
human nature into the divine, and also uniting and
applying the divine nature to the human, (as I have
showed before in the fifth article,) he was not in a
capacity of making satisfaction for man ; none being
fit to take that office upon him, but he that, of him-
self, was perfectly God, and likewise capable of be-
coming perfectly man, by uniting both natures in the
same person ; which the Holy Ghost could not do,
because he was the person by whom, and therefore
could not be the person also in whom, this union of
the two natures was to be perfected. And yet it was
by this means, and this method only, that any per-
son could have been completely capacitated to have
borne the punishment of our sins : he that was only
man could not do it, because the sin was committed
against God ; and he that was only God could not
do it, because the sin was committed by man.
From all which, as I may fairly infer, so I hope, 1
may safely fix my faith in this article, namely, That
there was only one person in the whole world that
could do this great work for me, of justifying my
person before God, and so glorifying my soul with
him ; and that was the Son of God, the second per-
109
son in the glorious Trinity, begotten of the sub-
stance of the Father from all eternity ; whom I ap-
prehend and believe to have brought about the great
work of my justification before God, after this or the
like manner :
He being, in and of himself, perfectly co-equal,
co-essential, and co-eternal with the Father, was in
no sort bound to do more than the Father himself
did ; and so whatsoever he should do, which the Fa-
ther did not, might justly be accounted as a work of
supererogation ; which, without any violation of di-
vine justice, might be set upon the account of some
other persons, even of such whom he pleased to do
it for. And hereupon, out of mercy and compassion
to fallen man, he covenants with his Father, that, if
it pleased his Majesty to accept it, he would take
upon him the suffering of those punishments which
were due from him to man, and the performance of
those duties which were due from man to him: so
that whatsoever he should thus humble himself to do
or suffer, should wholly be upon the account of man,
himself not being any ways bound to do or suffer
more in time, than he had from eternity.
This motion, the Father, out of the riches of his
grace and mercy, was pleased to consent unto : and
hereupon, the Son, assuming our nature into his
Deity, becomes subject and obedient both to the
moral and ceremonial laws of his Father, and, at last,
to death itself, even the death of the cross. In the
one he paid an active, in the other, a passive, obedi-
ence ; and so did not only fulfil the will of his Father,
in obeying what he had commanded, but satisfied
his justice in suffering the punishment due to us for
110
the transgressing of it. His active obedience, as it
was infinitely pure and perfect, did, without doubt,
infinitely transcend all the obedience of the sons of
men, even of Adam, too, in his primitive state. For
the obedience of Adam, make the best of it, was but
the obedience of a finite creature ; whereas the obe-
dience of Christ was the obedience of one that was
infinite God, as well as man. By which means, the
laws of God had higher obedience performed to them,
than themselves in their primitive institution re-
quired; for being made only to finite creatures, they
could command no more than the obedience of finite
creatures ; whereas the obedience of Christ was the
obedience of one who was the infinite Creator, as
well as a finite creature.
Now, this obedience being more than Christ was
bound to, and only performed upon the account of
those whose nature he had assumed, as we, by faith,
lay hold upon it, so God, through grace, imputes it
to us, as if it had been performed by us in our own
persons. And hence it is, that as, in one place,
Christ is said to be " made sin for us," so, in an-
other place, he is said to be " made our righteous-
ness." And in the forecited place, as he is said to
be made sin for us, so we are said to be made righ-
teousness in him : but what righteousness ? Our
own ? No, " the righteousness of God," radically
his, but imputatively ours : and this is the only way,
whereby we are said to be made the righteousness of
God, even by the righteousness of Christ being made
ours, by which we are accounted and reputed as righ-
teous before God.
These things considered, I very much wonder,
Ill
how any man can presume to exclude the active obe-
dience of Christ from our justification before God,
as if what Christ did in the flesh was only of duty,
not at all of merit ; or, as if it was for himself, and
not for us. Especially, when I consider, that suffer-
ing the penalty is not what the law primarily requir-
eth ; for the law of God requires perfect obedience,
the penalty being only threatened to (not properly
required of) the breakers of it. For, let a man
suffer the penalty of the law in ever so high a man-
ner, he is not therefore accounted obedient to it ;
his punishment doth not speak his innocence, but
rather his transgression of the law.
Hence it is, that I cannot look upon Christ as
having made full satisfaction to God's justice for me,
unless he had performed the obedience I owe to
God's laws, as well as borne the punishment that is
due to my sins : for though he should have borne my
sins, I cannot see how that could denominate me
righteous, or obedient to the law, so as to entitle me
to eternal life, according to the tenor of the old law,
H Do this and live." Which old covenant is not
disannulled or abrogated by the covenant of grace,
but rather established, especially as to the obedience
it requires from us, in order to the life it promiseth ;
otherwise the laws of God would be mutable, and
so come short of the laws of the very Medes and
Persians, which alter not. Obedience, therefore, is
as strictly required under the New, as it was under
the Old Testament, but with this difference : their
obedience in our own persons was required as abso-
lutely necessary; here, obedience in our Surety is
accepted as completely sufficient.
112
But now, if we have no such obedience in our
Surety, as we cannot have, if he did not live, as well
as die, for us; let any one tell me what title he
hath, or can have, to eternal life ? I suppose he
will tell me, he hath none in himself, because he
hath not performed perfect obedience to the law.
And I tell him, he hath none in Christ, unless
Christ performed that obedience for him, which
none can say he did, that doth not believe his active,
as well as passive obedience, to be wholly upon our
account.
And now I speak of Christ's being our Surety,
as the apostle calls him, Heb. vii. 22 : methinks this
gives much light to the truth in hand; for what is
a surety, but one that undertakes to pay whatsoever
he, whose surety he is, is bound to pay, in case
the debtor proves nonsolvent, or unable to pay it
himself? And thus is Christ, under the notion of
a surety, bound to pay whatever we owe to God,
because we ourselves are not able to pay it in our
own persons.
Now, there are two things that we owe to God,
which this our Surety is bound to pay for us, namely,
First, and principally, obedience to his laws, as he
is our Creator and Governor; and, secondly, by con-
sequence, the punishment that is annexed to the
breach of these laws, of which we are guilty. Now,
though Christ should pay the latter part of our debt
for us, by bearing the punishment that is due unto
us ; yet, if he did not pay the former and principal
part of it too, that is, perform the obedience which
we owe to God, he would not fully have performed
the office of suretyship, which he undertook for us ;
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and so would be but a half-mediator, or half-saviour,
which aro such words as I dare scarce pronounce,
for fear of blasphemy.
So that, though it is the death of Christ by which
I believe my sins are pardoned ; yet it is the life of
Christ, by which I believe my person is accepted.
His passion God accounts as suffered by me, and
therefore I shall not die for sin : his obedience God
accounts as performed by me, and therefore I shall
live with him. Not as if I believed, that Christ so
performed obedience for me, that I should be dis-
charged from my duty to him : but only that I should
not be condemned by God, in not discharging my
duty to him in so strict a manner as is required.
I believe that the active obedience of Christ will
stand me in no stead, unless I endeavour after sin-
cere obedience in my own person ; his active, as well
as his passive obedience, being imputed unto none,
but only to such as apply it to themselves by faith ;
which faith in Christ will certainly put such as are
possessed of it upon obedience unto God. This,
therefore, is the righteousness, and the manner of
that justification, whereby I hope to stand before
the judgment-seat of God; even by God's imputing
my sins to Christ, and Christ's righteousness to me;
looking upon me as one not to be punished for my
sins, because Christ, hath suffered, but to be received
into the joys of glory, because Christ hath performed
obedience for me, and does, by faith, through grace,
impute it to me.
And thus it is into the merit of Christ that I
resolve the whole work of my salvation; and this,
not only, as to that which is wrought without me,
114
for the justification of my person, but likewise as to
what is wrought within me for the sanctification of
my nature. As I cannot have a sin pardoned with-
out Christ, so neither can I have a sin subdued
without him ; neither the fire of God's wrath can be
quenched, nor yet the filth of my sins washed away,
but by the blood of Christ.
So that I wonder as much at the doctrine that
some men have advanced concerning free-will, as I
do at that which others have broached in favour of
good works; and it is a mystery to me, how any
that ever had experience of God's method in work-
ing out sin, and planting grace in our hearts, should
think they can do it by themselves, or any thing in
order to it. Not that I do in the least question,
but that every man may be saved that will; for this,
I believe, is a real truth, but I do not believe that
any man of himself can will to be saved. Where-
soever God enables a soul effectually to will salva-
tion, he will certainly give salvation to that soul ;
but I believe, it is as impossible for my soul to will
salvation of itself, as to enjoy salvation without God.
And this my faith is not grounded upon a roving
fancy, but the most solid reasons ; forasmuch as, of
ourselves, we are not able, in our understandings,
to discern the evil from the good, much less then
are we able, in our wills, to prefer the good before
the evil ; the will never settling upon any thing, but
what the judgment discovers to it. But now, that
my natural judgment is unable to apprehend and
represent to my will the true and only good under
its proper notion, my own too sad experience would
sufficiently persuade me, though I had neither scrip-
115
ture nor reason for it. And yet the scripture also
is so clear in this point, that I could not have denied
it, though I should never have had any experience
of it; the most High expressly telling me that the
" natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit
of God, for they are foolishness to him ; neither can
he know them, because they are spiritually dis-
cerned." Neither can he know them, that is, there
is an absolute impossibility in it, that any one re-
maining in his natural principles, without the assist-
ance of God, should apprehend or conceive the
excellency of spiritual objects. So that a man may
as soon read the letter of the scripture without eyes,
as understand the mysteries of the gospel without
iirace. And this is not at all to be wondered at;
especially, if we consider the vast and infinite dis-
proportion betwixt the object and the faculty; the
object to be apprehended being nothing less than
the best of beings, God ; and the faculty whereby
we apprehend it, nothing more than the power of a
finite creature polluted with the worst of evils, sin.
So that I believe it a thousand times easier for a
worm, a fly, or any other despicable insect whatso-
ever, to understand the affairs of men, than for the
best of men in a natural state to apprehend the
things of God. No; there is none can know God,
nor, by consequence, any thing that is really good,
but only so far as they are partakers of the divine
nature : we must, in some measure, be like to God,
before we can have any true conceptions of him, or
be really delighted with him; we must have a spiri-
tual sight, before we can behold spiritual things,
which every natural man being destitute of, he can
116
see no comeliness in Christ, why he should be
desired, nor any amiableness in religion, why it
should be embraced.
And hence it is, that I believe, the first work
that God puts forth upon the soul in order to its
conversion, is, to raise up a spiritual light within it,
to clear up its apprehensions about spiritual matters,
so as to enable the soul to look upon God as the
chiefest good, and the enjoyment of him as the
greatest bliss; whereby the soul may clearly discern
between good and evil, and evidently perceive, that
nothing is good but so far as it is like to God, and
nothing evil but so far as it resembles sin.
But this is not all the work that God hath to do
upon a sinful soul, to bring it to himself; for though
I must confess that in natural things, the will always
follows the ultimate dictates of the understanding,
so as to choose and embrace what the understanding
represents to it, under the comely dress of good and
amiable, and to refuse and abhor whatever, under
the same representation, appears to be evil and dan-
gerous; I say, though I must confess it is so in
natural, yet I believe it is not so in spiritual matters.
For, though the understanding may have ever such
clear apprehensions of spiritual good, yet the will is
not at all affected with it without the joint opera-
tions of the grace of God upon us ; all of us too
sadly experiencing what St. Paul long ago bewailed
in himself, that " what we do we allow not," that
though our judgments condemn what we do, yet we
cannot choose but do it ; though our understandings
clearly discover to us the excellence of grace and
glory, yet our wills, overpowered with their own cor-
117
ruptions, are strangely hurried into sin and misery*
I must confess, it is a truth which I should scarcely
have ever believed, if I had not such daily experience
of it : but alas ! there is scarce an hour in the day,
but I may go about lamenting, with Medea in
Seneca, "though I see what is good, yea, and judge
it to be the better, yet I very often choose the
worse."
And the reason of it is, because, as by our fall
from God, the whole soul was desperately corrupted ;
so it is not the rectifying of one faculty, which can
make the whole straight ; but as the whole was
changed from holiness to sin, so must the whole be
changed again from sin to holiness, before it can be
inserted into a state of grace, or so much as an act
of grace be exerted by it.
Now, therefore, the understanding and will being
two distinct faculties, or, at least two distinct acts in
the soul, it is impossible for the understanding to be
so enlightened, as to prefer the good before the evil,
and yet for the will to remain so corrupt, as to choose
the evil before the good. And hence it is, that
where God intends to work over a soul to himself,
he doth not only pass an enlightening act upon the
understanding and its apprehensions, but likewise a
sanctifying act upon the will and its affections, that
when the soul perceives the glory of God, and the
beauty of holiness, it may presently close with, and
entertain it with the choicest of its affections. And
without God's thus drawing it, the understanding
could never allure the soul to good.
And therefore it is, that for all the clear disco-
veries which the understanding may make to itself
118
concerning the glories of the invisible world, yet
God assures us, it is himself alone that affects the
soul with them, by inclining its will to them : for it
is God " which worketh in us both to will and to do
of his good pleasure." So that, though God offer
heaven to all that will accept of it, in the holy scrip-
tures ; yet none can accept of it, but such whom
himself stirs up by his Holy Spirit to endeavour after
it. And thus we find it was in Israel's return from
Babylon to Jerusalem, though king Cyrus made a
proclamation, that whosoever would might go up to
worship at the holy city, yet there was none that
accepted of the offer, " but those whose spirit God
had raised to go up." So here, though God doth,
as it were, proclaim to all the world, that whosoever
will come to Christ shall certainly be saved, yet it
doth not follow, that all shall receive salvation from
him, because it is certain all will not come; or rather,
none can will to come unless God enable him.
I am sure, to say none shall be saved, but those
that will of themselves, would be sad news for me,
whose will is naturally so backward to every thing
that is good. But this is my comfort, I am as cer-
tain my salvation is of God, as I am certain it can-
not be of myself. It is Christ who vouchsafed to
die for me, who hath likewise promised to live within
me : it is he that will work all my work, both for
me and in me too. In a word, it is to him I am
beholden, not only for my spiritual blessings and
enjoyments, but even for my temporal ones too,
which, in and through his name, I daily put up my
petitions for. So that I have not so much as a
morsel of bread, in mercy, from God, but only upon
119
the account of Christ ; not a drop of drink, but what
flows to me in his blood. It is he that is the very
blessing of all my blessings, without whom my very
mercies would prove but curses, and my prosperity
would but work my ruin.
" Whither, therefore, should I go, my dear and
blessed Saviour, but unto thee? ' Thou hast the
words of eternal life.' And how shall I come, but
by thee ? Thou hast the treasures of all grace.
O Thou, that hast wrought out my salvation for me,
be pleased likewise to work this salvation in me ;
give me, I beseech thee, such a measure of thy
grace, as to believe in thee here upon earth ; and
then give me such degrees of glory, as fully to enjoy
thee for ever in heaven."
ARTICLE IX.
/ believe God entered into a double covenant with
man, the covenant of works made with the first,
and the covenant of grace made in the second
Adam.
That the most high God should take a piece of
earth, work it up into the frame and fashion of a
man, and " breathe into his nostrils the breath of
life," and then should enter into a covenant with it,
and should say, " Do this and live," when man was
bound to do it, whether he could live by it or no,
was without doubt a great and amazing act of love
and condescension ; but that, when this covenant was
unhappily broken by the first, God should instantly
vouchsafe to renew it in the second Adam, and that
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too upon better terms and more easy conditions than
the former, was yet a more surprising mercy ; for
the same day that Adam ate the forbidden fruit did
God make him this promise, That " the seed of the
woman should bruise the serpent's head." And
this promise he afterwards explained and confirmed
by the mouth of his prophet, Jeremiah, saying —
" This is the covenant that I will make with the
house of Israel, after those days ; I will put my law
into their inward parts, and write it in their hearts ;
and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to
me a people." And again by St. Paul, under the
New Testament, almost in the self-same words,
Heb. viii. 10.
A covenant so gracious and condescending, that
it seems to be made up of nothing else but promises.
The first was, properly speaking, a covenant of works,
requiring on man's part a perfect and unsinning obe-
dience, without any extraordinary grace or assistance
from God to enable him to perform it : but here, in
the second, God undertakes both for himself and
for man too, having digested the conditions to be
performed by us into promises, to be fulfilled by
himself — namely, that he will not only pardon our
sins, if we do repent, but that he will give us repent-
ance, that so we may deserve his pardon ; that he
will not only give us life, if we come to Christ,
but even draw us to Christ, that so he may give us
life ; and so not only make us happy, if we will be
holy, but make us holy, that so we may be happy ;
lor the covenant is, not that he will be our God, if
wc will be his people, but he will be our God, and
we shall be his people. But still, all this is in and
121
through Christ, the Surety and Mediator of tbi.s
covenant, in whom all the " promises are yea and
amen," so that Christ may be looked upon, not only
as a surety, but as a party in this covenant of grace,
being not only bound to God, but likewise cove-
nanting with him for us. As God-man, he is a
surety for us ; but as a man, he must needs be a
party with us, even our head in the covenant of
grace, as Adam was in the covenant of works.
What, therefore, though I can do nothing in this
covenant of myself, yet this is my comfort, that He
hath undertaken for me who can do all things.
And therefore it is called a covenant of grace, and
not of works, because in it there is no work required
from me, but what by grace I shall be enabled to
perform.
And as for the tenor in which this covenant runs,
or the habendum, and grant which each party cove-
nants for, it is express in these words — " 1 will be
your God, and you shall be my people;" God cove-
nants with us, that we shall be his people, we cove-
nant with God, that he shall be our God. And
what can God stipulate more to us, or we stipulate
more to him, than this ? What doth not God pro-
mise to us, when he promises to be our God ? and
what doth he not require from us, when he requires
us to be his people?
First, He doth not say, I will be your hope, your
help, your light, your life, your sun, your shield, and
your exceeding great reward ; but 1 will be your
God, which is ten thousand times more than possibly
can be couched under any other expressions what-
soever, as containing under it whatsoever God i.s,
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122
whatsoever God hath, and whatsoever God can do.
All his essential attributes are still engaged for us ;
we may lay claim to them, and take hold on them :
so that what the prophet saith of his righteousness
and strength, " surely shall one say, in the Lord
have I righteousness and strength," I may extend
to all his other attributes, and say, surely in the
Lord have I mercy to pardon me, wisdom to instruct
me, power to protect me, truth to direct me, grace
to crown my heart on earth, and glory to crown my
head in heaven ; and, if what he is, then much more
what he hath, is here made over by covenant to me.
" He that spared not his own Son," saith the
Apostle, " but delivered him up for us all ; how shall
he not with him likewise freely give us all things ?"
But what hath God to give me ? Why, all that he
hath is briefly summed up in this short inventory ;
whatsoever is in heaven above, or the earth beneath,
is his ; and that this inventory is true, I have several
witnesses to prove it — Melchizedec, Gen. xiv. 19. and
Moses, Deut. x. 14. and David, 1 Chron. xxix. 11.
Indeed, reason itself will conclude this, that he that
is the Creator and Preserver, must of necessity be
the owner and possessor of all things ; so that let
me imagine what possibly I can in all the world, I
may with the pen of reason write under it, i this is
God's ;' and if I take but the pen of faith with it, I
may write, c this is mine in Jesus Christ.'
As, for example, hath he a Son ? He hath died
for me. Hath he a Spirit? It shall live within
me. Is earth his? It shall be my provision. Is
heaven his? It shall be my portion. Hath he
angels ? They shall guard me. Hath he com-
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forts? They shall support mc. Hath he grace?
That shall make me holy. Hath he glory ? That
shall make me happy; " For the Lord will give grace
and fflorv, and no good thing- will he withhold from
those that walk uprightly."
And as he is nothing but what he is unto us, so
he doth nothing but what he doth for us. So that
whatsoever God doth by his ordinary providence, or
(if our necessity requires) whatsoever he can do by
his extraordinary power, I may be sure he doth and
will do for me. Now he hath given himself to me,
and taken me unto himself, what will he not do for
me that he can ? And what can he not do for me
that he will ? Do I want food ? God can drop down
manna from the clouds, or bid the quails come down
and feed me with their own flesh, as they did the
Israelites, or he can send the ravens to bring me
bread and flesh, as they did the prophet Elijah.
Am I thirsty ? God can broach the rocks, and dis-
solve the flints into floods of water, as he did for
Israel. Am I cast into a fiery furnace? He can
suspend the fury of the raging flames, as he did for
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Am I thrown
among the devouring lions? He can stop their
mouths, and make them as harmless as lambs, as he
did for Daniel. Am I ready to be swallowed up by
the merciless waves of the tempestuous ocean ? God
can command a fish to come and ship me safe to
land, and that in its own belly, as he did for his
prophet Jonah. Am I in prison? Clod can speak
the word, as he did for St. Peter, and the chains
shall immediately fail off, and the doors fly open,
and I shall be set at liberty, as he was. And thus
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I can have no wants, but God can supply them ; no
doubts, but God can resolve them ; no fears, but God
can dispel them ; no dangers, but God can prevent
them. And it is as certain that he will as that he
can do these things for me, himself having, by cove-
nant, engaged and given himself unto me.
And as in God's giving himself he hath given
whatsoever he is and whatsoever he hath unto me,
and will do whatsoever he can do for me : so in my
giving myself to him, whatsoever I have, I am to
give to him, and whatsoever I do I am to do for
him. But now, though we should thus wholly give
up ourselves to God, and do whatsoever he requires
of us, (which none, I fear, without some degree of
presumption, can say he has done,) yet there is an
infinite disproportion between the grant on God's
part, and that on ours, in that he is God, and we
but creatures, the workmanship of his own hands, to
whom it was our duty to give ourselves, whether he
had ever given himself to us or no ; he is ours by
covenant only, not by nature ; we are his both by
covenant and nature too.
Hence we may infer, that it is not only our duty
to do what he hath commanded us, because he hath
said, Do this and live, but because he hath said, Do
this ; yea, though he should say, Do this and die, it
would still be our duty to do it, because we are his,
wholly of his making, and therefore wholly at his
disposing; insomuch that should he put me upon the
doing that which would inevitably bring ruin upon
me, I am not to neglect obeying him for fear of de-
stroying myself, his will and pleasure being infinitely
to be preferred before my life and salvation.
125
But, if it were my duty to obey his commands,
though I should die for it, how much more when he
hath promised, I shall live by it ! nay, I shall not
only live, if I obey him, but my obedience itself
shall be my life and happiness ; for if I be obedient
unto him, he is pleased to account himself as glorified
by me; " for herein is my Father glorified, if ye
bring forth much fruit." Now, what greater glory
can possibly be desired, than to glorify my Maker ?
How can I be more glorified by God, than to have
God glorified by me ? It is the glory of God to
glorify himself; and what higher glory can a crea-
ture aspire after, than that which is the infinite glory
of its all-glorious Creator ? It is not, therefore, my
duty only, but my glory to give myself, and what-
soever I am, unto him, " to glorify him both in my
body and in my spirit which are his," to lay out
whatsoever I have for him, " to honour him with ali
my substance," and " whether I eat or drink, or
whatsoever I do, to do all to his glory." Not as if
it were possible for God to receive more glory from
me now, than he had in himself from all eternity.
No : he was infinitely glorious then, and it is impos-
sible for him to be more glorious now; all that wt
can do, is duly to acknowledge that glory, which
hath in himself, and to manifest it, as we ought, be-
fore others; which, though it be no addition to
glory, yet it is the perfection of ours, which he is
pleased to account as his.
As for the grant, therefore, in the covenant of
grace, I believe it to be the same on our parts with
that in the covenant of works, that is, that we
Christians are as much bound to obey the comm..
126
lie lays upon us now, as the Jews under the old co-
venant were. What difference there is, is wholly
and solely on God's part; who, instead of expecting
obedience from us, is pleased, in this new covenant,
to give this obedience to us. Instead of saying,
" Do this and live," he hath, in effect, said, I will
enable you to do this, that so you may live. " I
will put my laws into your minds, and write them in
your hearts ; and I will be to you a God, and you
shall be to me a people." Not, I will, if you will;
but I will, and you shall. Not, if you will do this,
you shall live ; but, you shall do this, and live. So
that God doth not require less from us, but only
hath promised more to us, in the new, than he did
in the old covenant. There we are to perform
obedience to God, but it was by our own strength ;
here we are to perform the same obedience still, but
it is by his strength. Nay, as we have more obli-
gations to obedience upon us now than we had be-
fore, by reason of God's expressing more grace and
favour to us than formerly he did; so I believe God
expects more from us under the new than he did
under the old covenant. In that, he expected the
obedience of men ; in this, he expects the obedience
of Christians, such as are by faith united unto
Christ, and, in Christ unto himself; and so are to
do what they do, not by the strength of man, as be-
fore, but by the strength of the eternal God him-
self, who, as he at first created me for himself, so
he hath now purchased me to himself, received me
into covenant with him, and promised to enable me
with grace to perform that obedience he requires
from me ; and, therefore, he now expects I should
127
Jay out myself, even whatsoever I have or I am,
wholly for him and his glory.
I This, therefore, being the tenor of this covenant
of grace, it follows, that I am none of my own, but
wholly God's: I am his by creation, and his by re-
demption, and, therefore, ought to be his by conver-
sion. Why, therefore, should I live any longer to
myself, who am not my own but God's ? And why
should I grudge to give myself to him, who did not
grudge to give himself for me? or rather, Why
should I steal myself from him, who have already
given myself to him? But did I say, I have given
myself to my God ? Alas ! it is but the restoring
myself to him, whose I was ever since I had a be-
ing, and to whom I am still infinitely more engaged
than I can thus cordially engage myself to him ;
for, as I am not my own, but his, so the very giving
of myself to him, is not from myself, but from him.
I could not have given myself to him, had he not
first given himself to me, and even wrought my mind
into this resolution of giving myself to him.
But, having thus solemnly by covenant given my-
self to him, how doth it behove me to improve myself
for him ; my soul is his, my body his, my parts his,
my gifts his, my graces his, and whatsoever is mine
is his ; for, without him I could not have been, and
therefore could have had nothing. So that I have
no more cause to be proud of any thing I have, or
am, than a page hath to be proud of his fine clothes,
which are not his, but his master's; who bestows
all his finery upon him, not for his page's honour or
credit, but for his own.
And thus it is with the best of us, in respect of
128
God; he gives men parts and learning, and riches
and grace, and desires and expects that we should
make a due use of them : but to what end ? Not to
gain honour and esteem to ourselves, and make us
proud and haughty ; hut to give him the honour due
to his name, and so employ them as instruments in
promoting his glory and service. So that, whenso-
ever we do not lay out ourselves to the utmost of
our power for him, it is downright sacrilege — it is
robbing God of that which is more properly his
than any man in the world can call any thing he
hath his own.
Having, therefore, thus wholly surrendered and
given up myself to God, so long as it shall please his
Majesty to entrust me with myself, to lend me my
being in the lower world, or to put any thing else
into my hands, as time, health, strength, parts or
the like ; I am resolved, by his grace, to lay out all
for his glory. All the faculties of my soul, as I
have given them to him, so will I endeavour to im-
prove them for him ; they shall still be at his most
noble service; my understanding shall be his, to
know him — my will his, to choose him — my affections
his, to embrace him; and all the members of my
body shall act in subserviency to him.
And thus, having given myself to God on earth,
I hope God in a short time will take me to himself
in heaven ; where, as I give myself to him in time,
he will give himself to me unto all eternity.
129
ARTICLE X.
/ believe, that as God entered into a covenant of
(/race with us, so hath he signed this covenant to
us by a double seal, baptism and the Lord's supper.
As the covenant of works had two sacraments,
namely, the tree of life, and the tree of knowledge
of good and evil; the first signifying and sealing life
and happiness to the performance, the other death
and misery to the breach of it : so the covenant of
grace was likewise sealed with two typical sacra-
ments, circumcision and the passover. The former
was annexed at God's first making his covenant with
Abraham's person ; the other was added at his ful-
filling the promises of it, to his seed or posterity,
which were therefore styled, " the promised seed."
Hut these being only typical of the true and spiri-
tual sacraments, that were afterwards to take place
upon the coming of the Messiah, there were then,
in the fulness of time, two other sacraments sub-
stituted in their stead, namely, baptism and the sup-
per of the Lord. And these sacraments were both
correspondent to the types by which they were re-
presented.
As to the first, namely, circumcision, whether I
consider the time of conferring it, or the end of its
institution, I find it exactly answers to the sacra-
ment of baptism in both these respects, For, as
the children under the law were to be circumcised in
their infancy, at eight days old; so are the children
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130
under the gospel to be baptized in their infancy
too. And as the principal thing intended in the
rite of circumcision, was to initiate or admit the
children of the faithful into the Jewish church; so
the chief design of baptism now, is to admit the
children of such as profess themselves Christians,
into the church of Christ. And, for this reason, I
believe, that as under the Old Testament, children
had the grant of covenant privileges, and church-
membership, as really as their parents had; so this
grant was not repealed, as is intimated, Acts ii. 39.
but further confirmed in the New Testament, in
that the Apostle calls the children of believing pa-
rents holy, 1 Cor. vii. 14. Which cannot be under-
stood of a real and inherent, but only of a relative
and covenanted holiness, by virtue of which, being
born of believing parents, themselves are accounted
in the number of believers, and are therefore called
holy children under the gospel, in the same sense
that the people of Israel were called a holy people
under the law, Deut. vii. 6. and xiv. 2 — 21. as be-
ing all within the covenant of grace, which, through
the faith of their parents, is thus sealed to them in
baptism.
Not that I think it necessary, that all parents
should be endued with what we call a saving faith,
to entitle their children to these privileges (for then
none but the children of such who have the Spirit
of Christ truly implanted in them, would be qualified
to partake of the covenant) but even such, who by
an outward historical faith have taken the name of
Christ upon them, are by that means in covenant
with God. and so accounted holy in respect of their
131
profession, whatever they may he in point of prac-
tice. And if they are themselves holy, it follows of
course, that their children must he so too, they be-
ing esteemed as parts of their parents, till made dis-
tinct members in the hody of Christ, or, at least,
till they come to the use of their reason, and the
improvement of their natural abilities.
And therefore, though the seal be changed, yet
the covenant privileges, wherewith the parties stipu-
lating unto God were before invested, are no whit
altered or diminished; believers' children being as
really confederates with their parents, in the cove-
nant of grace now, as they were before under the
Jewish administration of it. And this seems to be
altogether necessary ; for otherwise, infants should
be invested with privileges under the type, and be
deprived of, or excluded from them, under the more
perfect accomplishment of the same covenant in the
thino- typified ; and so the dispensations of God's
Trace would be more strait and narrow since than
they were before the coming of our Saviour, which
I look upon to be no less than blasphemy to assert.
And, upon this ground, I believe, it is as really
the duty of Christians to baptize their children now,
as ever it was the duty of the Israelites to circum-
cise theirs; and therefore St. Peter's question,
" Can any man forbid water, that these should not
he baptized, who have received the Holy Ghost as
well as we ?" may very properly be applied to this
case. Can any man forbid water, that children
should not be baptized, who arc in covenant with
the most high God as well as we? For what is it,
T pray, that the right to baptism doth depend
132
upon? Surely, not upon performing the conditions
of the covenant; for then none shall be baptized,
but such as are true believers in themselves, and
known to be so by us, and, by consequence, none at
all; it being only God's prerogative to search their
hearts, and to know the truth of that grace, which
himself hath been pleased to bestow upon them.
But children's right to baptism is grounded upon
the outward profession of their believing parents ; so
that as a king may be crowned in his cradle, not be-
cause he is able to wield the sceptre, or manage the
affairs of his kingdom, but because he is heir to his
father; so here, children are not therefore baptized
because they are able to perform the conditions of the
covenant, which is sealed to them, but because they
are children to believing parents. And this seems
yet to be further evident, from the very nature of
seals, which are not administered or annexed to any
covenant because the conditions are already perform-
ed, but rather that they may be performed ; and so
children are not baptized because they are already
true Christians, but that they may be so hereafter.
As for a command for infant baptism, I believe,
that the same law that enjoined circumcision to the
Jewish, enjoins baptism likewise to Christian chil-
dren, there being the same reason for both. The
reason why the Jewish children were to be circum-
cised, was because they were Jewish children, born
of such as professed the true worship of God, and
were in covenant with him; and there is the same
reason why Christian children are to be baptized,
even because they are Christian children, born of
such as profess the true worship of the same God,
133
and are confederates in the same covenant with the
Jews themselves. And, as there is the same rea-
son, so likewise the same end for both, namely,
That the children might be actually admitted into
the same covenant with their parents, and have it
visibly confirmed to them by this initiating seal put
upon them : so that circumcision and baptism are
not two distinct seals, but the same seal diversely
applied; the one being but as a type of the other,
and so to give place to it, whensoever, by the institu-
tion of Christ, it should be brought into the church
of God. And therefore, the command for initiating
children into the church by baptism remains still in
force, though circumcision, which was the type and
shadow of it, be done away. And for this reason, I
believe, that was there never a command in the New
Testament for infant baptism, yet, seeing there is
one for circumcision in the Old, and for baptism, as
coming into the place of it, in the New, I should
look upon baptism as necessarily to be applied to
infants now as circumcision was then.
But why should it be supposed, that there is no
command in the New Testament for infant baptism?
There are several texts that seem to imply its being
practised in the first preaching of the gospel, as
particularly in the case of Lydia and the keeper of
the prison, who had their whole families baptized,
and we no where find that children were excepted.
On the contrary, St. Peter, exhorting the converted
Jews to be baptized, makes use of this argument to
bring them to it, " For the promise," says he, " is
unto you, and to your children," which may as rea-
sonably be understood of their infants as of their
134
adult posterity. But, besides, it was the express
command of Christ to his disciples, that they should
" go, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." The
meaning of which words I take to be this ; go ye,
and preach the gospel among all nations, and endea-
vour thereby to bring them over to the embracing
of it ; that, leaving all Jewish ceremonies and hea-
thenish idolatries, they may profess my name, and
become my disciples — receive the truth, and follow
me ; which if they do, I charge you to " baptize
them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost;" for the word matheteusate doth not signify
to teach, but to make disciples, denoting the same
here that mathetas poiein doth upon the like occa-
sion, John iv. 1.
And this is the sense that all the ancient trans-
lations agree in : nor, indeed, will the text itself bear
any other; especially, not that of teaching; for
though the apostles should have taught all nations,
yet they were not presently to baptize them unless
they became disciples, and professors of the doctrine
that they were taught. A man may be taught the
doctrine of the gospel, and yet not believe it ; and
even though he should believe, yet, unless he
openly profess his faith in it he ought not presently
to be baptized. For, without this outward profes-
sion, the very professing of Christ cannot entitle a
mau to this privilege before men, though it doth be-
fore God; because we cannot know how any one
stands affected before Christ, but only by his out-
ward profession of him. It is the inward profession
of Christ's person that entitles us to the inward spi-
135
ritual grace ; but it is tbe outward profession of Ma
name only, tbat entitles us to the outward visible
sign in baptism : so that a man must, of necessity,
be a professed disciple of the gospel, before he can
be admitted into the church of Christ. And hence
it is, that the words must necessarily be understood
of discipling, or bringing the nations over to the
profession of the Christian religion ; or else we must
suppose, what ought not to be granted, that our
Saviour must command many that were visible ene-
mies to his cross, to be received into his church ; for
many of the Jews were taught and instructed in the
doctrine of the gospel, who, notwithstanding, were
inveterate enemies to Christ. They were taught
that he was the Messiah, and Saviour of the world,
and that " whosoever believed in him should not
perish but have everlasting life ;" and they had all
the reason in the world to be convinced of it: yet,
I hope, there is none will say, that the bare know-
ledge of, or tacit assent unto, these things, is a suf-
ficient ground for their reception into the church.
Now, as it was in the Jewish church, when any
one became a proselyte, not only himself, but what-
soever children he had, were to be circumcised, so
in the church of Christ, whensoever any person is
brought over into the profession of the Christian
religion, his seed are equally invested with the out-
ward privileges of it with himself, though they be
not as yet come to years of discretion, nor able, of
themselves, to make their profession of that religion
they are to be received and baptized into. For, so
long as children are in their infancy, they are (as I
before observed) looked upon as parts of their
136
parents, and are therefore accounted holy, by the
outward profession which their parents, under whom
they are comprehended, make of it; and in this
sense, "the unbelieving husband'' is said to be
" sanctified by the believing wife, and the unbeliev-
ing wife by the believing husband," that is, man
and wife being made one flesh, they are denominated,
from the better part, holy, and so are their children
too.
And hence it is, that I verily believe, that in the
commission which our Saviour gave to his apostles,
to disciple and baptize all nations, he meant, that
they should preach the gospel in all nations, and
thereby bring over all persons of understanding and
discretion to the profession of his name, and in
them, their children ; and to ingraft both root and
branch into himself, the true vine, by baptizing both
parents and children in "the name of the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost."
The main objection against this is, that infants
are not in a capacity either to learn and understand
their duty in this covenant, or to stipulate and pro-
mise for their future performance of the conditions
of it. But this difficulty is easily removed, when I
consider, that it is not by virtue of their own faith
and knowledge, but that of their parents, that they
are admitted to this sacrament; nor is it required,
that they should stipulate or promise in their own
persons, but by their godfathers or sponsors, who
enter into this engagement for them, and oblige
them, when they come to age, to take it upon them-
selves ; which accordingly they do. And this en-
gagement by proxy, does as effectually bind them to
137
the performance of the conditions, as if they were
actually in a capacity to have stipulated for them-
selves, or scaled the covenant in their own persons.
For these spiritual signs or seals arc not designed
to make God's word surer to us, but only to make
our faith stronger in him ; nor are they of the sub-
stance of the covenant, but only for the better con-
firmation of it.
And, as baptism thus comes in the place of the
Jews' circumcision, so doth our Lord's supper an-
swer to their passover. Their paschal lamb repre-
sented our Saviour Christ, and the sacrificing it the
shedding of his blood upon the cross ; and as the
passover was the memorial of the Israelites' redemp-
tion from Egypt's bondage, so is the Lord's supper
the memorial of our redemption from the slavery of
sin, and assertion into Christian liberty ; or, rather,
it is a solemn and lively representation of the death
of Christ, and offering it again to God, as an atone-
ment for sin, and reconciliation to his favour.
So that, I believe, this sacrament of the Lord's
supper under the gospel succeeds to the rite of sa-
crificing under the law, and is properly called the
Christian sacrifice, as representing the sacrifice of
Christ upon the cross. And the end of both is the
same; for, as the sacrifices under the law were de-
signed as a propitiation or atonement for sins, by
transferring the punishment from the offerer to the
thing offered, which is therefore called, " the ac-
cursed thing," as we read, Lev. xvii. 11. So, un-
der the gospel, we are told, that it was for this end
that our Saviour died, and suffered in our stead,
that he might obtain the pardon of our sins, and
138
reconcile us to his Father, by laying the guilt of them
upon his own person. And, accordingly, he says of
himself, that " he came to give his life a ransom for
many." And St. Paul tells us, that " he was made
sin for us, who knew no sin."
And as the end of both institutions was the same,
so they were both equally extended. The paschal
lamb was ordered for all the congregation of Israel,
and so is the sacrament of the Lord's supper to be
administered to all the faithful people of Christ,
that do not exclude themselves from it. And for
this reason, I believe, that as all the congregation
of Israel were to eat the passover, so is all the society
of Christians to receive the Lord's supper; those
only to be excepted, who are altogether ignorant of
the nature of that covenant it seals, or openly and
scandalously guilty of the breach of the conditions it
requires.
But why, say some, should there be any excep-
tion? Did not Christ die for all mankind? And
is not that death said to be a " full, perfect, and
sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the
sins of the whole world ?" All this is true, but it
does not from hence follow, that all men must be
actually saved and absolved from their sins, by virtue
of his death. No, it is only they who apply to
themselves the merit of his passion, by partaking
duly of this holy sacrament, which is the proper
means by which these blessings are conveyed to us,
" whereby we are sealed to the day of redemption."
I say duly, because, though this sacrament was or-
dained for all, yet all will not make themselves wor-
thy of it ; and those that are not so, are so far from
139
reaping any benefit from it, that, as the Apostle says,
" they eat and drink their own damnation, not dis-
cerning the Lord's body." And therefore, I be-
lieve, that as in the institution of the passover there
were some particular duties and ceremonies enjoined
for the better solemnization of it ; so there are some
preparatory duties and qualifications necessarily re-
quired for the celebration of the Lord's supper,
which, before I presume to partake of it, I must
always use my utmost endeavours to exercise myself
in. And these are,
First, That I should examine, confess, and be-
wail my sins before God, with a true sense of, and
sorrow for them, and — taking firm resolutions for the
time to come utterly to relinquish and forsake them —
solemnly engage myself in a new and truly Christian
course of life.
Secondly, That I should be in perfect charity
with all men — that is, that I should heartily forgive
those who have any ways injured or offended me —
and make restitution or satisfaction to such as I have,
in any respect, injured or offended myself.
Thirdly, That I should, with an humble and
obedient heart, exercise the acts of faith, and love,
and devotion, during the celebration of that holy
mvstery; and express the sense I have of this mys-
tery, by devout praises and thanksgivings for the
ijreat mercies and favours that God vouchsafes to
me therein; and, by all the ways and measures of
fharity that he has prescribed, manifest my love and
beneficence to my Christian brethren.
These arc the proper graces, this the wedding-
garment, that every true Christian who comes to be
140
a guest at this holy supper ought to be clothed and
invested with.
" Do thou, O blessed Jesus, adorn me with this
holy robe, and inspire my soul with such heavenly
qualities and dispositions as these ; and then I need
not fear but that, as 6 oft as I eat the flesh of
Christ, and drink his blood,' I shall effectually ob-
tain the pardon and remission of my sins, the sancti-
fying influences of his Holy Spirit, and a certain in-
terest in the kingdom of glory."
See further, Treatise of the Sacrament.
ARTICLE XI.
/ believe that, after a short separation, my soul and
body shall be united together again, in order to
appear before the judgment seat of Christ, and be
finally sentenced according to my deserts.
I know this body, which, for the present, I am
tied to, is nothing else but a piece of clay, made up
into the frame and fashion of man; and therefore, as
it was first taken from the dust, so shall it return to
dust again : but then I believe, on the other hand,
that it shall be as really raised from the earth, as
ever it shall be carried to it; yea, though perhaps it
may go through a hundred or a thousand changes
before that day come. There are, I confess, some
points in this article which are hardly to be solved
by human reason ; but I believe there are none s&
difficult but what may be reconciled by a divine
faitl) ; though it be too hard for me to know, yet it
is not too hard for God to do. He that should
141
have told me some years ago, that my body then
was or should be a mixture of particles fetched from
so many parts of the world, and undergo so many
changes and alterations as to become in a manner
new, should scarcely have extorted the belief of it
from me, though now I perceive it to be a real truth
— the meats, fruits, and spices which we eat, being
transported from several different places and nations,
and, by natural digestion, transfused into the con-
stitution of the body. And why should not I be-
lieve, that the same almighty power, who made these
several beings or particles of matter, by which I am
fed and sustained, can as easily, with his word, recal
each particle again from the most secret or remote
place that it can possibly be transported to ? Or, that
He who framed me out of the dust, can with as much
ease gather all the scattered parts of the body, and put
them together again, as he at first formed them into
such a shape, and infused into it a spiritual being.
And this article of my faith, I believe, is not only
grounded upon, but may, even by the force of reason
he deduced from the principles of justice and equity;
justice requiring that they who are co-partners in
vice and virtue, should be co-partners also in punish-
ments and rewards. There is scarcely a sin a man
commits, but his body hath a share in it ; for though
the sin committed would not be a sin without the
soul, yet it could not he committed without the bodv -
the sinfulness of it depends upon the former, but the
commission of it may lawfully be charged upon the
latter: the body could not sin, if the soul did not
consent; nor could the soul sin (especially so oft) if
the body did not tempt to it. And this is particu-
142
larly observable in the sins of adultery, drunkenness,
and gluttony, which the soul of itself cannot commit,
neither would it ever consent to them, did not the
prevalent humours of the body, as it were, force it
to do so. For in these sins, the act that is sinful
is wholly performed by the body, though the fulness
of that act doth principally depend upon the soul.
Neither is the body only partner with the soul in
these grosser sins ; but even the more spiritual sins,
which seem to be most abstracted from the tempera-
ture of the body, as if they depended only upon the
depravity and corruption of the soul : I say, even these
are partly to be ascribed to the body, For instance,
an atheistical thought, which, one would think, was
to be laid upon the soul, because the thought takes
its rise from thence ; yet if we seriously weigh and
consider the matter, we shall find, that it is usually
the sinful affections of the body that thus debauch
the mind into these blasphemous thoughts ; and that
it is the pleasures of sense that first suggested them
to us, and raise them in us. And this appears, in
that there was no person that ever was, or indeed
ever can be, an atheist at all times ; but such thoughts
spring up in the fountain of the soul, only when
mudded with fleshly pleasures. And thus it is in
most other sins ; the carnal appetite having gotten
the reins into its hands, it misleads the reason, and
hurries the soul, wheresoever it pleaseth. And,
what then can be more reasonable, than that the
body should be punished, both for its usurping the
soul's prerogative, and for its tyrannizing so much
over that, which, at the first, it was made to be sub-
ject to?
143
But, further, it is the body that enjoys the plea-
sure, and therefore good reason that the body should
likewise bear the punishment of the sin. Indeed, I
cannot perceive, how it can stand with the principles
of justice, but that the body, which both accompanies
the soul in sin, enjoys the pleasures of it, and leads
the soul into it, should bear a share in the miseries
which are due to, and inflicted upon it. For what
doth justice require, but to punish the person that
offends, for the offence he commits? whereas, if the
soul only, and not the body, were to suffer, the per-
son would not suffer at all, the body being part of
the person, as well as the soul, and therefore the soul
no person without the body.
Hence it is, that though the Scriptures had been
silent on this point, yet, methinks, I could not but
have believed ; how much more firm and steadfast,
then, ought I to be in my faith, when truth itself
hath been pleased so expressly to affirm it ! For
thus saith the Lord of hosts, " Thy dead men shall
live, together with my dead body shall they arise."
" And many of them that sleep in the dust of the
earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some
to shame and everlasting contempt." And thus
saith the Saviour of the world, who is the way, the
truth, and the life : " The hour is coming, in which
all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and
shall come forth ; they that have done good unto
the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil,
unto the resurrection of damnation." The same
hath it pleased his divine Majesty to assert and prove
with his own mouth, Matt. xxii. 31, 32. and by his
Spirit, 2 Cor. xv. and in many other places : from
144
ail which, I may, with comfort and confidence, draw
the same conclusion that holy Job did, and say, ;i I
know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall
stand at the latter day upon the earth ; and though,
after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet in my
flesh shall I see God; whom I shall see for myself,
and mine eyes shall behold, and not another, though
my reins be consumed within me."
And, as I believe my body shall be thus raised
from the grave, so I believe the other part of me,
my soul, shall never be carried to it ; I mean it shall
never die, but shall be as much, yea, more alive,
when I am dying, than it is now ; so much my soul
shall be the more active in itself, by how much it is
less tied and subjected to the body.
And, further, I believe, that so soon as ever my
breath is out of my nostrils, my soul shall remove
her lodging into the other world, there to live as
really to eternity, as I now live here in time. Yea,
I am more certain, that my soul shall " return to
God who gave it," than that my body shall return
to the earth, out of which I had it. For I know, it
is possible my body may be made immortal, but I
am sure my soul shall never be mortal. I know,
that at the first, the body did equally participate of
immortality with the soul, and that had not sin made
the divorce, they had lived together, like loving
mates, to all eternity. And I dare not affirm, that
Enoch and Elias underwent the common fate; or,
suppose they did, yet, sure I am, the time will come,
when thousands of men and women shall not be dis-
solved and die, but be immediately changed and
caught up into heaven, or, to their eternal confusion,
145
thrust down into hell; whose bodies, therefore, shall
undergo no such thing as rotting in the grave, or
being eaten up of worms, but, together with their
souls, shall immediately launch into the vast ocean
of eternity. But who ever yet read or heard of a
soul's funeral? Who is it — where is the man —
or what is his name, that wrote the history of her
life and death ? Can any disease arise in a spiritual
substance, wherein there is no such thing as con-
trariety of principles or qualities to occasion any dis-
order or distemper ? Can an angel be sick or die ?
And, if not an angel, why a soul, which is endowed
with the same spiritual nature here, and shall be
adorned with the same eternal glory hereafter? No,
no; deceive not thyself, my soul; for it is more cer-
tain that thou shalt always live than that thy body
shall ever die.
Not that I think my soul must always live, in
despite of Omnipotence itself, as if it were not in
the power of the Almighty to take my being and
existence from me; for I know I am but a potsherd
in the potter's hands, and that it is as easy for him
to dash me in pieces now as it was to raise it up at
the first. I believe it is as easy for him to com-
mand my soul out of its being as out of its body :
and to send me back into my mother's nothing, out
of whose womb he took me, as it was at first to fetch
me thence. I know he could do it, if he would,
but himself hath said he will not, and therefore I
am sure be cannot do it ; and that not because he
hath not power, but because he hath not will to do
it, it being impossible for him to do that which he
doth not will to do. And that it is not his will or
G 37
146
pleasure even to annihilate my soul, I have it under
his own hand, that my " dust shall return to the
earth as it was, and my spirit to God that gave it."
And if it return to God, it is so far from returning
to nothing, that it returns to the Being of all heings ;
and so death to me will be nothing more than
going home to my father and mother : my soul goes
to my Father, God; and my body to my mother,
earth.
Thus, likewise, hath it pleased his sacred Ma-
jesty to assure me, that if " our earthly house of
this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of
God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the
heavens :" so clearly hath the great God " brought
life and immortality to light through the gospel."
The light of nature shows the soul can never perish
or be dissolved without the immediate interposition
of God's omnipotence, and we have his own divine
word for it, that he will never use that power in the
dissolution of it. And therefore I may, with the
greatest assurance, affirm and believe, that as really
as I now live, so really shall I never die ; but that
my soul, at the very moment of its departure from
the flesh, shall immediately mount up to the tri-
bunal of the most high God, there to be judged,
first privately, by itself, (or perhaps with some other
souls that shall be summoned to appear before
God the same moment;) and then from these pri-
vate sessions, I believe that every soul that ever
was or shall be separated from the body, must either
be received into the mansions of heaven, or else sent
down to the dungeon of hell, there to remain till
the grand assizes, the " judgment of the great day,
147
when the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall he
raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." And
when our bodies, by the word of the Almighty God,
shall be thus called together again, I believe that
our souls shall be all prepared to meet them, and be
united again to them, and so both " appear before
the judgment-seat of Christ, to receive sentence ac-
cording to what they have done in the flesh, whether
it be good, or whether it be evil." And though it
is very difficult, or rather impossible, for me to con-
ceive or determine the particular circumstance of this
grand assize, or manner and method how it shall be
managed, yet, from the light and intimations that
God has vouchsafed to give us of it, I have ground
to believe, it will be ordered and carried after this,
or the like manner.
The day and place being appointed by the King
of kings, the glorious Majesty of heaven, and Sa-
viour of the world, Jesus Christ, who long ago re-
ceived his commission from the Father to be the
" judge of the quick and dead," " shall descend
from heaven with the shout of the archangel, and
with the trump of God," royally attended with an in-
numerable company of glorious angels. These he
shall send with the great sound of a trumpet, and
" they shall gather together his elect from the four
winds, from the one end of heaven to the other ;"
yea, and the wicked, too, from whatsoever place they
shall be in ; and then shall he " sever the wicked
from the just." So that all nations, and every par-
ticular person, that ever did or ever shall live upon
the face of the earth, shall be gathered together be-
fore him, and " he shall separate them one from
g 2
148
another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the
goats : and he shall set the sheep on his right hand,
and the goats on the left."
Things being thus set in order, the Judge shall
read his commission, that is, declare and manifest
himself to be the Judge of all the earth, sent by the
God of heaven to judge them that had condemned
him ; and in that very body that was once crucified
upon the cross, at Jerusalem, for our sins. So that
all the world shall then behold him shining in all his
glory and majesty, and shall acknowledge him to be
now, what they would not believe him to be before,
even both God and man ; and so the Judge of all the
world, from whom there can be no appeal.
And having thus declared his commission, I be-
lieve the first work he will go upon, will be to open
the book of God's remembrance, and to cause all the
indictments to be read, that there are found on re-
cord against those on his right hand; but, behold, all
the black lines of their sins being blotted out with
the red lines of their Saviour's blood, and nothing
but their good works, their prayers, their sermons,
their meditations, their alms, and the like, to be
found there ; the righteous Judge before whom they
stand, turning himself before them, with a serene
and smiling countenance, will declare to them before
all the world, that their sins are pardoned, and their
persons accepted by him, as having believed in him ;
and therefore will he immediately proceed to pro-
nounce the happy sentence of election on them, say-
ing, " Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the
kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of
the world."
149
The sentence being thus pronounced, the right-
eous (and I hope myself amongst the rest) shall go
up with shouts of joy and triumph, to sit with our
blessed Redeemer, to judge the other parts of the
world, who sit at the left hand of the tribunal, with
ghastly countenances and trembling hearts, to receive
their last and dreadful doom. Against these, all the
sins that they committed, or were guilty of, shall be
brought up in judgment against them, as they are
found on record in the book of God's remembrance,
and the indictments read against every particular per-
son, high or low, for every particular sin, great or
small, which they have committed.
And the truth of this indictment shall be attested
by their own consciences, crying, Guilty, guilty ! I
say, by their own consciences, which are as a thou-
sand witnesses ; yea, and by the omniscience of God,
too, which is as a thousand consciences. And there-
fore, without any further delay, shall the Judge pro-
ceed to pronounce the sentence, the doleful sentence
of condemnation upon them, " Depart, ye cursed,
into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his
angels."
This, I believe, or such like, will be the method
of Christ's proceeding with us in that great and ter-
rible day of trial and retribution.
" Oh ! may those awful thoughts and ideas of it
always accompany me, and strike such a deep and
livclv impression upon my heart, in every action of
life, as to deter me from offending this just and
almightv Being, in whose power it is ' to destroy
both soul and body in hell :' and engage me in such
a regular, strict, and conscientious course of life, as
150
to be always ready, whenever he shall please to sum-
mon me, to give in my accounts to the great audit,
and, with a holy assurance, fly for mercy and succour
into the hands of my Redeemer, and be permitted
to s enter into the joys of his rest?' "
ARTICLE XII.
i" believe there are tivo other worlds besides this I live
in — a world of misery for unrepenting sinners,
and a world of glory for believing saints.
When death hath opened the cage of flesh,
wherein the soul is penned up, whither it flies, or
how it subsists, I think is not easy to determine, or
indeed to conceive. As for the Platonic aerial and
etherial vehicles, succeeding this terrestrial one, I
find neither mention of, nor warrant for them, in the
word of God. And, indeed, to suppose that a spiri-
tual substance cannot subsist of itself, without being
supported by a corporeal vehicle, is, in my opinion,
too gross a conceit for any philosopher, much more
for one that professes himself a divine, to advance or
entertain. Only this I am sure of, that according
to the distinction of lives here into good or bad, and
the sentence passed upon all hereafter, of absolution
or condemnation, there will be a twofold receptacle
for the souls of men, the one of happiness, and the
other of misery.
As to the first, I believe that, at the great and
general assizes of the world, there will be a glorious
entrance opened for the righteous into the holy of
holies, the seat and fountain of all hliss and hap-
151
piness, where they shall draw nigh to the most high
God, " behold his presence in righteousness," and
reign with him for ever in glory, where they shall
see him " face to face, and know him the only true
God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent." And
this knowing and beholding God face to face, is, I
believe, the very heaven of heavens, even the highest
happiness that it is possible a creature should be
made capable of; for, in having a perfect knowledge
of God, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all
things that ever were, are, shall, yea, or can be in
the world. For God being the Being of all beings,
in seeing him, we shall not only see whatsoever hath
been, but whatsoever can be communicated from
him. The contemplation of which cannot but ravish
and transport my spirit beyond itself — especially
when I consider, that in knowing this One All-
things, God, I cannot but enjoy whatsoever it is
possible any creature should enjoy. For the know-
ing of a thing is the soul's enjoyment of it, the un-
derstanding being to the soul what the senses are
to the body. And therefore, as the body enjoys
nothing but by its senses, so neither doth the soul
enjoy any thing but by its understanding. And,
as the body is said to have whatsoever affects its
proper senses, so may the soul be said to have what-
soever comes under its knowledge. Nay, the soul
so far hath what it knows, that, in a manner, it is
what it knows — itself being, in a spiritual manner,
enlarged according to the extent of the objects
which it knows, as the body is by the meat it eats —
the truths we know turning into the substance of our
souls, as the meat we eat doth into the substance of
our bodies.
1.52
But oh what a rare soul shall I then have, when
it shall be extended to every thing that ever was or
ever could have been ! What a happy creature shall
I then be, when I shall know and so enjoy him that
is all things in himself! What can a creature de-
sire more ? yea, what more can a creature be made
capable of enjoying or desiring? And that which
always will accompany this our knowledge and en-
joyment is perfect love to what we enjoy and know,
without which we should take pleasure in nothing,
though we should have all things to take pleasure
in. But who will be able not to love the chief
good that knows and enjoys him, and therefore en-
joys him because he knows him ? Questionless, in
heaven, as I shall enjoy whatsoever I can love, so
shall I love whatsoever I enjoy. And this, there-
fore, I believe to be the perfection of my happiness,
and the happiness of my perfection, in the other
world — that I shall perfectly know and love, and so
perfectly enjoy and rejoice in the most high God;
and shall be, as known, so perfectly loved, and re-
joiced in him. And questionless, for all our shallow
apprehensions and low estimations of these things
now, they cannot choose but be vast and inconceiv-
able pleasures, too great for any creature to enjoy
whilst here below.
If we have but the least drop of these pleasures
distilled into us here upon earth, how strangely do
they make us, as it were, beside ourselves, by lifting
us above ourselves ! If we can but at any time get
a glimpse of God, and of his love to us, how are we
immediately carried beyond all other pleasures and
contentments whatsoever ! How apt are we to say,
153
with Peter, " It is good for us to be here !" and if
the foretastes of the blessings of Canaan — if the dark
intimations of God's love to us, be so unspeakably
pleasant, so ravishingly delightsome, oh what will
the full possession of him be ! What transporting
ecstasies of love and joy shall those blessed souls be
possessed with, who shall behold the King of glory
smiling upon them, rejoicing over them, and shining
forth in all his love and glory upon them ! Oh
what astonishing beauty will they then behold !
What flowing, what refreshing pleasures shall then
solace and delight their spirits, unto all eternity —
pleasures far greater than I am able either to ex-
press or conceive, much less to enjoy, on this side ot
heaven ! My faculties are now too narrow and scanty
for such an entertainment, and therefore, till they
are spiritualized and enlarged, they cannot receive
it. This is the portion only of another world, this
the " crown of righteousness which the Lord, the
righteous Judixe, reserves in heaven for me," and
which, at his second coming, he has promised to be-
stow upon me, " and not upon me only, but upon all
them also that love his appearing."
As to the other state, namely, that of the wicked
in another life, I believe it will be as exquisitely
miserable and wretched as that of the righteous is
happy and glorious. They will be driven for ever
from the presence of the Lord, from those bright
and blessed regions above, where Christ sits at the
right hand of God, to those dark and dismal dun-
geons below, where the devil and his angels are for
ever doomed to be tormented.
What sort of torments or punishment they are
g3
1.54
there to undergo I am as unable to express as I .am
unwilling ever to experience ; but, according to the
notions which Scripture and reason give me of these
matters, I believe they will be twofold — namely,
1. Privative, and, 2. Positive, that is, The wicked
will not only be deprived of all that is good and
happy, but actually condemned to all that is evil and
miserable ; and this in the most transcendent degree.
The first part of their punishment will consist in
envious melancholy, and self-condemning reflections
upon their having defeated and deprived themselves,
not only of their carnal mirth and sensual enjoy-
ments, their friends, fortunes, and estates in this
world, but also of all the infinite joys and glories of
the next, the presence of God, the society of saints
and angels, and all the refreshing and ravishing de-
lights which flow from the fruition of the chiefest
good. And what adds yet further to their anguish
and remorse is, that they have lost the hopes of
ever regaining any of these enjoyments.
Oh, how infinitely tormenting and vexatious
must such a condition be, which at once gives them
a view both of the greatest happiness and the great-
est misery, without the least hopes either of reco-
vering the one, or being delivered from the other !
How must they tear, torment, and curse themselves
for their former follies, and, too late, wish that they
had been stifled in the womb !
And, if the late privation of heaven and happiness
be so miserable and tormenting, how will it rack
their consciences, and fill their souls with horror and
amazement, to behold the eternal God, the glorious
Jehovah, in the fierceness of his wrath, continually
155
threatening to pour out his vengeance upon them !
how much more, when he positively consigns them
over to the power of the devil, to execute his judg-
ment in full measure — when they are gnawed upon
by the worm of their own consciences, feel the wrath
of the Almighty flaming in their hearts, and fire
and brimstone their continual torture ; and all this
without the least alloy or mixture of refreshment, or
the least hopes of ending or cessation !
In a word, when they have nothing else to ex-
pect but misery for their portion, weeping and wail-
ing for their constant employment, and the devil and
damned fiends their only companions to all eternity !
and this is that world of misery which all that will
not [be persuaded to believe in Christ here must be
doomed for ever to live in hereafter.
I know the subjects of this article were never the
objects of my sight, though they are of my faith.
I never yet saw heaven or hell, the places I am now
speaking of; but why should my faith be staggered
or diminished because of that ; I never saw Rome,
Constantinople, or the flaming Sicilian hill Etna,
yet I believe there is such a burning mountain, and
such glorious cities; because others who have been
there have told me so, and faithful writers have re-
lated and described them to me. And shall I be-
lieve my fellow-worms, and not my great Creator,
who is Truth itself? What though I never did
see the New Jerusalem that is above, nor the flam-
ing Tophet that is below ; yet since God himself
hath both related and described them to me, why
should I doubt of them ? Why should not I a
thousand times sooner believe them to be than it'
156
1 had seen them with my own eyes ? I cannot so
much believe that I now have a pen in my hand,
have a book before me, and am writing, as I do and
ought to believe that I shall, one day, and that ere
lonof, be either in heaven or hell — in the height of
happiness, or in the depth of misery.
I know my senses are fallible, and therefore may
deceive me, but my God I am sure cannot. And
therefore, let others raise doubts and scruples as they
please, I am as fully satisfied and convinced of the
truth of this article as any of the rest.
" Do thou, O my God, keep me steadfast in this
faith, and give me grace so to fit and prepare myself
to appear before thee, in the white robes of purity
and holiness, in another world, that, whenever my
dissolution comes, I may cheerfully resign my spirit
into the hands of my Creator and Redeemer — and
from this crazy house of clay take my flight into the
mansions of glory, where Christ sits at the right
hand of God — and, with the joyful choir of saints
and angels, and the blessed spirits of just men made
perfect, chant forth thy praises to all eternity."
RESOLUTIONS
FORMED UPON THE FOREGOING ARTICLES.
As obedience without faith is impossible, so faith
without obedience is vain and unprofitable : " For
as the body," says St. James, " without the spirit is
dead, so faith without good works is dead also."
Having therefore, I hope, laid a sure foundation, by
resolving what and how to believe, I shall now, by
the grace of God, resolve so to order my conversa-
tion, in all circumstances and conditions of life, as to
raise a good superstructure upon it, and to finish the
work God has given me to — do that is, so to love
and please God in this world as to enjoy and ,be
happy with him for ever in the next. And it is
absolutely necessary that I should be speedy and
serious in these resolutions ; especially when I reflect
with myself how much of my time I have already
spent upon the vanities and follies of youth, and
how much enhanced and increased this work is, by
acquired guilt, by settled and repeated habits of sin,
which are not without great difficulty to be atoned
for and removed. My heart, alas ! is now more
hardened in iniquity, more puffed with pride, and
more averse from God, than when I first entered
158
into covenant with him; and I have added many
actual sins and provocations to my original guilt and
pollution ; instead of glorifying God, I have dis-
honoured him, and, instead of working out my own
salvation, I have taken a pleasure and delight in
such things as would in the end be my ruin and
destruction. So that, before I can be able to make
any progress in the duties of religion, or walk in the
paths that lead to life, I must first be freed and dis-
entangled from those weights and encumbrances that
clog and retard me in my spiritual course : I must
have my heart cleansed and softened, humbled and
converted to God, and all my transgressions purged
and pardoned by the merits of my Redeemer. And
then, being fully persuaded that there is no way for
me to come to the joys of heaven but by walking
according to the strictest rules of holiness upon
earth, I must endeavour for the future, by a thorough
change and reformation of my life, to act in con-
formity to the divine will and pleasure in all things,
and perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord ; for the
Most High has told me in his word, that u without
holiness no man shall see the Lord."
In order, therefore, to qualify myself for this
happiness, it will be necessary for me to settle firm
and steady resolutions, to fulfil my duty, in all the
several branches of it, to God, my neighbour, and
myself, and to take care these resolutions be put in
practice according to the following method.
159
RESOLUTION I.
I am resolved, by the grace of God, to walk by rule,
and therefore think it necessary to resolve upon the
j'ules to walk by.
And this rather, because I perceive the want of
such rules has been the occasion of all or most of
my miscarriages. For, what other reason can I
assign to myself, for having trifled and sinned away
so much time as I have done in my younger years,
but because I did not thoroughly resolve to spend it
better? What is the reason I have hitherto lived
so unserviceably to God, so unprofitably to others,
and so sinfully against my own soul, but because I
did not apply myself with that sincerity of resolu-
tion, diligence, and circumspection, as a wise man
ought to have done, to discharge my duty in these
particulars ? I have, indeed, often resolved to bid
adieu to my sins and follies, and to enter upon a new
course of life ; but these resolutions being not rightly
formed upon steady principles, the first temptation
made way for a relapse, and the same bait that first
allured me has no sooner been thrown in my way
but I have been as ready to catch at it again, and as
greedy to swallow it as ever. At other times, again,
I have acted without any thought or resolution at
all; and then, though some of my actions might be
good in themselves, yet being done by chance, and
without any true design or intention, they could not
be imputed to me as good, but rather the quite con-
160
trary: so that, in this respect, the want of resolution
has not only been the occasion of my sinful actions,
but the corruption of my good ones too. And shall
I still go on in this loose and careless manner, as I
have formerly done ? No, I now resolve with my-
self, in the presence of the most high and eternal
God, not only in general to walk by rule, but to fix
the rule I design to walk by ; so that, in all my
thoughts, and words, and actions, in all places, com-
panies, relations, and conditions, I may still have a
sure guide at hand to direct me, such a one as I can
safely depend upon without any danger of being-
deceived or misled, that is, the Holy Scripture. And
therefore,
RESOLUTION II.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to make the
divine word the rule of all the rules I propose to
myself
As the will of God is the rule and measure of all
that is good, so there is nothing deserves that name
but what is agreeable and conformable thereto : and
this will being fully revealed and contained in the
holy Scripture, it will be necessary for me in direct-
ing my course over the ocean of this world, that I
should fix my eye continually upon this star, steer
by this compass, and make it the only landmark by
which I am to be guided to my wished-for haven.
I must not, therefore, have recourse to the inward
workings of my own roving fancy, or the corrupt
dictates of my own carnal reason. These are but
161
blind guides, and will certainly lead me into the
ditch of error, heresy, and irreligion, which in these
our self-admiring days so many poor souls have been
plunged in. Alas ! how many hath the impetuous
torrent of blind zeal and erroneous conscience borne
down into a will-worship and voluntary subjection of
themselves to the spurious offspring of their own de-
luded fancies ! If the light that is within them doth
but dictate any thing to be done — or rather, if the
whimsy doth but take them, that they must do thus
or thus — they presently set about it, without ever
consulting the sacred writings, to see whether it is
acceptable to God, or displeasing to him. Whereas,
for my own part, I know not how any thing should
be worthy of God's accepting that is not of God's
commanding. I am sure the word of God is the
good old way that will certainly bring me to my
Father's house; for how should that way but lead
to heaven which truth itself hath chalked out for
me? Not as if it was necessary, that every one of
my resolutions should be contained word for word in
the holy Scriptures ; it is sufficient that they be im-
plied in, and agreeable thereto. So that, though
the manner of my expressions may not be found in
the word of God, yet the matter of my resolutions
may be clearly drawn from thence. But let me dive
a little into the depth of my sinful heart ! What is
the reason of my thus resolving upon such an exact
conformity to the will and word of God ? Is it to
work my way to heaven with my own hands — to
purchase an inheritance in the land of Canaan, with
the price of my own holiness and religion — or to
swim over the ocean of this world, into the haven of
162
happiness, upon the empty bladders of my own reso-
lutions ? No.
RESOLUTION III.
/ am resolved, that as I am not able to think or do
any thing that is good without the influence of the
divine grace — so I ivill not pretend to merit any
favour from God upon account of any thing I do
for his glory and service.
And indeed, I may very well put this resolution
amongst the rest; for should I resolve to perform
my resolutions by mine own strength, I might as
well resolve never to perform them at all; for truth
itself, and mine own woful experience, hath con-
vinced me, that I am not able of myself so much as
to think a good thought, and how then shall I be
able of myself to resolve upon rules of holiness ac-
cording to the word of God, or to order my conver-
sation according to these resolutions, without the
concurrence of the divine grace ? Alas! should the
great God be pleased to leave me to myself to re-
solve upon what is agreeable to my corrupt nature,
what strange kind of resolutions should I make !
What should I resolve upon ? Certainly, only no-
thing but to gratify my carnal appetite with sensual
and sinful pleasures, to indulge myself in riot and
excess, to spend my time and revel out my parts
and talents in the revels of sin and vanity. But
now, " to live holily, righteously, and godly in this
present world," to deny my own will, that I may
fulfil the will of God; alas ! such resolutions as these
163
would never so much as come into my thoughts, much
less would they discover themselves in my outward
conversation.
But, suppose I should be able to make good re-
solutions, and fulfil them exactly in my life and
actions, yet what should I do more than my duty ?
And what should I be esteemed of for doing that ?
Alas ! this is so far from puffing me up, that I am
verily persuaded, should I spend all my time, my
parts, my strength, my gifts, for God, and all my
estate upon the poor — should I water my couch con-
tinually with my tears, and fast my body into a
skeleton — should I employ each moment of my life
in the immediate worship of my glorious Creator,
so that all my actions, from my birth to my death,
should be but one continued act of holiness and obe-
dience ; in a word — should I live like an angel in hea-
ven, and die like a saint on earth, yet I know no
truer, nor should I desire any better epitaph to be
engraven upon my tomb than this, ' Here lies an
unprofitable servant.' No, no; it is Christ, and
Christ alone that my soul must support itself upon.
It is holiness, indeed, that is the way to heaven ; but
there is none, none but Christ can lead me to it. As
the worst of my sins are pardonable by Christ, so are
the best of my duties damnable without him.
But if so, then whither tend my resolutions ?
Why so strict — so circumspect a conversation.^
Why? it is to justify that faith before others and
mine own conscience which I hope, through Christ,
shall justify my soul before God. And I believe,
further, that the holier I live here, the happier I
shall live hereafter, for though 1 shall not be saved
164
for my works, yet I believe I shall be saved accord-
ing to them. And thus, as I dare not expect to be
saved by the performance of my resolutions without
Christ's merit, so neither do I ever expect to be
enabled to perform my resolutions, without his Spirit
assisting me therein.
No, " it is thyself, my God, and my guide, that
I wholly and solely depend upon! Oh, for thine
own sake, for thy Son's sake, and for thy promise'
sake, do thou both make me to know what thou
wouldst have me to do, and then help me to do what
thou wouldst have me to know ! Teach me first
what to resolve upon, and then enable me to per-
form my resolutions ; that I may walk with thee in
the ways of holiness here, and rest with thee in the
joys of happiness hereafter !"
CONCERNING MY CONVERSATION IN
GENERAL.
Having thus far determined in general, to form
resolutions for the better regulating of my life, I
must now descend to particulars, and settle some
rules with myself, to resolve my future life and con-
versation wholly into holiness and religion. I know
this is a hard task to do; but I am sure, it is no
more than what my God and my Father has set me ;
why therefore should I think much to do it? Shall
1 grudge to spend my life for him, who did not
grudge to spend his own blood for me? Shall not
165
I so live, that he may be glorified here on earth,
who died that I might be glorified in heaven, espe-
cially considering, that if my whole life could be
sublimated into holiness, and moulded into an exact
conformity unto the will of the Most High, I should
be happy beyond expression ? Oh what a heaven
should I then have on earth ! What ravishments
of love and joy would my soul be continually pos-
sessed with ! Well — I am resolved by the grace of
God, to try; and to that end, do, this morning,
wholly sequester and set myself apart for God, re-
solving, by the assistance of his grace, to make all
and every thought, word, and action, to pay their
tribute unto him. Let this man mind his profit ; a
second, his pleasures ; a third, his honours ; a fourth,
himself: and all, their sins; I am resolved to mind
and serve my God, so as to make him the Alpha
and Omega, the first and last of my whole life.
And, that I may always have an exact copy before
me, to write and frame every letter of this mv life
by-
RESOLUTION I.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to make Christ
the pattern of my life here, that so Christ may he
the portion of my sold hereafter.
Let the whole world go whither it will, 1 am
resolved to walk in the steps that my Saviour went
in before me : I shall endeavour in all places I come
into, in all companies I converse with, in all the
duties 1 undertake, in all the miseries I undergo,
166
still to behave myself as my Saviour would do, were
he in my place. So that wheresoever I am, or
whatsoever I am about, I shall still put this question
to myself, Would my Saviour go hither? Would
he do this or that? And, every morning, consider
with myself, suppose my Saviour were in my stead,
had my business to do, how would he demean him-
self this day? How meek and lowly would he be
in his carriage and deportment? How circumspect
in his walking? How savoury in his discourse?
How heavenly in all, even his earthly employments ?
Well, and am I resolved, by strength from himself,
to follow him as nearly as possible ? I know, I can
never hope perfectly to transcribe this copy, but I
must endeavour to imitate it in the best manner I
can; that so, by doing as he did in time, I may be
where he is to all eternity. But, alas ! his life was
spiritual, and " I am carnal, sold under sin ;" and
every petty object that doth but please my senses,
will be apt to divert and draw away my soul from
following his steps. In order, therefore, to prevent
this,
RESOLUTION II.
I am resolved, by the grace of God, to walk by faith
and not by sight, on earth, that so I may live by
sight, and not by faith, in heaven.
And truly, this resolution is so necessary to the
performance of all the rest, that without it I can do
nothing, with it I can do every thing, that is required.
The reason why I am so much taken with the gar-
167
nish and seeming beauty of this world's vanities, so
as to step out of the road of holiness to catch at, or
delight myself in them, is only because I look upon
them with an eye of sense. For could I behold
every thing with the eye of faith, I should judge of
them, not as they seem to me, but as they are in
themselves, " vanity and vexation of spirit." For,
faith has a quick and piercing eye, that can look-
through the outward superficies, into the inward
essence of things. It can look through the pleasing
bait to the hidden hook — view the sting as well as
the honey — the everlasting punishment as well as
the temporal contentment there is in sin. It is, as
the Apostle very well defines it, " the substance of
things hoped for, and the evidence of things not
seen." It is the substance of whatsoever is promised
by God to me, or expected by me from him : so
that, by faith, whatsoever I hope for in heaven, I
may have the substance of upon earth : and it is the
evidence of things not seen, the presence of what is
absent, the clear demonstration of what would other-
wise seem impossible : so that I can clearly discern,
as through a perspective, hidden things and things
afar off, as if they were open and just at hand ; I
can look into the deepest mysteries as fully revealed,
and see heaven and eternity as just ready to receive
me.
And, oh, could I but always look through this
glass, and be constantly upon the mount, taking a
view of the land of Canaan, what dreams and shadow?
would all things here below appear to be ! Well,
by the grace of God, I am resolved no longer to tie
myself to sense and sight, the sordid and trifling
168
affairs of this life, but alwaysvto walk as one of the
other world, to behave myself in all places, and at
all times, as one already possessed of my inheritance
and an inhabitant of the New Jerusalem — by faith
assuring myself I have but a few more days to live
below, a little more work to do, and then I shall
lay aside my glass, and be admitted to a nearer
vision and fruition of God, and see him face to face.
By this means, I shall always live as if I were
daily to die — always speak as if my tongue, the
next moment, were to cleave to the roof of my
mouth — and continually order my thoughts and
affections in such a manner as if my soul were just
ready to depart and take its flight into .the other
world. By this means, whatsoever place I am in,
or whatsoever work I am about, I shall still be with
my God, and demean myself so, as if, with St.
Jerome, I heard the voice of the trumpet crying out,
" Awake, ye dead, and come to judgment."
And thus, though I am at present here in the
flesh, yet I shall look upon myself as more really an
inhabitant of heaven than I am upon earth. Here
I am but as a pilgrim, or a sojourner, that has no
abiding city ; but there I have a sure and everlasting
inheritance, which Christ has purchased and prepared
for me, and which faith has given me the possession
of. And, therefore, as it is my duty, so I will con-
stantly make it my endeavour, to live up to the
character of a true Christian, whose portion and
conversation is in heaven, and think it a disgrace
and disparagement to my profession, to stoop to, or
entangle myself with such toys and trifles as the
men of the world busy themselves about; or to feed
169
upon husks with swine here below, when it is in my
power, by faith, to be continually supplied with spi-
ritual manna from heaven, till at last I am admitted to
it. And that I may awe my spirit into the perform-
ance of these, and all other my resolutions,
RESOLUTION III.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, always to be
looking upon God as always looking upon me.
Wheresoever I am, or whatsoever I am doing,
I must still consider the eye of the great God as
directly intent upon me, viewing and observing all
my thoughts, words, and actions, and writing them
down in the book of his remembrance; and that all
these, unless they be washed out with the tears of
repentance, and crossed with the blood of my cruci-
fied Saviour, must still remain on record, and be
brought in judgment against me at the great day.
That therefore I may always behave myself as in
his presence, it behoves me thoroughly to consider,
and be persuaded, not only that my outward man,
but even also the secret thoughts, the inward mo-
tions and retirements of my soul, all the several
windings and turnings of my heart, are exactly
known and manifest, as anatomized before him.
He knows what I am now thinking, doing, and
writing, as well as I do myself; yea, he sees every
word whilst it is in my heart, before it be brought
forth and set down. He knows all the resolutions
1 have made, and how often, poor creature ! I have
broken them already since I made them.
II 3
170
Upon this consideration, I resolve to stand my
ground against all temptations, and, whenever I find
myself in danger to be drawn aside by them, to
oppose 'the bent of my corrupt affections by these
or the like questions : — Am I really in the presence
of the Almighty, the great Lord of heaven and
earth, and shall I presume to affront him to his face,
by doing such things as I know are odious and dis-
pleasing to him ? I would not commit adultery in
the presence of my fellow-creatures, and shall I do
it in the presence of the glorious Jehovah ? I would
not steal in the sight of an earthly judge, and shall
I do it before the judge of all the world ? If fear and
shame from men have such an influence upon me,
as to deter me from the commission of sin, how
ought I to be moved with the apprehensions of God's
inspection, who does not only know my transgres-
sions, but will eternally punish me for them !
May these thoughts and considerations always
take place in my heart, and be accompanied with
such happy effects in my conversation, that I may
live with God upon earth, and so love and fear his
presence in this world that I may for ever enjoy his
glory in the next !
CONCERNING MY THOUGHTS.
But who am I, poor, proud, sinful dust and ashes,
that I should expect to live so holy, so heavenly, as
is here supposed ! " Can grapes be gathered from
thorns, or figs from thistles?" Can the fruit be
171
sweet when the root is bitter — or the streams health-
ful when the fountain is poisoned? No — I must
either ect me a new and better heart, or else it
will be impossible for me ever to lead a new and
better life. But how must I come by this pearl of
inestimable value, anew heart? Can I purchase
it with my own riches, or find it in my own field ?
Can I raise it from sin to holiness — from earth to
heaven — or from myself to God ? Alas ! I have
endeavoured it, but I find, by woful experience, I
cannot attain to it. I have been lifting and heaving
again and again, to raise it out of the mire and clay
of sin and corruption ; but, alas ! it will not stir. I
have rubbed and chafed it with one threatening after
another, and all to get heat and life into it ; but
still it is as cold and dead as ever. I have brought
it to the promises, and set it under the dropping of
the sanctuary — I have shown it the beauty of Christ,
and the deformity of sin ; but yet it is a hard and
sinful, and earthly, and sensual heart still. What,
therefore, shall I do with it? O my God, I bring
it unto thee ! thou, who madest it a heart at first,
can only make it a new heart now. O do thou
purify and refine it, and " renew a right spirit within
me !" Do thou take it into thy hands, and, out of
thine infinite goodness, new mould it up, by thine
own grace, into an exact conformity to thy own will !
Do thou but give me a new heart, and I shall pro-
mise thee, by thy grace, to lead a new life, and be-
come a new creature. Do thou but clear the foun-
tain, and I shall endeavour, to look to the streams
that flow from it, which, that I may be able to do
with the better success,
h 2
172
RESOLUTION I.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to watch as
much over the inward motions of my heart as the
outward actions of my life.
For my heart, I perceive, is the womb in which
all sin is first conceived, and from which, my Saviour
tells me, "proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, forni-
cations, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness,
deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride,
foolishness." So that, as ever I would prevent the
commission of these sins in my life, I must endea-
vour to hinder their conception in my heart, follow-
ing the wise man's counsel, " to keep my heart with
all diligence, because out of it are the issues of life."
Neither is this the only reason why I should set so
strict a watch over my heart — because sinful thoughts
lead to sinful acts — but because the thoughts them-
selves are sinful, yea, the very first-born of iniquity ;
which, though men cannot pry into or discover, yet
the all-seeing God knows and observes, and remem-
bers them, as well as the greatest actions of all my
life. And O what wicked and profane thoughts
have I formerly entertained, not only against God,
but against Christ, by questioning the justice of his
laws, and doubting of the truth of his revelation, so
as to make both his life and death of none effect to
me ! which, that they may never be laid to my
charge hereafter, I humbly beseech God to pardon
and absolve me from, and to give me grace for the
173
remainder of my life, to be as careful of thinking
as of doing well, and as fearful of offending him in
mv heart as of transgressing his laws in my life and
conversation. To this end,
RESOLUTION II.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to stop every
thought, at its first entering into my heart, and
to examine it whence it comes, and whither it
tends.
So soon as ever any new thought begins to bubble
in my soul, I am resolved to examine what stamp it
is of — whether it springs from the pure fountain of
living waters, or the polluted streams of my own af-
fections ; as also which way it tends, or takes its
course — towards the ocean of happiness, or pit of de-
struction. And the reason of this my resolution I
draw from the experience I have had of the devil's
temptations, and the working of my own corruptions;
by which I find that there is no sin 1 am betrayed
into, but what takes its rise from my inward thoughts.
These are the tempters that first present some pleas-
ing object to my view, and then bias my understand-
ing, and prevent my will, to comply with the sug-
gestion. So that, though the Spirit of God is
pleased to dart a beam into my heart at the same
time, and show me the odious and dangerous effects
of such thoughts ; yet, I know not how or why, I find
a prevailing suggestion within, that tells me it is but
a thought, and that so long as it goes no farther
it cannot do me much hurt. Under this specious
174
colour and pretence, I secretly persuade myself to
dwell a little longer upon it ; and finding my heart
pleased and delighted with its natural issue, I give
it a little further indulgence, till at last my desire
breaks out into a flame, and will be satisfied with
nothing less than the enjoyment of the object it is
exercised upon. And what water can quench such
a raging fire as is thus kindled by the devil, and
blown up by the bellows of my own inordinate affec-
tions, which the more I think of the more I in-
crease the flame ? How nearly therefore does it
concern me to take up this resolution, of setting a
constant watch and guard at the door of my heart,
that nothing may enter in without a strict examina-
tion ! Not as if I could examine every particular
thought that arises in my heart, for by that means
I could do nothing else but examine my thoughts
without intermission. But this I must do, when-
soever I find any thought that bears the face or ap-
pearance of sin, I must throw it aside with the ut-
most abhorrence ; and when it comes in disguise, as
the devil under Samuel's mantle — or when it is a
thought I never conceived before, and know not but
it may be bad as well as good — then, before I suffer
it to settle upon my spirit, I must examine as well
as I can, whether it be sent from heaven or hell, and
what message it comes about, and what will be the
issue of it. And thus, by the divine assistance, 1
shall let nothing into my heart but what will bring
me nearer to my God, and set me at a greater dis-
tance from the evil and punishment of sin. Neither
do I think it my duty only, to be so watchful against
such thoughts as are in themselves sinful ; but,
/->
RESOLUTION III.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to be as fearful
to let in vain as careful to keep out sinful
thoughts.
I do not look upon vain thoughts as only tending
to sin, but as in themselves sinful; for that which
makes sin to be sin is the want of conformity to the
will of God ; and that vain thoughts are not conform-
able and agreeable to the divine will appears in
that God himself, by the mouth of his royal prophet,
expressly saith, " I hate vain thoughts." Again,
vain thoughts are therefore sinful, because they have
in them nothing that can denominate them good ; for
as, in a moral sense, there is never a particular in-
dividual act, so neither is there any particular thought
but what is either good or bad in some respect or
other. There is not a moment of my life but it is
my duty either to be thinking, or speaking, or doing
good ; so that, whensoever I am not thus employed I
come short of my duty, and, by consequence, am
guilty of sin.
But what arc those vain thoughts I am thus
resolving against ? Why, all wanderings and dis-
traction in prayer or hearing the word of God —
all useless, trifling, and impertinent thoughts, that
do not belong to, nor further the work I am about,
the grand affair of my salvation — may properly be
called vain thoughts. And, alas, what swarms of
these are continually crowding into my heart ! How
176
have I thought away whole hours together, about I
know not what chimeras, whereof one scarce ever
depends upon another — sometimes entertaining my-
self with the pleasure of sense, as eating and drink-
ing, and such like earthly enjoyments ; sometimes
building castles in the air, and climbing up to the
pinnacle of wealth and honour, which I am not half
way got up to but down I fall again into a fool's
paradise !
Or, if I chance, at any time, to think a good
while upon one thing, it is just to as much purpose
as the man's thoughts were, whom I have sometimes
heard of and smiled at, who, having an egg in his
hand, by a sort of chimerical climax, improved it into
an estate; but while he was thus pleasing himself
with these imaginary products, down drops the egg9
and all his hens, and cattle, and house, and lands,
that he had raised from it, vanished in the fall.
These, and such like, are vain thoughts, that I must,
for the future, endeavour to avoid ; and though it
will be impossible for me wholly to prevent their
first entering into my mind, yet I resolve, by the
grace of God, not to harbour or dwell upon, or de-
light myself with them. And then, notwithstanding
they are in some sense sinful, yet they will not be
imputed to me as such, provided I use my utmost
endeavours to avoid them. Which, that I may be
the better able to do,
177
RESOLUTION IV.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to be always
exercising my thoughts upon good objects, that
the devil may not exercise them upon bad.
The soul, being a spiritual substance, is always in
action, and its proper and immediate act is thinking,
which is as natural and proper to the soul as exten-
sion is to the body. It is that upon which all the
other actings of the soul are grounded ; so that
neither our apprehensions of, nor affections to, any
object can be acted without it. And hence it is,
that I think the soul is very properly defined " a
thinking substance ;" for there is nothing else but a
spirit can think, and there is no spirit but always
doth think. And I find this by experience to be
so true and certain, that if at any time I have en-
deavoured to think of nothing, (as I have sometimes
done) I have spent all the time in thinking upon
that very thought.
How much, therefore, doth it concern me to keep
my soul in continual exercise upon what is good ;
for, be sure, if I do not set it on work the devil will,
and if it do no work for God, it will work for him.
I know sinful objects arc more agreeable to a sinful
soul ; but I am sure holy thoughts are more con-
formable to a holy God. Why, therefore, should
I spend and revel out my thought upon that which
will destroy my soul ? No, no ; I shall henceforth
endeavour always to be employing my thoughts
h 3
178
upon something that is good ; and, therefore, to have
good subjects constantly at hand to think upon, as
the attributes of God, the glory of heaven, the
misery of hell, the merits of Christ, the corruption
of my nature, the sinfulness of sin, the beauty of
holiness, the vanity of the world, the immortality of
the soul, and the like ; and likewise to take occasion,
from the objects I meet or converse with in the
world, to make such remarks and reflections as may
be for my advantage or improvement in my spiritual
•affairs. For there is nothing in the world, though
it be ever so bad, but that I may exercise good
thoughts upon ; and my neglect in this kind has
been the real occasion of all those vain thoughts
that have hitherto possessed my soul. I have not
kept them close to their work, to think upon what
is good, and therefore they have run out into those
extravagances which, by the blessing of God, in the
performance of these resolutions, I shall endeavour to
avoid.
It is, indeed, a singular advantage of that high
and heavenly calling, in which the most High, of
his wisdom and goodness, has been pleased to place
me, that all the objects we converse with, and all the
objects we exercise our thoughts upon, are either
God and heaven, or something relating to them.
So that we need not go out of our common road to
meet with this heavenly company, good thoughts.
But then, I do not account every thought of God
or heaven, which only swims in my brain, to be a
crood and holy thought unless it sink down into
my heart and affections ; that is, unless to my medi-
tations of God and another world, I join a longing
179
for him, a rejoicing in him, and a solacing myself in
the hopes of a future enjoyment of him. Neither
will this he any hinderance, but a furtherance to
my studies ; for as I know no divine truths as I
ought, unless I know them practically and experi-
mentally; so I never think I have any clear appre-
hensions of God till I find my affections are inflamed
towards him, or that ever I understand any divine
truth aright till my heart be brought into subjection
to it.
This resolution, therefore, extends itself, not only
to the subject matter of my thoughts, but also to the
quality of them, with regard to practice, that they
may influence my life and conversation, that whether
1 speak, or write, or eat, or drink, or whatsoever I
do, I may still season all, even my commonest ac-
tions, with heavenly meditations, there being nothing
I can set my hand to, but I may likewise set my
heart a-working upon it. Which, accordingly, I
shall endeavour, by the blessing of God, to do.
And, for the better ordering of my thoughts,
RESOLUTION V.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, so to marshal
my thoughts, that they may not justle one another,
nor any of them prejudice the business I am about
My soul being by nature swift and nimble, and by
corruption inordinate and irregular in its operations,
I can never set myself to think upon one thing but
presently another presses in, and another after that,
and so on, till, by thinking of so many things at once,
180
I can think upon nothing to any purpose. And
hence it is that I throw away thousands of thoughts
each day for nothing, which, if well managed, might
prove very profitable and advantageous to me. To
prevent, therefore, this tumultuous, desultory, and
useless working of my thoughts, as I have already
resolved to fix my heart upon necessary, and useful,
and good objects, so to prevent my thoughts rolling
from one thing to another, or leaping from the top
of one to the height of another object, I must now
endeavour to rank and digest them into order and
method, that they may, for the future, be more steady
and regular in their pursuits. I know the devil
and my own corrupt nature will labour to break the
ranks and confound the order of them ; what stra-
tagem, therefore, shall I use to prevent this confu-
sion ? I shall endeavour, by the grace of God,
whensoever I find any idle thoughts begin to frisk
and rove out of the way, to call them in again, and
set them to work upon one or other of those objects
before mentioned, and to keep them for some time
fixed and intent upon it; and, considering the rela-
tions and dependences of one thing upon another,
not to suffer any foreign ideas — such I mean, as are
impertinent to the chain of thoughts I am upon — to
justle them out, or divert my mind another way.
No, not though they be otherwise good thoughts ;
for thoughts, in themselves good, when they crowd
in unseasonably, are sometimes attended with very ill
effects, by interrupting and preventing some good
purposes and resolutions, which might prove more
effectual for promoting God's glory, the good of
others, and the comfort of our own souls.
181
These, and such like, are the methods hy which
I design and resolve to regulate my thoughts : and,
since I can do nothing without the divine assistance,
I earnestly heg of God to give me such a measure
of his grace, as may enable me effectually to put
these resolutions in practice, that I may not think
and resolve in vain.
CONCERNING MY AFFECTIONS.
But whilst I am thus ranging my thoughts, I
find something of a passion or inclination within me,
either drawing me to, or driving me from, every
thing I think on ; so that I cannot so much as think
upon a thought but it is either pleasing or displeas-
ing to me, according to the agreeableness or dis-
agreeablencss of the object it is placed upon, or to
my natural affections. If it come under the pleas-
ing dress and appearance of good, I readily choose
and embrace it ; if otherwise, I am as eagerly bent
to refuse and reject it. And these two acts of the
will are naturally founded in these two reigning
passions of the soul, love and hatred, which I cannot
but look upon as the grounds of all its other motions
and affections. For what are those other passions
of desire, hope, joy, and the like, but love in its
several postures? and what else can we conceive of
fear, grief, abhorrence, ecc, but so many different
expressions of hatred, according to the several cir-
cumstances that the displeasing objects appear to be
182
under. Doth my understanding represent any thing
to my will, under the notion of good and pleasant —
my will is presently taken and delighted with it, and
so places its love upon it : and this love, if the object
be present, inclines me to embrace it with joy ; if ab-
sent, it puts forth itself into desire ; if easy to be
attained, it comforts itself with hope ; if difficult, it
arms itself with courage ; if impossible, it boils up
into anger ; if obstructed, it presently falls down into
despair.
On the other hand, doth my understanding re-
present any object to my will, as evil, painful, or de-
formed— how doth it immediately shrink and gather
up itself into a loathing and hatred of it ! and this
hatred, if the ungrateful object be present, puts
on the mournful sables of grief and sorrow ; if it be
at any distance from it, it boils up into detestation
and abhorrence ; if ready to fall upon it, it shakes for
fear; if difficult to be prevented, it strengthens itself
with courage and magnanimity, either to conquer or
undergo it. These affections, therefore, being thus
the constant attendants of my thoughts, it behoves
me as much to look to those, as to the other, espe-
cially when I consider, that not only my thoughts,
but even my actions too, are generally determined to
good or bad, according as they are influenced by
them. That my affections, therefore, as well as my
thoughts, may be duly regulated,
183
RESOLUTION I.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, always to make
my affections subservient to the dictates of my un-
derstanding, that my reason may not follow but
guide my affections.
The affections being of themselves blind and in-
ordinate, unless they are directed by reason and
judgment, they either move towards a wrong object,
or pursue the right a wrong way. And this judg-
ment must be mature and deliberate, such as arises
from a clear apprehension of the nature of the ob-
ject that affects me, and a thorough consideration of
the several circumstances that attend it. And great
care must be taken, that I do not impose upon my-
self by fancy and imagination — that I do not mistake
fancy for judgment, or the capricious humours of my
roving imagination for the solid dictates of a well
guided reason. For my fancy is as wild as my
affections; and, " if the blind lead the blind, they
will both fall into the ditch."
And, alas, how oft am I deceived in this manner !
If I do but fancy a thing good and lovely, how eager
are my affections in the pursuit of it ! If I do but
fancy any thing evil and hurtful to me, how doth
my heart presently rise up against it, or grieve or
sorrow for it ! And this, I believe, hath been the
occasion of all the enormities and extravagances I
have been guilty of through the whole course of my
past life, divesting me of my reasonable faculties, as
to the acts and exercises of them, and subjecting my
184<
soul to the powers of sense, that I could not raise
my affections above them. Thus, for instance, I
have not loved grace, because my fancy could not
see its beauty; I have not loathed sin, because my
fancy could not comprehend its misery; and I have
not truly desired heaven, because my fancy could
not reach its glory : whereas, if the transient beauty
and lustre of this world's vanities were but presented
to my view, how has my fancy mounted up to the
highest pitch of pleasure and ambition, and inflamed
my heart with the desire of them !
And thus, poor wretch, have I been carried about
with the powerful charms of sense, without having
any other guide of my affections but what is com-
mon to the very brutes that perish, fancy supplying
that place in the sensitive which reason does in the
rational soul. And, alas ! what is this but, with
Nebuchadnezzar, to leave communion with men, and
herd myself with the flocks of the beasts of the field ?
And what a shame and reproach is this to the image
of God, in which I was created !
O ! Thou that art the author of my nature,
help me, I beseech thee, to act more conformably to
it, for the time to come, that I may no longer be
bewildered or misled by the blind conduct of my
straggling fancy — this ignis fatuus — that hurries me
over bogs and precipices to the pit of destruction ;
but that I may bring all my affections and actions to
the standard of a sound and clear judgment; and let
that judgment be guided by the unerring light of
thy divine word, that so I may neither love, desire,
fear, nor digest any thing but what my judgment,
thus formed, tells me I ought to do.
185
I know it will be very hard thus to subdue my
affections to the dictates and commands of my judg-
ment; but howsoever, it is my resolution this morn-
ing, in the presence of Almighty God, to endeavour
it, and never to suffer my heart to settle its affections
upon any object till my judgment hath passed its
sentence upon it. And, as I will not suffer my
affections to run before my judgment — so, whenever
that is determined, I steadfastly resolve to follow it;
that so, my apprehensions and affections always go-
ing together, I may be sure to walk in the direct
path of God's commandments, and enter the gate
that leads to everlasting life. And, the better to
facilitate the performance of this general resolution,
it being necessary to descend to particulars —
RESOLUTION II.
I ajn resolved, by the grace of God, to love God as
the best of goods, and to hate sin as the icorst of
evils.
As God is the centre of our concupiscible affec-
tions, so sin is the object of those we call irascible;
and the affections oflove and hatred being the ground
of all the rest, I must have a great care that I do
not mistake or miscarry in them : for if these be
placed upon wrong objects, it is impossible any of the
rest should be placed upon right ones. In order,
therefore, to prevent such a miscarriage, as God is
the greatest good, and sin the greatest evil, I resolve
to love God above all things else in the world, and
to hate sin to the same degree ; and so to love other
186
things only in relation to God, and to hate nothing
but in reference to sin.
As for the first, the loving God above all things,
there is nothing seems more reasonable, inasmuch as
there is nothing lovely in any creature but what it
receives from God ; and by how much the more it is
like to God, by so much the more it is lovely unto
us. Hence it is, that beauty, or an exact symmetry
and proportion of parts and colours, so attracts our
love, because it so much resembles God, who is
beauty and perfection itself. And hence it is, like-
wise, that grace is the most lovely thing in the world,
next to God, as being the image of God himself
stamped upon the soul ; nay, it is not only the image
and representation, but it is the influence and com-
munication of himself to us : so that the more we
have of grace, we may safely say, so much the more
we have of God within us. Why, therefore, should
I grudge my love to him, who only deserves it — who
is not only infinitely lovely in himself, but the author
and perfection of all loveliness in his creatures?
Why, the true reason is, that my affections have run
a-gadding without my judgment, or else my judgment
hath been baulked or anticipated by my fancy ;
whereas, now that my apprehensions of God are a
little cleared up, and my judgment leads the way,
though nobody sees me, yet methinks I cannot but
blush at myself that I should ever lie doating upon
these dreams and shadows here below, and not fix
my affections upon the infinite beauty and all-suffi-
ciency of God above, who deserves my love and
admiration so infinitely beyond them. However
therefore I have hitherto placed my affections upon
187
other things above God, I am now resolved to love
God, not only above many, or most things, but
above all things else in the world.
And here, by loving God, I do not understand
that sensitive affection I place upon material objects ;
for it is impossible that that should be fixed upon
God, who is a pure spiritual being ; but that, as by
the deliberate choice of my will I take him for my
chiefest good, so I ought to prefer him as such, be-
fore my nearest and dearest possessions, interests, or
relations, and whatsover else may at any time stand
in competition with him.
And thus I shall endeavour to love God, and
likewise to hate sin, above all things. And this is as
necessary as the former; for all things have some-
thing of good in them, as they are made by God ;
but sin being in its own nature a privation of good,
and directly opposite to the nature and will of God
(as I have before shown), it has nothing of beauty
or amiableness to recommend it to my affections.
On the contrary, it is a compound of deformity and
defilement, that is always attended with punishment
and misery; and must therefore be the object of my
hatred and abhorrence wheresoever I find it. For,
as God is the centre of all that is good, so is sin the
fountain of all the evil in the world. All the strife
and contention, ignominy and disgrace, misfortunes
and afflictions that I observe in the world ; all the
diseases of my body, and infirmities of my mind ; all
the errors of my understanding, and irregularities of
my will and affections ; in a word, all the evils what-
soever that I am affected with, or subject to, in this
world, are still the fruits and effects of sin : for if
188
man bad never offended the chiefest good, he had
never been subject to this train of evils which at-
tended his transgressions. Whensoever, therefore,
I find myself begin to detest and abhor any evil, I
shall, for the future, endeavour to turn my eyes to
the spring-head, and loath and detest the fountain
that sends forth all those bitter and unwholesome
streams, as well as the channels of those corrupt
hearts in which they flow. And for this reason I
resolve to hate sin wheresoever I find it, whether in
myself or in others, in the best of friends as well as
the worst of enemies. Love, I know, and chanty,
" cover a multitude of sins," and where we love the
man, we are all of us but too apt to overlook or ex-
cuse his faults. For the prevention of this, there-
fore, I firmly resolve, in all my expressions of love
to my fellow-creatures, so to love the person as yet
to hate his sins ; and so to hate his sins, as yet to
love his person. The last of which, I hope, I shall
not find hard to practise, my nature, by the blessing
of God, being not easily inclined to hate any man's
person whatsoever; and the former will not be much
more difficult, when I consider, that by how much
more I love my friend, by so much more should I
hate whatsoever will be offensive or destructive to
him.
Having thus fixed my resolutions with regard to
those two commanding passions of my soul, love and
hatred,
189
RESOLUTION III.
/ am resolved, by the assistance of divine grace, to
make God the principal object of my joy, and sin
the principal object of my grief and sorrow ; so as
to grieve for sin more than suffering, and for
suffering only for sirts sake.
The affections of joy and grief are the immediate
issues of love and hatred, and, therefore, not at all
to be separated in their object. Having, therefore,
resolved to love, I cannot but resolve likewise to re-
joice in God above all things ; for the same measure
of love I have towards any thing, the same measure
of complacency and delight I must necessarily have
in the enjoyment of it. As, therefore, I love God
above all things, and other things only in subser-
viency to him, so much I rejoice in God above all
things, and in other things only as coming from him.
I know I not only may, but must rejoice in the
mercies and blessings that God confers upon me ;
but it is still my duty to rejoice more in what God
is in himself than in what he is pleased to commu-
nicate to me; so that 1 am not only bound to rejoice
in God, when I have nothing else, but when I have
all things else to rejoice in. Let, therefore, my
riches, honours, or my friends fail me; let my plea-
sures, my health and hope, and all fail me; I am
still resolved, by his grace, " to rejoice in the Lord,
and to joy in the God of my salvation." On the
other hand, let honour or riches be multiplted upon
190
me; let joy and pleasure, and all that a carnal heart,
like mine, can wish for or desire, be thrown upon
me ; yet am I still resolved, that as it is my business
to serve God, so shall it be my delight and comfort
to rejoice in him.
And, as God shall be my chiefest joy, so shall
sin be my greatest grief; for I account no condition
miserable but that which results from or leads me
into sin : so that when any thing befalls me, which
may bear the face of suffering, and fill my heart with
sorrow, I shall still endeavour to keep off the smart
till I know from whence it comes. If sin has
kindled the fire of God's wrath against me, and
brought these judgments upon me, O what a heavy
load shall I then feel upon my soul, and how shall
I groan and complain under the burden of it ! But
if there be nothing of the poison of sin dropped
into this cup of sorrows, though it may perhaps prove
bitter to my senses, yet it will in the end prove
healthful to my soul, as being not kindled at the
furnace of God's wrath, but at the flames of his love
and affection for me. So that I am so far from
having cause to be sorry for the sufferings he brings
upon me, that I have much greater cause to rejoice
in them, as being an argument of the love and affec-
tion he bears to me ; " for whom the Lord loveth
he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he
receiveth."
And having thus resolved to rejoice in nothing
but God, and grieve for nothing but sin, I must not
be cast down and dejected at every providence which
men here below account a loss or affliction ; for, cer-
tainly, all the misery I find in any thing extrinsical
191
is created by myself — nothing but what is in me
being properly an affliction to me ; so that it is my
fancy that is the ground of misery in all things
without myself. If I did not fancy some evil or
misery in the loss of such an enjoyment, it would be
no misery at all to me, because I am still the same
as I was, and have still as much as I had before.
For it is God that is the portion of my soul ; and,
therefore, should I lose every thing I have in the
world besides, yet having God, I cannot be said to
lose any thing; because I have him that hath and
is all things in himself. Whensoever, therefore,
any thing befalls me that is wont to be matter of
sorrow and dejection to me, I must not presently be
affected with or dejected at it, but still behave myself
like an heir of heaven; and living above the smiles
and frowns of this world, account nothing matter of
joy but so far as I enjoy of God's love, nor any
thing matter of sorrow but so much as I see of his
anger in it.
RESOLUTION IV.
I am resolved, by the grace of God, to desire spiri-
tual mercies more than temporal, and temporal
mercies only in reference to spiritual.
Having rectified the balance of my judgment
according to the Scripture, when I would begin to
weigh temporal things with spiritual, I find there is
no proportion, and so no comparison to be made
betwixt them. And will any wise man, then, that
pretends to reason, be at a stand which of these to
192
choose — which to esteem the best, or desire most ?
Alas ! what is there in the world that can fill the
vast desires of my soul, but only He who is in-
finitely above me and my desires too? Will riches
do it? No; I may as soon undertake to fill my
barns with grace, as my heart with gold, and as
easily stuff my bags with virtue, as ever satisfy my
desires with wealth. Do I hunt after pleasures?
These may indeed charm and delight my brutish
senses, but can never be agreeable or proportionate
to my spiritual faculties. Do I grasp at honour and
popularity ? These, again, are as empty and un-
satisfying as the former; they may make me look
high and great in the eye of the world, turn my
head giddy with applause, or puff up my heart with
pride, but they can never fill up the measure of its
desires. And thus, if I should have the whole
world at command, and could, with Alexander,
wield both sword and sceptre over all the nations
and languages of it, would this content me? or
rather, should I not sit down, and weep with him,
that I had not another world to conquer and possess?
Whereas, God being an infinite good, it is impos-
sible for me to desire any thing which I may not
enjoy in him and his mercies. Let me, or any other
creature, extend our desires ever so far, still the
graces and blessings of this infinite God will be in-
finitely beyond them all: insomuch that though ten
thousand worlds are not able to satisfy one soul, yet
one God is able to satisfy ten thousand souls ; yea,
and ten millions more to them, as well as if there
were only one soul in all the world to satisfy.
Come, therefore, my dear Lord and Saviour !
193
whilst thy servant is breathing after thee ; and pos-
sess my heart with the spiritual blessings of grace
and faith, peace and charity; and let none of these
empty and transient delights of this world stand in
competition with them ! Thou art the source and
centre of all my wishes and desires ; " even as the
hart panteth after the water-brook, so panteth my
soul after thee, O God !" When shall I appear in
thy presence? When, when shall that blessed
time come, that I shall see thy sacred majesty face
to face ? This is a mercy, I confess, which I
cannot expect, whilst imprisoned in the body ; but,
howsoever, though I must not yet appear before
thee, do thou vouchsafe to appear in me, and give
me such glimpses of thy love and graces here, as
may be an earnest of the bliss and glory I am to
enjoy hereafter.
RESOLUTION V.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to hope for no-
thing so much as the promises, and to fear nothing
so much as the threatenings, of God.
My soul being inflamed with holy desires after
God, my heart cannot but be big with the hopes
and expectations of him ; and, truly, as there is
nothing that I can absolutely desire, so neither is
there any thing that I can assuredly hope for, and
depend upon, but God himself, and the promises he
has made to me in his divine word. For, as all
things derive their being and subsistence from him,
so they are all at his beck and command, and are
I 37
194
acted and influenced as his wisdom and pleasure see
tit to order them. All the secondary causes are in
his hand, and he turns them which way soever he
will : so that, howsoever improbable and dispropor-
tionate the means he uses may appear to be, he
never fails to accomplish the end, or whatever he
wills or decrees to be done. And, therefore, where-
ever I meet with any promises made over to the
faithful in his sacred word (since they are the pro-
mises of one who is infinitely just and true, who can
neither dissemble nor deceive) I cannot in the least
doubt but they will be punctually fulfilled ; and if I
am of that happy number (as I trust through the
merits of Christ, and my own sincere endeavours, I
shall approve myself to be) I have as much assurance
of being partaker of them, as if I had them actually
in possession, or as any of the faithful servants of
God, who have already experienced the accomplish-
ment of them.
But suppose God should not favour me with the
bright part of his promises, and, instead of the bless-
ings of health and prosperity, should visit me with
crosses and afflictions; yet I have still the same
grounds for my hope and confidence in him, and
may say, with the Psalmist, " The Lord is my
helper, I will not fear what the devil or man can do
unto me." For, though their spite and malice may
sometimes cross, torment, afflict, and persecute me;
yet, since I am assured, they are only as instruments
in the hand of God, that cannot go beyond their
commission, nor make me suffer more than I am
•ihle to bear, I may comtort myself, under all these
afflictions, by the same divine promise that St. Paul
195
had recourse to, on the like occasion, to wit, " that
all shall work together for good to them that love
God, who are the called according to his purpose."
The devil could not touch the possessions of Job
till he had received a commission from God ; nor
could he come near his body till that commission
was renewed ; and so, neither can he, nor any crea-
ture whatsoever, throw any evil upon me, without
the divine permission : and even that, though it
seems to be evil, shall really, in the end, turn to my
benefit and advantage. O what a sovereign anti-
dote is this against all despondency and despair,
even under the deepest and severest trials ! Permit
me, O my God, to apply this sacred promise to my-
self, and say, I am assured of it by my own expe-
rience. For I can hardly remember any one thing
that ever happened to me, in the whole course of
my life, even to the crossing of my most earnest
desires, and highest expectations, but what I must
confess, to the praise of thy grace and goodness,
has really, in the end, turned to my advantage
another way. O ! make me truly sensible of all
thy promises to, and dealings with me, that whatever
storms and surges may arise, in the tempestuous
ocean of this transient world, I may still fix the
anchor of my hope and happiness in thee, who art
the source and spring of all blessings, and without
whom no evil or calamity could ever befall me !
And as the promises of God, upon all these ac-
counts, are to be the object of my hope; so are his
thrcatenings to be of my fear and aversion : as the
former are of excellent use to raise and revive the
most drooping hearts, so the latter are of weight
i 2
196
enough to sink and depress the stoutest and most
undaunted spirits, and make them lick up the dust
of horror and despair. Not to mention any thing
of the exquisite and eternal miseries denounced
against the wicked in the next world, with which
the scriptures every where abound, there is one
punishment threatened to be inflicted here, which is
of itself sufficient to do this ; and that is, in MaL
ii. 2. " If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay
it to heart, to give glory to my name, saith the
Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you,
and curse your blessings." Most dreadful sentence!
which none that consider aright can be able to read
without trembling and astonishment. Alas ! if God
should curse me, where should I seek for a blessing,
since he is the only fountain from which it flows,
and by which it is conveyed and communicated to
me? And if he should curse my very blessings,
what could I hope for but misery and despair? my
health, my wealth, my preferments, my relations,
nay, my very life itself, would all be accursed to me;
and what is yet worse, even my spiritual exercises
and performances, upon which I chiefly build my
hopes of happiness, my preaching, praying, and
communicating, would all become a snare and a
curse to me : yea, and Christ himself, who came into
the world to bless and redeem me, if I walk not in
his fear, believe not his gospel, or give not glory to
his name, will himself be a curse and condemnation
to me. So I may say of every thing I have, or
enjoy, or expect, that all these God has made
curses to me, because I have not blessed and glori-
fied him in them. O ! who would not tremble
197
and be wrought upon by these threatenings ; who
would not fear thee, O King of nations, who
art thus terrible in thy judgments ; who would not
love and obey thee, who art so gracious in thy pro-
mises ! Teach me, I beseech thee, so to place my
fear upon the former, that I may still fix my hope
upon the latter ; that though I fear thy dreadful
curses, yet I may never despair of thy tender mer-
cies !
RESOLUTION VI.
I am resolved, by the grace of God, to arm myself
with that spiritual courage and magnanimity, as
to press through all duties and difficulties ichat-
soever, for the advancement of God's glory, and
my own happiness.
Christianity is well termed a warfare, for a
warfare it is, wherein no danger can be prevented,
no enemy conquered, no victory obtained, without
much courage and resolution. I have not only
many outward enemies to grapple with, but I have
myself, my worst enemy, to encounter and subdue.
As for those enemies which are not near me, by the
assistance of God's Spirit, I can make pretty good
shift to keep them at the sword's point : but this
enemy, that has got within me, has so often foiled
and disarmed me, that I have reason to say, as
David did of his enemies, "It is too strong for me;"
and as he said of the chief of them, "I shall one day
fall by the hands of Saul :" so I have too much occa-
sion to say, I shall fall by myself, as being myself
198
the greatest enemy to my own spiritual interest and
concerns. How necessary is it, then, that I should
raise and muster up all my force and courage, put
on my spiritual armour, and make myself strong in
the Lord, and in the power of his might ! I know
I must strive, before I can enter in at the strait
gate ; I must win the crown, before I can wear it,
and be a member of the church militant, before I
can be admitted into the church triumphant. In a
word, I must go through a solitary wilderness, and
conquer many enemies, before I come to the land of
Canaan, or else I must never be possessed of it.
What then ? Shall I lose my glory, to balk my
duty? Shall I let go my glorious and eternal
possession, to save myself from a seeming hardship,
which the devil would persuade me to be a trouble
and affliction ? Alas ! if Christ had laid aside the
great work of my redemption, to avoid the undergo-
ing of God's anger and man's malice, what a mis-
erable condition had I been in ! And, therefore,
whatever taunts and reproaches I meet with from
the presumptuous and profane, the infidel and athe-
istical reprobates of the age; let them laugh at my
profession, or mock at what they are pleased to call
preciseness ; let them defraud me of my just rights,
or traduce and bereave me of my good name and
reputation ; let them vent the utmost of their poison-
ous malice and envy against me, — I have this com-
fortable reflection still to support me, that if I suffer
all this for Christ's sake, it is in the cause of one
who suffered a thousand times more for mine :
hence, it ought to be matter of joy and triumph,
rather than of grief and dejection to mc ; especially,
199
considering " that these, my light afflictions, which
are hut for a moment, will work out for me a far
more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;" upon
the prospect of which, I firmly resolve, notwithstand-
ing the growing strength of sin, and the overbearing
prevalency of my own corrupt affections, to under-
take all duties and undergo all miseries that God, in
his infinite wisdom, thinks fit to lay upon me, or ex-
ercise my patience in.
RESOLUTION VII.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, so to be angry as
not to sin ; and, therefore, to be angry at nothing
but sin.
The former part of the resolution is founded in
the express command of St. Paul, " Be ye angry,
and sin not :" and the latter is an explication of, as
well as an inference drawn from it. For, if anger
be not only lawful, but a duty, as is here supposed,
when it does not involve us in sin, the only difficulty
is, to know how that passion ought to be qualified,
to justify the exercise of it without being guilty of
sin : and the circumstances or qualifications required
for this, are first, That it be placed upon a due ob-
ject ; and, secondly, That it do not exceed its proper
bounds.
Now, as nothing can deserve my anger but what
is disagreeable to my nature, and offensive to the
Author of it, so nothing but sin can properly be called
its object. The chief thing that I am to aim at
in my actions is the honouring, serving, and pleasing
200
of God; and how can I serve and please God in
being angry at any thing but what I know is dis-
pleasing to him ? I may be scorned, reproached, and
vilified among my equals; or accused, condemned,
and punished by my superiors; and these are treat-
ments that are but too apt to raise and transport
men into anger and revenge : but then, before I
suffer this passion to boil up in me, I ought to con-
sider whether I have not behaved myself so as to
deserve this sort of treatment. If I have, then there
is no injury or injustice done me thereby, and there-
fore I ought not to be angry at it : if I have not, I
must not be angry at the persons who act thus falsely
and unjustly against me, but only at their sin ; for,
to speak properly, it is not the person that offends
me, but the sin. And this, not because it is inju-
rious to me, but because it is offensive and displeas-
ing to God himself: for to be angry at any thing
but what displeases God, is to displease God in being
angry. Whenever, therefore, I receive any affronts
or provocations of this nature, I am resolved, by
God's grace assisting my endeavours, never to be
moved or troubled at them, further than they are in
their own nature sinful; and at the same time, ab-
stracting the sin from the persons, to pray for the
pardon of those that are guilty of it ; and not only so,
but, according to the command and example of my
Saviour, even to love them too.
But, how shall I be sure to be angry at nothing
but sin, and so not to sin in my anger, when every
petty trifle, or cross accident, is so apt to raise this
passion in me ? Why, the best method I can take
is that which the wise man directs me " not to be
201
hasty in my spirit," but to defer my anger accord-
ing to discretion. So that, whensoever any thing
happens, that may incense and inflame my passion,
I must immediately stop its career, and suspend the
acts of it, till I have duly considered the motives and
occasions that raised it. And as this will be a very
good means to regulate the objects of my anger, so
likewise the measure of it; for he that is slow to
wrath takes time to consider, and, by consequence,
puts his passion under the conduct of his reason ;
and, whoever does so, it will never suffer it to be
transported beyond its proper bounds : whereas he
whose anger is like tinder, that catches as soon as
the spark is upon it, and who uses no means to stop
its spreading, is presently blown up into a furious
flame, which, before it is extinguished, may do more
mischief than he is ever able to repair ; for, no man
knows whither his anger may hurry him, when once
it has got the mastery of him. In order, therefore,
to prevent the fatal consequences of this passion, I
now resolve never to speak, or do any thing, while I
am under the influence of it, but take time to con-
sider with myself, and reflect upon the several cir-
cumstances of the action or object it arises from, as
well as the occasion and tendency of it ; and, as oft
as I find any thing in it displeasing to God, to be
regularly angry at that, to correct, rebuke, and re-
prove it, with a zeal and fervour of spirit suitable
to the occasion ; but still to keep within the bounds
of the truly Christian temper, which is always dis-
tinguished by love and charity, and exercises itself
in meekness and moderation. And, O ! what a
sedate and contented spirit will this resolution breed
i 3
202
in me ! How easy and quiet shall I be under all
circumstances ! Whilst others are peevish and fret-
ful, and torment themselves with every petty trifle
that does but cross their inclinations, or seem to be in-
jurious to them — fall into the other extreme, of a
stoical apathy or insensibility — I shall by this reso-
lution maintain a medium betwixt both, and possess
my soul in peace and patience.
CONCERNING MY WORDS.
Having thus far cleansed the fountain of my
heart, with regard to my thoughts and affections,
which are the immediate issues of my active soul,
the next thing incumbent upon me, is to regulate
my outward conversation, both with respect to my
words and actions. As to the first, the holy Scrip-
ture assures me, that the tongue is a " world of ini-
quity." And, again, that " it is an unruly evil,
which no man can tame." But is it, indeed, so un-
ruly ? Then there is the more occasion to have it
governed and subdued ; and since that is not to be
done by man alone, it is still more necessary that I
should call in the assistance of that Divine Spirit,
that gives this character of it, first to fix my resolu-
tions, and then to strengthen me in the performance
of them. I steadfastly purpose to imitate the royal
psalmist in this particular, and " to take heed to my
ways that I offend not with my tongue." Yea, I
am resolved with holy Job, " that all the while my
203
breath, and the Spirit of God, is in my nostrils, mv
lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter
deceit." But since it is such an unruly instrument,
so very difficult to be bridled or restrained, do thou,
O God, who first made it, enable me to get the
mastery of it. " Set a watch, O Lord, before
my mouth, and keep the door of my lips," that,
with St. Paul, " I may speak forth the words of
truth and soberness," and make this unruly evil a
happy instrument of much good ! Which that I
may do,
RESOLUTION I.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, never to speak
much, lest I often speak too much, and not to speak
at all, rather than to no jmrpose.
It is the " voice of fools that is known by the
multitude of words." In which there are " diverse
vanities," and sin too; whereas " he that refraineth
his lips is wise." This is that piece of Christian
wisdom, which I am now resolving to look after;
and therefore never to deliver my words out to the
world by number, but by weight ; not by quantity,
but quality; not hiding my meaning under ambigu-
ous terms and expressions, but fitting words exactly
to express my meaning; not amusing those I con-
verse with, with circles of impertinence and circum-
locution, but coming directly to the matter by the
strait line of apt expressions, so as never to speak
more than the matter requireth ; nor to speak at all
when no matter requireth. For, why should I
204
spend my breath for nothing ? Alas ! that is not
all : if I spend it ill, it will be far worse than spend-
ing it for nothing; for our blessed Saviour has told
me, that I must answer for " every idle" and un-
profitable as well as profane word. But now, if all
the vain words I ever spake should be written, as I
have cause to believe they are, in the book of God's
remembrance, how many vast volumes must they
make ! and if an index should be made, where to
find profitable, and where idle words, how few re-
ferences would there be to the former; what multi-
tudes to the latter ! and, what is yet more terrify-
ing, if all these words should be brought in judg-
ment against me at the last day, how would those
very words then make me speechless ! and what
shame and confusion of face would they then strike
me with ! But I trust through the blood of my
Redeemer, and the tears of my repentence, they will
be all washed and blotted out, before I come to ap-
pear before him. In order to this, as I heartily be-
wail and detest my former follies in this respect, so
I firmly purpose and resolve to use my utmost en-
deavours for the time to come, not to give way any
more to such idle words and expressions, as are likely
to be thus prejudicial to my eternal interest ; but
always to consider well beforehand, what, and how,
and why, I speak, and suffer no corrupt commuica-
tion to " proceed out of my mouth, but that which
is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister
grace to the hearers."
I know there are some words that are purely
jocose, spoken with no other intent but only to pro-
mote mirth, and divert melancholy ; and these words,
20,5
so long as they are harmless and innocent — so long
as they do not reflect dishonour upon God, nor in-
jure the character and reputation of my neighbour —
are very lawful and allowable; inasmuch as they con-
duce to the refreshing and reviving of my spirit, and
the preservation of my health. But then, I must
always take care so to wind and turn my discourse,
that what recreates me in speaking may profit others
when spoken ; that my words may not only be such
as have no malignity in them, but such as may be
useful and beneficial; not only such as do no hurt,
but likewise such as may do much good to others as
well as myself. To this end, I firmly resolve, by
the grace of God, never to speak only for the sake
of speaking, but to weigh each word before I speak it,
and to consider the consequence and tendency of it,
whether it may be really the occasion of good or evil,
or tend to the edifying or scandalizing of the person
I speak it to.
RESOLUTION II.
I am resolved, by the grace of God, not only to avoid
the icickcdncss of swearing falsely, hut likewise
the very appearance of swearing at all.
Perjury is a sin, condemned by the very laws
of nature ; insomuch that I should wrong my natural
faculties should I give way to or be guilty of it.
For, the same nature that tells me, the person of
God is to be adored, tells me likewise his name is
to be reverenced : and what more horrid impiety can
possibly be imagined, than to prostitute the most
206
sacred name of the most high God, to confirm the
lies of sinful men ? I know swearing, in a just
matter and right manner, may be as lawful under
the New as under the Old Testament ; for thus I
find St. Paul saying, " As God is true," and u I call
God for a record upon my soul," wherein is con-
tained the very nature of an oath, which is the call-
ing God for a record and a witness to the truth of
what we speak; but when it is to maintain falsehood,
which is to an ill purpose, or lightly and vain, which
is to no purpose at all, it is a sin of the highest ag-
gravation, that ought, with the greatest detestation
and abhorrence, to be shunned and avoided. God
saith, by Moses, " Thou shalt not swear by my name
falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy
God : I am the Lord." And, " Thou shalt not take
the name of the Lord thy God in vain ; for the
Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name
in vain." But, further, God says by Christ, " Swear
not at all, neither by heaven, for it is God's throne;
nor by the earth, for it is his foostool," &c. So
that not only by God, and by Jesus, are oaths, but
swearing by any of God's creatures, is, in a manner,
to swear by God himself. I swear by the heavens :
can the heavens hear, or witness what I say? No:
it is the glorious Majesty that rules there, that I
call upon to witness the truth of the words I speak,
and the sinfulness of my heart for swearing to them.
Do I swear by my faith ? But how is that ? Can
faith testify what I say ? No : it is only he that
wrought this faith in my heart can witness the
truth of my words. And if I swear by the gifts of
God, I do in effect swear by God himself; other-
207
wise I ascribe that to the creature which is only
compatible to the glorious Creator, even the know-
ledge of the thoughts of my heart, how secret soever
they be.
But, again, there is more in the third command-
ment than the devil would persuade the world there
is ; for, when God commands me " not to take his
name in vain," it is more than if he had commanded
me not only to swear by it : for I cannot persuade
myself, but that every time I speak of God, when
I do not think of him, I take his name in vain ; and,
therefore, I ought to endeavour to avoid even the
mentioning of God, as well as swearing by him, un-
less upon urgent occasions, and with reverence and
respect becoming his Majesty : for, questionless,
" O Lord," and " O God," may be spoken as
vainly as, " By Lord," and By God;" and, there-
fore, I ought never to speak such words, without
thinking really in my heart what I speak openly with
my mouth, lest my name be written amongst those
that " take the name of God in vain." But further
still, I am resolved not only to avoid downright
swearing, but likewise the very appearance of it; so
that what doth but look like an oath shall be as
odious to me as what looks like nothing else.
208
RESOLUTION III.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, always to make
my tongue and heart go together, so as never to
speak iviih the one what I do not think in the
other.
As my happiness consisteth in nearness and vici-
nity, so doth my holiness in likeness and conformity,
to the chief good. I am so much the better as I
am the liker the best; and so much the holier as I
am more conformable to the holiest, or rather to Him
who is holiness itself. Now, one great title which
the Most High is pleased to give himself, and by
which he is pleased to reveal himself to us, is the
God of truth : so that I shall be so much the liker
to the God of truth, by how much I am the more
constant to the truth of God. And, the farther I
deviate from this, the nearer I approach to the na-
ture of the devil, who " is the father of lies," and
liars too. And hence it is, that of all the sins that
men of fashion are guilty of, they can least endure
to be charged with lying. To give a man the lie,
or to say, You lie, is looked upon as the greatest
affront that can be put upon them. And why so ?
Only because this sin of lying makes them so like
their father the devil, that a man had almost as well
call them devils as liars : and therefore to avoid, the
scandal and reproach as well as the dangerous ma-
lignity of this damnable sin, I am resolved, by the
blessing of God, always to tune my tongue in unison
to my heart, so as never to speak any thing but what
209
I think really to be true. So that, if ever I speak
what is not true, it shall not be the error of my will,
but of my understanding.
I know lies are commonly distinguished into offi-
cious, pernicious, and jocose : and some may fancy
some of them more tolerable than others. But, for
my own part, I think they are all pernicious, and
therefore not to be jested with, nor indulged, upon
any pretence or colour whatsoever. Not as if it were
a sin, not to speak exactly as a thing is in itself, or
as it seems to me in its literal meaning, without some
liberty granted to rhetorical tropes and figures; (for,
so the Scripture itself would be chargeable with lies :
many things bein«; contained in it which are not true
in a literal sense ;) but I must so use rhetorical, as
not to abuse my Christian liberty ; and, therefore,
never to make use of hyperboles, ironies, or other
tropes and figures, to deceive or impose upon my
auditors, but only for the better adorning, illustrat-
ing, or confirming the matter.
to7 O
But, there is another sort of lies most men are
apt to fall into, and they are promissory lies; to
avoid which, I am resolved never to promise any
tiling with my mouth, but what I intend to perform
in my heart; and never intend to perform any thing
but what I am sure I can perform. For this is the
cause and occasion of most promissory lies, that we
promise that absolutely which we should promise
only conditionally. For, though I may intend to
do as I say now, yet there are a thousand weighty
things may intervene, which may turn the balance
of my intentions, or otherwise hinder the performance
of my promise. So that, unless I be absolutely sure
210
I can do a thing, I must never absolutely promise to
do it : and, therefore, in all such promises, shlal still
put in, God willing, or, By the help of God, at the
same time lifting up my heart to God, lest I take
his name in vain.
RESOLUTION IV.
/ am resolved^ by the grace of God, to speak of other
men's sins only before their faces, and of their vir-
tues only behind their backs.
To commend men when they are present, I es-
teem almost as great a piece of folly as to reprove
them when they are absent : though I do confess,
in some cases, and to some persons, it may be com-
mendable ; especially when the person is not apt to
be puffed up, but spurred on by it. But to rail at
others, when they hear me not, is the highest piece
of folly imaginable; for, as it is impossible they
should get any good, so is it impossible but that I
should get much hurt by it. For such sort of words,
make the very best we can of them, are but idle and
unprofitable, and may not only prove injurious to
the person of whom, but even to whom they are
spoken, by wounding the credit of the former, and
the charity of the latter; and so, by consequence,
my own soul; nay, even though I speak that which
is true in itself, and known to be so to me ; and
therefore, this way of backbiting ought, by all means,
to be avoided.
But, I must, much more, have a care of raising
false reports concerning any one, or of giving credit
211
to them that raise them, or of passing my judgment,
till I have weighed the matter; lest I transgress the
rules of merey and charity, which command me not
to censure any one upon others' rumours, or my own
surmises ; nay, if the thing be in itself true, still to
interpret it in the best sense. But, if I must needs
he raking in other men's sores, it must not be be-
hind their backs, but before their faces; for the one
is a great sin, and the other may be as great a duty,
even to reprove my neighbour for doing any thing
offensive unto God, or destructive to his own soul :
still endeavouring so to manage the reproof, as to
make his sin loathsome to him, and prevail upon him,
if possible, to forsake it : however, there is a great
deal of Christian prudence and discretion to be used
in this, lest others may justly reprove me for my in-
discrete reproof of others. I must still fit my re-
proof to the time when, the person to whom, and
the sin against which it is designed — still contriving
with myself how to carry on this duty so as that, by
*; converting a sinner from the evil of his ways, I may
save a soul from death, and cover a multitude of
sins." Not venting my anger against the person,
but my sorrow for the sin that is reproved. Hot,
passionate, and reviling words, will not so much
exasperate a man against his sin that is reproved, as
against the person that doth reprove it. It is " not
the wrath of man that worketh the righteousness of
God." But this, of all duties, must be performed
with the spirit of love and meekness. I must first
insinuate myself into his affections, and then press
his sin upon his conscience, and that directly or
indirectly, as the person, matter, or occasion shall
212
require; that so he that is reproved by me now may
have cause to bless God for me to all eternity.
RESOLUTION V.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, always to speak
reverently to my superiors, humbly to my inferiors,
and civilly to all.
The most high God, the master of this great
family, the world, for the more orderly government
of it, hath, according to his infinite wisdom, set
some in higher, some in lower places ; hath made
some as stewards, others as under servants ; and
according to every man's work that he expects
from him, he measures out his talents to him.
Blessed be his name for it, he hath set me in a
middle form, giving me Agar's wish, subject neither
to envy on one hand, nor pity on the other; so that
I have both superiors to reverence, and inferiors to
condescend to. And, accordingly, it is my duty so
to behave myself towards them, that the reverent
expressions of my mouth may manifest the obedient
subjection of my heart, to the power and authority
God has given them over me. It is the express
command of the gospel, that we should render to
every man his due, " fear to whom fear, honour to
whom honour belongeth ;" which words plainly im-
ply, both that it is some men's due to receive
honour, and other men's duty to give it. And, ac-
cordingly, we find Paul, when he was brought be-
fore Festus, doth not say, " Art thou he whom
they call Festus ?" or thou Festus, as the misguided
213
enthusiasts, in our days, would have said; but
" Most noble Festus." In like manner St. John
doth not call her he writes to, in his second epistle,
being a person of quality, Woman, but, Elect lady.
And this sort of reverence is further confirmed to
us, not only by the constant custom of all nations in
all ages of the world, but it is likewise highly agree-
able to the rules of right reason, as well as the or-
der of government. For, as there is both a natural
and civil superiority, a superiority in gifts and age,
and a superiority likewise in office and station; so
there is nothing can be more necessary, than that
there should be, in both these respects, a reverence
and respect paid to the persons of men answerable
to these distinctions. And therefore, I cannot but
condemn that rude and unmannerly behaviour of
some of our schismatics towards their superiors, as
factious and unreasonable, as well as repugnant to
the dictates of the divine Spirit, by which the pro-
phets and apostles were inspired and influenced.
And, as there is a reverence due from inferiors
to superiors, in point of conversation, so likewise
are there some decent regards and civilities to be
shown even by superiors to their inferiors, who are
always treated with candour and condescension, in
their ordinary capacities; and even when they are
considered as criminals, with meekness and modera-
tion. Insomuch, that methinks it is one of the
worst sights in the world, to see some men that are
gotten upon a little higher ground than their neigh-
bours, look proudly and scornfully down upon all
that are below them, disdaining to vouchsafe them
the least favour or respect whatsoever. Such
214
churlish, haughty, and foul-mouthed Nabals as these
are not only very unjust, and unreasonable in their
behaviour to others, but they are certainly the
greatest enemies to themselves, that they have in
all the world besides ; not only by drawing upon
them the hatred and enmity of all that are about
them, but likewise by tormenting themselves with
such [frivolous things as such spirits commonly do.
Wherefore, that I may please God, my neighbour,
and myself, in what I speak, though 1 could exceed
other men (which is impossible for me to suppose)
in every thing ; I resolve, by God's grace, always
to behave myself so, as if I excelled them in nothing :
and not only to speak reverently to those that are
above me, but humbly and civilly to those that are
beneath me too. I will always endeavour to use
such humble and winning words, as to manifest more
of my love to them than my power over them : I
will always season my tongue with savoury, not
bitter expressions, not making my mouth a vent for
my fury and passion to fume out at, but rather an
instrument to draw others' love and affection in by ;
still speaking as civilly unto others as I would have
them speak civilly unto me.
CONCERNING MY ACTIONS.
The other way of my soul's putting forth, and
showing herself to the world, is by her actions:
which it concerns me as much to look to and regu-
late, as my words : forasmuch as there is not the
215
least ill circumstance in any action, but what, unless
it be repented of, must be brought into question,
and answered for at the last day. For, though an
action cannot be denominated good, unless it be
good in all circumstances and respects, yet it is al-
ways denominated bad if it is bad only in one. As
it is in music, if but one string jar, or be out of
tunc, the whole harmony it spoiled ; so here, if but
one circumstance in an action be wanting or defec-
tive, the whole action is thereby rendered immoral.
How much, therefore, doth it behove me to keep
a strict watch over myself, and so to perform every
action, and place every circumstance in it, that it
may have its approbation in the court of heaven !
Well, I am resolved, by the grace of God, to try
what I can do. I know it is impossible for me to
resolve upon particular actions : but howsoever, I
shall resolve upon such general rules, the application
of which, to particular acts, may make them pleasing
and acceptable in the sight of God ; always premising
this which I have resolved upon before, as the best
foundation, namely, to square all my actions by the
Scripture rule, and to do nothing but what I have,
some way or other, a warrant for from the word of
God. Upon this fixed and steady principle,
RESOLUTION I.
/ am resolved, by the <jrace of God, to do every
thintj in obedience to the will of God.
It is not sufficient, that what I do is the will of
God, but I must therefore do it because it is tin:
216
will of God. For what saith my Father; " My
son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe
my ways." So that my Father will not only have
my hand, but my heart too. And my feet must not
walk in the ways of God, till my eyes have observed
and discerned them to be so. I may do an action
that is in itself good; and yet at the same time,
not do a good action, if I do not therefore do it,
because it is so. For example, I may give an alms
to the poor, feed the hungry, or clothe the naked ;
but let me examine and consider well upon what prin-
ciple these actions are founded, — whether I there-
fore do them, because God hath commanded them.
If not, my feeding the poor will be no more a good
action, than the ravens feeding the prophet was.
Their feeding of the prophet was commanded by
God, as well as my feeding of the poor; but I can-
not say they did a good action : because, though they
did this, which was commanded by God, yet, being
irrational creatures, they could not reflect upon that
command, and so could not do this obedience to it.
There are some persons, to the very frame and
disposition of whose spirits some sins are, in their
nature, odious and abominable. Thus I have
known some, whose very constitutions have carried
them into an antipathy to lust and luxury ; and
others ao-ain, who could never endure to drink be-
yond their thirist, much less to unman and be-beast
themselves by drinking to excess. And the like
may be observed of covetousness ; which Luther was
such an enemy to, that it was said to be against his
very nature. Now, I say, though the abstaining
from these sins be highly commendable in all sorts
217
of persons, yet, unless, together with the streams of
their natural disposition, there run likewise a spiritual
desire to please God, and ohey his eommands, their
abstaining from these vices is no more than the brute
beasts themselves do, who always act according to the
temper of their bodies, and are never guilty of any
excesses that are prejudicial to them.
Hence servants are commanded to be " obedient
to their masters, with good will doing service, as to
the Lord, and not to men ;" which clearly shows,
that though a servant doth obey his master, yet
if he doth not do it in obedience to God, he will not
find acceptance with him. So that, whenever I
set my hand to any action that is good, I must still
fix my eye upon God's commanding of it, and do it
only in respect to that ; as knowing that if I give
but a farthing to the poor, in all my life, and do it
in obedience to God's commands, it shall be accepted
sooner than theirs who feed hundreds at their table
every day, and have not respect to the same com-
mand.
Do I see a poor wretch ready to fall down to the
earth for want of a little support, and my bowels
begin to yearn towards him, let me search into my
heart, and see what it is that raises this compas-
sion in me. If it flows only from a natural tender-
ness to a brother in misery, without regard to the
love of God, who has commanded and enjoined it,
the poor man may be succoured and relieved, but
God will not be pleased or delighted with it. Again,
do my friends stir me up to pray or hear, or do any
other spiritual or civil action, and I therefore only do
it because of their importunity, I may satisfy my
K 37
218
friends' desire, but cannot properly be said to obey
the commands of God in such a performance : so that
the great and only foundation that I must resolve to
build all the actions of my life upon, is an uniform obe-
dience to that God, by whom alone I am enabled to
perform them.
RESOLUTION II.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to do every thing
with prudence and discretion, as well as with zeal
and affection.
Whilst I am penned up in this earthly taber-
nacle, I live almost as in a darksome dungeon, hav-
ing no light to work by but a little that springs in at
the narrow crevices of my understanding ; so that I
had need to make use of all that little light and
knowledge I have to regulate the heat and zeal that
sometimes sit upon my spirit. For good passions
may sometimes carry me into bad actions ; my zeal,
when hot in the pursuit of God's glory, may some-
times hurry me beyond his laws — especially when
Christian prudence hath not first chalked out the
way, and set the bounds for it. As in discourse my
zeal may put me upon throwing pearls before swine,
or using words when silence may be more commend-
able ; so in my actions too, unless wisdom and dis-
cretion govern and command my affections, I shall fre-
quently run into such as would be altogether needless
and impertinent, and therefore ought to be omitted,
and daily neglect several duties which ought to be
performed.
219
But my understanding and discretion is chiefly
requisite for the ordering of time and place, and other
particular circumstances, the irregular management
of which may easily spoil the best actions. For in-
stance, that may be a good work at one time and
place which is not at another, and may be very in-
nocent and becoming in one person though quite
contrary in another. It is therefore the proper office
of my understanding to point out the fittest time, and
place, and person, for the performance of each action
I engage in. As, for example, in distributing to
the poor, my hand of charity must be either guided
by the eye of understanding where, when, how much,
and how much to give ; or else I may at the same
time not only offend God, but wrong my neighbour
and myself too. And so for all other actions what-
soever, which I ought therefore never to set myself
about, though it be of the lowest rank, without con-
sulting the rules of wisdom modelled by the law of
God.
RESOLUTION III.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, never to set my
hand, my head, or my heart, about any thing hut
what I verily believe is good in itself, and will be
esteemed so by God.
a Without faith," the apostle tells me, " it is
impossible to please God ;" " for whatsoever is not
of faith is sin." Where, by faith, we are not to
understand that saving faith whereby I believe that
my person is justified through Christ, but that
k 2
220
whereby I believe that my works shall be accepted
by God: for faith here is opposed to doubting; and
that not about Christ's dying for me, or my living
in him, but about the particular actions of my life,
" He that doubteth," saith the apostle, " is damned
if he eats ;" that is, he that eateth that which he
doubteth whether it be lawful to eat or not is damned,
because he sins in doing it, and therefore may be
damned for it. But why so ? because " he eateth not
of faith" — because he doth that which he knows not
whether he may do or not, not believing it to be really
good in itself, or acceptable unto God. And, though
the apostle here instances only in that particular
action of eating, yet what he says with relation to
that is properly applicable to all the other actions of
life ; for he afterwards subjoins, " Whatsover is not
of faith is sin :" whatsoever it is, good or bad, if not
done by faith it is sin.
And truly this particular will be of great use
through my whole life for the avoiding of many sins,
and for the doing of much good ; for many things
which are good in themselves may, for want of faith,
become quite otherwise to me — my heart not believ-
ino- what I do is good, my hand never can make it so.
Or if I think what I do is bad, though it be not so
in itself, yet my very thinking it so will make it so
to me.
And this is what we call doing a thing with a
good conscience, or keeping, as St. Paul did, " our
conscience void of offence." And to go contrary to
the dictates of my conscience in this particular is to
transgress the commands of God. For in this con-
science is as God's vicegerent in my soul : what con-
221
science commands God commands; what conscience
forbids God forbids ; that is, I am as really under the
power of conscience as the commands of God in such
a case ; so that if I do not obey the former it is im-
possible for me to obey the latter. But how much
then doth it behove me to see that my conscience be
rightly informed in every thing ? For as if a judge
be misinformed it is impossible he should pass righ1
teous judgment ; so if conscience be misinformed it
is impossible that I should do a righteous act. And
what a miserable case shall I then be in ! If I do
what is in itself sinful, though my conscience tell me
it is good, yet I sin because the act is in itself sinful ;
and if I do what in itself is good, and my conscience
tell me it is bad, because my conscience tells me it is
bad, I sin because my conscience tells me it is so —
so that as my conscience is, so will my actions be.
For this reason I resolve, in the presence of my
great Creator, never to do any thing till I have first
informed my conscience from the word of God whe-
ther it be lawful for me to do it or not ; or, in case it
be not determined there, to make a strict search and
inquiry into each circumstance of it, — considering
with myself what good or evil may issue from it, and
so what good or evil there is in it : and according as
my conscience, upon the hearing of the argument on
both sides, shall decide the matter, I shall do or not
do it — never undertaking any thing upon mere sur-
mises that it may be good, but upon a real and tho-
rough persuasion that it is so.
cl°l%
RESOLUTION IV.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to do all things
for the glory of God.
As I was not made by, so neither for myself; for
God, says the wise man, " made all things for him-
self." And being thus made for God, it follows of
course that I ought to act for God, otherwise I shall
frustrate the end of my creation ; insomuch, that
whatsoever I make my chief aim in what I do, I
make that my God. Do I aim at the glory of
the all-glorious Jehovah — it is him I make my
God. Do I aim at riches — then it is Mammon I
make my God ; and therefore it is that covetousness
is called idolatry. Do I aim at pleasure — it is my
senses I make my God. Do I aim at popular ap-
plause or worldly advancement, or do I aim at my
own health or life — these are my Gods. For what
is worshipping but making all the powers of my soul
and actions of my body to bow and stoop to them ?
Hence it is that the most high God, who hath said
" he will not give his glory to another," hath been
so express in commanding me to do all things to his
glory. " Whether ye eat or drink," says the apostle,
" or whatsoever you do, do all things to the glory
of God."
But how can I, poor worm, be said to do any
thing to the glory of the eternal God ? Why, in
the same manner as he is said to do what he doth
for his own glory ; and how is that ? By manifest-
223
ing his glory to others. Thus, if I can but so live
and act as thereby to evidence that the God I
serve is a glorious God — glorious in holiness, glori-
ous in goodness, glorious in wisdom, glorious in
power, and the like — this is doing all things to the
glory of God. For example, by praying to God
I avouch him to be a God infinite in knowledge —
that he is present with me, and hears me pray,
wheresoever I am ; and I own him to be infinite in
mercy, in that he will suffer such a sinful creature
as I am to address myself to him, &c. And so
there is not the least action I undertake but 1 am
so to manage it as to manifest the glory of God by
it, making it my end and design so to do ; otherwise,
let me do what I will, I am sure to sin : for though,
I confess, a good end can never make a bad action
good, yet a bad end will always make a good action
bad ; so that, as ever I would do any thing that is
good, I must be sure to do it to the glory of God.
RESOLUTION V.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to mingle such
recreations with my business, as to further my
business by my recreations.
Having wholly devoted myself to God, all 1
have, or am, is still to be improved for him ; inso-
much, that were it not for the necessities of nature,
every moment of my life should and ought to be
spent in the immediate worship and service of him.
But though nature requires some time from my so-
lemn serving him, for the recreating of myself; yet
224
grace requireth that this recreating of myself should
still be for the promoting his service : so that my
recreations do not only fit me for further service, but
they, in themselves, should some way or other be
serviceable to him ; which that they may be I must
have as great care in the choice as in the use of
my recreations.
There are some recreations that are so far from
conducing to his service, that they may make more
for the incensing of his wrath, as drinking' and cam-
ing — which, though in themselves lawful, yet as they
often prove an occasion of swearing, lying, cheating,
and contention amongst men, and, by consequence,
of wrath in God — so they ought, by all means, to be
shunned and avoided. Indeed, it may be ques-
tioned, whether gaming be ever a lawful recreation.
For, either it is a lottery, or not. If it be a lottery,
it is not lawful, because it is a great presumption
and sin to set God at work to recreate ourselves — ■
for poor nothings to employ the chiefest good, im-
mediately to determine such frivolous and trifling
impertinencies. If it be not a lottery, then it is
not a pure recreation ; for if it depends upon man's
wit and study, it exercises his brain and spirits as
much as if he were about other things : so that, being
on one side not lawful, on the other side no recrea-
tion, it can, on no side, be a lawful recreation.
For what is the end of recreation but to revive
my languishing spirits, to let them rest and be quiet
a little, when they are tired with too much exercise,
that they be fresher, livelier, and fitter for work
afterwards? Hence it is that God indeed hath pro-
vided a recreation for all sensible creatures — sleep,
225
which is the rest of the spirits in the nerves. When
the little animal spirits have been all the day run-
ning up and down upon the soul's errands, to lie
down still and be quiet is a great refreshment and
revivemcnt to them, provided still that it be mo-
derately used. Whereas the indulging ourselves too
much in it is rather a clogging and stupifying of
them, as we see in our bodies, which, when not ac-
customed to, are most averse from, and unfit for ex-
ercise.
So that the chief and only time for recreation is
when my spirits are either weary with labour and
study, or else called in to some necessary employ-
ment in some other place, as at and after meals, es-
pecially such as are of a hard digestion; for then the
spirits have enough to do to turn the food we eat
into good nourishment. And therefore the intense-
ness of study, running, wrestling, and such like vio-
lent exercises, are not proper at such a time ; be-
cause in studying, we draw the spirits from the
stomach to the head ; so in the other exercises, such
as moderate walking, conference, and free discourse
about common but necessary points, we send them
from the stomach into other parts of the body, where
they are to be set on work.
But that which I have found the best recreation,
both to my body and mind, whensoever either of
them stand in need of it, is music, which exercises
at once, both my body and my soul, especially when
1 play myself. For then, methinks, the same mo-
tion that my hand makes upon the instrument, the
instrument makes upon my heart. It calls in my
spirits, composes my thoughts, delights my ear,
k 3
226
recreates my mind, and so not only fits me for after
business, but fills my heart, at the present, with
pure and useful thoughts. So that when the music
sounds the sweetest in my ears, truth commonly
flows the clearest into my mind. And hence it is
that I find my soul is become more harmonious by
being accustomed so much to harmony, and so
averse to all manner of discord, that the least jarring
sounds, either in notes or words, seem very harsh
and unpleasant to me.
That there is something more than ordinary in
music appears from David's making use of it for
driving away the evil spirit from Saul, and Elisha
for the bringing of the good spirit upon himself.
From which I am induced to believe, that there is
really a sort of secret and charming power in it, that
naturally dispels from the mind all or most of those
black humours, which the evil spirit uses to brood
upon, and, by composing it into a more regular,
sweet, and docile disposition, renders it the fitter
for the Holy Spirit to work upon, the more suscep-
tible of divine grace, and more faithful messenger
whereby to convey truth to the understanding. But
however that be, I must necessarily acknowledge,
that of all recreations, that is by far the more suit-
able to my temper and disposition, in that it is not
only an exercise to my body, but to my mind too —
my spirits being thereby made the more nimble and
active, and, by consequence, the fitter to wait upon
my soul, and be employed by her in whatever busi-
ness she is engaged.
But in this and all other recreations, I must al-
ways take care not to exceed my measure, either in
227
point of time or intention. I must not follow them
too close, nor spend too many hours in them, but
still resolve to use them as they may not become a
snare to me, but answer the ends for which they
were designed, that when God shall call me to it, I
may give him as good an account of my recreations
as of my necessary duties.
CONCERNING MY RELATIONS.
But be not deceived, O my soul: thou art not
yet advanced far enough ; it is not sufficient to pre-
tend to holiness in my thoughts and affections, and
in my words and actions, unless I express it like-
wise in all the relations and conditions of life. The
commandments of God are said to be " exceeding
broad :" they extend themselves to every capacity I
can possibly be in, not only enjoining me to live
soberly in respect to myself, but righteously to my
neighbour, obediently to my sovereign, lovingly to
my wife, and faithfully to my people, otherwise I
cannot live holily unto God; and therefore, if I
would be thoroughly religious, I must further en-
deavour to fix my resolutions with regard to the
several duties the Most High expects from me, in
all these particular relations I bear to him, during
my sojourning here on earth.
^28
RESOLUTION I.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to honour and
obey the king, or prince, whom God is pleased to
set over me, as well as to expect that he should
safeguard and protect me, whom God is pleased
to set under him.
The King of kings, and Lord of lords, the great
and glorious monarch of all the world, having en-
acted many gracious laws, is pleased to set over
every kingdom and nation such persons as may put
them in execution. So that I cannot but look upon
a lawful king as truly a representative of the most
high God as a parliament is of the people : and am
therefore persuaded, that whoever rebels against him,
rebels against God himself — not only in that he re-
bels against the ordinance of God, and so, against
the God of that ordinance, but because he rebels
against him whom God hath set up as his vice-
gerent, to represent his person, and execute his laws
in such a part of his dominions.
Hence it is, that these two precepts, " Fear God,
and honour the king," are so often joined together
in holy writ ; for he that fears God's power, cannot
but honour his authority; and he that honours not
the king that represents God, cannot be said to fear
God, who is represented by him. And hence
likewise it is, that God has been as strict and ex-
press in enjoining us obedience to our governors as
to himself; for thus saith the Lord of hosts — " Let
229
every soul be subject to the higher powers." Why ?
Because " there is no power but of God; the powers
that be are ordained of God."
And he hath denounced as great a judgment
against such as rebel against the magistrate he hath
ordained as against those that rebel against him-
self: " For whosoever resistcth the power, resisteth
the ordinance of God ; and they that resist shall re-
ceive to themselves damnation." So that the wrath
of God shall as certainly fall upon those that rise
up against the king, as upon those that fight against
God. And no wonder that the punishment should
be the same when the fault is the same; for he that
fights against his king fights against God himself,
who hath invested him with that power and autho-
rity to govern his people, representing his own glo-
rious majesty before them.
Upon this ground it is, that I believe the wick-
edness of a prince cannot be a sufficient plea for
the disobedience of his subjects; for it is not the
holiness but the authority of God that he repre-
sents, which the most wicked, as well as the most
holy person, may be endowed with. And therefore,
when the gospel first began to spread itself over the
earth, though there was no Christian king, or su-
preme magistrate, of what title soever, to cherish
and protect it; nay, though the civil powers were
then the greatest enemies to it ; yet, even then, were
the disciples of Christ enjoined to " submit them-
selves to every ordinance of man, for the Lord's
sake."
Insomuch that, did I live among the Turks, J
should look upon it as my duty to obey the Grand
230
Seignior, in all his lawful edicts, as well as the most
Christian and pious king in the world. For, sup-
pose a prince be ever so wicked, and ever so neg-
ligent in his duty of protecting me, it doth not fol-
low that I must neglect mine of obeying him. In
such a case, I have another duty added to this, and
that is to pray for him, and intercede with God for
his conversion : for thus hath the King of kings
commanded, that " prayers, supplications, interces-
sions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men ;"
so, more especially " for kings and those that are in
authority, that we may live a quiet and peaceable
life, in all godliness and honesty." So that whenso-
ever I address to the court of heaven, I must be
sure to remember my sovereign on earth, that God
would be pleased to enable his servant to reign on
earth as himself doth in heaven, in righteousness
and mercy. But especially, in case of any seeming
or real default or defect, though I do not think it a
subject's duty to judge or censure his sovereign's
actions, I am to be the more earnest in my prayers
and intercessions for him ; but, upon no account to
fight or rebel against him.
And if I am thus strictly obliged to honour,
obey, and pray for a bad prince, how much more
should I pay those duties to one who represents
God, not only in his authority, but in his holiness
too ! In this case, sure, as there is a double en-
gagement to reverence and obedience, so I am
doubly punishable if I neglect to show it, either to
the prince himself, or those that are set under him ;
for the same obligations that lie upon me, for my
obedience to the king, bind me likewise to obey his
231
inferior officers and magistrates, that act under him ;
and that for the reason, that, as he represents God,
so they represent him. And, therefore, whatever
they command, in his name, I look upon it as much
my duty to obey as if it were commanded by his
own mouth ; and, accordingly, do, from this moment,
by the grace of God, resolve to put this duty in
practice.
RESOLUTION II.
r
I am resolved^ by the same divine grace, to be as con-
stant in loving my wife as cautious in choosing her.
Though it be not necessary for me to resolve
upon marrying, yet it may not be improper to re-
solve, in case I should, to follow these rules of duty :
first, in the choice of a wife ; and, secondly, in the
affection that I ought to bear towards her.
As for the first, I shall always endeavour to make
choice of a woman for my spouse who hath first
made choice of Christ as a spouse for herself; that
none may be made one flesh with me who is not
also made one spirit with Christ my Saviour. For
1 look upon the image of Christ as the best mark
of beauty I can behold in her, and the grace of God
as the best portion I can receive with her. These
are excellencies, which, though not visible to carnal
eyes, are nevertheless agreeable to a spiritual heart,
and such as all wise and good men cannot but be
enamoured with. For my own part, they seem to
me such necessary qualifications, that my heart
trembles at the thought of ever having a wife without
232
them. What ! shall I marry one that is wedded
already to her sins, or have possession of her body
only, when the devil hath possession of her soul !
shall such a one be united to me here, who shall be
separated from me for ever hereafter, and be con-
demned to scorch in everlasting burning ? No : if
it ever be my lot to enter into that state, I beg of
God, that he would direct me in the choice of such
a wife only to lie in my bosom here as may after-
wards be admitted to rest in Abraham's bosom to all
eternity — such a one as will so live and pray, and
converse with me upon earth, that we may be both
entitled to sing, to rejoice, and be blessed together,
for ever in heaven.
That this, therefore, may be my portion and feli-
city, I firmly resolve, never to set upon a design
before I have first solicited the throne of grace, and
begged of my heavenly Father, to honour me with
the partnership of one of his beloved children; and
shall afterwards be as careful and cautious as I can,
never to fix my affections upon any woman for a
wife, till I am thoroughly persuaded of the grounds
I have to love her as a true Christian.
If I could be thus happy, as to meet with a wife
of these qualities and endowments, it would be im-
possible for me not to be hearty and sincere in my
affection toward her, even though I had the greatest
temptations to place them upon another. For how
could I choose but love her who has God for her
father, the church for her mother, and heaven for her
portion — who loves God, and is beloved of him —
especially when I consider that this love to her will
not only be my duty but my happiness too ?
233
As to the duty, it is frequently inculcated in the
Scripture, that " hushands should love their wives,"
and that not with a common love, but as " Christ
loved his church ;" yea, " as their own body," or,
" as themselves :" and they are so to love them, as
not to be " bitter against them," not to be passionate
or angry with them upon every light matter, nor
suffer their resentments to rise to that height upon
any occasion whatsoever, as to abate the least spark
of conjugal affection towards them, but to " nourish
and cherish them even as the Lord the church."
In a word, to do all the kind offices they can for
them, in their civil capacities, and to help and for-
ward them by all means possible, in the way that
leads to heaven ; that as they are united in the flesh,
so they may likewise be united in the spirit, and
raised and rewarded together at the general resur-
rection.
And, as love is the great duty, so it is likewise
the chief happiness of a marriexl state. I do not
mean that love whereby she loves me, but that
wherewith I love her; for, if I myself have not a
cordial esteem and affection for her, what happiness
will it be to me to be beloved by her ; or rather,
what a misery would it be to be forced to live with
one I know I cannot love? As ever, therefore, I
desire to he happy, I must perform my duty in this
particular, and never aim at any other end in the
choice of a wife, nor expect any other happiness in
the enjoyment of her but what is founded in the
principle of pure and inviolable love. If I should
court and marry a woman for riches, then, whenso-
ever they fail, or take their flight, my love and my
234
happiness must drop and vanish together with them.
If I choose her for beauty only, I shall love her no
longer than while that continues, which is only till
age or sickness blasts it ; and then farewell at once
both duty and delight.
But if I love her for her virtues, and for the sake
of God, who has enjoined it as a duty, that our
affections should not be alienated, or separated by
any thing but death, then, though all the other
sandy foundations fail, yet will my happiness remain
entire, even though I should not perceive those
mutual returns of love which are due from her to
me upon the same foundation. But, O the hap-
piness of that couple, whose inclinations to each
other are as mutual as their duties ; whose affections,
as well as persons, are linked together with the
same tie ! This is the chief condition required to
make the state of matrimony happy or desirable, and
shall be the chief motive with me to influence me to
enter into it. For, though it be no happiness to be
beloved by one I do not love, yet it is certainly a
very great one to be beloved by one I do. If this,
then, be my lot, to have mutual expressions of love
from the person I fix my affections upon, what joy
and comfort will it raise in my heart ! with what
peace and amity shall we live together here, and
what glory and felicity may we not promise ourselves
hereafter !
What is here said of the duty in choosing and
loving of a wife, may be likewise applied to a woman's
duty in choosing and loving her husband. But
being not so immediately concerned in this, I pass
on to my next resolution.
235
RESOLUTION III.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to do my en-
deavour to give to God whatsoever children he
shall be pleased to give me ; that as they are mine
by nature they may be his by grace.
I have sometimes wondered at the providence of
God, in bringing so many millions of people out of
the loins of one man ; and cannot but make this use
of it, even to stir up myself to a double diligence,
in bringing up my children " in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord." For who knows but the
salvation of ten thousand souls may depend upon
the education of one single child?
If I train up my son in the ways of religion, and
teach him what it is to " keep a conscience void of
offence towards God and towards man," he will
then not only have an inward sense of his own duty,
but take all possible care to instil it into others,
whether children or servants, that are committed to
his charge ; and these, again, will do the same to
theirs, by teaching them to walk in the same path ;
till, by degrees, the piety and holiness of one man
has diffused itself to all succeeding generations.
But now, on the other hand, If I neglect the care
of my son's education, and suffer the leprosy of sin
and wickedness to taint and corrupt him, it is great
odds, without an extraordinary interposition of divine
grace, but the infection may spread itself over all
my posterity; and so draw down upon me the curses
236
and accusations often thousand souls in hell, which
might otherwise have been praising and blessing
God for me, to all eternity, in heaven.
Hence it is, that I am resolved to endeavour to
be a spiritual as well as natural father to my chil-
dren ; yea, to take more care to get a portion for
their souls in heaven than to make provision for
their bodies upon earth. For, if he be accounted
" worse than an infidel that provides not for his
family " the sustenance of their bodies, what is he
that suffers his family to neglect the salvation of
their souls !
That nothing of this, therefore, maybe laid to
my charge, if ever Providence sees fit to bless me
with children of my own, I will take effectual care,
so soon as conveniently I can, to devote them unto
God by baptism ; and then to be constantly soliciting
at the throne of grace, that he who hath given them
to me, would be pleased likewise to give himself to
them.
The next thing to be done, as soon as they come
to be capable of instruction, is to take all occasions
and make use of all means, to work the knowledge
of God into their heads, and the grace of Christ
into their hearts; by teaching them to "remember
their Creator in the days of their youth ;" by ac-
quainting them with the duties that He that made
them expects from them — with the rewards they
shall have, if dutiful, and the punishments they shall
feci, if disobedient children : still accommodating my
expressions to the shallow capacity of their tender
years. And, according to their doing, or not doing,
of what they have been told, I shall reward them
237
with what is most pleasing, or punish them with
what is most displeasing to their years. To speak
to them of heaven and eternal glory will not en-
courage them so much as to mve them their child-
ish pleasures and desires, and the denouncing of a
future hell will not affright them so much as the
inflicting a present smart. Hence it is, that Solo-
mon so often inculcates this upon parents, as their
duty to their children, that they should not " spare
the rod, lest they spoil the child."
But I must still take care to let them understand,
that what I do is from a principle of love and affec-
tion to them, not of fury and indignation against
them ; for by this means God may correct me for
correcting them. I may set before my children such
an example of indiscreet and sinful passion, as they
will be apt enough to learn, without my teaching
them. On the other hand, it behoves me, if pos-
sible, so to order my family, that my children may
not sec or hear, and so not learn, any thing but
goodness in it ; for commonly, according to what we
learn when we are young, we practise when we are
old. And, therefore, as I shall take great care,
that my children learn nothing that is evil or sinful
at home ; so likewise that they do not come into such
company abroad, where their innocence may be as-
saulted with swearing, cursing, or any kind of pro-
fane or obscene discourse which the generality of our
youth are so exposed to.
Or, at least, if this is not wholly to be avoided,
to prevent those poisonous weeds from taking root
in the heart, it behoves me to take all opportunities
of discoursing to them of God and Christ, of the
238
immortality of their souls, and the future state they
are to be doomed to in another world, when they
have lived a little while in this ; that according as
they grow in years, they may " grow in grace, and
in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ." And when they come to years of discre-
tion, capable of doing further honour and service to
God and their country, by some calling or profession,
I must be sure to place them in such a one as may
be no hinderance to that high and heavenly calling
which they have in Christ Jesus, but rather contri-
bute to further and promote it; that, being like
tender plants engrafted into the true vine, they may
bring forth much fruit, to God's glory, to my com-
fort, and their own salvation.
RESOLUTION IV.
I am resolved, by the grace of God, to do my duty to
my servants as well as expect they should do theirs
to me.
It was Joshua's, and, by God's grace, it shall be
my resolution, that " I and my house fear the Lord."
I, in the first place, and then my house ; for if I my-
self do not, I cannot expect that they should. So
that, for the ordering of my family in general, I
must not only press their duty upon them, but like-
wise practise my own duty, in suppressing all vicious
and lewd conversation, and composing all strife and
contention amongst them ; in praying every day, at
least twice with them ; in catechising and expounding
the principles of religion to them, and in calling for
239
an account of every sermon and godly discourse
they hear, either in private or in public ; in seeing
that they constantly frequent the divine ordinances,
and that they behave themselves so conscientiously
therein that they may be, some way or other, the
better by them. And to these ends, I think it my
duty to allow my servants some time, every day,
wherein to serve God, as well as to see they spend
their other hours in serving me ; and to make them
sensible that they do not serve me only for myself,
but ultimately and principally in reference to God —
their serving me making way for my better serving
God.
And, for this reason, I cannot believe but it is
as great a sin to cumber my servants as myself with
too much worldly business. For how can they
spend any time in the service of God, when I require
all their time in my own ? And how justly should
I be condemned, if by this means I should bring
them into a sort of necessity in sinning, either in
not obeying God or not obeying me ! Not that I
think it is a servant's duty to neglect his Creator to
serve his master : on the contrary, he is obliged, in
all cases, where their commands interfere, to M obey
God rather than man." But where they do not,
there is a strict injunction upon all servants, that
they should be " obedient to their masters according
to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness
of heart, as unto Christ." But how with fear and
trembling? Why, fearing lest they should offend
God in offending them, and trembling at the
thoughts of being disobedient to the divine command,
which enjoins them to " be obedient to their mas-
240
ters in all things, not answering again," that is, not
repining at their masters' lawful commands, not
muttering and maundering against them, as some
are apt to do ; for it is as great a sin in servants to
speak irreverently to their masters as in masters to
speak passionately to their servants.
But how are servants to give obedience to their
masters, " with singleness of heart, as unto Christ ?"
Why, by obeying them only in obedience unto
Christ ; that is, they are therefore to do their masters'
will because it is the Lord's will they should do it ;
serving them, " not with eye-service, as men-pleas-
ers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of
God from the heart, with good will doing service, as
unto the Lord, and not to men." This is the duty,
therefore, that I shall be oft inculcating upon my
servants, and shall as oft be reflecting upon myself,
that what I require for my own service may be always
in subordination to God's, who is our common Lord
and master, whose laws are equally obliging to all
ranks and conditions of men, and in whose sight
" there is no respect of persons."
RESOLUTION V.
I am resolved, by the grace of God, to feed the flock
that God shall set me over with wholesome food,
neither starving them by idleness, poisoning with
error, nor puffing them up with impertinence.
And here I cannot but declare, that ever since I
knew what it was to study, I have found by expe-
rience that spiritual and intellectual pleasures do as
241
far surpass those that are temporal and sensual as
the soul exceeds the body. And, for this reason,
as I always thought the study and profession of
divinity to be the noblest and most agreeable of all
others, as carrying with it its own encouragement
and reward — so I have often wondered with myself,
that the greatest persons in the world should not be
desirous and ambitious of exercising their part in the
study of this necessary as well as sublime science,
and even devoting themselves to the profession of it.
For, do they aspire after honour — what greater
honour can there be than to be the mouth of God
to the people, and of the people unto God — to have
the Most High himself not only to speak by them
but in them too ? What greater honour than to
have a commission from the King of kings, to repre-
sent himself before his people, and call them, in his
name, to " return from the error of their ways,"
and walk in the paths of God to everlasting glory?
What greater honour than to be an instrument, in
his hand, to bring poor souls from the gates of hell,
to set them among princes in the court of heaven ?
Do they thirst after pleasures — what greater pleasure
can they have than to make it their business to feed
themselves and others with the bread and water of
lite ?
But stay, my soul; let not thy thoughts run only
upon the dignity of thy function, and the spiritual
pleasures that attend the faithful discharge of it;
but think likewise upon the strict account thou must
give of it in another life ; the serious consideration
of which, as it cannot but be a great comfort to the
true and faithful pastor, who has diligently fed his
L 37
242
flock with the " sincere milk of God's word," so
must it be a great terror and confusion to the sloth-
ful and negligent, the false and deceitful dispensers
of the divine mysteries, who have either carelessly-
lost or treacherously deluded the souls of those com-
mitted to their charge, which they must one day
answer for, as well as for their own. And therefore,
that nothing of this kind may be ever laid to. my
charge, I solemnly promise and resolve, before God,
so to demean myself in the exercise of my ministerial
function, as to make the care of souls, especially of
those committed to my charge, the chief study and
business of my life.
And that without partiality or exception. 1 must
not single out some of the best of my flock, such as
I have the highest respect for, or have received the
greatest obligations from, but " minister to every
one according to their several necessities." If I
meet with men of knowledge and virtue, my business
must be to confirm and establish them therein — if
with those that are ignorant and immoral, to teach
and instruct them in the ways of religion, and, by all
means possible, to reclaim and reduce them to the
exercise of their duty — always remembering, that as
the blessed Jesus, the " great shepherd and bishop
of our souls, was not sent save unto the lost sheep
of the house of Israel, and came not to call the
righteous but sinners to repentance," so it is the
indispensable duty of his apostles and ministers (and
by the grace of God I shall make it mine) to follow
his example in this particular — to spare no time nor
pains in the reformation of sinners, though it be
ever so irksome and difficult to accomplish, even
2 13
though I should meet with such as the prophet
David speaks of, " who hate to he reformed, and
cast my words behind them." And therefore, as I
know it is my duty, so I shall always endeavour to
take pleasure in the several offices I perform of this
kind — " to strengthen the weak, heal the wounded,
and bind up the broken heart" — to call in those that
err and go astray, and " seek to save them that are
lost."
To these ends, though preaching is, without
doubt, a most excellent and useful, as well as neces-
sary duty, (especially if it be performed, as it ought,
with zeal and reverence, and the doctrine applied
and pressed home with sincerity of affection,) yet 1
shall not think it sufficient to instruct my people
only from the pulpit, but take all opportunities to
instil good thoughts and principles into their minds
in my private conversation. I know it is impossible
for all ministers frequently to visit every particu-
lar person or family in their parish, there being
in some parishes, especially in and about London,
so many thousands of souls; but, howsoever, if it
should please the Lord to call me to such a flock,
though I cannot visit all, I shall visit as many as I
can, especially those that are sick or infirm, and
be sure to feed them " with the sincere milk of the
word," such as may turn to their spiritual nourish-
ment, and make them " grow in grace, and in the
knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ/'
I will not fill their heads \vith speculative notions
and niceties in divinity; (which, among the less
judicious, are very often the occasion of heresy and
error, and sometimes also of delusion and distrac-
L 2
244
tion ;) but my chief care shall be to instruct them in
those necessary truths which their Christian faith
indispensably obliges them to know and believe, and
press them to the performance of those duties with-
out which they cannot be saved — meekly and impar-
tially reproving the particular vices they are most
inclined and addicted to, and cheerfully encouraging
and improving whatever virtuous actions they are,
any of them, exemplary in, and whatever good habits
and inclinations the divine grace has put into their
hearts.
And since love and charity is the great characte-
ristic of our profession, the bond and cement of all
other Christian duties, in order to make my ministry
the more successful, I resolve, in the last place, not
only to avoid all differences and disputes with them
myself, but amicably to compose all such as may
arise among the neighbours. In a word, I shall make
it my endeavour, in all things, so to approve myself
as a faithful minister, both in life and doctrine before
them, that, at the last day, when the great God shall
call for my parish, and myself to appear before him,
I may be prepared to give an account of both ; at
least, to answer for as many of them as he requires;
and may with joy and comfort pronounce this sen-
tence of my Saviour, if it may, without offence, be
applied to his ministers, " Behold I, and the children
which thou hast given me !"
245
RESOLUTION VI.
I am resolved, by the grace of God, to be as faithful
and constant to my friend as I would have my
friend to be faithful and constant to me.
Having before resolved to be zealous in loving
God, I here resolve to be as constant in loving my
friend. But why do I resolve upon this ? Is it pos-
sible to live and not to love? This to me seems as
plain a contradiction as to live and not to live. For
love, in my opinion, is as much the life of the soul
as the soul is the life of the body. So that, for my
own part, I shall expect to cease to live at the very
moment that I cease to love ; nay, I do not look
upon love only as my life, but as the joy and com-
fort of it too. And, for this reason, I shall never
envy any man his riches, pleasures, or preferments,
provided that I can but enjoy the persons my soul
delights in; namely Christ in the first place, and my
friend and neighbour in the second.
But then I must have a great care where and
how I place this affection; for if I place it wrong
my very loving will be sinning. And therefore I
shall always endeavour to make such only my friends
as are friends to God. Not that I look upon it as
necessary to love my friends always under that notion,
only as they arc friends of God; for then, no love
but that which is spiritual would be lawful : whereas
there is doubtless a natural love, that is no less a
duty, and by consequence no less lawful, than the
246
other; as the love of parents towards their children,
and children towards their parents ; and the mutual
complacency that arises betwixt friends, as well as
relations, from the harmony and agreement of their
humours and tempers. Thus our Saviour is said
to have loved St. John more than any of his other
disciples, which cannot be understood of a spiritual
love; for this, undoubtedly, was equal to all; but
being a man subject to the like passions (though not
imperfections) as we arc, he placed more natural
affection upon, and might have more natural com-
placency in John than in his other disciples.
And, therefore, when I say, I am to make such
my friends only as are friends to God, my meaning
is, that I will make none my friends but such as I
know to be good men and good Christians, such as
deserve my love in a spiritual as well as a natural
sense ; and since I may lawfully love my friend in
both these senses, the one is so far from being ex-
clusive, that it is really perfective of the other.
And for this reason, as the spiritual good of my
friend is always to be preferred before that which is
temporal, I am resolved to found the one upon the
other. I will always be ready, as oft as he stands
in need, either of my advice, encouragement, or
assistance, to do him all the kind offices I can, in his
worldly affairs, to promote his interest, vindicate his
character from secret aspersions, and defend his
person from open assaults; to be faithful and punc-
tual in the performance of my promises to him, as
well as in keeping the secrets he has intrusted me
with. But all these things are to be done with a
tender regard to the honour of God, and the duties
247
of religion ; so that the services I do him in his tern-
poral concerns, must be still consistent with, and
subservient to, the spiritual interest and welfare of
his immortal soul, in which I am principally obliged
to manifest my friendship towards him. If I see
him wander out of the right way, I must immediately
take care to advertise him of it, and use the best
means I can to bring him back to it. Or if I know
him to be guilty of any reigning vices, I must en-
deavour to convince him of the danger and malignity
of them, and importune and persuade him to amend
and forsake them. And lastly, I must be as con-
stant in keeping my friend as cautious in choosing
him, still continuing the heat of my affections towards
him, in the day of his affliction, as well as in the
height of his prosperity.
These are the rules whereby I resolve to express
my friendship unto others, and whereby I would
have others to express their friendship unto me.
CONCERNING MY TALENTS.
Having so solemnly devoted myself to God,
according to the covenant he hath made with me,
and the duty I owe to him, not only what I am,
and what I do, but likewise what I have, arc still to
be improved for him. And this I am bound to, not
only upon a federal, but even a natural account ; for
whatsoever I have I received from him, and there-
fore, for all the reason in the world, whatsoever I
have should be improved for him. For I look upon
248
myself as having no other property in what I enjoy,
than a servant hath in what he is entrusted with to
improve for his master's use. Thus, though I should
have ten thousand pounds a-year, I should have no
more of my own than if I had but two-pence in all
the world. For it is only committed to my care for
a season, to be employed and improved to the best
advantage, and will be called for again at the grand
audit, when I must answer for the use or abuse of
it; so that whatsoever, in a civil sense, I can call my
own, that, in a spiritual sense, I must esteem as
God's. And therefore it nearly concerns me to
manage all the talents I am intrusted with as things
I must give a strict account for at the day of judg-
ment. As God bestows his mercies upon me,
through the greatness of his love and affection, so I
am to restore his mercies back again to him, by the
holiness of my life and conversation. In a word,
whatever I receive from his bounty, I must, some
way or other, lay out for his glory, accounting
nothing my own any further than as I improve it
for God's sake and the spiritual comfort of my own
soul.
In order to this, I shall make it my endeavour,
by the blessing of God, to put in practice the follow-
ing resolutions :
249
RESOLUTION I.
/ am resolved, if possible, to redeem my past time
by using a double diligence for the future, to em-
ploy and improve all the gifts and endowments,
both of body and mind, to the glory and service of
my great Creator.
Time, health, and parts, are three precious ta-
lents, generally bestowed upon men, but seldom
improved for God. To go no farther than myself,
how much time and health have I enjoyed by God's
grace, and how little of it have I laid out for his
honour? On the contrary, how oft have I offended,
affronted, and provoked him, even when he has been
courting me with his favours, and daily pouring
forth his benefits upon me? This, alas! is a sad
truth, which whensoever I seriously reflect upon, I
cannot but acknowledge the continuance of my life
as the greatest instance of God's mercy and good-
ness, as well as the greatest motive to my gratitude
and obedience. In a due sense, therefore, of the
vanities and follies of my younger years, I desire to
take shame to myself for what is past, and do this
morning humbly prostrate myself before the throne
of grace, to implore God's pardon, and to make
solemn promises and resolutions for the future, to
" cast off the works of darkness, and to put on the
armour of light;" and not only so, but to redeem the
precious minutes I have squandered away, by hus-
banding those that remain, to the best advantage.
l 3
°250
I will not trifle and sin away my time in the pleasures
of sense, or the impertinencies of business, but shall
always employ it in things that are necessary or
useful, and proportion it to the weight and impor-
tance of the work or business I engage myself in ;
allotting such a part of it for this business, and such
a part for that, so as to leave no intervals for unlaw-
ful or unnecessary actions to thrust themselves in
and pollute my life and conversation.
For since it has pleased God to favour me with
the blessing of health, and I am not certain how
soon I may be deprived of it, and thrown upon a
bed of sickness, which may deprive me of the use of
my reason, or make me incapable of any thing else,
but grappling with my distemper ; it highly concerns
me to make a due use of this blessing, while I have
it — to improve these parts and gifts that God has
endowed me with, to the manifestation of his glory,
the salvation of my soul, and the public good of the
community whereof I am a member.
To these ends, it will be requisite for me fre-
quently to consider with myself which way my
weak parts may be the most usefully employed, and
to bend them to those studies and actions which
they are naturally the most inclined to, and delighted
in, with the utmost vigour and application; more
particularly in spiritual matters, to make use of all
opportunities for the convincing others of God's
love to them, and their sins against God ; of their
misery by nature, and happiness by Christ ; and
when the truth of God happens to be any way tra-
duced or opposed, to be as valiant in the defence of
it as its enemies are violent in their assaults against
451
it. And as I thus resolve to employ my inward gifts
and faculties for the glory and service of God, so,
RESOLUTION II.
/ am resolved, by the divine grace, to employ my
riches, the outward blessings of providence, to the
same end ; and to observe such a due medium in
the dispensing of them, as to avoid prodigality on
the one hand, and covetousness on the other.
This, without doubt, is a necessary resolution,
but it is likewise very difficult to put in practice,
without a careful observance of the following rules.
First, never to lavish out my substance, like the
prodigal, in the jewels of sin and vanity ; but after a
due provision for the necessities and conveniences of
life, to lay up the overplus for acts of love and
charity towards my indigent brethren. I must con-
sider the uses and ends for which God has intrusted
me with such and such possessions; that they were
not given me for the pampering my body, the feeding
my lusts, or puffing me up with pride and ambition ;
but for advancing his glory, and my own, and the
public good. But why do I say given, when, as I
before observed, I have no property in the riches I
possess ? they are only lent me for a few years to be
dispensed and distributed, as my great Lord and
Master sees fit to appoint; namely, for the benefit
of the poor and necessitous, which he has made bis
deputies to call for, and receive his money .it my
hands. And this, indeed, is the best use I can put
252
it to, for my own advantage as well as theirs ; for
the money I bestow upon the poor, I give to God
to lay up for me, and I have his infallible word and
promise for it, that it shall be paid me again with
unlimited interest out of his heavenly treasury,
which is infinite, eternal, end inexhaustible. Hence
it is, that whensoever I see any fit object of charity,
methinks I hear the Most High say unto me, Give
this poor brother so much of my stock, which thou
hast in thy hand, and I will place it to thy account,
as given to myself; and " look what thou layest out,
and it shall be paid thee again."
The second rule is never to spend a penny where
it can be better spared, nor to spare it where it can
be better spent. And this will oblige me, whenso-
ever any occasion offers of laying out money, consi-
derately to weigh the circumstances of it, and,
according as the matter, upon mature deliberation,
requires, I must not grudge to spend it ; or if, at
any time, I find more reason to spare, I must not
dare to spend it — still remembering, that as I am
strictly to account for the money God has given me,
so I ought neither to be covetous in saving, or
hoarding it up, nor profuse in throwing it away,
without a just occasion. The main thing to be re-
garded is the end I propose to myself in my ex-
penses, whether it be really the glory of God, or my
own carnal humour and appetite.
For instance, if I lay out my money in clothing
my body, the question must be, whether I do this
only for warmth and decency, or to gratify my pride
and vanity? If the former, my money is better
spent ; if the latter, it is better spared than spent.
L25o
Affain, do I lay it out in eating and drinking? If
this be only to satisfy the necessities of nature, and
make my life more easy and comfortable, it is with-
out doubt very well spent ; but if it be to feed my
luxury and intemperance, it is much better spared;
better for my soul in keeping it from sin, and better
for my body in preserving it from sickness. And
this rule is the more strictly to be observed, because
it is as great a fault in a servant not to lay out his
master's money when he should, as to lay it out
when he should not.
In order therefore to avoid both these extremes,
there is a third rule to be observed under this reso-
lution ; and that is to keep a particular account of
all my receipts and disbursements, to set down in a
book every penny I receive at the hands of the Al-
mighty, and every penny I lay out for his honour
and service. By this means I shall be in a man-
ner forced both to get my money lawfully, and to
lay it out carefully ; but how can I put that amongst
the money I have received from God which I have
got by unlawful means? Certainly, such money I
may rather account as received from the devil for
his use, than from God for his. And so must I
either lay every penny out for God, or otherwise I
shall not know where to set it down ; for I must set
down nothing but what I lay out for his use : and if
it be not for his use, with what face can I say it
was ? And by this means also, when God shall be
pleased to call me to account for what I have re-
ceived from him, I may with comfort appear before
him ; and having improved the talents he had com-
mitted to my charge, I may be received into his
254
heavenly kingdom with a " Well done, good and
faithful servant, enter thou into thy Master's joy."
RESOLUTION III.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to improve the
authority God gives me over others, to the sup-
pression of vice, and the encouragement of virtue ;
and so for the exaltation of God's name on earth,
and their souls in heaven.
That all power and authority hath its original
from God, and that one creature is not over another,
but by the providence and will of him who is over all ;
and so by consequence, that all the authority we
have over men, is to be improved for God, is clear,
not only from that question, " Who made thee to
differ from another ; and what hast thou which thou
didst not receive?" but likewise, and that more
clearly, from that positive assertion, " The powers
that be are ordained of God." That therefore I
may follow my commission, I must stick close to
my present resolution, even iu all the power God
gives me to behave myself as one invested with
that power from above, to restrain vice and encou-
rage virtue, as oft as I have an opportunity so to do,
always looking upon myself as one commissioned by
him, and acting under him. For this reason I
must still endeavour to exercise my authority, as if
the most high God was in my place in person as
well as power. I must not follow the dictates of
my own carnal reason, much less the humours of my
own biassed passion, but still keep to the acts which
255
God himself hath made, cither in the general statute
book for all the world, the holy Scriptures, or in the
particular laws and statutes of the nation wherein J
live.
And questionless, if I discharge this duty as I
ought, whatever sphere of authority I move in, I
am capable of doing a great deal of good, not only
by my power, but by my influence and example.
For common experience teaches us, that even the
inclinations and desires of those that are eminent for
their quality or station are more powerful than the
very commands of God himself; especially among
persons of an inferior rank and more servile dispo-
sition, who are apt to be more wrought upon by the
fear of present punishment, or the loss of some tem-
poral advantage, than any thing that is future or
spiritual. Hence it is, that all those whom God
intrusteth with this precious talent have a great
advantage and opportunity in their hand for the sup-
pressing sin, and the exalting holiness in the world ;
a word from their mouths against whoredom, drunk-
enness, and the profanation of the Sabbath, or the
like, yea, their very example and silent gestures,
bein<y able to do more than the threateninirs of Al-
mighty God, either pronounced by himself in his
word, or by his ministers in his holy ordinances.
This therefore is my resolution, that whatsoever
authority the most high God shall he pleased to put
upon me, I will look upon it as my duty, and always
make it my endeavour, to demolish the kingdom of
sin and Satan, and establish that of Christ and holi-
ness in the hearts of all those to whom my commis-
sion extends — looking more at the duty God expects
256
from me than at the dignity he confers upon me.
In a word, I will so exercise the power and autho-
rity God puts into my hands here, that when the
particular circuit of my life is ended, and I shall be
brought to the general assize to give an account of
this among my other talents, I may give it up with
joy ; and so exchange my temporal authority upon
earth for an eternal crown of glory in heaven.
RESOLUTION IV.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to improve the
affections God stirs up in others towards me, to
the stirring up of their affections towards God.
If the authority I have over others, then, ques-
tionless, the affection others have to me, is to be
improved for God ; and that because the affection
they bear to me, in a natural sense, hath a kind of
authority in me over them in a spiritual one. And
this I gather from my own experience; for I find
none to have a greater command over me than they
that manifest the greatest affections for me. Indeed,
it is a truth generally agreed on, that a real and
sincere esteem for any person is always attended
with a fear of displeasing that person ; and where
there is fear in the subject, there will, doubtless,
be authority in the object ; because fear is the
ground of authority, as love is, or ought to be, the
ground of that fear. The greatest potentate, if not
feared, will not be obeyed ; if his subjects stand in
no awe of him, he can never strike any awe upon
them. Nor will that awe have its proper effects in
Q57 '
curbing and restraining them from sin and disobe-
dience, unless it proceed from and is joined with
love.
I know the scriptures tell me, " there is no fear
in love, but that perfect love casteth out fear."
But that is to be understood of our love to God,
not to men, and that a perfect love too, such as can
only be exercised in heaven. There I know our
love will be consummate, without mixture, as well
as without defect ; there will be a perfect expression
of love on both sides, and so no fear of displeasure
on either. But this is a happiness which is not to
be expected here on earth : so long as we are clothed
with flesh and blood, we shall, in one degree or
other, be still under the influence of our passions
and affections. And, therefore, as there is no per-
son we can love upon earth but who may sometimes
see occasion to be displeased with us — so he will al-
ways, upon this account, be feared by us. This I
look upon as the chief occasion of one man's having
so much power and influence over another.
But how comes this under the notion of a talent
received from God. -«nd so to be improved for him ?
"Why, because it is he, and he alone, that kindles
and blows up the sparks of pure love and affection
in us, and that by the breathings of his own Spirit.
It was the Lord that gave Joseph favour in the sight
of the " keeper of the prison," and who brought
Daniel into favour and tender love with the "prince
of the eunuchs." And so of all others in the world ;
for we are told elsewhere, that as God " fashioneth
the hearts of men, so he turneth them which way
soever he will." Insomuch, that I can never see
258
any express their love to me, but I must express my
thankfulness to God for it; nor can I feel in myself
any warmth of affection towards others, without con-
sidering it as a talent hid in my breast, which I am
obliged in duty to improve for him,' by stirring up
their affections unto him whose affections himself
hath stirred up towards me. And this will be the
more easy to effect, if I take care in the first place,
to express the zeal and sincerity of my own love to
God, by making him the chief object of my esteem
and adoration ; and manifest my aversion to the sins
they are guilty of, by representing them as most
loathsome and abominable, as well as most dangerous
and damnable. For, wherever there is true and
cordial affection to any person, it is apt to bias those
that are under the influence of it, to choose the same
objects for their love or aversion, that such a person
does; that is, to love what he loves, and to hate
what he hates. This, therefore, is the first thing
to be done, to stir up the affections of others to love
and serve God.
Another way of my improving the affections of
others to this end, is by setting them a good ex-
ample ; for commonly what a friend doth, be it good
or bad, is pleasing to us ; because we look not at the
goodness of the thing that is done, but at the love-
liness of the person that doth it. And if the vices
of a friend seem amiable, how much more will their
virtues shine ! For this reason, therefore, whenso-
ever I perceive any person to show a respect for, or
affection to me, I shall always look upon it as an op-
portunity put into my hands, to serve and glorify my
great Creator, and shall look upon it as a call from
259
heaven, as much as if I heard the Almighty say to
me, I desire to have this person to love me, and
therefore have I made him to love thee; do thou but
set before him an example of goodness and virtue,
and his love to thy person shall induce and engage
him to direct his actions according to it. This,
therefore, is the rule that I fully resolve to guide
myself by, with relation to those who are pleased
to allow me a share in their esteem and affection ;
which I hope to improve to their advantage in the
end, that as they love me, and I love them now, so
we may all love God, and God love us to all eternity.
RESOLUTION V.
/ am resolved, by the grace of God, to improve
every good thought to the producing of good af-
fections in myself and as good actions with re-
spect to God.
Whatsoever comes from God, being a talent
to be improved to him, I cannot but think good
thoughts to be as precious talents as it is possible
a creature can be blessed with. But let me esteem
them as I will, I am sure my Master will reckon
them amongst the talents he intrusts me with, and
will call me to an account for; and, therefore I
ought not to neglect them. The scripture tells
me, " I am not sufficient of myself to think any
thing as of myself, but that my sufficiency is of
God." And if I be not sufficient to think any
thing, much less am I able of myself to think of
that which is good; forasmuch as to good thoughts
260
there must always be supposed a special concurrence
of God's Spirit; whereas to other thoughts there is
only the general concurrence of his presence. See-
ing, therefore, they come from God, how must I lay
them out for him ? Why, by sublimating good
thoughts unto good affections. Does God vouch-
safe to send down into my heart a thought of him-
self— I am to send up this thought to him again, in
the fiery chariot of love, desire, and joy. Doth he
dart into my soul a thought of holiness and purity —
I am to dwell and meditate upon it till it break out
into a flame of love and affection for him. Doth he
raise up in my spirit a thought of sin, and show me
the ugliness and deformity of it — I must let it
work its desired effect, by making it as loathsome
and detestable as that thought represents it to be.
But good thoughts must not only be improved to
produce good affections in my heart, but likewise
good actions in my life. So that the thoughts of
God should not only make me more taken with his
beauty, but more active for his glory; and the
thoughts of sin should not only damp my affection
to it, but likewise deter and restrain me from the
commission of it.
And thus every good thought that God puts into
my heart, instead of slipping out, as it does with
some others without regard, will be cherished and
improved to the producing of good actions; these
actions will entitle me to the blessing of God, and
that to the kingdom of glory.
261
RESOLUTION VI.
I am resolved^ by the grace of God, to improve
every affliction God lays upon me, as an earnest
or token of his affection towards me.
Every thing that flows from God to his servants,
coming under the notion of talents, to be improved
for himself, I am sure afflictions, as well as other
mercies, must needs be reckoned amongst those ta-
lents God is pleased to vouchsafe. Indeed it is a
talent, without which I should be apt to forget the
improvement of all the rest; and which, if well im-
proved, will " work out for me a far more exceeding
and eternal weight of glory." It is the non-im-
provement of an affliction that makes it a curse ;
whereas, if improved, it is as great a blessing as any
God is pleased to scatter amongst the children of
men. And therefore it is, that God most frequently
intrusteth this precious talent with his own peculiar
people : " You only have I known of all the families
of the earth ; therefore will I punish you for your
iniquities." Those that God knows the best, with
them will he intrust the most, if not of other talents,
yet be sure of that, which is so useful and necessary
to brinir us to the knowledge of ourselves and our
Creator, and without which we should be apt to
forget both.
It is this that shows us the folly and pride of
presumption, as well as the vanity and emptiness of
all worldly enjoyment; and deters us from incensing
262
and provoking Him from whom all our happiness as
well as our afflictions flow. Let, therefore, what
crosses or calamities soever befall me, I am still re-
solved to bear them all, not only with a patient re-
signation to the divine will, but even to comfort and
rejoice myself in them as the greatest blessings.
For instance, am I seized with pain and sickness —
I shall look upon it as a message from God, sent on
purpose to put me in mind of death, and to convince
me of the necessity of being always prepared for it
by a good life, which a state of uninterrupted health
is apt to make us unmindful of. Do I sustain any
losses or crosses ? The true use of this is, to make
me sensible of the fickleness and inconstancy of this
world's blessings, which we can no sooner cast our
eye upon, but they immediately " take to themselves
wings, and fly away " from us. And so, all other
afflictions God sees fit to lay upon me, may, in like
manner, be some way or other improved for my
happiness.
But, besides the particular improvements of par-
ticular chastisements, the general improvement of
all is the increasing of my love and affection to that
God who brings these afflictions upon me. For how
runs the mittimus, whereby he is pleased to send
me to the dungeon of afflictions? "Deliver such
a one to Satan to be buffeted " in the flesh, " that
the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord
Jesus." By this it appears, that the furnace of af-
flictions, which God is pleased at any time to throw
me into, is not heated at the fire of his wrath, but
at the flames of his affection to me. The consi-
deration whereof, as it should more inflame my love
Q63
to him, so shall it likewise engage me to express a
greater degree of gratitude towards him, when he
singles me out, not only to suffer from him, but for
him too. For this is an honour indeed peculiar
to the saints of GoJ, which if he should be pleased
ever to prefer me to, I shall look upon it as upon
other afflictions, to be improved for his glory, the
good of others, and the everlasting comfort of my
own soul.
Thus have I reckoned up the talents God hath
or may put into my hands, to be improved for his
glory. May the same divine Being that intrusted
me with them, and inspired me with these good re-
solutions concerning them, enable me, by his grace,
to make a due use of them, and carefully to put in
practice what I have thus religiously resolved upon.
There are some other mercies, which might be
set down in the catalogue of talents; as, the graces
and motions of God's Holy Spirit, and the use of
his holy ordinances, under the ministry of the gos-
pel ; but these being included and insisted on, under
several of the foregoing heads, will not require a
distinct consideration.
PART SECOND.
PRIVATE THOUGHTS
ON A
CHRISTIAN LIFE.
M
PREFACE.
The kind reception which has been given to all the
other works of this incomparable author, particularly
to his Private Thoughts, written in his younger
years, has encouraged the publishing of another
volume of his Thoughts, upon subjects of the utmost
importance to the Christian Life, in all the chief
scenes of it ; and these composed when age and ex-
perience, in the course of his parochial ministry, had
taught him what directions were most necessary for
the conduct of every disciple of Christ, through all
the stages of that " race that is set before us," that
he " may so run that he may obtain." Accordingly
the reader is here furnished, not only with such in-
structions as are most proper for the entrance upon
this race, and the early discipline of those who are
newly listed under Christ's banner; but also with
such other points, both of faith and practice, as arc
most fit to be afterwards inculcated and impressed
upon them, for their successful carrying 0:1 of this
holy warfare, and finishing their course, so as at last
M 2
268
to attain the crown of righteousness, laid up for all
those who continue Christ's faithful soldiers and ser-
vants to their lives' end.
And as in his Private Thoughts and Resolutions,
this excellent bishop seems chiefly to have aimed at
settling his own principles, and regulating his prac-
tice, as became a follower of the holy Jesus, and a
minister of his gospel ; so in those which are more
public he carries on the same pious design with re-
spect to others, and executes that sacred office for
which these were to prepare him. Indeed, great
and indefatigable as his labours were, (for few ever
laboured more,) the end of them was always the sal-
vation of souls. And as the spirit of piety, which
runs through all his writings, together with his plain,
unaffected, familiar, and yet solid way of argument
and persuasion, are both admirably adapted to this
great end, (to say nothing of all his other daily and un-
wearied pains in the ministry while living,) so, through
God's great blessing upon his endeavours, they were
then and have been since crowned with great success ;
and it is the hopes and prayers of all good men, that
they may continue so to the end of the world, and
daily add to our holiness and his happiness.
Among many instances that might be given of
this happy success, I have now one before me, in a
relation of the behaviour of one of this vigilant pas-
tor's flock, in his last sickness, as it is attested by an
eye-witness of it. I will not trouble the reader with
the particulars ; the sum is, that this pious gentleman,
with his last breath, expressed so much resignation
to God's will, and so little fear of death — such com-
fort in reflecting upon the better part of his life>
269
especially his charity to the poor, and so much zeal
in recommending that duty to those about him — and,
above all, such an anticipation of those ecstasies of
joy and happiness which he was going to in another
world, and so uncommon and enlarged an understand-
ing of the great mysteries of religion — that if, in
the midst of these holy raptures, he had not owned
his great obligations to Dr. Beveridge for these
spiritual blessings, yet we might have easily judged,
that so great a proficient in the school of religion
could be indebted, under God, to the care and in-
struction of no less a master for such extraordinary
acquirements.
And with respect to that good which it is piously
hoped this great prelate's works have done since his
death, and may continue to do daily, it has been ob-
served by some persons, that since the publication
of them our churches have been generally fuller than
they used to be ; to which, as nothing would contri-
bute more than that spirit of devotion and true piety
which, in all his practical writings, this holy man both
expresses himself, and labours to create in others ;
so, if after all these pious endeavours to cultivate
and promote it in the world, we are sensible of the
least growth of it, I know not why we may not as-
cribe so good an effect to the blessing of God upon
so probable a cause.
However, if the piety of some among us, which
we hope increaseth, be not a sufficient argument of a
probable increase of true religion to be expected from
the influence of this great man's work, yet, I am
sorry to say, that the wickedness of others does
270
abundantly make up that defect; I mean the restless
endeavours of all the enemies of God and religion,
to discredit and defame them — if by any means they
could be able to ward such a blow to the kingdom of
darkness as they seem to apprehend from his pious
labours. And what wonder if those who mock God,
and would bring religion itself into contempt, use
their utmost endeavours to blast the reputation of
an author, whose writings are so eminently serviceable
to relioion, and tend so much to advance the glory
of God ? All their attempts of this nature are so
many arguments of the excellency of what they would
decry; they are the testimonies even of enemies, in
behalf of those admirable books which they pretend
to ridicule; and all the scorn and contempt they
express upon this occasion reflects more honour upon
Bishop Beveridge and his works, I had almost said,
even than the approbation and esteem of all his and
religion's friends. So much good does God, in his
infinite wisdom and mercy, produce out of the greatest
evil, by turning all the wit and malice of these re-
probates against themselves, and making them, even
against their own wills, instruments of sounding forth
the praises of this excellent writer at the same time,
and by the very same means, that they vainly at-
tempt to dishonour and reproach him — as the devils
themselves were forced to own our blessed Saviour,
though they knew he came on purpose to destroy
them. It were only to be wished, that in this, as
in most other instances, those " children of this
world " were not in their generation so much " wiser
than the children of light." It is true we may as
271
well fear that dogs should bark out the moon, as
that the utmost malice of these enemies to truth
shall ever be able to sully a reputation that had
long shone with so much brightness, among all
learned and good men, both at home and abroad —
insomuch that, when this illustrious prelate was a-
dying, one of the chief of his order deservedly said
of him, " there goes one of the greatest and best
men England ever bred." No, we have seen all
their attempts against him do but add lustre to his
fame : however, it cannot be less the interest of re-
ligion to promote the works of so able a divine, than
it is that of atheism and irreligion to oppose them :
and if all good men would show as much zeal in the
defence of them, and their great author, and be as
industrious to recommend both his writings and ex-
ample, as atheists and libertines are to obstruct the
influence of both, this would still be another addition
to the glory of so great a name ; and the good effects
we might hope for on the lives of men, from such
excellent books, dispersed into many hands, would
be at once the best attestation that could be given
to the wondrous benefit and usefulness of them, and
also the effectual means to stop the mouths of gain-
say ers, by lessening the number of them daily, and
bringing them over from infidelity and atheism, to
the cause of God and religion.
o
And I cannot close this Preface better than with
earnest prayers to God, that this, and all other works
of Bishop Bevcridge, may have that blessed effect :
and that, in return to all the malice of those who
seem to envy us the great good we may hope for
272
from such pious and instructive discourses, they may
by degrees instil, even into their breasts, some of
that spirit of piety diffused through every page ; and
of atheists and libertines, make them sober men,
and Christians,
THOUGHTS ON A CHRISTIAN
LIFE.
ON CHRISTIAN EDUCATION.
If the principles of the Christian religion were well
rooted in the hearts of all mankind, what excellent
fruit would they produce ! The earth would put on
another face, bearing some resemblance to heaven
itself. Idolatry, with all sorts of wickedness and vice,
would be everywhere discountenanced and suppressed;
for all would worship the one living and true God,
and him only. There would be no more wars nor
rumours of wars : kingdom would not rise against
kingdom, nor nation against nation, but all princes
would be at peace with their neighbours, and their
subjects at unity among themselves, striving about
nothing but who should serve God best, and do most
good in the world. Then piety, and justice, and
charity, would revive and flourish again all the world
over, and particularly in the church and kingdom to
which we belong. Then the prayers would be read
twice a-day in every parish, as the law requires, and
all people would heartily join together in offering
them up to the almighty Creator of the world. Then
all that are of riper years would, at least every Lord's
day, celebrate the memory of the death of Christ, by
M 3
274
which their sins are expiated, and the most high
God reconciled to them, and become their God and
Father. And as all sorts of people would thus con-
tinually worship God in his own house, so whereso-
ever they are, they would do all they could to serve
and honour him ; " whether they eat or drink, or
whatsoever they do, they would do all to his glory."
And as for their fellow-servants, they would all love
as brethren, and every one seek another's good as
well as their own. Whatsoever they would that men
should do to them, they would do the same to all
other men. In short, all would then deny " un-
godliness and worldly lu? ts, and live soberly, righ-
teously, and godly in thxj present world," and so
walk hand and hand together in the narrow way that
leads to everlasting life. This would be the happy
state of all mankind, if they were but well grounded
in that religion which the eternal Son of God hath
planted upon earth.
But not to speak of other people, we of this na-
tion rarely find any such effect of this religion among
ourselves. Though it be as generally professed, and
as clearly taught among us, as ever it was in any
nation, there are but few that are ever the better for
it ; the most being here also as bad both in their
principles and practices as they who live in the dark-
est corners of the earth, where the light of the gospel
never yet shone. Though the kingdom in general
be Christian, there are many heathens in it, people
that never were christened ; many that were once
christened, and are now turned heathens again,
living as without God in the world; many that would
still be thought Christians, and yet have apostatized
TjL)
so far as to lay aside both the sacraments which
Christ ordained, and every thing else that can show
them to be so ; many that privily bring in damnable
heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them,
and so bring upon themselves swift destruction;
many that follow their pernicious ways, by reason of
whom the " way of truth is evil-spoken of, and
through covetousness, with feigned words, make
merchandise of men," as St. Peter foretold ; " Many
who will not endure sound doctrine, but after their
own lusts heap to themselves teachers, having itch-
ing ears ;" and so fulfill the prophecy of St. Paul.
And of those who still continue in the communion
of the church, and in the outward profession of the
true christian faith, " there are many, who although
they profess to know God, yet in works they deny
him, being abominable and disobedient, and to every
good work reprobate." Many did I say ? I wish
I could not say almost all; but, alas ! it is too plain
to be denied.
For of that vast company of people that are
called Christians in this kingdom, how few are they
that live as becometh the gospel of Christ — that
finish the work that God has given them to do,
even to glorify him in the world ! How many that
refuse or neglect to worship and serve him upon his
own day ! How few that do it upon any other day,
when they have any thing else to do ! How many
that never receive the sacrament of the Lord's Sup-
per in their whole lives ! How few that receive it
above two or three times in the year, how often
soever they are invited to it ! How many are the
proud, the passionate, the covetous, the intemperate,
276
the incontinent, the unjust, the profane, and im-
pious, in comparison of the humble, and meek, and
liberal, and sober, and modest, and righteous, and
holy among us ! The disproportion is so vastly
<ireat, that none but God himself can make the
comparison, so little of Christianity is now to be
found among Christians themselves. To our shame
be it spoken.
It is, indeed, a matter of so much shame as well
as grief to all that have any regard for the honour
of Christ their Saviour, that they cannot but be
very solicitous to know how it comes to pass that his
doctrine and precepts are so generally slighted and
neglected as they are in our days; and how they
may be observed better for the future than now they
are — both which questions may be easily resolved :
for we cannot wonder that of the many which profess
the Christian religion, there are so few that live up
to it, when we consider how few are duly instructed
in the first principles of it.
The religion which Christ hath revealed to the
world, is, by his grace and blessing, settled and
established among us, so as to be made the reli-
gion of the kingdom in general; and, therefore, all
that are born in it, are, or ought to be, according to
his order or institution, soon after baptized, and so
made his disciples, or Christians by profession.
And the church takes security of those who thus
bring a child to be baptized, that when it comes to
be capable of it, it shall be instructed in the cate-
chism which she for that purpose hath set forth,
containing all the principles of that religion into
which it was baptized. But, notwithstanding, this
277
hath been neglected for many years, whereby it is
come to pass that the far greater part of the people
in this kingdom know little or nothing of the reli-
gion they profess, but only to profess it as the
religion of the country where they live. They may,
perhaps, be very zealous for it, as all people are for
the religion in which they are born and bred, but
take no care to frame their lives according to it,
because they were never rightly informed about it ;
or, at least, not soon enough, before error or sin
hath got possession of them, which one or other of
them commonly doth before they are aware of it ;
for they are always " as children tossed to and fro,
and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the
slight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they
lie in wait to deceive." And whatsoever sin gets
dominion over them, there it reigns and domineers
in their mortal bodies, so that they obey it in the
lusts thereof, in the spite of all that can be said to
them out of God's own word ; for they are no way
edified by any thing they hear, in that the founda-
tion is not first laid upon which they should build
up themselves in that most holy faith that is preached
to them. The word they hear is a seed that falls
bv the way-side, or upon a rock, or else among
thorns, and so never comes to perfection ; their
hearts not being prepared beforehand and rightly
disposed for it, by having the principles of the doc-
trine of Christ first infused into them.
This, therefore, being the great cause of that
shameful decay of the Christian religion that is so
visible among us, we can never expect to see it
repaired, unless the great duty of catechising be
2?8
revived, and the laws that are made about it be
strictly observed all the kingdom over ; as most
certainly they ought to be, not only as they are the
laws both of the church and state under which we
live, but likewise because they are grounded upon
the word of God himself, who expressly commands
the same thing by his apostle, saying, " Fathers,
provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them
up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."
For here, by nurture, we are to understand, as
the Greek word paideia signifies, that discipline
which parents ought to exercise over their children,
to prevent their falling into, or continuing in any
wicked course. And by the admonition of the
Lord is meant the catechising, or putting them in
mind of the Lord Jesus Christ, and of what he
would have them believe and do that they may be
saved; for the original word, nouthesia, which we
translate admonition, properly signifies catechising.
(Catechisein Nouthetein, Hesych.) And, therefore,
to catechise or instruct children in the knowledge
of God and our Lord Jesus Christ, is a duty here
laid upon all parents by almighty God himself; and
all that neglect to educate or bring up their children
in the admonition of the Lord, by catechising or
teaching them the principles of his religion, they
all live in a breach of plain law, a law made by the
supreme Lawgiver of the world, and must accord-
ingly answer for it at the last day.
Wherefore, all that are sensible of the great
account which they must give of all their actions, at
that time, to the Judge of the whole world, cannot
but make as much conscience of this as of any duty
279
whatsoever, so as to use the utmost of their care and
diligence, that their children may grow in grace,
and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ, and so be wise unto salvation.
Neither is this any hard matter for those to do, who
live in the communion of the church, having such
a catechism or summary of the Christian religion
drawn up to their hands, which is easy both for
parents to teach, and for children to learn ; and yet
so full and comprehensive, that it contains all things
necessary for any man to know in order to his being
saved, as you may clearly see, if you do but cast
your eye upon the methods and contents of it ;
which may be all reduced to these five heads : — the
baptismal vow, the apostles' creed, the ten com-
mandments, the Lord's prayer, and the doctrine of
the sacraments ordained by our Lord Christ.
It begins where a child begins to be a Christian,
and therefore hath a Christian name given him,
even at his baptism, wherein he was made a mem-
ber of Christ, a child of God, and an inheritor of
the kingdom of heaven, which great privileges
belong to all that are baptized, and to none else ;
none else being in the number of Christ's disciples ;
for our Lord Christ, a little before his ascension
into heaven, left orders with his apostles, and in
them with all that should succeed in his ministry of
the church to the end of the world, to make all
nations his disciples, by baptizing them in the name
of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as the original
words plainly import, Matth. xxviii. 19. And,
therefore, as people of all nations are capable of
being made his disciples ; so none now are, or ever
280
can be made so any other way than by being bap-
tized according to his order. But they who are not
thus made his disciples, by being baptized unto him,
are not the members of Christ ; and if they be not
the members of Christ, they cannot be the children
of God, nor have any right to the kingdom of
heaven, that being promised only to such as believe
and are baptized, Mark xvi. 16. And our Saviour
himself elsewhere also saith, that " except a man
be born again, of water and of the Spirit, he cannot
enter into the kingdom of God." Wherebv we
may perceive the great necessity of this sacrament,
where it may be had, as our church observes in her
office for the ministration of it, to such as are of
riper years.
It is to be further observed, that when our Sa-
viour ordained baptism to be the means of admitting
persons into his church, or the congregation of his
disciples, lest we should think, as some have done,
that he meant it only of those who are of riper
years, he used the most general terms that could be
invented, requiring that all nations should be bap-
tized; and if all nations, then children also, which
are a great, if not the greater part of every nation.
And accordingly his church hath always baptized
children as well as adult persons. When any who
were come to years of discretion, were willing and
desirous to become Christ's disciples, that they
might learn of him the way to heaven, they were
made so by being baptized ; and if they had chil-
dren, they were also baptized at the same time with
their parents ; and so were the children which were
afterwards born to them ; they also were baptized soon
281
after they were born. And that it is our Saviour's
pleasure, that children also should be brought into
his church, appears likewise in that, when his disci-
ples rebuked those who brought children unto him,
he was much displeased, and said unto them, " Suffer
the little children to come unto me, and forbid them
not, for of such is the kingdom of God."
But seeing they who are thus baptized according
to the institution of Christ, are thereby made his
disciples, and in him the children of God, it is ne-
cessary they should then promise to believe and live
from that time forward, according as he hath com-
manded ; which promise, therefore, all that are grown
up always used to make, every one in his own person ;
and for that purpose were, and ought to be catechised
beforehand, and put in mind of what they were to
promise when they were baptized ; and, therefore,
were called Catechumens. But children not being
capable of making any such promise themselves, in
their own persons, they were always admitted, and
required to do it by their guardians, that is, by their
godfathers and godmothers, who brought and of-
fered them to be baptized ; and are therefore obliged
to take care that they be afterwards catechised or
instructed in the principles of that religion into
which they were admitted, and put in mind of the
promise which they then made of framing their lives
according to it.
This promise, therefore, which children make at
their baptism by their sureties, and which is implied
in the very nature of the sacrament, whether they
have any sureties or not, consists of three general
heads : —
282
First, That they will renounce the devil, and all
his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked
world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh.
Secondly, That they will believe all the articles
of the Christian faith.
Thirdly, That they will keep God's holy will
and commandments, and walk in the same all the
days of their life.
Which three things, under which the whole sub-
stance of the Christian religion is contained, being
all promised by children when they are baptized into
it, it is absolutely necessary that they be afterwards
put in mind, so soon as they are capable, of the pro-
mise which they then made, and of the obligation
which lies upon them to perform it : for otherwise it
can never be expected that they should either do,
or so much as know it ; whereas the instructing
them in this, the first part of the catechism, we pre-
pare and dispose them for the understanding of all
the rest.
Particularly the apostles' creed, which is next
taught them, containing all those articles of the
Christian faith, which they promised to believe, and
nothing else, nothing but what is grounded upon
plain texts of Scripture, and hath always been be-
lieved by the whole catholic church in all ages and
places all the world over. Here are none of those
private opinions and contraverted points which have
so long disturbed the church, and serve only to per-
plex men's minds, and take them off from the more
substantial and necessary duties of religion, as we
have found by woful experience ; which our church
hath taken all possible care to prevent, by inserting
283
no other articles of faith into the catechism which
her members are to learn than what are contained
in this creed, received and approved of by the whole
Christian world : and then acquainting them what
they chiefly learn in it, even to believe in God the
Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, in
whose name they were christened, and, therefore,
must continue in this faith, or cease to be Chris-
tians.
The other thing which they, who are baptized
promised, is, That they will keep God's command-
ments, which, therefore, are next taught in the cate-
chism, without any mixture of human inventions or
constitutions — those ten commandments which the
supreme Lawgiver himself proclaimed upon Mount
Sinai, and afterwards wrote with his own finger
upon two tables of stone. These they are all bound
to learn, because they are bound to keep them all,
as they will answer it at the last day, when all man-
kind shall be judged by them.
But no man can keep these commandments with-
out God's special grace, which we have no ground
to expect without praying to him for it. And
therefore children are in the next place taught how
to pray according to that form which Christ himself
composed, and commanded us to say, whensoever
we pray. And as he who believes all that is in the
apostles' creed, believes all that he need believe, and
he that keeps all the ten commandments, doth all
that he need to do; so he that prays this prayer
aright, prays for all things which he can have need
of. So that in this short catechism, which children
of five years old may learn, they are taught all that
284
is needful for them, either to believe, or do, or pray
for.
The last part of the catechism is concerning the
two sacraments which Christ hath ordained in his
church, as generally necessary to salvation ; that is
to say, baptism and the Lord's supper : both which
our church hath there explained, with such extra-
ordinary prudence and caution, as to take in all that
is necessary to be known of either of them, without
touching upon any of the disputes that have been
raised about them, to the great prejudice of the
Christian religion.
Seeing therefore this catechism is so full, that it
contains all that any man needs to know, and yet so
short, that a child may learn it ; I do not see how
parents may bring up their children in the nurture
and admonition of the Lord, better than by in-
structing them in it. I do not say by teaching
them only to say it by rote, but by instructing them
in it, so that they may understand, as soon, and as
far as they are capable, the true sense and meaning
of all the words and phrases in every part of it ; for
which purpose it will be necessary to observe these
rules: —
First, You must begin betime, before your chil-
dren have got any ill habits, which may be easily
prevented, but are not easily cured. When chil-
dren are baptized, being " born again, of water and
of the Spirit," as the guilt of their original sin
is washed away in the laver of regeneration,* so that
* It may be necessary to guard the reader against some of the
Bishop's statements, respecting the unscriptural doctrine of Bap-
235
it will never be imputed to them, unless it break out
afterwards in actual transgressions ; so they receive
also the Spirit of God to prevent all such eruptions,
by enabling them to resist the temptations of the
world, the flesh, and the devil, to believe and serve
God according as they then promised; so far, at
least, that " sin shall not have dominion over them,
that they should obey it in the lusts thereof, seeing
now they are not under the law, but under the grace
of Christ." But that the seeds of grace which
were then sown in their hearts, may not be lost, or
stifled, but grow up to perfection, great care must
be taken that they may be taught, as soon as they
are capable to discern between good and evil, to
avoid the evil and do the good, and to believe and
live as they promised, when they were endued with
grace to do it. " Hast thou children ?" saith the
son of Sirach, " instruct them, and bow down their
neck from their youth." Give thy son no liberty
in his youth, and wink not at his follies. " Bow
down his neck while he is young, and beat him on
the sides while he is a child, lest he wax stubborn
and be disobedient unto thee, and so bring sorrow
to thine heart. Whereas, " he that gathereth in-
struction from his youth, shall find wisdom till his
old age." According to that of the wise man,
" Train up a child in the way that he should go,
and when he is old he will not depart from it."
Timothy from a child had known the holy Scrip-
tisir.al Regeneration. Regeneration is not communicated by the
mere external rite of baptism, but is exclusively the work of the
Holy Spirit in believers, who sanctifies them through the truth,
by his divine operation in their hearts Ed.
286
tures. And that was the reason that he was
so expert in them when he became a man : which,
therefore, that your children may also be, the first
thing they learn must be their catechism, where
they are taught all the great truths and duties that
are revealed in the holy Scripture, as necessary to
salvation.
But how can such persons do this, that cannot
read, nor say the catechism themselves? This, I
fear, is the case of too many among us. There are
many, who, having not been taught to read when
they were young, neglect or scorn to learn it after-
wards, and so lose all the benefit and comfort which
they might receive by reading the holy Scriptures :
but this, I confess, is not so necessary, especially in
our church, where the holy Scriptures are so con-
stantly read in public, that if people would as con-
stantly come and hearken to them, they might be
wise unto salvation, although they cannot read ; as
few heretofore could, at least in the primitive times,
when, notwithstanding, they attained to the know-
ledge of God, and of their duty to him, as well as if
they had been the greatest scholars in the world.
But then, considering that they could not read, they
supplied that defect by attending more diligently to
what they heard out of God's holy word, and laying
it up in their hearts, so that they understood all the
principles of the Christian religion, and were able to
instruct their children in the same, as well as if they
could read. But this is not our case ; for now there
are many who can neither read, nor so much as say
the catechism, having never learned it themselves,
and therefore cannot possibly teach it to their chil-
287
dren. Such as the apostle speaks of, who, " when,
for the time, they ought to be teachers, they have
need that one teach them which be the first prin-
ciples of the oracles of God ; and are become such as
have need of milk, and not of strong meat." And
what must such do ? They certainly, as they tender
their own good, must be doubly diligent in the use
of all means that may tend to their edification and
instruction : as they desire the good of their children,
they must send them to school, or provide some other
person to teach them ; which, if the parents neglect
to do, the god-fathers and god-mothers of every
child should put them in mind of it, and see that the
child be taught, so soon as he is able to learn, what
a solemn vow, promise, and profession, he made by
them at his baptism. And, that he may know these
things the better, they must call upon him to hear
sermons ; and chiefly they must provide that he may
learn the creed, the Lord's prayer, and the ten com-
mandments, in the vulgar tongue, and all other things
which a Christian ought to know and believe to his
soul's health, as they are contained in the church
catechism, and then to bring them to the bishop to
be confirmed by him.
But for that purpose, when children have been
taught the catechism, they must be sent to the mi-
nister or curate of the parish where they live, that
he may examine and instruct them in it : examine
them whether they can say it, and instruct them so
as to understand it. For though the words be ali
as plain as they can well be made, yet the things
signified by those words are many of them so high
that it cannot be expected that children should reach
288
and apprehend them without help ; for which there*
fore they must go to their minister, whose duty and
office it is to acquaint them with the full sense and
meaning of every word, what is signified by it, and
what ground they have to believe it is God's holy
word. But to do this to any purpose requires more
time than is commonly allowed for it in our days.
And that is one great reason there are so few among
us that are built up as they ought to be in their
most holy faith. Many refuse or neglect to send
their children to be catechised at all; and they who
send them, send them so little, and for so little a
time, that it is impossible they should be much the
better for it — as many have found by experience —
who although in their childhood they were taught
the catechism, and could say it readily, yet having
not been sufficiently instructed in it, they afterwards
forgot it again, and know no more than if they had
never learned. I wish this be not the case of too
many parents : wherefore, that this great work may
be done effectually, so as to answer its end, as chil-
dren should begin as soon as ever they are able to
learn the catechism, and go on by degrees till they
can say it perfectly by heart ; so when they can do
that, they are still to continue to be instructed in it
all along, till they understand it so well, as to be fit
to receive the sacrament of the Lord's supper, which
usually may be about sixteen or seventeen years of
age, more or less, according to their several capa-
cities. By this means, as they grow in years, they
would grow also in grace, and "in the knowledge
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." This like-
wise would be a great encouragement to the min~
289
ister to take pains with them, when they are such as
can understand what he saith to them, and will con-
tinue under his care and conduct until they are settled
and grounded in the faith, and have their senses ex-
ercised to discern hetween good and evil ; and so shall
be every way qualified to serve God and do their
duty to him in that state of life to which he shall be
pleased afterwards to call them upon earth, and then
to go to heaven.
If this could once be brought about throughout
the kingdom, that all children that are born and
bred up in it were thus fully instructed in the know-
ledge of Christ and of that religion which he hath
revealed to the world till they arc fit for the holy
communion, and ready to engage in the affairs of the
world, the next generation would be much better
than this, and Christianity would then begin to
flourish again, and appear in its native beauty and
lustre. And verily, whatsoever some may think,
such especially as were never catechised themselves,
this is as great and necessary a duty as any that is
required in all the Bible. For God himself by his
apostle, expressly commands all parents to bring up
their children in the " nurture and admonition of the
Lord;" that is, as I have shown, to catechise or in-
struct them in the principles of the doctrine of our
Lord Christ. And therefore they who do it not
live in the breach of a known law, yea, of many laws ;
there being many places in God's holy word where
the same thing is commanded in other terms by al-
mighty God himself, saying, " These words which I
command thee this day shall be in thy heart, and
thou shalt teach them diligently to thy children."
N 37
290
And again, " Therefore shall ye lay up these words
in your heart, and in your soul, and bind them for a
sign upon your head, that they may be frontlets
between your eyes ; and ye shall teach them to your
children." This is that which he commands also
by the wise man, " Train up a child in the way he
should go, and wh'en he is old he will not depart
from it." The word in the original which we trans-
late " train up," signifies also to dedicate or devote
a child to the service of God, by instructing him how to
do it, and exercising him continually in it, and there-
fore in the margin of our Bibles it is translated,
catechise a child ; so that we have here both the
necessity and usefulness of this duty : the necessity,
in that it is commanded to train up or catechise a
child in the ways of God ; and the usefulness, in
that what a child it thus taught will remain with him
all his life long.
Seeing, therefore, that God hath laid so strict a
command upon all parents to bring up their children
in the knowledge of himself and of their duty to him,
they can expect no other but that he should take
particular notice whether they do it or not, and
reward or punish them accordingly. As we see in
Abraham what a special kindness God hath for him
on that account. " Shall I hide from him," saith
the Lord, " that thing which I do, seeing that Abra-
ham shall surely become a great and mighty nation,
and all the nations upon earth shall be blessed in
him ?" But why had he such an extraordinary
favour for Abraham above all other men ? God
himself gives us the reason, saying, " For I know
that he will command his children and his house-
291
hold after him, and they shall keep the way of the
Lord." This was the reason that Abraham was so
mueh in favour, that he was called the " friend of
God."
And how much God is displeased with parents
who neglect to bring up their children in his true
faith and fear, and suffer them to grow up and go
on in a course of vice and profaneness, appears suffi-
ciently from that severe judgment which he inflicted
upon Eli and his whole house for it, saying to Sa-
muel, " For I have told him, even Eli, that I will
judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he
knoweth, because his sons made themselves vile and
he restrained them not. And therefore I have sworn
to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house
shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for
ever." The execution of which dreadful judgment is
left upon record in the holy Scripture as a standing
monument and caution to all parents, to take heed
how they educate their children.
Be sure the saints of God in all ages have taken
as much care to bring up their children well, as to
live well themselves ; making as much conscience of
this as of any duty whatsoever which they owe to
God ; that the children which he hath given them
may answer his end in giving them ; that they may
not be insignificant ciphers in the world, or as fruit-
less trees that serve only to cumber the ground; but
that they may serve and glorify God whilst they arc
upon the earth, so as to be "meet to be partakers of
the inheritance of the saints in light."
And verily all parents would make this their con-
tinual care and study, if they minded either their
N 2
292
own or their children's good. Many complain, not
without cause, that their children are disobedient and
undutiful to them ; but the cause is chiefly in them-
selves. When they have neglected their duty to
their children, how can they expect their children
should perform their duty to them ? They were
never taught it, how can they do it ? If therefore
they prove stubborn and obstinate; if they give
themselves up to all manner of vice and wickedness :
if instead of comfort they be a grief and trouble to
their parents, their parents must blame themselves
for it : and when they come to reflect upon it, their
sin in neglecting their duty to God and their chil-
dren in their education will be a greater trouble to
them than any their children can give them. Where-
as, when parents bring up their children in the "nur-
ture and admonition of the Lord," if their chil-
dren, notwithstanding, happen to miscarry after-
wards, they have this to comfort them, that they did
their duty, and have nothing to answer for upon that
account.
But what a mighty advantage would it be to the
children themselves, to be thus continually put in
mind of their baptismal vow, the articles of our faith,
the duties of religion, and what else is contained in
the catechism, from their chilhood all along till they
some to be men and women ! Their minds would
be then filled with such divine truths, and with so
great a sense of their duty, that there would be no
room left for heresy or sin to enter, at least, not so
as tn get possession, and exercise any dominion there.
The first impressions that are made upon us are not
soon worn out, but usually remain as long as we live.
293
As the wise man observes, " Train up a child in the
way he should go, and when he is old he will not
depart from it." When one hath been all along
from his childhood brought up in the knowledge of
God and his holy will, it will stick by him so as to
be a constant check upon him, to keep him within
the compass of his duty in all ordinary cases ; and ii
any thing extraordinary happen to draw him aside,
it will make him restless and uneasy, till he hath
recovered himself, and got into the right way again ;
and so it will either keep him innocent or make him
penitent. In short, by the blessing of God attend-
ing, as it usually doth, this great duty, when it is
conscientiously performed, is the best means that
parents can use whereby to breed up their children
for heaven, to make them fellow-citizens with the
saints, and of the household of God, both in this
world and for ever.
Wherefore, if we have any regard either to our
own or to our children's eternal welfare, let us set
upon this duty in good earnest; let us bring up our
children so long in the " nurture and admonition of
the Lord," till they fully know him, and all that h
would have them believe and do, that they may b<
saved. Rut we must be sure to teach them by our
example as well as instructions ; we must not tell
them one thing and do another ourselves, but show
them how to keep the faith and laws of God by
keeping them ourselves before their eyes all the
while we live together upon earth ; that when we arc
all got, one after another, out of this troublesome
and naughty world, we and our children may at last
meet together in heaven, and there praise and glorify
294
almighty God, we for them and they for us, and all
for his grace and truth in Jesus Christ our Lord.
After this general instruction in the principles of
our holy religion, it will be necessary, as soon as our
young Christian is capable of it, to inform him more
particularly in the nature of God and the great mys-
tery of the Trinity, unto which we are all baptized,
which therefore shall be my next subject.
THOUGHTS ON THE KNOWLEDGE
OF GOD.
Though religion in general be a thing that all
men naturally agree in, yet there is nothing, I think,
that men differ so much about, as about the parti-
cular acts and exercises of it — for all nations in the
world have some religion ; but there are scarcely two
amongst them all that have the same ; yea, in one
and the same nation too there are divers modes of
religion professed and practised. No nation or coun-
try in the world but will afford us instances of this ;
and our own, I think, as many as any other what-
soever. For could we but cast our eyes into the
several corners of this land at this very moment,
what variety might we observe in those acts which
the several parties amongst us account to be reli-
gious ! Some we should see sitting silently for a
while together, without either speaking or hearing
a word spoken, until at length up starts a man or a
i
295
woman, or some such thing, and en ertains them
with a discourse .made up of censure and malice,
blasphemy and nonsense; and this is all the religion
they pretend to. Others we should find crowded
together in several corners, sometimes praying,
sometimes discoursing, as it were, sometimes argu-
ing the case with almighty God, and acquaint
him with what happens in the world, and that witl
as much confidence and malapertness as if he was
their fellow-creature; and then very gravely walk
home, and please themselves with a vain conceit that
they are more religious than their neighbours.
Another sort of people there are amongst us, who
are as superstitious as the former were slovenly and
irreverent in their devotions ; for these, having been
sprinkled with a little holy water, and performed
their obeisance to a crucifix or picture, presently fall
a pattering over Ave Maries and Pater Nosters to
themselves as fast as they can; whilst the priest, in
the meanwbile, says something too, but the people
generally do not know what it is, nor indeed what
themselves say, it being all in an unknown tongue.
But, howsoever, though they know not what they
say, they think that God doth, and therefore satisfy
themselves that they have said something, though
they know not what, and think that God is well
pleased with what they have done, because them-
selves are so.
Others there are, and, by the blessing of God,
far more than all the rest, in this nation, who pre-
sent themselves before the great Creator and posses-
sor of the world, in that solemn and reverent manner
as the constitutions of our church direct, humbly
296
confessing their manifold sins against God, begging
mercy and pardon from him, imploring his favour,
and praising his name for all the expressions of his
undeserved love to mankind; and all this in our
vulgar tongue, that we all understand, and so per-
form a reasonable service unto God.
And verily, if we consider the institution itself of
that religious worship which we thus perform, it is
certainly the best that ever was prescribed by any
church, as being most consonant to the general rules
of devotion laid down in the Scriptures, as also most
conformable to the discipline and practice of the pri-
mitive church. But we must not think that we
serve God aright, because we be present with tbem
that do so. I do not doubt but that there are many
amongst us who sincerely endeavour to worship
God, whensoever they present themselves before
him in public. I wish that all of us would do so.
But we must still remember, that we should serve
the Lord elsewhere as well as at church, and on
other days as well as upon the Lord's day. And
that if we would be truly religious, our whole man
must be devoted to the service of God, yea, and our
whole time too. We must not think that it is
enough to do something, but we must do all things
that are required of us; which, notwithstanding, we
can never do, unless we know both that God whom
we ought to serve, and that service which we ought
to perform unto him. And therefore David directs
his son to the right and only way to true religion,
saying, " And thou, Solomon, my son, know thou
the God of thy fathers, and serve him with a per-
fect heart and a willing mind;" which words, did we
297
apply them to ourselves, would, by the blessing of
God, put us upon sincere endeavours after real and
universal obedience to all the commands of God,
and persuade us not to content ourselves with vain
pretences to, and professions of religion, as most do,
but strive to live up to our profession, and carry and
behave ourselves so as becometh those who desire to
be religious, and to serve God in good earnest ;
which that we may do, let us observe the rule and
method which David here prescribes to his son —
first, to know God, and then to serve him with a
perfect heart and a willing mind.
I shall not trouble the reader with any critical
division of the words, for they naturally divide them-
selves into two parts.
First, That we should know, and then that we
should " serve God with a perfect heart, and with
a willing mind."
I shall begin with the first, not only because it is
first placed, but because it necessarily must precede
the second, it being impossible for us to serve God
wight unless we know him. For without this, all
our services will be but like the altar which the
Athenians dedicated " to the unknown God." By
which inscription they manifested to the world, that
they knew that they ought to serve some God, but
they knew not that God whom they ought to serve.
But that we may so know him as to serve him aright,
I shall first show what it is of God which we must
know in order to our serving him aright.
1. Therefore, he that would serve God aright,
must believe and know that he is; that is, that there
is such a supreme and all-glorious Being in and over
n 3
298
the world, that we call God, that made, preserves,
governs, and disposes of every thing in the world, as
seemeth best to him ; and that it is not only pro-
bable that there is such a one, but that it is the
most certain and necessary truth in the world, with-
out which there would be no such thing as truth or
certainty. For, indeed, if God was not, nothing
could be, he alone being the basis and foundation of
all being in the world, yea, and of all motion too.
And, therefore, every thing that lives, every thing
that moves, nay, every thing that is, argues God to
be, which therefore is the first great truth, upon
which all the rest depend ; without which, nothing
would be true, much less would our services be so.
So that the first thing to be done in order to our
serving God, is to know and believe that he is, and
that he ought to be served and adored by us.
2. It is necessary to know his essence, too, as
well as his existence — what as well as that he is —
what he is in himself, and what he is to us — that in
himself he is, in and of himself, the source of his
wisdom, the abyss of all power, the ocean of all
goodness, the fountain of all happiness, the principle
of all motion, and the centre, yea, perfection, of all
perfections in the world — whose nature or essence is
so pure, so glorious, so immense, so infinite, so eter-
nal, so every way perfect, transcendent, and incom-
prehensible, that the more we think of him, the more
we contemplate upon him, the more we praise and
admire him, the more we may. And the highest
apprehensions that we can have of him, is still to
apprehend him infinitely higher than all our appre-
hensions of him. And therefore that man best knows
299
God, that knows him to be beyond his knowledge,
and that knows he can never know him enough.
But we must know too what he is to us, even the
Author and Giver of every good thing we have, and
who in himself is whatsoever we can desire to make
us happy; and therefore it is, that, in the covenant
of grace, when he would assure us that we shall have
all things that we can enjoy, he only promises to be
" our God," which is as much as we can desire, and
indeed as himself can promise ; for in promising him-
self, he hath promised whatsoever he is, whatsoever
he hath, whatsoever he doth, nay, whatsoever he can
do, as God. And thus are we to look upon God as
the only object of all true happiness, and the only
centre wherein all the desires and inclinations of our
souls can rest.
3. It is necessary also to know the several attri-
butes and perfections which he hath revealed of
himself in Scripture: that he is so wise as to know
whatsoever can be known ; so powerful as to do
whatsoever can be done; so great and glorious in
himself, that we have all just cause to fear him; so
kind and gracious in his Son, that it is our duty also
to trust in him ; so true, that whatsoever he says is
true, because he saith it ; so good, that whatsoever
he doth is good, because he doth it ; so just, as to
punish every sin that is committed, and yet so mer-
ciful as to pardon every sinner that repenteth ; that
he is pure without mixture, infinite without bounds,
eternal without beginning, everlasting without end,
and every way perfect without comparison.
4. We must know also the works of God, what
he hath done, wherein he hath manifested himself
300
to us. But what hath God done ? or rather what
hath he not done ? It was he that raised this stately-
fabric of the world we live in out of the womb of
nothing. It was he that extracted liffht out of dark -
ness, beauty and perfection out of a confused chaos.
It was he that bedecked the glorious canopy of hea-
ven with those glittering spangles, the stars. It
was he that commanded the sun to run its course by
day, and the moon to ride her circuit by night about
the world, to show the inhabitants thereof the glory
of their all-glorious Maker. It was he that hung
the earth upon nothing, and spread upon the surface
of it a curious carpet, embroidered with all manner,
not of painted, but real flowers, and plants, and trees.
It was he that first produced all things out of nothing,
and it is he that still preserves all things in their
being. It is he that ordereth the affairs of king-
doms, manageth the intrigues of state, directeth the
events of wars, and disposes of every particular per-
son as himself sees good. In a word, whatsoever
was ever made in heaven above, or in earth beneath,
it is he that made it ; and whatsoever is still done in
heaven above or in earth beneath, it is he that doth
it. So that nothing ever was, or is, or ever will be,
or can be done, but what is done by him, as the first
and universal cause of all things.
5. It is necessary also to know, so as to believe,
that though there is but one God, yet there are
three persons, all and every one of which is that one
Go-d. I do not say it is necessary to understand or
comprehend this mystery, for that we cannot do; but
we are not therefore the less to believe it because
we cannot understand it ; for there are many other
301
things in divinity, yea, many things in natural phi-
losophy, and in geometry itself, which we cannot
understand, and yet for all that both know and be-
lieve them to be true. But how much more cause
have we to believe this, which God himself hath
asserted of himself! Nay, and besides that, we
have the same obligations to serve and honour every
person, as we have to serve and honour any one per-
son in the sacred Trinity. Our Saviour himself
hath expressly told us, " that all men should honour
the Son, even as they honour the Father." But
that we cannot do, unless we believe the Son to be
God as well as the Father, and, by consequence, un-
less we acknowledge this fundamental article of our
Christian faith, into which we were all baptized.
Secondly, We must consider what kind of know-
ledge we ouo-ht to have of God in reference to our
serving him aright.
For we must not think that it is enough to know
in (jeneral that there is a God, and that he is wise
and powerful, great and glorious, true and faithful,
good and gracious. These things a man may know
in general, so as to be able to discourse of them,
and dispute for them too, and yet come short of that
knowledge which is requisite to our true serving of
God — which should be such a knowledge as will not
only swim in the brain, but sink down into the
heart, whereby a man is possessed with a due sense
of those things he knows, so that he doth not only
know, but in a manner feel them to be so. Thus
David, who in the text calls upon his son to " know
the God of his fathers," intimates elsewhere what
knowledge he means, saying, " Oh taste and see
802
that the Lord is good !" Where we may observe
how he requires our spiritual senses to be employed
in our knowledge of God, so as to see that he is
good, yea, and taste it too ; that is, feel and experi-
ence it in ourselves, which, though it may seem a
paradox to many of us, yet there is none of us but
may find it to be a real truth, and attain to it, if we
be but careful and constant in our meditations upon
God, and sincere in performing our devotions to
him ; for by these means our notions of God will be
refined, our conceptions cleared, and our affections,
by consequence, so moved towards him, that we shall
taste and experience in ourselves, as well as know
from others, that he is good, and that all perfections
are concentred in him.
But this practical and experimental knowledge of
God doth necessarily presuppose the other, or the
general knowledge of him, so as to be acquainted
with the several expressions which God in Scripture
hath made use of, whereby to reveal himself and his
perfections to us : as when he is pleased to call him-
self the Almighty God, the all-wise and infinite, the
just and gracious God, and the like; or to say of
himself, " I am that I am ;" that is, in and of my-
self eternal. Unless we first know that these and
such like expressions belong to God, and what is
the true meaning and purport of them, it is impos-
sible for us to arrive at that knowledge of him which
is necessary to our serving him aright.
And I come to the last thing to be considered
here concerning the knowledge of God, even that
it is necessary to our serving him ; so that none can
serve him that does not first know him ; and there-
303
fore, that the method as well as matter of David's
advice is here observable : " Know thou the God of
thy fathers, and serve him" — or, first know him, and
then serve him — " with a perfect heart and a willing
mind."
And, verily, one would think that this is a truth
so clear, so evident of itself, that it needs no proof
or demonstration. For how is it possible for us to
know how to serve God, unless we first know that
God whom we ought to serve? for all our services
to God should be both proper to his nature, and
suitable to his perfections ; and therefore, unless I
first know his nature and perfections, how can I ad-
just my services to them ? As for example, I am
to fear his greatness, and trust in his mercy, and
rejoice in his goodness, and desire his favour ; but
how can I do this, unless I know that he is thus
great and merciful, good and favourable ?
Moreover, as a man cannot serve God when he
hath a mind to do it, so neither will he have a mind
or heart to serve him unless he first know him.
For the motions of the will are always regulated by
the ultimate dictates of the practical understanding:
so that a man chooses or refuses, loves or hates, de-
sires or abhors, according as he knows any object
that is presented to him to be good or evil. And
therefore how can I choose God as my chiefest
good, unless I first know him to be so ; or love him
as I ought, above all things — unless I first know
ft * ft
him to be better than all things ; or perform any
true service to him, unless I first know him to be
such a one as deserves to have true service performed
unto him ?
so*
Nay, lastly, nothing that we can do can be ac-
cepted as a service to God, unless it be both
grounded upon and directed by a right knowledge
of him. God would not accept of blind sacrifices
under the law, much less will he accept of blind
services now under the gospel; and therefore he ex-
pects and requires now that whatsoever we do, either
to or for him, be a " reasonable service." That
our souls as well as bodies, yea, and the rational as
well as sensitive part, be employed in all the services
which we perform to him ; which certainly cannot be
unless we first know him ; so that there is an indis-
pensable connection betwixt our knowing and serving
God ; it being as impossible for any man to serve
him that doth not first know him, as it is to know
him aright, and not to serve him.
But, however indispensable this connection be in
its own nature, the church of Rome can make a
shift to dispense with it ; yea, so far as to assert that
" ignorance is the mother of devotion." But you
must excuse them, for they do not mean by devotion,
as we do, the real serving of God, but only the
performing of some outward services to him. And
such a kind of devotion, I confess, ignorance may
be the mother of: but a man must be grossly igno-
rant that thinks this to be devotion, which is but a
piece of pageantry, a mocking instead of serving
God. And, for my part, I cannot but tremble to
think what a dismal, what a dreadful account the
heads of that church must hereafter give, for daring
to keep the people in so much ignorance as they do;
so as to render them incapable of serving God, that
so they may be the more ready to serve the church ;
305
that is, the interests and designs of the court of
Rome.
But let them look to that, whilst we, in the
meantime, study to know God before all things
else, considering,
1. God therefore made us that we might know
him, and that we might know that he made us.
And therefore it is that he hath made rational crea-
tures capable of reflecting upon him that made us
so : neither did he only make us at first, but he still
preserves us ; we feed daily at his table, and live
upon his bounty. And the very beasts that any of
us keep know those that keep them, and shall we
be more brutish than brutes themselves, and not
know Him that keeps and maintains us ! Oh how
justly may God then call " heaven and earth to wit-
ness against us," as he did once against his people
Israel !
2. There is none of us but have attained to
knowledge in other things : some of us have searched
into arts and sciences, others are acquainted with
several languages ; none of us but are or would be
expert in the affairs of this world, and understand
the mysteries of our several trades and callings.
What, and shall He alone by whom we know other
things, be himself unknown to us ! What is, if
this be not, a just cause wherefore God should in-
fatuate and deprive us of all our knowledge in other
things, seeing we labour more to know them than
him from whom we receive our knowledge ?
3. Ignorance of God is itself one of the greatest
sins that we can be guilty of, and which God is
most angry for : " My people are destroyed for lack
506
of knowledge. Because thou hast rejected know-
ledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no
priest to me : seeing thou hast forgotten the law of
thy God, I will also forget thy children." Hos. iv. 4.
And there God himself imputes the destruction of
his people to the want of knowledge. Nay, and it
is that sin too that makes way for all the rest. For
what is the reason that many so frequently blas-
pheme God's name, slight his service, transgress his
laws, and incense his wrath against them, but merely
because they do not know him, how great, how
terrible a God he is? For did they but thus
rightly know him, they could not but regard the
thoughts of doing any thing that is offensive to him ;
and therefore the true knowledge of God would be
the best security and the most sovereign antidote in
the world against the infection of sin and the preva-
lency of temptations over us ; neither would it only
preserve us from sin, but put us upon duty and
service, and direct us also in the performance of it.
Insomuch that the hardest duty will be easy to one
that knows God; the easiest will be hard to one that
knows him not. Hard, did I say? yea, and impos-
sible too ; for although a man may know God, and
yet not serve him, it is impossible that any man
should serve God unless he knows him; knowledge
itself being both the first duty that we owe to God,
and the foundation of all the rest.
And therefore, to conclude, if any desire to per-
form the vow they made in their baptism, to love
and fear, to honour and obey, the eternal God that
made them ; if any desire to be Christians indeed,
and holy in all manner of conversation ; if any desire
307
to trust on the promises, and observe the precepts
of the great Creator and possessor of the world, to
live above the snares of death, and to antedate the
joys of heaven; if any desire to live the life, and to
die the death of the righteous, to serve God here so
as to enjoy him hereafter; let all such but study the
Scriptures, and frequent the public ordinances ; be
constant and sincere in prayer and meditation, ne-
glecting no opportunity of acquainting themselves
with God, but making use of all means possible to
get their hearts possessed with a reverential appre-
hension of God's greatness and glory, and with a
due sense of his goodness and perfections, and their
work will be soon done ; for if they thus know God
they will serve him too with a perfect heart and a
willing mind.
We have seen how we ought to know God; and
we are now to consider how we ought to serve him ;
without which, indeed, our knowledge of him will
avail us nothing. For, as the apostle argues,
" Though I speak with the tongues of men and
angels, and have not charity, I am become as sound-
ing brass, or a tinkling cymbal." So here, though
we should have the highest notions and speculations
in divinity that men or angels ever had; though we
should understand the highest mysteries in religion,
and dive into the profoundest secrets of Christian
philosophy ; though we should excel the greatest
schoolmen, and the most learned doctors that ever
lived; and were able to bafHe heresies, dispute
error and schism out of the Christian church,
and evince the truth of the articles of our faith,
by more than mathematical demonstrations ; yet,
308
if after all this, our knowledge be only notional,
not moving our affections, nor putting us upon
the practice of what we know, it is but as sound-
ing brass, or a tinkling cymbal: it may make a
noise in the world, and get us applause among
men, but it will stand us in no stead at all before
the eternal God, yea, it will rise up in judgment
against us another day, and sink us lower into the
abyss of torments. And therefore, though men
may, God doth not look upon this as the true know-
ledge of himself. Neither can any one be properly
said to know God, that doth not serve him with a
perfect heart and a willing mind. And therefore,
having discoursed of that knowledge which is neces-
sary to our serving God, I shall now endeavour to
show how we ought to serve God according to our
knowledge.
In speaking unto which, I must beg the reader's
most serious and Christian attention, as to a matter
which concerns our lives; yea, our eternal lives in
another world. I hope there are none of those that
pretend to instruct, so brutish and atheistical as not
to desire to serve God — none so proud and self-con-
ceited as to think that they serve him well enough
already, or at least know how to do it. I write
only to such as want to be instructed, read books of
practical religion with no other design but to serve
God, and to learn how to serve him better. And
if this be our only design, as I hope it is, let us
manifest it to the world, and to our consciences, by
attending to, and fixing what we read upon our own
hearts. For I may venture to say, that this is the
noblest and most necessary subject that I can write,
309
or any one can read of; and that which, if seriously
weighed, rightly considered, and truly practised,
will most certainly bring us to the highest happi-
ness which our natures are capable of, or our persons
were at first designed for.
Now, for our clear proceeding in a matter of great
importance, we will first consider what it is to serve
God. A question very necessary to be treated of
and resolved, because of the general mistakes that
are in the world about it — many people fancying the
service of God to consist in some few particular acts;
as in saying their prayers, reading the Scriptures,
going to church, giving an alms now and then to
the poor ; especially if they be but zealous and reso-
lute in the defence of the party or faction they are
of, so as to promote it to the highest of their parts,
estates, or power, then they think they do God good
service, and that this is all he requires of them.
Others think they serve God by serving of his crea-
tures, as in praying to saints, bowing to images,
and falling clown before the eucharist when it is
carried in procession ; nay, manv there are who
think they serve God when they dishonour him,
wresting his Scriptures, corrupting his doctrine, op-
posing his vicegerents, seducing his people and ser-
vants unto error, and all for the promoting of some
temporal interests, or groundless opinions. But we
must know that the service of God is a thing of a
higher nature, and nobler stamp than such silly
mortals would persuade us it is : consisting in nothing
less than,
1. In devoting of ourselves, and all we have, or
are, or do, unto the honour of the eternal God; —
310
resigning our hearts wholly to him, and subduing all
our passions and affections before him. For, seeing
we were wholly made by him, and wholly depend
upon him, if we would serve God at all, we must
serve him with all we are ; every faculty of our souls
and member of our bodies employing themselves in
those services which he set them, so as to live as
none of our own, but as wholly God's ; his by crea-
tion, it was he that made us ; his by preservation, it
is he that maintains us ; and his by redemption, it is
he that hath purchased us with his own most precious
blood ; and therefore being thus bought with a price,
we " should glorify God both in our souls and
bodies, which are his."
And as we are to serve him with all we are, so
also with all we have. " Honour the Lord with all
thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine
increase." Whatsoever we have we receive from
his bounty, and therefore whatsoever we have should
be employed for his glory — our parts, our gifts, our
estates, our power, our time; whatsoever we call ours,
is his in our hands, and therefore to be improved, not
for ourselves, but him ; as our Saviour shows in the
parable of the talents, which the master of the house
distributed amongst his servants. To some he gave
one, to some five, to others ten, that every one
might employ his proportion to his master's use ;
neither squandering it away, nor yet laying it up in
a napkin. It is God that is the grand master and
possessor of the world, who parcels it out amongst
his creatures, as himself sees good, but wheresoever
he intrusteth any thing, he expects the improvement
of it for himself. And so, I suppose, doth every
311
one of us from such servants as we keep ; we expect
that what we put into their hands be laid out, not
for themselves, but for us; and that they spend their
time in our service, not their own : and if they do
otherwise, none of us but will say, they do not
serve us but themselves. How then can we expect
that God will look upon us as serving him, when we
do not so much for him as we expect from our own
servants, though our fellow-creatures? Or how can
we think that we serve him as we ought, unless we
serve him as much as we can ; or that God should
look upon us as his servants, unless we employ and
improve whatsoever we have, not for our own plea-
sure, profit, or applause, but for his honour and
glory, from whom we did receive it ? Let us re-
member our Saviour's words, " Let your light so
shine before men, that they may see your good
works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
2. Hence the serving of God consisteth also in
the performing of sincere and universal obedience to
all his laws and commands, which is but the natural
consequent of the former; for if our whole man,
both soul and body, and whatsoever we have, or are,
ought to be devoted to his glory, it must needs
follow, that whatsoever we do should be conformable
to his precepts ; which also is no more than every
one of us expects from our servants : for those whom
we have covenanted with to be our servants, and
whom we keep upon that very account, that they
may serve us, we all expect that they should obey
all our commands, and do whatsoever in justice and
by our covenants we can enjoin them. But how
much more then must we ourselves be obliged to
312
obey all the laws and precepts of him that made us,
whose creatures we are, and whose servants, by con-
sequence, we ought to be !
I say, all his laws and precepts ; for we must not
think to pick and choose, to do some things, and
leave other things undone : for we should take it ill
if our servants should serve us so. If when we send
them upon several businesses, they should mind one
of them, and neglect all the other, we should ques-
tionless look upon them as very idle and careless
servants. But let us consider and bethink ourselves,
whether we have not served our master, the eternal
God, as bad as our servants have or can serve us.
He hath given us several laws to observe, and hath
set us several works to do, and we perhaps can make
a shift to do something that is required of us ; but
never think of the other, and perhaps the principal
things too that he expects from us.
Just as if when Moses had broken the two tables
of stone, whereon the ten commandments were
written, one man should have come and snatched
away one piece, a second run away with another
piece, and a third with a another, until at length ten
several persons had gotten ten several pieces whereon
the ten commandments were severally written ; and
when they had done so, every one of them should
have striven to keep the law that was written on his
own piece, never minding what was written on the
others. Do you think that such persons as these
are could be reputed the servants of God, and to
observe his laws, when they minded only one parti-
cular branch or piece of them? The case is our
own ; we hearing of several laws and commands,
313
which the most high God hath set us, get some one
of them hy the end, and run away with that, as if
we were not concerned in any of the rest. But let
us still remember, that the same finger that wrote
one of the commands wrote all the others too. And
therefore he that doth not observe all, as well as
one, cannot properly be said to observe any at all.
Neither indeed doth he serve God in any thing : for
though he may do something that God requires, yet
it is plain that he doth not therefore do it because
God requires it; for if he did so, he would do all
things else too that God requires. And therefore
such a person doth not serve God at all in what he
doth; no, he serves himself rather than God, in that
he doth it not in obedience to God, but with respect
to himself, as to get himself a name and credit among
men, or perhaps to satisfy his troublesome conscience,
which would not let him be at quiet unless he did it.
But now, one that would serve God indeed hath
" respect to all his commandments," " and walks
in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord
blameless," as Zacharias and Elizabeth are said to
have done. And thus whosoever would serve the
Lord in any thing, must serve him in all things that
he requireth. And this is that which David means
in this advice to his son, saying, " Know thou the
God of thy fathers, and serve him ;" that is, observe
and do whatsoever he enjoins, and that too, " with
a perfect heart and a willing mind."
And so I come to the second tiling to be consi-
dered here; that is, the manner how we ought to
serve God, even <v with a perfect heart and with a
willing mind."
O 37
314
1. " With a perfect heart," that is, with integrity
and sincerity of heart, not from any by-ends or
sinister designs, but out of pure obedience to the
laws of God, as he is the Sovereign of heaven and
earth, and in Christ, our Lord and our God — a
thing much to be observed in all our services, with-
out which, indeed, they are no services at all. In-
somuch that, should we pray our tongues to the
stumps, and fast our bodies into skeletons ; should
we fill the air with sighs, and the sea with tears, for
our sins; should we spend all our time in hearing of
sermons, and our whole estates in relieving the poor;
should we hazard our lives, yea, give our bodies to
be burned, for our religion, yet nothing of all this
would be accepted as a service unto God, unless it
were performed with a sincere obedience to his laws,
and with a single eye, aiming at nothing but his
glory, which ought to be the ultimate end of all our
actions.
2. We must not only serve God with a perfect
heart, but with a " willing mind " too, benephesch
chephatsoah, properly with a willing soul; that is,
our will and all the affections of our souls should be
carried after, and exercised in the service of Almighty
God. Our desires are to be inflamed towards it,
our love fixed upon it, and our delight placed in it.
Thus the Israelites are said to have " sought the
Lord with their whole desire :" and we are com-
manded to love the Lord our God, and so to " serve
him with all our heart, and with all our soul." Yea,
we are to " delight to do the will of God," as our
Saviour did, saying, " It is my meat to do the will
of Kim that sent me, and to finish his work." Thus
315
wc are so to esteem the service of God above our
necessary food, pleasing ourselves in pleasing him,
and so make our service not only our business, but
our recreation too. And whosoever doth not so, what-
soever he doth for God, he cannot be said to serve
him, because he doth it against his will, and against
the bent and inclination of his soul. And therefore,
though as to the outward act he may do that which
God commands, yet inwardly he doth it not, because
his soul is still averse from it. By which means it
ceaseth to be the service of God ; because it is not
performed by the whole man, even soul and body —
both which are necessarily required in our perform-
ance of real service to him that made them both.
3. What is the reason why we ought to serve
God so? " Because he searcheth the heart, and
understandcth all the imaginations of the thoughts;"
that is, he is thoroughly acquainted with every
thought in our hearts, and with every motion and in-
clination of our souls, infinitely better than ourselves
are. And therefore, it is in vain for us to think to
put him off with outward and formal, instead of in-
ward and real service; for he doth not only sec what
we do, but knows too what we think while we are
doing it; and doth not only observe the matter of
our actions, but the manner also of our performing
them — it being his great prerogative to " search the
heart, and to try the reins, and to have all things
naked and open unto him," so that he seeth what
the soul doth within doors, in the secret closets of
the heart, as clearly as what it doth without, in the
open streets of the world — every affection of the soul
beino- as manifest unto him as the actions of the
o
o 2
316
body are. And therefore hypocrisy is the most fool-
ish and ridiculous sin imaginable — making as if we
could cheat and deceive God, and hide our sins from
the all-seeing eye of Omniscience itself, or make
God believe that we are holy, because we appear to
be so to men.
But to bring this matter more closely to our-
selves ; we have been all at church, perhaps, perform-
ing our service and devotions to him that made us.
It is true, as to our outward appearance, there hath
been no great difference betwixt us. We have been
equally present at these public ordinances ; and we
do not know but one hath prayed, and heard the word
of God both read and preached as well as another ;
so that seemingly our services are all alike as to us ;
but are they so to God too? That I much ques-
tion ; for he hath taken especial notice all along, not
only of the outward gestures of our bodies, but like-
wise of the inward behaviour of our hearts and souls
before him ; and therefore, as I hope he hath seen
many of us serving him with a "perfect heart and a
willing mind," so, I fear, he hath found too many of
us tardy, " coming before him as his people come,
and sitting before him as his people sit," while our
hearts, in the mean time, have been about our cove-
tousness; and hath plainly seen, though our bodies
have been at church, our souls have been elsewhere,
thinking upon our relations, or estates, or something
or other besides what our thoughts should have been
employed about in so solemn a duty as the public
worship. But know this, " O vain man, whosoever
thou art, that God will not be mocked ;" and though
thou hast not seen, or perhaps so much as thought
317
of him, he hath seen thec and thy thoughts too;
yea, at this very moment looks upon thee. And
what wilt thou answer him, the great Judge of the
whole world, when he shall tell thee to thy face,
and call his omniscience to witness, that he saw
thee at this, as at other times, play the hypo-
crite with him, making as if thou servedst him,
when thou servedst him not ; and, instead of serv-
ing him " with a perfect heart and a willing mind,"
servedst him in neither heart nor mind. Let us
all rememher this when we approach God's house,
and also hethink ourselves afterwards, whether we
have not heen guilty of this sin. If we have, we
may he sure God knows it ; and we shall know it
another day. But to prevent what justly may be our
doom, let us repent of our former neglects of this
kind ; and, for the future, whensoever we are serv-
ing God, let us still look upon him as looking upon
us, and fix in our hearts this one thing, u That God
knows all things in the world." And therefore let
us not think to put God off with such careless and
perfunctory services as heretofore too many of us
have done ; but if we desire to serve him at all, let us
serve him " with a perfect heart and a willing mind."
Thus I have endeavoured to show, both what it
is to serve God, and how we ought to do it. Now,
let us not think it sufficient that we know how to
serve God, unless we serve him according to our
knowledge. Let us remember our Saviour's words :
M If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do
them." Which happiness, that all who read this
may attain unto, let me advise them, in the name of
the eternal God that made them, to renounce and
318
forsake their former masters, sin, Satan, and the
world, whoever may have hitherto been enslaved by
them, and now dedicate themselves wholly to the
service of him that made them for the very purpose
that they may serve him ; yea, and who hath com-
posed our natures so, that the highest happiness we
are capable of consists in our serving him; and
therefore, let us not think that he calls upon us to
serve him, because he wants our service. No, be it
known unto all that he is infinitely happy in the en-
joyment of his own perfections, and needs not the
services of such poor silly mortals as we are, who
have nothing but what we receive from him ; and
therefore he doth not call upon us to serve him be-
cause he cannot be happy without us, but because
we cannot be happy without him ; not because he
wants our service, but because we want it ; it being
impossible for us to be happy unless we be holy; or
to enjoy God, unless we serve him.
Wherefore, all ye that desire to go to heaven, to
have him that made you reconciled to you, and smile
upon you; or that desire to be really and truly hap-
py; set upon the work which God sent you into the
world about. Put it not off any longer ; make no
more vain excuses; but from this day forward, let
the service of God be your daily, your continual
employment and pleasure. Study and contrive each
day how to advance his glory and interest in the world,
and how you may walk more strictly, more circum-
spectly, more conformably to his laws than ever.
But whatever service you perform unto him, be sure
to do it with a perfect heart and a willing mind.
Think not to put him off with fancy instead of faith,
319
or with outward performances instead of real duties;
but remember that lie " searcheth the hearts, and
trieth the reins of the sons of men," and observes
the inward motions of the soul, as well as the out-
ward actions of the life; and therefore, wheresoever
you are, whatsoever you do, still bethink yourselves,
that lie that made you still looks upon you — taking
notice not only of the matter of the actions which
you perform, but also of the manner of your perform-
ing them ; and therefore be sure to have a special
care in all your services for or unto God, that your
" hearts be sincere before him, and your minds in-
clined to him/' that so you may " serve him with a
perfect heart and a willing mind."
But, to conclude, whoever ye are that read this
discourse, I have shown you the "things that be-
long unto your everlasting peace" — have acquainted
you with the method and manner of your serving
God in time, in order to your enjoyment of him to
eternity. How you are affected with what you have
read, and whether you be resolved to practise it, yea
or no, it is only the eternal God that knows. But
this I know, that if you will not be persuaded to
serve God, yea, and to serve him with a perfect
heart and a willing mind, you will one day wish you
had, but then it will be too late. And therefore, if
you will put it to the venture, go on still, and, with
the unprofitable servant, " hide your talents in a
napkin," or lavish them out in the revels of sin and
vanity : let thy belly be still thy god, and the
world thy lord ; serve thyself or Satan, instead of
the living God; "but know that for all this God
will bring thee into judgment;" after which expect
320
nothing else but to be overwhelmed with horror and
confusion to eternity.
Whereas, on the other side, such amongst you as
shall sincerely endeavour from henceforth to serve
God with a perfect heart and a willing mind, I
dare, I do assure them, in the name of God, " their
labour shall not be in vain in the Lord ;" for God
suffers not his enemies to go unpunished, nor his
servants unrewarded.
And therefore go on with joy and triumph in the
service of so great and so good a master, and devote
yourselves wholly to his service, and employ your
talents faithfully for his glory. Remember the time
is but short ; and Christ himself will receive you into
eternal glory, saying, " Well done, good and faith-
ful servant."
THOUGHTS ON THE MYSTERY OF
THE TRINITY.
Though there be many in the world that seem to
be religious, there are but few that are so; one great
reason whereof is, because there are so many mis-
takes about religion that it is a hard matter to hit
upon the true notion of it. And therefore, desiring
nothing in this world so much as to be an instru-
ment in God's hand to direct men into the true re-
ligion, my great care must, and by the blessing of
God shall be, to instil into them right conceptions of
him that is the only object of all religious acts; with-
out which it is impossible to continue, or indeed to
ess
3<21
be religious — the true nature and notion of religion
consisting in the right carriage and deportment of
our whole man, both soul and body, towards him
that made us : whom, therefore, unless we truly
know, we can never be truly religious. And, there-
fore, they that begin their religion with zeal and
passion, begin at the wrong end; for indeed they
begin where they should end. Our zeal for God
and love unto him being the highest acts of religion,
therefore cannot be the first; but they necessarily
presuppose the true knowledge of God, without
which our zeal will be blind, and our love both
groundless and transient.
But as it is impossible to be truly religious unl
we know God, so it is very difficult so to know h
as to become truly religious. It is true that there
is such a Supreme Being in and over the world, as
we call God; the very light of nature teaches, and
reason itself demonstrates it to be the most certain
and undeniable. But what he is, and what appre-
hensions we ought to have of this glorious Being,
none but himself is able to describe and manifest
unto us ; so that our conceptions of him are still to
be regulated by the discoveries that he hath made
of himself to us; without which, though we may
have some confused notions of him, yet we can never
so know him as to serve him faithfully, and, by con-
sequence, be truly religious.
Hence, therefore, if we would know God, we
must search the Scriptures of the Old and New
Testaments, wherein God hath been pleased most
clearly to manifest and discover himself unto us. I
say, both the Old and New Testaments; for other-
o 3
wise our knowledge of God may be very defective
and erroneous, there being several things which God,
in the New Testament, hath most plainly revealed
of himself, which in the Old Testament arc more
darkly and obscurely delivered to us. As for ex-
ample the great mystery of the Trinity; though it
be frequently intimated in the Old Testament, yet
it is a hard matter rightly to understand it without
the New — insomuch that the Jews, though they
have had the law above three thousand, and the
prophets above two thousand years among them, yet
to this day they could never make this an article of
faith ; but they, as well as the Mahometans, still
assert, " that God is only one in person as well as
nature :" whereas nothing can be more plain from
the New Testament than that there is but one God,
and yet there are three Persons, every one of which
is that one God; and so, that though God be but
one in nature, yet he is three in Persons; and so
three Persons, as yet to be but one in nature.
And, verily, although there was no other text in
all the Scripture whereon to ground this fundamental
article of our Christian faith, that of Matth. xxviii.
19. " Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, bap-
tizing them in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost," is a sufficient founda-
tion for it ; there being nothing, I think, necessary
to be believed concerning the glorious Trinity but
what may easily and naturally be deduced from these
words ; which were spoken, it is true, by our Saviour
before his ascension, but I question whether they
were thoroughly understood till after the Holy Ghost
was come down on earth. It being only by God
323
himself that we can come to the true knowledge of
him, much less are we ahle rightly to apprehend and
firmly to believe three Persons in the Godhead with-
out the assistance of one of them, that is, of the
Holy Ghost, by whom the other two are wont to
work — he being the issue, if I may so say, and breath
of both. Hence it is that the wisdom of the church,
for these many centuries, hath thought fit to order,
that this great mystery be celebrated the next Lord's
day after the commemoration of the Holy Spirit's
coming down upon the disciples, and in them upon
all true believers; both because all three Persons
have now manifested themselves to mankind — the
Father in his creation of them, the Son in his con-
versing with them, and the Holy Ghost by his com-
ing down upon them — and also to show, that it is
only by the grace and assistance of God's Spirit that
we can rightly believe in this glorious and incom-
prehensible mystery which our Saviour hath so
clearly revealed to us in these words, " Go ye and
teach all nations," Sec.
For the opening of which, we must know that
our Saviour, in the foregoing verse, acquaints his
disciples, that now all power was given him in hea-
ven and in earth ; by virtue whereof he here issueth
forth his commission to his apostles, and in them to
all that should succeed them, to supply his room,
and be his vicegerents upon earth, he being now to
reside in his kingdom of heaven. For, saith he,
" All power is given to me in heaven and earth : go
ye, therefore, and teach all nations." As he also
saith elsewhere to them, " As my Father hath sent
me, even so I send you." As if he should have
324
said, " My Father having committed to me all power
and authority both in heaven and earth, I therefore
authorise and commission, yea, command you to
go and teach all nations," &c.
This, therefore, is part of the commission which
our Lord and Master left with his apostles imme-
diately before he parted from them, these being the
last words which St. Matthew records him to have
spoken upon earth ; and therefore they must needs
contain matter of very great importance to his church,
and it must needs highly concern us all to understand
the true meaning and purport of them. Which
that we may the better do, in treating of them I
shall observe the same method and order as he did
in speaking them.
First, therefore, here is the work he sends the
apostles about : " Go ye therefore and teach," por-
euthentes oun matheteusate, which more properly
may be rendered, " Go ye therefore and disciple all
nations," or " make the persons of all nations to be
my disciples," that is, Christians. That this is the
true meaning of the words is plain and clear from
the right notion of the word here used, i?iatheteuo,
which, coming from mathetes, a disciple, it always
signifieth either to be or to make disciples, where-
soever it occurs in all the Scriptures; as matheteu-
theis, Matth. xiii. 52. which is instructed, say we;
the Syriac better, damtachla?nad, that is, made a
disciple, a Talmid, that is, not only a scholar or
learner, but a follower or professor of the gospel,
here called the kingdom of heaven. Another place
where this word occurs is Matth. xxvii. 57. emathe-
teuse tou lesou, where we rightly transla'e it, was
325
Jesus' disciple. Another place is Acts xiv. 21. kai
matheteusantcS) which we improperly rentier, " having
taught many;" the Syrian and Arahic, more properly,
" having made many disciples." And these are all
the places in the New Testament where this word is
used, except those I am now considering, where all
the eastern lanmuwes render it according to its nota-
tion, " disciple." The Persian paraphrastically ex-
pounds it, " Go ye and reduce all nations to my
faith and religion." So that whosoever pleads for
any other meaning of these words, does hut hetray
his own ignorance in the original languages, and by
consequence, in the true interpretation of Scripture.
I should not have insisted so long upon this but
that the false exposition of these words hath occa-
sioned that no less dangerous than numerous sect of
Anabaptists in the world: for the old Latin transla-
tion having it, " Euntes ergo, doccte omnes gentes ;
hence the German, where Anabaptism first began,
and all the modern translations, render it as we do,
" Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing
them." From whence it was supposed by some that
were not able to dive into the true meaning of the
words, that our Saviour here commanded that none
should be baptized but such as were first taught the
principles of the Christian religion — which is the
greatest mistake imaginable; for our Saviour doth
not speak one word of teaching before baptism, but
only after — verse 20. didascontes, his meaning being
only that his apostles should go about the world,
and persuade all nations to forsake their former ido-
latries and superstitions, and to turn Christians, or
the disciples of Jesus Christ; and such as were so
326
should be baptized. And therefore infant baptism
is so far from being forbidden, that it is expressly
commanded in these words : for all disciples are here
commanded to be baptized ; nay, they are therefore
commanded to be baptized, because disciples. And
seeing all disciples are to be baptized, so are infants
too, the children of believing parents; for they are
disciples as well as any other, or as well as their pa-
rents themselves ; for all that are in covenant with
God must needs be disciples. But that children
are always esteemed in covenant with God is plain,
in that God himself commanded the covenant should
be sealed to them, as it was all along by circumcision.
But that children are disciples as well as others, our
Saviour puts it out of all doubt, saying of children,
" of such is the kingdom of God." And therefore
they must needs be disciples, unless such as are not
disciples can belong to the kingdom of God, which
a man must be strangely distempered in his brain
before he can so much as fancy.
And besides, that children, so long as children,
are looked upon as part of their parents ; and there-
fore as their parents are so are they. If their pa-
rents be heathen, so are the children; if the parents
be Jews, so are the children ; if the parents be Chris-
tians, so are the children too; nay, if either of the
parents be a Christian or disciple, the children of
both are denominated from the better part, and so
looked upon as Christians too, as is plain, 1 Cor. vii.
14. " But now are they holy;" that is, in a federal
or covenant sense, they are in covenant with God ;
they are believers, Christians, or disciples, because
one of their parents is so.
827
Now, seeing children are disciples as well as others,
and our Saviour here commands all disciples to be
baptized, it necessarily follows that children must be
baptized too. So that the opinion that asserts that
children ought not to be baptized, is grounded upon
a mere mistake, and upon gross ignorance of the
true meaning of the Scripture, and especially of this
place, which is most ridiculously mistaken for a pro-
hibition, it being rather a command for infant bap-
tism.
But I must crave the reader's excuse for this di-
gression from the matter principally intended, though
I could not tell how to avoid it, nothing being more
needful than to rescue the words of our blessed
Saviour from those false glosses and horrible abuses
which these last ages have put upon them, especially
it coming so directly in my way as this did.
Secondly, Here is the extent of their commission,
which is very large indeed, not being directed to
some few particular persons, but to nations ; not to
some particular nations only, but to all nations : " Go
ye, therefore, and disciple all nations;" or all the
world, as it is, Mark xvi. 15. This is that which
the prophet Isaiah, or rather God by him, foretells,
Isaiah xlix. G. which our Saviour himself seems to
have respect unto, Luke xxiv. 46, 47. The mean-
ing whereof, in brief, is this, that though the Jews
hitherto had been the only people of God, and none
but they admitted into covenant with him, now the
Gentiles also are to be brought in and made confe-
derates or co-partners with them, in the covenant of
grace ; that the partition-wall being now broken
down, the gospel is to be preached to all other
328
nations, as well as the Jewish ; Christ being now
come to be " a light to lighten the Gentiles, as well
as the glory of his people Israel."
But though the words of the commission be so
clear to this purpose, yet the apostles themselves
understood it not till God had interpreted it from
heaven to St. Peter, showing him, in a vision, that
he should call no man " common or unclean."
From which time forward, he, with the rest of the
apostles, observed their commission exactly, in preach-
ing to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews. And
this was one end, wherefore the Holy Ghost came
down amongst them, even to enable them to do what
their Master had commanded them, to preach unto
all nations; but that they could not do, unless they
could speak all languages, which, therefore, the Holy
Ghost enabled them to do, which also is a clear de-
monstration of the true meaning and purport of
these words; for there was no necessity that the
Spirit should teach the apostles all languages, but
that the Son had first enjoined them to preach unto
all nations.
Thirdly, Hence is the manner whereby they arc
to admit all nations into the church of Christ, or
into the Christian religion, by baptizing them " in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost." For the opening whereof we must
know that baptism was a rite in common use amongst
the Jews before our Saviour's time, by which they
were wont to admit proselytes into their religion,
baptizing them " in the name of the Father," or of
God. A little before our Saviour's appearance in
the world, John Baptist being sent to prepare the
329
way for him, baptized the Jews themselves, " as
many as came unto him, in the name of the Mes-
siah to come," which was called " the baptism of re-
pentance ;" " I indeed baptize you," says he, " with
water to repentance; but he that comes after me is
mightier than I," Sec. But when our Saviour was
to go to heaven, he left orders with his apostles to
make disciples, or admit all nations into the religion
that he had preached, confirmed with miracles, and
sealed with his own blood, by baptizing them " in
the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost;"
which form of baptism, questionless, his apostles
faithfully observed all along, as may be gathered also
from Acts xix. 2, 3. where we may observe, how,
when they said that they " had not so much as heard
of a Holy Ghost," he, wondering at that, asked
them, " Unto what then were ye baptized ?" plainly
intimating, that if they had been baptized aright,
according to Christ's institution, they could not but
have heard of the Holy Ghost, because they had
been baptized in the " name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." But in verse 5.
as also Acts ii. 38. and viii. 16. we read of baptism
administered in the name of the Lord Jesus. From
whence some have thought that the apostles bap-
tized only the Gentiles " in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," but the
Jews " in the name of the Lord Jesus" only; be-
cause they, believing in the Father already, if they
were but baptized in the name of Jesus, and so tes-
tified their belief that he was the Messiah, they
could not but believe in his Spirit too. But this
expression of baptizing in the name of the Lord Jesus,
330
seems to me rather to intimate that form of baptism
which the Lord Jesus instituted ; for, doubtless, the
apostles observed the precepts of our Lord better
than so as to do it one way, when he had commanded
it to be done another, and baptize only in the name
of Jesus, when he had enjoined them to baptize in
the " name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost."
Neither did the church ever esteem that baptism
valid which was not administered exactly according
to the institution, in the name of all the three persons;
which the primitive Christians were so strict in the
observance of, that it was enjoined, that all persons to
be baptized should be plunged three, times into the
water, first at the name of the Father, and then at
the name of the Son, and, lastly, at the name of the
Holy Ghost, that so every person might be distinctly
nominated, and so our Saviour's institution exactly
observed in the administration of this sacrament.
Hence also it was, that all persons to be baptized
were always required, either with their own mouths,
if adult, or if infants, by their sureties, to make a
public confession cf their faith in the three persons,
into whose names they were to be baptized. For this
indeed was always looked upon as the sum and sub-
stance of the Christian religion, to believe in God
the Father, in God the Son, and in God the Holy
Ghost ; and they who believed in these three per-
sons were still reputed Christians, and they who did
not were esteemed infidels or heretics.
Yea, and our Saviour himself hath sufficiently de-
clared, how necessary it is for us to believe this great
mystery, as also how essential it is to a Christian,
331
seeing that he requires no more in order to our ini-
tiation into his church but only that we be baptized
in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
In which words we may observe:
First, A Trinity of Persons, into whose names we
are baptized, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. —
This is that mystery of mysteries which is too high
for human understandings to conceive, but not too
great for a divine faith to believe — even that al-
though there be but one God, there are three Per-
sons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, every
one of which is that one and the self-same God ;
and therefore it is that baptism is here commanded
to be administered in the name of all three.
Now to confirm our faith in this great mystery,
whereinto we are all baptized, I shall endeavour to
show, in few terms, what grounds we have in Scrip-
ture to believe it. For which end we must know,
that though this great mystery hath received great
light by the rising of the Sun of Righteousness upon
the world, yet it did not lie altogether undiscovered
before ; yea, from the very foundation of the world,
the church, in all ages, hath had sufficient ground
whereupon to build their faith, on this great and
fundamental truth ; for in the very creation of the
world, he that created it is called Chahn, in the
plural number; and in the creation of man, he said,
" Let us make man in our own image ;" from whence,
though not a Trinity, yet a plurality of persons is
plainly manifested; yea, in the beginning of the world
too, we find both Father, Son, and Spirit concurring
in the making of it.
For, First, It is said, " that God created heaven
332
and earth," and then, that " the Spirit of God moved
upon the face of the waters." There are two per-
sons, God and the Spirit of God. And then we
read how God made the world by his word : " He
said, Let there be light, and there was light."
From which expression St. John himself concludes,
that " all things were made by the Son of God, or
his Word," John i. 3. and so does St. Paul, Col.
i. 16.
Thus we read afterwards, " The Spirit of the
Lord spake by me, and his Word by my tongue,"
where we have Jehovah, the Spirit of Jehovah, and
the Word of Jehovah, plainly and distinctly set
down. As also in Psalm xxxiii. 6. and Isa. lxii. 1.
where there is the Lord speaking of his Son, and
saying, that " he will put his Spirit upon him ;" and
this also seems to be the reason why the holy angels,
when they praise God, say, " Holy, holy, holy,
Lord of hosts," saying holy thrice, in reverence to
the three persons they adore.
Thus we might discover this truth in the Old
Testament ; but in the New we can scarcely look
over it. For when Jesus was baptized, had we,
who know nothing but by our senses, been present
at this time with Jesus at Jordan, our very senses
would have conveyed this truth to our understand-
ings, whether we would or not. Here we should
have heard a voice from heaven ; whose was it but
God the Father? Here we should have seen one
coming out of Jordan ; who was that but God the
Son ? Here we should have seen something else
too, in the form of a dove ; who was that but God
the Spirit? Thus was God the Father heard
333
speaking, God the Son was seen ascending out of
the water, and God the Holy Ghost descending
from heaven upon him. The first was heard in
the sound of a voice, the second was seen in the
form of a man, and the third was beheld in the shape
of a. dove.
Voce Pater, natus Corpore, flamen Ave.
But there are many such places as this all the
New Testament over, where the three persons of
the Godhead are distinctly mentioned, as Luke i.
35. John xiv. 16, 26. xvi. 7. and Gal. iv. 6. But
the words of St. Paul are very remarkable too, 2
Cor. xiii. 14. And yet " that all these three per-
sons were but one God," Gen. xviii. 2, 3. John x.
30. St. John expressly asserts, saying, " There
are three that bear record in heaven, the Father,
and the Word, and the Spirit, and these three are
one," 1 John v. 7. Which certainly are as plain
and perspicuous terms as it is possible to express so
great a mystery in. But I need not have gone so far
to have proved that there are three distinct persons
in the Godhead — the words I am treating of being a
sufficient demonstration of — for as all the three per-
sons met together at our Saviour's baptism, so doth
our Saviour here command, that all his disciples be
baptized in the name of all the three; and therefore,
I cannot but admire how any one should dare to pro-
fess himself to be a Christian, and yet deny or op-
pose the sacred Trinity, into which he was baptized
when he was made a Christian ; for, by this means,
renouncing his baptism, he blasphemes Christ, un-
christians himself, blotting his own name out of the
331<
catalogue of those who were made Christians only by
being baptized " in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."
II. Hei;e is the Godhead of the Trinity, or of
every person in the Trinity, that one as well as the
other is God : for here we see divine worship is to
be performed to them all, and all that profess the
true religion mu^st be baptized in the name of the
Son and Holy Ghost, as well as of the Father ;
which certainly would be the greatest absurdity, yea
the most horrid impiety imaginable, were not they
God as well as he. For, if they be not God, they
are creatures; if they be creatures, reason as well as
Scripture forbids the same honour and worship to be
conferred on them which is given to God himself,
and only due to him ; which here, notwithstanding,
we see is given to them, and that by our Lord him-
self, commanding baptism to be administered in his
own name and in the name of the Holy Ghost, as
well as in the name of the Father, and so making
himself and the Spirit equal sharers in the same
honour that is given to the Father. So that, were
there no other place in the whole Scripture to prove
it, this alone would be sufficient to convince any
gainsayer, that the Son and Spirit are God as well
as the Father, or rather, the same God with him.
But that I may unveil this mystery, and confirm this
truth more clearly, we will consider each person dis-
tinctly, and show that one as well as the other is
really God.
That the Father is God, none ever denied it, and
therefore we need not prove it. But, if the Father
be God, the Son must needs be God too; for the
335
same names, properties, works, and worship, which
in Scripture arc ascribed to the Father, are frequently
ascribed to the Son also in Scripture. The Father
is called Jehovah in Scripture, so is the Son, Hos i. 7.
Jer. xxiii. 6. The Father is called God, so is the
Son, John i. 1. " In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God;"
with God, as to his person ; God as to his nature.
So also, John xx. 28. Acts xx. 28, &c. Moreover,
is the Father Alpha and Omega, the first and the
last ? So is the Son, Rev. i. 8. Is the Father eter-
nal ? So is the Son, Isa. ix. 6. Rev. i. 8. Is the
Father almighty ? So is the Son, Hcb. i. 3. Is the
Father every where ? So is the Son, Matt, xviii. 20.
Doth the Father know all things ? So doth the Son,
John xxi. 17. and ii. 24, Did the Father make
all things ? So did the Son, John i. 3. Doth the
Father preserve all things? So doth the Son,
Hcb. i. 3. Doth the Father forgive sins ? So
doth the Son, Matt. ix. 6. Is the Father to be
worshipped? So is the Son, Hcb. i. 6. Is the
Father to be honoured ? So is the Son, John v.
23. No wonder, therefore, that Christ being thus
in the " form of God, thought it not robberv to be
equal with God." lie did not rob God of any
glory, by saying himself was equal to him. The
greatest wonder is, how any one can believe the
Scriptures to be the word of God, and deny this
great truth, than which nothing can be more plain
from Scripture, nothing being more frequently and
more clearly asserted than this is. And verily it is
well for us it is so: for if Christ was not God,
neither couldhe be our Saviour, none being able
336
to free us from sins, but only he against whom they
were committed. And, therefore, I cannot imagine
how any one can doubt of Christ's divinity, and yet
expect pardon and salvation from him : all our hopes
and expectations from him depending only upon his
assumption of our human nature into a divine per-
son.
And that the Holy Ghost also is God, is fre-
quently asserted in the holy Scriptures which himself
indited. Indeed, this very inditing of the Scriptures
was a clear argument of his Deity, as well as the
Scriptures indited by him. What man, what angel,
what creature, who but God could compose such
articles of faith, enjoin such divine precepts, foretell
and fulfill such prophecies, as in Scripture are con-
tained, who spake unto all, or by the prophets?
Who did they mean, when they said, " Thus saith
the Lord of hosts ?" Who was this Lord of hosts,
that instructed them what to speak or write ? Was
it God the Father, or God the Son ? No, but it
was God the Holy Ghost : " For the prophecy came
not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of
God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost,"
2 Pet. i. 21. Acts xxviii. 25. chap. xxi. 11. The
Holy Ghost, therefore, being the Lord of hosts, he
must needs be God, there being no person that is or
can be called the Lord of hosts but he that is the
very and eternal God.
This also may be gathered from 1 Cor. iii. 16.
" Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and
the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" for none can be
the temple of God, but he in whom God dwells ; for
it is God's dwelling in a place that makes that place
337
the temple of God ; and yet we are here snid to be
the temple of God, because the Spirit dvvelleth in us.
And elsewhere, " Know ye not," saith the apostle,
"that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost that
is in you?" Which could not be, unless the Holy
Ghost was God.
Another express Scripture we have for it in Acts
v. 3, 4. where St. Peter propounds this question to
Ananias : " Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie
to the Holy Ghost ?" And then tells him, in the
next verse, " Thou hast not lied to men, but to
God ;" and so expressly asserts the Holy Ghost to
be God.
Moreover, that the Holy Ghost is truly God,
co-equal to the Father and the Son, is plain, in that
the Scriptures assert him to be, to have, and do,
whatsoever the Father or the Son is, hath, or doth,
as God. For, is the Father and the Son eternal ?
So is the Spirit, Heb. ix. 14. Is God the Fa-
ther and the Son every where? So is the Spirit,
Psalm exxxix. 7. Is God the Father and the
Son, a wise, understanding, powerful, and knowing
God ? So is the Spirit, Isaiah xi. 2. Are we
baptized in the name of the Father and the Son ?
So arc we baptized in the name of the Holy Ghost.
Mav we sin against the Father and the Sou ? So
may we sin too against the Holy Ghost. Nay, the
sin against this person only, is accounted, by our
Saviour, to be a sin never to be pardoned, Matt,
xii. 31, 32. We may sin against God the I
ther, and our sin may be pardoned : we may mm
against God the Son, and our sin .nay be pardoned :
but if we sin, or speak against the Holy Ghost,
P :r,
338
" that shall never be forgiven, neither in this world,
nor in that which is to come." But, if the Holy
Ghost be not God, how can we sin against him ; or
how comes our sin against him only to be unpar-
donable, unless he be God ? I know it is not,
therefore, unpardonable because he is God, for then
the sins against the Father and the Son would be
unpardonable too, seeing they both are God as well
as he. Though this sin is not, therefore, unpar-
donable because he is God, yet, it could not be
unpardonable unless he were God. For supposing
him not to be God, but a creature, and yet the sin
against him to be unpardonable, then the sins against
a creature would be unpardonable, when sins against
God himself are pardoned ; which to say, would it-
self, I think, come near to the sin against the Holy
Ghost. But, seeing our Saviour describes this
unpardonable sin, by blaspheming, or speaking
against the Holy Ghost, let them have a care that
they be not found guilty of it, who dare deny the
Holy Ghost to be really and truly God, and so
blaspheme and speak the worst that they can against
him.
III. We have seen what ground we have to
believe, that there are three persons in the Godhead,
and that every one of these three persons is God ;
we are now to consider the order of those persons
in the Trinity, described in the words before us.
First, the Father, and then the Son, and then
the Holy Ghost; every one of whom is really and
truly God; and yet they are but one real and true
God — a mystery which we are all bound to be-
lieve, but yet must have a great care how we speak
339
of it, it being both easy and dangerous to mistake
in expressing so mysterious a truth as this is. If
we think of it, how hard is it to contemplate upon
one numerically divine nature in more than one
and the same divine person, or upon three divine
persons in no more than one and the same divine
nature ! If we speak of it, how hard is it to find
out fit words to express it ! If I say, the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost be three, and every one dis-
tinctly God, it is true ; but if I say, they be three,
and every one a distinct God, it is false. I may
say, the divine persons are distinct in the divine
nature ; but I cannot say, that the divine nature is
divided into the divine persons. I may say, God
the Father is one God, and the Son is one God,
and the Holy Ghost is one God; but I cannot say,
that the Father is one God, and the Son another
God, and the Holy Ghost a third God. I may
say, the Father begat another who is God ; yet I
cannot say that he begat another God. And from
the Father and the Son proccedeth another who is
God, yet I cannot say, from the Father and the
Son proceedeth another God. For all this while,
though their persons be distinct, yet still their na-
ture is the same. So that though the Father be
the first person in the Godhead, the Son the second,
the Holy Ghost the third; yet the Father is not
the first, the Son the second, the Holy Ghost a
third God. So hard a thing is it, to word so great
a mystery aright, or to fit so high a truth with
expressions suitable and proper to it, without going
one way or other from it. And, therefore, I shall
not use many words about it, lest some should slip
p2
340
from me unbecoming of it; but, in as few terms as
I can, I will endeavour to show, upon what account
the Father is the first, the Son the second, and the
Holy Ghost the third person in the Trinity.
First. Therefore the Father is placed first, and
really is the first person. Not as if he was before
the other two, for they are all co-eternal, but because
the other two received their essence from him. For
the Son was begotten of the Father, and the Holy
Ghost proceedeth both from the Father and Son ;
and, therefore, the Father is termed by the primitive
Christians, Risa kai pege Tkeotetos, " the Root and
the Fountain of Deity." As in waters there is the
fountain or well-head, then there is a spring that
boils up out of that fountain, and then there is the
stream that flows both from the fountain and the
spring, and yet all these are but one and the same
water. So here, God the Father is the fountain of
the Deity; the Son, as the spring that boils up out
of the fountain ; and the Holy Ghost that flows from
both ; and yet all three are but one and the same
God. The same may also be explained by another
familiar instance. — The sun, you know, begets
beams, and from the sun and beams together, pro-
ceed both light and heat; so God the Father begets
the Son, and from the Father and Son together
proceeds the Spirit of knowledge and grace. But as
the sun is not before the beams, nor the beams
before the light and heat, but altogether; so, neither
is the Father before the Son, nor Father or Son
before the Holy Ghost, but only in order and rela-
tion to one another; in which respect only, the
Father is the first person in the Trinity.
341
Secondly. The Son is the second person, who is
called the Son, yea, and the only begotten Son of
God, because he was begotten of the Father, not
as others are, by spiritual regeneration, but by eternal
generation, as none but himself is. For the opening
whereof, we must know, that God that made all
things fruitful, is not himself sterile or barren ; but
he that hath given power to animals to generate
and produce others in their own nature, is himself
much more able to produce one, not only like him-
self, but of the self-same nature with himself, as he
did in begetting his Son, by communicating his own
unbegotten essence and nature to him. For the
person of the Son was most certainly begotten or
the Father, or otherwise he would not be his Son ;
but his essence was unbegotten, Otherwise he would
not be God. And, therefore, the highest apprehen-
sions that we can frame of this great mystery, the
eternal generation of the Son of God, is only by
conceiving the person of the Father to have com-
municated his divine essence to the person of the
Son ; and so, of himself, begetting his other self,
the Son, by communicating his own eternal and un-
begotten essence to him. I say, by communicating
of his essence, not of his person to him, for then
they would be both the same person, as now they
are of the same essence. The essence of the Father
did not beget the Son by communicating his person
to him ; but the person of the Father begat the Son
by communicating his essence to him. So that the
person of the Son is begotten, not communicated ;
but the essence of the Son is communicated, not
begotten.
342
This notion of the Father's begetting the Son
by communicating his essence to him, I ground upon
the Son's own words, who certainly best knew how
himself was begotten ; " For as the Father," saith
he, " hath life in himself, so hath he given to the
Son to have life in himself." To have life in him-
self, is an essential property of the divine nature;
and, therefore, wheresoever that is given or com-
municated, the nature itself must needs be given
and communicated too.
Now, here we see, how God the Father commu-
nicated this his essential property, and so his essence
to the Son; and, by consequence, though he be
not a distinct person from him, yet he hath the
same unbegotten essence with him. And, therefore,
as the Father hath life in himself, so hath the
Son life in himself; and so all other essential pro-
perties of the divine nature, only with this per-
sonal distinction, that the Father hath this life in
himself, not from the Son, but from himself; whereas,
the Son hath it, not from himself, but from the
Father; or, the Father is God himself, not of the
Son ; the Soil is the same God, but from the Father,
not from himself; and, therefore, not the Father.
But the Son is rightly called, by the council of Nice,
" God of Gods, light of lights, yea, very God of
very God."
Thirdly. Having thus spoken of the two first
Persons in the sacred Trinity, we come now to the
last, the Holy Ghost. The last, I say, not in
nature or time, but only in order; for, as to their
nature, one is not better or more God than another ;
neither, as to time, is one before another; none of
34,3
them being measured by time, but all and every one
of them eternity itself. But though not in nature
or time, yet in order, one must needs be before
another; for the Father is of himself, receiving his
essence neither from the Son, nor from the Spirit,
and therefore is, in order, before both ; the Son
received his essence from the Father, not from the
Spirit, and therefore, in order, is before the Spirit,
as well as after the Father; but the Spirit receiving
his essence both from the Father and the Son, must
needs, in order, be after both.
I confess the Spirit is no where in Scripture said
to proceed from the Son, and therefore, the inserting
this into the Nicene creed, was the occasion of that
schism betwixt the Western and Eastern churches,
which hath now continued for many ages — in which,
I think, both parties are blame-worthy — the Wes-
tern churches for inserting this clause following into
the Nicene creed, without the consent of a general
council; and the Eastern, for denying so plain a
truth as this is : for though the Spirit be not said to
proceed from the Son, yet he is called the " Spirit of
the Son," Gal. iv. 6. Rom. viii. 9. which, questionless,
he would never have been, did he not proceed from
the Son as well as from the Father. And verily, the
Father communicating his own individual essence,
and so whatsoever he is (his paternal relation ex-
cepted) to the Son, could not but communicate this
to him also, even to have the Spirit proceeding from
him, as it doth from himself. So that as whatso-
ever the Father hath originally in himself, that hath
the Son by communication from the Father; so hath
the Son this, the Spirit proceeding from him by
3U
communication from the Father, as the Father hath
it in himself; and the Spirit thus proceeding both
from the Father and the Son. Hence it is that he
is placed after both, not only in the words before
us, but also in 1 John v. 7. and so elsewhere.
From what I have hitherto discoursed concerning
the great mystery, the Trinity in Unity, and Unity
in Trinity, I shall gather some few inferences, and
so conclude.
1. Is the Son of God, yea, the same God with
the Father ? Hence, I observe, what a strange
mystery the work of man's redemption is, that God
himself should become man. And he that was be-
gotten of his Father, without a mother, from eternity,
should be born of his mother, without a father, in
time — that he that was perfect God, like unto the
Father in every thing, his personal properties only
excepted, should also be perfect man, like unto us
in all things, our personal infirmities only excepted — ■
that he that made the world should be himself made
in it — that eternity should stoop to time, glory be
wrapt in misery, and the Sun of Righteousness hid
Binder a clod of earth — that innocence should be
betrayed, justice condemned, and life itself should
die, and all to redeem man from death to life. Oh
wonder of wonders ! how justly may we say with
the apostle, " Without controversy, great is the
mystery of godliness."
2. Is the Spirit also God? Hence, I observe,
that it is God alone that can make us holy; for see-
ing the Scripture all along ascribes our sanctification
unto the Spirit of God, and yet the Spirit of God is
himself really and truly God, it necessarily follow-
345
eth, that the special concurrence and influence of
almighty God himself is necessary to the making us
really and truly holy.
3. Are all three persons in the Trinity one and
the same God ? Hence I infer they are to have one
and the same honour conferred upon them, and one
and the same worship performed unto them. Or,
as our Saviour himself saith, that " all men should
honour the Son, even as they honour the Father."
And, " Ye believe in God, believe also in me ;"
and as we pray to the Father, so should we pray to
the Son too, as the apostles did, Luke xvii. 5. and
St. Stephen, Acts vii. 59. and St. Paul to all three,
2 Cor. xiii. 14.
4. Is baptism to be administered in the name of*
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ?
Hence I observe how necessary it is to believe in
these three persons, in order to our being real and
true Christians ; for we being made Christians in
the name of all three, that man ceaseth to be a
Christian that believes only in one, — for faith in God
the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost,
is necessary to the very constitution of a Christian,
and is the principal, if not the only characteristical
note whereby to distinguish a Christian from another
man — yea from a Turk — for this is the chief thing
that the Turks both in their Alcoran and other
writings upbraid Christians for, even because they be-
lieve in a Trinity of persons in the divine nature ; for
which cause they frequently say, they are "people that
believe God hath companions;" so that, take away
this article of our Christian faith and what depends
upon it, and that there would be but little difference
p3
3±6
betwixt a Christian and a Turk. But by this means
Turks would not turn Christians, but Christians
Turks, if this fundamental article of the Christian
religion was once removed. For he that doth not
believe this is no Christian upon that very account,
because he doth not believe that by which a Chris-
tian is made ; and whatsoever else errors a man may
hold, yet if he believe in God the Father, God the
Son, and God the Holy Ghost, I cannot, I dare not
but acknowledge him to be a Christian in general,
because he holds fast the foundation of the Christian
religion, though perhaps he may build upon it hay
and stubble, and so his superstructure be infirm and
rotten.
I shall conclude with a word of advice to all such
as call themselves by the name of Christ. I suppose
and believe they are all Christians from their taking
that name, and therefore I need not use any argu-
ments to persuade them to turn Christians, for so
they are already by profession ; but seeing that they
are Christians, let me desire them to consider how
they come to be so — even by being baptized in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost. And if they desire to be Christians
still, I must advise them to continue steadfast in that
faith whereby they were made so. Of all the errors
and heresies which Satan has sown amongst us, let
us have an especial care to avoid such as strike at
the very foundation of our religion ; I mean the
Arians, Macedonians, Socinians, and all manner of
Antitrinitarians — such as deny the most sacred
Trinity.
But I hope we have better learned Christ than
347
to hearken to such opinions as these, and therefore
my next advice in brief is only this, that, as we excel
others in the truth of our profession, so we would
excel them also in the holiness of our life and con-
versation. Let us manifest ourselves to be Chris-
tians indeed by believing the assertions, trusting in
the promises, fearing the threatenings, and obeying
the precepts of Christ our Master, that both infi-
dels and heretics may be convinced of their errors,
by seeing us outstripping them in our piety to-
wards God, equity to our neighbours, charity to the
poor, unity among ourselves, and love to all ; for
this would be a clear demonstration that our faith is
better than theirs is when our lives are holier than
theirs. And for our encouragement thereunto, I dare
engage, that if we believe thus, as Christ hath taught
us, and live as he hath commanded us, we shall also
obtain what he hath promised, even eternal happi-
ness in the world to come — where we shall see,
enjoy, and praise that God into whose names we are
baptized, even Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for
ever more. There, with angels and archangels, with
the heavens and all the powers therein; with cheru-
bim and seraphim, and all the blessed inhabitants of
those everlasting mansions ; with the glorious com-
pany of the apostles, the goodly fellowship of the
prophets; the noble army of martyrs ; all the com-
pany of heaven ; and the holy church throughout
all the world : we shall eternally laud and magnify
thy sacred name, ' O God, the Father of heaven :
O God, the Son, redeemer of the world ; O God,
the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the
Son ; O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three
348
persons, and one God. Ever more praising thee*
the Father of an infinite Majesty ; together with
thine honourable, true, and only Son ; thee, the
King of glory, O Christ ; and thee, O Holy Ghost,
the Comforter, still joining with the heavenly choir,
and saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts,
heaven and earth are full of thy glory ; glory be to
thee, O Lord most high ! We praise thee, we
bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give
thanks to thee, for thy great glory, O Lord God,
heavenly King, God, the Father almighty ! O
Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ ; O Lord
God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, thou who
takest away the sins of the world, and sittest at
the right hand of God the Father; O blessed,
glorious, and eternal Spirit — for thou only art holy,
thou only art the Lord ; thou only, O Christ,
with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory
of God the Father ; for thine, O Lord, is the king-
dom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and
ever ! Amen.
Almighty and everlasting God, who hast given
grace unto us thy servants, by the confession of a
true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal
Trinity, and in the power of the Divine majesty to
worship the Unity; we beseech thee that thou wouldst
keep us steadfast in this faith, and evermore defend
us from all adversaries, who livest and reignest, one
God, world without end ! Amen.
And now, having led the Christian through this
first stage of his course, and instructed him in the
principles of his religion, and in the great mystery
of the Trinity, into which he was baptized, it may
319
be fit to bring him into the world and show him how
he ought to demean himself in regard to the things
of it.
THOUGHTS ON WORLDLY RICHES.
SECTION I.
He that seriously considers the constitution of
the Christian religion, observing the excellency of its
doctrines, the clearness of its precepts, the severity
of its threatenings, together with the faithfulness
of its promises, and the certainty of its principles to
trust to ; such a one may justly be astonished, and
admire what should be the reason that they who
profess this — not only the most excellent — but only
true religion in the world, should notwithstanding
be generally as wicked, debauched, and profane, as
they that never heard of it. For that they are so
is but too plain and obvious to every one that ob-
serves their actions, and compares them with the
practice of Jews, Turks, and infidels. For what
sin have they among them, which we have not rife
among ourselves ? Are they intemperate and lux-
urious ? Are they envious and malicious against
one another ? Are they uncharitable and censo-
rious ? Are they given to extortion, rapine, and
oppression ? So are most of those who are called
Christians. Do they blaspheme the name of God,
profane his sabbaths, contemn his word, despise his
350
ordinances, and trample upon the blood of his only
Son ? How manv have we amongst ourselves that
do these things as much as they ?
But how comes this about, that they who are
baptized into the name of Christ, and profess the
religion which he established in the world, should be
no better than other people, and in some respects far
worse? Is it because, though they profess the gos-
pel, yet they do not understand it ? Nor know
what sins are forbidden, nor what duties are enjoined
in it ? That none can plead, especially amongst us
who have the gospel so clearly revealed, so fully in-
terpreted, so constantly preached to us as we have;
insomuch that if there be any one person amongst
us that understands not what is necessary to be known
in order to our everlasting happiness, it is because
we will not, wilfully shutting our eyes against the
light.
But what then shall we impute this wonder to,
that Christians are generally as bad as heathens ?
Does Christ in his gospel dispense with their im-
pieties, and give them indulgences for their sins,
and licence to break the moral law ? It is true, his
pretended vicar at Rome doth so ; but far be it from
us to father our sins upon him who came into the
world on purpose to save us from them. Indeed if
we repent and turn from sin, he hath both purchased
and promised pardon and forgiveness to us, but not
till then ; but hath expressly told us the contrary,
assuring us, that " except we repent we must all
perish." I confess there have been such blasphe-
mous heretics amongst us, called Antinomians, who
are altogether for faith without good works, making
331
as it' Christ by erecting liis gospel destroyed the
moral law ; but none can entertain such a horrible
opinion as that is, whose sinful practices have not so
far depraved their principles, that they believe it is
so only because they would have it to be so, directly
contrary to our Saviour's own words : " Think not
that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets :
I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." But I
hope there is none of us but have better learned
Christ, than to think that he came to patronize our
sins, who was " sent to bliss us by turning away
every one of us from our iniquities." But how
come Christians then to be as bad and sinful as other
men ? Is it because they are as destitute as other
men of all means whereby to become better? No,
this cannot possibly be the reason, for nothing can
be more certain, than that wre all have, or at least
may, if we will, have whatsoever can any way con-
duce to the making us either holy here, or happy
hereafter. We have the way that leads thereto
revealed to us in the word of God; we have that
word frequently expounded and applied to us; we
have all free access, not only to the ordinances which
God hath appointed for our conversion, but even to
the very sacraments themselves, whereby our faith
may be confirmed, and our souls nourished to eternal
life. And more than all this too, we have many
gracious and faithful promises, that if we do but what
we can, God, for Christ's sake, will afford us such
assistances of his grace and Spirit, whereby we shall
be enabled to perform universal obedience to the
moral law, such as God, for Christ's sake, will accept
of, instead of that perfection which the law requires.
352
So that now, if we be not all as real and true saints,
as good and pious Christians as ever lived, it is cer-
tainly our own faults : for we have all things neces-
sary to the making of us such, and if we were not
wanting to ourselves, it is impossible we should fail
of having all our sins subdued under us, and true
grace and virtue implanted in us. Insomuch, that
since the Christian religion was first revealed to the
world, there have been certainly millions of souls
converted by it, who are now glorified saints in hea-
ven, which once were as sinful creatures upon earth
as we now are. But it seems they found the gospel
an effectual means of their conversion and salvation ;
and, therefore, it cannot be imputed to any defect in
the gospel, or the Christian religion, that we are not
all as good men as ever lived, and, by consequence,
better than the professors of all other religions in the
world.
But what then shall we say to this wonder of
wonders, that Christians themselves in our age live
such loose and dissolute lives as generally they do ?
What can be the reason that all manner of sin and
evil should be both practised and indulged among us
as much as in the darkest corners of the world, upon
which the gospel never yet shone? Why, when we
have searched into all the reasons that possibly can
be imagined, next to the degeneracy and corruption
of our nature, this must needs be acknowledged as
one of the chief and principal, that men living upon
earth, and conversing ordinarily with nothing but
sensible and material objects, they are so much taken
up with them, that those divine and spiritual truths
which are revealed in the gospel, make little or no
353
impression at all upon them. Though they hear what
the gospel saith and teacheth, yet they are no more
affected with it, nor concerned about it, than as if
they had never heard of it, their affection being all
bent and inclined only to the things of this world.
And, therefore, it is no wonder that they run with
so full a career into sin and wickedness, notwith-
standing their profession of the gospel, seeing their
natural propensity and inclination to the things of
this world are so strong and prevalent within them,
that they will not suffer themselves to think seriously
upon, much less to concern themselves about any
thing else.
The apostle, in his first epistle to Timothy, chap,
vi. endeavouring to persuade men from the over
eager desire of earthly enjoyments, presses this con-
sideration upon us, that such an inordinate desire of
the things of this world betrays men into many and
great temptations. And then he gives this as the
reason of it : " For the love of money is *he root
of all evil ;" that is, in brief, the love of riches and
temporal enjoyments is the great reason why men
are guilty of such great and atrocious crimes as gen-
erally they are ; there being no evil but what springs
from this, as from its root and origin ; which is so
plain a truth, so constantly and universally experi-
enced in all ages, that the heathens themselves, the
ancient poets, and philosophers, could not but take
notice of it. For Bion, the philosopher, was wont
to say, that the love of money, was " the metropolis
of wickedness:" and Apollodorus — "When thou
speakest of the love of money, thou mentionest the
head of all evils, for they are all contained in that."
354
To the same purpose is that of the poet Phocylides,
" The love of riches is the mother of all wickedness."
What these said by the light of nature, hath here
divine authority stamped upon it ; God himself as-
serting the same thing by his apostle : " The love
of money is the root of all evil ; which, that we may
the better understand, we must consider,
I. What is here meant by money.
II. What by the love of riches.
III. How the love of money is the root of all evil.
I. As for the first, I need not insist long upon it,
all men knowing well enough what money is. But
we must remember, that by money is here under-
stood not only silver and gold, but all earthly com-
forts, possessions, and enjoyments whatsoever, whe-
ther goods, lands, houses, wares, wealth, or riches of
any sort or kind whatsoever.
II. By the love of money we are to understand
that sin which the scriptures call " covetousness ;"
and the true nature and notion of it consisteth espe-
cially in three things.
1. In having a real esteem and value for wealth
or money, as if it were a thing that could make men
happy, or better than otherwise they could ; as it is
plain all covetous men have their desire of riches
proceeding only from a groundless fancy, that their
happiness consists in having much ; which makes
them set a greater value upon riches, preferring
them before other things, even before God himself.
Hence the love of money is altogether inconsistent
with the love of God. " If any man love the
world, the love of the Father is not in him." It
being impossible to love God as we ought above all
355
things, and yet to love the world too at the same
time
2. Hence the love of money supposeth also a
delight and complacency in the having of it, pro-
ceeding from the aforesaid esteem they have for it.
For, being possessed of a fond opinion that the more
they have, the better they are, they cannot but be
pleased with the thoughts of their present enjoy-
ments; as the rich man was in the gospel, who,
because his ground brought forth plentifully, re-
solved to enlarge his barns, and lay up stores for
many years, and bid his soul take her ease. How
many such fools have we amongst us, who please
and pride themselves with the thoughts of their
beino; rich !
3. From this esteem for, and complacency in
money or wealth, it follows, that men are still desirous
of having more, placing their happiness only in
riches ; because they think they can never be happy
enough, therefore they think too they are never rich
enough. Hence, how much soever they have, they
still desire more, and, therefore, covetousness in scrip-
ture is ordinarily expressed by jjleonechia, which
properly signifies an inordinate desire of having more ;
having which kind of desires can never be satisfied,
because they are able to desire more than all the
world, and to raise themselves as high, and as far as
the infinite Good itself. Now such a love of money
as this is, consisting in having a real esteem for it,
in taking pleasure and delight in it, in longing and
thirsting after it — this is that which the apostle here
saith " is the root of all evil" — that is, the great and
principal cause of all sorts of evil that men are guilty
356
of, or obnoxious to; which, that I may clearly de-
monstrate to you, we must first know in general that
there are but two sorts of evil in the world, the evil
of sin, and the evil of punishment or misery ; and
love of money is the cause of them both.
To begin with the evil of sin, which is the only
fountain from whence all other evils flow, and itself
doth certainly spring from the love of money, as
much or more than from any thing else in the whole
world ; insomuch, that the greatest part of those sins
which any of us are guilty of proceed from this mas-
ter sin, even the love of money, as might easily be
shown from a particular enumeration of those sins
which men are generally addicted to. But that I
may proceed more clearly and methodically in de-
monstrating this, so as to convince men of the dan-
ger of this above most other sins, I desire it may be
considered that there are two sorts of sins that we
are guilty of, sins of omission, and sins of commis-
sion, under which two heads all sins whatsoever are
comprehended.
First, For sins of omission. It is plain that our
love of money is the chief and principal cause that
makes us neglect and omit our duties to God and
man, as it is manifest we most of us do. In speak-
ing of which I must take leave to deal plainly, for it
is a matter that concerns our eternal salvation. And,
therefore, however some may resent it, I am bound
in duty and conscience to remind men of their sins,
and particularly of this great prevailing sin of cove-
tousness, or inordinate love of money, which most
men give but too much reason to fear they are guilty
of; and, therefore, I may tell them of it without any
357
breach of charity. It is true, I cannot pretend to
be a searcher of hearts, that is only God's preroga-
tive ; and, therefore, I shall not take upon me to
judge or censure any particular persons ; but I shall
speak to all in general, and leave every one to make
the particular application of it to himself. Neither
shall I speak of things at random ; but I shall in-
stance only in such sins which I can assert upon my
own knowledge that most men allow themselves, and
that upon this account only, because they love money.
1. What is the reason that so few, indeed scarce
any of us, are at prayers at church upon the week
day, to perform our devotion to Him that made us ?
Is it because we think it impertinent to pray unto
him ? No, our presence there on Sunday contra-
dicts that ; and I have more charity than to think
that any are so atheistical as to imagine it to be su-
perfluous to pay our homage to the supreme Gover-
nor of the world, and to implore his aid and blessing
upon us. But what then should be the reason of
it ? In plain terms, it is nothing else but because
men love money, and therefore are loath to spare so
much time from their sports or callings, as to go to
church to pray to God for what they want, and
praise his name for what they have. Let us search
into our hearts, and we shall acknowledge this to be
the only reason of it. But it is a very foolish one ;
for who can bless us but God ?
2. What is the reason that so many neglect the
sacrament of the Lord's supper ? Do we not all
look upon it as our duty to receive it ? I dare say
we do : Christ himself having commanded it, and it
being the only way whercbv to manifest ourselves to
358
be Christians. What, then, can be the reason of
this neglect of it, but merely the love of money*
which makes them both to spend time in preparing
and fitting themselves for it ? But seeing men thus
excommunicate themselves by not coming to the com-
munion, in plain terms, they deserve to be excom-
municated by the censures of the church. And, if
God should, in his providence, deprive them of ever
having an opportunity of receiving the sacrament
again, they must even thank themselves for it.
However, this shall be their present punishment,
that they shall be deprived of it, until they think it
worth their while to come unto it.
3. What is the reason that the Sabbath is so pro-
faned— that so many take their recreations on the
Lord's day, but because they cannot spare time for
it from getting money on other days ; thinking the
day long, because they can get little in it, as Amos
viii. 5. ? And why do so many profane the Sabbath,
while at church, by thinking upon the world, but
because they love it, Ezek. xxxiii. 1. ?
4. What is the reason that charity is so cold, but
that the love of money is grown so hot among us ?
For do we not all know it is our duty to relieve the
poor? Hath not God expressly commanded it?
Hath he not threatened a curse to them that do it
not, and promised a blessing to them that do it i
What, then, can be the reason that so many neglect
it, but because they love their money more than
God?
To these might be added many other sins, which
the love of money daily occasions. For what is the
reason that many read the Scriptures so seldom and
359
so cursorily as they do ? What is the reason that
fhey either have none, or commonly neglect their
family duties — that every slight occasion will make
them omit their private devotions — that they can
find no time to look into their own hearts, to con-
sider their condition, and meditate upon God and
Christ, and the world to come ?
What is the reason that many know their shops
better than their hearts, and are acquainted with
the temper of their body more than with the consti-
tution of their souls — that they are so careful and
industrious in the prosecution of their worldly de-
signs, so negligent and remiss in looking after hea-
ven ? What is or can be the reason of these things,
but that inordinate love and affection they have for
money, or the things of this world, which make
them so eager in the pursuit of them, that they for-
get they have any thing else to mind; and so much
taken up with worldly business, that God and Christ,
and heaven and soul, and all must give way to it i
O the folly and madness of sinful men ! What a
strange, corrupt, and degenerate thing is the heart
of man become, that we should be so foolish and
unwise as to prefer our bodies before our souls —
earth before heaven — toys and trifles before the eter-
nal God, and the worst of evils before the best of
goods, even sin itself, with all the miseries that at-
tend it, before holiness, and that eternal happiness
which is promised to it, and all for nothing else
but the love of a little pelf and trash, which hath no
other worth but what our own distracted fancies put
upon it !
And if the love of money be the root of so man}
360
sins of omission, how many sins of commission must
needs sprout from it ! Indeed they are so many,
that it would be an endless thing to reckon them all
up ; and therefore I shall not undertake it, but shall
mention only such of them as every one, upon the
first reading, shall acknowledge to be the cursed off-
spring of this one fruitful sin of covetousness, or the
love of money; of which Cicero observes, that " nul-
lam est officium tarn sanctum atque solemne, quod
non avaritia comminuere atque violare soleat." So
we may say on the other side too, that there is no
sin so great and horrid but covetousness will some-
times put men upon it.
Is idolatry a sin ? Yea certainly, one of the great-
est that any man can be guilty of; and yet nothing
can be more plain, than that covetousnes, where-
soever it comes, draws it along with it, insomuch
that every covetous man is asserted by God himself
to be an idolater, Eph. v. 5. and covetousness to be
idolatry itself, Col. iii. 15. And the reason is plain ;
for what is idolatry but to give that worship to a
creature which is due only unto God? But what
higher acts of worship can we perform to God than
to love him and to trust in him, which it is certain
every covetous man gives to his money, and there-
fore covetousness is called " the love of money."
And we cannot but be all sensible what trust and
confidence men are wont to repose in their estates
and incomes. But such will say, we do not fall
down before our money nor pray unto it ; but they
trust on it, and that is infinitely more than bare
praying to it : and though they do not bow down
before it in their bodies, yet they make all the fa-
361
culties of their souls to bow clown and stoop unto it —
they love and desire it — they rejoice and delight in
having of it — they are grieved and troubled for no-
thing so much as the parting with it — nor fear any
tiling so much as the losing of it.
But they will say again, we do not sacrifice to
our bags, nor burn incense to our estates ; we never
did nor intend to offer so much as a lamb or calf
unto it ! It is true, they do not, but they offer that
which is far better, they offer the poor to it, suffer-
ing them to perish with hunger, thrist, and cold,
rather than relieve them with that necessary main-
tenance which God has put into their hands for
them. They offer their own bodies to it, exposing
them to heats and colds, to dangers and hazards, both
by sea and land, and all for money. Yea, they offer
their own souls to it likewise, as a whole burnt-offer-
ing, giving them to lie scorching in hell flames to
eternity ; and that upon no other account but to get
money. And tell me, which are the greatest fools,
and most odious idolaters, such as offer beasts to the
sun and flames, or such as offer themselves, both soul
and body, to dirt and clay ? We cannot but all ac-
knowledge the latter to be by far the worst, and, by
consequence, the covetous man to be the greatest
idolater in the world, and that, too, only because he
is a covetous man.
Moreover, is not extortion and oppression a sin ?
And yet we all know that it is the love of money that
is the only cause of it. Is not strife and contention
a sin? Whence comes it but from our lusting after
money? Is not perjury a sin? Is not corruption
of justice a sin? Is not cheating and cozenage a
Q 37
362
sin ? Is not pride and haughtiness a sin ? Is not
unrighteous dealing between man and man a sin ? Is
not theft and robbery a sin ? Is not treason and re-
bellion a sin? Are not all these sins, and great
ones to? But whence spring these poisonous fruits
into the lives of men, but from the bitter roots of
covetousness in their hearts ? It is the love of money
that makes these sins to rise amongst us. It is this
that makes men forswear themselves, and cozen
others. It is this that ofttimes makes fathers ruin
their children, and children to long for the death of
their fathers. It is this that makes neighbours go to
law, and brethren themselves to be at variance. It is
this that makes men strive to overreach each other,
and to blind the eyes of those they deal with. It is
this that hath caused some to murder others, and
others to destroy themselves. What shall I say
more ? There is no impiety that can be committed
against God, nor injury that can be offered unto
men, but the love of money hath been the cause of
it in others, and will be so in us, unless it be timely
prevented ; and therefore it may well be termed the
root of all the evil of sin.
And, it being the root from whence all the evil of
sin springs, it must needs be the root of all the evil
of punishment and misery too — misery and punish-
ment being the necessary consequent of sin. Indeed,
this sin carries its misery along with it ; as Seneca
himself saw by the mere light of nature, saying,
fc£ No avarice is without punishment, though it be it-
self punishment enough." For what a torment is it
for a man to be always thirsty, and never able to
<|uencli his thirst ! Yet this is the misery of every
363
covetous man, whose thirst after money can never be
satisfied, and who is so desirous of having more that
he can never enjoy with comfort what he hath, lov-
ing money so well that he grudgeth himself the use
of it. Hence the aforesaid author observed, that
"The covetous man is good to none, but worst to
himself." And as this is the natural consequent of
this sin in itself, so it is the ordinary punishment
that God inflicts upon men for it; not suffering them
to take any pleasure in the use of what they love.
And besides that, what cares and fears, what labours
and travels, what dangers and hazards, doth the love
of money put men upon ! How do they rack their
brains, and break their rest, to get it ! and, when it
is gotten, what fears are they always in, lest they
should lose it again ! What grief and trouble do
the poor wretches undergo for every petty loss that
befalls them ! So that every covetous man is not
only miserable, but therefore miserable because co-
vetous.
But if their misery be so great in this life, how
great will it be in that to come? Concerning which
there are two things to be observed : First, that the
very having of riches makes it very difficult to get to
heaven, Matt. xix. 23, 24, 25. Luke xvi. 19 — 22.
Hence Agur was afraid of them. Neither do we
ever read of any of the patriarchs, prophets, or the
saints recorded in Scripture, to have been guilty of
this sin, unless Baruch, who was reproved for it.
And as the having of money makes it difficult to
get to heaven, so the loving of it makes it impossible
to keep out of hell. For so long as man is covetous,
he is liable to every temptation, ready to catch ;it
0 2
364
every bait that the devil throws before him ; so that
he is led by him as he pleaseth, till at length he be
utterly destroyed. " But they that will be rich fall
into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish
and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction
and perdition." And therefore the same apostle else-
where tells us, that the covetous have no inheritance
in the kiiwdom of God, but the wrath of God will
most certainly fall upon them. But the wrath of
God is the greatest evil of punishment that is possi-
ble for men to bear : indeed it is that which once being
incensed makes hell fire. And yet we see that the
heat of our love to money will enkindle the flames
of God's wrath against us ; yea, and such flames too
as will never be quenched. And so for the little
seeming transient pleasure they take in getting, or
keeping money now, they must live in misery and
contempt, in shame and torment for evermore.
Thus now we see that love of money will not only
put us upon the evil of sin, but it will also bring the
evil of punishment upon us, both which the apostle
imputes to this sin. And therefore he both well
may, and must be understood of both these sorts of
evil, when he saith, that " the love of money is the
root of all evil ;" which the premises considered, I
hope none can deny ; and need I then heap up more
arguments to dissuade men from this sin, and to pre-
vail with them to leave doating upon the world, and
loving of money ? Is not this one argument of itself
sufficient ? For is it possible for us to indulge our-
selves in this sin, now that we know it is the root of
all evil ? and that if we still love money, there is no
sin so great but we may fall into it, and no misery
365
so heavy but it may fall upon us? Surely if this
consideration will not prevail upon us to despise and
contemn, rather than to love and desire this world,
for my part I know not what can. Only this I
know, that so long as men continue in this sin, all
writing and preaching will be in vain to them ; and
so will their hearing be, their going to church, their
reading the scriptures, their hearing them read and
expounded to them; all this will signify nothing, this
root of all evil is still within us, and will bring forth
its bitter fruit do what we can. And therefore, as
we desire to profit by what we hear — as ever we de-
sire to avoid any known sin whatsoever, to know
what happiest means to escape either present tor-
ment, or eternal misery — as ever we desire to be real
saints, and to manifest ourselves to be so, to go to
heaven, and live with God and Christ for ever, let
not our affections be entangled any longer in the
briers and thorns of this lower world — let us beware
of loving money. " If riches increase, let us not
set our hearts upon them," but scorn and despise
them hereafter, as much as ever heretofore we have
desired or loved them.
But I cannot, I dare not but in charity believe
and hope, that by this time my readers arc some-
thing weaned from their doating upon the present
world, and desire to know how they may for the
future get off their affections from it, so as to have
this root of all evil extirpated, and quite plucked up
from within them. I hope this is the desire of all,
or at least of most of them ; and therefore I shall
now endeavour to show them how they may infallibly
accomplish and effect it. In order thereto,
366
1. Let such persons often consider with them-
selves how unsuitably the things of this world are
for their affections and love, which were designed
only for the chiefest good. When God implanted
the affection of love within us, he did not intend it
should be the root of all evil, but of all good to us ;
and therefore he did not give it us, to place it fondly
upon such low and mean objects as this world pre-
sents unto us, but that we should love himself with
all our hearts and souls. And surely he infinitely
deserves our love more than such trash can do.
2. Let them remember that so long as they love
money — they may pretend what they please — they
do not love God, 1 John ii. 15. nor Christ, Matt.
x. 37. Luke xiv. 16. and by consequence they have
no true religion at all in them, James i. 27.
3. Let them often read and study our Saviour's
Sermon upon the Mount, where he pronounces the
meek and low, not the rich and mighty, to be blessed,
and weigh those strong and undeniable arguments
which he brings to prevail upon us not to take
thought for the world, nor trouble our heads about
the impertinent concerns of this transient life.
4. Let them labour to confirm and strengthen
their trust and confidence in the promises of God,
who hath assured us, that if we love and fear him,
he will take care of us, and provide all things neces-
sary for us, Matt. v. 33. This is the great argu-
ment which the apostle uses, Heb. xiii. 5, 6.
5. Let them remember that they are called to
higher things than this world is able to afford them :
the Christian is a high and heavenly calling; we are
called by it, and invited to a kingdom and eternal
307
glory, 1 Thes. ii. 12. and therefore ought not to
spend our time about such low and paltry trash as
riches and wealth.
6. Let them get above the world, let their con-
versation be in heaven, and then they will soon look
down upon all things here below as beneath then
concern. " Vilescunt temporalia, cum desiderantm
sterna," said St. Gregory — he that seriously thinks
upon and desires heaven, cannot but vilify and de-
spise earth. O what fools and madmen do the
blessed angels, and the glorified saints in heaven,
think us poor mortals upon earth to be, when thej
see us busying ourselves about getting a little re-
fined dirt, and in the mean while neglecting the
most transcendent glories which themselves enjoy,
although they be offered to us !
7. Let them never suffer the vanity of all things
here below to go out of their minds, but remember
still that, get what they can, it is but vanity and
vexation of spirit, as Solomon himself asserted upon
his own experience, though he had more than any oi
us are likely to enjoy. And let them not only often
repeat the words, but endeavour to get themselves
convinced thoroughly of the truth of them, which
their own experience, duly weighed and righth
plied, will soon do.
8. Let it be their daily prayer to almighty God,
that he would take off their affections from the world.
and incline them to himself, as David did, say in,-.
" Incline my heart to thy testimonies, and not to
covetousness."
To all these means, let them add the constant and
serious consideration of what they have here read.
368
that the love of money is the root of all evil — assur-
ing themselves, that if they will not believe it now,
it is not long before they will all find it but too true,
by their own sad and woful experience, when they
shall be stripped of their present enjoyments, and
so turn bankrupts in another world, where they will
be cast into prison without having a farthing to re-
lieve themselves, or so much as a drop of water to
cool their inflamed tongues.
By these and such like means, none of us but
may suppress the love of money in us, which is the
root of all evil, and so avoid or prevent all the evil
which otherwise will proceed from it. Whether
any of my readers will be persuaded to use the
means or not, I know not; however, let me tell
them, that if they are loath to strive to get their
affections deadened to the world, it is an infallible
sign that they are too much in love with it, and that
this root and seed of all manner of evil remains in
them; nor can it be expected they will be persuaded
to any one duty whatsoever, until they are first pre-
vailed upon to do this, even to mortify their lusts
and affections to the things of this world. For so
long as these are predominant within us, no grace
whatsoever can be exerted, nor duty performed, nor
any sin avoided by us.
But O, how happy would it be, if it should please
the most high God to set what I have here said
home upon any, as to induce them to set themselves
seriously for the future to the eradicating or rooting
up this love of money out of their hearts ! What
a holy, what a blessed, what a peculiar people should
we then be and how zealous of good works ! Then
369
we would take all opportunities of performing our
devotions to almighty God — then we should have
as many to the sacrament as at a sermon — then our
churches would be filled all the week, as well as
on Sundays, and the eternal God constantly wor-
shipped with reverence and godly fear — then we
should take delight in clothing the naked, Feeding
the hungry, and relieving the oppressed — then there
would be no such thing as cheating and cozenage, as
lying and perjury, as strife and contention, amongsl
us. But we should all walk hand and hand together
in the way of piety, justice, and charity, upon earth,
until at length we should come to heaven, where we
shall be so far from loving and desiring money that
we shall account it as it is, even dross and dirt —
where our affection shall be wholly taken up with
the contemplation of the chiefest good, and we shall
solace ourselves in the enjoyment of his perfections
for evermore.
THOUGHTS ON WORLDLY RICHES.
SECTION II.
Timothy, after his conversion to the Christian
un-
it
faith, being found to be a man of great parts, lean
ing, and piety, and so every way qualified for tl.,
work of the ministry, St. Paul, who had planted a
church at Ephesus, the metropolis or chief city "t
all Asia, left him to dress and propagate it, after bifl
0 3
3?0
departure from it, giving him power to ordain elders
or priests, and to visit and exercise jurisdiction over
them — to see they did not teach false doctrines,
1 Tim. i. 3. — that they may be unblameable in
their lives and conversations, 1 Tim. v. 7. — and to
exercise authority over them, in case they be other-
wise, 1 Tim. v. 19. And therefore it cannot in
reason but be acknowledged that Timothy was the
bishop, superintendent, or visitor, of all the Asian
churches, as he was always asserted to have been by
the fathers of the primitive church, as Eusebius
reports, saying, " that Timothy is reported to have
been the first bishop of the province of Ephesus."
Be sure he had the oversight of all the churches
that were planted there, and not only in Ephesus
itself, but likewise in all Asia, which was subject to
his ecclesiastical power and jurisdiction.
And hence it is that the apostle St. Paul, in his
first epistle to him, gives him directions how to
manage so great a work, and to discharge so great a
trust as was committed to him, both as bishop and
priest — both how to ordain and govern others, and
likewise how to preach himself the gospel of Christ.
And having spent the whole epistle in directions of
this sort, in the close of it, as it were, at the foot of
the epistle, he subjoins one general caution to be
observed by him — " Charge them that are rich,"
<kc. ; which words, though first directed to Timothy,
were in him intended for all succeeding ministers
and preachers of the gospel — such, I mean, who
are solemnly ordained and set apart for this work.
We are all obliged to observe the command which
is here laid upon us, as without which we are
;371
never likely to do any good upon them that heal
us; for so long as their minds are set altogether
upon riches, and the things of this world, we may
preach our hearts out before we can ever persuade
them to mind heaven and eternal happiness in good
earnest. This St. Paul knew well enough, and then-
fore hath left this not only as his advice and counsel,
but as a strict command and duty incumbent upon
the preachers of the gospel in all ages, that they
" charge them that are rich," &c. Where, it must be
observed, in the first place, how we are exprewlj
enjoined to " charge them that are rich," eve. a word
much to be observed. The apostle doth not say,
desire, beseech, counsel, or admonish the rich, hot
paraggclle tois plousiois, " charge and command them
that are rich." The word properly signifies such a
charge as the judges at an assize or sessions make 1:1
the king's name, enjoining his subjects to observe
the established laws and statutes of the kirigdoi
And so the word is always used in Scripture for the
strictest way of commanding any thing to he observed
or done; as Acts v. 28. oupara(/(/<H<i pareggeiUtme*
humify "Did we not strictly command you," Luke
v. 14. parer/geillen auto, " He charged him to tell
no man." Thus therefore it is, that we are lure en-
joined to charge the rich, in the name of the King
of kings, not to be high-minded, nor to trust in un-
certain riches, Sec.
And this is the proper notion, and the only true
way of preaching the word of Oodj which, therefore
in Scripture, is ordinarily expressed by the uor.l
Aen/sseht, which properly signifies to publish Of
proclaim, as heralds do, the will and pleasure <>t the
3? 2
prince, and in his name to command the people to
observe it. Thus we are enjoined to preach the
word of God, by publishing his will and pleasure to
men ; charging them in his name, to obey and
practise it. For we come not to them in our own
names, but in his that created and redeemed them ;
and, therefore, although we neither have nor pre-
tend to any power or authority over them, from
ourselves, yet, by virtue of the commission which
we have received from the universal and supreme
Monarch of the world, we not only lawfully may,
but are in duty bound, to charge and enjoin all in
his name, to observe what he hath commanded them.
Insomuch, that although we pretend not to divine
inspiration, or immediate revelations from God, such
as the prophets had; yet we, preaching the same
word which they did, may and often ought to use
the same authority which they used, saying, as they
did, " Thus saith the Lord of hosts;" for whatso-
ever is written in the Scriptures, is as certainly God's
word now as it was when first inspired or revealed
to them. And therefore it cannot be denied, but
that we have as much power to charge upon all the
observation of what is there written as they ever
had, we being sent to preach and proclaim the will
of God unto all, by the same person as they were.
Hence it is that the apostle, in the name of God,
commands Titus, and in him all succeeding minis-
ters of the gospel, to speak or preach the word of
God, to exhort and rebuke all with authority.
From whence nothing can be more plain, that it is
our duty to preach with authority, as those who
have received power from God, to make known his
373
will and pleasure to all men; or as the apostle here
expressly words it, to " charge them not to he high-
minded ;" and the like.
But this, I fear, may he a very ungrateful .sub-
ject to many; and therefore I should not have in-
sisted so long upon it, hut that there is a kind «.i
necessity for it. For I verily helieve that the non-
ohservance of this hath heen, and still is, the prin-
cipal reason why people receive so little benefit by
hearing of sermons as they usually do; for they
look upon sermons only as popular discourses, re-
hearsed by one of their fellow-creatures, which they
may censure, approve, or reject, as themselves see
good. And we ourselves, I fear, have been too
faulty, or at least remiss in this particular; in that
when we preach, we ordinarily make a long ha-
rangue or oration, concerning some point in polemi-
cal, dogmatical, or practical divinity ; and use only
some moral persuasions, to press upon our auditors
the observance of what we say, without intcrp<>>inr;
or exercising the authority which is committed to
us, so as to charge them in the name of the most
high God, to observe and practise what we declan
and prove unto them to be his will, and by conse-
quence their duty. But, for my own part, did I
think that preaching consisted only in explaining
some points in divinity, and using only moral argu-
ments, to persuade men to perform their duty to
God and man, I should not think it worth my while
to do it, because I could not expect to do any <_rm»d
at all by it. For all the moral arguments in the
world can never be so strong to draw us from sin,
as our natural corruptions are to drive us into it.
374
And therefore we can never expect to do any good
upon men, either by our logic or rhetoric ; but our
arguments must be fetched from on high, even from
the eternal God himself, or else they are never
likely to profit or prevail upon them. We must
charge and command them in God's name, or else we
had as good say nothing.
It is true, did we who preach God's word pro-
pose nothing else to ourselves, but to tickle men's
ears, and please their fancies, and so to ingratiate
ourselves into their love and favour, it would be
easy to entertain them with discourses of another
nature, stuffed with such fine words, quaint phrases,
and high notions, as would be very pleasing and
acceptable unto them. But I must take leave to
say, that we dare not do it; for we know that as our
auditors must give an account of their hearing, so
it is not long before we must also mve an account
of our preaching too ; for so God himself hath told
us beforehand by his apostle, Heb. xiii. 17. But
how shall we be able to look the eternal God in the
face, yea, or to look our auditors in the face at that
time, if, instead of charging their duty upon them,
in order to their eternal salvation, we should put
them off with general discourses, which signify no-
thing, only to please and gratify them whilst we
remain with them ? No, we dare not do it, and
therefore I wish men would not expect it from us ;
for we must not hazard our own eternal salvation,
to gain their temporal favour and applause. And,
therefore, seeing God hath been pleased to intrust
us so far with men's souls, as to direct them in the
way to eternal life, howsoever they resent it, we
3?5
are bound it) duty, both to God, to tbcm, and our-
selves, to deal plainly with them, and to use the
authority which he hath here committed to us,
where he hath expressly commanded us, in his name,
to " charge them that are rich in this world," &c.
Where, I desire the reader to observe, in the
next place, that we of the clergy are not only em-
powered to charge the poorer or meaner sort of
people, who, by reason of their extreme proverty and
want, may seem inferior to us — but even rich men
too ; " Charge them," saith the apostle, " that are
rich in this world." And the reason is, becau we
come unto them in his name, who gives them all
the riches they do enjoy, and can take them away
again when he himself pleaseth ; so that he can
make the poor rich, and the rich poor, when he
pleaseth; and therefore the poor and the rich arc all
alike to him. His power and authority arc the same
over both ; and therefore we, coming in his name,
are ordered to make no distinction, but to charge
the one as wTell as the other; yea, here we are par-
ticularly commanded, to " charge them that are
rich."
Which is the next thing to be considered in
these words, even whom the apostle means by them
that " are rich in this world?" Which is a ques-
tion that needs a serious resolution. For many
men, not thinking themselves as yet to be rich enough,
will be apt to conclude, from thence, that they are
not to be reckoned amongst those whom tin- a]
here calls, " rich in this world." Hut whatsoever
they may think of themselves, I believe their an
but few, except the very poor, who, in a scripture
376
sense, are not rich men ; for whatsoever any have,
over and above their necessary maintenance, that the
Scriptures call riches, as is plain from Agur's wish,
" Give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with
food convenient for me." From whence it is easy
to observe, that as nothing but the want of conve-
nient food is poverty ; so, whatsoever a man hath
over and above his own convenient or necessary food
is properly his riches. And so he that" hath it, is,
in a scripture sense, a rich man, and is therefore
called here in my text — plousios quasi polousios —
one that hath much substance, or more than he hath
necessary occasion for. And, therefore, although
some may be richer than others, yet I believe the
generality may justly be reckoned in the number of
rich men here spoken of; at least all such as, by
the blessing of God, have not only what is necessary
for their present maintenance, but likewise some-
thing to spare, and so may all come under the
notion of those whom we are here commanded to
charge not to be high-minded, nor trust in uncertain
riches, &c.
Having thus considered the act which we are here
commanded to exert ; and the object, the rich of this
world, we are now to consider the subject-matter,
what that is which we are here commanded to charge
upon them ; but that is here expressly set down in
several particulars, all which I shall endeavour to ex-
plain as they lie in order.
I. That they " be not high-minded ;" a necessary
caution for rich men. For riches are very apt to
puff men up with vain and foolish conceits of them-
selves, so as to think themselves to be so much the
377
better, by how much they arc richer than other peo-
ple; but this is a grand mistake, which we arc here
enjoined to use the utmost of our power and skill to
rectify, by " charging them that arc rich not to be
high-minded ;" that is, not to think highly and
proudly of themselves, because they arc richer or
wealthier than other men, but to be every way afl
humble in their own eyes, and as lowly-minded in
the enjoyment of all temporal blessings, as if they
enjoyed nothing; as considering,
First, How much soever they have, they are no
way really the better for it.
1st, Not in their souls. They are never the wiser
nor holier, nor more acceptable unto God, by their
being rich, — Eccles. ix. 1. Job xix.
2d, Nor in their bodies. They arc never the
stronger, nor healthier, nor freer from pain and trou-
ble, nor yet longer lived than others.
3d, Nor in their minds. Their consciences are
never the epaieter, their hearts never the freer from
cares and fears, neither can they sleep better than
other people, — Eccles. v. 12.
4th, Nor in their estate and condition.
First, Not in this life. For riches can never sa-
tisfy them, nor by consequence make them happy :
but they may still be as miserable in the enjoyments,
as in the want of all things, — Eccles. v. II.
Secondly, Nor yet in the life to come. They
are never the nearer heaven by being higher upon
earth; their gold and silver can never purch.
inheritance for them in the land of Canaan, — James
ii. 5.
Second, They are so far from being better, that
378
they are rather much worse for their having abund-
ance here below.
1st, They have more temptations to sin, to
luxury, to covetousness, to the love of this world,
to the neglect of their duty to God, to pride and
self-conceitedness, to security and presumption, —
Luke xii. 19.
2d, It is harder for them to get to heaven than
it is for others ; and, by consequence, the richer they
are the more danger they are in of being miserable
for ever, — Matt. xix. 23. Whence our Saviour
himself denounceth a woe upon them that are rich;
and James bids them " weep and howl for their
miseries;'* and therefore advises us to rejoice ra-
ther at poverty than riches, — James i. 9, 10. Now,
these things being considered as spoken by God
himself, none can deny but that the rich are certainly
in a worse condition than the poor ; and, by conse-
quence, that men have no cause to be proud or high-
minded, nor to glory in their riches, — Jer. ix. 23.
And, therefore, whatsoever outward blessings God
hath bestowed upon us, " let us not be high-minded,
but fear."
II. Nor " trust in uncertain riches ;" which I
confess is a very hard lesson for a rich man to learn,
nothing being more difficult than to have riches, and
not to trust in them, as our Saviour himself intimates,
in explaining the one by the other, as things very
rarely severed,— Mark x. 23, 34. But certainly,
it is altogether as foolish a thing to trust in riches
as it is to be proud of them. For,
I. They of themselves can stand us in no stead,
they cannot defend us from any evil, nor procure us
379
any good; they cannot of themselves either feed us,
or clothe us, or refresh us, or be any way advanta-
geous to us, without God's blessing. How much
less can they be able to deliver us from the wrath to
come ! No : we may take it for a certain truth,
our riches may much further our eternal misery, but
they can never conduce any thing to our future hap-
piness <
2. If we trust in them, be sure they will fail its
and bring us to eternal misery and desolation ; for
to trust in any thing but God, is certainly one of
the highest sins we can be guilty of. It is, in plain
terms, idolatry : " He that trusteth in riches is sure
to fall;" for this is to deny God, — Job xxxi. 2!,
25, 28.
3. They are but uncertain riches — " tlicv make
themselves wings and fly away." They arc in con-
tinual motion, ebbing and flowing, and never con-
tinuing in one stay: so that you are never sure of
keeping them one day. And what reason, then.
we have to trust on them — especially considering,
that they are not only uncertain, but uncertainty it-
self, as the word here signifies, " Trust not in the
uncertainty of riches," but in the living (i,H| ^ I Ii>.
he is to be the only object of our trust, whether we
have, or have not, any thing else to trust on ;
speak more properly, there is nothing that we
upon good grounds, make our trust and confidence,
but only him who governs and disposeth of all things
according to his own pleasure. So that it is b<
he alone, that giveth us all things richly to enjoy.
It is not our wit or policy, it is not our strength <>i
industry, it is not our trading and trafficking in the
380
world, it is none but God that giveth us what we
have, — Deut. viii. 13. Prov. x. 22. And as it is he
that maketh men rich, so he can make them poor
again, when he himself pleaseth ; and they have cause
to fear he will do so too, unless they observe what is
charged upon them.
There are four duties still behind, which we are
here commanded to charge all those who are rich to
observe.
I. That " thev do good." In treating of which
I might show the several qualifications required to
the making up of an action good; as that the matter
of it must be good, as commanded, or at least allowed
by God ; that the manner of performing it be good,
as that it be done obediently, understandingly, will-
ingly, cheerfully, humbly, and sincerely; and that
the end be good too, so as that it be directed ulti-
mately to the glory of God. But not to insist upon
that now, I shall only consider what kind of good
works the rich are here commanded to do, as they
are rich men. And they are two, works of piety,
and works of charity.
1. They are here commanded to do works of
piety. Where by works of piety, I mean, not their
loving, and fearing, and honouring of God, nor yet
their praying to him, their hearing his word, or
praising his name ; for such works of piety as these
are, the poorest as well as the richest persons
amongst us are bound to do; whereas the apostle
here speaks only of such works as they who are rich
are bound to do, upon that account because they are
so. And, therefore, by works of piety here, I un-
derstand such works as tend to the honour of his
S8J
name, to the performance of worship and homage to
him, to the encouragment of his ministers, the pro-
pagating of his gospel, and the conversion of sinners
to him. All which they are bound to do, to the
utmost of their power, out of the estates which for
these purposes he hath intrusted with them. Foi
thus they are expressly commanded to honour the
Lord with their substance, or riches, and " with the
first-fruits of all their increase." And the reason
is, because God is the universal Proprietor, the head
Landlord of all the world, and we have nothing but
what we hold under him ; neither arc we any more
than tenants at will to him, who may fine us at his
own pleasure, or throw us out of possession when-
soever he sees good. Now lest we should forget
this, even upon what tenure it is that we hold our
estates, God hath enjoined us to pay him, as it were,
a quit-rent or tribute out of what we possess, as an
acknowledgment that it is by his favour and blessing
alone that we do possess it. 80 that whatsoever we
do, or are able to offer him, is but a due debt which
we owe him, which if we neglect to pay him, we
lose our tenure, and forfeit what we have to the Lord
of the manor, the supreme possessor of the world.
Hence it is, that in all ages, they who were truly
pious, and had a due sense of God upon their hearts,
were always very careful to pay this their homage
unto God; insomuch that many of them never
thought they could give enough to any pioui
wherein to testify their acknowledgment of God's
dominion over them, and his right and property in
what they had. A noble instance whereof we have
in the children of Israel: for when the tabernacle
382
was to be built for the service and worship of God,
they were so far from being backward in contributing
towards it, that they presently brought more than
could be used in the building of it. So it was too
in the building of the temple, which David and the
chiefs or nobles of Israel made great preparation for.
And that they did this thereby to acknowledge God
to be the Lord and Giver of all, is plain from the
following words : " But who am I, and what is my
people, that we should be able to offer so willingly
after this sort; for all things come of thee, and of
thine own have we given thee ?" The same was
also observed in the builders of the second temple,
as the raising the first out of its rubbish, wherein it
had lain for many years. And as for Christians, I
need not tell you how forward those who have been
truly pious have always been in doing such works of
piety, since most of the churches in Christendom,
or be sure in this nation, have been erected by par-
ticular persons. And it is very observable, that the
more eminent any place or age hath been for piety
and devotion, the more pious works have been always
done in it, for the service and worship of almighty
God ; which plainly shows, that where such works
are wanting, whatsoever pretences they may make,
there is no such thing as true piety and the fear of
God. And therefore, as ever we desire to manifest
ourselves to be what we profess, true Christians in-
deed, men fearing God and hating covetousness, we
must take all opportunities to express our thankful-
ness unto God for what we have, by devoting as
much as we can of it to his service and honour.
2. Besides these works of piety towards God, the
383
rich arc enjoined also works of charity towards the
poor, which though they have an immediate reference
to the poor, yet God looks upon them as given to
himself. Hence it is that God accepts of Buch
works as these also, for part of the tribute which we
owe him; wherchy we acknowledge the receipt of
what we have from him, and express our thankfulness
unto him for it, without which we have no ground
to expect a blessing upon what we have, nor that it
should be really good to us : for, as the apostle tells
us, " every creature of God is good, if it be received
with thanksgiving," not else. But no thanksgiving
is acceptable but that which is expressed by works
as well as words. And therefore it is necessary for
us to pay this duty and service to God out of what
we have, in order to the cleansing and sanctifying
the residue of our estates unto us, without which we
have not the lawful use of what we possess, but every
thing we have is polluted and unclean to us, as OU1
Saviour himself intimates: " But rather irive alms
of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things
are clean unto you :" a thing much to be considered :
for I verily believe that the great reason why BO
many estates arc blasted so soon, and brought to
nothing amongst us, is because men do not render
unto God their duty and tribute out of wha:
have; and therefore it is no wonder that God in hu
providence turns them out of their i i, and
gives their estates to other persons who shall !•
better tenants to him, and he careful t" pay him the
duties which he requires of them. And tin i
in order to men's securing their estate
384
and posterity, it is absolutely necessary that they
observe the duty which we are here recommended to
charge upon all that are rich in this world, even to
do good with what they have ; and not only so, but,
II. To be rich in good works ; that is, not only
to do good, but to do as much good as they are able
with their riches, so as to proportion their good
works to the riches which God hath given them
wherewith to do them, according to the apostle's
directions, 1 Cor. xvi. 2. Thus in the place before
quoted, Luke xi. 41. where our Saviour bids the
Pharisees to " give alms of such things as they
have," his words are, ta enonta dote eleemosynen,
" give alms as you are able," for so the words pro-
perly signify. And verily whatsoever we do, unless
it he as much as we can, God will not look upon us
as doing any thing at all ; for we must not think to
compound with him. When he hath given us all
we have, he expects that we render all that he re-
quires of us, that is, as much as we are able to pay
unto him. As, if a man owes you money, you will
not accept of part instead of the whole, so neither
will God from us. We all owe him as much as we
are able to devote to his service and honour, and
we must not think to put him off with part of it ;
for he reckons that he receives nothing from us,
unless it be proportionable to what he hath bestowed
upon us. But how little soever it is that we give
or offer to him, if it be but answerable to our
estates, it will be accepted by him. This our Sa-
viour himself hath assured us of, Matth. xii. 43, 44.
From whence we may certainly conclude, that there
385
is not the poorest person whatsoever, but may be
as rich in good works as the richest, became God
cloth not measure the goodness of our works by
their bulk or quantity, but by the proportion which
they bear to our estates; so that he who gives a
penny may do as good work as he who gives a
pound; yea, and a better too, because his may he
as much as he is able, whereas the other's may not.
I wish all men may seriously weigh and consider this,
lest otherwise they go out of the world without e\ er
having done one good work in it: lor wc may as-
sure ourselves, he that is not thus rich in
works, doth no good at all with his riches.
But it is further to be considered here, that this
expression, "rich in good works," implies that good
works are indeed our principal riches; and that men
must not compute their riches so much from what
they have, as from what they give and devote to
God. For what we have is not ours, but C rod's in
our hands, but what we give is ours in God's
hands, and he acknowledged) himself our debtor for
it, in that he tells us that we lend it to him, and
promiseth to pay it to us again. And, therefore,
they who cast up their accounts to know how rich
they arc, ought not to reckon upon what they have
lying by them, nor upon their houses and lands th.it
are made over to them, nor yet upon what is owing
to them by men; but should reckon only upon what
they have given to pious and charitable B
what treasure they have laid up in heaven. for
whatsoever thev may think at present, 1 dar.
them, that will he found to be their only riches
another dav. And, therefore, if any one rJeeirf to
R
386
be rich indeed, let him take my advice, do what
good he can with the riches he hath, and then he
will be rich enough ; for this is the way to be rich
in good works. But in order unto that, he must
likewise observe what follows : to be.
III. " Ready to distribute;" that is, ready upon
all occasions to pay his tribute unto God, whensoever
he in his providence calls for it; taking all oppor-
tunities of doing good, and glad when he can find
them. Thus, therefore, whensoever any oppor-
tunities present themselves of expressing our thank-
fulness unto God, by works either of piety or cha-
rity, whatsoever other businesses may be neglected,
we must be sure to lay hold on that. For I dare
say, that there is none but will grant me, that there
is all the reason in the world that God should be
served in the first place, and that he should have
the first fruits of all our increase, Prov. iii. 9. Exod.
xxiii. 19. Deut. xxvi. 2. And, therefore, we cannot
but acknowledge, that works of piety towards God,
and of charity to the poor, or as the Scripture calls
them in general, good works, are always to be done
in the first place ; and whatsoever other works may
be omitted, be sure they must not. But we ought
still to be as ready to pay our duties unto God, as
we are to receive any thing from him, as ready to
o-ive as to receive ; and, by consequence, as men let
no opportunities slip wherein they can increase their
estates, they are much less to let any opportunities
pass wherein they can any way improve their estates
for God's glory and others' good ; that they ought
to be ready, upon all occasions, to distribute what
they can upon charitable and pious uses.
3S7
IV. " Willing to communicate." As \vc must
do it with a ready hand, so we must do it with a
willing heart too. Thus we are enjoined to Bervc
God willingly, 1 Chron. xxviii. 6. and cheerfully,
2 Cor. ix. 6, 7. Indeed God accepts of none hut
free-will offerings. If we be not as willing to do
good works as we are to have wherewith to do them,
we may be confident God will never accept of them.
And, therefore, in plain terms, if any would be rich
in good works as becometh Christians, and as it is
our interest to be, they must not stay till they be
compelled, persuaded, or entreated by others to do
them ; but they must set upon them of their own
accord, out of pure obedience unto God, and from a
due sense of their constant dependance upon him,
and manifest obligations to him : vca, so as to take
pleasure in nothing in the world so much as in pay-
ing their respects and service to almighty God,
1 Chron. xxix. 14, 15, 17.
Now, to encourage the rich to employ their es-
tates thus in doing good, the apostle adds in the
last place, that this is the way to " lay up lor them-
selves a good foundation against the time to come,
that they may lay hold on eternal life." A Btrange
expression! yea, such a one, that had not St. Paul
himself spake it, some would have been apt to have
excepted against it for an error or mistake. \\ hat,
iiood works the foundation of eternal life ' No, that
CI
is not the meaning of it : but that good works are
the foundation of that blessed sentence which they
shall receive who are made partaker- of eternal life,
as is plain from our Saviour's own word-. Matt. \\\.
3i, 35, 36.
n 2
388
And verily, although there be no such intrinsic
value in good works, whereby they that do them
can merit any thing from God by their doing of
them ; yet nothing can be more certain, than that
God in his infinite mercy in Jesus Christ, will so
accept of them as to reward us for them in the world
to come. For this our Saviour himself doth clearly
intimate to us in the place before quoted; as also
Mat. vi. 20. Luke xii. 33. xvi. 9. that is, distribute
and employ the unrighteous or deceitful riches you
have in this world in such a way as is most pleasing
and acceptable unto God, that so he may be your
friend, and receive you into everlasting habitations,
when these transient and unstable riches fail you.
From whence I beg leave to observe, that to do
good with what we have, is the only way whereby
to improve our estates for our own good, so as to
be the better for them both in this and also in the
world to come. The Rabbins have a good saying,
that barach hadjein, good works are the salt of
riches, that which preserves them from corruption
and makes them savoury and acceptable unto God,
as also useful and profitable to the owners. Unless
we do good with our estates, we forfeit our title to
them by the non-payment of the rent charge which
God hath reserved to himself upon them; and, there-
fore, we may justly expect every moment to be cast
out of possession ; or howsoever though he may for-
bear us a while, yea, so long as we are in this world,
what good, what benefit, what comfort shall we
have of our estates in the world to come ? Cer-
tainly no more than the rich man in the gospel had
when he lay scorching in hell fire, and had not so
389
much as a drop of water to cool his inflamed tongue.
Whereas on the other side, if we do good with our
estates, if we devote them to the service of God.
and to the relief of the poor, by this means we shall
not only secure the possession of them to ourselves
here, but shall also receive comfort and benefit from
them in the world to come ; so that our estates will
not die with us, but we shall receive benefit by
them, and have cause to bless God for them unto all
eternity ; the apostle himself assuring us, that by
this means we shall " lay up for ourselves a good
foundation for the time to come, so as to lay hold
on eternal life."
This one argument being duly weighed, I hope
I need not use any more to persuade men to do
good with what they have, and to make the hist use
of it they can. For I know I write to Christiana,
at least to such as profess themselves to be so; and
therefore to such as believe there is another world
besides this we live in, and, by consequence, that it
concerns them to provide for that, which, as I have
shown, we may do in a plentiful manner, by the
right improvement of what God hath intrusted with
us in this world. What then do the generality of
men mean to be so slack and remiss in laying bold
of all opportunities of doing good? What, do they
think it possible to lose any thing they do for Go. I ?
or do they think it possible to employ their estates
better than for his service and honour who
them to us? I cannot believe they think BO J and,
therefore, must needs advise the rich again and
not to lay up their talents in a napkin, hut to use
their estates to the best advantage lor God and
890
their own souls ; so that when they go from hence
into the other world, they may be received into
eternal glory, with a "Well done, good and faithful
servants, enter into your Master's joy."
But fearing lest these moral persuasions may not
prevail so much upon my readers as I desire they
might, they must give me leave further to tell them,
that I am here commanded to charge them that are
rich in this world, to be rich also in good works.
And, therefore, seeing, as I have shown, there are
few but who in a Scripture sense are rich in this
world ; in obedience to this command which is here
laid upon me, in the name of the most high God, I
charge you, and not I only, but the eternal God
himself, he wills and requires all those whom he hath
blessed with riches in this world, that they be not
high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but that
they put their whole trust and confidence only hi
the living God, whose all things are, and who gives
us whatsoever we have — that they do good with
what he hath put into their hands, laying it out
upon works of piety towards him, and of charity to
the poor, that his worship may be decently per-
formed, and the poor liberally relieved — that they
be rich in good works, striving to excel each other in
doing good in their generation — that they be ready
every moment to distribute, and always willing to
communicate to every good work, wherein they can
pay their homage, and express their thankfulness to
him for what they have.
391
THOUGHTS ON SELF-DENIAL.
The most glorious sight, questionless, that was
ever to be seen upon the face of the earth, was to
see the Son of God here — to see the supreme Being
and Governor of the world here — to see the Creator
of all things conversing here with his own creatures —
to see God himself with the nature anil in the shape
of man, walking about upon the surface of the
earth, and discoursing with silly mortals lure; and
that with so much majesty and humility mixed to-
gether, that every expression might seem a demon-
stration that he was both God and man. It is true,
we were not so happy as to see this blessed sight;
however it is our happiness that we have heard oi
it, and have it so exactly described to us, that we
may as clearly apprehend it as if we had seen it.
Yea, our Saviour himself hath pronounced those in
a peculiar manner blessed, " who have not seen,
and yet have believed; that is, who never saw
Christ in the manger nor in the temple — who never
saw him prostrate before his Father in the garden,
nor fastened by men unto his cross — who never saw
him preaching the gospel nor working miracles t.>
confirm it — who never saw him before lii- passion
nor after his resurrection, and do as -firmly believe
whatsoever is recorded of him as if they bad
it with their eyes. Such persons our 1»!
viour himself asserts to be truly blessed, as having
such a faith as is " the substance of things hoped
for, and the evidence of things not seen."
392
Hence, therefore, although we lived not in our
Saviour's time, and therefore did not see him do as
never man did, nor heard him speak as never man
spake, we may notwithstanding be as blessed, or
rather more blessed than they that did, if we do but
give credit to what is asserted of him, and receive and
believe what is represented to us in his holy gospels,
where by faith we may still see him working miracles,
and hear him declaring his will and pleasure to his
disciples, as really as if we had then been by him.
And therefore, whatever we read in the gospel that
he spake, we are to hearken as diligently to it as if
we heard him speak it with our own ears, and be as
careful in the performance of it as if we had re-
ceived it from his own mouth ; for so we do, though
not immediately, yet by the infallible pen of them
that did so. And seeing he never spake in vain or
to no purpose, nor suffered an idle or superfluous
word to proceed out of his sacred and divine mouth ;
whatsoever he asserted, we are to look upon as ne-
cessary to be believed, because he asserted it. And
whatsoever he commanded, we are to look upon as
necessary to be observed, because he hath com-
manded it; for we must not think that his assertions
are so frivolous, or his commands so impertinent, that
it is no great matter whether we believe the one
and obey the other or not. No, if we expect to be
justified and saved by him, he expects to be be-
lieved and obeyed by us, without which he will not
look upon us as his disciples, nor by consequence
as Christians, but as strangers and aliens to him,
whatsoever our professions and pretences are.
It is true we live in an age wherein Christianity
393
in the general notion of it is highly courted, and all
sects and parties amongst us making their pretences
to it: whatsoever opinions or circumstances they dif-
fer in, he sure they all agree in the external profession
of the Christian religion, and by consequence in the
knowledge that they ought to be Christians indeed.
But I fear that men are generally mistaken about
the notion of true Christianity, not thinking it to be
so high and divine a thing as really it is; for if they
had true and clear conceptions of it, they would
never fancy themselves to be Christians, upon such
low and pitiful grounds as usually they do, making
as if Christianity consisted in nothing else but in
the external performance of some few particular
duties, and in adhering to them that profess it ;
whereas Christianity is a thing of a much higher
and far more noble nature than such would have
it; insomuch that, did we but rightly understand
it, methinks we could not but be taken with it, SO
as to resolve for the future, to the utmost of our
power, to live up to it; to which could 1 be an in-
strument of persuading any, how happy should I
think myself! However it is my duty to endea-
vour it, and for that purpose I shall now clear up
the true notion of Christianity, that we may kriow
not what it is to be professors and pretend
Christianity, but what it is to be real Christians
and true disciples of Christ Jesus, such as Christ
will own for his in another world.
Now to know whom Christ will accept for hit
disciples, our only way is to consult Christ himself,
and to consider what it is that he requires of the
that follow him, in order to be his disciples : a thing
R 3
394-
as easily understood as it is generally disregarded 5
for nothing can be more plain than that Christ re-
quires and enjoins all those that would be his dis-
ciples, to observe not only some few, but all the
commands that he hath laid upon us. " Ye are my
friends," saith he, and therefore my disciples, " if
ye do whatsoever I command you." So that unless
we do whatever he commands us, we are so far
from being his disciples, that we are indeed his
enemies. Nay, they that would be his disciples,
must excel and surpass all others in virtue and good
works. " Herein," saith he, " is my Father glori-
fied, that ye bring forth much fruit ; so shall ye be
my disciples," yea, and continue in them too. He
tells us also, that they that would be his disciples,
must love him above all things ; or rather hate all
things in comparison of him, Luke xiv. 26. — and
" that they love one another as he hath loved
them." To name no more, read but St. Matthew
xvi. 24. and there you may see what it is to be a
Christian indeed, or what it is that Christ requires
of those who would be his disciples. " If any man
will come after me, let him deny himself, take up
his cross, and follow me." Did we but understand
the true meaning of these words, and order our con-
versation accordingly, we should both know what it
is to be true Christians, and really to be so our-
selves. For I think there is nothing that Christ
requires of those who desire to be his disciples, but
we should perform it, could we but observe what is
here commanded; which that we may all do, I shall
endeavour to give the true meaning of them, and of
every particular in them, as they lie in order.
395
For, saith he, " If any man will come after me,"
that is, if any man will he my disciple; for master!
ye know go before scholars, and disciples follow
after. And our Saviour here speaks of himself
under the notion of a master that hath disciples
coming after him, and saith, that if any one would
be one of his disciples so as to go after him, " he
must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow
him." So that here are three things which out
blessed Saviour requires of those that would he his
disciples, and by consequence of us who profess to
be so; for I dare say there is none of us hut desires
to be a Christian, or at least to be thought so; for
we all know and believe Jesus Christ to be the only
Saviour of mankind — that none can save us but he,
and that there is none of us but he can save, and
that all those who truly come to him for pardon and
salvation shall most certainly have it. Hence it is
that we would all be thought at least so wise, and
to have so much care of our own souls, as to go alter
Christ and be his disciples. I hope there an- hut
few but who really desire to be so. Yet I would
not have any think that it is so easy a matter to he
a disciple of Christ, or a real and true Christian, as
the world would make it : no, we may assure our-
selves, that as it is the highest honour and happi-
ness we can attain unto, so we shall find it the
hardest matter in the world to attain unto it ; not in
its own nature, but by reason of its contrariety to
our natural temper and inclinations. For here we
see what it is our blessed Saviour requires of those
that would go after him, even nothing less than to
deny thcmse:ves, take up their crosses, and follow
396
him. All which are far greater things than at the
first sight or reading they may seem to be.
For first, saith he, " If any man will come after
me, let him deny himself," which being the first
thing which Christ requires of those that go after
him, it is necessary that we search more narrowly
into the nature of it. For if we fail in this, we
cannot but fail in all the rest. And therefore, for
the opening of this, I shall not trouble the reader
with the various expositions, and the divers opinions
of learned men concerning these words, but only
mind him in general, that the self-denial here spoken
of is properly opposed to self-love, or that corrupt
and vicious habit of the soul, whereby we are apt to
admire and prefer our own fancies, wills, desires, in-
terests, and the like, before Christ himself, and what
he is pleased either to promise to us, or require of
us. And therefore, when he commands us to deny
ourselves, his will and pleasure in general is this,
that we do not indulge or gratify ourselves in any
thing that stands in opposition against, and comes
in competition with his interest in the world, or ours
in him, howsoever near and dear it may be to us.
But to deny ourselves whatsoever is pleasing to our-
selves, if it be not so to God and Christ too, so as
not to live to ourselves but only unto him that died
for us, to live as those who are none of our own,
but are bought with a price, and therefore should
cvlorify God both in our sonls and in our bodies,
which are his. But seeing this is not only the first
lesson to be learned by Christ's disciples, but that
which is necessarily required in order to whatsoever
else he commands from us, I shall show you more
397
particularly what it is in yourselves that you are to
deny.
1. You must deny your own reasons in matters
of divine revelation, so as to use them do further
than only to search into the grounds and motives
that we have to helieve them to be revealed by God.
For this being either proved or supposed, we are
not to suffer our reasons to be too curious in search-
ing into them, but believe them upon the word and
testimony of God himself, who is the supreme truth,
or verity itself.
For we who by all our art and cunning cannot
understand the reasons of the most common and ob-
vious things in nature, must not think to comprehend
the great mysteries of the gospel, which, though
they be not contrary to our reasons, are infinitely
above them : " For the natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of God, for they arc
foolishness to him, neither can he know them, be-
cause they are spiritually discerned." 80 that to
the understanding of the things of the Spirit, or
which the Spirit of God hath revealed to us, there
is a great deal more required than what we have by
nature, even the supernatural assistance of tin1 Spirit
himself that revealed them. And therefore, M It
any man amongst us sccmeth to he wise in this
world, let him become a fool that he may he wise,"
that is, he that would be wise unto salvation must
look upon himself as a fool, as one incapable by na-
ture of understanding the things that belong unto
his everlasting peace, without both the revelation
and assistance of God himself; and therefore must
not rely upon his own judgment, but only upon
398
God's testimony in what he doth believe, not believ-
ing what is reason, but what God's word tells him ;
looking upon it as reason enough why he should be-
lieve it, because God hath said it.
I know this is a hard doctrine to flesh and blood.
For, as Job tells us, " Vain man would be wise,
though man be born like a wild ass's colt." Though
by nature we be ever so foolish, vain, and ignorant,
understanding the great mysteries of the gospel no
more than a wild ass's colt doth a mathematical de-
monstration, yet, however, we would fain be thought
verv wise men ; yea, so wise, as to be able to com-
prehend matters of the highest, yea of an infinite
nature, within the narrow compass of our finite and
shallow capacities. But this is that which we must
deny ourselves in, if we desire to be Christ's dis-
ciples, so as to acquiesce in his word, and believe
what he asserts only because he asserts it, without
suffering our reason to interpose, but looking upon
his word as more than all the reasons and arguments
in the world besides.
2. You must deny your own wills. Our wills, it
is true, at first were made upright and perfect, every
way correspondent to the will of God himself; so as
to will what he wills, that is, what is really good ;
and to nill what he nills, that is, what is really evil.
But, being now perverted and corrupted with sin,
our wills are naturally inclined to the evil which
they should be averse from, and averse from the
good which they should be inclined to ; so that,
instead of choosing the good and refusing the evil,
we are generally apt to choose the evil and refuse
the good. Yet, for all that our wills are thus crooked
399
and perverse, we cannot endure to have then crossed
or thwarted in any thing, but would needs bave oui
own wills in every thing; so as neither to do any
thing ourselves, nor yet have any thing done to us,
but just as ourselves will, who will usually just con-
trary to what we should. But now, they that would
be Christ's disciples must not be thus self-willed j
but deny themselves the fulfilling of their own wills,
when it doth not consist with the will of God to bave
them fulfilled. This our Lord and Master hath
taught us by his example as well as precept, saving,
" Father, if thou be willing remove this cup from
me; nevertheless, not my will, but thine he done."
Where we may observe that our blessed Saviour, as
man, could not but have a natural averseness from
death, as all men by nature have, and that without
sin. And though Christ's will, as man, was ever
so pure and perfect, yet he only submits it to the will
of God. He manifested, indeed, that it was the will
of that nature which he had assumed not to sutler
death, saying, " If it be possible, let this cup pass
from me;" but he shows withal, that the will of man
must still be subject to the will of God ; and that
man, even as man, must deny his own will whenso-
ever it runneth not exactly parallel with God's Bay-
ing, "Nevertheless, not my will, hut thine be
done."
And if Christ himself denied his own pare and
perfect will, that his Father's might be accomplished,
how much more cause have we to (hoy our wills,
which, by nature, are always contrary to bis will,
yea, and to our own good too, preferring gen.
that which is evil and destructive to us, before that
400
which is truly good and advantageous for us ! And
verily, a great part of true Christianity consisteth in
thus resigning our wills to God's, not minding so
much what way our own inclinations bend as what
his pleasure and command is. A notable instance
whereof we have in old Eli, who questionless could
not but be very willing that the iniquity of his sons
might be forgiven, and his family prosper in the
world ; yet, when God had manifested his pleasure
to him, that his house should be destroyed, he sub-
mitted his own wholly unto God's, saying, " It is
the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good." And
whosoever of us would be Christ's disciple indeed,
must be sure thus to deny and renounce his own will
whensoever it appears to be contrary unto God's ; so
as even to will that not his own will but God's
should be fulfilled; as our Lord and Master himself
hath taught us each day to pray : " Thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven." And whosoever hath
learned this art of making his own will bow and stoop
to God's, hath made a very good progress in the
Christian religion, especially in that part of it which
requires us to deny ourselves.
And seeing we must deny our wills, we must needs
deny our affections too, which are indeed nothing else
but the several motions of the will towards good and
evil ; but usually they are so disorderly and irregu-
lar, as to place themselves upon objects directly op-
posite to what they were designed for : for that we
ordinarily love what we ought to hate, and hate what
we ought to love ; desire what we ought to abhor,
and abhor what we ought to desire ; rejoice in those
things which we ought to grieve for, and are grieved
401
at such things which we ought to rejoice in. So that
if we Buffer our affections to move according to their
natural tendency and corrupt inclinations, we shall be
so far from going after Christ, that we shall conti-
nually he running from him. And therefore it must
be our great care and study to hridle our affections,
deny them their unlawful, and fix them upon their
proper objects; yea, and to deny ourselves, too, the
lawful use of such things as our affections are apt to
be unlawfully placed upon. As, for example, it is
lawful, yea our duty to love our relations ; but if our
love to them become exorbitant, so as to love them
more than God, our love to them must he turned
into hatred, in comparison of our love to him, Luke
xiv. 26. And whatsoever lawful thing it is that we
take pleasure in, if once we find that our pleasure in
that extinguisheth, or but damps that pleasure which
we used, or ought to have in God, we are to deny
ourselves such pleasures as these arc, and rather de-
spise ourselves than God.
Yea, we must deny ourselves, moreover, the use
and enjoyment of our estates and earthly possessions,
whensoever they come into competition with his glory.
So that if it come to that point, that we must either
leave our estates to enjoy Christ, or leave Christ to
enjoy our estates; we must be willing and ready,
without any more ado, to abandon and renounce
whatever else we have rather than our interest in
Christ. For indeed he is not worthy to he Christ's
disciple that doth not prefer him before all things
else; neither he that loves the world at all in com-
parison of Christ: " For if any man love the world,
the love of the Father is not in him." And there-
402
fore, he that would be Christ's disciple indeed, must
fix his heart so fast on Christ, that it must hang
loose and indifferent as to all things here below, be-
ing no more proud of them, no more delighted in
them, no more concerned about them, than as if he
had them not. So that, though he have all things
besides Christ, he must have nothing but him, or at
least in comparison of him ; yea, be ready to part
with all, that he may gain Christ. And though
many of us may think this a hard saying, we may
assure ourselves, it is no more than what we must
do, if we desire to be Christ's disciples.
Furthermore, we must deny ourselves those sins
especially, and lusts which we have or do still in-
dulge ourselves in ; for thus the gospel teacheth you,
in a particular manner, " to deny ungodliness and
worldly lusts." And therefore we in vain pretend
to be true Christians, so long as we live in any one
known sin with any love unto it, or delight in it. I
suppose none of my readers guilty of all sins, and I
fear there are few but live in some. No man but
may be naturally averse from some sins ; but it is very
rare to find one that is inclined to none : for ordi-
narily every man hath his darling, his beloved sin,
his own sin, as David himself once had, though he
afterwards kept himself from it. So I fear none of
my readers but have some sin, which he may in a
peculiar manner call his own ; as being that which
his thoughts run most upon, and his desires are car-
ried most unto, which he labours most after, and
takes most pleasure in, which he is most loath to be
reproved for, and most easily overcome by. Now,
this and whatsoever other sins any of us are addicted
403
to, we must wholly leave and utterly renounce if ever
we desire to be Christ's disciples. And therefore,
so long as any of us live in any known sin, as in
pride or prodigality, in oppression or covetousness, in
malice or uncleanness, in drunkenness, uncharitable-
uess, or any other sin whatsoever, we must not think
ourselves to be Christians indeed; Christ will never
own us for his disciples : for so long as we live in any
known sin, it is that sin, and not Christ, that is our
master. And therefore, if we would list ourselves
into his service, we must be sure to deny ourselves
whatsoever we know to be offensive to him.
There is still another thing behind wherein ire
must deny ourselves, if we desire to go after Christ ;
and that is, we must deny and renounce all (Mir self-
righteousness, and all hopes and confidence from
ourselves, and from what we have done, which I look
upon as a very great piece of self-denial: for natu-
rally we are all prone to sacrifice to our own nets, to
burn incense to our own drags, to boast of our own
good works, and to pride ourselves with the conceit
of our own righteousness. Though we he ever BO
o a
sinful, we would not bethought to be so; but would
very fain be counted righteous, not only by men, hut
by God himself, for something or other which our-
selves do: though, when all comes to all, ue know
not what that should he. Hut, however, the pride
of our hearts is such, that we are loath to lj" Ottl ol
ourselves to look for righteousness, to be beholden
to another for it. And this is the reason that justi-
fication by faith in Christ hath had so many adver-
saries in the world; mankind in general hung BO
mue!) in love with themselves, and doating upon what
404
themselves do, that they cannot endure to renounce
and vilify their own obedience and good works, so
much as to think they stand in need of any other
righteousness besides their own ; as if their own
righteousness were so perfect, that God himself could
find no fault with it, nor make any exceptions against
it, but must needs acknowledge them to be just and
righteous persons for it.
Whereas, alas ! there is not the best action that
ever a mere mortal did, but if examined by the strict
rules of justice, it is as far from being good, yea, so
far, that God himself may justly pronounce it evil,
and, by consequence, condemn the person that did
it, for doing of it. And therefore, I cannot wonder
what it is that any man doth or can do, for which he
can in reason be justified before God, our very righ-
teousness being, as the prophet tells, "but as filthy
rags," and our most holy performances fraught with
sin and imperfection ; and therefore, so far from jus-
tifying us, that we may justly be condemned for
them. But this mankind doth not love to hear of,
the pride of our hearts being such, that by all means
we must hcive something in ourselves whereof to
glory before God himself. But woe be to that per-
son who hath no other righteousness but his own,
wherein to appear before the Judge of the whole
world ; for however specious his actions may seem to
men, they will be adjudged sins before the eternal
God.
He, therefore, that would come to Christ, although
he must labour after righteousness to the utmost of
his power, yet, when he has done all, he must re-
nounce it, and look upon himself as an unprofitable
405
servant : " For Christ came not to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance;" that is, lie came not to
call such persons as think they have righteousness
enough of their own to serve their turns; for such
persons think they have no need of him, and there-
fore it would he in vain to call them: but he call-
sinners, such as may, perhaps, be as righteous as the
others; but they do not think themselves to be IO,
but look upon themselves as undone for ever, unless
they have something else to trust to than their own
good works and obedience to the moral law. Such
persons, therefore, Christ came to call; and, if they
come to him, they cannot but find rest and righteous-
ness in him. And if any of us desire to go after
Christ so as to be his disciples, we must be sure to
look upon ourselves as sinners, as deserving nothing
but wrath and vengeance for whatever we have done.
We must renounce all our own righteousness, and
be so far from depending upon it, as to think we
have none to depend upon ; for so really we have
not. And when we have laid aside all thoughts oi
our own righteousness, as to the matter of justifica-
tion before God, then, and not till then, shall we ho
rightly qualified to embrace another's, even that
righteousness which is by faith in Christ Tbui
St. Paul, though he had as much, \v reason
to trust in the flesh or in himself than « th< m foi
himself saith, that " as touching the righteousness
of the law, he was blameless" — " yet," s.iith be,
" what things were gain to me, those 1 counted losfl
for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and 1 count all things
but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ
Jesus my Lord: for whom I have Buffered the loss
406
of all things, and do count them but dung that I
may win Christ, and be found in him, not having
mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that
which is through the faith of Christ, the righteous-
ness which is of God by faith." Thus therefore it
is that all those must do who desire to be as St. Paul
was, real disciples of Jesus Christ ; as we must for-
sake our sins, so we must renounce our righteous-
ness too. It is true, this is a great and difficult part
of self-denial, thus to deny ourselves all that pride,
pleasure, and confidence, which we used to take in
the thoughts of our own righteousness and obedience
to the law of God ; but we must remember that the
first thing which our Saviour enjoins those that
come after him, is to deny themselves.
Thus I have shown what it is in ourselves that
we must deny, and how it is that we must deny our-
selves, if we desire to go after Christ. We must
deny ourselves the curiosity of searching too much
into the mysteries of the gospel, by the light of our
own clouded reason ; we must deny our self-conceit,
our self-love, self-interest, self-confidence, and what-
soever proceeds from and terminates in our sensual
and sinful selves, so as to have no delight in, nor
dependance upon ourselves; yea we must so deny
ourselves, as to be quite taken off from our former
selves, and become other creatures than what we
were. Thus St. Ambrose explains these words,
saying, " Let a man deny himself to himself, so as
to be wholly changed from what he was." But then
you will say, what need is there of all this trouble;
what reason can be given that a man must deny
himself before he can be a true Christian.
407
To this I answer, it is reason enough that Christ
hath commanded us to do it; and surely he best
knows whom lie will accept of as his disciples, and
what is necessary to be done in order to our being
so: and he hath said in plain terms, " If any man
will come after me, let him deny himself," implying,
that he that doth not deny himself cannot "-o after
him.
But besides that, there is an impossibility in the
thing itself, that any one should be a true Christian,
or go after Christ, and not deny himself, as may be
easily perceived, if they will but consider what true
Christianity requires of us, and what it is to be a
real Christian. A true Christian, we know, is one
that lives by faith, and not by sight : " that looks
not at the things that are seen, but at those things
which are not seen ;" that believes whatsoever Christ
hath said, trusting on whatsoever he hath promised,
and obeying whatsoever he hath commanded; that
receiveth Christ as his only Priest to make atone-
ment for him, as his only Prophet to instruct, and
as his only Lord and master to rule and govern
him. In a word, a Christian is one that uives op
himself and all he hath to Christ, who gave himself
and all that he hath to him ; and therefore the wv\
notion of true Christianity implies and supposes the
denial of ourselves, without which it is imp'
for a man to be a Christian, as it is lor a subject to
be rebellious and loyal to his prince at the same time;
and therefore it is absolutely necessary that we Lr<» out
of ourselves before we can go t<> him— we must strip
ourselves of our very selves before we can put en
Christ: for Christ himself hath told Ul that "no
408
man can serve two masters, for either he will hate
the one and love the other, or else he will hold to
the one, and despise the other." We " cannot
serve God and mammon," Christ and ourselves too ;
so that we must either deny ourselves, to go after
Christ, or else deny Christ to go after ourselves, so
as to mind our own selfish ends and designs in the
wrorld.
Wherefore I hope I need not use any other
arguments to persuade any to deny themselves in
the sense already explained; I dare say there is
none amongst us but would willingly be what we
profess, even a real Christian, and so go after
Christ here, as to come to him hereafter. But we
have now seen how Christ himself told us, that we
must deny ourselves, if we desire to serve and enjoy
him : and verily it is a hard case if we cannot deny
ourselves for him who so far denied himself for us
as to lay down his own life to redeem ours. He
who was equal to God himself, yea, who himself
was the true God, so far denied himself as to be-
come man, yea, " a man of sorrows, and acquainted
with grief," for us ; and cannot we deny ourselves
so much as fancy a conceit, a sin, or lust, for him ?
How then can we expect that he should own us for
his friends, his servants, or disciples ? No, he will
never do it, neither can we in reason expect that he
should give himself and all the merits of his death
and passion unto us, so long as we think much to
give ourselves to him, or to deny ourselves for him.
And therefore if we desire to be made partakers of
those glorious things which he hath purchased with
his own most precious blood for the sons of men :
409
let us begin here, indulge our flesh no longer, but
deny ourselves whatsoever God hath been pleased to
forbid. And for that end, let us endeavour each
day more and more to live above ourselves, ibove
the temper of our bodies, and above the allurements
of the world — live as those who believe and profeM
that they are none of their own, but Christ's; his
by creation — it was he that made us; his by preser-
vation— it is he that maintains us; and his hv re-
demption— it is he that hath purchased and redeemed
us with his own blood. And therefore, let us deny
ourselves for the future to our very selves, wboec
we are not, and devote ourselves to him whose alone
we are. By this we shall manifest ourselves to be
Christ's disciples indeed, especially if we do not only
deny ourselves, but also take up our cross ami fol-
low him ; which brings me to the second thing which
our blessed Saviour here requires of those who
would go after him, even " to take up their cr«
Where by the cross we are to understand what-
soever troubles or calamities, inward or outward, Wi
meet with in the performance of our duty to God or
man, which they that would go after Christ must
take up as they go along, without any more ado.
neither repining at them, nor sinking under tliem:
for we must not think that Christ invites us to an
earthly paradise of idleness or outward pleasure, as it
we had nothing to do or to suffer for him : lor t \» ,,
as men we cannot but find many crossei in the
world, but as Christians we must raped more: foi
Christ himself hath told us, that k> in the world wc
shall have tribulation." And therefore, irhll
we meet with is no more than what we are to luok
S
410
for ; especially if we walk uprightly in the way that
leads to heaven. We cannot but expect to meet with
many a rub ; for God himself hath told us that it is
" through many tribulations that we must enter into
the kingdom of heaven." And therefore we must
not think to be carried up to heaven with the breath
of popular applause, nor to swim through a deluge
of carnal pleasures into the haven of everlasting
happiness. No, we must look to be tossed to and
fro in this world, as in a raging and tempestuous
ocean, and never look for perpetual calmness and
tranquillity, until we have got above the clouds, yea,
even above the sun and stars themselves. This
world was always a world of trouble, and ever will
be. Its very friends, and they that have their portion
here, can find no quiet nor satisfaction in it. But the
disciples of Christ, " they are not of this world," as
Christ himself tells us ; and therefore, no wonder
if the world frown more upon them than others.
The way they walk in is opposite to the world, it is
emnity itself to the flesh ; and therefore no wonder
if they meet with so much enmity and opposition
here. The way wherein they go after Christ is a
cross way ; it is cross to sin — cross to Satan — cross to
the world — cross to our very selves as we are by na-
ture, and by consequence cross to all men in the
world but Christ's disciples ; and therefore it is no
wonder they meet with so many crosses in it. But
howsoever, if we desire to go after Christ, he hath
told us beforehand what we must expect. As he hath
borne the cross before us, he expects that we now
bear it after him; yea, we must not only bear it,
but take it up too; not that we should run ourselves
411
into danger, but that we should bulk DO duty to
avoid it, so as to be willing and ready to undergo
the greatest sufferings rather than to commit the
least sin, and to run the greatest danger rather than
neglect the smallest duty. If, whilst we are walking
in the narrow path of holiness, there happen to lie
a cross in the way, we must not go on one .side nor
on the other side of it, out of the path we walk in,
neither must we kick and spurn it, hut we musl
patiently take it up and carry it along with us : if
it be a little heavy at first, it will soon grow lighter,
and not at all hinder, but rather further our pro
towards heaven.
But here we must have a great care to understand
our Saviour's meaning, and so our own duty aright.
For we must not think that every trouble we meet
with in the world is the cross of Christ; for we may
suffer for our fancy or humour, or perhaps for our
sin and transgression of the laws of God or men :
and if so, it is our own cross, not Christ's, which we
take upon us. We may thank ourselves for it: I am
sure Christ hath no cause to thank us: u For this
is thank-worthy," saith the apostle, " if a man fu
conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrong-
fully." And, therefore, the duty which our Saviour
here imposeth on us in £ew terms, is this, that we
be ready not only to do, but to suffer what wi
for the glory of God, and the furtherance of the
gospel; and that we omit no duty, nor commit an\
sin for fear of suffering, nor think so much of any
trouble that befalls us for Christ's sake, hut rathl i
to rejoice at it, even as the apostles rej
they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his
412
name. Which was a clear instance of their per-
forming the duty here enjoined both them and us,
under the name of " taking up our cross."
And I hope there is none of us can take it ill,
that Christ hath imposed so severe a duty upon us ;
for we may assure ourselves he requires no more of
us than what himself hath undergone before ; so that
we can suffer nothing for him but what he hath
suffered before for us. Have we grief and trouble in
our hearts? So had he, Matt. xxvi. 38. Have we
pains and tortures in our bodies ? So had he, Matt,
xxvii. 29, 30. Are we derided and scoffed at ?
So was he, Matt, xxvii. 31. Are we arraigned and
condemned; yea, do we suffer death itself? It is no
more than what our Lord and master hath done be-
fore. And let us remember what he told us when
he was upon the earth : " The disciple is not above
his Master, nor the servant above his Lord." If
we be Christ's disciples, we caunot expect to fare
better in the world than Christ himself did, neither
indeed can we fare so bad. For it is impossible that
we should undergo so much for him as he hath un-
dergone for us, ours being only the sufferings of
men, his the sufferings of one who was God as well
as man ; whereby sufferings in general are sanctified
to our human nature, it having already undergone
them in the person of the Son of God ; so that it
can be now no disparagement at all to undergo any
trouble, as hatred, reproach, poverty, pain, yea death
itself, or any other calamity whatsoever in this world,
seeing the Son of God himself, he that made the
world, underwent the same while himself was in it.
And therefore we need not think it below us, to stoop
e
com-
413
down and take up the cross of Christ, as considering
that Christ hath home it before us — hath so blessed
and sanctified it unto us, that it is now become an
honourable, and advantageous, yea, and a pleasant
cross, to them that bear it patiently, thankfully, and
constantly, as they ought to do, especially seeing it is
such a cross as leads unto a crown. Whatsoever w
can do or suffer for Christ here, will be fully re
pensed with glory hereafter; and, therefore, Instead
of being troubled to take up our cross, we are rather
to rejoice that we have any to take up.
Thus we see in few words, what it is which our
Saviour commands us, when he enjoins us to deny
ourselves, and take up our cross; even that we do
not gratify ourselves in any thing that is ungratefbJ
unto him, nor grudge to take up any cross, or suffer
any trouble we meet with in the world, for his sake,
thinking nothing too dear to forsake, nor any thing
too heavy to bear for him, who thought not his own
life too dear, nor the cross itself too heavy to bear
for us. What now remains, but that, knowing <>ur
Saviour's pleasure, we should all resolve to do it ?
There is none of us but hope and desire to be saved
by him ; but that we can never be, unless we obsen «
what he hath prescribed in order to our salvation.
And amongst other things, we see how he hath com-
manded us to deny ourselves, and to take up our
cross. As any of us, therefore, desire to he Chris-
tians indeed, so as to see Christ's face with oomforl
in another world, let us bethink ourselves m riouslv
what sins we have hitherto indulged ourselves m.
I fear there are but few, if any amongst us, hut an
conscious to themselves, that they have, and do
414
still live, either in the constant neglect of some
known duty, or else in the frequent commission of
some beloved sin. What that is, I dare not under-
take to tell, but leave that to God and to men's own
consciences; only I desire them to deal faithfully
with their own souls, and not suffer themselves to be
fooled into a fond and vain persuasion that they have
any interest in Christ, or are truly his disciples,
until they deny themselves that sin, whatsoever it
is, which they have hitherto indulged themselves in.
And let us not think that we shall deny ourselves
any real pleasure or profit, by renouncing our sins ;
for what pleasure can we have in displeasing God,
or profit in losing our own souls? No, we shall
gratify ourselves more than we can imagine, by
denying ourselves, as much as we are able, whatso-
ever is offensive or displeasing unto God ; for we
may be sure, he that came into the world on purpose
to save us from evil, commands us nothing but for
our own good ; neither would he ever have obliged
us to deny ourselves, if we could have been saved
without it; and as for the cross, that he was so
well acquainted with, that he would never have im-
posed it upon us to take it up but that it is indis-
pensably necessary for us. And, therefore, if we
be what we pretend, real and true Christians, let us
manifest it to the world, and to our own consciences,
by denying ourselves whatsoever Christ hath denied
us, and by observing whatsoever he hath commanded
us, even to the taking up of any cross that he, for
his own sake, shall suffer to be laid upon us ; still
remembering, that self-denial, though it be unplea-
sant, is a most necessary duty ; and the cross, though
415
it be ever so heavy, is but short, and hath nothing
less than a crown annexed unto it — a glorious and
eternal crown, which all those shall most certainly
obtain who deny themselves.
THOUGHTS ON STRIVING TO ENTEB
IN AT THE STRAIT GATE.
As certainly as we are here now, it is not long
till we shall all be in another world — cither in a world
of happiness, or else in a world of misery ; or, if
you will, either in heaven or in hell. For these art
the two only places which all mankind, from the be-
ginning of the world to the end of it, must live in
for evermore — some in the one, some in the other,
according to their carriage and behaviour here. And
therefore it is worth the while to take a view and
prospect now and then of both these places, and it
will not be amiss if we do it now: for which vml
I desire the reader, in his serious and composed
thoughts, to attend me first into the celestial man-
sions, above yonder glorious sun, and the stars them-
selves, where not only the cherubim and seraphim,
angels and archangels, but many also of our breth-
ren, the sons of men, at this very moment are enjoy-
ing the presence, and singing forth the prai
the most high God. There arc the spirits of juit
men made perfect— perfect in themselves and perfect
in all their actions, pcrfeetly free from all sin and
misery, perfectly full of all true grace and glory, -ill
their faculties being reduced to that most perfect ami
416
excellent frame of constitution, that their under-
standings are continually taken up with the contem-
plations of the supreme truth, and their wills in the
embracement of their chiefest good; so that all the
inclinations of their souls rest in God as in their
proper centre, in whom, by consequence, they enjoy
as much as they can desire, yea, as much as they
can be made capable of desiring. For all those infi-
nite perfections that are concentred in God himself
are now in their possession, to solace and delight
themselves in the full and perfect enjoyment of
them ; by which means they are as happy as God
himself can make them ; insomuch that at this very
moment methinks we may all behold them so ra-
vished, so transported with their celestial joys, that
it may justly strike us into admiration, how ever
creatures which were once sinful could be made so
pure, so perfect, and altogether so happy as they are.
And could we but leave our bodies for a while be-
low, and go up to take a turn in the New Jerusalem
that is above, we could not but be ravished and
transported at the very sight both of the place and
inhabitants, every one being far more glorious than
the greatest emperors of this world, with nothing
less than crowns of glory on their heads, and scep-
tres of righteousness in their hands, where they
think of nothing but the glory of God, discourse of
nothing but praising him, do nothing but adore and
worship him. In a word, whatsoever is agreeable to
our natures, whatsoever is desirable to our souls,
whatsoever can any way conduce to make men
happy, is fully, perfectly, eternally enjoyed, by all
and every person that is in heaven. Whereas, on
417
the other side, if we bring down our thoughts from
heaven, and send them as low as hell, to consider
the most deplorable estate and condition of those
who inhabit the regions of darkness, them wo shall
find as miserable as the others arc happy; not only
in that they are deprived of the vision and fruition
of the ehiefest good, but likewise in that they are in
continual pain and torment, as great as infinite jus-
tice can adjudge them to, and infinite power inflid
upon them. Insomuch, that could we lay our ear to
the entrance of that bottomless pit, what bowlings
and shriekings should we hear, what weeping and
wailing, and gnashing of teeth in the midst of those
infernal flames, where, as our Saviour himself tells
us, " the worm dieth not, and the fire is not
quenched !" That is, where the consciences are
always gnawed and tormented with the remembrance
of their former sins, and the fire of God's wrath is
continually burning in them, never to be quenched
or abated; for certainly as the smiles and favour of
the eternal God constitute the joys of heaven, so do
his frowns and anger make up the flames of hell.
To see Him that made us displeased with us — to
see mercy itself to frown upon us — to see the great
and all-jjlorious Creator of the world, the chiefesl
good, to look angrily upon us, and to show himsell
offended at us, and incensed against us ! Methinks
the very thoughts of it are sufficient to make the
stoutest heart amongst us tremble. Hut then, what
shall we think of those poor souls that u .• sod fed
it ? What shall we think of them ? Questionless,
they are more miserable than we are able to think
them to be. Tor we cannot possibly conceive either
8 :i
418
the greatness of heaven's glory, or the sharpness of
hell's torments ; only this we know, and may be
certain of, that whatsoever is ungrateful to their
minds, whatsoever is troublesome to their thoughts,
whatsoever is contrary to their desires, whatsoever
is painful to their bodies, or whatsoever is or can
be destructive or tormenting to their souls, that, all
they who are once in hell, shall fear and feel, and
that for ever.
But this is too sad and doleful a subject to insist
on long; neither would I have mentioned it, but for
our own good, and to prepare us the better both
for the understanding and improving the advice of
our Saviour, " Enter ye in at the strait gate," &c,
the meaning of which words, in brief, may be
reduced to these three heads : —
First. That it is an easy matter to go to hell,
that place of torments we have now been describing,
and by consequence that many go thither ; for the
gate is wide, and the way is broad that leadeth
thither.
Secondly. That it is a hard and difficult thing to
get to heaven, that place of joys we before spake of,
and by consequence that but few get thither; " For
strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth
to it."
Lastly. Howsoever difficult it is, our Saviour
would have us strive to get to heaven, so as to pass
through that strait gate, and walk in that narrow
way that leadeth unto life.
As for the first, that the gate is wide, and the
way broad that leads to hell, or that it is an easy
matter to go thither, I need not use many words to
419
prove it. For though there be but few that mind
it, I dare say there is scarcely any one but believea
it, yea, and hath oftentimes found it to be true In-
experience, even that it is an easy matter to sin :
and that, we know, is the broad way that leads to
hell; so broad, that they who walk in it can find Dp
bounds or limits In it, wherewithin to contain them-
selves; neither are they ever out of their way, but,
go which way they will, they are still in the ready
way to ruin and destruction. And usually it is as
plain as broad; so that men rarely meet with any
roughness or trouble in it, but rather with all the
pleasures and delights which they desire, who look
no higher than to please the flesh ; yea, whatsoever
it is that they naturally desire, they still meet with
it in the road to hell; and whatsoever is ungrateful
and irksome to them, they are never troubled with
it in the ways of sin. There are no crosses to be
taken up, no self to be denied, but rather indulged
and gratified: there are no such tedious and troublc-
some things as examining our hearts, and mortifying
our lusts, as praying or hearing, as fasting or watch-
ing. These are only to be found in the narrow path
that leads to heaven; the broad way to hell is alto-
gether unacquainted with them, being strewed all
along with carnal pleasures and sensual delights,
with popular applause, and earthly riches, and inch
fine things as silly mortals used to be taken with.
And hence it is, that our Saviour tells us, many
there be which find this way, and go in at this wide
gate that leads to ruin, because they see not whither
it leads, but they see the baits and allurements
which are in it, which they cannot but crowd about
420
as fishes about the hook, or as flies about a candle,
till they be destroyed. Yes, this way to destruction
is so broad, that almost all the world is continually
walking in it ; the gate so wide that thousands at a
time pass through it. And, therefore, we may well
conclude it is a very easy thing to go to that place
of torments, which even now we speak of, or rather
that it is a hard, a difficult matter to keep out of it ;
the way being so narrow that carries from it, that it
is a difficult thing to find it ; and the way so broad
that leads unto it, that none can miss it that hath
but a mind to walk in it.
But I hope none of my readers have (God forbid
they should have) a mind to go to hell. Their taking
religious books into their hands is rather an argu-
ment that they have a mind to go to heaven, and
read on purpose to learn the way thither. And we
do well to take all opportunities of finding out the
way to bliss; for we may assure ourselves it is a
very narrow one, it is hard to find it out, but much
more hard to walk in it ; for it is a way very rarely
trodden, so that there is scarcely any path to be seen
— most people go either on one side, or else on the
other side of it — some running into the by-paths of
error, heresy, or schism; others into the broad way
of profaneness or security; insomuch, that there are
but very few that hit upon the right path that leads
directly to the New Jerusalem, the place of rest.
I speak not this of myself; no, Christ himself that
came from heaven to earth, on purpose to show us
the way from earth to heaven, saith, that " strait is
the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto
life, and few there be that find it."
421
And let not any think that Christ spake these
words in vain, or that it is no great matter whether
we believe what he said or not. Tor, questionless,
one great reason why so tew ever eoine to beaten
is, because most think it so easy to get thither that
they need not take any care or pains about it. For
even amongst ourselves, to whom the gospel is bo
clearly revealed, men generally think it" they do but
read the Scriptures, and hear sermons, and live
honestly with their neighbours, so as to harm no
body, but pay every one their own, that they shall
as surely come to heaven as if they were there
already. Nay, many are so simple as to think that
their separation from the church militant on earth is
the way to bring them to the church triumphant in
heaven; and others so ridiculous as to believe that a
death-bed repentance is sufficient to entitle them to
eternal life. But stay a while : it is not so easy a
matter to get to heaven. Indeed, to me it seems
one of the greatest mysteries in the world, that
ever any man or woman should come thither — that
such sinful worms as we are, who are born in sin,
and live so long in sin and rebellion against the
great Creator of the world, should ever he received
so far into his grace and favour as to enjoy life and
eternal happiness in him. And did we look no
farther than ourselves, we might justly despair of
ever obtaining such transcendent -lory, which we an'
altogether so unworthy of. Hut the gOod» I
God both is and hath been so great to mankind,
that there is none of us but, in and through the
merits of Christ Jesus, is in a capacity tot it. \
we must not think that it is so easy a thing to come
422
to heaven, as the devil, the world, and our own base
hearts, would persuade us it is. If we do, we are
never likely to come thither; no, we may assure
ourselves, as heaven is the greatest good that we can
attain, so doth it require our greatest care and study
imaginable to attain it.
This, therefore, is that which I shall endeavour
to convince men of, and account myself happy if I
can do it. For, I dare say, there is none of us but
desires to see Christ in glory, and to be happy with
him and in him for ever ; but that we can never be,
unless we do whatsoever is required of us in order to
it; and if we think it is so easy a matter to do
whatsoever is required of us, I have just cause to
suspect that we never yet made trial of it, nor set
ourselves seriously upon the performance of those
duties which are enjoined us here in reference to
our being happy for ever. For if we have set upon
it in good earnest, we cannot but have found it very
hard and difficult, by reason of our natural averse-
ness from what is good, and inclinations unto evil.
For we all know, " that without holiness no man
shall see the Lord." So that holiness is the way,
the direct and only way, that leads to heaven;
neither is there any way imaginable of being happy
hereafter but by being holy here. And though it
be an easy thing to profess holiness, and to perform
some external acts of it ; yet to be truly pious and
holy indeed, so as we must be if ever we would go
to heaven, this is every whit as difficult as the other
is easy.
For, first, I suppose all will grant that he is not
truly holy that lives in any known sin, as the apostle
423
also intimates, saying, " He that is born of God
doth not commit sin." And, therefore, he that still
indulgeth himself in the commission of any known
sin, he is not yet regenerate, or horn of God — be is
not truly holy. So that to our being so holy bcrc,
as that we may be happy hereafter, it is absolutely
and indispensably necessary that wo forsake and
avoid, to the utmost of our power, whatsoever is of-
fensive unto God, and contrary to his laws. Hut it
is as difficult as it is necessary to forsake sin as ire
ought to do. It is an easy matter, I confess, to rail
at sin, to backbite others, to blame ourselves for it :
but that is not the business; but to loathe our sins
as much as ever we loved them, to abhor them as
much as ever we desired them, and to be as much
averse from them as ever we were inclined to them ;
to forsake sin as sin, and, by consequence, all sins
whatsoever, one as well as another; so as to deny
ourselves all that pleasure we were wont to take in
any sin, and all that seeming profit which we used
to receive by it, and that too out of love to God, and
fear of his displeasure. This is to forsake sin indeed ;
but it is sooner spoken of than done, and it requires
a great deal of time, and skill, and pains, to gel BO
great a conquest over ourselves as this is — to cut off
our right hand — to pluck out our right eye, and
cast it from us; even renounce and forsake those very
beloved and darling sins which tin- temper and con-
stitution of our bodies, the corruption of our hearts,
and constant custom and practice have made in a
manner natural to us. 80 that our very natures
must be changed before we can ever leave them.
And, therefore, it must needs be a matter
424
great difficulty as it is of moment, to master and sub-
due those sins and lusts that have been long pre-
dominant in us ; which I dare say many of us have
found tby our own sad and woful experience, having
struggled, perhaps, many years against some corrup-
tion, and yet to this day have not got it under, nor
totally subdued it. And it is such, and such alone,
who are competent judges in this case; for they
that never strove against their sins, cannot know how
strong they are, nor how hard it is to conquer them.
And, therefore, it is to those who have made it their
business to destroy and mortify their lusts that I
appeal whether it be not hard to do it. I am confi-
dent they cannot but have found it, and, therefore,
must needs acknowledge it to be so ; and, by con-
sequence, that it is no easy matter to get to heaven,
seeing it is so hard to keep out of hell, and to avoid
those sins which otherwise will certainly bring us
thither — every sin unrepented of having eternal
punishment entailed upon it.
And if it be so hard to forsake sin, how difficult
must it needs be to perform all those duties, and to
exert all those graces, which are necessarily required
in order to our attaining everlasting happiness ! It
is true, praying and hearing, which are the ordinary
means for the obtaining true grace and holiness, are
duties very common and customary amongst us, but
they are never the easier because they are common,
but rather far more difficult. For we, being accus-
tomed to a careless and perfunctory performing of
these duties, cannot but find it a hard and difficult
matter to keep our hearts so close to them, as to
perform them as we ought to do, and so as that we
4&5
may be really said to do them. For we must not
think that sitting at church while the word of God
is preached, is hearing the word of God; or being
present there while prayers are read, is real praying.
No, no, there is a deal more required than this, to
our praying to the great God aright; insomuch that,
for my own part, I really think that prayer, as it \%
the highest, so it is the hardest duty that wc can he-
engaged in, all the faculties of our souls, as well as
members of our bodies, being obliged to put forth
themselves in their several capacities, to the due
performance of it.
And as for these several graces and virtues which
our souls must be adorned withal, before ever they
can come to heaven, though it be easy to talk of
them, it is not so to act them. I shall instance only
in some few ; as, to love God above all things, and
other things only for God's sake ; to hope on no-
thing but God's promises, and to fear nothing hut
his displeasure; to love other men's persons so as to
hate their vices, and so to hate their vices as still to
love their persons ; not to covet riches when we have
them not, nor trust on them when we have them ;
to deny ourselves that we may please God, and to
take up our cross that we may follow Christ : to live
above the world whilst we are in it, and to detpise II
whilst we use it ; to be always upon our watch and
guard, strictly observing not only the outward actions
of our life, but the inward motions of our hearts;
to hate those very sins which we used to love, and
to love those very duties which we used to hate; to
choose the greatest affliction before the least sin,
and to neglect the getting of the greatest gam,
426
rather than the performing of the smallest duty ; to
believe truths which we cannot comprehend, merely
upon the testimony of one whom we never saw;
to submit our wills to God's, and to delight our-
selves in obeying him; to be patient under suffer-
ings, and thankful for all the troubles we meet with
here below ; to be ready and willing to do and suffer
any thing we can for him who hath done and suf-
fered so much for us; to clothe the naked, feed
the hungry, relieve the indigent, and rescue the
oppressed to the utmost of our power. In a word,
to be every way as pious towards God, as obedient
to Christ, as loyal to our prince, as faithful to our
friends, as loving to our enemies, as charitable to
the poor, as just in our dealings, as eminent in all
true graces and virtues, as if we were to be saved
by it, and yet by no confidence in it, but still look-
ing upon ourselves as unprofitable servants, and de-
pending upon Christ, and Christ alone, for pardon
and salvation.
I suppose I need not tell any one that it is hard
and difficult to perform such duties, and to act such
graces as these are ; but this let me tell the reader,
that how hard, how difficult soever it is, it must be
done, if ever we design to come to heaven, and, by
consequence, it is no easy matter to come thither.
Seeing, therefore, the way that leads to heaven is
thus narrow, and hard, it is no wonder that there are
few that walk in it, or indeed that find it out, as our
Saviour himself assures us ; for people generally love
to swim with the stream, lo run with the multitude,
though it be into the gulf of sin and misery. It is
very rare to find one walking in the narrow way, and
427
keeping himself within those hounds and limits
wherewith it is enclosed. And this seems to have
been the occasion of these words in the Gospel of
St. Luke, where one said unto Christ, " Lord, are
there few that be saved?" And our Saviour an-
swered in these words, " Strive to enter in at the
strait gate : for many, I say unto you, will seek to
enter in, and shall not be able." Intimating not
only, that there are few that shall he saved, but like-
wise that many of those who seek to be saved shall
not attain it ; not as if any of those who really and
cordially make it their business to look after heaven,
can ever miss of it; but that many of those who,
presuming upon their seeming obedience and good
works, shall think and seek that way to enter into
the kingdom of God, shall not be able. " For many
will say unto me at that day, Lord, Lord, have we
not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast
out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful
works? And then I will profess unto them, I never
knew you : depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
And if many of those who are great professors of
religion, and make a plausihle show of piety in the
world, shall, notwithstanding, come short of eternal
happiness, and if out of those " many which .ire
called, there are but few ehosen," we may well con-
clude, there are but few indeed that walk in the
narrow path that leads to life, in comparison of those
innumerable multitudes that continually flock to-
gether in the broad way that leads to ruin ami de-
struction. One great reason whereof i^, because
men generallv, though they desire to go to hi
yet will not believe it to be so hard a thin.
428
really is, to get thither ; and, therefore, setting aside
the superficial performance of some few external
duties, they give themselves no trouble, nor take
any pains about it ; as if heaven were so contemptible
a thing, that it is not worth their while to look after
it ; or as if it were so easy a thing to attain it, that
thay cannot miss it whether they look after it or not.
Whereas, questionless, as heaven is the greatest
happiness that we are capable of, so it is the hardest
matter in the world for any of us to attain it.
I say not this to discourage any one, but rather
to excite and encourage all to a greater care and
diligence in the prosecution of eternal happiness
than ordinarily men seem to have. It is my hearty
desire and prayer, that every soul among us may live
and be happy for ever ; but that we can never be,
unless we be serious, earnest, and constant in look-
ing after it, more than after all things in the world
besides. And therefore it is that I have endea-
voured to convince men, that it is not so easy a thing
as they make it, to go to heaven, the path being so
exceedingly narrow that leads unto it ; which I hope
by this time we are all persuaded of, so as to be re-
solved within ourselves to play no longer with reli-
gion, but to set upon it in good earnest, so as to
make it not only our great, but our only business
and design in this world to prepare for another, and
to work out our salvation with fear and trembling —
and, by consequence, to walk in that narrow way of
true piety and virtue that leads to heaven, without
going aside into the vices on either hand; or, how-
soever, to use the utmost of our endeavour to observe
the rules which Christ hath prescribed us, in order
429
to our living with him for ever. Ami () that I knew
what words to take unto myself, and what argument!
to use, whereby to prevail with every soul of us. to
make it our business to get to heaven ; and, by eon-
sequence, to walk directly in the narrow way, and
through the strait gate that leads unto it! What
influence or effect they may have upon the readers,
I know not; however I shall endeavour to present
them with some such considerations as I hope, by
the blessing of God, and the assistance of his grace,
may be so forcible and prevalent upon them, if seri-
ously weighed, that they should not, methinks, be
able to resist them.
Let us consider, therefore, in the first place, that
though it be ever so hard to get to heaven, yet it is
possible ; and though there be but few that come thi-
ther, yet there are some ; and why may not you and I
be in the number of those few as well as others ?
There are many perfect and glorious saints in hea-
ven at this moment, who once were sinful creature!
upon earth, as we now are; but it seems the \\a\
thither was not so narrow but they could walk in it.
nor the gate so strait but they could pass through it :
and why may not we as well as they? W e haw
the same natures, whereby we are capable of bappi-
ness, as they had: we have the same ScriptttKH to
direct us to it as they had: we have the same pro-
mises of assistance as they had : we have tin- same
Saviour as they had — and why then may we m»t get
to the same place where they are." [a the *aj
more narrow, and the gate more strait to us than it
was to them? No. surely, it is every way the same.
Why, then, should we despair of ever attaining
430
lasting glory, seeing we are as capable of it as any
one who hath yet attained it? It is true, if no
mortal man had ever got to heaven, or God had
said, None ever can get thither, then indeed, it would
be in vain for us to expect it, or to use any means
to attain it. But seeing many of our brethren are
already there, and many more will follow after them,
and we are as capable of coming to them as any
other, the straitness of the gate, the narrowness of
the way, or the difficulty of getting thither, should
never discourage us from endeavouring after it, no
more than it did them, but rather make us more di-
ligent in the prosecution of it. — Especially consider-
ing, in the next place, that we are not only as yet in
a capacity of getting to heaven, but we are all invited
thither, and that by God himself; for " he would
have all men to be saved, and to come unto the
knowledge of the truth." Yea, he hath sworn by
himself, saying, " As I live, saith the Lord, I have
no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather
that the wicked turn from his way and live;" and
therefore calls upon us all, " Turn ye, turn ye, from
your evil ways, for why will ye die, O house of Is-
rael !" Hence it is that he sent his prophets to
invite us: " Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye
to the waters." Yea, he came down in his own
person to earth, on purpose to invite us to heaven,
and to direct us the way thither: " Come to me,"
saith he, " all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest." " For God so loved the
world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but
have everlasting life." Whence we may observe,
431
that there is no exception made against any pi
whatsoever, nor by consequence against any of us,
It is the will, yea, and command of God too, that
we all turn from our evil way and live, and that
every soul amongst us walk in that narrow way that
leads to eternal bliss; and, therefore, if any of us do
perish, " our blood will be upon our own heads— our
destruction is from ourselves." For it is nothing
but the perverseness of our own hearts that tan
keep any soul of us out of heaven, however difficult
it is to come thither. For God hath shown how
desirous he is to have our company there, in that he
is still pleased to grant us both the spate ami means
of repentance. If he had no mind to have us saved,
he could have shut us up long ago in hell; but he
is so far from that, that he doth not only as yet con-
tinue our abode on earth, and lengthen our tran-
quillity here, but he still vouchsafes unto us whatso-
ever is necessary, yea, whatsoever can any ways
conduce to our eternal happiness. We have his
scriptures, we have his sabbaths, we have his ordi-
nances, we have his sacraments, we have his minis-
ters, we have the promise of his Spirit, we have the
overtures of Christ, and of all the merits ol* his death
and passion made unto us; and what tan he desired
more to make men happy ? And yet as if all thi
not been enough, he still continues calling upo
exhorting, commanding, yea, and beseeching ua
most affectionately to turn, that our souls may live;
for we his ministers are ambassadors to mankind t n
Christ, as though Clod did beseech you bj
" We pray you in Christ's stead to be reconciled t<»
God." And he hath Bent me unto yoil
452
this, in a particular manner at this time, to call you
back out of the broad way that leads to death, into
the narrow way that leads to life and happiness.
In his name, therefore, I exhort, yea, and " beseech
you by the mercies of God, that you present your
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service." " Strive to enter
in at the strait gate," and never leave till you have
got possession of eternal glory.
Nor let us be discouraged at any difficulties that
we meet with in the way, for they will soon be
over ; howsoever hard and difficult any duty may seem
at first, by use and custom it will soon grow easy.
The worst is at our first setting out ; when once we
have been used a while to walk in this narrow way,
we shall find it to be both easy and pleasant : for as
the wise man tells us, the ways of wisdom or true
piety, " are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths
are peace." Though it be rough at first, by tread-
in o- it will soon grow plain ; we shall soon find the
words of Christ to be true, that his " yoke is easy,
and his burden light." All is but to be willing and
obedient, and resolved upon it, to press through all
difficulties whatsoever to get to heaven, and then by
the merits of Christ's passion, and the assistance of
his grace, we need not fear but we shall come
thither.
And verily, although the way to heaven should
prove not only narrow, but hedged in with briers
and thorns, so that we should meet with nothing but
crosses and troubles in our going to it, yet heaven
will make amends for all. For we may well reckon
with the apostle, " that the sufferings of this life are
438
not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall
be revealed in us." So that whatever pains we are
at, whatever trouble we suffer in order to our attaining
everlasting happiness, bears no proportion at all to
the happiness we attain by it ; which is so great, so
exceeding great, that our tongues can neither ex-
press, nor our minds as yet conceive it, consisting
not only in the freedom from all evil, but also in the
enjoyment of what is really and truly good; even
whatsoever can any way conduce to the making us
perfectly and completely happy; so that no duty can
be too great to undertake, no trouble too heavy to
undergo for it. Wherefore, that 1 may use the
words of the apostle to my readers: " My beloved
brethren, be ye steadfast and immoveable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmueh as
ye know that your labour shall not be in vain in the
Lord."
By this time I hope we are all resolved within
ourselves to follow our Saviour's counsel and advice,
even " to strive to enter in at the strait gate, and
walk in that narrow way that leads to life." It we
be not, we have just cause to suspect ourselves to
be in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of ini-
quity : but if we be but resolved in good earnest, we
cannot but be very solicitous to know what we must
do in order to it, or how every one of us may enter
in at the strait gate, so as to be happy tor ever. A
question of the highest importance imaginable; w
that it is absolutely necessary tor every soul a::.
us to be thoroughly resolved in it, for it concerns our
life, our immortal and eternal life: and therefore I
shall endeavour to resolve it in as few and pc l
T
434
ous terms as possibly I can, that the meanest capa-
city may understand it. But I must take leave to
say beforehand, that our knowing of it will signify
nothing, unless we practise it, neither will you be
ever the nearer heaven, because you know the way
to it, unless you also walk in it.
And, therefore, the first thing I shall propound,
in order to our eternal salvation, is, that we would
resolve immediately in the presence of almighty God,
that we will for the future make it our great care,
study, and business in this world to " seek the king-
dom of God and the righteousness thereof," in the
first place, according to our Saviour's advice and
command, that we would not halt any longer be-
tween two opinions, and think to seek heaven and
earth together, things diametrically opposite to one
another. If we really think earth to be better than
heaven, what need we trouble ourselves any further,
than to heap up the riches, and to enjoy the plea-
sures of this world? But if we really think heaven
to be better than earth, as all wise men must needs
do, then let us mind that, and concern not ourselves
about this. We know what our Saviour told us
long ago: " No man can serve two masters, for
either he 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," that is, in plain
English, we cannot mind heaven and earth both to-
gether; for we can have but one grand and principal
design in the world; and therefore if our principal
design be to get wealth or any earthly enjoyment,
we deceive ourselves, if we think that we mind hea-
ven at all. For that we can never properly be said
43o
to do, until we mind it before all things whatsoever
in the world besides; and let us not savor think
within ourselves, " that it is a hard Baying," for we
may assure ourselves it is no more than what we
shall find to be really true; and that never a soul «»t
us shall ever know what heaven is, that doth not
first prefer it before all things here below, and l.v
consequence make it his principal, if not only design
to get thither.
Supposing us therefore to be thus resolved within
ourselves, my next advice is, that we break off our
former sins by repentance, and showing mercy to the
poor, and that for the future we live not in tin- wil-
ful commission of any known sin, nor yet in the
wilful neglect of any known duty. Where it is
evident, I advise to no more than what all men know
themselves to be obliged to do; for I dare say, there
is none of us know so little, but that, if lie would
but live up to what he knows, he could not he hut
both holy and happy. Let us but avoid what we
ourselves know to be sin, and do what we know to
be our duty, and though our knowledge may not he
so great as others', yet our piety may he greater ami
our condition better. But we must still remember,
that one sin will keep us out of heaven as well as
twenty; and, therefore, if we ever desire t" come
thither, we must not only do some or many things,
but all things, whatsoever is required of us, to the
best of our knowledge. I speak not this of myself,
but Christ himself hath told us the same b
even that we must keep the commandments, all the
commandments, if we desire to enter into eternal lite.
Not as if it were indispensably necessary t<> ob
436
every punctilio and circumstance of the moral law ;
for then no man could be saved ; but that it must be
both our steadfast resolution, and our chief study and
endeavour, to avoid whatsoever we know to be for-
bidden, and to perform whatsoever we know to be
commanded by God.
And thougb by this we shall make a fair progress
in the narrow way to life, yet there is still another
step behind, before we can enter in at the strait
gate, and that is to believe in Jesus Christ, as our
Saviour himself has taught us. The sum of which
duty in brief is this, that when we have done all we
can in obedience to the moral law, yet we must still
look upon ourselves as unprofitable servants, and not
expect to be justified or saved by virtue of that obe-
dience, but only by the merits of Christ's death and
passion — humbly confiding that, in and through him,
the defects of our obedience shall be remitted, our
persons accepted, our natures cleansed, and our souls
eternally saved. This is not only the principal, but
the only thing which Paul and Silas directed the
keeper of the prison to, in order to his salvation, as
comprehending all the rest under it, or at least sup-
posing them.
Thus, therefore, though obedience be the way,
faith is the gate through which we must enter into
life. But seeing the gate is strait as well as the
way narrow, and it is as hard to believe in Christ as
to observe the law, we must not think to do either
by our own strength, but still implore the aid and
assistance of almighty God, and depend upon him
for it. For Christ himself saith, " No man can
came unto me, except the Father which sent me
437
draw him." But we can never expect that be should
draw us, unless we desire it of him ; and therefore it
must be our daily prayer and petition at the throne
of grace, that God would vouchsafe us his especial
grace and assistance, without which I cannot sic how
any one that knows his own heart can expect to be
saved. But our comfort is, if we do what we can.
God will hear our prayers, and enable us to do what
otherwise we cannot; for he never yet did nor ever
will fail any man that sincerely endeavours to serve
and honour him.
Lastly. Although we are to trust in God for the
answer of our prayers in this particular, yet we must
not expect that he should do it immediately from
himself, but we must use those means which himself
hath appointed whereby to work faith, and, by con-
sequence, all other graces in us. Now the Scripture
tells us that faith comes by hearing. Wherefore,
if we desire to believe, so as to he saved, we must
wait upon God in his public ordinances, and there
expect such influences of his grace and Spirit whereby
we may be enabled to walk in the narrow way,
enter in at the strait gate that leads to lite.
Thus I have shown you in a i'ev.- terms, how to
do the great work which you came into the' world
about, even how to get to heaven. For however
hard it is to come hither, let us but resolve, a- we
have seen, to mind it before all things else; feai ( rod
and keep his commandments to the Utmost
power; believe in t'hri.st lor the pardon of OUI
and acceptance both of our persons and performanof I ;
pray sincerely to God, and wait diligently upon him
for the assistance of hi- grace, to do what he re-
438
quires from us. Let us do this, and we need not
fear but our souls shall live. If we leave this un-
done, we ourselves shall be undone for ever. And
therefore let me advise all to dally no longer in a
matter of such consequence as this, but now know
the way to heaven, to turn immediately into it, and
walk constantly in it. Though the way be narrow,
it is not long, and though the gate be strait, it opens
into eternal life. And therefore to conclude, let us
remember we have now been told how to get to
heaven; it is not in my power to force men thither,
whether they will or not; I can only show them the
way. It is their interest as well as duty to walk in
it; which if they do I dare assure them, in the name
of Christ, it is not long till they will be admitted
into the choir of heaven, to sing hallelujahs for ever-
more.
THOUGHTS ON THE IMITATION OF
CHRIST.
If we seriously consider with ourselves, that
wonder of all wonders, that mystery of all mysteries,
the incarnation of the Son of God, it may justly
strike us into astonishment, and an admiration what
should be the reason and the end of it — why the
great and glorious, the almighty and eternal God,
should take our weak and finite nature into his
infinite and incomprehensible person — why the
Creator of all things should himself become a crea-
ture, and he that made the world be himself made
439
in it — why the supreme Being of all beings, thai
gives essence and existence to all things in the
world, whose glory the heaven of heavens is not able
to contain, should clothe himself with flesh and he-
come man, of the self-same nature and substance
with us, who live, and move, and have our being in
him. Certainly it was not upon any frivolous in-
ordinary account that the most high God manifi
himself to the sons of men in so wonderful and ex-
traordinary a manner as this was. But ho did if
questionless upon some design that was as groat and
glorious as the act itself. And if we would know
what his end and design in coming into the world
was, the Scriptures assure us in general, that it was
for the salvation of mankind, whose nature he as-
sumed. " For this is a faithful saying, and worthy
of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinners." And he himself tolls us,
that " God so loved the world, that ho sent bis
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life." No*
for the accomplishment of this no less glorious than
gracious design, there are two tilings which it was
necessary he should do for us, whilst he was upon
earth, even expiate our former sins, and direct U9
unto holiness for the future: both which he hath
effected for us: the one by his death, and the Othei
by his life.
For by his death he hath paid that debt which
we owed to God, having made complete satisfaction
to God's justice for those sins whereby we have in-
curred ids displeasure: for death was threatened t-.
all mankind in case of disobedience, and, hy
440
quence, all mankind being disobedient are obnoxious
to it. Neither would it stand with the justice of
God, to falsify his word, nor yet with his glory, to put
up with the injuries that we have committed against
him, without having satisfaction made unto him for
them. But it being impossible that a finite creature
should satisfy for those sins which were committed
against the infinite God ; hence the infinite God
himself was pleased to undertake it for us, even to
satisfy himself for those sins which were committed
against him ; which he did by undergoing that death
which he had threatened to us in our own nature,
united to the person of his own and only Son, God
co-equal, co-essential, co-eternal, with himself, who
is therefore said " to be a propitiation for our sins."
Neither can there any reason imaginable be alleged
why the Son of God himself should suffer death,
unless it was upon our account, and in our stead,
whose nature he assumed, and in which he suffered
it. But not to insist upon that now, the human
nature in general having thus suffered that death
in the person of the Son of God, which all mankind
was otherwise bound to have undergone in their own
persons; hence it comes to pass, that we are all in a
capacity of avoiding that death which we have de-
served by our sins, if we do but rightly believe in
Christ, and apply his suffering to ourselves.
And as Christ by his death and passion hath thus
satisfied for our sins, so hath he by his life and ac-
tions given us an exact pattern of true piety and
virtue. And although I cannot say it was the
only, yet questionless one great end wherefore he
continued so long on earth, and conversed so much
Ml
amongst men; and that so many of his actions an
delivered to us with so many circumstances as they
are, was that we, by his example, might learn how
to carry and behave ourselves in this Lower world.
For as from that time to this, so from the beginning
of the world to that time, there had never been a
man upon the face of the earth that had lived BO
conformable to the law of Clod that it \\ ..
lawful for another to follow him in all things.
all flesh was corrupt, and the very besl men were
still but men, subject to failures in their lives, as
well as errors in their judgments; yea, those very
persons whom the Scriptures record, and Clod him-
self attestcth to have been eminent in their genera-
tion for piety and justice, did oftentimes fail in both.
Noah is asserted by God himself to have been right-
eous in his generation, Abraham to be the father
of the faithful, Moses to be the meekest man upon
earth, David to be a man after Clod's own heart,
Solomon to have been the wisest man that ever lived.
and Job to be " a perfect and upright man, one that
feared God and eschewed evil;" yet none of these
most excellent persons but had their vices as well as
virtues; and it is observable that the more eminent
any were in piety, the more notorious sins God hath
sometimes suffered them to slip into, to keep them
humble. So that from the first to the second Adam.
there never lived a man of whom it could be
This man never sinned — never transgressed the lawi
of God, and therefore may in all things be imil
by men.
But now, as the first was made, the Becond Adam
continued all along most pui »th in
442
thought, word, and action ; for he did
neither was guile found in his mouth." Never so
much as a vain thought ever sprang up in his most
holy heart, not so much as an idle word ever pro-
ceeded out of his divine lips, nor so much as an
impertinent or frivolous action was ever performed
by his sacred and most righteous hands ; his whole
life being nothing else but one continued act of piety
towards God, justice towards men, love and charity
towards all. And as himself lived, so would he
have all his disciples live whilst they are here below;
and therefore enjoins them that go after him not
only to deny themselves, and take up their cross, but
also to follow, or imitate him to the utmost of their
power in their life and actions. So that he now
expects that all those who profess themselves to be
his disciples, do first deny themselves whatsoever is
offensive unto him, and then take up their cross, so
as to be ready and willing to do or suffer any thing
for him that hath done and suffered so much as he
hath for us. And then, lastly, that they write after
the copy that he hath set them, and walk in the steps
wherein he hath gone before them — even that they
follow him through all duties and difficulties whatso-
ever, so as still to do unto the utmost of their power
as he did, otherwise they in vain pretend to be his
disciples. " For he that saith he abideth in him,
ought himself also to walk even as he walked ;" that
is, he that professeth to believe in Jesus Christ
should live as he lived while he was upon earth.
Hence St. Paul, a true disciple of Christ, saith,
" Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."
As he followed Christ, he would have others to fol-
443
low him; but he would have them follow him D0
farther than as he followed Christ.
It is true we are bound to be holy and righteous
in all our ways — whether we had ever beard of
Christ's being so or not, the law of God first obliged
us to be so; but, howsoever, wo have now an addi-
tional obligation upon us to he holy, " as ho who
hath called us was holy in all manner of conversation."
For the Scripture tells us expressly, that Chris!
" hath left us an example that we should follow In-
steps," and our Saviour himself commands .ill that
come to him to learn of him; and therefore we car
never expect that he should own us for his disciples,
unless we own him for our Lord and Master, so t si
as to obey and follow him, he having commanded all
those that come to him to deny themselves, fcake up
their cross, and follow him. And seeing we all, I
hope, desire to be Christians indeed, as I haw
plained the two former of these duties, I shall dow
endeavour to give the true meaning of the latter too.
that we may all so follow Christ here as to come to
him hereafter.
Now for the opening of this, we must know that
we neither can nor ouidit to follow Christ in every
thing he did when he was here below; for even
whilst he was here below he was still the most high
and mighty God, the same that he had been from
eternity, and often manifested hi- power and glor)
to the sons of men, whilst he was convening with
them in their own nature, wherein it would hi' horrid
presumption for us to pretend to follow him. A
for example, " He knew the very thoughts of men,"
which I suppose is something past our skill
444
Hence also he judged and censured others : " Woe
unto you," saith he, " Scribes and Pharisees, hypo-
crites ! for ye are like to painted sepulchres, which
indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but are within full
of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness." But
this we could not do though we might, not being
able to search into others' hearts ; neither may we do
it, though we could, Christ himself having expressly
commanded the contrary, saying, " Judge not, that
ye be not judged." Our Saviour also, as God,
foretold future events and wrought miracles, such
as were clear demonstrations of his infinite power
and Godhead; but in this he is to be believed and
admired, not followed or imitated by us. Thus
also when he sent his disciples to loose another man's
colt, and bring him away, that he did as Lord and
Sovereign of the world, or as the supreme Possessor
and universal Proprietor of all things; as when he
commanded the Israelites to spoil the Egyptians,
and carry away their jewels and raiment : for all
things being his, he may give them to whom he
pleaseth ; and though it would have been a sin to
have taken them away without his command, yet ,
his command gave them a property in them, a right
and title to them, and they had sinned unless they
had obeyed the command. So here our Saviour
sent for the colt as if it had been his own ; for so
really it was, as he is God, which he manifested
himself to be at the same time, in that he inclined
the heart of the civil owner thereof to let him go
only upon the disciples saying that " the Lord had
need of him." But this he did not for our example,
but to show forth his own power and glory.
445
There are some things, also, which our blessed
Saviour did, as God-man, or as the Mediator be-
tween God and man — as his making atonement and
satisfaction for the sins of mankind, his instituting
offices, and ordinances, and sacraments in his church,
and the like — which have an immediate respect to his
office of Mediator; and being done upon that ac-
count, we neither may nor can imitate him in such
things. But the things which he would have us to
follow him in, are such, and such only, as he did as
mere man, that had no immediate dependence upon
or reference to either his Godhead or Mediatorship.
For he, having honoured our nature so far as to take
it into his own divine person, so as to become really
and truly man ; as so he did whatsoever man is
bound to do, both as to God himself, and likewise
unto man ; and being absolutely perfect in all the
faculties of the soul, and members of his body, he
infinitely surpassed all other men both in divine graces
and moral virtues ; so that as he never committed
anyone sin, so neither did he neglect any one duty,
which as man he was bound to perform either to God
or men, but still observed every punctilio and cir-
cumstance of the moral law. By which means In-
left us a complete pattern of truth and uni
holiness, and hath enjoined us all to follow it.
Hoping therefore, that all who profess themselves
to be the friends and disciples of Jesufl ( ihrist, desire
to manifest themselves to he so, by following both
his precepts and example, I shall give the reader a
short narrative of his life and actions wherein we
may all see what true piety is, and what real Christi-
anity requires of us ; and may not content ourselves,
446
us many do, with being professors, and adhering to
parties or factions amongst us, but strive to be tho-
rough Christians, and to carry ourselves as such by
walking as Christ himself walked — which, that we
may at least know how to do, looking upon Christ
as a mere man, I shall show how he did, and by con-
sequence how we ought to carry ourselves both to
God and man, and what graces and virtues he exer-
cised all along for our example and imitation.
Now, for our more clear and methodical proceeding
in a matter of such consequence as this is, I shall be-
gin with his behaviour towards men from his child-
hood to his death.
First. Therefore, when he was a child of twelve
years of age, it is particularly recorded of him, that
he was subject or obedient to his parents, his real
mother and reputed father. It is true he knew at
that time that God himself was his Father; for, said
he, " Wist ye not that I must be about ray Father's
business ?" And knowing God to be his Father, he
could not but know likewise that he was infinitely
above his mother ; yea that she could never have
born him, had not himself first made and supported
her. Yet, however, though as God he was Father
to her, yet as man she was mother to him ; and
therefore he honoured and obeyed both him and her
to whom she was espoused. Neither did he only
respect his mother whilst he was here, but he took
care of her too when he was going hence. Yea, all
the pains he suffered upon the cross could not make
him forget his duty to her that bore him ; but see-
ing her standing by the cross as himself hung on it,
he committed her to the care of his beloved dis-
447
ciple, who " took her to his own home." N
our Saviour did, so are we hound to carry ourselves to
our earthly parents, whatsoever their temper or con-
dition he in this world. Though Clod hath blessed
some of us, perhaps, with greater estates than ever
he hlesscd them, yet we must not think ourselves
above them, nor be at all the less respectful to them.
Christ we see was infinitely above his mother
as she was his mother, he was both subject and re-
spectful to her. He was not ashamed to own her
as she stood by the cross — but in the view and hear-
ing of all there present, gave his disciple a charge
to take care of her ; leaving us an example, that
amongst us as have parents, should provide for tin : .
if they need it, as for our children, both while we
live and when we come to die.
And as he was to his natural, so was he to his
civil parents, the magistrates under which he lived
submissive and faithful. For though as lie was
God he was infinitely above them in heaven, yet ai
he was man he was below them on earth, having
committed all civil power into their hands, without
reserving any at all for himself. So that though
they received their commission from him. yet now
himself could not act without receiving a commission
from them ; and therefore, having no commission
from them to do it, he would not intrench so much
upon their privilege and power as to determine the
controversy between the two brethren contending
about their inheritance: "Man," saith he, "who
made me a judge or a divider over you r1 Ind t<>
show his submission to the civil in as highly
as possible he could, rather than offend tin
448
wrought a miracle to pay the tax which they had
charged upon him. And when the officers were
sent to take him, though he had more than twelve
legions of angels at his service to have fought for
him if he had pleased, yet he would not employ them
nor suffer his own disciples to make any resistance.
And though some of late days who call themselves
Christians have acted quite contrary to our blessed
Saviour in this particular, I hope better things of
my readers — even that they will behave themselves
more like Christ, who, though he was supreme Go-
vernor of the world, yet would not resist, but sub-
mitted to the civil power, with which himself had in-
trusted men withal.
Moreover, although whilst he was here he was
really not only the best but greatest man upon earth,
yet he carried himself to others with that meekness,
humility, and respect, as if he had been the least.
As he never admired any man for his riches, so nei-
ther did he despise any man for his poverty ; poor
men and rich were all alike to him. He was as
lowly and respectful to the lowest as he was to the
highest that he conversed with. He affected no
titles of honour nor gaped after popular air, but sub-
mitted himself to the meanest services that he could
for the good of others, even to the washing his own
disciples' feet — and all to teach us that we can never
think too lowly of ourselves, nor do any thing that
is beneath us — propounding himself as our example,
especially in this particular, " Learn of me," saith he,
" for I am meek and lowly in heart."
His humility, also, was the more remarkable, in
that his bounty and goodness to others was so great,
449
for he went about doing good. Wheresoever you
read he was, you read still of some good work or
other he did there. Whatever company be con-
versed with, they still went better from "him than
they came unto him, if they came out of a good end.
By him, as himself said, "the blind received their
sight, and the lame walked, the lepers were cleansed,
and the deaf heard, the dead were raised up, and the
poor had the gospel preached unto them." Yea,
it is observable that we never read of any person
whatsoever that came to him desiring any kindness
or favour of him but he still received it, and that
whether he was friend or foe. For indeed, though
he had many inveterate and implacable enemies in
the world, yet he bore no grudge or malice against
them, but expressed as much love and favour lor
them as to his greatest friends. Insomuch that,
when they had gotten him upon the cross, and fas-
tened his hands and feet upon it, in the midst of all
that pain and torment which they put him to, he still
prayed for them.
Oh how happy, how blessed a people should we
be could we but follow our blessed Saviour in this
particular ! How well would it be with us, could
we but be thus loving one to another, as Christ was
to all, even his most bitter enemies ! \\ e may ia-
sure ourselves it is not only our misery but our lin
too unless we be so. And our sin will he the greater,
now we know our Master's pleasure, unless we do it.
And therefore, let all such amongst us as desire to
carry ourselves as Christ himself did, and as becometfa
his disciples in the world, begin here.
Be submissive and obedient both to our parents
450
and governors, humble in our own sight, despise
none, but be charitable, loving, and good to all. By
this shall all men know that we are Christ's disciples
indeed.
Having thus seen our Saviour's carriage towards
men, we shall now consider his piety and devotion
towards God — not as if it were possible for me to ex-
press the excellency and perfection of those religious
acts which he performed continually within his soul
to God, every one of his faculties being as entire in
itself, and as perfect in its acts, as it was first made
or designed to be. There was no darkness, nor so
much as gloominess in his mind, no error nor mistake
in his judgment, no bribery nor corruption in his con-
science, no obstinacy nor perverseness in his will,
no irregularity nor disorder in his affections, no spot,
no blot, no blemish, not the least imperfection or
infirmity in his whole soul ; and therefore, even
whilst his body was on earth, his head and heart
were still in heaven. For he never troubled his head,
nor so much as concerned himself about any thing
here below any further than to do all the good he
could, his thoughts being wholly taken up with con-
sidering how to advance God's glory and man's eter-
nal happiness. And as for his heart, that was the
altar on which the sacred fire of divine love was always
burning, the flames whereof continually ascended
up to heaven, being accompanied with the most ar-
dent and fervent desires of, and delight in the chiefest
^ood.
But it must not be expected that I should give
an exact description of that eminent and most per-
fect holiness which our blessed Saviour was inwardly
451
adorned with, and continually employed in; which I
am as unable to express as desirous to Imitate. Hut.
however, I shall endeavour to remind the reader in
genera] of such acts of piety and devotion, which are
particularly recorded, on purpose for our imitation.
First. Therefore, it is observed of our Saviour.
that " from a child he increased in wisdom, as he
did in stature." Where by wisdom we are to un-
derstand the knowledge of God and divine things.
For our Saviour having taken our nature into his
person, with all its frailties and infirmities, as it iN a
created being, he did not in that nature presently
know all things which were to be known. It is true,
as God, he then knew all things as well as he had
from all eternity: but we are now speaking of him
as man, like one of us in all things, except sin. But
we continue some considerable time after we are horn
before we know any thing, or come to the use of our
reason ; the rational soul not being able to exert or
manifest itself until the natural phlegm and radical
moisture of the body, which in infants is predomi-
nant, be so digested that the body be rightly quali-
fied, and its organs fitted for the soul to work upon,
and to make use of. And though our Saviour came
to the use of his reason, as man, far sooner than we
are wont to do, yet we must not think that he knew
all things as soon as he was horn : lor that the na-
ture he assumed was not capable of: neither could
he then be said, as he is, to increase in wisdom, lor
where there is perfection there can he no inn
But here, before we proceed further, it will be
necessary to answer an objection which some may
make against this. For if «"ir Saviour, as man.
452
knew not all things, then he was not perfect, not
absolutely free from sin ; ignorance itself being a sin.
To this I have these things to answer : —
First. It is no sin for a creature to be ignorant of
some things, because it is impossible for a creature to
know all things ; for to be omniscient is God's prero-
gative ; neither is a creature capable of it, because he
is but finite; whereas the knowledge of all things, or
omniscience, is itself an infinite act, and therefore to
be performed only by an infinite being. Hence it is,
that no creature in the world ever was, or ever could
be made omniscient : but there are many things which
Adam in his integrity, and the very angels them-
selves, are ignorant of; as our Saviour, speaking of
the day of judgment, saith, " Of that day and hour
knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in
heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." But the
angels are nevertheless perfect, because they know
not this. Nay, it is observable, that the Son him-
self, as man, knew it not; "neither," saith he, "the
Son, but the Father :" and if he knew it not then,
much less was it necessary for him to know it when
a child.
Secondly. As to be ignorant of some things is no
sin ; so neither is any ignorance at all sin, but that
whereby a man is ignorant of what he is bound to
know : " For all sin is the transgression of the law."
And, therefore, if there be no law obliging me to
know such or such things, I do not sin by being
ignorant of them, for I transgress no law. Now,
though all men are bound by the law of God to know
him, and their duty to him, yet infants, so long as
infants, are not, neither can be obnoxious or subject
453
to that law, they being in a natural incapacity, \ ..
impossibility to perform it; but as they become bj
degrees capable of knowing any thing, they are
obliged questionless to know Him first from whom
they receive their knowledge.
And thus it was that our blessed Saviour perfectly
fulfilled the law of God ; in that, although he might
still continue ignorant of many things, yet, however,
he all along knew all that he was bound to know ■
and as he grew, by degrees, more and more capable
of knowing any thing, so did he increase still more
in true wisdom, or in the knowledge of God. So
that, by the time he was twelve years old, he was
able to dispute with the great doctors and learned
Rabbis among the Jews; and after that, as he grew
in stature, so did he grow in wisdom too, and in fa-
vour both with God and man.
And, verily, although we did not follow our
blessed Saviour in this particular, when we wire
children, we ought, however, to endeavour it, now
we are men and women, even to grow in wisdom,
and every day add something to our spiritual stature,
so as to let never a day pass over our heads without
being better acquainted with God's goodness to us,
or our duty to him. And, by this example of our
Saviour's growing in wisdom when a child, W€
should also learn to bring up our children in the
nurture and admonition of the Lord; and not to
strive so much to make them rich, as to 086 all
means to make them wise and good, that they m ay
do as their Saviour did, even grow in Wisdom, and
in stature, and in favour both of God and man.
And as our Saviour grew in wisdom when I
454
child, so did he use and manifest it when he came
to be a man, by devoting himself wholly unto the
service of the living God, and to the exercise of all
true m-ace and virtue : wherein his blessed soul was
so much taken up, that he had neither time nor
heart to mind those toys and trifles which silly
mortals upon earth are so much apt to doat on.
It is true, all the world was his, but he had given it
all away to others, not reserving for himself so
much as an house to put his head in. And what
money he had hoarded up, you may gather from his
working a miracle to pay his tribute, or poll-money,
which came not to much above a shilling. Indeed,
he came into the world and went out again, without
ever taking any notice of any pleasures, honours, or
riches in it, as if there had been no such thing here,
as really there was not, or ever will be ; all the
pomp and glory of this deceitful world having no
other being or existence but only in our distem-
pered fancies and imaginations ; and, therefore, our
Saviour, whose fancy was sound, and his imagina-
tion untainted, looked upon all the world, and the
glory of it, as not worthy to be looked upon, seeing
nothing in it wherefore it should be desired. And,
therefore, instead of spending his time in the child-
ish pursuit of clouds and shadows, he made the
service of God, not only his business, but his recrea-
tion too — his food as well as his work. " It is my
meat," saith he, " to do the will of Him that sent
me, and to finish his work." This was all the
riches, honours, and pleasures, which he sought for
in the world, even to do the will of him that sent
him thither, to finish the work which he came about.
455
And so he did before he went awa\ : " Fatbi
have glorified thee on earth, I have finished th<
work which thou sentest me to do." It", therefor*
wre would be Christ's disciples, so as to follow him.
we see what we must do, and how we must behave
and carry ourselves whilst we are below. We mus1
not spend our time, nor throw away our precious and
short-lived days upon the trifles and impertinencies
of this transient world — as if we came hither for no-
thing else but to take and scrape up a little dust and
dirt together, or to wallow ourselves like swine in the
mire of carnal pleasures and delights. No, we ma)
assure ourselves we have greater things to do, and
far more nobler designs to carry on, whilst we con-
tinue in this vale of tears; even " to work out our
salvation with fear and trembling, and to make oui
calling and election sure," and to serve God here BO
as to enjoy him for ever. This is the work we came
about, and which we must not only do, but do it too
with pleasure and delight, and never leave until we
have accomplished it. We must make it our only
pleasure to please God, account it our only honour
to honour him, and esteem his love and favour to be
the only wealth and riches that we can enjoy : we
must think ourselves no further happy than we find
ourselves to be truly holy, and therefore devote our
lives wholly to him in whom we live. This ifl t<
live as Christ lived, and, by consequence, as Chris-
tians ought to do.
I might here instance several other acta ol piet)
and devotion, which our Saviour was not only emi-
nent for, but continually exercised himself in: as hit
humble and perfect submission and resignation of hi-
456
own will to God's, his most ardent love to him, and
zeal for him ; as also his firm and steadfast trust and
confidence in him ; so that nothing could ever disquiet
or discompose his mind, but still his heart was fixed,
trusting in the Lord. In all which, it is both our
duty and interest to follow him; our happiness as
well as holiness consisting in our dependance upon
God and inclinations to him.
But we should do well to observe withal, that our
Saviour performed external as well as inward wor-
ship and devotion unto God ; particularly we often
find him praising God and praying unto him, and
that with his eyes lifted up to heaven in a most humble
and reverential posture, John xvii. 1. Luke xxii. 4.
Matt. xxvi. 39. Yea, when he was to choose and
ordain some of his disciples to the work of the minis-
try, and to succeed him after his departure, under
the name of apostles, he spent the night before in
prayer to God, Luke vi. 12. I confess the words
there used, en te proseuche^ ton Theou, will scarcely
admit of that interpretation or exposition, signifying
rather, in a strict sense, that he went into a place
appointed for prayer, which was usually called pro-
seuche, a place of prayer, which kind of places were
very frequent in Judea, and some of them continned
till Epiphanius' time, as himself asserts; and they
were only plots of ground enclosed with a wall, and
open above, and were ordinarily, if not always, upon
mountains, whither the Jews used to resort to pray
together in great multitudes. And this seems to be
the proper meaning of these words, where our Savi-
our is said to go into a mountain, and to continue all
night, en te proseuche, tou Theou, i in one of these
457
proseuches of God, a place dedicated to his service.'
Yet, however, we cannot suppose but that he went
thither to do what the place whither he went was
designed for, even to pray; and hy consequence,
that, seeing he stayed there all night, questionless
he spent the whole night in prayer and meditation,
in order to so great a work as the ordaining his
apostles was.
Here therefore is another copy which our master
Christ hath set us to write after — a lesson that all
must learn and practise that would he his disciples.
Though we ordinarily converse with nothing bul dirt
and clay, and with our fellow-worms on earth, vet as
Christ did, so should we often retire from the tumults
and hustles of the world to converse with him that
made us; both to praise him for the mercies we have
received, and to pray unto him for what we want —
onlv we shall do well to have a care that we do not
perform so solemn a duty as this is, alter a careless
and perfunctory manner, because none sees but God,
for his seeing us is infinitely more than if all the
world besides should see us ; and we must still re-
member that prayer is the greatest work that a crea-
ture can be engaged in, and therefore to be perform-
ed with the greatest seriousness, reverence, and ear-
nestness that possibly we can raise up our spirits to.
And besides our daily devotions which we owe and
ought to pay to God whenever we set upon ai.\
great and weighty business, we must be sure to fol-
low our Saviour's steps in setting some time apart
proportionally to the business we undertake, where-
in to ask God's counsel, and desire his direction and
blessing in the most serious and solemn manner that
I
458
possibly we can. I need not tell the reader what
benefit we shall receive by this means, none of us
that shall try it but will soon find it by experience.
I shall observe only one thing more concerning our
Saviour's devotion, and that is, that although he took
all occasions to instruct and admonish his disciples
and followers, whether in the fields or upon the moun-
tains, or in private houses, even wheresoever he could
find an opportunity to do it — yet upon Sabbath-days
he always frequented the public worship of God. He
went into the synagogues, places appointed for public
prayers, and reading and hearing the word, a thing
which I fear many amongst us do not think of, or at
least do not rightly consider it — for if they did, they
would not dare methinks to walk so directly contrary
to our blessed Saviour in this particular, for St. Luke
tells us that when he came to Nazareth where he
had been brought up, as his custom was, he went
into the synagogue on the Sabbath-day. From
whence none of us but may easily observe that our
Saviour did not go into a synagogue or church by
the by, to see what they were doing there; neither
did he happen to go in by chance upon the Sabbath-
day, but it was his custom and constant practice to do
so — even to go each Sabbath-day to the public or-
dinances, there to join with the congregation in per-
forming their service and devotions to almighty God.
And here I must take leave to say, that were
there no other law, nor any other obligations upon
us (as there be many) to frequent the public worship
of God, this practice and example of our blessed Sa-
viour doth sufficiently and effectually oblige us all to
a constant attendance upon the public ordinances.
4.5()
For as we are Christians, and profess ourselves to
be Ins disciples, we arc all bound bo follow him— he
commands us here and elsewhere to do it ; and cer-
tainly there is nothing that we can be obliged to
follow him in more than in the manner of his wor-
shipping God. And therefore, whosoever out of am
humour, fancy, or slothfulncss, shall presume to ne-
glect the public worship of (iod, he doth not only
act contrary to Christ's example, but transgresses
also his command that enjoins him to follow that ex-
ample. What they who are guilty of this will have
to answer for themselves, when they come to stand
before Christ's tribunal, I know not. But this 1
know, that all those who profess themselves to be
Christians, should follow Christ in all things that
they can, and by consequence in this particular — and
that they sin who do not.
But in whatsoever other things we may fail. I
know the generality of us do herein follow our Sa-
viour's steps, that we are usually present at the pub-
lic worship of God. But then J hope this is not all
that we follow him in, but that as we follow him t < >
the public ordinances, so we do likewise in our pri-
vate devotions, yea, and in our behaviour both t.
God and man — which that we may the better do, I
have endeavoured to show wherein we ought espe-
cially to follow Christ, in being obedient to OUJ
parents, subject to our governors, lowly to the I
loving and charitable unto all : a- also in growing in
wisdom and the knowledge of God, in contemning
the world, in devoting ourselves wholly to the service
of God, in resigning our wills to bis, in loving <>t
him, in trusting on him above all things else, in
f 2
460
daily praying unto God, and frequenting his public
ordinances ; to which I may also add, in denying
ourselves and taking up our crosses, which he him-
self hath done before us, as well as required of us.
What now remains but that, seeing the steps
wherein our Saviour walked, we should all resolve to
walk together in them ; and I hope that I need not
use arguments to persuade any to it. It is enough,
one would think, that Christ himself, whose name we
bear, expects and commands it from us. And in
that the sum of all religion consisteth, in obeying
and following Christ, the circumstances of whose life
are recorded on purpose that we may imitate him to
the utmost of our power, not only in the matter but
manner of our actions — even in the circumstances as
well as in the substance of them.
But this I dare say we all both know and believe
— even that it is our duty to follow Christ ; and
therefore it is a sad, a dismal thing to consider that
among them that know it there are so few that do
it ; but even those that go under the name of Chris-
tians themselves, do more generally follow the beasts
of the field, or the very fiends of hell, rather than
Christ our Saviour. For all covetous worldlings
that look no higher than earth, and all luxurious
epicures that labour after no other but sensual plea-
sures, whom do they imitate but the beasts that
perish ? And as for the proud and ignorant, the
deceitful and malicious seducers of their brethren,
and oppressors of their neighbours, all backbiters
and false accusers, all deriders of religion, and apos-
tates from it, they are of their father the devil, and
las works they will do. And if all such persons
461
should be taken from amongst us, how few would be
left behind that follow Christ! Very few Indeed j
but I hope there would be some. And (), that all
who read this would be in the number of them, even
that they would all from this day forward resolve to
come as near our blessed Saviour in all their actions,
both to God and man, as possibly they can — which
if we once did, what holy, what happy lives should
we then lead ! How should we antedate both the
work and joys of heaven ! And how certain should
we be to be there ere long, where Christ, that is the
pattern of our souls here, will be the portion of our
souls for ever !
Thus I have shown what Christ requires of those
who would be his disciples, enjoining them to deny
themselves, take up their cross, and follow him. And
now I have done my duty in explaining these words,
it is all my readers' as well as mine to practise them,
which I heartily wish we would all resolve to do —
and I must say it highly concerns us all to do so,
for we can never be saved but by Christ, nor by
him, unless we be his disciples; neither can we be
his disciples, unless we do what is here required of
us. And therefore, if we care not whether we be
saved or not, we may think no more of these things,
nor trouble our heads about them ; but if we really
desire to come to heaven, let us remember He who
alone can bring us thither, hath told us that *kw.
must deny ourselves, and take up our cross, and fol-
low him."
462
THOUGHTS ON OUR CALL AND
ELECTION.
" Many are called," saith our Saviour, Matt.
xxii. 14. " but few chosen." O dreadful sentence !
who is able to hear it without trembling and astonish-
ment ! If he had said, that of all men that are
born in the world there are but few saved, this would
not have struck such fear and horror into us ; for
we might still hope that though Turks, Jews, and
heathens, which are far the greatest part of the world,
should all perish, yet we few in comparison of them,
who are baptized into his name, who profess his
gospel, who enjoy his ordinances, who are admitted
to his sacraments, that all who are called to him,
might be chosen and saved by him ; but that of those
very persons who are called, there are but few chosen
— what a sharp and terrible sentence is this ! who
can bear it — especially considering by whom it was
pronounced, even by Christ himself? If a mere
man had spoken it, we might hope it was but a hu-
man error ; if an angel had uttered it, we might think
it possible he might be mistaken ; but that Christ
himself, the eternal Son of God, who is truth and
infallibility itself, that he should assert it — that he
who laid down his life to redeem ours — that he who
came into the world on purpose to call and save
us — that he in whom alone it is possible for us to be
chosen to salvation — that he should say, " Many
are called, but i'cw chosen," this is a hard saying in-
deed, which may justly make our ears to tingle, and
408
our hearts to tremble at the hearing of it. And
yet we see our Saviour here expressly BSJth it, and
not only here, but again, Matt. xx. Hi. Whence
we may gather, that it is a thing he would have us
often think of, and a matter of more than ordinary
importance, in that he did not think it enough to till
us of it at once, but lie repeated it in the Bame words
again, that we might be sure to remember it, and
take especial notice of it, that "many are called hut
few chosen."
In which words, that we may understand our
Saviour's meaning aright, we must first consider tin-
occasion of them in this place; which in brief was
this : — Our Saviour according to the custom that
obtained in those days amongst the wise men of the
East, delighting to use parables, thereby to represent
his heavenly doctrine more clearly to the under-
standing of his hearers, in this chapter compares
"the kingdom of God to a certain king that made
a marriage for his son, and sent his servants to « ill
them that were bidden to the wedding." Where, b)
the king, he means the eternal Clod, the universal
Monarch of the world, who intending to make a
marriage between his Son and the church, styled tin
spouse of Christ, he sent to his guests before hidden,
even the Jews, the seed of Abraham his friend, and
at that time his peculiar people. But they not
hearkening to the first invitation, he sends to them
acain. Yet they still made light of it, having it
seems, as we most have, other business to mind,
and therefore went their way : .sonic to their farms,
others to their merchandise. By which our Saviour
intimates, that one great reason why men accept not
4.M
of the overtures of grace made unto them in the
gospel, is, because their minds are taken up with
the cares of this world, looking upon their farms,
their trades, and merchandise, as things of greater
moment than heaven and eternal glory. Yea, some
of them took the servants which were sent to invite
them, " and treated them spitefully, and slew them."
Why, what is the matter? What injury have the
servants, the prophets, the apostles, or ministers of
Christ done them ? What, do they come to oppress
them, to take their estates from them — to disgrace
or bring them into bondage ? No, they only come
to invite them to a marriage-feast, to tender them
the highest comforts and refreshments imaginable,
both for their souls and bodies. And this is all the
recompense they give them for their kindness, not
only to refuse it, but to abuse them that bring it.
Well might this glorious King be angry and incensed
at such an affront offered him as this was, and there-
fore, " he sent forth his armies and destroyed those
murderers, and burnt up their city," as we al1 know
he did to the murdering Jews, who, soon after this
were destroyed, and their royal city Jerusalem burnt.
But now the feast is prepared, shall there be none
to eat it? Yes, for seeing they who were first
bidden were not worthy to partake of his dainties,
he orders his servants to go into the high ways, and
bid as many as they could find to the marriage.
The Jews having refused the gospel, God sends to
invite the Gentiles to it, who hitherto had been
reckoned aliens to the commonwealth of Israel,
" strangers to the covenant of promise, having no
hope, and without God in the world." But now
4,6$
they arc also bidden to the wedding, they ire called
to Christ, and invited to partake of all the privileges
of the gospel. For the servants having received
the command, went out into the high way. even into
the by-places and corners of the world, "and (fa-
thered together as many as they found, both had
and good; and the wedding was furnished with
guests." But amongst these too, when the king
came to see his guests, he saw one that had not on
a wedding-garment. Under which one are repre-
sented all of the same kind, who have not on the
wedding-garment, that is, who walk not worth v of
the vocation wherewith they are called, not being
clothed with humility, faith, and other graces suitable
to a Christian. All which, notwithstanding they
were invited, yea, and come in too upon their invi-
tation, yet they are cast out again into outer dark-
ness. And then he adds, " For many are called,
but few chosen;" as if he should have said, the Jews
were called, but would not come; the Gentiles are
called, they come, but some of them were cast out
again; so that of the many who are called, there
are but few chosen. " For many are called, hut
few chosen."
Which short but pithy saying of our blessed
Saviour, that we may rightly understand, we shall
first consider the former part of it, " Many are
called," and then the latter, " but few chosen." —
That we may apprehend the full meaning of the
first part of this proposition, " Many are called, "
there are three things to be considered :
I. What is here meant by being called.
II. How men are called.
i 3
466
III. How it appears that many are called.
I. As for the first, what we are here to under-
stand by being called. We must know that this is
meant only of God's voice to mankind, making
known his will and pleasure to them, calling upon
them to act accordingly, and so inviting them to his
service here, and to the enjoyment of his presence
hereafter.
But to explain the nature of it more particularly,
we must consider the terminus a quo, and the ter-
minus ad quod, ' what it is God calls us from, and
what it is he calls us to ;' both which we shall speak
to, jointly together.
1. He calls us from darkness to light, from error
and ignorance to truth and knowledge. As he
made us rational and knowing creatures at first, so
he would have us to be again, so as to understand
and know him that made us, and that gave us the
power of understanding and knowing; and not em-
ploy the little knowledge we have only about the
affairs of our bodies, our trades, and callings in this
world, nor yet in learning arts and sciences only,
but principally about the concerns of our immortal
souls, that we may know him that is the true God,
and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent ; without
which, all our other knowledge will avail us nothing.
We are still in the dark, and know not whither we
are going ; out of which dark, and by consequence
uncomfortable as well as dangerous estate, God or.
his infinite mercy is pleased to call us, that we
" should show forth the praises of him who hath
called us out of darkness into this marvellous light."
2. God calls us from superstition and idolatry, to
467
serve and worship him. For we arc called to turn
"from idols to serve the living and true God."
Thus he called Abraham out ofChaldea, and hit
posterity the Israelites out of Egypt, places of ido-
latry, that they might serve and worship him, and
him alone. Thus he called our ancestors of this
nation out of their heathenish superstitions to the
knowledge and worship of himself, and of his Son
Jesus Christ our Lord. And thus he called upon
us to "flee from idolatry," not only from heathenish
or popish, but from all idolatry whatsoever, and b)
consequence from covetousness, which God himsell
tells us in plain terms is idolatry. And so indeed is
our allowing ourselves in any known sin whatsoevei :
for we idolize it by setting it up in our hearts and
affections, instead of God; yea, and how down to it,
and serve it, though not in our bodies, Vet in our
souls, which is the highest kind of idolatry which
God calls us from.
3. Hence he also calls us from all manner of sin
and profaneness, to holiness and piety, both in our
affections and actions. For, as the apostle Baith,
" God hath not called us to uncleanness hut to
holiness." Where by uncleanness he means all
manner of lusts and corruptions which defile the
soul, and make it unclean and impure in the Bighl
of God. These God doth not call us to, hut from :
it is holiness and universal righteousness that he
calls us to, and commands OS t<» follow. I his is
the ffreat thins: that Christ in his gospel calls foi :
DO '
"For the grace of God," which is in his gospel,
"hath now appeared to all men, teaching us that
denying ungodliness and worldly 1 list ihould
468
live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present
evil world." " He now commandeth all men every
where to repent and turn to God." Hence he is
said to have "called us with an holy calling." And
" as he who hath called us is holy, so ought we to
be holy in all manner of conversation." Thus,
therefore, we are called to be an holy people, a
people zealous of good works, a people wholly devoted
to the service of the living God. In brief, we are
called to be saints, a people consecrated unto God ;
and, therefore, as every vessel in the temple was
holy, so we being called to be the temples of the
Holy Ghost, every thing in us should be holy : our
thoughts should be holy, our affections holy, our
words holy, our desires holy ; every faculty of our
souls, every member of our bodies, and every action
of our lives, should be holy ; every thing within us,
every thing about us, every thing that comes from
us should be holy : and all because our calling is
holy: and we ought to " walk worthy of our vocation
wherewith we are called."
4. God calls us from carnal and temporal things,
to mind heaven and eternal glory. He sees and
observes how eager we are in prosecuting this world's
vanities, and, therefore, calls upon us to leave doating
upon such transitory and unsatisfying trifles, and to
mind the things that belong to our everlasting
peace — not to be conformed to this world, but trans-
formed by the renewing of our minds, that we " may
prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect
will of God" — to set our " affections upon things
above, and not upon things that are upon the earth"
— to " seek the kingdom of God and his righteous-
4C9
ness," in the first place. Hence it is styled an
heavenly calling, and an high calling, because ire
are called by it to look alter high and heavenly
things. He that made us hath so much kindness
for us, that it pities him to see us moil and toil, and
spend our strength and labour about such low and
pitiful, such impertinent and unnecessary things,
which himself knows can never satisfy us ; and,
therefore, he calls and invites us to himself, and to
the enjoyment of his own perfections, which are able
to fill and satiate our immortal souls.
5. Hence, lastly, we are called from misery and
danger, to the state of happiness and felicity. Ha
he called Lot out of Sodom, when fire and brimstone
were ready to fall upon it; so he calls us from the
world and sin, because otherwise wrath anil lurv will
fall upon our heads. Or, as he called Noah into
the ark, to preserve him from the overflowing flood,
so he called us into his service, and to the faith of
his Son, that so we may escape that Hood of mia ry
which will suddenly drown the impenitent and un-
believing world. And, therefore, we must not think
that he calls and invites to him, because he stands
in need of us, or wants our service. No, it is nol
because he cannot be happy without us, but because
we cannot be happy without him, nor in him either,
unless we come unto him. This is the only I
why he calls us so earnestly to him : " lor as I live,
saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of
the wicked, but that the wicked turn from hi
and live: turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die <>
house of Israel !" Let us not stand therefore pausing
upon it, and considering whether we shall hearken
470
to God's call or not, nor say severally within ourselves,
How shall I part with my profits? How shall I
deny myself the enjoyment of my sensual pleasures ?
How shall I forsake my darling and beloved sins ?
But rather say, how shall I abide the judgment of
the great God ? How shall I escape if I neglect
so great a salvation as I am now called and invited to ?
For we may assure ourselves this is the great and
only end why God calls so pathetically upon us to
come unto him, that so we may be delivered from
his wrath, and enjoy his love and favour for ever.
Thus we see what it is that God calls mankind
both from and to. He calls them from darkness to
light, from idolatry to true religion, from sin to holi-
ness, from earth to heaven, and from the deepest
misery to the highest happiness that they are capa-
ble of.
II. The next thing to be considered is, how God
is pleased to call us; for which we must know, that,
1. He vouchsafed to call some with his own
mouth, as I may so speak, even by immediate reve-
lations from himself. Thus he called Abraham,
and Moses, and several of the patriarchs of the Old
Testament. And thus he called Paul, Christ him-
self calling from heaven to him, " Saul, Saul, why
persecutest thou me ?" And it is observable, that
whosoever were thus called, they always obeyed.
But this is not the calling here spoken of.
2. God calls all mankind by his works and provi-
dences. All the creatures in the world are so
many tongues declaring the wisdom, power, good-
ness, and glory of God unto us, and so call upon us
to praise, honour, and obey him. And all his pro-
471
vidences have their several and distinct voices - hit
mercies bespeak our affections, and Ids judgment!
our fear. " Hear ye," saith he, "the rod, and who
hath appointed it." The rod, it seems, hath B voice
which we are bound to hear. But though many,
yea, all the world, be called this way, yet neither is
this the calling our Saviour means, when he saith,
" Many are called, but tew chosen."
3. Lastly. Therefore God hath called many l>\
the ministry of his word, and of his servants the pro-
phets, the apostles and their successors declaring it,
and explaining it to them. Thus God spake to our
fathers by the prophets, rising up early, and Bending
them to call sinners to repentance, by showing them
their sins, and the dangerous consequences of them.
As when he sent his prophet Isaiah, he bids him
" Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice as a trum-
pet, and show my people their transgressions, and
the house of Jacob their sins." And they being
convinced of, and humbled for their sins, then he
sent his prophets to invite them to accept of grace
and pardon from him, saying, in the language of the
same prophet : " Ho, every one that thirstcth, come
ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come
ye, buy and eat ; come, buy wine and milk without
money and without price !" And God having thus,
"at sundry times, and in divers manners, Bpoken in
time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in
these last days spoken unto US by his Sou, whom he
hath appointed heir of nil things, by whom also he
made the worlds:" who therefore said, with nil
mouth, that " lie came not to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance." Hence, is soon i
472
he entered upon his ministry, he called to mankind,
saying, " Repent, and believe the gospel ;" and
" Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy
laden." And when he was to depart hence, he left
orders with his apostles, to go and call all nations,
and teach them what he had commanded, promising
that himself would be with them " to the end of the
world." By virtue, therefore, of this commission,
not only the apostles themselves, but all succeeding
ministers in all ages to the end of the world, are sent
to call mankind to embrace the gospel, and to accept
of the terms propounded in it. So that, when we,
his ministers, preach unto them, or call upon them
to repent and turn to God, they must not think we
came in our own name ; for, as the apostle tells the
Corinthians, " we are the ambassadors for Christ, as
though God did beseech you by us ; we pray you,
in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." Hence
in Scripture we are called also kerukes, heralds; and
our office is kerussein, to proclaim, as heralds, the
will and pleasure of Almighty God unto mankind,
to offer peace and pardon to all that have rebelled
against our Lord and Master the King of heaven,
if they will now come in, and submit themselves
unto him ; if not, in a most solemn and dreadful
manner, to denounce his wrath and heavy displeasure
against them. So that, as the angel was sent to call
Lot out of Sodom, when the Lord was going to rain
fire and brimstone from heaven upon it; so God
being ready every moment to shower down his fury
and vengeance upon the impenitent and unbelieving
world, he sends us to call men out of it, " to open
their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light,
473
from the power of Satan unto God," and to invite
them to his court, to live with him, and he happy
for ever.
And that this is the propel meaning of our bli
Saviour in this place, where he saith, M Manv arc
called," is plain from the parahlc whereon theee
words are grounded ; where the king is said to have
sent his servants to call the guests which were hid-
den to the marriage-feast, and put words into their
mouth, telling them what to say, as he hath given us
also instructions, how to call and invite mankind in
his holy word. And when of the many which were
called, there could hut few come; hence our Saviour
uttered this expression, that " Many are called) hut
few chosen." From whence it is clear and obvious*
that our Saviour means not such as were called im-
mediately from God himself, for that were but few ;
nor yet such as are called by the works of creation
and providence, for so not many only, but all are-
called ; but he means such as are called by his word,
and by his servants and ministers reading, preach-
ing, and explaining of it.
III. And, verily, that many have been, and still
are called in this sense, which is the next thin- 1
promised to show, I need not stand long to prove*
For our Saviour having commanded his apostles t<>
go and call all nations to his faith, which is the pro-
per meaning of that place, it cannot ho denied hut
that the apostles presently dispersed themselves, and
preached the gospel to all nations: which they did
so effectually, that in a few years after, even in St.
Paul's time, " the mystery of the gospel was made
known to all nations for the obedience of faith."
474
And in St. John's time, " some were redeemed out
of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and na-
tion." Yea, so mightily grew the word of God and
prevailed, that the ancients compared it to lightning,
that immediately dispersed itself, and was seen all
the world over. So that in less than two hundred
years, " the Christian religion was received all the
world over, from east to west," as Lactantius, who
then lived, asserts. From which time, therefore,
how many thousands of millions of souls have been
called to the faith of Christ, by the preaching of his
gospel ! And not to speak of other nations, how
soon did the Sun of Righteousness rise upon these
western parts of the world, and particularly upon
this nation wherein we dwell; several of Christ's
own disciples and apostles, as Simon Peter, Simon
Zelotes, James the son of Zebedee, Joseph of Ari-
mathea, Aristobulus, and St. Paul himself, being all
recorded by ecclesiastical writers to have preached
the gospel to this nation ! Be sure in less than two
hundred years the Christian faith was here received,
Tertullian himself saying expressly, " The Romans
could scarcely come at Britany, but Christ hath
conquered it." And soon after him, Arnobius saith,
that the gospel " was not concealed either from the
Indians in the eastern parts of the world, nor from
the Britons themselves in the west." And since the
gospel was first here planted, how many have been
called by it to the faith of Christ ! Yea, through
the mercy of the most high God, how many at this
moment are called all the nation over ! And, to
come still closer to ourselves, all that read this have,
I doubt not, been often called heretofore, and now
V75
are called again. For in the name of the most high
God, and of his Son Christ, " I pray and beseech
you all, as strangers and pilgrims, to abstain from
fleshly lusts which war against the soul." to repent
of your sins, and believe the gospel. I call and in-
vite you also to accept the offers of grace and pardon
which are made you in Jesus Christ, to sit down with
him at his own table, and i'ved by faith upon his
body and blood ; that so you may partake of the merit
of his death and passion, and so live with him for
evermore. Thus you arc all called, but I fear there
are few chosen.
Having thus explained and proved the lirst part
of this proposition, that "many are called," we must
now consider the meaning, truth, and reasons, of tin-
other part of it, " but few are chosen." — " Foi many
are called, but few chosen." That is, there are but
few which are so approved of by God as to be elected
and chosen from the other part of the world, to in-
herit eternal life. That this is the main drift and
scope of our blessed Saviour in these words, is plain
from the foregoing parable, which gave him occasion
to pronounce them ; for there all that were first called
refused to come to the marriage-feast, which they
were invited to, and of them which came, some bad
not on their wedding-garment; that is, although they
came in to the outward profession of the gospel, yet
did not walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they
were called, and therefore they likewise wen
eluded; upon which our Saviour adds these words,
" For many are called, but lew chosen." I rom
whence it is easy to observe his meaning, in genera),
to be only this— that although many were (ailed t<>
4?6
partake of the privileges and graces of his gospel,
yet seeing of those who were called, many would
not come at all, and of those who come, many do not
come so as the gospel requires of them, with their
wedding-garment on. Hence of the many who are
called, there are but few chosen to partake of the
marriage-feast, that is, of the glorious promises made
in the gospel, to those that come aright unto it.
Few, not absolutely in themselves considered, but few
comparatively, in respect of the many which are not
chosen ; or rather, few in comparison of the many
which are called ; for, if we consider them absolutely
in themselves, they are certainly very many. Our
Saviour himself saith, " Many shall come from the
east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham," &c.
And in the Relveations you read of many thousands
that were sealed of every tribe. Yea, " there was a
great multitude, which no man could number, of all
nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues, stood
before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with
white, and palms in their hands." Insomuch, that,
for all the numberless number of fallen or apostatized
angels, St. Austin was of opinion, that there will be
as many men saved as there were angels damned, or
rather more. " For," saith he, " upon the fall of the
angels and men, he determined to gather together, by
his infinite grace, so many out of the mortal progeny,
that he might from thence make up and restore that
part of angels which was fallen. And so that beloved
city which is above, may not be deprived of the num-
ber of its citizens, but perhaps rejoice in having more."
Which notion he grounds upon these words of our
Saviour in this chapter, " For in the resurrection
*77
they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but
are isangeloi, as the angels of God in heaven : or, aa
the words may he interpreted, they are equal to the
angels, and equal in nnmher to the fallen, as well as
in quality to the elect angels, as that learned and pious
father expounds it. But howsoever that he, this is
certain, that the number of men chosen and saved will
be very great, considered ahsolutely in themselves;
and yet, notwithstanding, if they be compared with
the many more which are called, they are hut very
few. Christ's flock is, as himself styles it, a very
little, little flock; that is, in comparison of the vast
multitudes of souls that flock after the world and sin.
As in a garden there are but few choice flowers, in
comparison of the weeds that grow in it, there are
but very few diamonds and precious stones in com-
parison of pebbles and gravel upon the sea-shore; in
the richest mines there is far more dross than gold
and silver. So is it in the church of Christ ; there
is but little wheat, in comparison of the tares that
come up with it. Christ hath a great many hangers-
on, but few faithful and obedient servants. There
are many that speak him very lair, and make a ven
plausible profession of the faith and religion which ho
taught, but where shall we find one that practiseth
it? If there be here one, and there another, two or
three in a parish, or perhaps in a whole city, what 1^
this to the innumerable company of such as are called
by him, and baptized into his name, and y. t leave
him to follow after the world and vanity ? ( ). what
just ground had our Saviour to say, " Many are
called, but few chosen !"
But to demonstrate the truth of this propo rtion
478
still more fully, and as clearly as possibly I can, I
must first lay down one principle as a postulatum,
which I suppose all will acknowledge to be true, and
that is this, that whatsoever profession a man makes
of the Christian religion, it will avail him nothing
without the practice of it ; or, if you will take it in
our Saviour's own words, " Not every one," saith
he, " that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the
will of my Father which is in heaven." Or, as the
apostle expresseth it, " For not the hearers of the
law are just before God, but the doers of the law
shall be justified." That is, it is not our hearing
and knowing our duty that will stand us in any
stead before God, but our doing of it ; it is not our
believing that we may be saved by believing in
Christ, whereby we can be saved, without actual be-
lieving in him, without such a faith whereby we de-
pend upon him, for the pardon and salvation of our
immortal souls, and, consequently, for the assistance
of his grace and Spirit, whereby we may be enabled
to obey his gospel, and to perform all such things
as himself hath told us are necessary in order to our
everlasting happiness. And whatsoever faith we pre-
tend to, unless it come to this, that it puts us upon
universal obedience to all the commands of God, we
may conclude it will do us no good; for it is not
such a faith as Christ requires, which always works
by love, conquers the world, subdues sin, purifies
the heart, and sanctifies the whole soul wheresoever
it comes. It is such a faith as this which is the
wedding-garment, without which no man is chosen
or admitted to partake of those celestial banquets,
479
which Christ our Saviour hath provided for us.
And therefore no man can have any ground at all
to believe or hope himself to be elected or chosen to
eternal salvation, that is not holv in all manner ol
conversation, God himself having told us expressly
that " without holiness no man can see the Lord/'
So that having- God's own word for it, we may posi-
tively and confidently assert, that no man in the
world can upon any just grounds he reputed as
chosen by God, that doth not in all things, to the
utmost of his power, conform himself, and adjust his
actions to the laws and commands of God. So that
how many soever arc called, how many soever come
into the outward profession of the Christian religion,
yet none of them can be said to be chosen but such
as are real and true saints. And how few those
are, is a matter which we have more cause to bewail
than to prove. Howsoever, that we may see that
we have but too much reason to believe this assertion
of our blessed Saviour, that many are called hut feu-
chosen, I desire that we may but consider the state
of Christendom in general, and weigh the lives and
actions of all such as profess to believe in Christ.
view them well, and examine them by the gospel
rules, and then we shall soon conclude that there are
but few chosen; or to bring it home more closely t<>
ourselves, who are all called, and take out from
amongst us all such persons as come not up to the
terms of the gospel, and we shall find that there an
but few behind, but few indeed who can he discerned
and judged by the light either ol' reason ot Scripture,
be chosen by God to eternal life. Foi taki
from amongst us,
480
1. All atheistical persons, who, though they are
baptized into the name of Christ, and so are called
to the faith of Christ, yet neither believe in Christ
nor God, such fools as say in their " heart, there
is no God." For all will grant that they are not
chosen by God who do not so much as believe that
there is any God to choose them. Neither can it
be imagined that the all-wise God should choose
such fools as these to be with him who will not so
much as acknowledge him to be. And yet how
many such fools have we amongst us whose practices
have so depraved their principles, that they will not
believe there is any God, because they wish there
was none. And when these are taken from amongst
the called, I fear the number of the chosen amongst
them will be much lessened.
2. Take out from amongst us all ignorant per-
sons, that understand not the common principles of
religion, or the fundamental articles of that faith
which they are called to. For that these are not
chosen is plain, in that though they be called by
Christ, yet they know not what he would have
them do, nor yet who it is that calls them. And
therefore, as God would have all men to be saved,
so, for that end, he would have them come to the
knowledge of the truth : that is, he would have
them know all such truths as himself hath revealed
to them in the gospel as necessary to be known in
order to their eternal salvation, without which know-
ledge it is impossible for a man to perform what is
required of him; for, though a man may know his
duty, and not do it, no man can do his duty unless
he first know it. And, therefore, gross ignorance
481
and saving faith cannot possibly consist or stand to-
gether; for saving faith is always joined with or
puts a man upon sincere obedience to all the com-
mands of God; but how can any man obey the com-
mands of God, who neither knows that Cod whoso
commands they arc, nor yet what these command!
are which God will have him to obey? No, cer-
tainly: a blind man may as well follow his temporal
calling, how intricate soever it be, as he that is
grossly ignorant the high calling of a Christian J
for he is altogether incapable of it, and BO not only
unworthy, but unfit, to be chosen to it. Hence
God himself hath told us, that he is so far from
choosing such as live and die in this manner, with-
out understanding, that he will never show them
any mercy or favour. " For it is a people." saith
he, " of no understanding: therefore, he that made
them will not have mercy on them, and he that
formed them will show them no favour." Neither
doth he ever blame mankind for any thing in the
world more than for not knowing, and therefore not
considering, him that made and feeds them. And
that we may be still further assured that he chooseth
no such persons to dwell with him as do not know
him and his commands, he hath given it as under
his hand, that he rejects them, savin-. " My people
are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou
hast rejected knowledge, 1 will also rejed thee, that
thou shalt l)e no priest to me: seeing thou hast
forgotten the law of thy God, 1 will also forget thy
children."
That, therefore, no persons that ar igno-
rant, and live and die in that condition, are |
X
4S2
to eternal salvation, I suppose, the premises consi-
dered, all will acknowledge. But alas ! how many
such persons are there in the world, how many
amongst ourselves ! How many who are very cun-
ning and expert in the management of any worldly
business, but are mere novices, or rather idiots, in
matters of true religion ; or, as the prophet words
it, " who are wise to do evil, but to do good they
have no knowledge !" How many such ignorant
and sottish people are there in every corner of the
land, and in this city itself? where they do, or may,
hear the word of God read and expounded to them
every day, and yet ask them seriously of the
orounds of the Christian religion, and the reason of
the hope that is in them, and they are no more able
to oive a satisfactory or rational answer, than if they
had never heard of any such book as the Bible in
the world, or had been bred and born in the remot-
est corners of America, where the sound of the gos-
pel never yet came. But all such, how many soever
they be, though they be called, they must stand
aloof off; for so long as they are such, we may
be confident they are not chosen. Insomuch, that
should we take away no other from the number of
the called, but only such as know what they are
called to, it would appear but too clearly to be true,
that, of the many which are called, there are but few
chosen.
3. Take out from amongst us all vicious, profane,
debauched, and impenitent persons — all that make a
mock of sin, and that jeer at holiness, that live as
without God in the world, as if they had neither
God to serve nor souls to save — as if there were
neither a hell to avoid, nor a heaven to enjoy, and
therefore, make it their business to gratify their
flesh, and to indulge their appetite with carnal and
sensual pleasures, looking no higher, than to be
fellow-sharers with the brutes that perish; Buch as
in their bewitching cups stick not to fly in the
of heaven itself, and dare challenge God himself to
damn them; and make lying their usual dialect,
and swearing their pleasing rhetoric; and are so Ear
from being troubled for their sins, that they take
pleasure and delight in them; so far from being
ashamed of them, that they make them their pride
and glory, and so make it their pleasure to displease
God, and their highest honour to dishonour him
that is honour and perfection itself. For, that no
such persons as these, who live and die in such no-
torious crimes upon earth, arc chosen to live with
God in heaven, none can deny, that believe the
scriptures to be true, which, in plain terms, assure us
of the contrary : " Know ye not," saith the apostle,
" that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom
of God? Be not deceived, neither fornicators, 001
idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers
of themselves with mankind ; nor thieves, nor i
tous, nor drunkards, nor rcvilers, nor extortioners,
shall inherit the kingdom of God." And St. John
tells us, that only they who do the commandments
enter into the city of heaven : but "without
and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers,
and idolaters, and whosoever Loveth and makcth a
lie." So that all such persons, without timely re-
pentance, are most entirely excluded from the num-
ber of the chosen. And how i there
x '2
484
amongst us who allow themselves in some sin of
other ; or rather, where shall we find a man that doth
not ? But to all persons that continue in such sin,
I may say, Stand you by, you have no ground as
yet to think you are chosen, but have rather all the
reason in the world to believe that, if you go on in
such a sinful course, you will never know what
heaven or happiness is. But when all such are
taken out of the number of the called, what a piteous
scantling will be left behind ! In plain terms, we
have just cause to fear that ignorant and dissolute
persons make up the greatest part of those who are
called Christians.
4. Take out from amongst us all hypocritical and
false-hearted persons that seem indeed to be honest
and good men, but still retain some secret sin or
other, which will as certainly keep them out of hea-
ven, as the most notorious and scandalous crime
that is; such as our Saviour compares to whited
sepulchres, which outwardly appear very beautiful,
" but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all
uncleanness." Such whose outward conversation is
altogether unblameable ; so that no man can charge
them with theft, perjury, drunkenness, uncleanness,
and the like; but, in the meanwhile, they are mali-
cious, uncharitable, censorious, proud, self-conceited,
disobedient to parents or magistrates, covetous, am-
bitious, and the like. And so, though they be free
from those sins which others are guilty of, yet
they are guilty of as bad sins, which the others may
be free from. To which, also, may be added, all
such as make, indeed, a greater show of piety and
seem mighty zealous for the little circumstances
48,0
of religion, but neglect the weightier mutter., of the
law, the love of God, mercy, justice, and the like.
But, for all the vain hopes, and high conceits, that
such persons may have of themselves, they are far
from being such as the gospel requires of them, and,
by consequence, from the number of the chosen
here spoken of. For the Pharisees were such per-
sons as these, and yet our Saviour himself tills us,
that " except our righteousness exceed the right -
teousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, we shall in
no wise enter into the kingdom of Clod." And
when he tells us elsewhere, that " except we repent
we must all likewise perish," his meaning is,
that we must repent of some, or many, or most, but
of all our sins, and so repent of them as to turn
from them; and so turn from all sin, as for the
future, to be holy in all manner of conversation;
otherwise, our Saviour himself assures US, that hi
will never save us, but we must perish without
remedy.
Let any man consider this, and then tell me what
he thinks of the number of the chosen, whether it
be not very small indeed, in comparison of the many
which are called. For not to speak of other part-
of Christendom, all the people of this nation are
called — are called to the faith of Christ: and be*
many they are, I cannot say we at all know, for it ii
past any man's knowledge. Hut where i- the man
amoniist us all, that doth not harbour some seen I
lust or other in his bosom; yea, of the many men in
this nation, where is he that can lay with 1>.
" I have kept myself from nunc iniquity?1
use the words of the prophet, M Run ye t" anil fro
486
through the streets of the city, and see now and
know, and seek if ye can find a man, if there by any,
that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth,
that serveth the Lord with a perfect heart and a
willing mind." I do not deny, but there are a great
many professors of religion amongst us who would
fain be accounted more strict and holy than their
neighbours are, so as to be reckoned the religious;
as the friars and nuns are in the church of Rome :
but are they therefore to be esteemed the elect and
chosen of God, because they fancy themselves to be
so ? Or rather is not their pride and self-conceited-
ness an argument that they are not so ? Blessed be
God for it, I have no spleen nor rancour against any
of them, but heartily wish they were as truly good
and holy as they would seem to be. But what?
Is not pride a sin? Is not self-conceitedness a sin?
Is not irreverence in God's worship a sin ? Is not
disobedience to magistrates a sin ? Is not uncharita-
bleness or censoriousness a sin ! Certainly all these
will be found to be sins another day. And there-
fore whatsoever pretences men may make to religion,
if they allow themselves in such sins as these, they
are as far from being in the number of the chosen,
as the most dissolute and scandalous persons in the
world ; but when these two are removed from the
called, how few of them will appear to be chosen ?
5. Yet once again. Take out all such as believe
not in our Lord Jesus Christ, but being morally
honest and faithful in performing their duty to God
and man, trust more in their own good works than
to his merit and mediation. For that all such are
to be excluded, is plain from the whole tenor of the
487
gospel, which assures us, that there i^ no B&lvation
to be had but only by Jesus Christ : nor by him
neither, but only by believing in him* But if
Christ should come this day to judgment) would he
find faith upon earth? Verily, I fear, lie would find
but very little if any at all amongst us. Il>' might,
I believe, find some pretty strict and circumspect in
obeying of his other laws, or at least in endeavouring
to do so; but for a man to do all that is required
of him, and yet to count himself an unprofitable
servant — for a man to do all he can, and yet rest
upon nothing that he hath done, but to depend
wholly upon another, even upon Jesus Christ for
life and happiness, this is hard indeed to flesh and
.blood, and as rare to find as it is to find a rose
amono- the weeds and thistles of a barren wilder!,.
or a diamond amongst the gravel upon the sea-shore :
Here and there I believe there may be found one.
but so rarely, that they can scarcely be termed .
be sure, but very few in comparison of the many
who are called.
Now, let us put these things together, ami v..
shall easily grant that this saying of our Saviour
was but too true, that many are called, hut I
chosen. And to bring it closer to ourselves, we
all called to repent, and believe the gospel; now :
out from amongst us all ignorant persons that !
heard indeed, but understand not what they hi
all atheistical persons, that believe not really r
is a God to judge them; all debauched sinners that
live in open and notorious crimes; all pharsaicai
hypocrites that avoid open, but indulge- themsel
in secret sins, that have the form hut not the p
488
of godliness ; and all such who are as St. Paul was
before his conversion, as touching the righteousness
of the law blameless, but yet believe not in Jesus
Christ ; — take out, I say, all such persons as I have
named from amongst us, and what a small number
proportionably should we have left behind ! how
many would be excluded the presence of God ! how
few would continue in it ! What cause should we
then have to say with our Saviour, that many are
called but few chosen !
Having thus explained the meaning, and con-
firmed the truth of this proposition, that many are
called but few chosen, we must consider the reasons
of it, how it comes to pass that of the many which
are called there are but few chosen ; a thing which
I confess we have all just cause to wonder and ad-
mire at. Are not all men rational creatures? Are
they not able to distinguish between good and evil ?
Do they not understand their own interest ? What
then should be the reason that so many of them
should be called and invited to the chiefest good —
the highest happiness their natures are capable of,
yet so few of them should mind or prosecute it, so
as to be chosen or admitted into the participation
of it? What shall we ascribe it to? the will and
pleasure of almighty God, as if he delighted in the
ruin of his creatures, and therefore although he calls
them, he would not have them to come unto him 1
No, that cannot be; for in his revealed will, which
is the only rule that we are to walk by, he hath told
us the contrary in plain terms, and hath confirmed
it too with an oath, saying : "As I live, saith the
Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the
489
wicked, but that lie should turn from his w;iy and
live." And elsewhere he assures us, that he would
" have all men saved and to conic to the knowledge
of the truth." And, therefore, if we believe what
God saith, nay, it' we believe what be hath iworu,
we must needs acknowledge that it is his will and
pleasure, that as many as are called should be all
chosen and saved. And, indeed, it' he had no mind
that we should come when we arc called to him, why
should he call us to come ? Why hath he given us
his word, his ministers, his ordinances, and all to in-
vite and oblige us to repent and turn to him, if after
all he was resolved not to accept of us, nor would
have us come at all? Far be it from us that we
should ever have such hard and unworthy thoughts
of the great Creator and Governor of the world,
especially considering that he hath told ill the con-
trary, as plainly as it was possible for him to express
his mind to us. I do not deny but that, according
to the apostle, " known unto God are all his workfl
from the beginning of the world." And there arc
several passages in scripture which intimate unto us
God's eternal election of all that arc truly pious, to
live with him for ever. But it is not for us to bf
so bold and impudent, as to pry into the sect
God, nor so curious as to search into his eternal and
incomprehensible decrees; but we must still remem-
ber the words of Moses, that " secret things belong
unto the Lord our God; but those things which an-
revealed belong unto us, that we may do all the
words of this law." Whatsoever is nccc-ary ho
us to believe or do, in order to our eternal
lion, is clearly revealed to us in the holy icrij '
x 3
490
and, therefore, what we there read belongs to us to
know, neither are we to look any further than to his
revealed will. But God in the scriptures doth
plainly tell us, not only in the places before quoted,
but elsewhere, that he is " not willing that any
should perish, but that all should come to repent-
ance." This is the revealed will of God, which
we are to acquiesce in, and rest fully satisfied with,
so as to act accordingly, without concerning our-
selves about things that are too high for us, and no
way belong unto us. And, therefore, it is not his
secret, but revealed will, that we are to search for
the reasons of this proposition, that many are called
but few chosen.
Now consulting the word of God to find out the
reasons of this so strange assertion, that many are
called, and few chosen, I know no better or fitter
place to search for them than this parable, which
gave our blessed Saviour the occasion of asserting it ;
in which it is very observable that he meddles not
at all with any reasons a priori, deduced from the
eternal decrees of his Father, but he only suggests
to us the reasons a posteriori, drawn from the dis-
position and carriage of men, why so many are called
and yet so few chosen.
For the opening whereof we must know that the
end and intent of this parable, was only to show the
entertainment which his gospel had then, and should
still meet with in the world — many refusing to em-
brace it at all, and of those who embrace it, many
still walking unworthy of it. So that the issue and
consequence of it will be, that though many be called
to it, there are but few chosen. And he hath so
491
worded the parable that we Deed not seek any furthei
for the reasons of this conclusion from it, they being
almost clearly couched in the parable itself; which
that we may the better understand, 1 shall open and
explain them particularly, so as to make them intel-
ligible, I hope, to the meanest capacity.
I. The first reason, therefore, why so many are
called, but so few chosen, is, because they who are
called to Christ, will not come unto him J for this
is the first reason which our Saviour himself, in the
parable, assigns for it: " The king," saith he,
*' sent his servants, to call them that were bidden
to the marriage, and they would not come.'' And
they would not come; so that the great fault is still
in the wills of men, which are generally BO de-
praved and corrupt, that, though they be called ever
so oft, and cannot but in reason acknowledge that it
is their interest to come; yet, they have so strange
an aversion to the holiness and purity of the g
which they are called to, that they will not come
unto it, only because they will not; for, here, they
who are first bidden, give no reason for their refusal.
only, it is said, they would not come. And.
cause why; for, when we have searched into all the
reasons imaginable why men do not fully submit
themselves to the obedience of the gospel, tiny will
all resolve and empty themselves into this, that they
will not, because they will not. Let minisU |
what they can, let the scriptures say what they will,
let God himself say what he pleases, yet sinners men
are, and sinners they will be, in spite M' them all ; M
the prophet, rebuking the people- for their sins, -aid,
" But thousaidst, there is no hope: no: tor I
492
strangers, and after them will I go." And so it is to
this day: we tell them of their sins, and the dangerous
consequences of them ; we tell them that they must
not love the world, but seek the kingdom of God,
and his righteousness, in the first place; we tell
them, from Christ's own mouth, that, except they
repent and forsake their sins, they must perish ; but
they say in effect, that we had as good hold our
tongues ; for they have loved the world, and after it
they will go; they have found pleasure in the com-
mission of their sins, and therefore they will commit
them. Christ calls them to come unto him, and they
know no reason why they should not, but howsoever
they will not come. If we were but once willing, the
work were done; for what our wills are really inclined
to, we cannot but use the utmost of our endeavour
to attain. But the mischief is, men read the gospel,
they hear Christ calling upon them to believe and
obey it, but their wills are still averse from it, there
is a kind of antipathy and contrariety within them,
against such exact and real holiness, as the gospel
requires of them. So that if they perish, they must
blame themselves for it; it is their own choice; they
choose and prefer their sins, with all the miseries
that attend them, before the gospel of Christ, with
all the glory and happiness which is offered in it ;
and therefore as God said to his people, " Turn ye,
turn ye, for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" so
say I to these men, repent and believe the gospel,
for why will ye die, why will ye perish eternally ?
Have you any reason for it? None in the world but
your own wills. Christ hath told you in plain terms,
" Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out ;"
but if you will not conic unto him, who can help
that? Are not yourselves only in the fault 2 Will
not your blood be upon your own heads? What
could Christ have done more for you than he hath
done? What could he have suffered more for you
than he hath suffered? How could he call you to
him more plainly and pathetically than he doth '1
But if after all this, you will not come onto him, you
must even thank yourselves for all the torments you
must ere long suffer and undergo. And this is indeed
the case of the greatest part of mankind, that though
they be called and invited to partake of all the merits
of Christ's death and passion, yet they will not com<
unto him. And this is the first and great reason why
so many are called, and yet so few chosen.
II. The second reason is, because men do urn
really believe that they are invited to such glorious
things as indeed they are, as our Saviour h
intimates in the parable. for when they who were
bidden would not come upon the first invitation, as
not believing the message that those servants
brought them, the king sent forth other servants,
saying, " Tell them which are bidden, Behold 1
have prepared my dinner, my oxen and inv fmtlings
are killed, and all things are ready, come unto the
marriage." When the first servants were not be-
es
lieved, he sent others with fuller instructions,
giving them orders to acquaint the guests, that all
things were now ready, and to assure them that it
WJtS to a marriage-feast they wire invited. Ihit it
seems, whatever the first or second servants could
say, it was to no purposes they would not believe
them, and therefore scut them away as the)
494
whereby our Saviour exactly discovers to us the en-
tertainment that his gospel always did, and still
would meet with in the world. Before his own
coming into the world, he sent his prophets to invite
mankind to accept of the terms propounded in it,
and to call upon them to repent and turn to God,
that their sins might be blotted out, and their souls
admitted into the grace and favour of Almighty God,
and so partake of eternal glory, which the prophets
call men to, under the notion of a feast — " Feast of
fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things
full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined;"
which they called all men to, saying, " Ho, every
one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters !" But
how their message was received the same prophet
declares, saying, " Who hath believed our report,
and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ?" and
so is it since. For when the prophets could not be
credited, God afterwards sent his apostles, and still
to this day is sending servant after servant to invite
men to grace and pardon, to heaven and eternal
happiness. But we his ministers may still say with
the prophet, " Who hath believed our report ?"
We tell them that unless they repent and turn to
God, iniquity will be their ruin ; we tell them also,
that if they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, they
shall be saved, and if they be holy here, they shall
be happy hereafter. But what signifies our telling
them of- these things, if they believe not what we
say ? And yet who doth? Men give us the hear-
ing, censure what they have heard, and that is all
the use they make of it, never really or firmly be-
lieving any one truth that we make known or ex-
495
pound to them; and this being the case not only of
some few, but of the greatest pari of mankind,
hence it comes to pass, that so many are called, and
so few chosen; even because they who arc called
do not believe it, and so it is all one with them
whether they be called or not. Be sun- God
chooscth none but such as believe the word he
sends unto them : for, as the apostle saith, M God
hath chosen the poor in this world, rich in faith*"
if they be not rich in faith, they arc not foi bis
purpose; and seeing there are but few that arc so,
hence, of the many which arc called, there are hut
few chosen.
III. Another reason why of the many which arc
called there are so few chosen, is because tiny have
no real esteem or value for the things which they
are called to; as it is in the parable, when the ser-
vants were sent to call upon them to make haste to
the feast, because all things were ready, it is said
that they made light of it. They did not think it
worth their while to go, though it was to a feast, a
marriage-feast, yea to the marriage-feast of BO great
a person as the king's son: no, not though they
were invited by the king himself unto it Thus it
was in ancient time, and thus it is still : the King "f
heaven sends to invite men to his court, to lay aside
their filthy garments, and to put on the robes that
he hath prepared for them, that they may he- holy
as he is holy, and so live with him and he happ;.
ever. But they make light of such things as t!
they can sec no such beauty in Christ, why they
should desire him; no such excellency in God him-
self, why they should be in love with him : and ai
496
for heaven, they never were there yet, and there-
fore care not whether they ever come there or not;
though they be called, they matter not whether
they be chosen to it or not; and hence likewise it is,
that of the many which are called, there are but
few chosen.
IV. Another reason is, because they who are
called are generally addicted to the things of this
life; they have the serpent's curse upon them, to feed
upon the dust of the earth, and therefore slight all
the overtures that are made them of heaven and
eternal happiness. As our Saviour himself inti-
mates in this parable, saying, that " when they were
invited, they made light of it, and went their way,
one to his farm, another to his merchandise." Thus
we read of the Pharisees, that they being covetous,
when they heard the words of Christ, they derided
them. And thus it is to this day; though men be
called to Christ, they are so much taken up with
worldly businesses that they can find no time to
come unto him; but away they go again, one to
his trade, another to his merchandise. These are
the things that most men's minds are wholly bent
upon, and therefore they will not be persuaded to
leave them to go to Christ.
It is true, if he called them to great estates —
if he called them to a good bargain — if he called
them to crowns and sceptres in this world, then
they would all strive which should be chosen first;
but the things that he calls us to are quite of ano-
ther nature; he calls us to repent of our sins, to be-
lieve in him, to contemn the world, to have our
conversation in heaven. But these are things
497
which men do not love to hear of, as being contrary
to their earthly temper and inclinations; and there-
fore, we who arc God's ministers, may call OUT
hearts out before they will set the mselvea in good
earnest to mind them. Or to bring it home still
closer to us, how often have we all been invited to
that spiritual feast, the sacrament of the Lord's
Supper, but how few are there that oome unto it.
when the whole congregation is called to partake of
it! scarcely one in twenty think it worth their while
to stay to have their share in it. What can he the
reason of this, but that our minds are taken up with
other things, which we fancy to be of far greater
concern to us, than all the merits of Christ's death
and passion? And therefore, it is no wonder that s(l
many of us are called, and so few chosen, seeing we
ourselves choose the toys and trirles of this transient
world, before all those real joys which in the gospel
we are called and invited to.
\ . In the next place, many of them which are
called, have so strange an antipathy to God and
goodness that they do not only slight their hea-
venly, in comparison of their earthly calling: hut
they hate and abuse such as are sent to call them,
as our Saviour himself intimates. ( ) barbarous
cruelty : what hurt, what injury is done unto them !
They are invited to a least, and for this they are
angry, and kill the messengers which are tent to
invite them. Thus it hath been in all ages. This
was the entertainment, this the requital that m
the prophets received for the divine message the)
brought to mankind. Yea, Christ himself, tfa
and heir of God, was put to death for inviting
498
to life and happiness, and so were his apostles too;
and so it is to this day. There is still a secret
malice and hatred in men's hearts against such as
endeavour to preach the gospel clearly and fully to
them. We tell them of their sins — we acquaint
them of the danger they are in — we call upon them
to forsake and avoid them — we invite them to Christ,
and so to heaven and eternal happiness; for this
many of them are angry with us, and incensed
against us. They may forgive us this wrong, I can
assure them we intend them no evil, but all the
good we can do or desire to our own souls. But
whatsoever the success be, it is still our duty to call
upon them, to advise them of their duty, and, if pos-
sible, to reclaim them from their sins; and if they be
angry with us for that, as many are, they cannot
wonder at our Saviour's saying, that many are
called^ but few chosen.
VI. The last reason which our Saviour gives in
this parable, why many are called, but few chosen,
is because of those who are called, and come too at
their call, many come not aright, which he signifies
by the man that came without his wedding-garment ;
where, although he mentions but one man, yet under
that one is comprehended all of the same kind, even
all such persons as have the gospel preached to
them, and so are called and invited to all the graces
and privileges proposed in it — all such as profess to
believe in Christ, and to expect happiness and salva-
tion from him, yet will not come up to the terms which
he propounds in his gospel to them, even to " walk
worthy of the vocation wherewith they were called."
And indeed this is the great reason of all, why of
499
so many which arc ealled there are so few chos< n,
because there arc so few which do all things which
the gospel requires of them. Many like Herod will
do many things, and are almost persuaded to be
Christians as Agrippa was. How zealous are
for, how violently are others against, the little cere-
monies and circumstances of religion, and in the
meanwhile neglect and let slip the power and sub-
stance of it! How demure are some in their car-
riage towards men, but irreverent and slovenly in
the worship of Almighty God ! How devout would
others seem towards God, hut are still careless and
negligent of their duty towards men ! Some are
all for the duties of the first table without the se-
cond, others for the second without the first. Some
are altogether for obedience and gOod WOrks. With-
es
out faith in Christ ; others are as much tor fait!) in
Christ, without obedience and good works. S
would do all themselves, as it' Christ had done no-
thing for them; others fancy that Christ hath so
done all things for them, that there is nothing left
for themselves to do; and so between both these
sorts of people, which are the far greatest put ol
those who are called, either the merits, or el
laws of Christ arc slighted and contemned. Hut i
this the way to be saved ? Xo, Burely; it' I know
any thing of the gospel, it requires both repentance
and faith in Christ, that we perform sincere obe-
dience to all his laws, and yet trust in him, and him
alone, for pardon, acceptance, and salvation. And
whosoever comes short of this, though he he called,
we may be sure he is not chosen, though he come
to the marriage-feast with these that are invito •
500
wanting this wedding-garment, he will be cast out
ao-ain with shame and confusion of face. So that it
is not our doing some, or many, or most of the
things which the gospel requires, that will do our
business, unless we do all to the utmost of our skill
and power. But where shall we find the man that
doth so ? What ground have we but to acknow-
ledge that our Saviour had too much cause to say,
" Many are called, but few chosen;" which I fear is
but too true, not only of others, but of ourselves
too.
I say not this to discourage any one : no, it is
my hearty desire and prayer to the eternal God,
that every soul of us might be chosen and saved.
But my great fear is, that many think it so easy a
matter to go to heaven, that if they do but say their
prayers, and hear sermons now and then, they can-
not miss of it, and therefore need not trouble them-
selves any further about it. But they must give
me leave to tell them, that this will not serve their
turn ; if it would, most of those which are called
would be chosen too. Whereas our Saviour him-
self tell us, in plain terms, the contrary. And yet
this should be so far from discouraging of us, that
it should rather excite us to greater diligence about
it than heretofore we may have used, as our Saviour
himself intimates in his answer to this question:
" Then said one unto him, Lord, are their few that
be saved ? And he said unto them, Strive to enter
in at the strait gate ; for many I say unto you, will
seek to enter in, and shall not be able." And verily,
what greater encouragement can we have, than to
consider, that though there be but few chosen, yet
501
there arc some? For why may not yon and
in the number of those few as well as others? At.
we not all called to Christ? Are not we all invited,
yea, commanded to believe in his name, and obe\
his gospel, that so we may partake of everlasting
glory? Let us all then set about that work in
good earnest which we are called to. Let us hut
fear God, and keep his commandments, and hut be-
lieve in his Son for his acceptance of ns; and then
we need not fear, for though of the many others
who are called there arc but few chosen, yet \
who are called shall be all chosen — chosen to live
with God himself, and Jesus Christ, and to s'uiLr
forth his praises for evermore.
THOUGHTS ON THE APPEARANC1
CHRIST, THE SIX OF RIGHTEOUS
NESS.
So long as we arc in the body we arc apt I
Governed wholly by its senses, seldom or never mind-
ing any tbing but what comes to Q8 through one oi
other of them. Though we are all able to abstract
our thoughts when we please from matter, and fix
them upon things that arc purely spiritual, there
are but few that ever do it- but few, even among
those also that have such things revealed t.. tin
God himself, and so have infinitely more and fin;.. •
ground to believe them than any one of all
senses put together can afford. Such are tht
truths of the gospel for which we have the infallible
502
word and testimony of the supreme truth ; yet see-
ing they are not the objects of sense, but only of
our faith, though we profess to believe them, yet we
take but little notice of them, and are usually no
more affected with them than as if there were no
such thing in being. Hence it hath pleased God,
in great compassion to our infirmity, not only to re-
veal and make known such spiritual things to us, in
plain and easy terms, but likewise to bring them as
near as possible to our senses, by representing them
to us under the names and characters of such sen-
sible objects as bear the greatest resemblance to
them ; that we, who are led so much by our senses,
may by them also be directed how to apprehend
those spiritual objects which he hath told us of, on
purpose that we may believe them upon his word.
Thus he often useth the words, hand, eye, and
the like, to signify his own divine perfections to us.
And thus it was that our Saviour preached the gos-
pel to the people, by parables and similitudes of
tilings commonly seen and done among themselves.
The prophets also frequently took the same course,
as might be shown by many instances; but one of
the most remarkable is that in Mai. iv. 2. where the
prophet in the name of God, speaking of Christ's
coming into the world, expresses it by the rising of
the sun, saying, " To you that fear my name shall
the Sun of righteousness arise, with healing in his
wings,"
For that Jesus Christ is the Sun of righteousness
here spoken of, is so plain from the context and the
whole design of the prophet, that I need not insist
upon the proving of it; but shall only observe that
503
this being the last of nil the prophets in th< 0
Testament, he shut up his own and all the other
prophecies with a clear prediction of Christ, and hit
forerunner John the Baptist, whom lie calls Elijah,
or Elias, and concludes his prophecy with these word •
concerning him, " Behold I will send yon Elijah the
prophet, before the coming of the great and dread-
ful day of the Lord. And he shall turn the heart-
of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the
children to the fathers, lest I come and smite tin
earth (or rather the land,) with a curse." lor that
by Elijah is here meant John the Baptist, we are
assured by Christ himself, .Matt. xi. 11. And it if
very observable, that as this prophet ends the Old
Testament with a prediction of Elias, so St. Luke
begins the Xew with a relation how John tin- Bap-
tist was born, and so came into the world a little
before Christ, as the morning-star that appeared be-
fore the rising of the Sun of righteousness.
But of the day which shall come at the ri-i
that glorious Sun, the prophet saith, that it " shall
burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that
do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that Com-
eth shall burn them up, saith the Lord <'f host-.
that it shall leave them neither root nor branch."
It will be a terrible day to those that shall obstinateh
refuse to walk in the light of it : they shall be all
consumed, as we read the unbelieving dews «
the destruction of Jerusalem, that happened Mon
after that sun was up. But then turning himself,
as it were, to his own ; Mmighty God, here
by his prophet cheers and comforts them,
them, " But unto you that fear my name shall the
504
Sun of righteousness arise, with healing in his
wings," &c. He shall arise to all, but to the other
with such a scorching heat as shall burn them up ;
to these with healing in his wings, or rays, so as
not to hurt, but heal them of all their maladies.
Now that which I chiefly design, by God's assist-
ance, to show from these words, is, what thoughts
they suggest to us concerning our blessed Saviour, by
calling him " the Sun of righteousness." But to
make the way as plain as I can, we must first con-
sider to whom he is here said to " arise with healino-
o
in his wings." — Even to those that fear the name of
God; to those who firmly believing in God, and
being fully persuaded of his infinite power, justice,
and mercy, and also of the truth of all his threats
and promises, stand continually in awe of him, not
daring to do any thing willingly that may offend
him, nor leave any thing undone that he would have
them to do. Such, and such only, can be truly
said to fear God. And therefore the fear of God
in the Scriptures, especially of the Old Testament,
is all along put for the whole duty of man. There
being no duty that a man owes, either to God or his
neighbour, but if he really fear God, he will en-
deavour all he can to do it. But this necessarily
supposes his belief in God, and his holy word, or
rather proceeds originally from it. " For he that
cometh unto God," so as to fear and obey him,
" must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder
of them wrho diligently seek him." So that as no
man can believe in God, but he must needs fear
him ; so no man can fear God, unless he first be-
lieves in him. From whence it necessarily follows,
505
that by those who are here said to fear the name of
God, we can understand no other but only such as are
possessed with a firm belief in him, and with a full
persuasion of the truth and certainty of those divine
revelations that he hath made of himself, and of his
will to mankind, and therefore live accordingly.
Of these, and these only, it is here said, that t«»
them "shall the Sun of righteousness arise with
healing in his wings." Not to any other : no Other
being able to see his light, nor capable of those heal-
ing influences that proceed from him. For though
he be a Sun, he is not such a sun as we Bee with
our bodily eyes in the firmament, but ''the Sun of
righteousness," shining in the highest heavens, tie
yond the reach of our senses, visible only to tl.
of faith, the evidence of things not seen : inso-
much, that although he be risen, and darts down his
beams to this lower world continually, vet they who
have not faith, can neither see him, nor enjoy any
more benefit by him, than as if he were not risen, or
did not shine at all. As if a man he born blind,
though the sun shine ever so clear about him, be
sees no more than he did before, but lives in the dark
at noon-day as much as at midnight : neither can ye
ever make him understand what light or colour
for having not that sense by which alone such things
can be perceived, he can never understand what yon
mean by such things, so as to form any tine notion
of them in his mind. So it is in our present
though the Sun of righteousness be risen, and chines
most gloriously in the world, yet being tin- object
only of our faith, without that a man can d
nothing of him. He may perhaps talk of light, but
v
506
all the while he knows not what he means by the
words he useth about it. For he useth them only
as words of course, taken up from those he talks
with, without having any effect or operation at all
upon his mind; whereas they who really believe
God's word, and what is really believed concerning
the Sun of righteousness, they see his light, they
feel his heat, they experience the power and efficacy
of his influences. And therefore, although they
who have no faith (as few have) can be no way pro-
fited by what they shall hear or read of him, yet
they who have, ancl act it out of what they hear or
read out of God's holy word concerning him, they
will find their thoughts and apprehensions of him
cleared up, and their affections inflamed to him, so
as to love and honour him for the future, as the
fountain of all that spiritual life, and light, and joy
they have; for to them " he shall arise with healing
in his wings."
He did not only arise once, but he continually
niiseth to those who believe in God, and fear him.
For thus saith the Lord, " To you that fear my name
shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in
his wings.'' It is true, he speaks more especially of
his incarnation, or visible appearance in the world ;
but by this manner of speaking, he intimates withal
that this Sun of righteousness is always shining upon
his faithful people, more or less, in all ages, from the
bemnnin£ to the end of the world. For in that it
is said, " he shall arise," it is plainly supposed that
he was the Sun of righteousness before, and gave
light unto the world, though not so clearly as when
he was actually arisen. As we see and enjoy the
507
light of the sun long before lie riseth from thi
dawning of the day, though it grows dearer and
clearer all along as he comes nearer and nearer to his
rising; so the Sun of righteousness began to en-
lighten the world as soon as it was darkened by sin :
the day then began to break, and it grew lighter and
lighter in every age. Adam himself saw something
of this light, Abraham more ; " Abraham rejoi<
see my day," saith this glorious Sun,"" lie saw it and
was glad." David and the prophets after him saw
it most clearly, especially this the last of the pro-
phets; he saw this Sun in a manner rising, bo thai
he could tell the people that it would sudden'
above their horizon : " The Lord whom ye
saith he, "shall suddenly come to his temple/'
acquaints them also with the happy influent
would have upon them, saying, in the name of God,
"Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of
righteousness arise with healing in his wi
"The Sun of righteousness;" tl t ob-
served before, "Jesus Christ the righteous," who is
often foretold and spoken of under the name and no-
tion of the sun or star that giveth light unto the
world: "there shall come a Star out of J
Balaam, Numb. xxiv. 17. " And he Bhall I
the light of the morning when the sun riseth," saith
David, 2 Sam. xxiii. 1. And the prop hi I !
speaking of his coming, saith, "The people
walked in darkness have
that dwelt in the land of the shadow of di
them hath the light shin For that thi
spoken of Christ, we have the auth<
evangelists. T<> the same purpose is tl
508
same prophet, " Arise, shine, for thy light is come,
and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For
behold the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross
darkness the people ; but the Lord shall arise upon
thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee." " The
sun shall no more be the light by day, neither for
brightness shall the moon give light unto thee : but
the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and
thy God thy glory." To which we may add the
many places where Christ is called Nazareth,
which we translate the Branch, as, "I will bring
forth my servant the Branch." " Behold the man
whose name is the Branch." I will raise up to
David a righteous Branch." " And a Branch of
righteousness." In all which places the original
word signifies also the rising of the sun, and is ac-
cordingly rendered by the LXX. Anatole Oriens,
not that part of heaven where the sun riseth, but
the sun itself as rising there. And so it is translat-
ed also both in the Syriac and Arabic versions. And
where it is said, " In that day shall the Branch of
the Lord be beautiful," Isa. iv. 2. In the LXX. it
is epilampsei ho Theos, God shall shine forth. In
the Syriac, " The rising of the Lord shall be for
glory." In Arabic, " The Lord shall rise as the
sun." And that this is the true sense of the word
in all these places, appears from the prophecy of Za-
charias, the father of John the Baptist ; for, speak-
in^ of Christ's coming, he expresses it according to
our translation, by saying, "the Day-spring from on
high hath visited us." But in the original it is the
same word that the LXX. use in all the aforesaid
places, Anatole, Oriens, the rising sun. And it is
509
much to be observed, that all the said places of the
prophets are interpreted of the Messiah 01 Christ,
by the Targum or Chaldee paraphrase made hv the
ancient Jews themselves ; for Tash, the rising ism,
is there translated MESSIAH, the Christ, as if it
were only another name for the Messiah) the Saviour
of the world. From all which it appears, that when
the prophet here calls our Saviour Christ, the Sun
of righteousness, he speaks according to the com*
mon sense and practice of the church.
And verily he may well he railed the Sun, both
in respect of what he is in him8elf, and in respect "t
what he is to us. As there is but one sun in the
firmament, it is the chief of all creatures that ire
see in the world. There is nothing upon earth but
what is vastly inferior, the very stars of heaven seem
no way comparable to it. It is the top, the head,
the glory of all visible objects. In like manner, there
is but one Saviour in the world: he is exalted iar
above all things in it, not only above the sun himself,
but above all principality, and power, and might, and
dominion, and every name that is named, not only
in this world, but also in that which is to come.
" All things are put under his feet, and he U
to be head over all things to the church." The
very angels, authorities, and powers of heaven, an
all made subject to him, 1 Pet. iii. 22. And that is
the reason that he is said to he at the right hand oi
God, because he is preferred before, and sel over the
whole creation, next to the- almighty Creator hnnscli,
where he now reigns, and doth whatsoever he plcatf-
eth in heaven and in earth.
And as the sun is in itself also the most glori
510
as well as the most excellent creature we see, of such
transcendent beauty, splendour, and glory, that we
cannot look steadfastly upon it, but our eyes are
presently dazzled ; so is Christ the Sun of righteous-
ness. When he was transfigured, " his face did
shine as the sun." When St. John had a glimpse
of him, u he saw his countenance as the sun that
shineth in his strength." When he appeared to
St. Paul going to Damascus at mid-day, " there
was a light above the brightness of the sun shining
round about him, and them that journeyed with him."
And it is no wonder, " for he is the brightness of
his Father's glory, and the express image of his
person." And therefore must needs shine more
gloriously than it is possible for any mere creature
to do : his very body, by reason of its union to the
divine person, " is a glorious body." The most
"lorious, doubtless, of all the bodies in the world, as
far exceeding the sun, as that doth a clod of earth ;
insomuch, that could we look upon our Lord, as he
now shines forth in all his glory, in the highest
heavens, how would our eyes be dazzled ! our whole
souls amazed and confounded at his excellent glory !
The sun would appear to us no otherwise than as
the moon and stars do, when the sun is up. And
he that so far excels the sun in that very property
wherein the sun excels all other things, may well be
called the Sun — the Sun by way of pre-eminence,
the most glorious Sun in the world, in comparison
whereof nothing else deserves to be called by that
name. Neither may our blessed Saviour be justly
called by this glorious name only for what he is in
himself, but likewise from what he doth for us; as
511
maybe easily demonstrated from all the benefits that
we receive from the sun. I .shall instance in Borae
of the most plain and obvious.
First. Therefore, the sun we know is the foul
of all the light that we have upon earth, without
which we could see nothing, not so much .
way that is before us, hut should always be groping
and stumbling in the dark; whereas, by it we can
discern every thing that is about us, or at any dis-
tance from us, as far as our Bight can reach. I
which respect our blessed Lord is the Sun indeed :
" the light of the world." " The true light that
lightcth every one that cometh into the world."
" A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of
his people Israel." " A marvellous light." Where-
by we can see things that arc not visible to the
as plainly as we do those that are. For this "
spring from on high," this " Sun of righteousi
hath visited us, " to give light to them that sit i'i
darkness, and in the shadow of death, and to guide
our feet into the way of peace." To show us the
invisible things of God, and direct us to all ;
belonging to our everlasting peace and !
OS) '
He hath made them all clear and manifest to us in
his o-ospel. " But whatsoever maketh manii I
light." Wherefore he is Baid to have " In
life and immortality to light through the gospel."
Because he hath there SO dearly revealed th
us, that by the light of his holy gospel, ■
all things necessary to be known, believed, or
in order to eternal life, as plainly a- Wfl I
most visible objects at noon-day.
By this light we can ich of th
512
God himself, as our mortal nature can bear. For,
" no man hath seen God at any time; the only be-
gotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, he
hath declared him.', " Neither knoweth any man
the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the
Son will reveal him." So that no man ever had or
can have any right knowledge of the true God, but
only by his Son, our Saviour, Christ. But by this
means, they that lived before might see him as by
twilight; we who live after this Sun is risen, may
see him by the clearest light that can be given of
him; for he hath fully revealed and declared himself
to us in the gospel.
By this glorious light, we can see into the mystery
of the eternal Trinity in unity, so as to believe that
God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are one — one
Jehovah, one God. That God the Father made
all things at first by his word, and still upholds and
orders all things according to his will : that God the
Son was made flesh, became man, and as such died
upon the cross, and so offered up himself as a sacri-
fice for the sins of the whole world; that he arose
again, went up to heaven, and is now there at the
right hand of God: that upon our repentance and
faith in him our sins are pardoned, and he that made
us is reconciled to us by the merits of his said death ;
that by the power of his intercession which he now
makes in heaven for us, we are justified, or accounted
righteous in him, before him, and in him our al-
mighty Father : that God the Holy Ghost abides
continually with his church, moving upon, actuating,
and influencing the means of grace that are there
administered; that he sanctifies all that believe in
,513
Christ, leads them into all truth, comforts then in
all their trouhlcs, and assists them in doing what-
soever is required of them. These and many such
great and necessary truths, as lav in a great measure
hid heforc, are now, by the light of the Sun of
righteousness shining in his Gospel, made so plain
and evident, that all may sec them, except they
wilfully shut their eyes, or turn their hacks upon
them.
And though the sun in the firmament enlighten!
only the air, to make it a fit medium through which
to see, this glorious light that comes from the Sun
of righteousness enlightens men's minds too, and
opens their eyes " to behold the wondrous things
that are revealed in the law of God." And thai
too so effectually in some, that they likewise arc able
to enlighten others, — " to open their eves, and turn
them from darkness to light." Insomuch that they
arc also " the light of the world." Not originally
in themselves, but by communication from him. a-
the moon is first enlightened by the sun. and then
reflects its light to the earth.
Moreover, the sun is the first cause under God,
not only of light, but also of all the lite that is i:t
any creature upon earth, without which nothing
could live — no, not so much as a vegetable, much
less an animal life: for that which we call life, where-
with such creatures as have organs fitted tor it, arc
actuated and quickened, so BS t<> he said properly to
live, it all depends upon the heat and influence "1
the sun. Should the sun once cease to he, .»r to
influence the world, all living creatures would im-
mediately expire and die. So is Christ the S
righteousness, the fountain of all spiritual life. " In
thee/' saith David, " is the fountain of life ; in thy
lio-ht shall we see light :" where we see that light
and life in this sense also go together; they both
proceed from the same fountain, the Sun of righte-
ousness; who therefore saith, "I am the light of
the world; he that foiloweth me shall not walk in
darkness, but shall have the light of life." That
light which hath life always proceeding from it, and
accompanying it; so that he is both life and light
itself, "I am," saith he, "the way, the truth,
and the life." And our life, as the apostie calls
him, Col. iii. 4. — even the life of all that believe
in him. " The life that I now live in the flesh,"
saith the same apostle, " I live by the faith of the
Son of God." " And therefore he who believeth,
and so hath the Son, he hath life, and he that hath
not the Son, hath not life."
From all which it appears, that " all men by na-
ture are dead in trespasses and sins." " But when
any arise from the dead by faith, it is Christ that
gives them life:" " Who came into the world on
purpose that they might have light, and that they
might have it more abundantly." More abundantly,
that is, in the highest and most excellent manner
that is possible for men to live ; for this life, which
the Sun of righteousness raises believers to, is the
life of righteousness, a holy, a heavenly, a spiritual,
divine life; it is the life of faith, whereby they live
to other purposes, and in a quite different manner
from other men ; they live to God, and not unto
the world ; they live in a constant dependence upon
him, and submission to him; they live with a firm
515
belief of his word, and sincere obedience to bis
laws: they live altogether in his service, 90 that
"whether they eat or drink, or whatsoever they do,
they still do it to the glory of God." In short, they
strive all they can to do the will of God upon earth)
as the holy angels do it in heaven, and so have their
conversation there, where their Saviour and their
treasure is.
But this life is infused in them, only by the
of the Sun of righteousness — by the Holy Spirit
which proceedeth from Christ: whereby they being
born again, and made the children oi* light, thus walk
in newness of life; and so it is nourished also, pre-
served and strengthened only by him, who therefore
calls himself " the bread of life;" and "the l
of God which cometh from heaven, and giveth life
unto the world; the living bread, of which if any
man eateth, he shall live for ever." And this bread
which he gives is his flesh, "which he gave lor the
life of the world." " For his flesh is meat indeed,
and his blood is drink indeed; so that who-,, eateth
his flesh, and drinketh his blood, hath eternal lite.
and he will raise him up at the last day, that he may
live for ever. For Christ is the resurrection and
the life; whosoever believeth in him, though he
were dead, vet shall he live : and wh liveth
and believeth in him shall never die." Tho
body may die, vet not his soul: and his body also at
the last* day shall be raised again to lite, b.
power of this glorious Sun: " For 18 in Ad
die, even so in Christ shall all be made al
Seeing, therefore, that Jesus Chris* is I
tain of the life ol* righteousi
516
spiritual and eternal life which the righteous live, as
the sun is of our natural, he also may most properly
he called the Sun of righteousness, as he is in the
words before us. And so he may be likewise from
his cheering and refreshing our spirits in the inward
man as the sun does in the outward. " The light
of the eyes," saith the wise man, " rejoiceth the
heart." " And truly the light is sweet, and a plea-
sant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun."
This we all find by daily experience, and so do we
too, that the light and heat of the sun agitate or
move our animal spirits in so benign and delicate a
manner, that we are always more cheerful and plea-
sant when the sun shines clearly than we are in a
dark night or a cloudy day. But in this the Sun
of righteousness infinitely exceeds the other, for he
is the Fountain not only of some, but of all the true
joy and comfort that his faithful people have, or ever
can have in the world. It all proceeds from him,
whom having not seen they love, in whom, though
now they see him not, " yet believing, they rejoice
with joy unspeakable and full of glory." For upon
their believing in him, as having been delivered for
their offences, and raised again for their justification,
he manifesteth himself and his special love and fa-
vour to them, in the pardon of their sins, and their
reconciliation to almighty God, whereby their souls
are filled, not only with unspeakable, but with glo-
rious joy, of the same nature of that which the saints
in heaven are continually transported with. This is
that which is called the lifting up the light of God's
countenance, and his causing his face to shine upon
them, when the Sun of righteousness thus shineth
517
upon them, refreshing and comforting their heart.
by the sweet influences of that Holy Spirit that pro-
ceedeth from him.
But the sun doth not only refresh the earth) bat
makes it fruitful. It is by this means, under God,
that plants grow and bring forth fruit, and that ani-
mals do the respective works which God hath set
them. So is Christ the cause or author of all the
<{ood and righteous works that are done in the world;
he himself saith, " Without me ye can do nothing."
And his apostle could Bay upon his own experience,
" I can do all things through Christ that Btrengthen-
eth me." And that the fruits, all the fruits of righ-
teousness, are by Jesus Christ, or come from him
who therefore in this respect also may well he tinned
" the Sun of righteousness."
To which we may likewise add, that as the works
which God hath made upon earth by his power,
although they have no light in themselves wh
they can be seen, yet they appear in all their beauU
and colours by the sun reflecting his light upon them:
so the works which his servants do by his assistance
and grace, although they have no real worth.
are exactly righteous in themselves, yet by the Sim
of righteousness reflecting his righteousness upon
them, they seem or are accounted righteous in the
sight of God; or, as St. Peter speaks, " ti,
acceptable to God by Jeans Christ." Without
whom, therefore, there could be no inch thing as
righteousness seen upon earth, no more than there
could be colours without light. Hut, M
man's disobedience many were made sini..
the obedience of one shall many be made right
518
both sincerely righteous in themselves, and accepted
of as righteous before God, by his righteousness
imputed to them. So that all righteousness, both
as it is performed by men, and as it is approved of
by God, comes only from Jesus Christ. And this
seems to be the great reason wherefore he is here
called in a peculiar manner the Sun of righteous-
ness, and promised to arise to his people " with
healing in his wings," that they might grow up as
calves in the stalls; to show that it is by him only
that they are healed of their infirmities, and restored
to a sound mind, so as to grow in grace, and bring
forth the fruits of righteousness — such righteousness
as by him is acceptable to God, from whom they
shall therefore at the last day receive the crown of
righteousness — that crown which this Sun of righ-
teousness hath procured for them.
Upon these, among many other accounts, Jesus
Christ, the Saviour of mankind, may be truly called
the Sun of righteousness, as he is here by the Spirit
of truth itself, for our admonition and comfort.
For hereby we are put in mind how to think of our
blessed Saviour, and to exercise our faith in him, so
as to love and honour him with all our hearts, and
to put our whole trust and confidence in him for all
things necessary to our eternal salvation. Foras-
much as we are by this means given to understand,
that what the sun is to this lower world, the same is
Christ to his church. But the sun, as we have
heard, is the most excellent and most glorious that
we see in the world. It is the next cause, under
God, of all the light that is in the air, and of all the
life that any creatures live upon the earth. It is
that which refresheth the earth, and makes it fruit-
ful. It is that also which gives a lustre to all things
that are about us, so as to make them pleasing and
delightful to the eye.
And accordingly, whensoever 1 think of my
blessed Saviour, the Sun of righteousness, 1 appre-
hend, or rather by the eye of faith I behold him in
the highest heavens, there shining in glory ami
splendour infinitely greater than any mortal e
bear, invested with supreme majesty, honour, and
authority over the whole creation. I behold him
there surrounded with an innumerable company of
holy angels, as so many fixed stars, and of glorified
saints as planets enlightened by him : all his satel-
lites or servants waiting upon him, ready upon all
occasions to reflect and convey his benign influences
or favour to his people upon earth. 1 Bee bin
der by his own light, I behold him displaying bis
bright beams, and diffusing his light round about,
over his wholee hurch, both that which is trium-
phant in heaven, and that which is militant here on
earth: that all the members id' it may Bee all things
belonging to their peace. 1 behold him continu-
ally sending down his quickening Spirit upon those
who are baptized into, and believe in his holy name,
generate them, to be a standing principle of a
new and divine life in them. I behold him I
manifesting himself, ami causing hie thine
upon those who look up to him, <. as to refresh and
cheer their spirits, to make them brisk and lively,
ami able to run <k with patience the race thai
before them." I behold him here continually is-
suing forth his Holy Spirit, to actuate and influence
o<20
the administration of his word and sacraments; that
all who duly receive them may thereby grow in
grace, and be fruitful in every good word and work.
I behold the Sun of righteousness shining with so
much power and efficacy upon his church, that all
the good works which are done in it, though imper-
fect in themselves, do notwithstanding appear through
him as good and righteous in the sight of God him-
self, and are accordingly rewarded by him. In
short, as the sun was made to govern the day, so I
behold the Sun of righteousness as governing his
church, and ordering all things both within and with-
out it, so as to make them work together for the
good of those who love God, till he hath brought
them all to himself, to live with them in the highest
heavens, where they also shall, by his means, " shine
forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father for
ever."
Could we keep these and such-like thoughts of
our blessed Saviour always fresh in our minds ;
could we be always thus looking upon him, as the
Sun of righteousness shining continually upon us
and his whole church, what holy, what heavenly,
what comfortable lives should we then lead ! We
should then despise the pomps and vanities of this
wicked world, as nothing, as less than nothing, in
comparison of this most glorious Sun and his righ-
teousness. We should then, with St. Paul, " count
all things but loss in comparison of the knowledge
of Jesus Christ our Lord, and should count them
but dung, that we may win Christ, and be found in
him, not having our own righteousness which is of
the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ
521
the righteousness which is of God by faith." \\ «
should then leave gazing upon the trifles of the lowei
world, and should be always looking up to the Sun
of righteousness, so as to he enlightened b\ bim,
with such a light as will discover to us the glories
of the other world, together with the way that lead-
to it.
We should then abhor and detest the works of
darkness and walk as the children of light, and ac-
cordingly shine as lights in the world. And then
we should have the light of God's countenance shin-
ing continually upon us, enlightening, enlivening,
and refreshing our whole souls, and purifying both
our hearts and lives, so as to make us meet to he
partakers of the inheritance of the saints of light :
in that everlasting light which comes from the Sun
of righteousness, who liveth and reigneth, and sh'm-
eth with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God
blessed for ever.
FINIS.
Printed by W. ColUi -
Olj^gow.
Princeton Theological seminary udtjuto
1012 01197 4138
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