>.>'^
%,-■
mk
1^ ^ •^
S y ^ PRESENTED TO THE LIBRARY
PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINIRY
Professor \{^nvy van Dyke, ^.X^.^ Lili.D.
r
THE
PRACTICAL WORKS
O F T H E
Rev. RALPH ERSKINE, A. M,
CONSISTING OF HIS
SERMONS AND POEMS.
IN TEN LARGE VOLUMES OCTAVO.
VOLUME THE SIXTH,
C> The Editors of the prefent handfome Edition of
the Rev. Mr. RalphErskine's P radical Works ^ in
Odavo, purchafed, fome time ago, from the Heirs of
Mr. Newlands, the original Proprietor of thefe Works,
the fole right of Printing, Pabhfhing, and Vending
them : and judge it proper to notify this to the Pub-
lic, that none may imagine they are invading the late
Proprietor's right ; and to alTure all others, that if ai\y
prefume to incroach upon theirs, in any refpefl, they
m\\ fubjeQ: themfeives to a profecution.
SERMONS,
AND OTHER
Practical Works^
Of the Late Reverend and LearneI)
Mr. R A L P H E R S K I N E^
Minifler of the Gofpel in Dunfermline.
CONSISTING OF
Above One Hundred and Fifty Sermons^ l:>efidc|
his Poetical Pieces.
In Ten Large Volumes Octavd»
To v/hich is preSxed,
Jin Account of the Author^s Life and WRiTiNC;r»|
with an Elegiac Poem and large Contents,
€l.hr\ft fent ins to preach the gofpeh i Cor. i. 17*
VOL. VL
CuurcD lit fetatioiier^-I^all.
GLASGOW:
Printed by John B r y c e.
fOld by J. Bryce and W. Smith, Bookfclkrs, SaU-msrchi}
MDCCLXXVIIL
J
THE
C O N T E N T S.
SERMON LXSSVIIL
THE promifing God, a performing God, Page tj
Gen. xxviii, 1 5.--*-For I will not leave thet, until I havt doni
that which i have fpoken to thee qf»
After an introdu^lioft, and the words viewed in their ton*
ne«Stion, divided, opened Up, explained, and the fcnfe
wrapt up in a doctrine, the following general topics of
difcourfe are handled, viz,
1. What is to be underftood by the Bethd-vidts that God
may allow his people, i$
2. Some of the dark days that may follow thefe Bethel-in-
terviews, mentioned, 23
3 The promife explained, 1 will not teave thee ^ Zee, though
dark days may intervene between the promife and the ac-
complifhment, a^
4. Some grounds ofTered upon which they may be alTurcd
that God -will not leave them ^ till he hath done that which he
hath fpoken to them of, 41
5. Several inferences deduced for the applicaclon, .45
SERMON LXXXIX.
The Combination and Conjuncllon of Joys j or, the
joyful Approach of the Saviour, chearfuily welcom-
ed by the Church's Echo of Faith, 6i
Psalm xlvii. 7. Lt^Icome!- —
Song ii. 8. Behold, he cornet h I
The words being complexly viewed and explained, and the
fcope of them funimed up in a doctrinal propofiiion, the
following general heads of method are profecute, viz.
I. What
VI THE CO N t'E N t S.
I. What comings of Chrifl: to his people arc joyful to him
and them, pointed out, 63
a. What makes his coming joyful to himj evinced, 67
3. Shew what makes his coming joyful to thcmt 68
4. What exprclHons of joy in him are imported in his, Lo,
J come ! 7 ^
5. What eiLpreffidns of joy in them afe. imported in their
Behold t he comet h ! 74
6. Whence is this combination and conjunction of joys, 77
7. Inferences deduced for the application of the whole, in an
ufe of information, trial, and exhortation/ 80
SERMON XC,— XCiV,
The Time of Need, a Time of Love, 90
E Z E Jt. xvi. S. Novj^ ivheii 1 paffed by theCy and kck^'upm
thee ; behold, thy time was d time of Icve,
The words being viewed in their fpiritual meaning, anallzed»
o^plained, and * do<ftrinal propofjtioh raifed from them,
the following topics of difcourie are handled, viz.
I. The finner's time of need and mifefy, as defcribed in the
context, rpoken of, ^ 91
i. God's time of love, as here alio repfefented, confidered, y2
3. That he fhcws his love at fuch a remaikablc juntlure, as
makes it appear, their time of need is his time of love,
evinced, ^7
4. That this is matter of wonder and admiration, pointed
oiu, 103
J. Ii>ferenccs deduced for the application of the whole, 105
Ufe I. Of admiration. ibid.
2. Of examination, 106
A word of advice, 108
•3. Of information, by propounding and anfwering Ce-
veral queftions, 1 12
4. Of examination ; how to know if a time of trouble
has been ^ time of love y 126
<j. Of exhortation ; to two forts of perjbns, 156
(1.) To ihele whole time was never a tkiie of love»
ibid,
{%,) To fiich whofe time has been a time of love, 163
SERMON
SERMON XCV.
genfible Prefence, Sudden Abfencc ; or, the Belie-
ver's moil comfortable Interviews but of fliort Du-
ration. Page 175
Gen, XXXV. 13. Jnd Cod went up from him, in the place where
he talked with him.
Having Viewed the words In their fcope and connexion, di-
vided, explained, and taken up their fenfe in a do£lrinal
obfervation, the following heads of method are propofed,
viz,
1. To fpcak a little of the communion that Qod's people may-
have with him, 178
2. Offer a few remarks concerning their m-iffing and finding
the Lord, 181
3. To enquire in what refpe£i:s they may mifs him, where
they enjoyed him, 184
4. Allign the reafon of this difpsnTation, 188
c. Make application of the whole fubje^^ 1 o©
SERMON XCVI,
The Mounting Chriflian ; or, the Eagle-winged Be-
liever, 203
Is A. xl. 31. — They Jhall mount up with wings as eagles.
After an introdu£lion to the words, the fcope of the prophet
in the preceding verfes, the words themfelves viewed as
they {land connected with the preceding and labfcquent
claufes, and their lenfe exprefied in ado^rinai propoiitioa,
the following general topics are handled, viz.
1. The wings wherewith they mount up, fpoke of, 208
2. The things wherein they mount up, mentioned, 209
2. The feafops when it is efpecially they mount up, 2r3
4. The manner how they mount up, 2f^
5. The reafons why they mount up, exairlncd, 217
t. Application made of the v^hole iubjcitj, in leveral ufes, 219
SE^HMON
^i THE C O NTENTSi
SERMON XCVIL
The River of Life, proceeding out of the Throne of
Gpd and of the Lamb, Pagp 23a.
REV.xxlt. I. And he Jbe wed me a pure river of water of life ^
clear as cryfial, proceeding out of the throne of Cod, and of
the Lamb.
The words being viewed in their fcopc, their fcnfe afcertain-
ed, explained, and fummed up in a doftrine, the follow.
ing general heads of method arc profecute, viz,
t. Some remarks offered for clearing and confirming the
doarine, 234
2. The property and quality of the water of this river ob-
ferved, 2^6
3. The import of its being faid to proceed out of the throne
of God and the Lamb, 239
4. The reafons why this river is faid to proceed from thence,
5. Inferences deduced for the application of the whole, 244
SERMON XCVIII, XCIX.
The Comer's Confiid ; or, the Beginner's Battle
with the Devil, when cffaying to come to Chrift
by Faith, 260
Luke ix. 42. And as he was yet a-coming^ the devil threw him
down and tare him.' >
The Author having confidered the words in their connexion,
divided, explained, and railed a dodrine from them, the
following particulars are illuftratcd, viz,
1. The import of coming to Chrift, opened, 262
2. In what refpefts matters may grow worfe with people,
even when they are thus coming to Chrift:, 263
3. The reafons why people come to Chrift for help, and why
they whom he undertakes to help, may find their diftrefs
grow, before their deliverance come, 264
4. The application of the whole fubjedV, 265
(i.) Satan's temptations to heart- blafphemy, cautioned a-
gainft, 270
(2.) He tempts to heart wandering, 273
(3.) To the omiffion of duty, 275
(4.) To the commiftion of fin, 276
(5.) To unworthy apprekeufioas of Godj 277
(6.) To fclfc-muider^ 281
SERMON
THE C O N T E N T sr ^
SERMON C.
Dark Providences cleared in due Time, Page iSy
John JcIH. 7. — -IV/mt I do thou knoweft not now, but thou
Jhalt know hisreufter.
After taking a view of the words In their (cope and defi^gn,
analizing and explaining them, deducing an obrervation
from them, and confirming it by an induction of icrip-
ture inftances, the following general heads are propofed^
1. To mention fome things the Lord doth towards his church
and people, that arc dark and myfterious, hidden atid un-
known, 292
2. To fhew in what refpe^fls thefe things that he is doing foe
them, may be hid and unknown to them, 29^
3 For what reafon the Lord takes this way of doing, fo hid,
dark, and myfterious, that what he doth they know not,
301
4, To obferve fome feafons when it is thAt he makes them
know what new they are in the dark about, 303
^. To deduce fome inferences for the application df the
whole, 309
SERMON CL
Tlic Great Trumpet of the Everhilting Gofpel, 32-2;
IsA. xxvii. 13. And it Jhall come ts pafs in that day, thit the
great trumpet Jhall be blown ; and they foa' I come vjhichivere
ready to perijh in the land of Ajfy^ia^ and the autca/ls in the
land cj Egypt y andJJjall worjbip the Lord in the holy mountain
at Jerufdiem,
The words being copiowfly viewed, both as to their literal,
typical, an i fpiritual meaning, accurately analized and ex-
plained, their fpiritual fenfe expreiTcd in a do<ftrinal ob-
lervation, and each branch of the doctrine coniirmed anj
iliuftrated from exprefs texts of fcripture, the following
general topics of difcourfe are infixed upon, viz.
I. The ftaie and condlrion of finners by nature, as outcafts,
ready to perilh, confidered, 3 28
a. The duty of iinners to come to a Saviour, the gre:.t Lord-
deliverer, and glorious obje^ of worihip, 3M
^ 3. the
«" T H E CONTENTS^
3. The means fpoke of by which the Lord gathers thcfe fin*
ners thus to hhn, viz. the blowing of the great gofpel-
trumpet, 334
4. The efficacy of thefe means, and fliew why it is promiled
they JhAt/ come, 343
5. The end for which they fliajl come, viz. their worfliip-
ping in his holy mountain, 346
6. Inferences tor the application of the w^hole, 349
SERMON CII.
The Sum of the Gofpel; or, God hi Chrlfl:, p, 359
JMatt. iii. 17.— 7wV is wy beloved Son, in whom lam well'
pleafed.
The words being viewed in their connexion, explained, and
funimed up in a dc(flrinal proportion, the following ge-
neral topics of dircourfe are profccuted, viz,
i. To fpcak of God's being in Chjill:, 362
2. To enquire how God is in Chrift^ 365
3. To fnew that in Chrift alone, he is well-pleafed, 374
4. To make application of the whole fubje^t, 376
SERMON cm.
Prefent Duty before approaching Darknefs, 393
Jer. xiii. 16. Give glory to the Lord your God, before he caufs
darknefs.
The Author having confiJered the words in their connexion,
divided, and explained them, and takttn up their fenfe in
a doctrinal oblcrvaiion, he propofes the following general
heads of method, viz.
1. To fpecdc a little of this glory that is given to God, and
w'nat it is to glorify him, 396
2. To enquire how, and by what means, we are to give bini
glory, ^ ^ 397
3 What- is imported in the exprefllon, Give glory unto the
Lord your Gody 40 j
4 To rpcak of ihe motive here affigned, Before he caufe dar k-
nefsy /;o^
5. To deduce feme inference for the application of ihe
whole, 410
S E R IM O N
THE CONTENT S, ,^
S E R M O N CIV.
The Great Ruin, and the Great Relief j or. Help
from Heaven to Self-dellroyers on Earth, p. 424
Hos. xlii, 9 0 Ifrael! thou hafi deftroyed thyfelf ; but hi me is
thy help.
The words being viewed m their fcope and connexion, ana-
iized, explained, and a variety of obfervations taken no-
tice of from them, the two branches of the text are copi-
oully handled, viz.
J, That man's ruin and deftruclion is only of hiaifelf, and
his own fiafulneis, 427
The improvement of this truth, in a fuitablenefs to the de-
fi^n of the day, 439
2, That our relief and deliverance is owing only to God, and
his fovereign mertj, 4^ j
What fruitful IclTons may be gathered for our ufe and im-
pi-ovemeiit, 459
S E R M O N CVI.
Chambers of Safety in Times of Danger, 468
IsA xxvi. 20, 21. Comey my people^ enter thou into thy cham-
herSy andfijut thy doors about thee ; hide thyfdf as it were
for a little moment, until the indignation he overpajl. For,
behold^ the Lord coyneth out of his place to punifJj the inhabit
tttnts of the earth for their iniquity : the earth alfo Jhall dif-
c'-ofe her blood, and Jhall no more cover her f,j.in.
After an introduction into the fubjeft, an explication of the
words, and a d.>ccrinal propodtion laid down, illuftrated,
and confirmed, the following heads of method, are treated,
VIZ.
1. When may the time be faid to be a threatening time, fo as
a ftorm is evidently approaching, 47Z
2. Why the Lord will take care of his people's fafety and I'e-
curity in fuch a time, 47^*
3 What chambers he wants them to come into, for then-
fafety, 478
4. The application of the fubje^H:, ' 481
a 2
BOOKS Printecl and Sold by John BRYCfi| at his Shop
in the Salt-mercat.
FOLIO.
CLARK'S hthWj Bible
Henry's eommentary, 6 vols
Pool's annotations, 2 vols,
Burkitt on the N, Teflament
Ridgley's body of Divinity
Gurnal's Chriftian in com-
plete armour
Q^U A R T O.
BROWN on the Romans
Calvin's inftitutions of the
Chridian religion
OCTAVO ET INFRA.
TRAILL's fermons, 3 vols.
Durham on the ten com-
mandments
Pike and Hayward*s cafes of
confcience, with the ipiri-
tual compmion
Durham 'sunfearchable riches
of Chrift
Dickfon's truth's vi£lory over
error
Neill^s twenty-three fermons
Rriwlia on juQification
lialyburton'* gt'cat concern
of falvation
Durham's leventy two fer-
mons upon the fifty third
chapter of iTaiah
Bofton's crook in the lot
body of Divinity,
3 vols,
print
fourfold llate, large
fermons, 2 vols in i.
Welch's forty-eight fermons
Col!eft:ion of confeflions of
faith
Lives of the Scots Worthies
Dickinfon's evangelical letters
Where alfo rmny be haJ, Bibles gilt and plain. New Teftaments, Pfalm books of
different kind;, Dfoverb?, morher'a catechifm, proof carechifm, Muckarfic'? cate-
chifm, Watt's catcchifm, in three parts, larger Catechifm, Tingle Calechilm, Watt'«
fongs for chiHren, paper anj pens, &c, &c
Ren wick's le£lur€S arid fet*
mons
Marfliall on fandlificatiori
Owen on the CXXX. Pfalfn
Sibb^s foul*s conflid, with the
fmoaking flax bd. togethei^
Doddridge*s rife and progrefs
Judge Hale's contemplations,
2 vols.
Adamfon's lofs and recovery
of ele(5t finners
Shield's hind let loofe
Hervey's dialogues, 2 vols.
Ambrofe looking unto Jefuaf
Pfalm book, with Dickfdn*s
notes
Guthrie's trial of z faving ia-
tereft in Chrift
Cloud of witnefTes for Chrift's
royal prerogatites
Vena*s complete duty of man
Bunyan*s holy war
life and death of
Mr Badman
Hall's treatife on gafpetwor-
(hip, 2 vols.
Brown's church hift. 2 vo'S,
Catechil'm explained, by Er-
fkine and Fifher
B:iiley's Englifh di«5\ionary
Paterfon^s do. do,
Salmon's geographical gram-
mar, with additions
Spectator, 8 vols.
A61, declaration, and terti-
mony, emited hy the alTo-
ciate prefbytery
A6ts concerning the do^rirte
of grace, and renewing our
folemn covenants, by do.
The presbytery ^8 anfwers to
Mr. NairQ*s reafons of dif-
lent
^ ^ ^ m m ^.
SERMON LXXXVIII.
^\\^ proimjing God, i performing God ^
Genesis xxviiL 15.
Tor I ivill not leave f^jee^ until I have done that Kvhich
I have fpoken to thee of.
AT the lafl facramental folemnlty of this fort, I
fpoke a little upon the great plea and prayer of
faith upon the divine promife, in the words of David,
•2 Sam. vii. 25. — Lord^ do as thou hajl [aid. We may
now look upon this text that 1 have read, as the graci-
ous anfwer of God to that prayer of faith, in the words
of the great God himfelf to Jacob, / iv'ill mi have thee^
until I have done that zvbicb I havejpken to thee of ; or,
//// / have done as I have f aid.
What God faid once to Joiliua, chap. i. 5 — J will
not fail thee^ nor forfake thee. Even ^o^ what God faid
to Jacob here, doth equally belong to all believers \ix
Chrift ; / will not leave thec^ till I have do?7e that which I
/jave fpoken to thee of. Hath God condefcended to fpeak
to you, and can fed you to hope in his word of grace ^ or
promife, at this, or any former occafion ? Here is good
* This fermon vv^as preached en a thankfgiving-day, immedla'e-
\v after the olebraiion of t!ie facrament of the Lord's Capper, at
Abboc's-haii, O^lobef aid, 17 jt. It haih no,vond€rgon« Iix irnpref-
iions.
Vol, VL B news
14 TThe PiioMisiNG God, Ser. LXXXVIII.
news to take away with you, that the promifing God,
will, in due time be a performing God, and that you
may not think long, and weary or faint in your 7nindy
apprehending what a weary time it may be between the
promife and the performance. Here is fupporting en-
couragement in the mean time, I will not leave thee ^
until I have dene that which I have fpoken to thee of.
What I have faid I will do, and will not leave thee till
I have done it.
In the preceding part of this chapter, you find Jacob
was forced to flee from his Father's houfe upon the ac-
count of the wrath of his brother Efau : he is haftened
away to Padanaram ; and on his way he comes to Luz,
which afterwards, on the account of a notable emer-
gent, was called Bethel, where Godfignally appear-
ed and difcovered himfelf to him in great glory, fuitably
to his flrait. Here he was benighted, ver. ii. and
was obliged to ly in the open field. Some of the faints
and fervants of God have been put to great hardlhips,
through the violence and rage of their perfecuting bre-
thren. But though Jacob's bed was hard, yet his reft
was fweet ; while he had a hard pillow of flone under
his head, the Lord appeared to him in a dream, and
fpake comfortably to him. God^s time of fpeaking
comfort to his people, is readily when they are mod
deftitute of other comforts; then he is moft kind, when
brethren come to be mod unkind.
You may obferve two thing's, firft, what Godi fhewed
to Jacob ; and then, what he faid to him.
1. What hcjkezved to him ; he manifefled to him
his glory ^ as the God of providence, and the God of
grace in Chrift, who is here reprefented to him by the
ladder reaching from heaven to earth, ver. 12. ; and
all the intercourfe between heaven and earth is by this
ladder.
2. What hcfpake to him, ver. 13. And he dreamed^
and behold a ladder fet upon earthy and the top of it reach*
ed to heaven : and behold the angels of God afccfiding and
defcending on it. As the vifion was fuitable to his pre-
fent cafe, letting him underftand that he had a good
guide^ and a good guard, not only the angel of God,
but
Ser. LXXXVllI. ^ Performing God. 15
but the Lord of angels ; fo the words that God fpake
to him were fuitable to his prefent need. The Lord
fpake from the top of the ladder ; for all the glad tid-
ings we receive from heaven, come thro' Jefus Chrift.
Here are former promifes made to Abraham and Ifaac,
his father and grandfather, repeated and ratified to Ja-
cob ; whereby God intimated, that he would be the
fame to him that he had been to them. Here are frefh
promifes made to him fuited to his prefent condition.
He was to leave his kindred, and to want their prefence;
God promifed to be prefent with him ; I am with thee.
He was in the fear of Efau : God promifed, faying,
/ ivill keep thee. He w^as journeying to an unknown
place : God promifed to keep him i?i all places ivhither-
foever he ^vent. He was apprehenfive he would never
fee his own country again : God promifed he would bring
h'm again to thai land. He feemed to be left of all his
friends and relations : God promifed, faying, / will
not leave thee. Providence feemed to crofs the pro-
mife, while he is thus going as an exile to a place far
diftant : God aifures him of the performance of all he
had faid, in due feafon ; I ^vill not leave tbce^ till I have
done that which I have fpoken to thee of. When God
fpeaks to his people, he fpeaks to the point \ he fpeaks
to the cafe ; his words are fuited to their prefent exi-
gencies ; and not only fo, but to their future llraits
alio. Jacob knew not, but God knew and forefaw
what hardfhips he would meet with in his uncle La-
ban's fervice ; and in a fuitablenefs to the event that
was to take place, he affures him, faying, 1 will not
leave thee^ until I have done that which I have fpoken
to thee of. This was fuch a gracious manifeilation,
and fuch a wonderful intercourfe that God had with
Jacob, as obliged Jacob to put a remark upon the
place, and call it Bethel, the houfe ofCod^ the gate
of heaven.
The text is not fo much a new promife, as a re-
peated confirmation of what he had before promifed,
for eftablifliing and fortifying of Jacob's faith ; for,
fays God J Ivjlll not leave thee^ until I have done that
^, z i^hicb
i6 r/^^ Promising God, S e r. LXXXVIII.
*iubich I HAVE fpoken to thee of. Where we may ob»
ferve two things.
1, A confirming word concerning the iffue ; or what
he would bring out of thefe promifes, that they fhall
jiot be mere iaylngs, but doings ; / ijoill do what I
have fpoken to thee of. Have I faid it, and will I not
not do it ? hi the end the vifion Jhallfpeak*
2. A fupporting word in the interim^ that faith may
not faint in the mean timx before the accomplilhment
come, I will not have thee^ until I have done it, Jacob
might think, Alas 1 it may be a long time between
the promife now m.ade, and the accompliflimcnt of it.
What will become of me in the mean time? And, in-
deed, he had dark days, and hard fervice before his
hand ; and there was long twenty years between Be*
thel-vifit here, where he met with God, and Godfpake
to him in this manner, and Peniel-vifit, when he wref-
tled with God and prevailed, and when God came to
do for him fome of the great things he had here fpo-
ken to him of. And in that interval of twenty years,
between Bethel andPeniel, many vicifTitudes and chang-
es, trials and difficulties occurred in Jacob's lot ; but
for this fupport in the mean time,* God afiures him
that he would never leave him^ until he had done thai
%vhich he had fpoken to h\m of Jiencc the doctrine I
would fp^ak a little unto, is.
Ops E R V. That whatever dark and difmal days may
befal the children of God^ upon the hack of fweet Be-
thel-vi/its^ that he allows to them ; yet he will not
leave them, till he hath accomplifhed all the Bethel-*
promlfes that he made to them.
He will never leave them^ till he do what he hath fpoken
10 them of He will go on, till he hath done as he hath
faid. We may fay of our Lord Jefus, when once he
hath fpoken to a foul, and begun to do gracioufiy, as
Naomi faid to Ruth concerning Boaz, Ruth iii. i8.
Sitflill, my daughter, till thou hioweji how the m(itter
'Will fall : for the man will not refi^ till he hath finifh^d
the thing this day. Even foj when Chrift hath begun
to
Ser. LXXXVIII. ^ Performing God. 17
to fpeak kindly, the. poor believer may fit ilill and wal^
patiently, till the appointed time of accompiifning his
word ; for, the God-man will not red until he hath fi-
nifhed the thing. We may be confident of this very
things that be thai hath begun the good ivork in iis^ and
faid the good word to us, 'ivill perform it^ and finifh it,
Phih i. 6. ; / "unll not leave thee^ until I have done that
"which I have fpoken to thee of.
We find how this dodrine was verified, both in Jacob
and his feed.
1. In Jacob's ovv'n perfon* After this difcovery of
God that he enjoyed at Bethel, many dark days, and
much hard fervice he endured, yet God did not leave
him. When Laban call dow|> his countenance on him,
and faid, putting him in mind of his Bethel-viflt he
made to him, and the Bethel-vow he caufed him to
make, Gen. xxxi. 13. / a?n the God of BcthcL Yea^
God never left him, till he did what he fppke to him^
both in profpering him in the place where he was a
flranger lb long, and in bringing him back to his own
land though he was in great danger ; when Laban v,t»s
purfuing him behind, and his brother Efau meeting
him in the face, yet God prefervcd him according to
his word, and brings him back to the land he promif
ed to bring him to, and then fends him to vldt Bethel,
Gen. XXXV. 7. where he built an altar, and called it
El-bethel ; that is, the God of Bethel ; and fo re-
marked the goodnefs of God to him, in not leaving
him till he had done all that he fpoketo him of
2, In Jacob'sy^^'^ this doftrine was verified, particu-
larly with reference to the promife made to them, con-
cerning their inheriting the land/of Canaan, and expel-
ling the Canaanites to make room for them. See and
compare Jofh. xxi. 43,-45. with Joili. xxili. 14, 15.
and I Kings viii. 56. God will take his own time of
doing what he hath fpoken ; but he will be fare to cla
hy whatever difficulties intcrveen betv/een the promife
and performance.
In handling of this fubjecl, I would incline to obferve
tl^e following method^ through divine affiflance.
h What
1 S The Prom'ising God, S e r. LXXXVIIL
I. What we are to underfland by the Bethel-vjfitsy
that God may allow his people.
IL Confider Ibme of the dark days that may follow
upon thefe Bethel-interviews.
IIL Confider and explain the promife here made,
that he will not leave them^ till he hath done that
which he hath fpoken to them of, notwithftanding of
the dark days that may interveen between the pro-
mife and the accomplifliment.
IV. Offer fome grounds upon which the believer may
be allured, that God will not leave him, till he hath
done that which he hath fpoken to him of,
V. Deduce fome inferences for the application*
I. The firfi thing propofed was, To fl:iew what we
are to underfland by the Bethel-viftts God may allow
Lis people. In order to this, I premife, it is fure none
are acquaint with what we call a Bethel-vifit, except
thefe that are in a peculiar manner bleffed of the Lord,
as Jacob was, of whom his father Ifaac faid, I haveblef
fed him, and he fhall he hleffed. Gen. xxvii. 33. They
are the bleffed objects of God's love, and the blelTed
heirs of the promifes ; brought into covenant with God,
and joined to the Lord by converting grace and faving
faith. And as none are acquainted with Bethel-vifits
but thefe that are thus bleffed ; fo it is with great va-
riety, that the Lord's people do enjoy fuch appearances
of God. Though they have not all experience of Be-
thel-interviews with God, of the fame meafure and
degree with that of Jacob ; yet they have fuch experi-
ence of meeting with God as are fubftantially the fame.
Whatever difference there may be in circumftances :
yet they are fach, as they may call the place Bethel
the houfe of God, the gate of heaven.
In the illuflration of this point, I fhivll here obferve,
I. The fubftance. 2. The ordinary circumftarlces
of fuch interviews with God as may be called Bethel-
vifits.
1/?, The fuhflance, or fubffantial part thereof, i^
God's gracious meeting with them, fo as they may have
jt to fay, The Lord God cf the Hebrews met with usy
Exod.
Ser. LXXXVIII. a Performing God. 3^
Exod, iii. 18. And that either m public ordinances,
or in fecret duties, by night or by day, in the city or in
the field ; and this meeting hath thefe two things efpe-
cially in it, which we find was in Jacob's meeting with
God here in Bethel, the one is the manifeflation of
his glory, and the other is the communication of his
mind.
1. This Bethel-vifit includes a manifejlailon of his
glory. Jacob here fees the glory of God in Chrift r«-
prefented as the ladder reaching between heaven and
earth. Why then you may call -that a Bethel where-
ever it hath pleafed God to reveal Chrift in you,
and to open your eyes to fee his glory in the face of
Jefus Chrift, as the way to the Father, and as the lad-
der by which you may afcend up to heaven. Have
you feen at this, or any former occafion, Chrifl to be,
as it were, the ladder fet upon the earth, in his humili-
ation, and reaching unto heaven, and fo that all the
rounds and fleps of the ladder are compleated in his
incarnation, hfe, death, refurredion, afcenfion, and
fitting at the right-hand ; by him do ive believe in God^
who raifed him from the dead, that our faith and hops
might be in God? i Pet. i. 21. And have we thus, by
faith, ftept up the ladder, the only v/ay ? Hath thus
the God that commanded light to flnne out of darknefs^
jhined into our hearts^ not our heads only, but our hearts,
to give us the light of the-knozvkdge of his glory in the
face of Jefus Chrifi^ fo as our hearts have gone out
after a revealed Chrift ? "Well this is one fubftantial
part of a Bethel-vifit, the manifeftation of his glory.
2. This Bethel-vifit includes a communication of his
fjiind* Jacob here not only hath God manifefting his
glory to him, but alfo communicating his mind as a
promifmg God, faying, I am your father's God, The
God of Abrahain aiid Ifaac ; and in teftimony that I will
be your God alfo, I will do fo and fo to you : and thus
he communicates his mind to him by promifes of grace.
Why then, you may call that a Bethel-vifit, when God
comes and intimates his love, or communicates his
mind, and fpeaks into your heart by fome word of
grace
teo Ttje Promising God, S e 5 . LXXXVIIL
grace and promifej opening up foRie fecret truth of the
gofpel to you, and opening your undcrftanding to ap-
prehend, and your heart to apply it, and caufing you to
hope in his word, as Tea and A?7ien in Chrift. If God
hath fpoken a word to your heart, and made you take
him at his xvord, fo as you can look to him and fay,
Remember the zvord on which thou haft caufed me to hope\
wherever it was, you may fay the name of the place
was Bethel, and that yow found him in Bethel^ and
there he /pake to you^ Hof. xii. a. Now, concerning
thefe vifits, we may 'remark four things.
(i.) That the Lord may' allow a Bethel-manifeftati-
on and communication to his people, and yet they may
not know that God is prefent with ihem^ in fuch a man-
ner as he is, till an after refledion thereupon. Hence
faid Jacob here, vcr. 16. when he awaked out of his
fleep, Surely God zvas in this place^ and I knew it not,
God's people may be furprifed with his vifits, that tho*
they cannot but be confcious of his commg, when he
approaches to them, yet they may not be furc about
the qualities of that vifit, whether it was a faving divine
man! reflation 5 till they come to examine and refle<5l u-
pon It, and find that it was none other but the power-
ful prefence of God : for, they carry their own evidence
along v/ith them ; Surely he was here,
(2.) Bethehvifits fill the foul with a holy awe of God ^
ver. 17. How dreadfid is this place f They that fee God
will fee caufe of holy trembling and blufhing before
him, and the fight will humble and fill them with holy
awe and reverence. Saving difcoveries do not elevate
and puff up with pride, but imprefs the foul with holy
dread. The fweet pleafure and joy that attend the dif-
covery is tempered with holy fear and awe, in fo much,
that t\icy fear the Lord and his goodnefs^ and rejoice with
trembling. The place where God manifefls himfelf is
both a joyful and a dreadful place. Praife is the mod
joyful and heartfope exercife ; yet God is faid to be
fearful in praifes^ becaufe of the dread and awe of God
that is on the heart of thefe that praife him ; for, Great
is the glory of the Lord which they fee who fing in the
ivays cf the Lord.
(3.) Divine
Ser. LXXXVIII. a Performing God. cr
(3.) Divine vifits are not excluded from any place ;
even here, where Jacob little thought of meeting with
God, here he meets with him, he fmds him in Bethel,
and fays, T^his is the hmfe of God^ and the g,iic of hea^
ven. Wherever we are, in the houfe or field, if we
meet with God there, we may call it the hoife of God^
and the gate of heaven : for, heaven is in his gracious
prefence.
(4.) Divine vifits are qiikken'mg^ ver. 18. He rifes
early in the morning, and fcts about folemn worihip of
the God that appeared to him. He fets up the (tone
for a pillar, and anoints it as a memorial of what pad,
and gave the place a new name. As fweet commu-
nion we have with God ought to be remembered ; fo
his grant of mercy calls for our return of duty, Ja-
cob is here alfo quickened to vow himfeif away to the
Lord, and promife to fervc him ; and, indeed, our
vows and promifes are then regular and evangelical,
when they are the fruit of God's manifefling himfeif in
the covenant of promife to us, and to Jacob here : for,
v/hatevcr we promife, we can perform nothing but iu
virtue of his promife to us.
idly^ As to the ordinary clrctwiflanch of fuch Bethel
interviews with God. Several of thefe may be gather-
cd from the hiftory of Jacob, and will be found to
correfpond with the believer's experience, as in thefe
follow^ing particulars.
I. That in the Lord's ordinary way of dealing, when
he deals efFedually with poor fouls, and when he hath
a mind to bring them to a Bethel, he readily brings
them to a v/ddernefs^ and there deals powerfully with
them, and fpeaks kindly to them ; or, to their heart.
Thus here Jacob is in the Vvdldernefs, being baniilied
from his father's houfe. Though he was a fon of the
promife, yet he was forced to run to a flrange coun-
try. God allures his people, and brings them to a
wildernef^, and then fpeaks comfortably ; give? them
the 'Valley of Achor for a door of hope. Some here re?*
dily have come to this communion, or the like, e.nd
have found themfelves in a wildernefe of confufion.,
darknefs, and defpondency, and yet had, ere all was
Vol, VL C ' done^
so; The Promising God, Ser. LXXXVIIL
done, ground to call the place Bethel, by reaforj
of his meeting with them, and fpeaking kindly to
them.
2. The fweetefl difcoveries of God are readily ufher-
ed in with the darkeji nights, God's vifit is ordinarily
like the break of the day upon the back of a dark
night. And, indeed, Weeping may endure for a nighty
tut joy Cometh in the mornings Pfal. xxx. 5. As it was
literally in the dark night that God vifited Jacob here ;
fo you will fee what a dark night of trouble, diflrefs,
and perplexity Jacob was in when he met with God at
Peniel, and wreftled with the angel and prevailed ;
Jacob was left alone ; and there wrcfiled a man with
him till the break of day^ Genefis xxxii. 24. He had
been before this compaffed with clouds of fear on the
account of Efau, who was meeting him with four hun-
dred men. You that are in a dark night of fear and
diftrefs may be encouraged to wait on, for readily the
Lord ufhers in manifeftations of himfelf with the dark-
eft nights.
3. As the Lord is pleafed to ufher in fweet mani-
feftations of himfelf with a dark night ; fo readily a
dark night follows upon their fweet manifeftations.
And many times they are as a blink before a ftorm ;
and the people of God often find this to their fad ex-
perience, making them fee ground to be fober after
their fweet experiences. Jacob had a good night in
Bethel ; but new ftraits followed upon it, particularly
in the hard fervice and harfti treatment he met with
from Laban. Here is a vifit ; and prefently follows a
night of trouble again. We mention this, not for
your difcouragement, but that you may not be fur-
prized ; for, there may be a fudden turn in your fpi-
ritual affairs : Ifaid, my mountain fiarids Jirong ; but
ihou didji hide thy face ^ a7id I was troubled,
4. Sometimes the night that follows upon the Lord's
manifefting himfelf may be darker^ and the darknefs of
it greater than the night they had before their Bethel-
manifcftation. Jacob was in a ftrait before the Bethel-
vifit, through the fear of Efau ; but after that kindly
Yifit, the ftrait was greater^ and the night darker, while
he
Ser. LXXXVIIL a Performing God. 23
he had not only the fear, but the feeling of Laban's
difpleafure : perhaps you had a dark night before the
Lord paid you a vifit ; but what if a darker night fhall
follow upon that vifit, even fome grievous temptation
to raze all again. The church was brought to the ban-
queting houfe^ and his banner over her was love ; yet
afterwards to the dark fliadow, where flie cries, I fought
him, but I found him not. What a fweet communioa
had the difciples with Chrift at the lad fupper ! yet
followed with the darkeft night of temptation, trouble,
and fcattering ; the fliepherd of Ifrael himfclf being
fmitten, the flieep were fcattered. When the Lord
allows you fweet Bethel-interviews and blellings, you
may miftake them, and think they prefage nothing,
but a life of joy and comfort henceforth, and that for-
mer trials are at an end ; and yet they may be only
preparations for approaching trials, and encourage-
ments to faith and hope under future troubles. This
leads me,
II, To the fecond thing propofed, which was to fhew,
what dark and difmal days may follow upon thefe Be-
thel-difcoveries. There are thefe following dark days,
or rather dark nights, that may follow upon Bethel-
vifits.
1. A dark night of long abfence, a night of zoeary
defertion may follow. Jacob had not, for twenty years,
fuch a night as he had at Bethel : there may be long
twenty years travel between Bethel and Peniel. Per-
haps you had much heavenly-warmnefs by a hve-coal
from the altar, when God manifefted himfelf, and you
got a heart to clofe with Chrift:. The place was like
a heaven upon earth to you ; but, perhaps, many a
weary day you have had fince that time. May be you
have never had fuch a gale fir.ce that time. Or, if
this communion hath been a Bethel to you, think it
not ftrange, though a night of abfence and hiding may
follow, and though the night be long.
2. A dark night oi forgcifulnefs may follov; upon
the Bethel-vifit, fo as it is hard to know how fee are
people may grow j f^nd they may lofe the fweet im-
C 2 ' ~ preflion,
^4 Ths Promising God, Ser. LXXXVIII.
preflion of the vifit, and have little or no kindly re-
membrance of the fweet days they had at Bethel.——
This dark night followed upon Jacob's meeting with
God here ; it feems he had much forgotten it, till
God puts him in mind of it^ faying. Gen. xxxi. 13.
/ am the God of Bethel j where thou ammiedft the pillar,
and vowedji the vow» Jacob, might he fay, do you
not mind the time ? do you not mind the place ? do
Tou not mind the two pillars ? do you not mind the
promife 1 do you not mind the Bethel, where I fliew-
cd my covenant to thee, and accepted thy vows unto
me ? Be not difcouraged v/ith the fear of Laban be-
hind purfuing you, and Efau before meeting you ; it
is enough to drive all fears and difcouragements away,
that I am the God of Bethel ; I am the fame God now,
that 1 was at that day to you : however, Jacob had
loft the fweet imprefiion, and loft the kind remember-
;ance of Bethel, till God himfelf was the remembran*
cer. In the dark night of obliviop^ all m.ay go out of
fjght, and out of mind.
3. A dark night of temptations, fears, and difcou^
ragements may follow upon a fweet Bethel-vifit, The
gracious encouragement that God gave to Jacob after-
wards, ftiews, what fears and difcouragements he was
tmdcr, and under v^^hich he v/as ready to fmk, if God
had not fupported and comforted him from time to
time. . l¥el), even after a Bethel-vifit you may be
grievoufiy tempted, to call all that you met with but
$v deluficn ; yea, to think it was Satan that was work-
ing with you, and not the living God ; and to think
that your coming to a communion-table was but a tak-
ing a feal of your own condemnation. Some may be
tempted to fear that God hath a controverfy with them,
and does not obferve their afflidlion. It feems this was
a part of the dark night that came upon Jacob ; and
therefore God fnews him that it was an ungrounded
jealoufy ; lor^ fays he, Ihavefem all that Lahan hath
dove to thee. Gen. xxxi. 12. Though thou waft not
fenfible of my care, yet I have all this time had a fpe-
cial care about thee, and increafed thy flock, notwith-
fta^ding
S£R. LXXXVIII. a PERFORMING GoDo' 25
{landing of what Laban did. It is hard to believe the
divine care in a dark day, wherein we apprehend his
difpleafure ; and yet when he returns, he can inakq
us fee he had a fpecial care of us, when we know not
of it ; and that he hath been doing all things well,
even when we were fearing all thefe things were a-
gainll us.
4. A dark night o^ wants 2ind Jiraifs may follow u-
pon Bethei-vifits ; both outward and inward wants :
temporal wants, fuch as Jacob mention, when he com-
plained that Laban had changed his wages ten times.
Gen. xxxl. 41. Spiritual wants, and v/ant of comfort,
fuch as Jacob was under, Vvhen in his llrait he could
draw no comfort, even from an old Bethel, till God
gave him a new vifit, by telling him, that he was the
God of Bethel. Think not ftrange, though, upon the
back of Bethel-vifits, you be tryfled with great ftraits,
outward and inward, and perhaps can draw no com-
fort from a back-look upon Bethel ; for, whenever
you can draw comfort and encouragement from it,
you may reckon it a new vifit ; when, in a dark day,
you can remember him from the land of J or dan , and
remember what God did to you at fuch a time.
5. A dark night oi perfeculiony even by friends and
brethren, may follow upon Bethel-vifits, as Jncob found
after this vifit, when perfecuted by Laban, his father-
in-law, and Efau his brother, that was conccii-ed in
the fame womb with him, though God mercifully rc-
ftrained their anger and fury, that they got not their
will of Jacob; For the wrath of vum jhall fraife GcJ^
and the remainder thereof he will rejlrain. Think net
ftrange then, even from Bethel-meetings with God,
though you {hould be tried with a dark night of perfe-
cution, even from envious friends and faUe brethren.
The church and fpoufe of Chrifl fpeaks of a Bethel,
Song i. 4. The king hath brought v.ie into his chambers^
ive will be glad and rejoice in thee ; and yet a hot and
fcorching perfecution followed, verfe 6. ne fun hath
looked upon me. Why ? My mother* s children were an-
gry with me. There is hardly any perfecution more
grievovis and violent, than thi^t of angry brethren ;
but
2.6 The Promising God, Ser. LXXXVIII.
but they are under a reftramt ; they can go no fur-
ther than God permits : only we need not think (Irange
to fee church-perfecutions, even after Bethel-vifits.
6. A dark night of backJJiding and relapfe into for-
mer unwatchfulnefs, fecurity, and floth may follow u-
pon the Bethel-vifit, though it was folemnly renounced
at Bethel. Jacob feems to have been under a lament-
able decay, as to the exercife of faith that once be had
at Bethel, till once God returned and quickened him
again. Chrift faid to his difciples after the commu-
nion, Te JJmll all be ofhided^ hecaufe of me this night ;
you iliall all turn your backs upon me : you may la-
mentably relapfe to thefe fins that were renounced. I
know not your particular cafe ; but whatever it is, it
'hath been the fad experience of God's remnant. You
may relapfe to the omiiTion of known duty ; yea, to
the embracement of known idols, the very thing that
parted between God and you. This is a fad and for-
rowful night, that you need to take care you bring not
upon yourfelves through unwatchfulnefs, in fo provok-
ing the Lord to anger with you, as he was with Solo-
mon, I Kings xi. 9. It is faid ibe Lord was a??gry with
himy hecaufe his heart turned from the Lord God oflfraely
which bad appeared to him twice. What a fad matter
is it, if after a Bethel-interview with God you turn
your back upon the God of Bethel ! Will you alfo go a-
way f
7. A dark night oi fl range difpenfations may follow
upon Bethel interviews. Various trials, vicifTitudes,
and changes, fuch as was in Jacob's lot, between the
time of Bethel-promifes and Peniel-performances there-
of ; Jacob did not want chaflifeuients ; Jf his children
break my law^ I will nj'ifit their iranfgrcjfions with rodsy
and iheir iniquities with Jiripes ; never thelefs my loving^
kindnefs will I 7iot utterly take from him^ nor fufer my
failhfulnefs to fail^ Pfal. Ixxxix. 30, — 33. God may
cover your table at Bethel, but behold afterwards the
ordinary means of relief may fail you, as it was with Ja-
cob in Laban's family : even fo, the means of fpiritual
relief may fail you. You may go to preachings, and
return as dark as before. You may go to your clofe^,
and
Ser. LXXXVIIL a Performing God. '%f
and that mean may fail you. You may go to pub-
lic ordinances and facraments, and thefe means may
fail you. Though at Bethel you, perhaps, thought^
Oh ! 1 will never be what I have been : I will never do
as I have done ; I will never doubt nor fear any more:
yet all this may be out of fight, and the comforter that
jhoidd reUen:e your foul ^ may he far from you^ Lam. i. ip*
Strange difpenfations may befal you. All God's waves
and billQws may pafs over you^ and deeps call unto deeps^
Pfal. xlii. 7.
8. A dark night of perplexities amidfl thefe ftrange
difpenfations may follow upon Bethel-interviews. Thus
it was with Jacob before he came off from Labsn's
houfe, he knew not what to do till the Lord di reeled
him to arife and return to the land of his kindred^ Gen.
xxxi. 13. You may come to fuch a night of perplexi-
ties that you know not v/hat to do, or what hand to
turn you to. You may come to look upon yourfelf as
in a perifliing condition, and to fay ^o\xx firength and
hope is perifhed frofu the Lord* Rejuembering your afflic-
tion and mifery^ the wormwood and the gall. Lam. iii»
18, 19. What fhall I fay ? May we not obferve, witlt
fear and trembhng, that fome who have met with God
have afterwards com,e under dreadful and dark clouds
both in point o^ fin and mifery ! — Some have been lb
far \cit\o fn after manifeflations, as defervedly to be
called devils : Peter got fuch a difcovery of God in
Chrift, that the Lord fays to him, Blejfed art thou Si-
mon Bar-Jona : fejh and blood hath not revealed thefe
things to thee^ hut my Father that is in heaven. Yet in-
ftantly Peter is left fo far to fm, that Chriil fays to him.
Get thee behind me Satan ; thou favour eft not the things
thai be ofGod^ Matt. xvi. 17, 23. And what think you
of his denying his mailer with curfes ? Let us not ima-
gine they are all ilrangers to Bethel-interviews with God
that deny, or do not zealoufly own the caufe and inte-
reft of Chrift this day. But let us fear and tremble to
confider how far the children of God may be left to
depart from him and his way, in a dark time, and in a
day of temptation. It is poffible that good men may be
left
i§ fra^ Promising Goi», Sir. LXXXVIlt
left to fin, and to juftify their (in. I will be loth to fay,
that they are all wicked that juilify their fmful proceed-
ings in public matters at this day^ and that juRify their
perfecuting rage and anger at their brethren, when I
confider how Jonah juiiified his anger againfl God,
faying, I do well to be angry. So it is poffible that even
fome, that have met with God, mayjuftify their anger
at their brethren, faying, We do well to be angry even
iinto deaths and angry even to fufpenfion, depofition, ex-
communication ^. I hope none need be offended, if
I have charity for fome that are of that opinion, thro*
their ignorant zeal, while carried away like Barnabas,
with the diffimulations of the day, and whofe eyes God
will open in due time, to fee that their anger was as ill
founded as that of Jonah's. For, if ever God met with
them at Bethel, when he is pleafed to return, their eyes
will readily be opened, and they will fee they did ill to
be angry with their brethren that were contending for
the rights of their mother's houfe : yea, another merci-
ful turn upon their hearts will make them fay, as Jacob's
fons once did of Jofepb, We are verily guilty coyicerning
cur brother* So we hope of fome, if ever they have
met with God at Bethel, furely upon the Lord's return
they will regret their mifcarriage, and fay, We have ve^
rily been guilty concerning our brother, — However, as
fome that have met with God may come under dread-
ful clouds oijin ; (for we are not to unfaint them all,
and every one that are carried down the dream of de-
fedion, though w^e are to have no charity for their w^ays,
yet let us not meddle with their flate, till w^e fee if
God lliall reclaim them) fo in point of mifery^ fome
that have met with God may be put to fay, Oh ! he
breaks me with breach upon breach, and runs upon
me like a giant ; yea, while fuffcring his terrors^ they
have in a manner htcn'diftraBedy and fometimes cur-
fed the day wherein they were born.' — —Thus you may
fee what dark days may follow upon Bethel-interviews
* Oar author is here alluding to the cordudl of the church-judica'
tories, in the profecuiion, at this time, carrying on againft the re-
verend Mr. Ebenezer Etfiiine, and his brethren, Jormerly laid open,
Vol. V. Serm. LXXXW. See iikcwife Serm. JLXXXU, LXXXfll.
with
Ser. LXXXVIIL a P£rforming God- ^'^
with God ; and, yet, after all, the promife (lands good
to all the feed of Jacob that have met with God at Be-
thel. He will not leave them^ till he hath done that which
he hath fpoken to them of*
III. The third general head propofed was. To con-
Jider and explain this pronriife, / will not leave thee^ till
1 have do fie that which I have fpoken to thee of. For
explaining hereof tlierc are thefe following queftions
that we would propound and anfwer. i. How God
fpeaks to his people ? 2. How he doth or accomplifh)eth
that which he hath fpoken to them cf ? 3. When is it
that he w^ill do that w^hich he hath promifed ? 4. What
is the import of this privilege, that he will not leave themf
5. In \i\\-dX fenfe it is faid, he ivill not leave theni^ till hs
hath done what he hath promifed f
I/?, How^ Go A fpeaks to his people, when they have a
Bethci-vifit of him ? 1 anfwer, in a few words.
1. He fpeaks divinely^ he fpeaks like himfeif, letting
them know that it is he that fpeaks : as he faid to the
woman of Samaria, John iv. 26. / thus fpeak to thee,
am he ; fo fays he here to Jacob, It is I that fpeak to
ihee ; / will not leave thee^ till I have done thai which I
have fpoken. Never man fpake like this man : man's
fpeaking only reaches the ear, but God fpeaking reach-
es and touches the heart. Hence,
2. He fpeaks powerfully^ as it is faid of Chrifl, He
fpake as one having authority^ and net as the fcrihes : io^
when the Lord fpeaks, there is powxr and authority
accompanying the word, either in its liril coming, or
in i:s after -working, upon the heart. Te received the
*word^ not as the word of man ^ biit^ qs it is in truths the
word of God. which worketh effectually in you that be"
lieve^ I TheiT. ii. 13,
3. He fpeaks particularly^ as here to Jacob, / will
not leave thee, till I have done that which I have fpo-
ken of to THEE. People may hear the word deliver-
ed in general to all the congregation : but it doth them
no good, till they hear it in particular fpoken to them.
Then God calls the perfon by name^ and fays To thee
I fpeak ; and the heart favs, It is to nie that God is
Vol, VI. i) fpeak-
50 The Promising God, Ser. LXXXViH
fpeaking. O ! hath God fpoken to thee, man, to
thee, woman ?
4. He fpeaks kindly and comfortably ; Hof. ii. 14.
/ will allure her^ and bring her to the wildernefs ; and
Xhtixfpeak comfortably to her. His kindnefs in fpeaking
appears moil evidently when it is in a wildernefs cafe
be communicates himfelf : every word he fpeaks to Ja-
cob here,, is a word of kindnefs. O the hght, fife,
llrength, and comfort that the word brings when God
fpeaks it ! He hath a view both to their prefent com-
fort and their future fupport, whe4i he fpeaks with
them in BetheL
5. He fpeaks plainly and not in parables ? for he
opens their underilandings to apprehend, and their
hearts to apply ; For to them it is given to know the myf-
ieries of the kingdom of heaven ; io others it is not given ^
Mat. xiii. 1 1. The word of grace is a fealed book, till
the Lion of the tribe of Judah open the leal.
6. He fpeaks fuitably to their cafe j for, he hath
the tongue of the learned., to fpeak a word in feafon to
the weary ^ Ifa. 1. 4. He adapts his words here to Ja-
cob's weary cafe, as I fliewed in the explication. He
gives them a word that fuits their difficulties. Some-
times they have difficulty about this, and fometanes a-
bout that and the other affair, and they come with their
burdens before the Lord, and he prefents a word re-
lative to them. — Sometimes they are burdened about
their provifion ; and he gives a word for that : Bread
fhall be given thee^ arid thy water fhall befuie.—^lhty
are burdened \yith fears of danger : and they get a
,word fcfr that : Fear not ^ for J am with thee : The eier^
nal God is thy refuge. — Sometimes they want diredion ;
and get a word for that : I will bring the blind by a way
that they knew Hot ; I will lead them in paths that they
•have not known ; I will make darknefs light before tl^em^
and crooked things ^flraighi.'—^Ih.tj want the Spirit ; and
they get a word for that : / will put 7ny Spirit within
you : and the water that J give fhall be in you a well of
water f fringing up to everlafiing life. They ^^'diUtJlrength
for duty or trial ; and they get a word for that : My
grace fhall be f undent for thee^ and my firength Jhall be
per*
Ser. LXXXVIII. ^Perfohming God. 3^
perfed in thy weaknefs. — They want pardon ; nnd they
get a word for that : /, even /, am he that bktteth out
thy iranfgrejjions^for mine own fake ^ and ivill ?iol remem^
ber thy fins, — They want to h'^xzfinfubdiied and inorti'
fied ; and get a word for that : ^in jhall net have domi^
nion over you. — They want fomething for the church ;
and they get a word for that : That the wall Jhall be
built in perilous times ; that at evening time it Jhall be
light ; and upon all the glory there Jlmll be a defence, —
They want a blelTing for their children ; and they get
a word for that : I will be thy God and the God of thy
feed^ >
idly^ The next queftion here, was. How he doth
what he hath fpoken to them ? / will do what I have
fpoken of to thee. Why,
1. He will do it faithfully : Not a word flmll fall of
what he hath fpohen, Jofli. xxi. 45. The hiftory of Ja-
cob fhews how faithfully God accompli flied his pro*
mife, and all that he fpoke to him ; and he hath/j///^-
fulnefs for the girdle of his loins, God is 7iot man^ that he
fhould lye^ nor the fon of man that he f}.^Qidd repent. He
will do what he hath fpoken, furely, and certainly ;
The vifionflzallfpeak^ it Jhall fur ely come.
2. As he will do certainly what he hath fpoken, fo
he will do it wonderfully^ and he will work wonders be-
fore he do it not ; Heaven and earth fh all pa fs away^ be-
fore one jot of his word fall to the ground. .And it is in a
very marvellous and myfterious way, that God doth ac-
compliih his word through a world of dark difpenfati-
ons, through fire and water he brings them to a wealthy
land. Though impaffable mountains be in the way ;
yet he will come and do what he hath faid, and give
his people occafion to fay when he comes, It is the voice
cf?ny Be loved y behold he cometh flipping upon the rnoun^
tains ^ leaping upon the hills.
3. He will do what he hath fpoken, and do it rcmar^
kably. Thus he did what he faid to Jacob ; and if the
believer may put a remark upon the Bethel-vifit, when
* See a vaft many more of the cafes of the falots dated and folvod.
Vol, V. Serm. LXXXViX.
32 ThViwmsiKG God, Ser. LXXXVIIL
he coines to prcinife ; much more upon the Pen*iel~vi-
fjt, when he comes to perform what he hath promifed.
In the Bethel-viht, we fee him by faith in his word :
but in the Peniei-vifit we fee him by fenfe in his work ;
for then he not only fays, but does whd^t he hath faid,
and ihews himfelf/^r^/o/^f^.
4. When he doth what he hath fpoken, he doth
jt furprifingly. Jacob was not expecting fuch a way of
God's accompliihing his word, Pfalm cxxvi. i. When
the Lord turned hack th$ captivity ofZion., we ivere like
them that dream. He fwTetly furprizes when he comes
to do what he hath fpoken : T^hen was our mouths filled
with laughter, and our tongues zvithfongs : the Lord hath
done great things for us ivhereofwe are glad. Again,
5. When he doth what he hath fpoken, he doth it
ghrioufly. His glory (liines in all his works, and t{\it'
cially in accoinplifliing his promifes, that are Tea ajid
Amen in Chrijl, He makes the glory of his wifdom,
power, holinefs, the glory pf his rnercy, truth, and
faithfulnefs to iliine in the acGomplirnment ; he doth
more than he hath fpoken, and is better than hjs word^
Exodus XV. I. When God accompliflied his promife
of delivering Ifraei out of Egypt, and out of the hand
of Pharaoh and his holi, then their voice was lifted
tip, faying, / willfing unto the Lord ; for he hath tri^
ujnphed glorioufty,
6. When be doth what he hath fpoken, he doth it
feafonahly ; l^he vifion is for an appointed time, but at
the end it Jhall [peak and not lye : though it tarry, wait
for it ; becaufe it will fur ely come, it will not tarry, I lab.
ii. 3. It will not tarry beyond the appointed time, nor
beyond the proper time ; and therefore, let faith wait
upon a faithful God, who will dp ^s he hath faid.— -^
This leads,
-^dly. To the third queftion, When is it that he will
do what he hath ipoken to them of? You may take
the anfwer of this in the following particulars.
I. Some things he hath fpoken relate to a day of
trouble ; and when that day comes he will do what he
hath fpoken to them of; I tvill he with him in trouble ;
i will deliver bitriy ancf hgm^r pim^ Pfalm, :^ci, 15-—^ —
Hence
Ser. LXXXVIII. n Performing God, 33
Hence his people never enjoy more of his prefence
and pity, than in days of tribulation and afflidion*
And fometimes he lets the trouble come to an extre-
mity, before he feniibly accomplifh bis promife of help,
/ was brought low^ and he helped me^ Ffalm cxvi. 6.
2. Some things that he hath fpoken to them of, re-
late to a day of is?nftaiion : and when that comes,
then he will do what he hath fpoken. He hath faid,
Rom. xvi. 29. The God of -peace will bntife Satan under
your feet Jhortly. He hath faid, 1 Cor. x. 13. That he
is faithful^ and will not fuffer them to be tempted above
what they are able to bear ; but with the temptation will
make a way to efcape. And hence it is, for ordinary,
in a time of great and grievous temptation, he opens
feme door by which they efcape from time to time,
while they wait upon him.
3. Some things that he hath fpoken relate to a day
of work^ of great work that he puts into their hand ;
and when that day comes, he doth that which he hath
fpoken. He hath faid, That he works in us both to will
and to do of his good pleafure^ Phil. ii. 13. He hath
faid, that he zvill Jirengthen^ he will uphold with the
right-hayid of his righieoufnefs^ Ifaiah xli. ic— And
hence it is, that his people can fometimes fay with
Paul, I can do all things through Chriftftrcngthening me,.
Though we are not fufficient of ourf elves ^ to think any thing
as of ourfelves^ yet our fufficiency is of God, And hence
the church, Ifaiah xxvi. 12. Thou haft wrought all our
works in us. And David, Pfalm Ivii, 2. / will cry
unto God moft High^ unto Qod that perfornieth all things
for me,
4. Some things that he hath fpoken of relate to a
day of warfare : and when that day of bloody battle
<;ome§, he doth that which he hath fpoken. He hath
faid concerning this, even he %vho is the Captain ff
falvation ; the Lord mighty in batik hath faid, for the
encouragement of his foldiers. Who go a warfare upon
their own charges f i Cor. xi. 7. He is the Jirengtb vf
their falvation^ that covers their head in the day cf bat-
tle^ Pfalm cxl. 7. And hence it is, that according to
bis
54 fhe Promising God, Ser. LXXXVIII.
his word, his people are faid always to triimph in Chrijl
Jc'fusy and to he 7nore than conquerors. Sec Pfal. xviii.
3Cy 32, 34. I^be ivord of the Lord is tried : He is a buck-
ler to all thofe thai truji in him. It is God that girdetb
we tuiib Jirength : He teaches my hands to war ; and
bows of Jleel are broken by niine arms. — -—All their a-
bility to iland in a day of trial and danger flows from
this.
5. Some things he hath fpoken or relate to tvit day
of death : and when that comes, he will do what he
hath fpoken to them. He hath faid, Death jhall be
JivalloLv^cd up in, vidory, i Cor. xv. 54. He hath faid,
Ilofca xiii. 14. I will ranfo?n them from the power of the
grave ; I will redeem them from death : 0 death I I will
be thy plagues ; 0 grave ! I will be thy deftniclion.^^^
And hence it is, that as all believers in Chrill are
"blelTed In death, for, Bleffed are the dead that die in
the Lordy and that Jleep in Jefus ; fo fome believers
have got the fenfibie and comfortable view of this, e-
ven when paffing through that valley between time and
eternity, and have fallen a fjnging in the midft of the
valley, and faying, 0 deaths where is thy fling f 0
grave where is thy viclory f "Thanks be to God^ which
giveth 'US the viclory through our Lord Jefus Chri/l,
"-JThcu'^^h I walk through the valley of the fhadow of death ^
I will fear no evil ; fir thou art with 7ne^ thy rod and
thy ftaff they comfort ?ne. With the ftaff of the promife
in their hand, they walk through Jordan dry Ihod.—
And when the foul is feparated from the body, then it
enters into the refl that remains for the people of God ^^
according to that which he hath fpoken.
6. Some things that he hath fpoken relate to a day
o{ judgment ; and when that day comes, then he will
do whai he haih fpoken to them of. He hath faid four
times in one chapter ; namely, John vi. That he will
raife them np at the lad day ; and i Theil. iv. i%. That
if we believe that Jsfus died^ and rofe a gain ^ evenfoy
rjpon the fame ground, and with the fame certainty,
them that ^fleep in Jefus will God bring with him ; and
that the dead in Chrijl fball rife jv ft., and meet the Lord
in the air ; andfoffoall they ever be with the Lord. He
haiU
Ser. LXXXVIIL a Performing Gor). 'x--
hath laid, i Corinth, xv. 52. That in a moment^ in the
twinkling of an eye^ at the found of the Lfi trumps tks
deadjhallbe raifed incorruptible : Thai ibis corruptibk
flmll put on incorrifpiion^ this mortal jhall pin en immorta-
lity. He hath faid, Colof. iii. 4, When he ^ivho is our
life/hall appear , we J hall appear with him in glory. He
hath laid, Phil. iii. 21. That he will change our 'vik he-
dies J and make the/n like his glorious body^ according t^
the workings whereby he is able to fubdue all things ta
himfelf He hath faid^ That the faints Jhall enter ints
the joy of their Lord^ and fh all judge the world.
What I have faid, may give fome light to the quef-
tion, When will he do what he hath fpoken to his peo-
ple ? He will do all that he hath fpoken, partly here,
and perfedly hereafter. He hath promifed eternal lifs
to the believer : He that believcth on the Son^ hath evcr^
Iqfiing life. This he doth in part here, and to perfec-
tion hereafter ; and we may appeal to every belie-
ver of any fcanding, if the promife of heaven and glo-
ry be not, even in part, allowed him here by a per-
fonal poiTeffion. He is polTelfed of heaven, not onlT,
(i.) By union to Chrifl, fo as his Head is in hea-
ven, Chriil the Fore-runner having taken poffeflion,
and gone to prepare the place for him ; fo that he fits
with him in heavenly places ; but alfo,
(2.) By communion he hath fome perfonal poffeflion,
if you conlider w^hat heaven is.— -Is heaven a (late of
lights perfedl light ? The believer hath the begun pof-
feffion of this, in fo far as he hath the light of the know-
ledge of the glory cfGod^ in the face of J ejus ChrijL-^
Is heaven a (late of liberty,, perfecl liberty ? The be-
liever hath the begun poifeHion of this, in fo far as
at any time his bonds are loofed^ a?id the Spirit of Oo,i
is poured out upon him / where the Spirit of the Lord />,
there is liberty. — Is heaven a (late of Lrije^ perfe<5l Ioyc ?
The believer hath the begun poffeilioa of this, in io
far as the love of God is Jhed abroad upon his hearty h\'
the Holy Ghofi y and the love of Chriji corjlrainetb him
to duty and fervice. — Is heaven a (late of perfe6t bolU
nefs f The believer hath the begun pofTeiTion of this,
ia fo far as he is fanQifed in Chrifl Jefus^ a?:d going on
'36^ The Promising God, Ser. LXXXVllL
toperfedion : yea, is already perfedly holy in defire.—
Is heaven a flate oF perkd:Joyf The believer hath this
alfo in begun poflelhon, when he is filled with joy and
-peace in believing ; yea, fometimes with joy unfpsakable
and full of glory > — Is heaven a ftate of triiunph and vic^
ioryi The believer hath the begun pofieffion of this,
when he boafts in the Lord, and fays. Thanks be to
God^ which always caufes us to triumph in Chriji. — Is
heaven a place oi prafe and ivonder at the grace of
God, and the glorious perfections of God ? The be-
liever hath the begun polTellion of this alfo, when fome-
times his heart is filled with the high praife of God,
iilled with wonder at his matchlefs love and diftinguifli-
ing grace. He would invite all the world to wonder
and praife. Yet, O what a fmall portion of heaven
hath he here, in comparifon of what he lliall have ! He
Jhall drink of the river of pleafiire for ever. Yet that
part he enjoys here, is the earnefl of the full poffef-
fion, and the evidence that he will do all that he hath
fpoken to them of concerning grace and glory ^ and every
good thing*
Aihly^ The next quedion was. What is the import
of this privilege, / will not leave thee^ until I have done
that which I have fpoken to thee off Why, how can it
be faid he v/ill not leave them ; when yet, after Be-
thel-vifits and Bethel-promifes given them, they may
be tryfled with fuch dark nights as I have been fpeak-
ing of ? For clearing this fubjed, there are thefe two
remarks I would offer.
I. The firft remark is, " That there are fome re-
^^ fpeBs wherein God may be faid to leave people ;'*
as,
(i.) When he takes away his wcrd^ his candJejTickj
his ordinances^ and brings a famine, not of bread and
water ^ but of the word of the Lord, Amos Viii. ii, 12.
This is the word famine in the world.
(2.) When he takes away his Spirit^ and commands
the clouds to rain no rain^ Ifaiah v. 6. This is a fear-
ful leaving ; for, though the word and ordinances re-
main, yet, if the Spirit be away, then the word can
do
Ser. LXXXVIiL a Performing God. 37
do no gocd, it hath no power to convince or convert^
to confirm or comfort.
(3.) Vfhen he takes away his eary and cloth not
regard their prayers ; when he doth not ///^f^r them to
pray^ nor anjwer their prayer^ b\itjh:(ts them out^ Lam.
- iii/s.
(4-) Wlien he takes away his hand^ liis help and
aililtance, and leaves perfons to themfeh/es, to their
own luits and cdunfels ; Aly people ivoiild not hearken^
Ifrael wcitld have none of me : therefore I gave iheiii
tip to their own heart ht/is ; mid they %ualked after their
own coiinfeh^ Pfahn Ixxxi. 11. Alas ! a fad leaving !
But then,
2. The fecond renin.rk I offer is, " That there are
^^ foms remarks wherein God will 7^ leave his people.'*
Either*^
(i ) He will never leave them really, hut in appear^
ance. And hence they many times think, and fear he
is away, when he is really prcfent ; Verily. God was in
this place^ and I knew it 72ot^ fays Jacob* Or,
(2.) He never leaves them abfolutely^ but in fome
refpeft : he may leave them in refpccl of the irflu-
ence of grace, though he doth not leave them as to the
prefence of grace* He may leave them in refpeel of
comfort ; though he may allow the influences or grace,
yet he may deny the comfort of grace. He may leave
iheni in refpeft of ajfifiance^ though he may allow them
the comfort of gface^ yet he may deny them that aflif-
tance and ftrength they want, and aUb the fenhble an^
fwer of their prayers. Or,
(3.) He never leaves them /o/^//)', but in fome de-
gree. He may leave them to be buffeted by Satan ;
but will net leave thenl to be overcome by Satan. And
he ma~y leave them to be harraffed and captivc.ted by
fli^ong corruptions 5 though he doth not leave them to
be conquered thereby. Or,
(4.) He never leaves them^/^^/A', but for feme time^
lie may hide his face for a little raoriient^ hut with cver-
lafling kindnefs will he have mercy on them^ Ifa. liv. 7,8.
He will never leave them, fo ag to fcvget to do what he
hath fpoken to them of»
Vol. VL E Thb
58 The Promising God, &£r. LXXXVIII.
This promife then, I will never leave thee^ it fays,
thzi fomethmg of God is ever with them, and in them.
They have in them a ivell of ivaier^ fp^^^'^p^Z ^P ^^ ^"
verlqfiing life^ John iv. 14. God loves to flay where
once he comes, / i^ilt not leave thee, — It fays alfo, that
he will not Jlay away : though he hides himfelf out
of fight, he will not be long away. — It fays, that in
whatever refped he may be laid to leave them for a
while, yet he will relurn to their joy ; "Now you have
for row ; but I will fee yoiL again ^ and your heart jhall
rejoice^ and your joy no mantakeih frc?nyou, John xvi. iz,
—It fays, there are fome things God will never de-
frive them of, never take av^^ay from them. He will
never take away his love and favour ; For he hath lov'
ed them with an everlajiing love. He will never take
away his covenant of peace and of promife from them ;
Ihe vmmtains jhall depart^ and the hills be removed ;
hut my kindnefs jlmll not depart from ihee^ neither jhall
the ccvenatit of 7ny peace be removed, Ifa. liv. 10. I will
never leave thee, nor for fake thee, Heb. xiii. 5.
5/^/j, The next queftion is. In what fenfe it is faid
of Jacob, and of all the fpiritual feed of Jacob, that
God will not leave them, until he hath done thai which
he hath fpoken to them off To explain this a little fur-
ther, I Ihall fliew, I. In v/hat fenfe we are to under-
fland this interim promife, / will not leave thee, 2. In
what fenfe we are to undcrftand this particle until^
which feems to point at a period of this promife.
[i.] In what fenfe are we to underfland this i?2terim'
promife, I will not leave thee? Why, whatever way he
may be faid to leave his people, yet,
(i.) He will never leave them GodJefs, but will ftill
be their God : for, his covenant with them is, I will
be their God : they can never be fo far left, but that
God is ftill their God, and they may ftill go to him
as their God.
2. He will never leave them Chrifilefs : he hath gi-
ven Chrift, the unfpeakable gift of God, to them ; and
he will never recall that gift ; For the gifts and calling
BJ God are without repentance : they fhall ftill have
Chn/2 in ihem tk? hope of glory. Hence,
3. He
Ser. LXXXVIIL a Performing God. 39
3. He v/ill never leave them Spiritkfs : he hath gi-
ven his Spirit to you who are behevers ; and this a-
nointing vi^hich you have received of him abides in
you ; / will fray the Bather^ and he Jhall give you a-
tiQther Comforter^ that he may abide with you for ever^
John xiv. 16. The Spirit may be hid in the believer,
but never abfent*
4. Hence he will never leave them comfortlefs : John
xiv. 1 8. I will not leave you comfortlefs; I will come to
you. However \htftreams of their comforts may be
abated, yet the fpring of comfort flili remains ; and
hence the well of confolation now and then fprings
up.
5. He will never leave them helpkfs^ but dill be to
them a prefent help in time of trouble : even when they
have deflroyed themfelves, yet in him is their help.
He helps their infirmities when they cannot pray. He
helps them up, when they are down. He helps them
forward when behind.
6. He will not leave them hopelefs^ even when they
are faying, My hope is peri/hed from the Lord ; yet he
opens to them a door of hope in the valley of Achor.
They are never again without God and without hope in
the world. Their hope lives. Yea,
7. He will not leave them faithlefs : For he hath
prayed for them^ that their faith fail not. Their faith
may indeed languifh, and be like to give up the ghod,
as that of the difciples, when they faid, IVe trufted
that it had been he which fJ)ould have redeemed Ifrael ;
but now we doubt of this fundamental article of our
creed. But when their faith was juft at the failing,
the Lord Jefus reftored and revived it.
8. He will not leave them friendlefs ?crA fathcrlefs :
he is a friend that flicks clofer than a brother ; and a.>
a father pities his children, fo the Lord pities them ; as
a father chaftifes his children, fo the Lord chaftifeth
them 5 as a father provideth for his children, fo the
Lord provideth for them, that they may not be in tol;u
want, between the promife and the time of the per-
formance.— Thus he will not leave them^ iiufil he halh
done that which he bath fpoken to ihem cf He will not
E a Ictive
4.0 "The Promising God, Ser. LXXXVIIL
leave dealing with them ; he \i'ill not leave bleiling of
them ; he will not leave guiding of them and guard-
ing pf them ; he will not leave niaklng all things work-
ing togetlier for good to them, and working for the
accomplifhment of his promife.
[2. J |n vv^hat fenfe are \ye to underftand this parti-
tie, imtii-i v.'hich feems to point at a period of this /;?-
/m/w-prpmife. Surely the meaning is not, that when
he haih done that zuh'ich he haih jpoken to them of^ then^
he zvill leave them : but rather that then they vv ill no
jnore nped fuch an encouraging word as, this, I will
never leave thee ; for then they w^ill be free of all fear
of his leaving them. But the word imports,
1. That there may be a confiderahle time between
the /jrp/7;//^ and the accomplljbment ; between the time
of God*s fpeaking to them, and the time of his doing
\vhat he hath fpoken. There was twenty years dii-
tance between thefe two in Jacob's cafe.
2. It imports, that in this interval God is carrying
on his work : I will not leave thee^ until I have dons it.
Saying and doing is all one to God, he fpeaks the
word, and it is done ; and when he hath fpoken the
word, it is always a-doing, till he h^th done it com-
pletely.
3. It imports, that though he be flill carrying on
his work, yet it may be hid from our ey-es^ what way
he is doing it ; and though we may fufped:, on this
account, that God hath left us, and left his work,
when v/e do not fee him with us, nor fee w^hat he is
^ioing ; yet he is not away, when he is delaying .thq
acconiplilhing qf his word, to our fenfe and feeling,
"but only taking his owm time and his own way, ivhofc
%vays art' infinitely higher than cur zvays, and his thoughts
iban our thoughts,
4. It imports, that this interval of time, wherein
God is carrying on his work, though in a way hid
from our eyes, is the time of faith ^ wherein we are-
cailed to wait upon a promifing God, believing thjit
|iot only he will be a performing God in due time, to
pur fenfible feeling and experience ; but that he is a
p^rfg^rning God at prefent, making all iinterveening
pro^
See. LXXXVIII. a Performing God. 41
providences fo many flcps towards the accompliflimenc
of his word, though to carnal fenfe and reafon, they
may feem to be To many letts and impediments to hin-
der the accomphfcment thereof. Jofeph had it reveal-
ed to him once and again, that he w^ould be lord over
bis brethren, and that ail the family (hould yield o-
teyfance to him. liow was this accomplished i Why^
he. is throvv^n into a pit ; he is fold into Egypt for 2i,
Have ; and afterwards he is call into a prifon : thefe
feemed all fo many letts and obflru^iiions, in the way
of fuch advancement — -^How could faith keep its
ground here ? unlefs it fhould fhut its eye upon pro-
vidences, and open its eye upon providences, and u-
pon a promiiing God, and then it would fee all thefe
feeming letts to be fo many ileps towards the accom-.
plifliment of the promife, / will Jiot leave thee^ till I
have done ivbai I have fpoken : therefore, let faith fee
and believe, that I am ilill carrying on my v/ork, and
doing what 1 promifed, whatever fecret hidden ways
I take to bring about my counfel ; I am ilill doing,
and will not leave tlue^ till I have done 'what I have
fpoken to thee of,
IV. The fourth general head propofed was, To of-
fer fome grounds of the doctrine, upon which the be-
liever may be alTured, that God will not leave hira^
till he hath done that whleh he hath fpoken to him of
and that he will be till that he hath promifed to him
at Bethel.
I. Believers may be affured of it, upon the ground
of the iinchangeablenefs 01 God. There may be many
viciiTitudes and changes in thy cafe : it is only the
communion-day above that ihall have no more night.
Thou wilt certainly change, and change ere it be long :
but dareft thou fay, God w^ill change as oft as thcu
doft ? Thinkeft thou that he will change in his love,
when thou changed in thy frame ? No ; he v/ill reft
in his love, WhG?n he loves, he loves to the end* Thy
fecurity ftands upon God's immutability ; / am the
Lord, I change not ; therefore ik^ fons of Jacob are not
confumed:, M<iL iii. 6.
42 77;^ Promising God Ser. LXXXVIIL
2. Believers maybe aflured, that God tvill not leave
thern^ till he hath done what he hath fpoken ; and aflured
upon the ground of Oodi' s foreknowledge. What makes
men many times alter their fentiments, is, becaufe there
are many things fall out contrary to what they projec-
ted ; but God forefaw what would be ; he forefaw
that even after a Bethel heart-burning interview with
God, thou wouldfl grow lukewarm and indifferent ;
yet notwithftanding of this, he met with you in Bethel,
and fpake with you there ; and therefore he will do
what he hath fpoken to thee* He forefaw what a prodi-
gal, v/hat a backilider you would be, yet he gave his
word to you ; and therefore he will not go back.
3. You may be aflured he will not leave you^ belie-
ver, till he hath done what he hath fpoken : becaufe he
IS faithful : Heb. X. 23. i Thefl'. v. 23. Faithful is he
that hath proniifed, who alfo will do it. Though, when
his children break his lazu^ and keep not his commandments^
then will he vifit their tranfgrefjtons with the rod^ and
their iniquities with ft rip es ; never thelefs his lovi^ig-kind^
nefs will he not utterly take from him^ nor fiiffer his faith-
fulnefs to faih Once hath he [worn by his holinefs^ that
he will not lye unto David^ Pfal. Ixxxix. 30, — 35. God
is faithful who hath called you to the fellowjhip of his
Son,
4. Believers may be aflfurcd of this upon the ground
of the divine power ; or, becaufe God is Almighty^ and
able to do what he hath fpoken. The apoftle fays,
Horn. xi. 23. The Jews f}?all be grafted in. Why ? For
God is able to graft them in again^ having once promifed
it, and faid that he will do it. It is enough to fupport
our faith, that he is able to do what he hath faid. A-
braham's faith leaned upon the power of God, Rom.
i V. 21. He was fully perfuaded^ that he that had promif-
ed was able to be perform. You may then be aflfured,
believer, that he will never leave you^ till he hath done
what he hath fpoken ; unlefs you can fuppofe, that he
hath out-promifed his own power, and faid more than
he is able to do.
5. It is evident he will not leave you^ till he hath
done what he hath fpoken^ if you confidcr the escperience
of
Ser. LXXXVIIL a Performing God. 4g
of his -people^ 2XiA 'jour oivn experience. The experience
of God's people, from the beginning of the world, who
have always found God to be as good as his word, and
the fame God, that he manifefted himfelf to be at their
Bethel-meeting with him. They have (till found him
to be the God of Bethel, whatever jealoufies they en-
tertained of his love ; yet. upon their return, after
their dark days was over, they found that his word en*
diirethfor ever, and that he never came fliort of his
promife ; but notwithflanning all their temptation s^
they were continually with him, holding them by his
right-hand, Pfal. Ixxiii. 23, They ftill found him wel-
coming the returning prodigal, faying, This ray fon was
dead^ and is alive ^ was loft^ and is found* Now, is it
confident with their experience ? And will he take a
fmgular v/ay with you ? Yea, thou darell not deny,
believer, but thou haft found God to be ftill the God
of Bethel, even though many times you v/ere fearing
that God would never (mile upon you again ; yet, upon
your looking back to his holy temple, you have been
made to fay, O he is the fame, and his love is not alter^
ed nor changed ; and that he hath not forgotten his pro^
rnife. Hence, how many times have believers reafoa
to fet to their feal to David's exercife and experience,
Pfal. XXX. 9, 10, II. when he is crying. What profit is
there' in ?ny bloody Jfljhallgo down to the pit ; They fell a
praying, Hear^ Lord, and have mercy upon me ; Lord^ be
thou my helper ; and then have been made to fay. Thou
hafi turned for me my mourning into dancings thou hafl put
off my fackloth^ and girded vie with gladnefs. May not
then experience affure you, that he will not leave youy
till he haih done that which he hath fpoksn.
6. The everlafting nature of the covenant of pro-
mife may aifure you of this ; Though my hcufe be notfo
with God^ yet he hath made with me an everlafting cove*
nant^ well ordered in all thin^s^ andfure^ 2 Sam. xxiii,
5. The bargain was not left to your making a cove-
nant with himj but God himfelf made it with you ; and
therefore you (liall be kept by his power ^ thro* faith to fal-
vatis'n. Though thou Ihouldft change a hundred timbs,
God
44 fZ^- Pkcmising God, Ser. LXXXVUL'
God will not change one word of the i>;eet bargain he
made with you : becaufe,
7. It is his bargain made with Cferifl ; I have made d
covsnant with my Chofcn^ and yny cG-venani (hall Jiand f aft
with him^ Pfal. Ixxxiv. 3. And hence, If his children
break my law^ I 'will vifit their iniquity with rods : never*
ihelefs my loving-kindnefs will 1 not fake from him^ ver*
30, 33. And becaufe I will not take it from him,
I will not take it from them. Your aiihrance then of
his not leaving you^tiU he hath done what he hath fpoken^
may Hand upon the eVerlafting love that he hath to
Chrifl, and the (landing bargain between Chrsfl: and
him. He cannot fail you, becaufe he cannot fail his
Son in Chrifl, who hath fealed the cox^enant with his
blood, and in whom therefore all the promifcs are Tea
and Amen to the glory of God : and fo the glory of God
in Chrid, the glory of his mercy and truth in Chriil,
obliges him to do as he hath fpoken.
8. There is one ground ot aiTurancc more that I of-
fer, as it hes in the bofom of the text, namely, the di^
mne will and plea fur e ; I will not lea-ve ihee^ until I havi
done that zvhich I havefpoken, I will mot ; it is my
will and pleafure not to leave you till all be done. You
have a word, 2 Sam. xii. 22. 'The Lord will not for fake.
his people for his great name'' s fake : Why ? Becaufe it
hath pleafed the Lord to make you his people. Thus it is
faid, Deut. vii. 7, 8. The Lord fet his love upon Jfrael ;
Why ? Becaufe he loved them : he will, becaufe he will.
And who hath reffted his will f His will is uncontroul-
able 'j and hath he manifelled his will in this, that he
will not leave you^ till he hath done what he hath faid f
Then you may be alTured of it, for he will do all his
pleafure ; and well may you fay, Thy will be done.
The covenant of grace is m.ade up of / w/7/j, Ezek.
xxxvi. 25. and downwards ; I will give thee a new
heart ; a new fpirit v/ill I put within you : I w x l L take
away the heart of ft one ^ I will give you a heart of
flejh : I w I L L put my Spirit within you, &c. ten or
tv/elvc I wills. And this part of the covenant, deliver-
ed by Jacob in the text^ is like a crowning promife put
upon
Seh. LXXXYIIL a Performing God. 45
upon the head of all : / will mi have tb^e^ until I havs
done that which 1 have fpoken to thee of. And what
better aflurance would you have than this, that God
fays, I Willi What he will do, mud be*
V. T\\t fifth general head propofed, was. To make
application of the w^hole in foine inferences* If it be fa
as I have been faying^ hence fee,
1. Whence it is that foine may feem to be, of all
men, the mofl miferahk-^ who are yet of all men the
mxft happy ; I mean believers in Chrift, that are ac-
quainted with Bethel-meetings with God, and to whom
God hath fpoken favourably and gracioufly.*^-^*— They
may fcem to be moil miferable, in refpett of the dark
and difmal nights that may follow upon their fweet in*
tercourfe with God 5 and yet are the moft happy pers-
fons in the world, in refpe«51: of their having God, bind-
ing and obliging himfelf never to leave thetii^ till he
hath performed all the gracious promifes of the cove-
nant to them : This is the honour cf all the faints : God
will not lea\^ them, though they feem to be left by
all the world. And God will do what he hath fpoken
to them of, though clouds and darknefs, and moun-
tains of difficulty (land in the way.
2. See whence it is that fome may feem to be the
mod happy perfons in the world, who are yet the rno^fi
7niferable ; I mean, unbelievers^ whether they be pro-
fane or profeflbrs, that have no acquaintance with God
in Chrill. They may feem to be mofl happy people
for a while, in refped they knov/ not what it is to have
a dark day, a day of trouble and advcrfity ; they havs
peace and profperity in the world : They are ?iot trou-
bled as other men, neither are they plagued like other men^
Pfalm Ixxiii. 5. They have no fear either from church
or (late. They have eafy confciences that can comply
with every thing, right or wrong, that is impofed upon
them, whether by civil or ecciefiaftical authority. — »
They can fell truth, to buy peace, and fo they live at
eafe ; and yet they are the rsioil miferable, becaufe
they are left and foriaken of God, and are not the
children of tlie promlfe, to whom God hath fpoken
y 0 L> VL F peace 3
46 ^Tk Promising God, Ser. LXXXVIIL
peace ; but die heirs of the threater/ing, agalnfi whom
God hath denounced judgment, to whom he hath fpo-
ken wrath; yea, ^r\d fworn in wrath^ that they jh all
Tiot enter into his rejl\ for there is no peace ^ faith my God^
io the wicked. And whatever temptations the people
of God may be under to fret or grieve at their profpe-
rity ; yet, whenever the believer goes to thefantiuary^
then will he fee their end^ and how they are fet but inflip^
fery places^ andfitddenly caft down into dcftruBion,
3. Hence fee, that the^r<?zWof faith llands immuta-
ble amidfl: all changes. The molt dark and difmal days
cannot hinder the accomplifliment of the divine pro-
inife ; neither need any dark providence, or heavy dlf-
fpenfation, hinder the exercife of faith, and the life
of faith in the divine promifc. Nay, thefe crofs pro-
vidences may rather further the life of faith, than hin-
der it : for, faith is never properly exercifed ; but
upon the fuppofition of dark providences, croiling and
feeming to oppofe the accomplilhment of the promife :
becaufe, in fuch a cafe, the foul hath nothing to do
but to believe ; nothing to lock to but the promife ;
nothing to confide in but a promifmg God, and this
is downright and honed believing ; like that which
our Lord Jefus called the ruler of the fynagogue unto,
when news came that his child was dead. Fear not^
only believe^ Mark v. 36. ; for then it is time for God
to fliew himfelf. Faith hath a But that can ftand out
againil all the arrows of crofs providence that are (hot
againfl it ; "Thoii^ 0 God, Jhalt bring them down into the
pit of defiruclion : bloody and deceitful men fJyall nat live
half their days ; But I will tntfi in thee, Pfal. Iv. 23,
lie had been fpeaking of many hard things in the way,
fuch as his being pained, bccaufe of the voice of the
enemy, and the opprejfon of the wicked, ver. 3. How
they caft iniquity upon him, and in wrath hated him ;
yea, but I will triifi in thee. As God will accompHfh
his proniife notwithflanding all the Buts that are in the
way ; fo there is ground for faith to truft confidently,
becaufe God hath fpoken ; therefore no matter, tho*
men and devils really, and dark promifes feemingly,
fpeak to the contrary,
4. Hence
Ser. LXXXVIIL a Performing God* 4y
4, Hence fee who are xht greatefl bkjfings to a church
or nation. Surely thefe to whbm God hath faid, that
he will not leave them, God hath not altogether left
the church or the land where any fuch are in it :
but if they were gone, then God is gone alfo ; and
Wo to them when I depart from them^ faith the Lord^
Some are fond to have God's people perfecuted, and
his faints banlflied out of their coaft : they cannot bear
their faithfulnefs and honefly, they are a torment to
them ; but yet what fhould become of a church or
land if God's faithful remnant were gone : his pre-
fence would go with them, and none would remain
behind to whom God hath faid, / %vill not leave them.
Then would that church be left of God, and wo would
be to them. May we not fay with the prophet, Ifaiah
i. 9. Except the Lord had left us a very fviall remnant^
ive had been as Sodom^ we had been like icnto Gomorrah ?
Surely when a church begins to cafl out the faithful
from among them, then they begin to deftroy them-
felves, and to bring down wo upon their own heads.
5, Hence fee, where lies the fafety of God's chil-
dren, when they are cafl out by their friends and bre-
thren, as Jacob was in a manner caft out at all hands ;
he was the objecl of his friend and Laban's envy, and
his brother Efau's fpite and rage, vvhich occafioned his
being call: out of his Father's family, and the country
of his kindred for twenty years. Well, but where was
his fafety ? Why, when all other comforts left him,
God faid, I will not leave thee till I have done what I
have promifcd. God's promife was his inheritance, and
and God's prefence w^as his guard, amidii all frown-
ing providences : and fo it is, and will be, with all
the true fpiritual feed of Jacob.< Whoever leaves
them, God will not leave them ; whatever men fpeak
reproachfully againll: them, yet God fpeaks comforta-
bly to them ; yea, and whatever men do againil them,
God will do for them, and do all that he hath fpoken
to them of.
6, Hence fee the different Jl ate of the church vifihle
from the church invifihle upon earth ; cr the difFcr-
F ,2 ence
48 7he Pkomising Qop, Ser. LXXXVllL
cnce between the true and faithful children of God,
jind any particular vifible church. Why, all true be-
lievers have this promife fecured in their perfons, that
God will never leave them till he hath accompliflied all
his promifes of grace and mercy to them. He hath
laid, I will ne-ver k^zve thee, nor forfake thee ; but it
cannot be faid of ^ny particuhir yifible church, that
God will never leave them. God hath left many par-
ticular churches, and called thenij Lo-ammi, faying,
2 e are not my people, and I will not be your God, Hofea
}. 9. And hov*^ far he may leave the church of Scot-
land, who can tell ? The glory fometimes departs from
the threjhold to the ?noimiains ; and God feems to be
making fearful removes from the prefent generation.
I would not ]oyt to give any. jufi: offence, nay, nor to
grate the ears of any hearers with reflections upon any
that are but poor, mortal, fmful men, like ourfelves, fub-
]tCi tpthelike paiiipns, and clothed with the like infirmi-?
ties : but I wovild defire to keep niine eyes on a higher
hand than any fmfvil inflrumeuts of the church's mi-
sery and confufion. They could do nothing if God
were npt provoked by pur hns to leave them to thenir
fclves, and to their violent meafures. V/ho gave Ja^
cob to the /poll, and Ifrael io the robbers ? Did not the
Lord^ h^ againft whom we have finned 1 May we not
fay of the church of Scotland, Her towers have brought
her into great waters ? Ezek. xxvii. 26. But ilt is our
fms that have provoked God to leave the rowers and
managers, who could do nothing either againft the fa*,
cred oflice of miniller?, or the Chriftian rights of the
people, except it wer^ giyen from heaven, as Chrift
iaid to Pilate, Thoru (oidde/i have no power agalnfi me,
except it were given. As 1 love not to offend or grate
any, as 1 faid, fo I would not be chargeable with fm-
ful filence in fuch a time, when God Teems to be fayr
jng. Cry cloudy and fpar^s not ; tell the houfe of Ifrael
iheirfins. Wo would be to us, if we fhould be afraid
of man, that Ihall die ; or the fon of man, that Jhall be
OS grafs, ifaiah li. 1 2. May we not confider, as a mat-
ter of lamentation, ho.w f^r God feems to have left the
^hurch
Ser. LXXXVIII. ^Performing God^ 49
church of Scotland and her judicatories ? 1 fiiall not
affert, at this time, what I fiiall fpeak by vay of fup-
pofition, and leave it to every one to judgf whether it
be matter of lamentation before God in cae the fuppo-
fition fhould be found a truth. And I iiall fpeak in
the fird perfon of the plural number, thit I may take
in myfelf as having a hand, as well as ahers, in pro-
yoking the Lord to leave us.
If God hath left us and our judicat>ries to make
tinfcriptural and umvarraniable aEls^ denuding the
Lord's people of their juft rights, ani Chriflian pri-
vileges ; would it not be lamentable ' If he hath
left us fo far as to make tliefe ads terns of communion^
fo as none fl^all have communion with us that dare op-
pofe thefe unwarranted proceedings Again, if he
hath left us fo far as to indulge Arians md Blafphemen^
and deal gently with thefe that are guilty of funda.
mental errors, and yet to proceed volently and furi-
pufly againil fome of the friends of tjuth, and to ihew
hardly fo much regard for the fupnme authority and
dignity of the Son of God, as we ftevv for the fupreme
authority and dignity of our errin; alfemblies ; if this
were fo, would it not be lamenable ?™If God hath
left us fo far as to deftroy ourfdves by facrificing a
covenanted reformation an^ covemnted principles^ toge-
ther with ihc facred office of minftcrs^ znd ih^fpi ritual
rights of people, that would adhex thereto, and all unto
what we call church authority and good order, which
yet is but another name fa* church tyranny, and
dreadful confufion ; would rot this be very lamenta-
ble ?-^If God hath left us to call out of our hofoin
fome that are, perhaps, the friends and fa-vouriies of
heaven^ and that, becaufe of their faithful teftimony
againfl the evils and defections of the day ; would not
this be lamentable, and evidence that God hath very*
far left us "^ ?— Thefe and many other things I might
iuppofe,
* That thefe particulars, fu^gefled here only by way t\ fuppof.'
i'toriy are but too jlift, nay, pofTuive/iZ^/, may be fe^^n evinced abovt,
Vol. I. pag. ^38. Vol. II. pag. 304, ".05. 466. Vol. III. pag. I48>—
^ee^fo YqI. Y' Serm. I^X^XXII, LXXXUl, LXXXIV.
What
50 The Promising God, Ser. LXXXVIII.
What i: the world faying, but that our rowers have
hrought us into great waters ? Ezek. xxvii. ly. What
is this they are laying of the judicatories of the church
of Scotland in our days ? Are people faying, that God
hath left us and our judicatories, fo far as to make un-
fcriptural atd unwarrantable ads, and irnpofe finful
terms of conmunion ? &c. Are they faying, that
Bethel is tuned to Bethaven ? That Philadelphia is
turned to Lacdicea ? It would be good news if there
were no truthin what the world are now faying of us.
Bat if there te any truth in it, then furely God hath
left us very far; and who knows how far he may yet
remove ? Bett(r fword, famine, and peftilence among
lis than that God fiiould utterly leave us. But how
far foevcr he nay leave a vifible church, yet he will
never leave his nvifible remnant : for to them he hath
laid, / ^mll not 'eave thee till I have done that which I
have fpoken to tn?e of,
7. Hence fee reafon to try \Y\i2.tJide you are upon,
whether you be i Jacob or an Efau, They were born
of the fame motl^i, and lay in the fame womb, but
the one was bleded and the other curfed. You may-
be of the fame motler-church, yet born after the flejh^
and not after the Sprit, If you be the true feed of
Jacob, then you will know fomething of a Bethel-in-
terview with God. Eath God ever brought you to a
wikiernefs, and there met with you, and fpoke com-
fortably to you ? Have you ever feen the glory of
God in Chrift as a ladder to heaven, The wa.y^ the
iruih^ and the life^ fo as you were made to clofe with
him, and afcend up to God by this ladder ? fbr, by
him we believe in God^ iiho raifed him from the dead^
and gave bin ghry, that our faith and hope might be in
God, Hav^ you heard God fpeaking to you, and com-
municating his mind, or difcovering himfelf as a pro-
mifsng God in words of grace to your humiliation,
fandincaUon, and confolation ? O man, woman, if all
places be alike to you, fo as you never met with God
in a place that might be called Bethel ; and if all
^ urds of fcripture be alike to you, fo as you know
no
Ser. L^XXVIil. ^7 Performing God. ct
no word on wliich he hath caiifed you to hope^ y^n ars
yet ajlrangtr to Ifrael : but if you can point at the
place where the Lord God of the Hebrews met wiih
you once a day, fo as you can fouietimcs look back
' upon it with pleafure, faying, O ! I thought it Wis a
Bethel, a hotife of God ; and if you point at the
word with which God opened your heart, as he iid
the heart of Lydia, and made it the porch both of )o-
iinefs and comfort, it is good. Did he make the wo^d
to you, as it was to Job, Better and more -precious tbag
your nccejfary food ; and as it was to Jeremiah, "The }(;f
and rejoicing of your heart ; and as it was to David,
Sivecter than the honey ^ or the honey comb^ and the very
ground on which he hath can fed you to hope f* and arc
you from that time to this flill hophig in hiszi^rd, wltcn
the Lord reiiores your foul out of its ileepy fit ? Why,
tlien, it feems you are a child of promife, to whoin
God harh faid, / ^uill not have ihce^ until I have donq
that ivhich I have fpoken to thee of t
8. Hence fee the duty of all who hear me, botb
unbelievers and believers.
[i.] Ye that are unhclkvcrs^ and know not the God
of Bethel, but are Jlrangcrs to the conjcnant of promife^
living without God and without hope in the world ; liv-
ing in the lufls of the ficjh ; poor, wretched, worldly
creature, drunkard, whore-mon-ger, Sabbath-breakeij
or hypocrite, that may be comes to communions, but
never had communion with God there, ar.d never came
out of Sodom to this day, that was never brought to
a wlldernefs of fear and defpair, and then to a Bethel
cf hope and comfort in God, as a promifmg God in
Chrifl ; 1 would tell you your duty in two words.
(i.) It is your duty to corJider the dangerous (late
you are into* And I muit tell you ajterrible word for
awakening your feared confcience, if God would bleii
it for that end. As you have been hearing that God
is bound, by his own promife^ never to leave his chil-
dren, till he doth that which he hath fpoken to them
of in the gofpel : fo, on the other hand, that fame God
is bound and obliged, by his threatening^ if yea re-
main ir4 that Hate, never to leave contending Vi^ith you,
until
52 The Promising God, Ser. LXXXVIIL
until he hath done that which he hath fpoken of
in the law ; that is, you are under the curfe of the
law^ and God is obhged to curfe yon. He that is
faitkul to his promife, and will accoinplifli it to all
that flee in to Chrift, is as faithful to his threaten-
ing, and will accomplifh it to all that remain out
of Chriit. ^What a trembling heart would you
hare, man, woman, if you were but in Paul's cafe,
wien more than forty men bound themfelves with an
o2tb, that they would not eat or drink till they had
kUed him ? If fo many men were bound under oath
to kill and deflroy you, I fuppofe it would take fleep
Tora your eyes, and make you reftlefs how to efcape
-fheir fury ; and yet their oath could relate but to a
xmporal life. But tremble and fear to think, that the
'^reat God is bound, by folemn oath, to damn and de-
ilroy you to all eternity, if you remain in that Chrifl-
lefs ftate ; He hath [worn in his wrath^ that you Jhall
not enter into his reji^ Heb. iii. ii.
(2.) It is your duty to flee from this wrath to come,
by fleeing to Bethel, to the God of Bethel, to a pro*
mifnig God in Chrift. You will never go to heaven,
if^you go not to Bethel by the way ; I mean, if you
remain flrangers to Chrifl. Think not thefe are words
of courfe that we are fpeaking to you ; for, as know
ing the terrors of God, we perfuade you to flee out of
Sodom, and away from the divine wrath : fo, I hope,
knowing the comforts of God ^ as the God of Bethel, we
would perfuade you to come and fee what is to be feea
at Bethel, and to come and hear the voice of a pro-
mifmg God that is to be heard there. What we have
heard and feen^ may we not declare unto you^ that there
is fuch a thing as Bethel-interviews with God? And
wo to us who are minifters, if we be preaching to yoa
an abfolutely unknown God, an unknown Bethel, an
unknown Jefus 1 If we know neither the terrors nor
comforts of God at any time, I think we would have
no commiffion to fpeak any of them to ^ou, my dear
friends, whom I never exped to fee all again in our
prefent circumftances, till we fee Chrift coming in the
clouds
Ser. LXXXVIir. a Performing God. 53
clouds of heaven* In the fear of God, and in the faith
of our meeting together before his tribunal, I would
tell you, that the great day's meeting we ihall have,
will be terrible to you ; if before you leave this world,
you know nothing of a Bethel-meeting with God, as a
promihng God in Chrift.
Therefore, let me exhort you, in the laft of the feaft,
and in the profped of the great day, to come to Chriil:,
in w^hom all the promifes are Tea and Amen^ to the glory
of God, Come to him, by owning that you cannot
come of yourfelf. Come to him, by crying to him,
that he would draw you. Come to him, by believing
that you cannot believe as you fhould. Come to him,
by believing that you are curfed, wretched, and un.
done w^ithout him, and that you fhall be bleifed and
happy in him. Come to him, by believing that you
have no righteoufnefs but guilt, no (Irength but weak-
ntU ; and that in the Lord only you have right coufne ft
ana\jftrengih. Come to him, by believing that you
have Wthing, and that he hath all ; and that you cau
do nothing and he can do all for you. Come to him,
by imploring him to be your Prophet^ Prieji^ and Kir.g ;
your wi/dom, righteouf^iefs^fandificaiion^ aitd 'redemption.
Come to him, not upon fuch and fuch terms and con-
ditions, that you are ready to dream you mufl come
up to : but come to him, by coming down to his
terms ; that is, to be willing to be faved by free grace.
Come down^ Zaccheus^for this day falvaiion is come to thy
houfe : fo, fay I, come down, (inner, from the tree of
legal quaUfications, and legal hopes, built upon your
own naughty duties. Come down, for you cannot
fave yourfelf by all your climbing, nor bring falvation
to yourfelf; but this day fahation is come to your houfe :
falvation is come to you, becaufe you cannot come to
it ; falvation is come to your band : falvation is come
to your heart. The Saviour is knocking at the door
of your heart, and calling you to come down, and
take the free falvation that is come to you ; Whfoever
'will, let him come and take of the water of life freely. It
may be this Ihall be the hft comir4nion you Ihall fee
Vol, YL G in
54 Tlx PROMISING God, Ser, LXXXVIII.
in time, and the laft communion-offer tliat ever you
fliall hear ; or, if you be fpared in time, it may be the
laft communion you Ihall have with peace in the church
of Scotland ; it may be fo, and it may be otherwife ;
only we have had long forty years peace, and it is pof-
fible the prefent emergencies in this church may be
the beginning of forrows : but whatever be a-coming,
as death and judgment is certainly coming upon you
fpeedily, it is fafeft for you to come to Jefus the Me-
diator of the netv covenant ; let not the laft offer be
flighted : Oh ! let us not part with one another, till
there be good ground to hope, we ftiall not part with
Chrift. Alas ! I fear before this day eight days, yea,
perhaps, before the cock crow twice ^ this offer of Chrift
will be forgotten and out of your head. Some pitiful
trifle in a world will take all out of your heart ; but
I here take your confcience to v/itnefs, forget as you
will, that this offer fhall not be altogether in vain,
though it fliould be flighted ; for, when the book of
confcience iliall be opened at the great day, this ihall
be called to remembrance, that fuch a day at Abbot's-
hall, after a communion there, Chrift and falvation,
from fm and wrath, came to you to be freely receiv-
ed, and yet you rejeded it ; and this will contribute
to glorify the juftice of God in condemning you, and
make it evident to all the world, that he is clear when
he judges.
Wo is me, if there be not fo much as a defire kind-
led in your heart after our glorious Lord ! If you think
eternal falvation worth your while, O finner, and this
offer of it no contemptible thing, then I may advife
you to fet fome little time apart, after this occafion
is over, and betake yourfelf to fome place, whether
in the houfe or the field, where, you may have a little
retirement from the world, and th^re cry to God, that
he may follow this offer and this occafion, with power
upon your heart for drawing you to the Lord and
his way ; while you are thus employed, who knows,
but before you come from your knees, the place may
become a Bethel, 2, houfe of God, where you will
fee and know him as a promifing God in Chrift Jefus ;
for,
Ser. LXXXVIII. a Performing God. 55
for, in this way fome have had a meeting with him
that they will never forget. O ! be reftlefs in wait-
ing on him in the ufe of all appointed means, till he
manifeft himfelf to 3^ou favingly ; for, when once he
doth fo, you may be fure he will never leave you,
till he hath perfected the good work according to his
promife.
[2.] To you that are believers in Chrift, and know
what it is to have fome Bethel-interviews with God,
either at this occafion, or formerly. Are you in this
happy ftate, and have God for your clofe companion,
who having begun to do good, will not leave yoUy till
he hath done all that he hath [aid to you ? Your duty is
both to he joyful in your -promifing God, ^nd fruitful m
the ivork of faith,
(1.) In the faith of this promife, you ought to be
joyful. Is it nothing to you, that God himfelf is your
everlafting companion, faying, / zvill not leave you ?
That he is a promifmg God to you, and hath conde-
fcended to fpeak to you ? That he is your agent, to
do what he hath fpoken ? And that he hath bound
himfelf never to leave ysu, until he hath done zvhat he
hath fpoken ? O ! whatever dark days may come, it is
your duty to be joyful in him : Though the earth fjould
be removed, and the mountains caji into the midjl of the
fea ; here is a river that 7nakes glad the city of God ;
that makes glad the children of God : God is in the
viidji of them ; and hath laid, I ivill not leave you, *
Objfct. Alas I but may a child of God fay, Hoza
can I fake in this comfort, when J find the Lord hath left
Viet Though he f aid once, I will never leave you,- r^/
/*/ may be a dehifion ; for I feel the contrary in many fad
effeds of his abfencc,
O unbelieving believer, will you, with Thomas, ne-
ver believe, till you feel! The ground of your faith is
God's promife, and not your feeling. But, for fatisfy-
ing the foul, that may be uader a dark cloud of deler-
tion, faying. The Lord hath for faken, and ?ny God haih
forgotten ; fm prevails, and God is out of light ; I
would have you to remark, That there are tokens of
G a " God/s
SS 7/je Promising God, Ser. LXXXVIII.
God's prefence with you, believer, even when you do
not obferve them, by reafons of the clouds that are
upon you : For example, whence is it that you are
riot /wallowed up like a iliip in a whirlpool ; and that
there is lome fccret grain of hope in the hsart, even
when your unbelief is ready to fay. My hope is perijhed}
Why, the reafon is, he hath not altogether left you.-—
Whence is it that you are like the burning buJJo^ all in
a flame many times, and yet net confumed ; burning,
but not burnt ; flaming, but not confumed ? You do
not obferve this ; yet it is obfervable, that you are
prefer.ved to this day, to this hour, amidft the flames
ot temptation, and the floods of corruption : why ? the
matter is, he hath not yet left you.— Whence is it
that you can never give over duties altogether; and,
however the tempter prevail to fiacken your hand, yet
you cannot for your heart give up with religious peo-
ple, and with all religious duties, wherein you think
< ommunion with God may be had? Why, the reafon
of this is, he hath not akogetber left 3/ou. — Whence
is it that you do not break God^s prifon^ through utter
defpondcncy, and go away, and take your pleafure
with the reft of the wicked world ? Even when you
are in the prifon of dcfertion and unbelief, you dare
not think of bidding farewel to God, or departing
v/ickedly fron^i him, or of bidding the Almighty depart
from you ; nay, is there not fomething in your heart,
even at your worlf, that fays, O 1 if he would come !
0 ! v/hcn will he come? Ihis fays, he hath not al-
together left you.^— AVhence is it that you cannot agree
luith fin ? The more it prevails upon you, the more
you abhor it, and abhor yourfeif for it, and dare nor
give way to it. Doth not this evidence there is fome
iecret power and prefence of God with you, and that he
hath not yet left you.-^-r,When is it that when yowjiray
from your true rejling-place^ you cannot reft any where
^Ife^ and can find no quiet in your mind, till you be
back again ? Pofiibly you fall a feeking red and peace
in the creature, in the world, in recreations and di-
verfions, and perliaps in your duties, and yet there
was fomething in your lipart, that faid. Oh i it is not
here
Ser, LXXXVIII. a Performing God. ^^
here, it is not here j you find vanity written on all,
till you return to your firll Hufband. Again,
Whence is it, that at your worjl the lead word of news
from him concerning hia return^ makes your heart
leap within youforjoy^ as the babe in Elifabeth's womb,
at the falutation of Mary, while the news of his re-
turn, and the hope of his coming again gives you a glad
heart ? Surely he is not far off; and even when you are
mod fecure and ftupid, moft dead and dull, there is
a fecret wifh at the bottom of your heart ; O for
fuch a day again, wherein the candle of the Lord fliln-
cd on me ! 0 that it were with ine as in months paji !
T- Whence is it, that the outward Jhell of ordinances
cannot content your heart, without xht kernel of commu^
nion and fellowjhip with God f And that the dead let-
ter of the word cannot pleafe you, without the living
Spirit accompanying it ? Why, he ha,th not left you to
be content with any thing without himfelf. — Whence
is it, that the interejl of ChriJ}^ is your iniereji^ and that
you cannot join with the defe61:ions of the day, nor fide
with the errors of the times, but ftill defire to be on
Chrifl's fide ? Why cannot you turn with the tide of
the times ? Even becaufe the Lord hath not altoge-
ther left you. — In a word, Whence is it, that the Icajh
difcovery he makes of himfelf h joyfully welcome to you^
when he, as it were, but foftly knocks, fiiently tirles at
the door of your heart j My Beloved put In his hard by
the hole of the door^ and ?ny bowels were moved for him ?
Song V. 4. When he feems to be on his way to you^
you are ready to fay as Laban to Abraham's fervant.
Gen. xxlv. 31, Come in thou hleffed of the Lord. — Well,
whence are all thefe things, but from this, that lie is
ftill prefert^ though you fee him not, and that he hath
never altogether left you, but is flill remembering his
promife, I will not leave thee f
(2.) It is your duty to ht fruitful in the work of fatih,
O believer ! give glory to God, by believing that he
will not leave you^ till be hath done that which he halh
fpoken to you of , Dark and cloudy days, that may fol-
low upon Bethel-interviev/s cannot hinder God's do-
ins:
58; Vye Promising God, Ser. LXXXVIIT.
ing what he hath fpoken : arid therefore, let it not hin-
der your believing that he will do what he hath fpoken
U you of. Hath be fpoken to ycu o^ pardoning your
fins ? And hath he fpoken to you oifubduing your cor^
ruptions I Hath he fpoken oi fupplying all your wants ?
Hath he fpoken to you of bearing your burdens f Hath
he fpoken to you of healing your difeafes ? Hath he
fpoken to you of your provifton and through-bearing in
the world f Hath he fpoken to you of your prof edion m
time of danger ? Hath he fpoken to you offatisfying
your defire f Hath he fpoken to you oi guiding you by
his counfel^ and bringing you to his glory ? Hath he fpo-
ken to you of your trials^ that he will fupport and up-
hold with the right-hand of his righteoufnefs ? Hath
he fpoken to you of your feed^ that he will he your
Gody and the God of your feed f Hath he fpoken to
you of your deaths that death fhall be fwaliovjed up
in viclory ? Hath he fpoken to you of eternal life^
that you fhall he for ever with him ? Hath he fpo-
ken to you of his love^ that he hath loved you with
an everlafiing love ? Hath he fpoken to you of his
Spirit y that his Spirit Jh all he in you as a well of wa-
ter^ fpringing up unto everlafiing life ? Hath he fpoken
to you of his bleffing^ that he hath bleffed you^ and ye
fhall be bleffed^ and that in bleffmg he will blefs you ?
Hath he fpoken to you of his prefence^ that he will ne-
ver leave you nor forfake you^ that he will be with you
in trouble ? Hath he fpoken to you of his care about
you, that he will make all things work together for your
good ? Hath he fpoken to you of his abfence^ that he
will return^ that he will ft e you again ^ and your heart
Jhall rejoice f Hath he fpoken to you of his anger^ that
it endureth but a moment ^ and that with everlafiing kind-
7iefs he will have mercy on you. Whatever he hath
fpoken. Ogive him the glory of his truth, by believ-
ing that whatever he feems to be doing by outward
frowning providences, y^t he will never leave you, till
he hath done what he hath fpoken to you of It is
3/our duty to keep your eye Ihut upon dark provi-
dences, and to keep your eye open upon the clear
promife ?
Has
Ser. LXXXVIII. n Performing God. 5^
Has he faid, he will not leave yoUy till he haih dons
what he hath faid f Then wait upon him in the
due ufe and improvement of all means, till he do his
work, and do not leave him. Return his promife by
your pradlice, faying. Lord, haft thou faid, I will nut
leave thee^ until I have done that which I have fpokeii ?
Behold, through grace, I refolve I will not leave thee,
until thou haft done what thou haft fpoken : He is a
God of judgment^ and hleffed are all they that wait for
him* Hath he faid, and promifed to this effed? Then,
O put a favourable conftruftion upon all his frowning'
difpenfations ! According to your faith of his promife,
and of his favour therein, fuch will be your faith of his
favour amidft all affliding providences, Whatever
diftrefs and difficulty you meet with ; yet let faith
ftill fay, for all this, I hope he will do as he hath fpo-
ken : for all this, I will not quit my hold of him, but
hope in his word.
O believer ! remember that whatever God hath
faid to thee, he hath faid it with a furely^ as he faid to
Jacob, Gen. xxxii. 12. I will surely do thee good •
And when Jacob came to a ftrait, he put God in mind
of it, Thou did/l fay^ I will fur ely do thee good ; and
therefore let your faith be aded with ^furely^ ground-
ed upon the truth and veracity of God, faying with
David, Pfal. xxiii. 6. ^\jkei.y goodnefs and tnercy fDali
follow ?ne all the days of my life ; and I will dwell in the
houfe of the Lord for ever. We liv£ by faith ^ and not by
fight ; and therefore, though dark days ihould come,
you ought to believe when you cannot fee, Atid hlef-
fed is fje thai believed^ for there fhall he a performaiue
of thefe ^things which were told her from the Lord,
Luke i. 45. The word of the Lord endureth for ever,
Pfal. xix. 9.
Let the faith of the promife appear In your fanclifi^
cation, hoiinefs of heart, fpeech, and behaviour, Hav*
ing thefe promifes^ dearly beloved^ let us cleanfe ourfelves
from all flthinefs of the flefh and fpirit, perfcding ho-
iinefs in the fear of God^ 2 Cor. vii. i. Let it be evi-
dent to all the world you converfe with, that now you
are
€o The Promising God, &c. Ser. LXXXVIIl
are chart, through the uwrds that he hath fpoken to you.
He that hath this faith and hope, purifieth himfelf ;
for faith brings all its purity out of Chrift ; or, which
is all one, out of the promife, which is Tea and Amen
in Chrift* The faith of God's love will work by love
to a holy God, and his holy ways : therefore, O belie-
ver 1 let your life be a life of faith ; and refolve^
through grace, to live and die in the faith of his love,
which he himfelf expreffeth in this promife, / will 7iot
leave thee^ until I have done that which I have fpoken to
thee of»
SERMON
Z ^i ]
SERMON LXXXIX.
The COMBINATION and CONJUNCTION
of JOYS; or, the Joyful Approach of the
Saviour J chearfully Welcomed by the Church's
Echo of Faith *.
Psalm xl. 7. — Loy I come ! —
Song ii. 8. The voice of 7ny Beloved! heboid he comet h /
WE have a communion-folemriity in view : but
if the queflion be propofed, Hozv Jhall we
have communion with God at this occafton f Two things
are necelTary to it. i. His coming to us gracloiijly :
there is no communion with him to be expeded, unlefs
he come : fo he faith in the firfl text here, Lo^ Icorne.
a. Our apprehending his approach^ and giving him wel-
come entertainment y upon his coming : then, and not till
then, have we communion with God, when we hear
his voice, and fee him, as it v/ere, on the tops of the
mountains, and fay, The voice of my Beloved I behold ^
he Cometh I )
In the words complexly viewed, we have two things
more generally, i. Here is intimation given to the
church, by the Lord Jefus ; Lo, 1 come ! 2, Here is
notice taken by the church ; Behold ^ he comet h ! Here
is the joyful voice of the Son of God ; Lo, I come!
And here is i\it joyful echo of the church ; The voice of
tny Beloved ! behold^ he cometh \ Mark the frame h e
is in when he fpeaks of his coming ; it is a yt^j/z// frame j
• This Sermon was preached on Saturday the a7th of April, iTn,
being the preparation-day before the celebration of the facrameot of
the Lord's fupper at Aberneihy, u.pon the iSih. The fecond impref-
fxon.
Vol. VI. II U
6z The SAviovKhjoyfzd Approach^ SfiR. LXXXIX#
L09 I come / I delight to do thy wlll^ 0 my God, And
obferve the frame she is in, upon the intimation of
his coming 5 it is ?i joyful frame ; Behold^ he comeih !
He fpeaks with a joyful Lo ; Lo^ I come : and flie
fpeaks with a joyful Behold ; Behold^ he comeih /
Thefe two words being all the fubjeft I propofed to
fpeak of^ at the time, I iliall refer the further explica-
tion of them to the profecution of this doctrinal ob*
fervation.
D O c T. Thai ChrlJTs coming io his people graciou/Iy,
in their time of need , is a joy fid and delegable com-
ings both to him and them^
The time wherein Christ fald here; Lo^Icome!
was a time of great need, even when facrifice and of'
fering would not ; when there was no hope of falva-
tion from any other quarter, unlefs he himfelf had un-
dertaken it : then faid he, L<?, / come ! The time
wherein the church here faid. Behold^ he coineth !
was a time of great and felt need ; for the Lord had
withdrawn himfelf behind mountains of fm and. guilt,
till he paid a new vifit, that made her cry put with
joy, Behold^ he cometh !
That Ch rift's gracious coming to his people, is joy-
ful both to him and them, will appear in the fequel ;
only it is enough here to demonftrate it, that as he
is a joyful proclaimer of his own approach, faying,
Lo^ I come ! So she is the joyful beholder thereof,
faying, Behold^ he cometh I
The method I would here endeavour to obferve,
as the Lord lliall be pleafed to afhft, ihall be the fol-
«lowing,
L To obferve what comings of Chrlft to his people
are joyful to him and them.
IL Show what makes his coming joyful to him.
IIL What makes his coming joyful to thenu
IV. What exprejftons of joy in him are imported la
in hi^, Lo^ I come /
V. What
Ser. LXXXIX. chearfuUy Welcomed hy the Church, ^j
V. What exprejjlons of joy in them are imported iii
their behold ; Behoi.t>^ he comet h /
VI. Show whence is this combination and conjunBlon
of joys ; or, why it is that, hke a relbunding
echo, his Lo^ I come^ is anfwered, with a Behold^
he cometh.
VIL Deduce fomc inferences for the application of the
whole.
I. The/r/2 thing propofed was, To obferve what
comings of Chrift to his people are joyful to him and
them. Here I fhall mention only four comings of the
Lord Jefus, namely, his coming in the fielli ; his com-
ing in the clouds ; his coming in the word 5 and his
coming in the Spirit.
I. His coming in the flejh was a joyful coming both
to him and his people. The firft text here is particu*
larly applied to his coming in the flelh, Heb. x. 5, 7.
Sacrifice and offering thou wouldfl not^ a body hajl thou
prepared me ; then f aid I^ Lo^ I come ^ (in the volume
of thy hook it is written of ?nej to do thy will, 0 God.
Which fhows alfo, that this was a joyful and delight-
ful coming, though it was upon that errand of being
a facrifice to divine juftice for our fms, when no other
facrifice would do the bufmefs. And furely this com-
ing of Chrift is a joyful coming to his people, and
brings ground of joy unto all people ; Behold, faid
the angels to the Ihepherds upon Chrifl's coming in
the fiti\^, I bring good tidings of great joy, which /hall be
unto all people ; for to you is born this day, in the city of
David, a Saviour, which is Chrifi the Lord, Lake ii. 10.
And it is probable, as many divines fliow, that thefe
words of the fpoufe here, faying. Behold, he cometh !
hath a particular reference to Chrift's coming in the
flefh. The Old-teftament faints/^-u:; his day afar^ off,
and rejoiced in the view they^ had of it by faith. They
faw him coming fkipping in the dark mountains of
fhadows, and ceremonies, and typical facrifices, to be
the fubftance of all the fl:iadows. In a word, his com-
ing in the fleih is the very root and foundation of the
joys of all the redeemed: if he had not thus come.
Ha accord*
64 The SAYiov^h Joyful Approach, Seh. LXXXIX,
according to the promife, they would never had any
ground of joy ; but faith's view of this coming, or of
God in our nature, God incarnate, God made ??jamfe/i
in the jlejh, is a fountain-head of joy ; God being in
Chrlji reconciling the world to himfelf ; being bone of our
hone, and flejh of our flejh : and we having accefs to
God through him, who became Uke unto us in all
things, except fin. O Sirs, do you beheve that there
is a man in heaven called Immanuel, God-?nan f We
read o^ joy and peace in believing : furely you never be-
lieved there was fuch a man, God in our flefli, if it
never afforded any joyful thought to you.
2. His coming in the clouds is a joyful coming, both
to him and his people : this is what is called his fecond
coming, Heb. ix. 28. To them that look for him, he will
appear the fecond time, without fin iintofalvation. And,
indeed, this will be a joyful coming to Chrifl ; for it
is a coming to falvation : when he comes to fave, he
comes always joyfully. When he came firll to fave,
by the price of his blood, he came leaping and ikip-
ping joyfully 5 and much more when he will come to
finilh the work of falvation, and to perfect the falva-
tion of all the redeemed. His coming to marry his
people is joyful to him, much more when he comes
to confummate the marriage, Chriil had an eye to
this in his coming to fuffer : He endured the crofs, and
defpifed the fhame, for the joy that was fet before him,
Heb. xii. 2. even to the joy of an exalted ftate : and,
you know, that the lail ilep of his exaltation is his
coming to judge the world at the laft day ; then he
will be glorifed in his faints, and admired in all them
that believe,^^And as it is a joyful coming to him, fo
it is to his people. It is true, it will be terrible to his
enemies that flighted his coming to fave, and neglec-
ted the great falvation ; for, He will come in flaming
fre, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and
obey not the gofpel, 2 Theflalonians. i. 8.-— — ^His
fecond coming will be dreadful to them that do
not welcome his firfl: coming : and, Behold he cometjj
in the clouds, and every eye fJo all fee him, and they alfo
that pierced him, and all nations fl: all wail becaufe of him.
Rev,
S£R. LXXXIX. chearfully Welcomed ly the Church. 65
Rev. i. 7. But to his people, to his followers and fer-
vants, to all that welcome him now, his coming is
joyful ; they will welcome him with joy, faying, Even
fo. Come, Lordjefus. They long for his coming ; and
they are called to lift up their heads with joy, becaufe
the day of their redc?nption draweih nigh. They cry to
him to haften his coming, Haj'ie, my Beloved^ and be
thou like a roe or young hart on the mountains of Beihcr*
No wonder, for then they enter into the joy of the Lord,
Chrift, who here fays, Lo, I come I will as certainly
come the fecond time, as he came the firll ; and as
he came the firfl time, in order to his coming the fe-
cond ; fo he fpeaks of his fecond coming with a be-
hold; Behold! I co?ne quickly, Rtvch xxn, 20. And
the church's joyful echo follows. Even fo. Come, Lord
jfefus, come quickly,
3. His coming in the word, to court a people for
himfelf, is a joyful coming to him and to his people ;
for then, as it is. Rev. xxii. 17. Both the Spirit and
the Bride fay. Come. The Spirit of Chrift, and the
bride of Chrift, joyfully invite finners to come to
Chrift : hence a gofpel day is called the day of the
Son of man. And Chrift, in the gofpel-difpenfation,
fays, Lo, I come ! He comes riding in the gofpel cha-
riot ; he comes with out-ftretched arms, faying. Be-
hold me I behold me I — And his coming thus is joyful.
to all his people, Romans x. 15. How beautiful on the
mountains are the feet of them that preach the gofpel of
peace ; that bring glad tidings of good things ! His com-
ing in the word is joyful to them, in fo much, that
nothing in the world is fo precious to them as the
word ; it hfweeier than ho7iey and the honey comb. Thy
word was found of me, and I did eat it, and it was to 7ne
the joy and rejoicing of my heart: this is their food ;
Man lives not by bread alone, but by every word that pro-
ceedeth out of the mouth of God, This is their comfort
in their affliElion, His word quickens them ; they
hear his voice therein, and fay, // is the voice of my
Beloved! behold, he comet h ! leapi?ig on the ?nountains,
flipping on the hills* But his coming in the word is
joyful
66 fhe Saviovk^s joyful Approach^ SjER. LXXXIX.
joyful and beneficial, as it is attended with what fol-
lows, namely, his coming in the Spirit : for,
4, His coming in the Spirit is a joyful coming;
and this is that which makes all the former way^ of
his coming to be joyful. We have no joyful view of
ills coming in the flefh, nor joyful hope of his coming
in the clouds, nor joyful apprehenfion of his coming
in the word, unlefs we have fome fliare of his coming
in the Spirit, as a Spirit of faith and confolation : his
coming in the Spirit not only to court, but to win the
heart ; not only to deal, but to prevail with finners,
by his convincing and converting power. — This com-
ing is joyful to him ; for, it is a day of the gladnefs
of his heart ; Song iii» 11. Go forth, 0 ye daughters of
ZioHy and behold king Solomon, with the crown where*
with his mother crowned him, in the day of his efpoufals^
in the day of the gladnefs of his heart : for then \\t fees
the travel of his foul and is fatisfied, Ifa. liii, 1 1. And,
O this (hould encourage us to pray for the Spirit, the
promifed Comforter, frnce nothing gladens the heart
of Chrifi; more than the giving of the Spirit to convince
cffin, righteoufnefs, and judginent, and fo to comfort
his people. — And, on the other hand, this coming of
Chrlft in the Spirit, cannot but be a joyful coming to
his people ; for then they are anointed with the oil of
gladnefs, and get the oil oi joy for mourning, and the
garments of praife for thefpirit ofheavinefs. Then they
get their bands loofed ; their maladies healed ; their
doubts refolved j their fears difpelled, &c^ When
Chrift fays here, Lo, I come ! let us view therein the
promife of his coming in the Spirit : for, why did he
come in the flefh, but that he might come in the Spirit ?
Having come in the flefh, and finifhed his work, ac-
cording to his word ; he promifes the Spirit, and fends
the Spirit; He jl: all glorify me, John xvi. 14. When
the Comforter is come, whom I will fend to you from the
Father, even the Spirit of truth, he floall tejiify of me,
John XV. 16, His coming in the flefli was the great
Old-Teftament promife ; and his coming in the Spirit
the great New-Teftament promife : and as the Old-
Tefl:ament was but a porch to the New ; fo his coming
ia
Ser. LXXXIX. chearfully Welcomed by the Church. 67
in the flefh was to pave the way for his coming in the
Spirit ; therefore, when you hear him fay, Lo^ I come I
take up the meaning of it not only to be, Lo^ I come
171 thejlejh; but alfo, Lo^ I come in the Spirit. And,
O Sirs, is this his voice ! What fay you to it ? Is there
any joyful echo in your heart welcoming him ; faying,
ne voice of my Beloved! behold^ he comeih ! Surely if
he comes in the Spirit to you, at this occafion, it will
be a joyful coming. 1 might here fpeak of his com-
ing in his providence ; his coming at death ; his com-
ing firil to begin, and his after coming to advance his
work J but his joyful comings are only fo by his com-
ing in the Spirit. I go on,
II, To the next thing propofed, which was to iliow,
fWhat makes his coming J oyfuJ to Him. And what
! makes him come with a joyful, Lo^ I come / Why,
1. He rejoiced fr Of n eternity in the thoughts of his com-
ing ; and therefore cannot but rejoice in the accom-
plifhment of his w^ord and defign, Prov. viii. 23, 31.
Ere ever the earth was, he rejoiced in the habitable parts
of the earthy and his delights were with the fons of men.
It was in the council of peace, he faid to his Father,
£^, I come ! I delight to do thy will ; and in the fulnefs
of time he fays in our hearing, Lo, I come I O to give
a joyful welcome to that joyful Lo !
2. His coming is joyful to him ; becaufe he comes
clothed with a commifTion from his Father ; and he re-
joices to run his errands. It is his Father's will that
he executes when he comes- ; and therefore he fays,
I delight to do thy will^ 0 my God. This commandment
have I received <f my father ^ to lay down my life for ?ny
fheep. And therefore, with deftre he defired this pafjo-
ver^ even to be himlelf ^z/r /^t^'u^t facrificed for us.
He hath a commifTion to come ; for he is the fent and
the fealed of God j God fo loved the worlds that he
fent his only begotten Son : that whofoever believeth in
him^ fhould not perijh^ but have ever lofting life. Him
hath God the Father fealed. He comes in his Father's
name, and his Father's C^al appended to his commif-
fion,
3. HI3
63 The S A viou r's joyful Approach^ S E r. LXXXIX.
3. His coming is joyful to hm^ becaufe It is on a
glorious defign of glorifying the Father ; and therefore,
when he comes he fays, Noiv is my Father glorified ;
now is the Son of man glorified^ and God is glorified in
him^ John xiii. 31. When he came, and was jufl:
ready to lay down his life, and having done his work
he faid, John xvii. 4. / have glorified thee on earth,
1 have finijhed the work thougavefi me to do. He brought
in glory and honour to all the perfections of God, and
full reparation to all his injured attributes.
4. His coming is joyful to him^ becaufe, as his com-
ing was on a glorious defign, with reference to his Fa-
ther, God being glorified by his coming, whether in
the fiefli, or by the Spirit ; fo it is on a loving dejign to-
ward his people, to whom he comes. He comes to
fave them, and juflify them, and fandify them, and
comfort them, and heal them, and help them ; and all
for love, becaufe he has loved with an everlafling love^
therefore he comes to draw with lovlng-kindnefs. —
Love makes him come joyfully : it was love made him
come joyfully in the flefh, and love makes him come
joyfully in the Spirit ; love made him come at firft,
and, notwithflanding many provocations, love makes
him come again, according to his word, / will fee you
again, John xvi. 22. Now youjjave forrow, but I will
fee you again, and your hearts fball rejoice. 0 the height^
and depth, and length, and breadth of his love ! He
comes joyfully, becaufe he lives cordially.— But i
go on,
III. To the next thing propofed, namely, what makes
his coming joyful to his people, what makes them wel-
come him wuth a joyful behold, B £ h 0 l d i&^ cometh /
Why,
I. Becaufe his coming is their life ; when he came
in the flcfli. He came to give life, and to give it more a-
hundantly, John x. lo. And when he comes in the
Spirit, he comes to give life, to give the well of water
fpri7iging up to everlafling life, John iv. 14. Whenever
he comes^ life enters the dead agd dry bones. We
are
SeI^. LXXXIX* chearfully Welcomed ty the Church, 6^
are like dead carcafes, our fplrlts finking within us j
but whenever the Spirit of life comes in the word,
then we get up, as it were, to our feet ; then we have
iife ; He that hath the Son^ hath life : whenever he
comes, and that we have him with us, then the hfe of
faith, the hfe of repentance, the hfe of love, the life of
joy, the life of humility, the life of holinefs, and the
life of comfort come : wc live or die as he conies or
goes. If life befweet, then his coming muft be fweet;
and of all lives the life of God, 2i fpiritual iife, hid with
Chriji in God, is the mod pleafant and glorious.
2. His coming muft be joyful to them, becaufe his
abfence is their death ; yea, his ab fence is a hell to
them that know what a heaven his prefence makes :
hence their many Ohs when he is away ; Oh ! when
wll thou come unto vie f Oh ! that it were with me as in
vioyiths paft ! and hence their many hozv longs, when
he is away ; How long wilt thou forget me, 0 Lord ?
How LONG wilt thou hide thy face from me ? Pfal. xiii.
I, 2. They cannot live without him ; or, if his ab-
fence be to fuch a degree, as that they are'carelefs, flu-
pid, and unconcerned, yet they that 'know what his
joyful prefence is, will grant, that their carelefs times
are theiV fad and fighing times ; they are not their joy-
tul times ; they are not their life, but their death, and
they never expert to have a. joyful life till he come again.
When he is away from the church, then all goes to
coTifufion : The ferij ants of the hoife begin to finite their
fellow fervanti, Matth. xxiv. 46. Why, becaufe the
Lord delays his coming : they begin to fmite them
-with fentences o^ fufpenlion, ox feclufton, as at this day *
When he is away, then the (hepherds begin to rule hi?
people zvith force and violence, Ezek. xxxiv. 4. And
lA^hat is the effed of that ? See ver. 6. ¥iy fheep wan-
dered over all the Tnozmtains ; ?7iy flock was fcattered u-
fon all the face of the earth, and none did fearch, orfeek^
after them. Why, might not this fmite the hearts of
rigid rulers, to fee the flock fcattered here and there,
* A Ihort accoutit of what Is here alluded to» may be feen, Vol,
V. Serra, LXXXIV. See likewife Serm- LXXXII, LXXXUL
Vol, VL I > upon
^o Vje Saviour's joyful Appro achy Ser. LXXXIX,
upon the violent obtrufions of hirelings upon them f ?
No none did fearch out, or feek after them. They even
flight them as an ignorant mob, a rabble, that need
not to be regarded, [and, indeed, if matters go on at
this rate, if God do not ftir up the enfuing AiTcm-
bly, (viz, 1734.) to take courfe with thefe difor-
deVs, the ruin of the church of Scotland is but be-
ginning.] But whence are all thefe confufions ? May
we not fay, as it is, Deut. xxxi. 17. Are not thefe evils
come upon us^ hecaufe our God is not amo7igfl us f When
lie is away from a church, nothing but confufion and
diforders take place ; but when he comes back, then
his work is revived, Zion is built up, reformation ref-
tored. V/hen he goes away from a particular believ-
er. Oh ! what a hell of confufion till he returns ! His
prefence gives reft, but his abfence trouble ; Thou didfi
hide thy face J and I was troubled*
3.. His coming is joyful to them^ becaufe the errand
on which he came is merciful, What does he bring
. when he comes ? Why, he even brings God ^\t\i him,
and all the f nine fs of God : and fo he brings the
chief good with him. -God is in Chrift, and all
the fulnefs of the God-head in him j and therefore,
when he comes, all good comes : when he comes
graciouHy, he comes in the capacity of a friend, to
help •, aphyfician, to heal ; a fhepherd, to feed ; He
fcedeth among the lilies. When he comes, his prefence
is a reviving and refrefliing prefence ; an enlightening,
inlivening, and enlarging prefence 5 fometimes a con-
firming and comforting prefence ; a humbling and a
fweetly-debafmg prefence ; yea, it is an exalting and
dignifying prefence. The efFedts of his coming are moft
joyful ; for, when he comes to his people, then their
fms are pardoned, their wants fupplied, their enemies
conquered, their crolTes fandified, their kingdom fecur-
ed ; and therefore his coming mufl be joyful to them.
4. His coming is joyful to thefu^ becaufe his coming
is all their heaven Upon earth ; yea, his prefence is the
heaven of heavens. What is heaven, but a being ■ iiie
• t That the Lord's heritage was grievoufly oppreffed at this time,
may be feen laid opeo, Vol- V. Serm. LXXXU, LXXXIil, LXXXV.
in fofne t£.Qt note?.
hij?:y
Ser. LXXXIX. chearfully Welcomed by the Church. 71
him^ by feeing him as he is. Now, this heaven is begun
on earth when he comes ; for then they behold his gle-
ry^ and are changed into the fame image ^ 1 Cor. Hi. i8.-
How can they be but joyful at his coming when they
confider who he is : he is enough to- make a heaven
whatever way they look to him : * if they look to him
ahfolutely^ He is altogether lovely ; the brighinefs of his
Father's glory. When they look to him comparatively^
He is fairer than thefons of men ; more glorious than all
the 7nouniains'ofprey. When they look to him relative-
ly^ he is their Head and Hufoand ; their God and
Guide ; their righteoufnefs and ftrength ; their liglit,
life, joy, and all. O fays xh^ftrong believer. My be-
loved is ?nine, and I am his : he is mine, and I will not
part with him for the whole creation. O fays the 'iveak
believer, the doubting believer, O if he were mine, I
would not part with him for a thoufand v/orlds. In a
Word, he is fuch a heaven to them that nothing can
make up the lofs of his prefence : minifters cannot do
it; ordinances cannot do it; angels cannot do it. Or-
dinances are but the iliell, without the kernel, when
Chrift is not in them ; all creature-comforts cannot
fupply his room. Naturalifts fay. The loadftone can-
not draw in prefence of the diamond ; furely, wh^n
Chrift is prefent with a foul, all the pomp and pride,,
all the gallantry of the world, will have no influence
on the foul. . Offer the believer mountains of gold
and filver inftead of Chrift, Get thee behind me^ Satan^
will be his anfwer : ^hy mone^i perifl) ivllh thee^ that j
lays it in balance with the Son of God, Offer me.
fomething better than Chrift, then you will fee what I
will do. — There are fo many thoufand excellencies in
Chrift, that might be fo many thoufand reafons why
his coming is joyful, that they cannot but fay upon the
notice of it. Behold^ he cometh !
IV. The fourth thing propofcd was. What expref
fions of joy in the Lord Jefus is imported in this, Lo^ I
come! What fort of joy does it exprefs. ^
1. I think this, Lo, I come! cxpr ei^t^s prefeni joy^;
Loj I come! It is fomething like that of John xiii. 32.
72 The Sayiovr^ joyful Appreach^ Ser. LXXXIX,
Now h the Son of man glorified : there was a time when
he faid, Now is my foul troubled^ and what Jlo all I fay f
John %\\, 27. But when he comes gracioufly, he fays
upon the matter. Now is my foul fatisfied, now is my
heart glad ; the Lo^ is in the prefent time, and / comey
is in the prefent tenfe ; Lo^ I come I And if Chrift be
prefently faying with reference to any company here,
Loy J c&tne to you ! O it is a prefent joy to him \ he
comes rejoicing ; he comes leaping and fldpping ; his
fet time of comin^^ is the time of the gladnefs of his hearty -
2. It expreiies a6i iv e \oy \ Lq^ 1 co?ne i lie rejoices
to do good : it is his joy to do fervice to his Father
and his friends, And if he .rejoiced in his work when
he came to favc by the price of his blood ; how muil
he rejoiqe when he comes to fave by the power of his
Spirit ? The natural fun is faid to rejoice as a Jirong
Tnan iQ. run his race^ Pfal 2;is. 5, It is a metaphorical
fpeech, for the fun is not capable of joy ; but, without
metaphor, it is true of the Sun of rightaoufnefs, the
Lord jefus Chrift ; he is zjiroiig man^ the nian ofGod^s
right-handy whom he hath made firong for hivfelf : and
he rejoices to run his race 5 he rejoices to arife with
healing under his wipgs ; ho.y 1 come /—It is an aftive
joy.
3, It expreffes certain joy. The Lo^ is a note of
certainty ; the thing is certain and true ; Loy I come /
And his joy is certain ; certain, true, folid joy. There
is nothing more certain than that believers have fome^
Um^sjoy unfpeakahle ; but thefe are only ftrcams that
flow from the joy that is in Chrift 's heart. His joy is
the fountain of their joy ; He is anointed %vith the oil
of joy abo've hisfellov^s ; and the fellowfliip they have
with him is by fome drops of that oil of joy. Can
they be certain of the ftreams and the drops when thefe
Jire allowed ? How much more is it certain, that ail
true joy centres in him. Believers have fometimes a
fnlncfs of joy ; but their fulnefs is the fulnefs of the
flreams, or of the velTel ; but his fulnefs is the fulnefs
of the ocean. If it be certain, there is a ftream of joy
in the believer fometimes, mu^h lUQ?^ that there is the
fpring of joy in Qhrift.
4. It
$ER. LXXXIX. chearfuUy Welcomed hy the Church. ^3
4. It cxpreiTes communkati've joy ; defignlng his
people {hould iliare of his joy, Lo, I come 1 The joy
that Chrifl has, as Mediator, is a fulnefs of joy, defign-
ed for his peoples ufe, that out of bis fulnefs we may re»
fche, mid grace for grace, and joy for joy ; grace an^
fwering grace in Jefus ; and joy anfwering joy in him.
Yea, Chrifl, as Mediator, is anointed with the oil of Joy ^
the Spirit above meafure, that he may communicate
this joy, and give to them the oil of joy for mournings
Ifa. Ixi. 3. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me^ for hi
hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek ? to
comfort all that mourn ; to give them beauty for ajhes^
the oil of joy for mournmg, and the garment of praife for
the Spirit of heavinefs. Chrifl has a commiflion from
his Father to communicate his joy 5 and therefore it
muft be communicative,
5. It expreffes triumphant joy, conquering joy ; Loy
J come I And nothing fliall hinder my coming, nor Hop
me in my courfe. Mountains nor hills cannot hinder
the fun rifing ; this points out his coming as a conque-
ror, notwithflanding principalities and powers in his
way, he can eafily throw them down ; Who is this that
Cometh from Edom, ivith dyed garments from Bozrab ?
This that is glorious in his apparel^ travelling in the greats
nefs of his firength t Ithatfpeak in rigbteoufnefs, might)'
tofavCy Ifa. Ixiii. i. Behold it is I : Lo^ J come f
6. Itexprelfes folemn joy. He comes with afolem-
njty, Lo, I come ! according to the council of a glori-
ous Trinity. Now when thepurpofe of heaven is come
to the birth, and the decree breaks forth, and tlie ful-
jiefs of time is come, he takes heaven and earth witnefs.
as it were, to his folemn march on the errand : he fays
it with a loud La, that ail the world of men and an-
gels may notice, Lo, I come I And, indeed, all the e-
le6l angels break forth into joyful fongs of prnife at
this folemnity : when he came in the flefh, they fang.
Glory to God in the bigheji, peace on earth, and good-will
towards men. And when he comes in the Spirit to con-
vert a foul, there is joy in heaven over tbe foul that re-
pcnt5,-^lt is folemn joy,
7. It
74 ^^^ Saviovk^b joyful Approach, Ser. LXXXIX,'
7. It exprelTcs infinite joy. If we confider who the
perfon is that fpeaks, namely, God, afluming our na-
ture in the perfon of his eternal Son. The joy of an
infinite God, mud be infinite joy. Finite creatures
cannot tell what infinite joy is ; nay, the joy of faints
is joy unfpeakable and full of glory ; what then muft be
the joy of the King of faints ? It is infinitely above
fpeech and expreffion, infinitely glorious. The joy of
faints is unfpeakably great ; the joy of the man Chrift,
cf the human nature, is unfpeakably greater ; but the
joy of God, of God in our nature, is infinitely great
above all finite apprehenfion.— Finite thoughts are
loft in this infinite depth.
8. It expreiTes ever lajiing ]oj,'3iw6. eternal ]oy y joy
from everlafting, before time ; and to everlafting, af-
ter time. It is true, the Lo, / come ! as I faid firfl,
imports prefent joy, with refpect to our view of it, but
with refped to God, nothing being pafl or future, but
all things eternally prefent to him, this Lo expreffes the
everlajiing joy he had, and will have for ever in this
work now tranfacled in time. It is faid, Pfal. civ. 31.
^he glory of the Lordjhall endure for ever. The Lord
fo all rejoice in his work ; the Lord Jehovah fh all rejoice
in all his works together, (as we have it in the metre.)
Why ? his glory is everlafting glory, his joy everlaf-
ting joy in all his works ; efpecially in that work
wherein all his glory fnines moft brightly, his faving
work, of which he is here fpeaking, when he fays,
Lo, I come ! — Thus you fee what fort of joy is expref.-
fed in this, Lo, 1 come !
V. Tht ffth thing propofed. What exprelTions of
joy is imported in the echo from the church. The voice
cf my Beloved ! behold he cometh ! What fort of joy
does this exprefs ?
I. It expreiTes joy \V\thfurprife. O but his coming
fills the behever v/ith a fweet furprife, like that. Or
ever I was aware. Song vi. 12. How abruptly does
the church here fpeak, like one fuddenly raviflied !
The voice of my Beloved ! behold^ he cometh I
z. It
Ser. LXXXIX. chearfully Welcomed hy the Church. 75
2. It exprefles joy with wonder and admiration : Be-
hold^ he cometh! Wonder, O heavens and earth, that
he Ihould come to the hke of me ! And wonder that
he fliould come back again, after I have heaped up
mountains and htlls of provocation in his way. h this
the manner of man, 0 Lordf and what can David fay
more f Vv^hat can I fay, but fit down and wonder I
3. It exprefles joy with faith ; Behold he cometh I
The eye of faith firll fees him coming, and then the
tongue of joy, fmgs, Behold, he cometh ! Faith cometh
by hearing ; what ? even the voice of Chriil, the joy-
ful found of the gofpeL Chrifi rides in that chariot ;
and the behever, by faith, hearing the noife of his
chariot wheels ; yea, the fweet voice of him that rides
in the chariot, who has grace poured into his h*ps
then he cries out, l^he voice of my Beloved I behold, he
cometh !
4. It exprefles joy with love. And, indeed, as faith
is the head, fo love is the heart of the new creature :
and the joy here is a loving joy ; for it is in the view
of Chrifl: as her Beloved, 'ihe voice of my Beloved! be-
hold, he cometh ! He is the beloved of the Father, who
fays, "This is my beloved Son ; and the true believer is
of the Father's mind, faying. This is my Beloved, this
is fny friend, 0 daughters of J erufalem. And what but
joyful love, makes her here fpeak, with her heart at
her mouth. The voice of my Beloved!
5. It exprefles joy with praife and adoration (as well
as wonder and admiration ;) The voice of my Beloved!
behold, he cometh ! O blefled be the comer, as it is,
Pfalm cxviii. 26. Bleffed is he that comes in the 7iame of
the Lord. It is a behold of adoration, as well as admi-
ration ; and, indeed, they both go together, an ad-
miring heart, is an adoring heart : as the prefence of
Chrill, makes a heaven in the heart ; fo it ftirs up
the heart inilantly to the work of heaven, which is to
fing his praife, and to glorify his name, faying, O
glory, glory, glory, to him for coming to the like
of me, that was afraid he would never give me a vi-
fit. O ! let all the world praife him with me 5 Behold
he cometh /
' 6. It
76 The S\vio\^\h joyful Approach, Skr. LXXXI3?^
6. It expreffes joy with hwnility ; Behold^ he cometh !
and cometh even to me : What am /, and what is my
father's houfe f Behold he cmneth to me 1 I had no
power to come to him, no heart to eome, and I would
have remained for ever at a diftance from him, if he
had not gracioufly condcfcendcd to come unto mc :
I could do nothing but depart from him by an evil
heart of unbehef ; but he comes ; His own ar?n brings
eth falvation : and he comes with all the falvation I
need. Self is funk to nothing at the appearance of
this glorious he ; Behold^ he cometh I
7. It exprefles joy with contempt of the world : Be*
holdy he cometh ! and his appearing darkens all the glo-
ry of the world, and makes it difappear, as the flars at
the rifmg of the fun. / count all hut lofs and dung^ for
the excellency of the knowledge of him, O how little does
the believer think of the world, when Chrifl comes !
(Wn-se ^H/xiW janA (TKvCdLKA,) all is dung and dog's meat,
as the apoRle phrafes it, Phiilipians iii. 8. ; earthly
crowns, kingdoms, thrones, and fceptres are but little
defpicable toys. Here, here, is an obje^Sl worth the
beholding ; let mine eyes be for ever turned away
from beholding vanities : Behold^ he cornet h !
8. It expreiies joy w^ith defire that others may fee
and behold him ; Behold^ he cometh / O that all the
world would come and fee what I fee, come and en.
joy what I enjoy ! They that fee the glory of ChriH^
though tliey flight a world of vanities, yet they pity a
world of perilhing fmners, and w^ould gladly be in-
ftrumental in bringing others to Chrifl: ; Come^ see a
MAN that told me all things that ever I did ; is not this
the Chriji f faid the woman of Samaria. Thus David,
Re/lore to me the joy of thy fa haf ion ; then will I teach
iranfgreffors thy way^ and fmners Jhall be converted unto
ihee.
In a word, this Behold^ he cometh! expreifes joy
w^ith all the qualities of heavenly andfpiriiualjoy, — It ex-
preifes unfpeakable\Qj^ as appears by her broken fpeech.
The voice of my Beloved \ — It exprefles glorious joy ;
for it flows, from a view of his glory. Behold^ he com.*
Cth !~It exprelks holy joy \ for flie rejoices to fee him
come
S£R. LXXXIX. chearfUlly Welcomed by ihe Church, 77
come {kipping and leaping upon the mountains and
hills of fin and guilt, and levelling all the high towers
of flrong corruption in his way. O how glad to fee
him coming down, and making the mountains to melt
before him ! So it is a holy joy : the very oppofite of
all carnal and fenfual joys.— It cxprelTes a nukhening
'^Xidjlrengthening joy ; for now her heart is open, her
lips art open, whatever indifpofition for duty took place
before; now the joy of the Lord is hcrjlrength, — Again,
it exprelles 2ifolid and vJell grounded ]oy ; it is no fan-
cy, no delufion, nor enthufiafm ; no : the w^ord and
Spirit both concur to this joy. The voice of ivy Belov^
t! there is the word : Beheld^ he conieih ! there is
Spirit. Words cannot give the believer joy with-
out the Spirit ; and the Spirit will not without the
word ; the joy of the Holy Ghofl is flill grounded u-
pon, or agreeable to the word. — Finally, it expreiles
a 'welcoming joy ; Behold^ he comet h I Loy I come, fays
Chrifl ; Behold, he comet h ! fays the church : E-veii
fo, come Lord Jefus, corne quickly : come and welcome
with a thoufand good-walls. O may he be a welcome
guefl here !
VI. Thefxfh thing propofed was. To fliow ivhence
is this combination and conjundion of joys : Or, why is
it, that like a refounding echo, his Lo, J co7ne ! is an-
fvvered with a behold, he comcth ! Whence is this ?
Why,
I. It proceeds from the ??2Ufual Rf.hkTio^ betzcecn
him and his people^ between him and his church : he is
the Bridegroom, and flie is the bride ; lis is the Huf-
band, and fhe is the fpoufe. He .has commanded other
hufbands to leave father and mother^ and to cleave to
his wife ; and he has done fomething like that himfelf :
he that faid, Thy Maker is thy Hufiand, left his Father's
bofom for the fake of his bride, faying, Lo, J come !
and the conjugal tye being mutual, the believer having
the Spirit of his glorious Hufband, whenever he hears
the voice of an approaching Jefus, is obliged to fay,
The voice of my Beloved ! behold, he cometh \
Vol. VI, K 2* T^
78 the Saviovr's joyful Approach, Ser. LXXXIX,
2. It proceeds from the iniitual sympathy between
him and them : hence, what afFedls him, does afFed
them ; what touches them, touches him ; He that
touches you^ touches the apple of mine eye, fays Chrifl :
they Hand kindly affeded alfo to him. This mutual
fympathy and love, flows from the iinion between Chrifl
and them. He is the Head and they are the members
of his body ; and both Head and members being ani-
mated by one and the fame Spirit, his joy mull be their
joy. When they come to have his glorious prefence
in heaven, they are faid to enter into the joy of their
Lord : and when they have his gracious prefence on
earth fignified to them with a joyful Lo^ I come ! t^|y
have fome begun entrance into his joy; that malR
them fay with joy. Behold^ he cometh I
3. His gracious coming is joyful both to him and
them, becaufe of the mutual 01^ e]^ ess ^nature ^<f-
tween him and them. As he is a partaker of their hu-
man nature ; fo they are partakers of his divine nature^
1 Peter i. 4. Hence, as he knows their frame, and
what fort of a voice is mofl fuited to their capacity, and
accordingly fpeaks to them by the whifpering of his
Spirit in the word \ fo they know his voice from the voice
€f a fir anger ^ John x. 5. They know the found of his
feet upon the mountains.
4. His gracious coming is joyful both to him and
them, becaufe of the mutual agreement in design
between him and them. His ultimate end and defign is
the glory of God in their falvation ; their ultimate end
is the fame, even that God may be glorified in their
falvation. Now, when he comes to purfue this defign
fo joyfully, they cannot but welcome him joyfully :
Sing^ 0 heavens ; and fhout ye lower parts of the earth ;
break forth into finging^ ye mountains ; fof the Lord hath
redeemed Jacob, and glorified himfelf in Ifrael, Ifaiah
xliv. 25.
5. His gracious coming is joyful both to him and
them, becaufe of the mutual intercourse between him
and them at meeting : he hath always fome good news
to bring them from the Father, which he is glad to
tell
Ser. LXXXIX. chearfully Welcomed by the Church. 79
tell them, and they are glad to hear ; and they, on
the other hand, have fomething to tell him which they
cannot tell the world. And as they are glad of his
coming to have an opportunity to tell him their mind ;
fo he is glad to hear them ; 0 my dove^ that art in the
clifts of the rock^ in the fecret places of the ftairs^ let me
hear thy voice^ and thy countenance ; for fweet is thy
voice, and thy countenance is comely^ Song ii. 14. He
has fomething to do with them, and they have fome-"
thing ado with him ; and therefore, when he joyfully
draws near to them, they joyfully draw near to him ;
and vifit each other with endearing embraces. Truly,
indeed, his vifits are always vifits of Idndnefs, and
theirs are ordinarily of bufmefs ; his buhnefs is to
give, and their bufmefs is to get ; but then the vifits
are moil fweet, when they are vifits of love on both
fides.
6. His gracious coming is joyful both to him and
them, becaufe of the mutual interest and concern"
they have both in the covenant of promife, which is a
fountain of joy, and belongs primarily to Chrifi:, in
whom the covenant (lands faft, and in whom all the
promifes are. Tea, and A?ncn ; and fecondarily to be-
lievers in him, who are all the children of the promfe.
It is promifed to Chrid, that he fxill fee of the travel of
his foul, and jhallbe faiisfed, Ifaiah liii. 11. And it is
promifed to the believer, clothed with the characler of
a meek perfon, that \\^ jJ?qII eat, and fall be fitisf.ed^
Pfalm xxii, 26. Now, when Chrift comes gracio^ully
to his people, both he and they mufl be fatisfied ; for
he comes to accomplifh the promlfe made to liimfelf
and to them. Hence mutual fatisfadtion cannot but
take place.
In a word, his joy is the fountain of theirs ; their
joy arifes from the powerful influence of his joyful ap-
proach, upon their joyful reception of him ; his joy-
ful, Lo, J come ! does inftantly create their joyful, Lo,
he cometh ! he having put an echoing principle within
them. The joyful found of his, Lo, I come ! can-
not but meet with a joyful refounding and rebounding
of their, Lo^ he cometh !
K 2 VIL Th'-
So The SAYio^Vih joyful Jpproachy Ser. LXXXIS.
VII. The feventb thing propofed, was. To make
fome application of the fubjecc, by deducing fome in-
ferences,
I. Is it fo as it has been faid, That Chrift^s corning to
his people graciouJJy^ in their time ofneed^ is a joyful and
deicclabh comings both to him and them^ then \ve may
fee, what it is would make a fiveet communion~day a-
mong us, amidfl therey2?i and lozcring days wherein we
live. We hve in iinful and forrowful days; but ChriU's
joyful approach, with a Lo^ I come I would make a
joyful day among us at this occafion ; and, O that he
would fpeak powerfully, that many here may be made
to fay. The voice of my Beloved I behold, he comeih ! He
can make the gofpehtrumpet to convey his voice. In-
deed, if the devil, and his inftruments, could get their
will, you would not enjoy a gofpel-miniflry ; and if
our rowers, that have brought the church of Scotland
into deep waters, had got their will, this and fome
others would have been vacant congregations'^ j there
would have been no cQm.munion folemnities here ;
v/hen men would have fnut the gofpel-door, O may
God himfelf com.e and open the door, and open the
mouth of m.inifters, and make his voice to be heard ;
his joyful, L<9, / come ! I come to give you a little re-
viving in your bondage ; when men are mod unkind,
I come to Ihow my kindnefs ; gis it is faid, Dan. ix. 25.
The wall fi J all he built in perilous times. The times vv^e
live in are perilous times, ia refped of fin, en or, apof-
tafy, ancj defedion from Reformation -purity and prin-
ciples ; a time wherein the rights and privileges of poor
people are injured, the office of the miniftry retrench^
ed, faithful miniders ejected, and the power of pref-
bytery invaded ; a time of confufion in church and
flate, at home and abroad \ \ a time wherein God's
* Alluding to the ftntences pafTed upon ihe four brethren, former-
ly tiarrated, Vol.V. Scrm. LXXXil, LXXXIII, LXXXIV. in fome
foci notes,
X The juftnefs of the charge here exhibited, and a (hort acGOunt of
<lje fa(5>s here alluded to, may be attained, by confulting what has
been former] 7 narrated, Vol. II. pai?. 304, 305, 466. Vol. IV. page
148. Vol. V. S?rm. LXXXI|, LXXXIII, LXXXIV, LXXXV. in the
r.o:cs t.t the foo|.
wrath
Ser. LXXXIX. chearf ally Welcomed by the Church. 8i
wrath is threatened to be poured out : thefe arc in-
deed perilous times ; but hath the Lord faid. The wail
jhall be built up in perilous times f O may this perilous
time be a building time ; according to the word, Wher.
the Lord Jhall build up Zion, he will appear in his glory.
Let us feek a glorious appearance of the Lord at this
cccafion : and what do we know but he is faying,
even with reference to this very time, Lo^ I come ! — ■
O may we hear his voice, and fay with joy. Behold^ he
cometh !
2. Hence fee the fiveeinefs of felloivjhip uiih God in
Chri/l : why^ it is a partaking of his joy and happinefs,
his glory and triumph ; it is a meeting his joyful, Lc,
J cornel with our joyful, Behold^ he cometh ! Happy are
the flieep of Chrilt, who know his voice ! And, Oh !
how miferable are you who hear, and yet do not know
the joyful found \ What makes the word and ordinan-
ces fvveet to the believer ? Why, it is their hearing
his voice therein ; his joyful voice, therein ; his joyful
voice, that gives them a joyful heart.— — But, what
makes thefe fame ordinances fuch a burden and weari-
nefs to you, poor gracelefs man ? Why, you have ne*
ver heard the voice of Chrifl, his loving voice, his ma-
jeftic voice, his powerful voice, that goes out through,
and in through the heart, and penetrates and ranfacks
the fecret receffes of the foul. What makes believers
lament the abfence of Chrid ? Why, then their joy is
removed ; they are always either rejoicing in his prc-
fence, or lamenting his abfence, except when they fait
into a nap of fecurity, till his joyful voice awake them
again. But, alas ! what makes you, poor ChriRlefs
fmners, live an unconcerned life, though Chrift fliould
be never fo long away ? Why, you are not acquainted
with his coming and going, nor with the fweetnefs oi
communion with him. .But, O poor foul, may it not
flir you up to feek after acquaintance with liim ; to
hear that the believer's joyful communion is rio Icis
than a partaking of the joy of his Lord. Chriirs joy
is their joy, though not of the fame meafure : for
Chrift is anoijited with the oil of joy and gladncfs above
his fellows ; yet it is of the fame quality ; lor they
have
82 V:e S AViou r's joyful Approach ^ S E R . LXXXIX.
have fellowfliip with him in his joy, whenever he comes
to them.
3. Hence fee the difFerence between the law and the
gofpel ; or between the voice of God in the law, and
the voice of God in the gofpel : his voice in the law is
a terrible and dreadful voice ; for therein he comes in
wrath, with threatenings and curfes in his mouth : but
the voice of Chrifl in the gofpel is a charming voice, a
joyful found of falvation to fmners, and a door of hope.
Whatever word tends to work defpair, and to leave a
man hopelefs, is the voice of the law ; but the gofpel
(hows the door of hope in the valley of Achor, and
that with a pleafant found of grace, mercy, pardon,
and pity ; L<?, / come ! Hence, as the law is never
preached to good purpofe, except in a fubferviency to
the gofpel ; fo gofpel-believers are thefe who firft have
believed the law, or heard God's voice in the law,
which hath made them defpair of all help in themfelves,
and their own righteoufnefs and duty ; and next, they
have believed the gofpel, or heard Chrift's voice there-
in, which has brought them to a lively hope, yea, to
joy and peace in believing.
4, Hence fee both the nature o^ faith and of unbe*
lief — On the one hand, we may, from this dodrine,
fee the nature of faith, in its correfpondency with its
objeds ; both its immediate objed, the word ; and
its principal obje^l, Chrift, the fpeaker, whofe voice
founds in our ears by this gofpel. The word fays.
Behold, he cometh I and faith fays. Behold, he comet h I
Chrifl fays. Behold ! Lo, I come ! and faith fays, The
*voice of my Beloved! behold, he cometh ! The gofpel
is nothing elfe but a proclamation of Chrift's coming ;
his coming to give life, his coming to fave fmners by
the price of his blood, and the power of his Spirit ; and
faith is a fetting the feal to a prefent lo, with a prefent
behold. The firll a6l of faith looks neither backward
to what is anterior or paft, fuch as the decree of God,
or the defign of Chrift, his intention in dying ; nor
does it \odk forward to pofterior things, as if it believ-
ed a (late of falvation that is to come ; but it looks to
^prefent truth, a prefent faying, as the gofpel is called,
^faith-^
Ser. LXXXIX. chearfully Welcomed by the Church. 8j
^faithful faying^ and fo a prefent lo ; Lo^ I come I and
offer myfdf to you, man, to you, woman ; Lo^ 1 come I
and bring falvation with me. Faith, under the influ-
ence of the Spirit, fays, The voice of my Beloved I be^
hold^ he cometh ! 1 hear the voice of God fpeaking to
me through fuch a minifter, and inviting me the chief
of fmners. And I joyfully welcome a coming with fal-
vation unto me : there is a perfwafion and appropriati-
on in it to the man's felf ; and according to the mea-
fure of this particular application to itfelf, fuch is the
meafure of joy. There would be no joy at all, if the
foul fliould put away the meffage from himfelf ; but
receiving it to himfelf, he rejoices in the voice of Chrifl
as his Beloved. — But next, it fhows us alfo the nature
of unbelief on the other hand ; the evil heart of unbe-
lief contradids the word of Chrifl ; Chrifl fays, Lo^ I
come ! Unbelief fays, O he will not come ; no, no :
he will never come to the like of me. Indeed a belie-
ver may fay, and hath good reafon to fay, I fear my fms
provoke him to flay away j and it will be a wonder if
he come to the like of me. But it is grofs unbelief to
fay he will not come ; I do not exped fo much good
at his hand : and hence unbelief is faid to make God
a liar : it contradi6ls and blafphemes. O to get faith
this day, to welcome Jefus faying, Lo^ I come / and to
exped good at his hand,
I might next apply it for trial and exami?iaiion. —
What know you of this joyful coming of the Son of
God ? It is this coming of the Lord Jefus that only can
make your coming to a communion-table profitable
and warrantable : if you knov»^ nothing of his joyful
approach gracioufly to you, you cannot approach with
his allowance to his table ; for, if he never came to
you, by his Spirit, you never came to him by faith ;
and fo you are an unbeliever : and if you remain in
this cafe, you never had a right to his table here, nor
ihall have a fhare of his table above.
Qu EST. Howjhall 1 know^ if ever he came thus to
me? For helping you in this important inquiry, I would
aik you thefc few things following,
X. Have
84 The SAViouB.'sjo)fuI Approach, SSR. LXXXIX,
1. Have you ever apprehended the dijlance between
Chriit and you ? Was you ever made fenfible of the
dreadful diltance between him and you ; a difmal dif-
tance ; a damnable diilance ; and invincible and in-
fupcrable didance ? Have you feen an utter impof-
fibility of faving yourfelf from it, unlefs the Lord had
come to you ? This is the Lord's ordinary way : when
he brings to light, he makes fenfible of darknefs ; when
he brings to life, he makes fenfible of deadnefs and
lifelefnefs ; when he brings to faith, he m.akes fen-
fible of unbeUef ; when he brings to love, he makes
fenfible of enmity ; when he brings to holinefs, he
makes fenfible of wickednefs ; and when he brings to
acquaintance, he makes fenfible of eftrangement :
and before he comes near, he makes fenfible of dif-
tance.
2. Have you heard his voice faying, Lo^ 1 come !
Have you heard, not the voice of minifters only, but
the voice of the chief Shepherd ? and know it to be
his voice, by the majefty of it, by the power that at-
tended it, by the fv/eetnefs that was in it ? Has the
gofpel come to you not in ijjord only^ hut in power f
I Their, i, 5. Was there fuch light, life, liberty, and
joy accompanying the voice, as made you fure, at the
time, that it was not the voice of man, but of God,
who fpake like himfelf ?
3. Have you feen him coming, and apprehended
him by the light of the Spirit, revealing the S072 in you f
Have you feen the glory of God in the face of Jefus
Chrift ? Have you feen his fulnefs, fuitablenefs, and
fweetnefs ; his glory, worth, and excellency, by a light
ihining not in to the head only, but the heart ? — It
is a fpiritual light, ftcjh and blood cannot reveal it ; edu-
cation, and external revelation, however fubfervient
it may be, yet cannot contribute unto it, without fu-
pernatural revelation.
4. Have you joyfully w^elcomed a coming Jefus f
faying, in effect, The voice cf my Beloved! behold, he
Cometh ! Have yon apprehended the mountains that
vv^re in the way between him and you ; particularly
the mountains of fin and guilt ? Has this accented
your
Ser. LXXXIX. dearfully Welcomed by the Church, S^
your joy, that he came over all the mountains, atid
melted down the mountains, and made your heart to
melt down before him alfo, becaufe of your heapuig
up fuch mountains between him and you.
5. What intercourfe have you had with him ? what
mutual embracement f Did you get him in your arms,
and wreftle with him for the blefhng ? Did you get
grace to call him your Beloved ; and to ly in his bo-
fom, and melt in tears of joy ? I know there may be
intercourfe and fellowlhip with him, even where this
is not the attainment ; but fomething like this ordina-
rily takes place, when he and his people meet together,
after fome black interveening clouds have kept thetn
long afunder ; when his joyful Lo^ meets with that
joyful falutation, Behold^ he cometh ! it is the voice of
my Beloved !
6. What arc th^ fruits and efe^s of his coming ?
Beholding his glory ^ was you changed f Surely, if there
was never a change wrought upon you, but that you
remain as vain, frothy, and carnal in your converfati-
on and deportment as ever, he has not come to you.
But has his coming imbittered fm, and made you differ
with yourfclf, and fubmit to liis righteoufnefs for your
juflification, and to his holinefs for your fanclification ?
His great errand is like his name, Jesus, to fave his
-people from their fins ; from the guHt of fin ^ by his me-
rit and righteoufnefs ; and from the power of fin, by
his fpirit and grace. Vfhat joy has his coming raifed
in you ? Surely, the joy of his falvation, as it is a fin-
killing joy, fo it is a foul-ilrengthening joy ; ^e joy of
the Lord is their flrength^ Neh* viii. 10. Did this joy
flrengthen you to believe ? and ft rengthen you to
pray ? and ftrengthen you to hope ? and ftrengthea
you to wait upon him ? and firengthen you to ferve
him ? and to run the Vvay of his commandments with
enlargement of heart ?
Quest. Are there any ftgfis of his coming f What are
ihe prognofiicates of his co7ning f
Ansv/. (i.) It would be a token of his coming, if
•we were feniible of, and affiifted \ox \m ab fence ^ f^-yh^g,
0 that [knew ivhere I might find him I a longing den re
> V o J.. VI. L ' after
86 7he 5 AYTovK^s joyful Approachj Ser. LXXXIX,
after him, faying, 0 / when wilt thou come f He will
faiisfy the longwg deftre,
(2.) Another fign of his coming is, if we werey^<f^-
ing after him, and wrejlling with him for the blefling ;
he is near to them that call upon him ; and thefe who
fcek him fliall find him.
(3.) If we were waiting for him in his appointed
way ; for, they who wait upon him, fhall have to fay,
ms is our God, Ifaiah xxv. 9.
(4.) If we were finding ourfelves to have a name to
which the promife opens a door of hope. Is there any
hope of his coming for a poor infolvent bankrupt, who
fears that the word of the Lord is againft him ? Why,
. that man is in the promife ; To this man will I look,
even to him that is poor, and of a contrite fpirit, Ifaiah
Ixvi. 2. Is there any hope of his coming to a poor
Tieedy creature, who can find no rehef to its foul ? Yes,
that cafe is in the promife \ When the poor and needy
feek water, and there is none, I the Lord will hear, I the
God of Jacob will regard-
Wc fhall now fhut up the whole difcourfe with a
^word by way of exhortation* Is Chrifl faying, Lo, I
come f O Sirs, hear and believe, fo as you may cry
out* joyfully, The voice of my Beloved/ Behold, he com^
eth / For motives,
1. Confider who it is that fpeakeih ; it is God in
our nature, Immanuel, God with us* The word of
falvation is to you fmners, as well as to you faints ; his
voice is Lo, I come to fave finners ; / am not come to call
the righteous, hut fmners to repentance : yea, To you, 0
men, do I call ; and my voice is to thefons of men, Prov.
viii. 4.
2. He fays it with a Lo I that all the world may
give attention to it ; Lijlen, 0 iflcs, unto 7ne ; and
hearken ye people from afar, Ifa. Ixix. i. He is fpeak-
ing to the illes, particularly to the iile Britain, that
has long refufed to hear his voice. The gofpel is to
be preached to every creature.
3. The reafon why he is faying to you in this gof-
gofpel, Lo, I come, to fave fmners, is, that finners may
welcome
Ser. LXXXIX. chearfully Welcomed by the Church. 87
welcome him and fay, The voice of my beloved! behold y
he cometh ! Even the firft welcome of faith may be in
thefe terms, and Ihould be fo ; for, his manifefting
himfelf thus, in the word^ is the ground of faith, tho*
his manifefting himfelf by the 5/>/r//, is the caufe of
faith, and abfolutely neceffary to create that faith. —
But, as faith comes by hearing ; fo, hear, O fmner \
hear this word as the voice of the Spirit of Chrift :
hear what the Spirit fays to the churches. Liften to the
word, till you hear and underftand that it is the Spirit
of Chrift ; or Chrift, by his Spirit, fpeaking to you,
and faying, Lo^ I come to you.
Object. " Chrift fpeaks not here to me, but to
** his Father, faying, Lo^ I come / I delight to do thy
« will, 0 my GcdJ'
Answ. It is the better for you and me, and the
furer ground of faith and hope ; for, it is a word to
his Father concerning us, and about his coming to fave
us. It were fure enough, if it were fpoken immediate-
ly to us ; but it is ftill the furer, that it is faid to the
Fathei: concerning us : and he will not retrad what he
hath faid to his Father. Therefore,
4. Confider, that his coming in the Spirit, to ac-
complifti falvation by power, is zsfurely to take place,
as his coming in the flejh has already taken place ;
therefore, when he fays, Lo, I come^ to fave by the
power of my Spirit ! Let faith fay, Behold, he CQ?neihy
to fave me !
Object. "But has he purpofed to fave us all ^
*' If not, how can there be ground for us all to be-
« lieve T"
Answ. Whom he has purpofed to fave, is a fe-
cret ; but whom he calls to believe, and look to him
for falvation, is no fecret ; Look unto me, and bcfaved,
ALLftheends of the earth, Ifa. xlv. 22. And faith, as I
faid before, is not to look to any fecret, either paft or
to come, but to the word of falvation, to a prefent Lo ;
Lo, I come ! And if you venture on his word, without
more queftions, we can aifure you, from bis word,
you are fafe : take him at his word, when he %s, Lt,
I come!
, L 2 5. Con-
88 The Saviour's joyful Approach, Ser. LXXXIX.
5. Confider, that mountains are no hinderances ; he
coiwt^ fiipping on the mowitains and leaping on the bills.
There is a mountain of darknefs in your mind ; a
mountain of obftinacy in your wills ; a mountain of
carnality and earthlinefs in your affections ; mountains
oi guilt lying on our conlcienccs ; and mountains of
obje^lions, doubts, and fears, in your hearts ; but all
thefe are nothing to him. Therefore, O take his word
for it, Lo^ I come ! and fay, Behold^ he comet h ! fiipping
on the mountains. He can come oyer them ail with one
leap, with one fkip.
6. Confider, that it is hi^ joyful 'voice, both in the
Old and New Teftament, Lo, I co?ne / He was glad
to come in the fleft of old, and he is as glad to come
in the Spirit now, according to his promife : and, O
Sirs, will you not gladly welcome him ? O ! is he fay-
ing fo gladly, Lo, I come ? What are you faying, poor
foul ? If you cannot fay. The voice of my Beloved ! \\\tn^
O will you fay, It is the voice of the Father's Beloved^
who has faid, This is 7ny beloved Son, in whom I am
'well-pkafed ? And if you welcome him, as the Father's
Beloved, you are quite fafe. If you cannot fay, Be-
hold he conieth juil: now; yet, will you fay. He that
fi all come will come; and wait upon him in his own
way ? He waits to be gracious ; and he is a God of
judgment ; blejfed are all they that wait for him. -^
Again, if you cannot fay, Behold he cometh \o my obfer-
vation ; yet will you fay. Even fo, come Lord Jffus,
come quickly ? And thus pray for his coming gracioufly
and mercifully ; Come, Lord Jejus ; come to merci-f
ful judgment againd all my lufts, and prepare me for
thy general judgment. Come in the Spirit. Come in
power and great glory at this occafion, ' O he comes
fkipping and leaping \ Let your heart leap within you
at the thoughts of it.
Object. *« But I do not feel; I do not fee hia
** coming."
A N s w. Blejfed are they that believe, and have riot
feen. If you do not fee and feel, yet do you not hear
him fay^ ho, f come ? faith CQiucs by hec^ring, and not
by
Ser. LXXXIX. cheaffully Welcomed by the Church, 89
by feeing : vfhWe you hear his word, you hear his feet
upon the mountains : therefore, againft hope believe
in hope, faying, Lord^ 1 believe ; help mine unbelief:
It is the voice of my Beloved I behold^ he cometh I '
Well, Sirs, What think you^ ivill he not come to the
feaji f Have we no reafon to think that he will come ?
Yea, I think we have, — Why, it is a time of need a-
niong his poor people ; and his throne of grace is e-
re^lcd for a time of need : therefore we are called to
co?7ie boldly to it^ that we may obtain mercy ^ and find grace
to help in time of need, — It is a time ^of trouble and dif
irefs^ and he is z prefent help in ii?ne of trouble ; and a
refuge for the opprejjed, — It is a time wherein many of
his people are in a wildernefs of darknefs and defpon-
dency ; and he has fald, / will bring her to the wilder*
nefs, and there will Ifpeak coinfortably to her ; or, i n
,T0 HER HEART.— It is a time v/herein many of his
people^ from all corners, and, I hope, many praying
people, are met about his hand ; and he has faid, Where
T w o or THREE are met together^ in my name^ there
will I be in the midfl ofihenu — It is a time wherein y^^w^
of his fervanU^ and ?nany of his people are like outcafls
in the church, defpifed and cail out by the judicato-
ries ; and he hath fpoken in his word of gathering the
outcajh of Jfrael^ Zeph. iii. 18. Ifa. Ivi. 8. Pfal. cxlvii. 2.
^he Lord doth build up Jerufalem : he gat herd h together
the outcafts of JfraeL — Why then, fliall we not exped: his
coming, when, at the fame time, he is faying, Lo^ I
come ? ■ ■ May faith's joyful echo in our hearts fav,
J7?^ voic^ of my Beloved / Behold^ he cojnctb /
SERMON
C 90 3
SERMON XC*.
The Time of Need, a Time of Love.
EzEKiEL xvi. 8.
KaWy when 1 pajfed by ihee and looked upon thee / ^^-
hold^ thy time was a time of love,-^
MY friends, if you have been believing commu-
nicants this day, your Lord has been giving
you a love feaji. But nov7, fince the table is drawn,
and the feaft feems to be over, left you reckon his love
withdrawn alfo, I am come upon the back of the feaft,
to give you a love-lettter, written with his own hand,
and direded to you, that you may lay it up in the ca-
binet of your hearts, and never either forget nor jea-
lous his love at any time, which he hath fhown to
you at this, or fome other time of your need. The
words of the letter are, Now^ when I pajfed by thee^
and looked upon thee ; behold^ thy time was a time of
love*
The moft remarkable event that befel the Jewifli
church of old, as to its outward condition, was the ftia-
dow of the fpiritual mercies, defigned for the true Zlon
of God ; and therefore, I am to fpeak of the bleffings
whereof this is an emblem : it is a New-teftament mer-
cy in Old-teftament drefs. Under this ftiadow is hid
the moft fubftantial fpiritual blefiings.
♦ This Subje(^ was handled in Five Sermons. The firft was preach-
ed on the Sabbath-evening immediately after the celebration of the
facramenl of the Lord*s fupper at Dunfermline, July 14, 1734.
The other four were delivered after the folemnity.— The fecond
imprelHon,
in
Ser. XC. The Time cf^EE-D, &c. 91
In the words we may obferve the four following par-
ticulars.
1. A miferable time afcribed to the finner, called,
TJjy time.
2. A ?nerdful time afcribed to the Saviour, called.
The time of love.
3. The happy conjunSlion ox meetings between that
miferable time, and this merciful time, Thy time was
a time of love ^ and wherein I fhewcd my love,
4. Thcjirangenefs and wonderfulnefs of this conjunc-
tion, Behold 1 thy time was a time of love. It is mat-
ter of aftoniihment, and worthy of a m)te of admira-
tion.
I referve the explication of thefe particulars to the
profecution of the following dodlrine.
O B s E R V. Tfjat it is matter of wonder and admiraiicn^
that God Jhouldjhow his love iofinnersy atfuch a
remarkable jundure^ that their time of need and mi*
fery^ appears to be his tiine of love and mercy. Be-
hold, THY TIME WAS A TIME OF LOVE.
The method I would incline to handle this fubjeft
in, under the divine favour, ihall be the following,
I. We fliall fpcak a little of the Sinner's time
of 7ieed and mifery^ as it is defcribed in the con-
text.
II. Of God's time oflove^ as it is here alfo reprefent-
ed and ih ado wed forth.
III. Make it evident, that he fhows his love at fuch
a remarkable jundure^ as makes it appear, their
time of need is his titne of love.
. IV. Show that this is matter of wonder and admira*
tion.
V. Deduce fome inferences for application of the
whole.
I. We are to fpeak a little of the time of need and
mifery^ as here pointed out in the context,
I. Thfi
■§S -Ihe Time o/I^ee d,- Ser. Xd
• I. The time of need here pointed out is, when wc
are in 2. polluted Jlate ; reprefented by the infant caft
out of the womb; //jz^ thee polluted in thine own blood,
neither wajhed with water ^ nor falted^ nor fivaddled^
ver. 4. When grace and mercy take hold of a fmner,
it is even when hving in the puddle and filthy mire of
original and a^lual pollution : the underftanding pol-
luted with darknefs, the will with enmity, and the af-
fedions with carnality and fenfuality.
2. The //W of need is when we are in an helplefs,
nakedy and dejlituie (late, having no eye to pity, or
have compafiion upon us ; l^o eye pitied thee to do any
of thefe things unto thee^ to have compajjton upon thee^
ver. 5. Grace and mercy ftep in with help when v/e
can contribute no help to ourfelves : when all refuge
fails, and all help is gone, furely it is a time of need.
3. The time of need ^ here mentioned, is when we are
tn a loathfome Jiate ; in an unpleafant ftate, as new born
children wallowing in their blood ; Thou waft cafl out
to the loathing of thy perfon^ ver. 5. Grace then beheld
Tvith an eye of love and pity, even w^hen wx are loath-
fome to beholders.
- 4. The time of need is when we are in extreme hazard^
upon the very brink and precipice of utter ruin, juft
chocked with our own blood, ready to die and expire,
being expo fed, and cafl out to the open fields^ vcr. 5.
And what was it but a field of blood, a field of dan-
ger, a field of death ? And what is this time of need,
but the time of death, wherein we are dead in fin, and
dead in law ; w^hich is plainly fuppofed, ver. 6. Ifaid
io thee^ when thou waft in thy bloody Live ; intimating,
that the time of need w^as a time of fpiritual death, and
obnoxious to eternal death, upon the brink of hell and
damnation*—— This is the time of need here repre-
fented.
II. The next thing I would touch at alfo, is God*s
time, of kve^ as here fhadowed forth ; that extremity
is hrs opportunity ; that time of need is the time of
his fhowing' his love. And Y/hat this time of love is,
may
Sek. XC. aTiuEofhov^. 94
may appear particularly from thefe four things in the
context.
1. His time of love is a time of love-calls^ wherein he
calls to us, Live ; ver, 6. / faid unto thce^ ivhen tbm
loajl in thy bloody Live ; yea^ I faid unto thee ^ ivhcnthoK,
^qft ill thy bloody Live. Thefe love-calls are doubled,
that they may be effedual ; he fays it, and repeats it
?gain : and we are never called effectually, till we hear
him twice. In the time of love, therefore he fays unto
us, Live : yea, he fays to us, in our bloody Live : he
fays it outwardly, in the word, and then he fays it in-
wardly, by the Spirit ; he fays it into the ear, and then
fays it again into the heart ; then the heart that was a
dead grave opens, and takes in the hving Jefus, the
Spirit of life enters, and the dead foul begins to live
and breath fpiritually. The quickening word creates
in the foul a life of care and concern about falvation.
What /hall I do to befaved f A life of defire, after Chriil
the Saviour ; O fays the poor foul, I w^ould give a thou-
fand worlds for him ? And afterwards, in various de-
grees, a life of faith, love, hope, and joy.
2. His time of love is a time of love-vifts ; When I
faffc'd by ihee^ fays the words here : it is anallufion to
paiTcngers, that, on their way, meet with miferable ob-
jcds in a deplorable condition, and extend pity toward
them : / pajfed by thee* It is fpoken after the manner
of man. but done after the manner of God, who is plea-
fed to give gracious vifits to the foul, whom he once
quickens by his word of power. It is true all his vifits
in this world arc but like a pqffing by : they are but
paiTmg vifits, as it is faid to Mcfes, Exod. xxxii. 23.
While my glory paffcs ^r, / iviil fnow thee ?ny back parts ;
for myfacejhall not be Jean. It is in heaven we fee him
face toface^ without interruption : but here we arc to
be content if we get fDme view of his glory as it palTcs
by- ^
3. His time of love is a time of love-glances ^ or of
loving looks ; When J pa/fed by thce^ and locked upon
thee. It is not a look of obfervation only, for he beholds
all things ; they are Jiaked and open before him,^ but a
look of commiferatfsn. It is a look wherein his heart
. Vol VI. M follows
94 The Tim 2 ^Need, Ser. XC.
follows his eye. — In the time of love, the Lord gives
his people fometimes an appropriating look, an a^ec-
iionate look ; His countenance beholdeth the upright^ Ffal.
xi. 7. — Sometimes a dtreding look, / will guide thee
with mine eye^ Pfal. xxxiii. 8. If he takes his direding
eye off us, we never make a right flep. — Sometimes
a convincing look, a penetrating look, fuch as he gave
to Peter, that pierced, melted, and diffolved his heart ;
Jefus looked on him^ and he ivent out and wept bitterly,
— Sometimes a comforting look, Ifa. Ixvi. 2. To this
man will I look^ even to him that is poor^ and of a contrite
fpirity and trembleth at my word. With a look he breaks
the hard heart ; and with a look he heals the broken
heart. — Thefe are his love-glances.
4. His tijne of love is a time of love-tokens : and here
are many tokens of conjugal love .in the context ; fome
antecedent, fome concomitant, and fome confcquent
to the marriage.
(i.) Some love-tokens antecedent, to the marriage ;
betwixt Chriil and them. Such as, befides what I have
already named, thefe immediately following the text.
Thy time was a time of love , and I fpread my fkirt over
ihcni^ and covered their nakednefs : there is the mar-
riage robe wherewith he covers his naked bride, the
garment of his righteoufnefs. 7'^ea, 1 [wear iinte thee ;
there is the marriage oath by which his word is confir-
med, That by two immutable thiiigs, by which it is im^
foffible for God to lie, they might have fir ong confolation,
he. And / entered into a covenant with thee ; there is
the marriage bond ; the covenant that ftandeth fall: in
Chrifl : here all is done to her hand, when fhe could
do nothing. / entered into a covenant with thee, faith
the Lord God, And thou becamefi mine I there is the
marriage relation conflitute, and the union betv/ixt
Chrift and his bride made up. I became thine, and
thou became mine : I became thy Head and Hufband,
and thou became my bride and fpoufe ; I manifefted
my good-will toward thee 5 and I made thee willing in
the day of my power.
(2.) Some love-tokens concomitant are here mention-
ed, from yen 9. — 14. Then wajked J thee with water,
ver. 9. j
Ser. XC^ ^TiME^LovE. ^ 95
ver. 9. ; yea, I thoroughly waJJyed away thy blood from
thee. This points out both pardoning grace, walhing
the confcience from the guilt of fin ; and purifying
grace, wafhing the heart from the filth of fin ; Whorn
be loves ^ he nvajhes ; hence the fong of the redeemed
is, To him that loved us, and wafhed us in his blood. -^
And he wafhed us from our blood ; it is bloods in the
original; apdhe waflies us from blood-guiltlnefs; both
from the guilt of our own blood, and the guilt of th^
blood of Chrifl ; in his blood he waflied us from oiir
blood. — Again, I anointed thee ivith oil, ver. 9. Here is
another notable love token concomitant with the marri-
age, His giving the Spirit, the oil of gladncfs, wherewith
he is anointed above meafure ; this he doth according
to his promife, I will put my Spirit within you, and that
not only to begin the good work, to quicken and re-
new, but to abide in us, and fubdue fm more and
more, to help our infirmities, to be a pledge and earned
of the glorious inheritance, to guide us to the land of
uprightnefs, and to comfort us under all our troubles
in the wildernefs, till we come to enter into the joy of
our Lord. — Again, clothing necelTary for benefit arvi
comfort, mentioned ver. 10. and an inventory of n^i*e
that ferved for (late and magnificence, mentioned ver.
II, 12, 13, Whatever literally thefe things vci'\^ox\. to
the Jewifh nation, yet fpiritually they refer Xo the pre.
cious graces and bleifings wherewith Chrif? adorns his
bride, — Yea, here is not only raiment, but/^^<:^, ver. 13.
Thou didjl EAT fiyiefiour, honey, and oil; pointing out
the befl cheer, Thefeafi^ cffat things, and wines^ on the
lees ; heavenly manna ; the flefli and blood of the Soa
of God. Whom he loves with a conjugal love, he
gives them, food and raiment, and all provihons necel-
fary.-^Yea, not only fo, but beauty and renown, ver.
14. Thy renown went forth among the heathen, for thy
beauty ; for it was perfe5l through my comelincfs which I
put upon thee. What comelinefs, what glory does te
put upon his bride ? Even his own glory, according to
that wonderful word, John xvii. 22. The glory which
thou gave me, I have given them. What glory the Far
M 2 ^ tlicy
95' The Time ^Need, Ser. XC.
ther gives the Son, the Son gives the bride ; and fo
they are beautiful through his beauty, and glorious
within, through his glory ; righteous through his righ-
teoulhefs. O what love- tokens are here 1
(3.) Some love-tokens confequeiiiial are here alfo
mentioned ; not only confequential to the marriage,
but confequential to our adulterous carriage after mar-.
Ttage ; the love-tokens pofterior to this is his inarvel-
lous recovering of his backlliding brid^, after her whoriih
departure from him : fee the fum ophe charge, ver. 1 5.
Bui thou didjl iruji in ihine o'wn beaiiiy^ and played the
harlot hecaufe of thy renoivn^ and 'pouredji out thy fornix
cation on every oyie that paffed by. This charge of the
bride's whoredom is enlarged to the 6oth verfe of the
chapter in many particulars. And her departure from
her Lord is ulhered in with diitruiling of him, and
trufling in her own borrowed robes, and created graces;
and indeed, an evil heart of iinbeUefi^ the fpring of de-.
parture from the living God : all our whorifn depar-
tures from our glorious I.ord and JIuiband, arife from
that fource. But behold the love-tokens of relloritig
g*ace and recovering mercy ulhered in with a never-
thehfs^ ver. 60. Neverthei. ess / will remember my
covenant with thee^ cind ivill ejlablijl^ unto thee an ever-
hjiing zovenant : though thou hail broken covenant
with me, I will remember my covenant with thee ;
thou haft b^en fo provoking, and I have been fo pro^
voked^by thee, that one would think there was no re-
conciliation to be expefted, but that the bargain was
v/holly broke, yet he was ever niindful of his covenant^
that (lands fait in Chrift ; and his remembrance will
create a remembrance in us ; Then thou Jhalt remember
thy zuays and be ajhamed^ ver. 61, O here is great love
in putting us in remembrance, and putting us to fliame !
This is more fully expreffed in the lafl verfe ; That thou
maysfi remember^ and be confounded^ and never open thy
mouth any more^ hecaufe of thy jhame^ when I am pacified
iQward thee^ for all that thou haft done^ faith the Lord
God, Behold! what rays of love ihine out after that
dark night of diftance and fmful departure ! God is in
Jefus Chrifl pacified towards us fqr ^11 that we have
done
Ser. XC. a Time o/* Love. 97
doi^ amifs againfl him ; and when God deals thus
gracioully, what effect doth it produce ? Why, when-
ever the lather of the prodigal ran to him and kiifed
and embraced him, then the prodigal Ton was afham-
cd, and confounded, faying, Father^ I have finned a-
gainji heaven^ and before thee. The more fenfe we have
of pardoning mercy, and of God's being pacified, the
more will grief and fliame for fin have room in our
hearts, that ever we fhould have oftended fuch a gra-
cious Lord. The foul is confounded with the fenfe of
God's aftonifliing mercy, in returning to fuch a def-
perate backllider, that played the harlot with fo many
lovers ; and confounded in the view of its ou^n mad-
nefs and ingratitude ; in fo much, that thefe love-to-
kens of recovering and reftoring mercy, confequentlal
to the bride's whorifh breaking of the marriage-bond ;
thefe love tokens that are like new converfions, may
be even more remarkable than the firil converfion, or
the firft love-tokens ever were.
Now, here is God's time of love ; it is his time of
love-calls, love-vifits, love-looks and love-tokens ; love-"
tokens antecedent, concomitant, and confequentlal to
the marriage. The antccede?2t tokens point out divine
commiferation, and his love of pity and compaiTion iii
our bafe and black eftate. The concomitant tokens
point out divine delectation, and his love of delight and
complacency in our beautified fi:ate by his grace. The
confequential tdktnz point out divine reiloration, or his
reitoring and receiving love, after our apofiafy.- — -r-
Thls fubjed of divine love, and of his time of love, is
of vafl extent, therefore I have confined myfelf to a.
glance at it, from the context only.
in. The next thing propofed was, To make it evi-
dent^ that he f[:iov/s his love at fuch a remarkable junc-
ture^ as to make it appear our time of need is his time
of love ; our time of mifery is his time of mercy ; our
word time, the time of manifeding mod kindnefs.— ^
This is plain from what I have already faid ; yet it
may be neceifary further to evince it, both from the
beginning of the good workj ^nd from the progrefs
thereof
9$ n^TiuEofHEE D, Ser. XC.
thereof in the Lord's people, both when they are fm-
ners, and when they are faints ; their worfl time is
flill his time of love.
I/?, When they are sinners, and when he begins
the good work, it were enough to fay that he conies
to convince and convert them in mercy, when they are
in a flate of nature and alienation from God, and re-
bellion againft him ; but I fhall advance a few inftan-
ces, to put the matter beyond queflion.
1. We find God has fhewed love and mercy to fm-
ners v/hen they have arrived at a monjlrous perfedion of
finning againji him ; as we fee in ManalTeh, 2 Chron.
xxxlii. 10,-15. -^^^ ^^^ Lord fpoke to Manaffeh and to
his people^ hut they woidd not hearken ; wherefore the
Lord brought upon him the captains of the hoji of the king
of Affyria, which took Manaffeh among the thorns^ and
hound him with fetters^ and carried him to Babylon, And
when he was in affiidion^ he be fought the Lord his God,
and' hwnbled himf elf greatly hejore the God of his fathers.
And prayed unto him^ and he was entreated of him, and
beard^ his fupplication^ and brought him again to Jerufa-
km into his kingdom. Then Manaffeh knew that the Lord
he was God, God £hev/cd mercy to him when he was
at his word, ufmg all magical arts, making the ftreets
of Jerufalcm run with blood ; then God faid to him
when he was in his blood, Live, He call the fkirt of
love over him, and his time was a time of love.
2. We find God had fhewed mercy and love to fin-
ners when they have been embruing their hands in the
blood of the faints^ madly perfecutng the church and
people of God. Thus, you know, he fhewed mer-
cy to Paul, as he himfelf declares, A£ts xxiv.
When he rode to Damafcus, God fnatched him as a
brand out of the burning, and fnot a beam of love into
his heart, when he might have deflroyed him with ^
thunderbolt of wrath.
3. We find God has fliewed mercy when fin has, to
appearance, been beyond mercy, by finners their em-
bruing their hands in the blood of the Son of God, the
Saviour of the world ; yet he faid to them when they
were in their blood, Lm, For many of the Chrift-
cru*
Ser. XC. a Time of LovZ' 99
crucifying Jews are convinced and converted, A6ls ii.
and made fo many trophies of the riches and freedom
of his grace. Their time of fm and mifery was his
time of love and mercy.
I. We find he has fhewed mercy to fmners that
have fpent ail their time injinning agamji him ; wit-
nefs the thief on the crofs, and thefe called at the ele-
venth and lad hour : mercy has ftept in between them
and the pit, when they were juft ready to fall into hell.
What altonifliing mercy is this ! that the Son of God
fliould fay to a man that had fpent all his days in fin,
to the very laft day of his life, and then to tell him,
This day Jhalt thou he with me in faradife. But whe-
ther fooner or later there is none to whom he effectually
fays, Live^ but he fays it "juhen they are in their blood ;
their very worfl time is his time of love. — But 1 pad
many other inflances.
idly^ When they are saints, or in the progrefs of
his loving-kindnefs towards them, flill their time of
need is his time of love j their worlt time his loving
time. Hence,
1. Thefe and the like declarations^ Pfalm iv. i. 0
God, thou hajl enlarged me, when I was in dijlrefs, Pfal,
cxvi. 6. I was brought loiu, and he helped me. Pfalm
cxxxvi. 23. He remembered us in our low ejlate ; for
his mercy endureth for ever. Deut. xxxii. ^fi. The Lord
Jhall judge his people^ and repent himfelffor his feriiants,
when he feeth that their power is gone, and that there is
nonejlmt up or left. Nothing left but black clouds of de-
fpair, and black figns of wrath, and black fears of ruin,
then fhine forth the fair beams of love.
2. ^ox this caufe is the throne of grace ereded, that
there we may find grace to help in time of our need,
Heb. iv. 16. For this caufe God takes names to him-
felf, importing our time of need to be his time of love,
Pfal. ix. 9. he is called a refuge in time of trouble. Ifa.
xxv. 4. Aftrength to the poor, aflrength to the needy in
their difirefs. A refuge from the fiorm^ a fhadow from
the heat, when the blafl of the terrible one is as ajlorm
cigainji the wall, Ifa. xxxii, 2% He is called a hiding
place
too neTiME c/Need, SEH.Xa
f lace from the wind, a covert from the temp eft ; as rivers
of waters in a dry place, a'nd as the Jhadow of a great
rock in a weary land. He is our hope in an evil day.
3. Confider, for further clearing this, the harmony
between our time of need and his time of love : hence
ordinarily your time of darknefs is his time oiinlighten'
ing love, according to that word, Ifo the upright there
arifeth light in darknefs, Though I walk in darknefs^
the Lord will he a light unto me, — Your time of dead--
nefs is his time of quickening love ; hence that prayer,
frequently in the Pfalms, ^icken ?ne, according to thy
word, — Your time o^ fear is his iimt o^ favour^ ac-
cording to that word, Fear not, for I am with thee.--*
Your time of difficulty is his time of direction, accord-
ing to that word, / will lead the blind in ways they know
not ; and in paths vjhich they have not knozvn*
4. His time of love to his people, or of manifefting
his love, is ordinarily when their time of need is moji
notable. He does not always ihow his love at the time
that we think the time of need, but that he knows to
be the time of need, which is when the time of need
is moft extreme. Hence his time of love is fometimes,
in their extremity oi guilt inefs, when they have made
him ferve with their fins, and wearied him with their
iniquities, then he hath faid, 7, even I, am he that blot-*
teth out thy iranfgreffions, for my name's fake, Ifa. xliii,
25. — Sometimes in their extremity oi rebellion and />;-
corrigiblenefs ; when, tho* he hides himfelf and fmites,
yet they have gone on frowardly in the way of their hearts,
even then he has laid, / have feen his ways, and will
heal him, Ifaiah Ivii. 18.— Sometimes in their extremi-
ty oiremifnefs, when they had neither heart nor hand
for prayer and pleading with himfelf for his pity ; When
he faw that there was no man, and wondered that there
Kvas no interceffor / therefore his own arm brought falv a-
tiony Ifaiah lix. 16.— Sometimes in the extremity of
want and necefjity, Ifr^iah xli. 17. When the poor and
needy feek water, and there is none, and their torigiie
fail eth for thirft, I the lord will hear, I the God of Ja-
cob will not for fake. — Sometimes in twz extremity of
ajfl'i^ion, when deep calleth unto deep^ and all his waves
and
Ser. XG. a T t M E i/ L o V E« -lor
nnd hiltows. pdfs over them^ then he commands his loving-^
kihdnefs in the day-time^ and in the ni'ghl his fmg is with
them^ Vh\ix\ xlii. 7, 8.— ^Sometimes in their extremity
k:\^. defertionj when they are faying. The Lord hathfor*
fakcn^ and 7ny God hath fir^otten me ; then he appears
faying. Can a iiuoman forget her fucking child ^ that floe
J})oidd not ha-ve compaffion on the f on of her ivcmb f Tea,
they may forget ; yet ivill 1 not forget thee^ Ifaiah xlix.
14, 15.^= — Sometimes in the extremity of temptation,
when burnt with fiery darts^ and buffeted by Satan,
he readily relieves with loving wordc ; My grace (hall
be fiifficientfor thee^ my flrength Jhall he made perfect in
thy iveaknefs^ i Con xii. 9.^~-3ometim,es in the very
laji extremity^ in the extremity of death, and the extre-
mity of their extremity ; w'hen, like Lazarus, they
are itinking in their graves of fm and fecurity, then he
fpeaks the quickening word, and fays to the dead and
dry bones, Co7ne from the foUr winds, 0 breath, and
breathe Upon thefeflain, that they may live.
Oil EST. May not God leave his cvjn in their mojl r.v-
imne need^ and in their laji battle ^
A>?sw. Vfe cannot tell what God may do W'hen he
goes out of his ordinary road \ judgment is his Jlrange
work, efpecially when it feems to be execute toward a
faint ; but God may fuffer ftrange and extraordinary
things^ to fall out toward faints themfelves, as prefages
of flrange and extraordinary wrath and vengeance com-
ing upon a fecure generation ; but certainly it is God's
ordinary way to help his people in their lafl: extremi-
ties, and make their time of greateil need his time of
love, wherein he fteps in for their falvation. Nay,
what am I faying, that it is his ordinary way ? Let me
corrciSl the w^ord, in fpite of the devil, and unbelief,
aind all dark and difmal-like providences ; I will ^ake
back the word and fay it is his conftant way. Though
a faint in the laft battle ihould die didraiEled, and fcem
to be a facrifice to the devil and his inftruments ; yet
that lafl exremity is the time of love, wherein he leads
them through the darkeil trance to the faired field of
everlafting joy and triumph. When we conhder what
power the devil got ove^ the bodv of Clirifi, to carry
Vol. VL N ' u
.t&z The Time c/*Need, Ser. XC.
it hither and thither, what do we know how far he
may get power over the body of a member of Chrift ?
We find, upon Satan's apphcation againft Job, there
was a twofold power given him ; the firft: was, all that
he hath is in thy power ; the fecond was, he himfelf ;
that is, his body \ Behold he is in thine hand^ only /pare
his life* If God had but allowed a third application,
and had let out another hnk of the enemy's chain, the
utmoft would have been even take his life, and 1 will
take him home. But this, by way of digreffion, though
yet, I hope, not far out of the way.
I have fliovm you, that all our time of need, both
from firfl: to laft, is his time of love ^ Thy time was a
time of love.
If any further enquire. Why God chiifes to make fiich
a time of need and extremity to he his time of love ? I lliall
only anfwer in a word. God, in his fovereignty, hav-
ing fixed a time for the decree's breaking forth ^ wherein
thcfe with whom he travelled fo long in the womb of
his eleding and redeeming love fliould be brought forth,
he keeps the time to the moment that he fixed upon ;
^nd he waits to be gracious ; that is, he waits the time
of love, and he makes it jump with our time of need
and extremity, for magnifying the riches and freedom
of his grace, and for engaging the fmner more to him-
felf, and to his fervice ; and he makes his time of
fliowing love at firft, and always afterwards, to the
end of the believer's life, to jump and agree v;ith their
extreme neceffity, for accenting the fong of the re-
deemed in heaven, To him that loved them^ and wafhed
ihem in his bloody and pulled them out of the fire, and
.plucked them out of the devil's hands, and raifed them
from the bottom of hell, to the battlements of heaven ;
from the depths of mifery, to the heights of glory ; he
makes the depths of his love to anfwer the depths of
their extremity. As by this means he {hev;s his glory,
fo he ftains the pride of man, makes his vifits more
precious, kills our enmity with his kindnefs, quickens
love to him, and learns us to truft in him even at the
worft ; and (hows the height of his thoughts above
our thoughts, as the heavew is higher than the earth,
• "^ ■^ he
Ser. XC. a Time c/'Love. ioV
he having thoughts of peace towards us, when we rec- '
koned he had thoughts of wrath, and defigns to ruin
us.— — Thus he fhows his wonders.
IV. The next thing was, To {how that this is mat-
ter of wonder and admiration^ which is the fourth thing
in the text, behold ! Behold^ iby time vjas a time cf
love,
1. It is w^onderful, if we coiifider the nature cf God,
the Lover, If we look to his fpotlefs holinefs, and that
he is o^ purer eyes than that he can behold iniquity, O
how myfterious and wonderful is it ! that he fliould
fhow his love to any of Adam's black poderity, fo
fpotted with iniquity ? — ^If we look to his infinite yz^/V^,
that he can no more ceafe to puniih fm, than he can'
ceafe to be God ; juftice being as effential to his name
as mercy. How wonderful is his love 1 if he had not'
found a ranfom, there would have been no vent for
his love ; but grace reigns through Chrifl/s rightc-
oufnefs. — Again, if we look to his infinite highnefs, it
makes his love wonderful : his majefty is infinite ; he
is the high and lofty one that inhabits eternity. Surely
may we cry, when he comes to fliow his love, Lord^^
I am not worthy that thou foould come under my roof, ■ '■■•
2. It is wonderful, if we confider the nature i?f man,',
the loved objeB, to whom be fhows mercy. What are
we by nature? enemies to God, rebels to the crown
of heaven, children of the devil ; who but a God"
could anfwer his own queilion ? How fball 1 puiyou
among the children, and give thee the plea fa nt la'ndf
How fhall I give thee a title to heaven, that art fo juft-
ly intitled to hell? If we look upon our bafenefs, O
the wonders of his kindnefs ! May we not fay ''with
wonder, IVill God in very deed dwell with men on earthy
on the earth his footflool ! May we not fing, as Pfah-
cxiii. 6. Who is like unto the Lord our God, that dzuclktlr
on high, who httmhleth himfelf to behold things thai are
in heaven f And much more may we fay, Who is like
unto him, and that humbleth himfelf to fhov^ his love
to worms on the earth ? Whence is this that the King
of glory fliould look upon vile dull ? If we view the
N 2 ^pp^*
104 77:?^ Time ^fN^BB^ Ser, xa
oppofition we make to hi$ love, the refiflance he meets
with from the devils of hell without us,' and, the de-
vils of lulls, fm, and corruption within us, and how
We fight againft his love and Kindnefs, is this the man-
lier cf man to flipw love in this cafe f O wonderful !
O condefcending Jefus ! O patient Chrift ! whom we
have kept fo long at the back of the door, that yet he
fhould both forgive and forget cill the wrongs we have
done him, faying, ^hyfins and iniquities zvill I remer/i-
her no vwrc ! We commit the fault, and he makes fa-
tisfa(n:ion. And if we view net only the bad entertain-
ment he gets from us, at the firii difcoveries of his
love ; but the affronts he meets with aftcrvvards, from
time to time, the abufes of his goodnefs, turning his
^race to wantonnefs^ grieving bis Spirit^ and madly foU
lowing other lovers, till he hedge up our way with tharm^
that we may not overtake them : O wonderful i that
after this, love lliould reclaim us, J\nd make us fay.
We will go and return to our firji hiijhand^ for then it
was ketter with lis than no.w^ Hofea ii. 7.
3. It is wonderful, if we confider that a time af love
is denied to niillions 0/ better creatw^s than us. It was
never allowed to fallen angels ; there was never fuch a
word as that. Behold^ the tabernacle of God is with an-
gels that fell ; but, Behold^ the tabernacle of God is with
ineuy and among men. Has he not paffed many na-?
tions, and come to us, proclaiming the joyful found of
everlailing W-jq in Chriil Jefus ? in fo much, that no-
thing hinders our enjoyment cf it, but unbelief, and
hardnefs of heart ; and amongft us, are there not
fome more highly privileged than others ? O believer,
wonder that he hath paifed by a thoufand, and fhewed
his love to you the worfl of them all, and even when
you was at your worfl. O wonderful diftinguifliing
Jove !^ that paffes by twenty houfes, and falls upon one !
that paffes by twenty fouls, and comes upon yours !
Many a heart here this day never yet was touched or
fired with this love, and your heart may be fet a bur-
ning within you.
4, It is wonderful, if we confider, the long train of
the time of love j bqth the traiii qf Wcfling it infers.
Ser, XC. a Tim 5 ^Love. ipj.
and the Uain of times it includes. What a train of
blellings does the time of love infer r or, what good is
done to the foul ? It brings life, and light, and par.
don, and peace ; j unification, adoption, and fandtifi-
cation ; grace, glory, and every good thing ; it brings
God, and Chrill, and the Spirit, and with them all
things. The time of love is the time of gifts, when
God gives Chrift and all things with him. What a
long train and tra6l of times it includes ? The time of
love has a beginning only in our view, but to God it
has neither a beginning nor an end : the time of love
began before time, in the heart of God from all eter-
nity purpohng, and in the heart of Chrift from all e-
ternity tranfading with the Father in our room ; there-
fore, he has faid, Jer. xxxi. 3. / have loved ihee iviih
an everlajling love ; therefore with loving-hlndnefs have
I drawn thee. The time of love to us is when he lets
down the cords of his love, like a heart-ftring, to draw
up our hearts to his heart : and as the time of love
runs through every period of the believer's life, while
he is here, in fo many fruits and efxe^ls of divine love,
let out from time to time ; fo it is never at an end,
fo long as his love to Chrift endures ; though he vlfit
iheir iranfgrejfions with rods^ yet his loving-klndnefs will
he not take away from him^ nor confequently/ri?/72 them ;
for, his feed fhall endure for ever^ Pfalm Ixxxix. 32,
33, 36. The love that he Ihows in the time of love,
includes love before time, from all eternity ; and love
after time, even to all eternity ; therefore it is juftly
wonderful, and exprcfled with "^ Beheld I Beheld^ thy
time was the time of love /
V. I come to the ffth thing, which was the appli"
cation. Is it fo, as has been faid. Thai God foows his
ii^fci^ tofmners at fuch a remarkable junHure^ that iheir
time of need and mifery app^ears to be his iijue of love and
mercy ; then,
1. Let us apply it for admiration* O let us aduiire
and adore the wonders of redeeming love ! It deferves
our highcft admiration \ \yher^ we have fpent our
thoughts
jo6 TJje TiUE of l^E ED, Ser. XC
thoughts upon it, it is fit we fliould fupply the defed
of our thought with admiration. Let us admire the
height^ and depths and lengthy and breadth of this love
of God in Chriji ; that the guilt of criminals Ihould be
transferred upon the innocent, and he expofed to the
ilroak of juftice : that the immortal God lliould be
clothed with mortality ; the wonder of angels expofed
to the reproach of men ; that he who was in the form
of God fliould appear in the form of a fervQut ; and
the Lord of life become obnoxious to the pains of
death, and all that the love of God might vent toward
fmners, and that be fhould take occafion to fhow his
love to fmners when they are at their word. — Herein
let us fee and admire \}i\t freedom of the grace and love
of God ; that he fliould take hold of fuch profane per-
fons, fuch polluted perfons, fuch loathfome perfons !
O that the time of loathing fhould be the time of love !
— Herein fee and admire \}ciQ power of the grace of God,
that can conquer fmners at the height of their rebellion,
and overcome their enmity, and fupply all their needs,
— See and admire the wifdom of the grace and love
of God, that he fhould confult tlie concerns of his own
glory and our good fo wonderfully. He confults the
glory of his jufiice v/hile mercy vents through a ran*
ibm, and grace through righteoufnefs, that magnifies
the law, and fatisfies the juflice of God : he confults
our good wonderfully by fhowing his love at a time
wherein his love may do us moft good ; fee and
wonder at the wonderfulnefs of his mercy, love, and
grace.
2. Let us apply it for examination* Try what fhare
you have had of this wonderful love of God in Chrift ;
and whether yciir time of need has been his ti?ne of love^
cither now, at this occafion, or formerly. For gain-
ing time, I forbear offering marks and evidences of
this, and only propofe, that you refled upon what has
been faid concerning the time of need and the time of
love.
(i.) What fenfe have you ever had of the tljne of
needf Have you ever feen yourfelf in your polluted flate,
lying
SeR. XC. ^TlME^/'LoVE. loj
lying in your blood f Your helplefs ftate, 7io eye to pity
you f Your loathfome (late, caji out to the loathing of your
perfons f Your dangerous (late, in the openjield^ iyi^g
open to the wrath and vengeance of God ? Have you
ever got a fenfe and convidion of your dead flate, as
being under the power of fin, and under the fentence
of the law ? The time of love is ufually ufhered in with
a fenfe of fin, and fear of wrath. Was you ever prick-
ed in your hearts, and made to cry. What Jloall I do to
be faved ? If you never felt a time of extreme need^
it feems you never have known a time of love. But,
(2.) What experience have you of the time of love ^
upon the back of your extreme need ? Got you ever a
loving call with power ? A quickening word, when you
was in your blood? A word that put life into your dead
foul ? Got you ever a love-vifit^ and a view of the glo-
ry of the Lord Jefus, and of God in him ? Though it
was but a paiTing vifit ; yet has he paiTed by you, fo
as to give you a fight of his hack parts^ by the bye ;
for, Ihw we fee through a glafs darkly. Got you e-
.ver a love-look^ that made you look again unto him ?
a look that pierced and pained your heart, and made
you fick of love to him, and defire after him ? Got
you ever any love-tokens ; whether got you thefe I men-
tioned, that may be called antecedent to the marriage I
Did he ever caft hisjkirt over you^ and make you flee
under the covert of his blood and righteoufnefs ? Did
he ever fwear to you, and enter into covenant with you,
by making you to take hold of his covenant^ and word
of grace and promife ? — What know you of the love-
tokens concomitant to the marriage ? Did he never
'ujafh your heart and confcience in his blood, by giviiio^
^owjoy and peace in believing ? Did he never anoint you
with the oil of his Spirit, fo as the chariot-wheels of
your fouls have been made to run fweetly and fwiftly,
by reafon of this anointing, in the duties of religion I
Has he wtYCxfatisfied your longing foul f Though you
have not got what you would be at, yet by giving you
fo much as made all the world taftelefs to you, and
Chrift above all things precious ? (If he has not fed
you with joy, has he fed you with godly forrow and
mourn-
^o8 The Time 9/ N e e d, 8er. XC
mourning for (In ?) Has lie never beautified your deform-
ed foidy by letting you fee your ov/n vilenefs and defor-
mity, and that all your beautVj (trength, righteoufnefsj
and ftore was only in himfelf ; and made you to fee
that all your excellency lay only in him, in whom all
the feed of Jfrael are jiifiijied^ and jh all glory f— What
know you of the love-tokens confequent to the marriage
and, perhaps, to your whorifh departure from him ?
Did he ever fhame you for your unkindnefs by his fur-
prizing returns, fo as you was confounded and afham-
ed when he was pacified toward you ? Did ever the
renewed fen fe of his love and grace, manifefled to a re-
bel and runaway like you, melt your heart, and lay you
in the dull before him ?*— Try what love-tokens he
has given you in the time cf your extreme need, J5^-
h^ldy thy time was a time of love.
I Ihail now clofe with a fliort advice, to you who n^-
n)er met with a time of love, in point of pov/er, engaging
your heart to the love of Chrid. Though you have
enjoyed a time of love, in gofpel- offers, and loving-
courtlhips, yet you have defpifed his loving-oifers to
this day. O what art thou doing, fmner, while def-
pifing the riches of divine love, goodnefs, forbearance,
and long-fuffering ? The fcripture tells you what you
are doing, Rom. vii. 5. thou art treafuring up wrath
to thyfelf againft the day of wrath, and revelation of the
righteous judgment of God. Oh ! you that were never
convincedof a time of need, nor affe£ted with your dif-
mal ftate, as lying in your blood, nor concerned about
a time of love, or a day ofpov/er, remember, that there
is a time of wrath, and a day of death, and judgment
a coming ; and if you remain defpifers of the grace and
love of God, the wrath coming upon you is both the
wrath of God and of the Lamb -, not only the wrath of
an angry God, which is terrible vengeance^ but the wrath
of the flighted Lamb of God, which is double vengeance:
How Jhall you efcape if ye negkfl fo great a falvation f
Terrible wrath is coming upon gofpei-fiighters in Scot-
land ; upon gofpel-defpifcrs in Dunfermline ; do you
hear
Ser. XG. a Time i^^Love. lo"^
hear of- this wondcFful love and yet (light it ? Then,
Behold^ ye defpifers^ wonder^ and pen jh I He that believ^
€th notjhallhe damned ; the wrath of Gad abidetb upon
him. Gave you never any entertainment to the news
of grace and love, but to abufe it to lafcivioufnefs^ and
■iurn the grace of God into wantonnef^ and to encourage
.yourfeives in fm and wiekednefs ? As fure as you have
now a day of grace, the day of wrath is a-coming ;
and perhaps this is the lad: hour of the day of grace,
and of the time of love, and what will you do with it I
Will you let it pafs away, and be for ever lofl: ? O fin-
.ner 1 fince the time of wrath is not yet come, though
it is at hand; fmee the time of love is yet lading,
will you take and accept of divine grace and love, v;hea
he comes to give you now, perhaps, the laft offer ? And
he has fpared you out of hell till you get it ; that either
upon refufal, you may be for ever inexcufable or upon
acceptance, you may be for ever happy.
Well then, you that have mifpent all the time of life,
and the time of love till now \ he that yet continues
the time of love with you, the time of love-offers is
faying to you. Behold ?ne.^ behold me, in order to mar-
riage with me. Come and take me, for a match to
your fouls, to make it up for ever. O Sirs, w^ill you
match with him that can pardon all yours fms, and
pay all your debt, fupply all your wants, and heal all
your wounds? Can cover all yqur fpots, and cleanfe
all your filthinefs, and loofe all your bands, thefe bands
of hn, hell, and death wherewith you have been bound
all your days ? Will you, that can do nothing, leave
him that can do all things for you ? Will you, to whoni
death and judgment feem to be terrible, in a little,
will you have him that can make death fafe, r.nd judg-
ment fweet, and all trials by the way eafy to you, by
giving either a merciful fupport under them, or mer-
ciful iffue to them ? G will you, that are liable to an
eternity of torment*, have him that can give you an
eternity of joy and happinefs, in the vihort and fruition
of himfelf ? Will you have him to make you holy and
happy ? If you have no will to this bargain, then fure-
ly, tho' you perifii eternaiW, God does you no wronp:.
Vol. YL 'O while
110 ^he Time ^/'Need, Ser. XC.
while he gives you your v/ill, and lets you alone,
faying, Te will not come to me that you might have life,
Nothing but his omnipotent power can make you wil-
ling ; but fmce this gofpel is the organ of his power,
and that if his drawing power be let down effeduaHy
by any means in the world, it will be by thefe cords
of love and grace that are hanging down among your
hands ; therefore. Come, fmners.
To let down the cords as far as I can, by his war-
rant, be what thou wilt, To you is the word of this faU
nation fent ; the grace and mercy of God is laid in
your lap ; if you ihake it not away from you, by un-
belief and enmity, you fhall have it, be what you will :
why ? what are you, or what have you been ? Are you
a drunkard, fwearer. Sabbath-breaker, whoremonger,
adulterer, a filthy Magdalen, or bloody Manalfeh, that
have hitherto contemned the grace of God, and the
Son of God ? Are you the worft that ever breathed on
the face of the earth ; no matter ; while this time of
love lafls, grace is content to take you at your worft,
and to make the word: time that ever you had, to be
the befl: time that ever you faw. What are you, fin-
ner ? Are you a moniler of fin ? Are you a devil for
fin ? Be it fo, fince you are not yet a de«vil in hell, but
a devil on earth, and a devil in flefh, that is not fuch
a wonder as a God in flefh ; and behold here is an
incarnate God come to fave incarnate devils. To you
that are yet out of hell, he is faying, Look to me^ and
he fave d^ all the ends of the earth ; for 1 am God, and
there is none elfe. To you that are in the flelh, and
not yet damned fpirits, the word of God fays of this
God in Chrift, 0 thou that heareft frayer^ to thee fhall
all flejh come^ Pfalm Ixv. 2. All that are yet human
'flefli, are welcome to come to him ; whatever fort of
flefh you be, be you never fuch filthy flefli, or devilifh
flefh ; God has fent his own Son in the Ukenefs of fin-
ful flefh, that all finful flefh may come to him, that he
may form them into the hkenefs of an holy God.
If any trembling heart here be thinking, O is it pof-
fible that this call is to me, that this offer is to me ?
Yes, to thee, man^ wgman ) tQ thee, lafs, lad j to
you
SeR. XCr. ^TlMEo/^LoVE. Ill
you that are fareft off and neareft hand mc ; to every
one of you within thefe walls, this offer of love and
mercy comes in his name, that has faid. Go, preach
the go/pel to every creature^ to every rational creature
under heaven. What fay you ? I was never fo unfit to
come or fo unable j I am at the very word in fm and
mifery, at the very height of wicked nefs and wo.
What ? is it the time of the greateft need of grace,
power, and pity ? Well, God who waits to be gracious^
perhaps has been waiting till this moment, and wait-
ing for this moment that your time of need may be
his time of love, and your time of mifery his time of
mercy : are you content it fhould be fo ? Has this
word taken hold of your heart, faying. Oh ! What
Jhalll do to befavedf O ! a thoufand worlds for Chrifl.
Indeed, an offer of him is worth a thoufand worlds,
much more himfelf : do you fee it to be fo ? and are
you made willing to have him that he may fave you
from fm, as well as from hell ? And to fave you pre-
fently, that you may never be a Have to your fins any
more, but a fervant to Jefus ? Then we may fay, Bc"
hold his time is a time of lovj^, not only in point of oiier,
but a time of love in point of power.
I intended to have addreffed myfelf to you whofe
time, either now or formerly, has been a time of iove :
but time does not permit \ and this will fall in as na-
tively afterwards,
SERMON XCI.
EzEK. xvi. 8.
7\W, when I pajjed by thee and looked upon thee ; be--
hold^ thy time was a time of love,
[The fecond Sermon on this Text.]
THE time of life is fhort and uncertain ; and we
cannot improve it aright, if we be not acquaint-
ed with a time of love. The time of trouble is what
O 2. \YC
f II The 1^1 MEofl^EE D, Ser. X-GL
we may all lay our account with ; for, M^H- is barn fo
i rouble ; and we cannot have true peace or reft there-
in if we know not a time of love. The time of death
is approaching ; and what have we to fweeten the
thouohts of death, if we know nothing of a time of
Jove? It is therefore moft necelTary we know it.
Having formerly improved this iubjeft in an ufe of
€dmiration zr\dt exa?n}?iaiiony wclhallnow, at this time,
improve it in an ufe of ijiformation^ by deducing two
inferences. '•
'i/?5 Hence fee,- that God, in fovereigniy^ may dif^
appoint bis people, and make the time oi feeming an-ger and-
of wrath-like difpcnfaiions to be a time of love. As his
thoughts are not our thoughts^ nor his ways our ways ;
fo, his time is not cur time : we may hope he will ma-
liifefl his love at fuch a time, and he may difappoint
our hopes ; and we may fear he will difplay his anger
at fuch a time, and he may difappoint our fears, by
manifefting his love. He makes his time (ffe^wlng wrath
iozvard his people to be his time of love.
As this inference is fuitable to the text, context,
and doctrine ; fo being fuitable to the circumftances
of many here under viiible evidences of God's anger in
their families ^ : I (hall infift a little upon this by an-
fwering thcfe four queftions, i. Ysf h^t fve?ning anger
may be Ihowing toward his people whofe time is not-
withftanding a time of love ? 2. What love-dejigns
may he carrying on by thefe wrath-rlike difpenfations ?
3. What love is there in thefe angry-like difpenfations ?
4. What leffons may we learn from this inference ?
Quest, i. In what refpe6i may he feem angry with
iheje whofe time, not withftanding, is a time a/ l o v e ?
Answ. I. It is moft Jingrydike when \\\ty fall into
fin, when he fuffers them tofin^ and leaves them to tbem^
/elves, as he did David, Peter, Hezekiah, 2 Chron.
xxxii. 25, 31.; and leave them to heart-hardnefs ;
Wherefore haji thou hardemd our hearts fr<om thy fear f
Ifalah Ixiii. 17,
^ • Ae the time when this (trmon was preached, ttqS: ofthe children
in Dunfermline were leized wUh ihfi/?tiall fiQx, J^nd vaft numbers of
' rhera dying,
a. When
Ser. XCI, ^TlME^LoVE. II j
2. When they are under many grievous ternptaiionsi
and btcffetiings of Sc^an^ as Paul, 2 Gor. xii. 7. ; and
Job, as you read, chap. i.
3,. When they are under fad defertkriy faying, as Pfal.
xxii. I. My God^ 7ny God, why hafi ihouforjakeii mef.
How. long wilt thou hide thyfelff Pial. xlii. i, 2.
4, When they are under great outward affliclion on
their perfons, famihcs, friends, nam-es, eftates, or o*
therwife, Pfal. xxxiv. 19. Many are the afflidions of the.
righteous, hut the Lord delivereth the?n out of them all.
2 Tim. iii. 12. If any man will live godly in Chriji Jefusy
he mujl fiiffer perfecution.
You will, perhaps, fay. Is there no difference be-
tween the afflidions of the godly aqd of the wicked ?
To this we reply. No difference as to the 7natter of
them, and in their own nature / but vaftly different in
their ufe ; even as water in baptifm taken out of a well,
fo much of the water of that well may be taken for
wafliing the hands, fo much for baptizing ; it is the
fame water, but the latter is made ufe of as 2i feal of
God's covenant. Thus, when a fever comes, the godly
man's perfon, or child, may be as forely handled as the
wicked ; but the one is bleffed, and not the other,
the ufe of afHidion to the one, and to the other, is
vaftly difierent, Jer, xxiv. The prophet here fees a
vifion of two forts of figs, the one was good figs, and
the other bad, and naughty. And what are thefe but
two forts of people, that were carried captive to Baby-
lon ? Some of them, as good figs, whom God took a
care of when carried away, to whom he fays, that he
will have his eyes upon them for good, and not for evil;
-and that he will bri7ig them again : but as for the o-
ther, he fays, that his eyes were upon them for evil
and not for good ; and that he would pull them down^
Thus, all the people go to captivity together ; but yet
never think he had no more refpe(^l: to his own among
them, than to others. Afflictions come upon the wic-
ked, feeking fatisfaclion ; but upon the godly, for
corredion : God out of love challifes them for their
faults. There is a great difference when God, with a
rodj (Irikes his enemies ovst of anger ^ and when, with
^h^t
1 14 fheTiuE of Ke f-d, Ser. XCll
that fame rod, he ftrikes his children in love. There-
fore, when judgments come upon a land, or a place,,
let not the godly themfelves think they Ihall be free ;
but as when a befom comes to fweep a houfe, if there
be drofs and dirt in it, and alfo diamonds and fomc
gold among it, both of them may be fwept to the door
together ; but this is the difference, the dirt rots away,
but the diamonds or gold remains of as great worth
as it was at firft, till it be fought and got again.
The godly may lay their account with fuch troubles,
and afHidions as the wicked meet with. Why ?
(1.) Thefe who are partakers in JtHy muft be parta-
kers in punifljnient ; for, though the godly were guilt-
lefs in men's eyes, yet before God, and in their own'
eyes, they are guilty, and fmful as others are : for,
it is hard to live with the wicked, and not be infeded
with their plagues, and fo they uiufl have part of their
judgment.
(2.) There is no promife made to any of that fort,
as to exempt them from the crofs. Hence the true If-
raclites and Canaanites cannot be difcerned by thefe
outward things ; yet fay not there is no difference be-
tween the afflidions of the one, and the other, as I
have Ihown above.
Quest. 2. What love designs 7uay be carrying on
by thofe w R A T h-l ik e difpenfations f
Ans w. I. The firfl love defign thereby is to make
fm bitter^ and bring ofi their hearts from it, and make
them leave it. Faolifhriefs is bound up in the heart of a
child^ even of God's Q\i\\diXtv\j but the rod of correction
drives it off^ Prov. xxii. 15. See Jer. ii. 19. ^hine own
wickednefs Jhall cor red thee^ and thy backflidings Jhall re-
prove thee ; Know then and fee that it is an evil and a
hitter things that thou hafi forfaken the Lord thy Gcdy
and that my fear is not in thee faith the Lord God of
ho/is. By this Jhall the iniquity of Jacob be purged^ Ifa,
xxvii. 9.
2. The next love defign is, to. heal their hearts : to
humble the lofty heart, and foften the hard heart :
therefore he puts them in the fire to melt them ; they
are naturally hard, flout, light, and proud : God melts
them
Ser. XCt. aTiME of Love. 115
them with this fire ; T/jou hajl tried iis with fire^ as
ftlver is tried. See Job xiii. 16. For God maketh my
heart foft,
3. The third love defign is, to make them weary
of this worlds by finding they meet with fuch bad enter-
tainment in it ; Arife ye^ and depart^ for this is not ymr
refl^ for it is polluted^ it fJoall deftroy you even with afore
defiruclion^ Mic. ii. 10. Hence John xvi. 33. In the
world ye fhall have tribulation^ but in me ye fhall have
peace ; be of good cheer ^ I have overcome the world.
A, Another love defign is, to awaken them : but
he gives them fomething ado, and keeps them bufy
and fighting : Thefe are the nations God left to prove
Ifraelby them ; flay them not^ lefi my people forget ^ Judg.
iii. I. Jer. xlviii. 11. They would flink and corrupt
if they were not carried into captivity, and emptied from
veffel to veffeL
5. The next love defign is, to exercife faith and pa-
tience ; Rom. V. 3. We glory in tribulation, knowing
that tribulation worketh patience ; and patience^ experi-
ence ; and experience^ hope, James i. 2, 3. Count it all
joy when you fall into divers temptatioju ; knowing that
the trial of your faith worketh patienjce : but let patience,
have her perfeH work,
6, Another love defign is, to bring them to themf elves ^
by prayer, and other duties, other wife they would mif-
take themfelves, Hof. v. 15. and vi. 1. In their affile -
tions they fhall feek me early , faying. Come let us return to
the Lord, for he hath broken, and will heaL True, in-
deed, hypocrites may cry, when they are afilided ;
When he flew them, then they fought him ; and they
returned and enquired early after God : Tet they
f uttered him with their inouths, Pfalm Ixxviii. 35,
36. But even the children of grace need to be fpur-
red up by the rod ; and then they cry to their Father
in another manner than hypocrites, in a kindly and
cordial manner, Ifa. xxvi. 19. There it is faid of his
people. Lord, in trouble have they vifited thee ; they
foured out a prayer when thy chaflening hand was upon
them : then they vifited thee ; they were growing Gran-
gers to God before the trouble came, they made him
few
. X 1-5 The T I ME g/T N E %i>, Bek, XGT.
few vtfits, and were like to grow, out of acquaintance
with him : but now they begin to renew their acquain-
tance with him; tht^ poured out a prayer : formerly,
before trouble came, they prayed, but their prayers
were but drops ; they came but flowly forth, drop by
drop, like water out of a ilill ; but now their prayers
are poured out like water out of a fountain: they pour
•out their prayers, and pour out their hearts in prayer
before the Lord, when his chaftening is upon them ;
They poured out prayer ; in the margin it is a secret
SPEECH : they may meet with God in public duties
and ordinances, but efpecially their main intercourfe
with him is in fecret ; there they fpeak with God, and
commune with him : and thus by afflidions and chaf-
tifements their communion with God is advanced.—
In a word, fuch are his love defigns, by trials and wrath-
like diipenfations, that thereby he makes his mercy the
fweeter to them when it comes : and their love to God
the greater^ becaufe of his power and pity manifefted
to them in their afiiidions.
QjjssT. 3. What LOVE is there in thcfe affllHions^
in punijhments and chqftifemenis f What love appears in
ihem f
Answ. Befides what I have faid, i. There is love
in the meafure of the alllidion ; while it is not in fury,
but in meafure, and in pity ; Fury is ?2ot in ??je. — In mea-
fure when it Jhooteth forth ^ thou ivilt debate zvith it : He
ftayeth his rough wind in the day of his eaji wind^ Ifa.
xxvii. 4, 8. As a father pitieih his children^ fo the Lord
-pitieth them that fear hlm^ Pfal. ciii. 13.
2. There is love in bringing them under 07ie evil^ to
Xo fave them from a greater ; i Cor. xi. 32. They are
chaftifed of the Lord^ that they may not be condem?2ed
with the world. See Heb. x]i. 6, 7, 8.
3. There is love in making them thus JJmrers of the
mercies of the covenant ; for afflidions are a covenant
promife ; See Sam. vii. 15. and Pfal, Ixxxix. 31, 32.
For which the faints have prayed, as Jen x. 24. Ccr-
red me^ Lord^ but in judgment ; not in thine anger ^
left thou bring me to nothing : Thus Pfalra vi. i . and
xxxviii. I*
4. There
Ser. XCI. « Time (?/Love; 117
4. There is love in that thus ^^ favours and honours
them to take them under his corredion, ard care :
See Job vii. 17. What is man, that thouJhoidJft magnify
him f and that thou fhculdji fct thy heart upon him f
Why ? how doth he magnify and honour him ? It fol-
lows, ver, 18. And that thou fhoiddfl vift him every mor-
nings and try him every moment,
5. There is love in his gxsm'gfweet eordials hctw ten"
hands to bear up their fpirits ; particularly, fome cor-
dials of the new covenant ; fome words on which he
caufes them to hope, Pfal. cxix. 49. Retncmber thy word
unto thy fervaut, upon %vhleh thou hqfi caufed me to hope.
Hence it follows, ver. 50. ms is my comfort in mine
ajfUBiGn ; for thy word hath quickened ?ne. He quickens
and refreflies with his words of grace.
6. There is love in the covjlant prefence of grace that
he allow^s them under their trouble, according to his
promife, Heb. xiii. 5. / will never leave thee, 7iGr for-
fake thee. Pfalm xci. 1 5. / will be with him in trouble ;
I zvill deliver him, and honour him. When the gold-
fmith has call the gold into the fire, he leaves it not
tliere ; nay, then he waits befl upon it, that he may
fuiFer it to get no more of the fire than he fees meet.
In a word, fuch love there is in their afPiidions that
he is therein carrying on all the love defigns that I was
mentioning on the former head, and thus preparing
them for the heavenly kingdom ; Our light affltdion^
Tfjat is but for a moment, worketh a far more exceeding
and eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. iv. 17. They would
die and rot in their fms, if they were not poured cut
from veffel to veffeL
Quest. 4. What lessons may we learn from this
inference ?
Answ. I. That we ought not to feek fo much to
be rid of troubles ; we ought to fubmit and comply
with the troubles that are upon us, feeing they are
fuch excellent things, fo profitable and medicinal : we
ought neither to lothe at, nor fret under God's phy-
fic.
I. We ought to accept of the punifh7ncnt of fin, f:iy-
ing, 7 will bear the indignation of the Lord, becaufe I
V 0 L. IV. P have
11 8 The T I M E 9^ N E E D, Se r. XCL
have finned. We fliould turn up our cheek to him that
fmketh, and not weary of the Lard's chaftifements,
feeing it is for fin ; Why Jhould a living man complain?
a man for the piinijhment of his iniquities f Therefore,
3. We ought to quit fin^ faying, What have I any
more to do with idols f God*s defigns, by trouble, to
deftroy fome idol : join with him in fecking the de-
Itruftion thereof ; 1 will go, and return to wv place, till
ihey acknowledge their offences, and fee k my face, Hofea
V. 15.
4. Give way to the Lord Jefus Chrift, and make opeyi
doors for him ; for this is the great defign of all afflic-
ting difpenfations : for they are fo many knocks at the
doors of our hearts. Give way to him in a fourfold
capacity.
(i.) As a Reprover, Rev. iii. 15, 16, 17. Take with
the charge of iukewarmnefs in being neither cold nor
hot.
(2.) As a Coimfellor^ Rev, iii. 18. Hearken to his
counfel, as a Prophet, and buy his eyefalve ; his coun-
fcl, as a Priefi:, and buy his white rairnent ; his coun-
fel, as a King, and buy his tried gold >
(3.) Give way to him as a Correflor^ a loving cor-
redor. Rev. iii. 9. As ?ttany as I love, I rebuke a?2d chaf
ten : he correds us for our faults, and for our amend-
Hient. Be patient, which is a continued lubmiiTion,
and if fenfe fail, hold by the word.
(4.) Give way to him as an importunate Suitor, Rev.
iri. 20. Behold, I Jiand at the door mid knock : if any
??ian hear my voice, and open the door, I tvill come into
him, and fup with him, and he with me, Ke knocks by
his word, and by his Spirit, and by his rod ; invite
him to come in, faying, as Laban in another cafe to
Abraham^s fervant, Gen, xxiv. 31. Come in, thou hkf
fed of the Lord : wherefore Jlandcj} thou without f O
come in and do not ftand knocking, but make king*s
keys, and exert thy power and come in with falva-
tion. So much may fuflice for the firft inference.
Hence,
2dly, I infer, that neither the fnning nor xhtficffer-
ing circumflanecs of the people of God, in this world,
is
Ser.XCI, a Time of Love,^ 119
is inconjijieni 'with fmfpcdal love to them. Thy ihne^
(though in the context both a finful and affiided time,)
ivas a time of love. By the love of God here, I do not
underftand, either benevolence or good-will^ for this is
common ; Godfo loved the ijuorld, that he gave bis only
begotten Sony that zvhofoever believeth in him^ Jloould not
perijh^ hut have everlafiing life. He has fworn that he
has no pleafure in the death offinners, God may take
pleafure in the execution of his juftice, but doth not ia
the punilhment of the creature ; As I live, I have no
fkafure in the death offinners. Nor do 1 here under-
ftand his love o{ beneficence ; for, he does good to all.
He makes his fun to flnne upon the good ajzd evil ; and
fendeth his rain upon the jufi and iinjufi. Nor his love
of dcj^i nation towards the eled unconverted ; becaufe,
whaftever be his thoughts of peace, and defigns of ma-
nifeiling love to them, yet he can take no pleafure in
them, as they are in themfelves, while out of Chriflr.
But 1 underiland his love of complacency and delights
Now, I fay, his people's 7^/^ w/z^ and fuffcring circum-
fiances here, are not inccrflftent ivltb his complacential
love to them.
For the furtlier clearing of this inference, I would
I. Show that the finning circuwftances of his people
here, are not inconfillent with his love. 2. Give a
difcovcry of thcfe perfons whofe fmning circumftances
are indeed inconfiifent with his love, 3. Show that the
fuffcring and afflided circumftances of God's people
are not incorfflent with his love to them. 4. Give a
difcovery of thefe whofe carriage in their aitiicted cir-
cumftances is indeed inconfiftent with this complacen-
tial love of God.
[ I .] We are to (how that the finning clrcumflances
of God's people here, are not inconfiftent with his
love. This may be cleared in the four follov^ing re-
marks.
Remark i. " That none of God's children in this
^' world, are/rt?^ of fin ." tliey have a body of death in
them ; the company of tzao armies ; two nations ftnig^
gling. See Rom. vii. 15,-25.
P 2 Remark
120 The Time <?/ N e e d, Ser. XCI.
'Remark 2. " That they not only have fin, but it
^- may ht potverful 2i\\d. prevalent :" Powerful, fo as
to carry them captive ; J fee a law in my members war-'
ring againft the law of my mind^ and bringing me into cap^
iiviiy unto the law of fin , zvhich is in my members^ Rom.
vii. 23. Prevalent, as David fays, Iniquities prevail
Qgainfl me.
Remark 3. '' That God obferves and regards the
*' truth of grace in his people, though the meafure may
" be fmall ; and he loves all his children, tho* fome
" of them are babes, i John ii. 12, 13, 14.'' Hence
they are ready fometimes to fpeak thus, '• \ pray in-
" deed ; but, alas ! I do not wrejlle^ like Jacob ; nor
" water my conchy like David : I believe ; but I have
*' not joy and peace in believing : \ fear ; but I am not
" in the/?^r of God all the day long : I love Chrift ;
'' but, O my love goes out after other things." Thus
it is the weaknefs^ not the want of grace, that troubles
and perplexes them : yet God loves his children tho*
Vvxak.
Remark 4. " That the life of the believer is hid with
^* Chriji in God.'* It is not fo much in himfelf as it is
in Chrilf ; and hence they are ready^to conclude their
fmful circumRances fuch, as are not confident w^ith
divine love ; but their life is mofl: in their head. — —
Four things the faints complain of, and they get eafe
only in Chrid. — -Alas ! I am guilty ; well, where get
you e^u'e but in Chriil, as m.ade of God your righte-
oufnefs ? — Oh ! I have much pollution ; well, where is
your relief but in Chrift, as made of God to you fane
iification^ the fountain of holinefs ! — Alas ! there is
much folly about me ; where is your rehef but in
Chrifl, as made of God unto you wifdom ? — Oh ! I
have no flrength for duty or d'lfficulties ; Vv^ell, where
lies your ftrength but in Chrift ? In the Lord have I
right eou fiefs andfreyigth; he is the glory of their flrength.
Hence the greateft part of the believer's inherent righ-
teoufnefs, in this world, lies in his faith, faith gomg
out of himfelf to Chrift for all. This fliows, that how-
ever fmful his circumftances are, yet he is a favourite
of heaven.
[2.] We
SeR. XCI. ^TlME C/LOVE. 121
[2.] We are next to give a difcovery of thefc per-.
Jons whofe fmning circumftances are indeed inconfif-
tent with his love. There are fix forts of finner*,
whofe fmful cafe is indeed inconfiilent with God's com-
placential love.
1. Thefe whofe religion lies all in externals ; and
whofe hearts were never exercifed before God about
fin and wrath ; This people draiv n'v:^h unto me with their
mouths J and honour me with their lips ; hut their hearts
are far removed from me^ Matth. xv. 18. Their hearts
were never engaged to approach to God.
2. Thefe who never knew the power of the gofpel,
but are only taken up with the outward pomp of it ;
pompuous words, the excellency of fpeech, the fiou-
rlilies of eloquence, that tickle their fancies : they ne-
ver got good of the word who never had better to fay
than this, O 1 there v/as a neat fermon ; it was gild-
ed with all the flowers of rhetoric, and embelliilied and
fet off Vv^ith all the graces of oratory ; an handfome and
eloquent dif:ourfe ; but never could fay of any fer-
mon, Did not our hearts burn within us ? V\"e were
touched and conquered thereby. They know nothing
that know not the power of the word ; The kinv;dcm cf
God is not in word^ hut in po-wer : See 2 Theff. i. 4.
The gofpel came not in word^ hut in power ^
3. Thefe who perfecufe the people cf Gcd, and have
no favour for them, no complacency in them; though
they can be civil to them as to others, yet they are far -
from preferring them to others, in efteeming them, or
delighting in them. This is the brand of a natural
liian, for it is otherwife with God's children, To the
faints that are in the earthy and to the excellent in whom
is all 7ny delight^ Pfalm xvi. 3.
4. Thefe that can Y\v< peaceably in any one fn^ v/uh-
out remorie, without repentance, or reluctance ; or
by bribing their judgment to defend it, or offering ro
God a fatisfa^ion, like the w4^>re in the fcventh chap-
ter of the Proverbs, / have a peace-cftcring^ this day
have I performed my vows ; come let us take cftr fill of
love^ ver. 14, 18. God's children may have fin pre^
vailing, but never have it peaceably reioning in them.
H 4- Thefe
122 T/je Time of ^ £ED, Ser. XCL
5. Thefe that were never brought off from xhtpoU
hilions of the world, fuch as drunkennefs, whoredom,
fweaiing, lying, cheating, dealing, Sabbath-breaking,
6v. Some may efcape thefe, through the knowledge
of Chrift, and yet be apollates, the latter-end worfe
than the beginning, 2 Pet ii. 20. Sure then, they are
in a fad ftate that never cfcaped fm at all : they are not
the fpots of God's children.
6. Thefe that htmgjlrangers to a working faith, are
never brought beyond the legal or gofpel-hypocrite.— -
By the /(fg-^Z-hypocrite, 1 underlland, the man that is
fall of good works, yet they have not faith for their root :
thefe are call ; for. Without faith it is impojjihle to pleafe
God.—T^Y a ^^Z/Jt-Z-hypocrite, I underftand, thefe that
profefs faith in Qhrijl, yet their faith has no good works ^
as the fruits thereof ; thefe are cad ; becaufe, As the
body without the f pint is dead^fo faith without works is
dead alfo,
[3.] We come to fliow, that the fuffering and afflic"
ted circumftances of God's people are not inconftjlent
with his love to them. This may be clear from the
following remarks.
Remark i. ^^ That God has connected fm and fufFer-
'* ing :" By his decree ; though hand join in
hand, fin f jail not go unpunifhed : By the law ; The
foul that fimieth fhall die, or fuffer : By the gospel ;
If his children break his law, and keep not his command^
ments ; he will vifit their iniquity with the rod : By his
providence, wherein he declares himfelf a God that
will by no means clear the guilty. What God has joined,
we naturally feparate, faying, We Jhall have peace, iho^
we walk after the imagination of our hearts. This was
the firfl herefy the devil bred in the world, Tou flmll
notfurely die, though you fm j but God has conneded
fm and fuffering.
Rejuark 2. " God's own people may lay their ac-
*' count with fuffering, while they havej//?." Though,
through Chriit, in a way of faith and repentance, they
are freed from hell, and eternal damnation, yet they are
not always freed from temporal punifijnents and chafiife^
7nents ; nay, Tou only have I knoum of all the ftailons
Ser. XCI. a Time <?/ Love. 123
of the earth ; therefore will I pimfb you. Though he
fardons their fins, yet he may take voigeancc on their in-
ventions. Therefore,
Remark 3. " There are many rods they are vifited
" with." Sometimes dcfertion^ fometimes affliclion,
fometimes temptation^ fuhnefs^ death of friends and chil-
dren \ Many are the afflidiom cf the righteous ; hut the
Lord deliver eth them out of them all^ Pfal. xxxiv. 19.
Remark 4. " God has glorious and inercifid deftgns
" in aiHiding them." Glorious with reference to him-
felf ; and merciful with reference unto them.— -As to
himfelf it is to clear his juftice, and manifeil his equity
in the adminiftration of his government, and that the
world may not think he bears with fm in his own, or
indulges them in their rebellion ; therefore, though
David repented of his adultery and murder, and got a
pardon ; yet becaufe his fm was fcandalous and offen-
five, and made the enemies of the Lord to blafpheme ;
therefore he muff be puniflied with the fword of a bloo-
dy enemy, and a bloody fword muil not depart from
his houfe. — As to them, it is to do them good, to hum-
ble and prove them, to imbitter fm to them, and to
make them forfake fin and flee to Chrifl, and that in
their afflidion they may feek him early ^ faying, Come, let
us return to the Lord, for he hath broken, and he ivill
heal us ; he hath f mitt en and he luill bind us tip^ Hof. v.
15. andvi. i. compared.
[4.] We now proceed to give a difcovery of ihefc
whofe carriage in afflifted circumflances is indeed, In-
to nfftent with this complaeential love ofGcd,-
1. Such as grow zvorfe by their afHiclions, and, in-
(lead of turning unto God, turn from him ; that gnaw
their tongues and blafpheme, like thefe. Rev. xvi. 10.
Is it not with many, as with Aha2, 2 Chron. xxviii.
■20, 22. In his difirefs he finned yet tiwre f It is to be
feared, many are worfe inftead of being better by the
rod.
2, Such as are neither better nor worfc, but rather
fiuprd and fottijh, never affected though affiifi:ed. A
child of God may become, in fome refpe«S:s, fenfelefs
for
124 ^^^^ Time /Need, Ser. XCI.
for a little, with the acutenefs and feverity of his afflic-
tion ; but he comes to his fenfes again, and is ftirred
up to a fuitable aftedednefs before the Lord : but it is
fad when people are no way touched and moved with
the hand of God upon theiB. It is a flubborn child
that will not weep Vvdien the father chaflifes ; Thou haft
fmitien them^ hut they have not grieved^ Jer. v. 3. Some
are pad feeling, they are, as it were, threfhed on, and
yet they feel it not.
3. Such as feel their mifery and ti-ouble, but do not
fee the caufe of it ; and therefore never take the right
way to be rid of it; but being fenhble of external trou-
ble, look out for external help, as Ephraim fiw his
wound ^ and went to King Jarih ; but none fays. Where
is God ?ny Maker ? Job xxxv. 9, 10. Though they
cry, by reafon of the arm of the mighty^ yet none faith ^
where is God niy Maker ^ who giveth fongs in the night ?
Few prayers to God, little amendment.
4. Such as in their affliction turn to God, but it is
not with their whole hearty but f eigne dly,]tr. iii. 10.
They pray and cry fervently for eafe and relief, yet
hold fad iniquity ; or, if they forfake fome fins, yet
not all; their main bufmefs is to get eafe from trouble;
thus Pharaoh cried, turned, confeffed ; Pray for me
that this death may be removed. Some never defire a pray-
er to be made for them till they fear they are on their
death-bed : they go to God in afflidion, like one that
goes to a great man about bufmefs, not about a loving
viTit ; and if the bufmefs be done, they part and leave
him, and perhaps never wait upon him again ; they
have got their bufmefs done, and they feek no more :
fuch are felfifh feekers ; that feek Chrifl only for the
loaves.
5. Such as feem to turn cordiallj, and to return, but
it is 72of to the Mofi High : they not only pray that God
would remove the outward trouble, but they acknow-
ledge fm, and refolve never to be fo bad again ; but
it is merely a moral turning, whereby many deceive
themfelves : they think their forfaking of fome things,
and reforming of fome things, and performing of fome
'- duties.
Se R. XCI. a T I M E o/* L o v e. 12^
duties, wherein they may be wonderfully affe^led, that
this is true grace, but it is not fu ; it is a turning, in-
deed ; but not to the Mojl High, Diftance from God
is the great evil ; and nearnefs to him, through Chriil,
is thiat wherein our great happinefs lies. Now, though
men ihould go never fuch a length in reformation, if
they live at a diflance from God, it will be of little
{lead to them ; the great defign oF the rod is not ob-
tained : our righteoufnefs muil proceed from the in-
fluence of another covenant. People may turn to du-
ty, and not to God, and they may turn to God, and
yet not to Chrift ; or to God in Ghrifl ; as Chrifl faid
to the difciples, 7\' believe in God, believe alfo in me.
if we believe in God, and yet not believe in Chrifl:, we
believe not in the Mod High ; for God is moll highly
exalted only in Chrift ; Ee thai honours not the Son, ho-
nours not the Father. He that turns not to Chrid by
faith, never turns rightly to God by repentance.
6. Such as feem to turn to God and Chrift, but turn
avjay from him again^ z Peter ii. 20, — 23. And like
theil^, Pfal. Ixxviii. 34,37. When he Jlevj ihem^ they
fought him ; yet their heart vuas not right with God^
neither ivcre they fledfafl in his covenant. If any man
draw back^ my foul fh all have no plea fare in him.-
it is true, God's children may have many changes in
their frames, and back-drawings in their hearts ; but
ilrll they have a fixed purpofe of heart to follow the
Lord : like the mariner, that fets out for fuch a port,
though he may be toifed at fea, and carried backward
with contrary winds, yet his fixed purpofe leads him
to make for the defigned haven, at wdiich he at lad
arrives. God's children may draw back, but they are
not as thefe that draw back to perdition ; ^he back-^
Jlider in heart f:> all he jiUed with his own way.
Vol. \1. C; ' ' SERMON
jQr6 The T 1 M E c/ N E E D, Ser. XCn.
SERMON XCII.
EzEK. xvi. 8,
NoiVy "when I p^ff^d by ihce and looked upon ihee ; he*
hold^ thy time zvas a time of Jove,
[The third Sermon on this Text.]
AS 2i throne of grace is ere£led for 2i time of need ^
Heb. iv. 1 6. Let vs come boldly unto the throne of
grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help
in time of need ; So a time of love is ordered for a tijue
of need ^ and a time of trouble : and, indeed, as none
will apply to a throne of grace, but thefe that are poor
and needy, and are really fenfible of their poverty, and
need, and neceflity \ fo none will duly value and relifh
a time of love, but thefe that are brought to diftrefs
iind trouble, efpeclally under apprehenfions of divine
anger, wrath, and difpleafure : hence our time of mi-
fery, and his time of mercy, are here joined together ;
Behold, thy time %vas a time of love*
We have already improven this iubje£l in fevefal
ufes : We ihall now proceed to another ufe of the
do£trine, ?ind ih:[t \s oi ex^ctj?ii?mtion. Try then, if your
time of trouble and di/lrefs, has been a ti??ie of love : for
I cannot w^ell feparate thefe which the text and context
join fo clofely.
Firfi, We may view this negatively* There are
fome whofe time of trouble is evidently no time of
love ; as^
1. Thefe whofe trouble and diftrefs never make
them find more of the vanity of the world difcovered
to them ; nor their hearts ever more feparate therefrom
than formerly. If your farms and merchandife, your
v/orldly concerns, (Mat. xxii. 5.) keep your hearts as
much away from the gofpel-feaft, or from Chrift, as
ever.
Ser. XCIL a Time o/'Love. 127
ever, thou haft got little good of thy trouble. If trou-
ble in a world was bleft to thee, the world would be-
come more taftelefs to thee ; Jer. iii. 22, 23. Behold,
ive come unto thee ; for thou art the Lord our God : Be-
hold^ in vain is jalvation looked for from the hills and
multitude of mountains. Intimating, that as the Lord
draws to himfelf, he loofes from the world.
2. Such as were never more awakenedhj their trou-
ble to a ferious concern about fpiritual and eternal mat-
ters, furely they cannot read a time of love in their trou-
ble; they continue aileep, ftill fecure and carelefs; they
are fo far from being turned to God, that they are not
rifen to their feet. See how David in his trouble is
awakened to a concern about death and eternity, Pfal,
xxxix. He fees his age as nothings and every man va^
nity ; then he faid, Lord^ what waii I for f 7ny hope is
in thee.
3. Such whofe trouble never put them to pray more
frequently dindi fervently than they were accuitomed to
do, and in another manner; when there is no change in
their prayers. It is true, fome in trouble may turn from
fottifhnefs to ferioufnefs ; natural ferioufnefs for help
and dehverance ; but never from natural to fpirituai
ferioufnefs, fo as to pray in a fpiritual manner, for fpi-
rituai bleffings, and wrcflle with God for the blefiing :
it is faid of .the hypocrite, that he doth not cry when God
enjoins him. See Dan. ix. J3. All this evil is come upon
us^ yet made not we our prayer be fere the Lord our Gcd^
that we might turn from our iniquity, and under]} and the
truth. And Hofea vii. 7. All their kings are fallen ;
yet there is none among them that callcih unto me, Wheu
God makes our chief enjoyments fail, and yet we turn
not to him by faith and prayer, is it a time of love t
Nay, rather of wrath and anger. You may pray in-
deed, and yet be guilty of this here challenged, becaufe
you pray not better than you did. If the Spirit of pray-
er was poured out upon us in aiiiiction, it would be a
fign of love.
4. Such asunder trouble have no more ^ci/r^^/ of
fin^ nor heart-parting with it, and heart-exercife about
it, cannot fay their time of trouble is a time of love.
0^2 Love
i^B- T^eTiMEofl^Erj}, Ser. XCIR
Love to God grows with hatred of fin ; but if you
are no more burdened with fm than ever, your time
of trouble hath not been a time of love. The troubles
of God's people are to purge away the drofs of fin^
Ifa. xxvii. 9. But if the bellows are burnt, and the
metal confumed, and your iniquities not taken away
farther from the heart, it is fad-
5. Such as under their trouble are brought to no
more love to God and duty, fo as to ferve him better
and more cordially in thefe duties, which before they
either omitted, or Hightly performed ; if your fervice
be as faulty as formerly, you come under that charge,
I have fo and {of mitten thcc^ hut thou bajl not returned
unto rue. \
6. Such as find not Chrl/t more fweet and precious to
them, by the means of their afflidion : the bitternefs
of trouble never made Chrid fweet to them, the gric-^
voufnefs of their trouble never made Chrift precious to
them. Is there the fame flrangenefs betv/een Chrifl
and you that ever there was ? No feilowfliip v/ith him
as your only help, and he in whom only God is well-
pleafed and reconciled ? Then your time of trouble ^
has not been a time of love, Alas ! many wear off
the forrow of their aiiliclion, partly by length of time,
and partly by mirth and diverfion, as Saul called for
mufic to drive av/ay the evil fpirit ; partly, by fupply
of comforts, yet remaining, and this lulls them alleep ;
but they know not what it is, like Hannah, to come to
the Lord vv-ith a burdened fpirit, and get cafe from him;
They looked to hinu and zvcre lightened, and their faces
ivere not ajhanied^ Plal. Ixxxiv. 5.
Secondly, Let us confider this pofitively ; the time of
trouble and diflrefs m.ay be known to be a time of
iove. I. More generally, by the gracious ^^(^j of a
fanftiRed trouble. 2. More tarticidarly, by confider-
ing the particular troubles we have been under, and
their particular ufefulnefs, through grace, to us.
\fi. More generally. Try it by the gracious effecfs
of a fandihed trouble. I ihall mention fome of thefe
by which vou mav trv vcurfelves,
' ' ' I. If
Ser. XCIL ^ Time o/Loytn 129
1. If your time of trouble and diilrcfs has been a
time of love, then your trouble has bumbled you.
God's 'defign, by all the troubles in the vvildcrnefs,
was to humble them, as well as fo prove them, and
do them good in the latter end ; Who fed ihcc in the
luildernefs ijjiih manna ^ which thy fathers knew not^ that
be might humble thee, and that be might prove ihee^ to do
thee good at thy laiier-end, Deut. viii. 16. Fride and
folly is i?ound up in the hearts of the children of men ^ hut
the rod of correction drives it jrom them, Prov. xxii. 15,
He defigns to hide pride from man, that he may keep
his foul from the pit. Job xxxiii. 17, 18. We would
be apt to fay proudly with Pharaoh, VJho is the Lord
that Ifhould obey him ? if he did not humble and lay
us low. But happy is the man whom affllcllon hum->
bles to the dud for the pride of his heart; humbles
him to a mecknefs of fpirit, and fubmiuion to his fo-
vereigu will ; humbles him to a fight and acknov/-
ledgcment of his fm and wickednefs, and of unknown
corruption, to make him know what was in his heart,
Deut. viii. 2. See 2 Cliron. xxxii. 32. Humbles him
to a renouncing all confidence in hmifelf, in his owu
righteoufnefs, itrength, and wifdom.
2. If your time of trouble and diilrefs has been a
time of love, then your trouble has taught and inf rue-
ted you ; Blejjcd is the man whom then chaftcnefi, and
teacheft out cf thy law, Pfalm xciv. 12. Many a good
ledbn he teaciies his own at that fchool ; Whom he loves,
be chafhns ; and whom he chaftens in love, he tcaclics.
He gives them many fv/eet difcoveries of himfelf ; lie
fliovvs them their weaknefs, and his power ; their giiil-
tinefs, and his righteoufnefs ; their em.ptinefs, and his
fulnefs ; their bafenefs, and his highnefs ; their black-
nefs, and his beauty ; their folly, and his v/ifdom ;
their treachery, and his faithfulnefs ; their fmfulneh:,
^nd his holinefs ; their mifery, and his mercy ; their
infufliciency, and his all-fufficiency, ^c. What has
he taught you by your trouble and axBiction ? Has he
taught you the fmfulnefs of fm, that not only it brings
evil, but is evil, an evil againft God? Jcrein. ii, 19.
Thine own wickednefs Jhall corrc^ thee^ and thy backjlid-
130 fheTiuE ^Need, Ser.XCIL
ing reprove thee : know therefore^ and fee ^ that it is an
evil and a hitter things that thou haji jorfaken the Lord
thy God^ a7id that my fear is not in thee, faith the Lord
God of hofis. — Has he taught you the emptinefs of the
creature, and the vanity thereof, that allflejh is ^rafs f
Ifaiah xl. 6. You may have a ftrong imagination of
this in your head, that allflejh is grafs^ but, have you
fo learned it as to have a deep impreflion of it on your
heart ? — Has he taught you the abfolute ufefulnefs of
Chrifl, his fulnefs, vi^orthlnefs, and fuitablenefs ?
When the apoflle is brought, Rom. vii. 24, 25. to an
0 wretched man that I a?n ! who f>all deliver me ? then
follows, / thank God^ through Jefus Chri/i : here is
my up-making ; here is my help and deliverance ; has
the God of heaven famifhed all your gods of earth,
and flarved you as to creature-comforts, fo as to make
you hunger and thirfl after the fulnefs, fweetnefs, and
righteoufnefs of Chrifl ? Then your time of trouble
has been a time of love. — ^Has he, by your trouble,
taught you to pray, to weary of the earth, and to long
for heaven, and to feek him early, and to feek him
diligently, to feek him humbly, and to pour out your
heart before him ? — Has your trouble taught you v^hat
is the o?te thing neceffary^ and fet you in quefi: of that,
v^xxSx David, Pfalm xxvii. 4. One thing have I defired of
the Lord^ that will I feek after ^ that I may dwell in the
hotfe of the Lord all the days of my Ufe ? — Has your trou-
ble taught you the redemption of timet In tranquility,
many golden hours are lofl ; but has your trouble
taught you to redeem your time^ becaufe the days are e-
vilt — Has your time of trouble taught you to improve
your Bible, as well as your time ; to fearch it more di-
ligently, to underltand it more clearly, and to relifli
it more fvveetly ? 'ihis is my comfort in my affliclion^ thy
word has quickened me. — Has your trouble taught you
t':) prepare for death and eternity, by drawing out your
foul toward an eternal God ? You have heard of God
before, but do you now fee him ? Mofes never faw
God fo clearly as when he defcended in a cloud ;
feme never fee God fo clearly as when he defcends
in a black cloud of affliction : therein we may fee his
holi-
SeR. XCIL aTlME^LOl'E. 131
hollnefs, in hating fm; h^s juflice, in correcting for
fm ; his faithfulnefs to his covenant, Pfalni Ixxxix.
30, — — 33, ; his power in fupporting; his mercy in
comforting.
3. If your time of trouble and diflrefs has been a
time of love, then it has taught you to forfake fm,
faying, What have I any more to do with idols I This is
all the fruit to take away fin. — Has he taught you to
turn to himfeJf and his way, (by hedging up your way
with thorns, Hofea ii. 6, 7.) faying, / will go and re-
turn to niy firft hufhandy for then it was better with me
than now* It is good for me to draw near to God, — Has
he taught you to turn to yourfelf, and to your right
fenfes ? Indeed, true converfion brings a man to his
wits ; it makes a change in the underftanding, mak-
ing him know, believe, and apprehend otherwife than
he did : you before thought fm but a fport ; but do
you now underftand it is the greatefi: of evils ? You
imagined a glory in a prefent world ; but do you now
apprehend the emptinefs of it, and where true fubflan-
tial comfort lies ? — Has afflidion awakened you out of
your dre'am^ fo as you apprehend things to be quite
otherwife than you took them to be in your fleep ?
Converfion is a bringing a madman to himfelf, Luke
XV. 17. The prodigal is faid to come to himfelf : true
grace makes as great a change upon a man, as the
reftoring of a man to his wits does, Mark v, 15. It is
like the man called Legion, clothed, and fitting at
Chrift's feet, and in his right mind. And, indeed,
when a man comes to his right mind, he comes to a
right carriage and countenance : we read of fome, that
the very fliew of their countenances witnelfed againft
them : you will know fome wicked men by their very
outward countenance ; for, ordinarily, a proud, haugh-
ty, and unhumbled air is about them; whereas the
grave, heavenly, gentle and fweet behaviour and coun-
tenance of God's people does fometimes fpeak out the
habitation of the Spirit of Chrill in their hearts, and
will diftinguilh them from the hypocrite, that but af-
feds outward gravity,— -When a man comes to his
right
132 T^he Tim e of Need, Ser, XCIL
right mind, then he comes to a right language^ the
language of heaven, inftead of the language of Afli-
■dod ; the earthly mind fpeaks earthly things natively ;
but the heavenly-minded man fpeaks heavenly things
as natively ; for. Out of the abundance of the heart the
mouth fpeaketh, A new heart gives a man a nzw tongue ;
a new heart brings him to new company, and makes
him give up with his old, idle, gracelefs companions,
and affedl ftllowfliip with them who fear God. A new
heart brings him to a new zvaik^ and converfation in
heaven. It is true, the external change is lefs difcer-
nable in thefe who have been civilly and religioufly
educated ; yet there is even as great a difference be-
tween that man before and ^fter converfion, though
he was never fo civil before, as there is between art
and nature, or between fome old art, he learned at the
fchools, and a new nature, he has got from God.
4* If your time of trouble has been a time of love,
then your trouble brought you to fubjnit to trouble,
and chearfully to welcome it as God's fend ; efpcci-
ally if it ihall accomplilli God's gracious defign, to
v/elcomxe it kindly as coming from his hand, efpecially
if he himfelf come along with it : this is called a re-
ceiving it at the hand of God ; Job ii. 10. Shall zee
receive good at the hand of Godf and jljall we not re-
ceive evil ^ We kindly receive good at his hand, and
every good thing we received, w^e ought to have ac-
knov^'ledged the hand of God in giving it, and fo
ought we to receive evil : for example, afflidion and
trouble is God's thunder to awaken fecure fmners ;
now, do you welcome it with this view, and for this
end ? " Lord, let me, by this means, be awakened
'' out of fecurity, and quickened to call upon thee ?"
— Afflidion is God's /i?r^^ and furnace to foften hard
hearts, and to refine bafe metal : do you welcome af-
iTi61:ion coming on this errand ? f^yi^g? *' Now, Lord,
" let my hard heart be broken ; let me be purged and
'• purified, and come forth as gold." — Afflidion is
God's pruning'knfe, for lopping off luxuriant bran-
ches ; do you welcome afflidion, providing it has this
errand? faying, " Lord, let me be pruned and purged ;
<« if
Ser. XCII. a Time ofho^rt. 135
" if by this means I may bring forth more fruit.*'-^
Affliclion is God's fchool^ where he difciplines his chiU
dren, that they may learn obedience by the things they
fufFer : do you welcome afflidion on this errand ? fay-
ing, " May I receive corredion, and be made an obe-
" dient child to my heavenly Father, and have evi-
*' dence of my being not a baftard, but a true child
^' of God. No matter what be the afflidion thou or-
" ders, if thereby I be a partaker of thy holinefs." —
Afflidion is God's ivinnowing windy or fan, to unchafF
his corn, that it may be fit for his garner ; do you
welcome it as coming on this errand ? faying, " Lord,
" let my chaff be blown away, even all the chaff of
*' m.y pride, unbelief, woridlinefs, and carnality, &c.^*
—-Afflidion is God's cye-/aive, for clearing the fight of
his people, that they may fee things to be what they
are : now, do you welcome afflidion, if it may accom-
phfh this end ? Saying, with Job, in his afflidion, chap.
xxxiv. 32. " Tbat which I know not teach thou me ;
*' Jhow me wherefore thou contendejl ; tell me what is
*' the quarrel and ground of controverfy ; and // /
*' have done iniquity ^ let me do fo no more. What 1 know
" not of God, O teach thou me ! What I know not
" about myfelf ; what I know not about Chrift, and
*^ the myfleries of the kingdom of grace, or about the
" myfleries of the kingdom of providence, teach me ;
" make mie know thy way that is in the fanduary,
'* and thy way that is in the fea."
idly^ We now proceed more particularly ^ to confi-
der the particular times of trouble we have met with
in our life-time, and whether or not thefe have been
times of trouble to us. The text leads me to obferve
our particular times, ^hy time was a time of love ; thy
time, who art the favoured and beloved of God. --
What time are theirs ? The text allows me to fpeak
of any time that has paft over thy head, and enquire if
it has been a time of love, of fpecial love, 1 fliall there-
fore fpeak a little, 1. Of fome particular periods of
your time, 2. Of fome particular trials and troubles
of your time, and enquire if they have been a time of
love. As to the
Vol. VL R [i^ The
134 The TiUE of "^EEDy Ser. XCII.
[i.] The particular periods of your time; fuch as
you are, or (hall be capable to difcern, are, the times
of youth, the time of 7niddle-age, the time of old age,
and the time of death / and I would offer you a word
of trial concerning each of thefe. By thefe we may
be led to refleft upon the time of love either paft, pre-
fent, or to come in this world.
(i.) There is the time of youth, that is over with
fome, and prefent with others, and would you know
if your time of youth has been a time of love ? Here
let young perfons confider what is prefent, and older
perfons confider what is pad : and both try if their
time of youth is, or has been, a time of love. Alas !
I fear few have it to fay ; becaufe the mofl: part fpend
their youth in childifli trifles and vanities, little better
than catching butterflies. But if there be any here,
whofe time of youth has been a time of love, it may
be known by thefe four fcriptural marks.
1. Have you been made to remember your Greater in
the days of your youth, according to the commandment
of God, Ecclef. xii. i. ? Have you been brought
to a ferious rememberance of God your Creator, God
your Redeemer ; and to remember him fo as to love
him above all things ? For God has a kindly remem-
berance of young kindnefs ; Thus faith the Lord, I re-
member thee, the kindnefs of thy youth, and the love of
ihine efpoufals, Jerem. ii. 2. To remember him fo as
to feek him above all things ; for God fays, I love
ihem that love me ; and they that feek me early Jloalt
find me.
2. Have you been made to remember the day of
judgment in the day of your youth ? according to that
advertifement, Eccl. xi. 9. Rejoice, 0 young man in thy
youth, and let thy heart chear thee in the days of thy youth,
and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the fight of
thine eyes ; but know thou, that for all thefe things God
will bring thee into judgment. Have you been brought
to know, that for all the fms of your youth, God will
call you to judgment ? Have you got the humbling
knowledge of it fo a? you have born the yoke of hu-
jniliatiozi
Ser. XCIL ^ Ti ME o/* Lo vE« 13^
miliation in your youth ? Lam. ill. 27. It is go&d for a
man that he bear the yoke i?2 his youth. Have you got
the upftirring knowledge of it, fo as to make you reft-
iefs till you was reconciled with the judge, and got
your judge to be your friend ^ God himfelf to be your
God in Chrifl ?
3. Have you been at the fchcol with young Timothy,
of whom it is faid, 2 Tim. iii. 15. That from a Mid
he knew the holy fcriptures ^ which are able to make you
wife unto falvatlon^ through faith which is in Cbriji Je-
fus ? Thefe whofe time of youth has been a time of
love, are verily the ftudents of the fcriptures, and of
the mind of God therein.
4. Have you been afecled with the word, as young
Jofiah was ? of whom it is faid, 2 Kings xxii. 19. That
his heart was tender^ and he humbled himfelf before the
Lord^ when he heard the word of threatening read againft
Jerufalem? To this man will I look j young or old, even
to him that is poor ^ and of a contrite fpir it ^ and that trem-
bled at my word. Did the word of threatening touch
your heart with fear ; and the word of promife touch
your heart with love, delight, and defire ? And does
this work of God upon your heart continue, though
not always at the fame height, and exercife, yet thro'
all the ftages of your after-life, and perfevere to a pro-
grefs in the way of the Lord, and acquaintance with
him ? For fome begin with the Spirit and end with the
fiefli ; they feem to begin their days in heaven, and
end them in hell : but where it is a found work of
God, it is durable ; The path (.f the juj}. is as the fbin-
ing lights that fbineth more and more unto the per feci day^
By thefe things you may try if your time of youth is,
or has been, a time of love.
(2.) There is a time of middle-age, that is pre-
fent with fome of you, and over with others ; will
you try if that is, or has been, a time of love. In-
deed, if your time of youth has been a time of love,
then your time, or riper years, will be fo too ; for.
Whom the Lord lovcs^ be loves to the end* But n^iOre
particularly,
R^ I Lf
3f3^ !r^^ Ti M E df N E ED, Ser. XCIK
1. If your time of ripers years be, or has been a
time of love, then you have got grace to lament the
folly of your youths faying, with the Pfahnift, Pfalm
Ixxix. 8. 0 reiiwnher not againfl us former iniquities*
— - — As you have been convinced of the fm of your
r.ature, heart, and way, fo you have been particularly
challenged for, and made to go heavily under the bur-
den of the fins of your youth. Job was brought to fay,
chap. xiii. 26. nou wrlieft hitter things againfi me^ mak*
eji me to poffefs the fins of my youth. Was never the fm
of your youth bitter to you before the Lord, and made
you cry, with David, Pfalm xxv. 7. Re?nember not the
Jin of my youth ? If you can look back upon the follies
of your youth with pleafure, and are never humbled
before God for them, know that a fm never imbitter-
ed, is a fin never pardoned ; fm never hated, is fin
never purged : but if thy time of riper years, be a
time of love, it will be a time of hating fin, and of hat-
ing thyfclf for all fin, and even the follies of thy youth,
which others make a fport of, as being nothing but the
tricks of youth. God will not he mccked,
2. If thy time of riper years be a time of love, It
will be a time of ripaiingfor eternity^ by redeeming
the time that is pail in idlenefs, wickednefs, and folly ;
jiccording to the call of God, Ephef. xv. 16. See then
that you walk clrcuwfpe^'y^ not as fools ^ hut as vjife^ re*
deeming the time. If you never began to redeem time,
you never yet have had a time of love, O llighter and
contemner of time, that knows not T/hat to do with thy
time, that idles and trifles it away, and has little or no
remorfe what time thou mifpendell: in idle work, idle
talk, idle converfation, idle company ; thou knoweft
nothing of a time of love ; for time's redemption be-
gins with it. And now, that thou are come to thy mid-
dle-age, it is full time to redeem time, as thou wouldft
not be plunged unawares into eternity.
3. If thy time of riper years be, or has been a time
of love, then it will be your defire and endeavour to
give ih^i frength of time and days to God, and his fer-
■vice, that others give to the devil, and their lufts.-—
The time of middle-age is ^ time pf fcrvice aniongfl
jnen.
Ser.XCII. aTiuEo/Lovtl f^y
men, then they are mod fit for temporal fervice in
their day and generation : even fo, if we be fervants
to God at all, that time of life is mofl fit and proper
for glorifying, and honouring, and doing fomething for
his glory, and the good of our own fouls, and the fouls
of others, and accordingly will be thus occupied, if
our time in that period be a time of love : for, as his
time of love begets love, fince we loved himy becaufe
he firjl loved us ; fo, accordingly to the meafure of our
love, fuch will be the meafure of our fervice with de-
light, from a principle of love. There may be a va^
riety of changes in the meafure and manner of this lov-
ing fervice : but this will be the habitual buHnefs of the
plan's life, whofe time is a time of love, then it will
be a time of fervice; and, as Jacob's love for Rachel
made his fervice pleafant, much more will the love of
Chrifl conflrain to ferve him.
4, If thy time of riper years be a time of love, then
it will be a growing t'wie ; as you grow in years fo will
you grow in grace, and in the knoivledge of the Lord and
Saviour Jefus Cbrift, 1 Peter iii. 18. This vAW hold
true of all the children of grace, notwithftanding of all
their winter decayings, yet they have alfo their fprlng-
times of reviving and reftoration, vaftly different from
all the changes of frames and moods that may be a-
mong hypocrites ; for, when the Lord reilorcs his
children's frame, he together with it, reftores their foul ^
and leads ihein in the paths of right equfnejs, for his name's
fake, Pfalm xxiii. 3. And there they walk and go on
in xh^Jirength of the Lord, and from Jlre?7gth fofrcjigth,
prejfing towards the mark for the pri%e of the high calling
of God — Thus you may try if the time of your middle-
age be a time of love.
(3.) There is the time of old-age that fome are
brought to. You that are come to it will you try if
your time of old-age be a time of love ? In order to
your trial, you may tell me,
I, What is the y^rr<?w of your old-age? Is (he fin
of your youth, and of your riper age, the forrow and
grief of your age? Is it your forrow and grief before
God that fo much time has been loft, fo many oppor-
tunities
t38 7'/55 Time g^NEED, Ser, XCII^
tunities mifimproven, and fo little good has been got
and done by you ? May you not fay with Jacob to
Pharaoh, Genefis xlvii. 9. Few and evil have the days
of the years of my Ufe been f Do you reckon you have
lived no longer than fince you began to live unto God ?
Is it your grief that you have lived fo little from him
as your principle, and to him as your end, and that
you lived fo long without him ?
a. What is t\\tjoy of your old-age ? If it be a time
of love, thert as fm will be the grief, fo Chrift will be
the joy of your old-age : when your joy and comfort
in the world is withering and dying. Is your joy in
the Lord Jefus beginning to live ? They are the true cir-
cumdfion^ that rejoice in Chriji Jefus. Sorrow for fin,
and joy in Chrift the Saviour, are very confident ;
yea, true forrow for fin, cannot be without joy in the
Lord ; and true joy in the Lord, cannot be without
forrow for fin : and if this be your forrow and your joy
in old-age, it is a time of love.
3. What is the crown of your old-age ? Solomon
fays, Prov. xvi. 31. The hoary head is a crown of glory ^
if it he found in the way of righteoufnefs. Is the righte-
oufnefs of Chrift your crown ? Is righteoufiiefs his im-
puted for your juftification, your crown to cover you be-
fore God ? Is his righteoufnefs of grace imputed for
your fandification, your crown for adorning you, and
making you all glorious within, and being the principle
of holinefs and righteoufnefs of life andconverfation be-
fore men ? Is this the crown of your old-age : And is
Chrift himfelf your crown, as the Lord your rlghteouf
nefs and firength.
4. What is iht flaf&i your old-age ? Is the word
of grace and promife the ftaff you lean upon for fup-
port and comfort in all your tribulations and difficulties ;
Do you walk and worfliip with this ftaff ; as Jacob
worjhlpped^ leaning upon the top of his fiaffy in a common
fenfe, Heb. xi. 21. ; fo do you worlhip, leaning on
the ftaff of the divine promife. And are you refolved
to walk through death with this ftaff", faying, Though
I walk through the valley and [loadow of death, I will
fear no evil ; for thou art with we, thy rod and Jiaff
ih^y
Ser. XCII. a Timed/ Love. 139
they comfort me f Pfalni xxiii. 4. Has God put this
flaif in your hand, and you refolve never to quit with
it, but (till to lean upon his word, and hope in his word ?
If fo, it is a time of love.
(4.) There is the time of death a-coming ; and
would you know whether that will be a time of love ?
Some go to the devil, or his inflruments, to know what
death they will die ; but if you go to God, and his
word, you may know indeed what death you will die,
I mean, whether you will die in the favour of God, or
if your time of death fhall be a time of love. Would
you know what will come of you at death, and how
it will fare with you ? Whether you will fall in the lap
of God's everlafting love, or fall into the fire of his
everlafting wrath, when death comes, which may be
nigh at hand ? Why,
1. A time of love in life will certainly end in a time
of love at death ; for death cannot fcparate from the
love of God ^ once manifefled, Rom. viii. 38. If you
be fure then of a time of love now, whether in youth,
or riper age, or old age, you may be fure that the time
of death will be a time of love alfo ; for, He rejis in
his love,
2. And more particularly, if Chrifl be your life now.
Col. iii. 3, 4. Te are dead^ and your life is hid zuith
Chriji in God. If to you to live is Chri/i^ then to die
will be gain^ Phil. i. 21. Is Chrift the hope of your
life, the joy of your life, the ftrength of your life, the
glory of your life, the Alpha and Omega of your life ?
Have you come to him for life ? And do you live on
him as your life ? And do you reckon your life without
him, to be but death ? Then your time of death w^ill
be a time of love.
3. If Chrift be in you by his Spirit^ then the time of
death will be a time of love : for this is the well of
water fpringing up to everlajling life^ John iv. 14. Jf
any man hath not the Spirit of Chriji^ he is none of his.
But if you have the Spirit of Chrift, he will abide with
you for ever, John xiv. 16. This is the earneft of the
inheritancCj as he is a fandifying and comforting Spi-
rit ^
I40 fT^^ Time (5/^ Need, Ser. XCH^^
rit ; a Spirit of prayer and praife ; a Spirit of grace
and love, a Spirit of faith and of a found mind.
4» Your time of death will be a c>/ne of love, if the
Ji'mg of death be taken away by the Lamb of Gody who
takes away the fin of the world. Now, is fin taken away
in the guilt and rule of it ? How fliall 1 know that, fay
you ? Why, do you flee to Chrift for pardon of fir^
as he is the Lord your rlghteoufnefs f And do you flee
to Chriil for vi^fory over fm as he is the Lord your
Jirength f And do you ever win to rejoice in his par-
doning grace, having fome peace of confcience in the
faith of his atoning blood ? And do you ever win to
jrejoice in his victorious grace, having fome begun vic-
tory, and fome hope of full vi6lory over fni ? Why
then, according to the meafure of this freedom from
fin, which is the fling of death, fuch may be the mea-
fure of your affurance, that the time of death will be a
time of love ; and you may fmg in the view of it with
Paul, 0 death ! zuhere is thy fling f 0 grave ! where
is thy vidoryf Thanks he to God^ who giveih us the
mRory^ through Jefits Chrifi our Lord, i Cor. xv. k^.
If you know none of thefe things in any meafure, you
then have no ground, as yet, to conclude but that your
time of death will be a time of wrath, and a porch to
eternal death.
[2.] As to the next thing, *viz, the particular iron*
hies and trials of your time, by which you may try the
lime of love : I cannot now infift upon them ; 1 only
mention thefe two at the time.
I. Perhaps your time, at prefent, is a time o^ fear
and ferplemy about your state, not knowing if it be
a flate o^ grace ; fearing you know nothing of commu-
nion with God, or of the power of religion ; and you
would undcrllaiKl, if it is poflible that fuch a time
may be a iiine of love^ and how it mav be known ?
Why,
(i.) Some of the Lord's people may have commu-
nion with God, and experience of the power of godli-
nefs, and yet not be ajjured of it, becaufe they have
not that meafure of it they would defire to have. — It
is communion with God;> when you have a dealing
with.
SfiRo XCII. /jTime^Love. i4r
with God, and God with you ; when you afk, and he
gives ; you knock, and he fometimes opens a door ot
liberty unto you. — There is fomewhat of the power of
rehgion, when at times you find your indifpofition for
duty, and that you can no more pray than remove a
mountain ; yet, behold quickly the Lord loofes your
bonds, turns your darknefs to light, your hard heart to
a foft heart ; and you pour it out like water ; here is
the finger of God ; and thefe things demonftrate a
ii?ne of love ^ an intereft in God, acquaintance with him,
fellowfliip with him, and the power of his way^ thougli
you difcern it not.
(2.) Is thy fear in this matter not a lazy^ idle fear,
but an afl'ive^ diligent fear, itirring thee up to be about
the Lord's hand, and his way ? Some have an idle con*
cern : they are eafy though they know not their ftate ;
they reckon it only the privilege of fome, and attainable
by few ; and therefore no matter though they have it
not. This looks like a total want of the knov/ledge of
God and his way. But does your concern make you
diligent ? and are you as humble, holy, and circum-
fpeS in your darknefs, as others are in their light of
alTurance ? There is hope in Jfrael concei-nmg thee^ that
thy time is a time of love, notwithllanding thy dark-
nefs.
2. Perhaps your time of particular trouble is a time
Qi beavinefs with refped to temporal calamities. I fhall
'iay no more of this at the time, but to refer you to
Pfal. Ivii, I. What is your refuge in a day o^ calamity f
If your time of calamity be a time of love, then fuch
will be your exercife. Two things take place in all
God's children in times of calamity, if faith be any
way exercifed ; and in none eife but them.
(1,) They have a refuge^ and God only is their re-
fuge ; they are obliged to abandon all other refuges ;
and though they may ufe means, as well as others, yet
they have no other refuge but God, that they run to,
as Hal. cxliii. 9/ J flee to thee to hide me ; or, as it is in
the Hebrew, ,1 hide me with thee. They have
FaO other refuge but the fecret of God's prefence, and
Vol, VI, ■ ■ '" S- the
14^ T^Jf Time o/Need, Ser. XCIH-
the fhadow of his wings : they are brought ofF from
all confidence in themfelvcs, and in the creatures.
(2.) They are humbled to be content with a refuge
■without a delivery ; even though the day of calamity
be not over, yet they can rejoice in their refuge, till
the day of calamity overpafs. They can rejoice m
God, as a promifer, even when he is not yet a perfor-
mer ; and reft on a promife, without a performance ;
In a refuge, without a delivery. Try if you know
any thing of this, and if your time of trouble has been
a time of loic^
SERMON XCIII.
EzEK. XVf. 8.
Isow^ when I pajfed by thee and looked iifon thee ; he"
holdy thy time was a time of love ^
[The fourth Sermon on this Text.]
BETWEEN the time of life^ and the time of
deaths our concern fhould be, that a time of love
interveen. Solomon fpeaks of a fmie to he born^ and a
time to die ; intimating, that there is no time to live^
that we can promife upon ; and therefore, between
our birth and our death, our main care fliould be to
have a time of love ; for, if death prevent us before
we know that^ wo will be to us that ever we were born.
As fire kindles fire, and one flame lightens another ;
fo. nothing more reafonably demands love, than love ;
and no love fo powerfully commands love again, as
the love of God : our love cannot but be befl laid out
upon one who is fo far before -hand with us, that even,
before time, prevented us : he provided for our cure,
before ever we had received our wounds; for our heal-
ing, before we had contrafled our difeafes \ for our
dclU
Ser. XCIII. ^ Ti m e ^ L o V e. 143
deliverance, before we had been ruined ; for our re-
demption, before we were in thraldom ; for our rifmg,
before we were fallen ; and for our advancement to hea-
ven, before we were become heirs of hell. Thus was
our kind Redeemer rejoicing in the habitable parts of the
earthy and his delights were with the fins of men. The
time wherein he vents his love is ftrange, even the
time when we are moft worthy of his wrath, and un-
worthy of his love.
In the preceding difcourfe, v/e mentioned two evi«
dences, to know if the particular troubles and trials of
our time were ti?nes of love> We intend at prefent to
inlarge a little further upon this point. Try then if
your ti?ue of need be his time of love ^ fmce infinite wif-
dom ufes to make thefe two meet in the experiences of
his own people, whofe time in this world is a time
of tribulation, wherein yet he has faid. In me ye Jhall
have peace. What ti?ne of need is it with you ? Why,
fay you,
!• " My time is a time of wa7it^ even of outward
*' want and poverty. I have very hard living in the
*' world ; and can fuch a time be a time of love ?'^
Ans w. Yea, it may be a time of love, if your want
and poverty be weaning you from the v/orld, and win-
ing you to Chriil, in whom is all ftore of provifion ;
and if you be living upon his promife and providence.
Know you what it is to live upon fuch a promife as that,
Ifa. xxxiii. 16. Bread Jhall be given him^ dnd his zvater
Jhall be fare f Have you got the faith of his providence,
that he feeds the ravens and clothes the lilies ; and there-
fore you rely upon him for provifion, though you fliould
be kept, as it were, from hand to mouth ? Chrilt fays
to the church of Smyrna, ] know thy poverty ; but thou
art rich^ Rev. ii. 9. It may be faid of fome, Clirilt
knows their riches, but they are poor, not having Chrift
for their flock and ftore : but happy they of Vv'honi
he fays, I know thy poverty ; but thou drt rich ; rich in
faith, rich in grace ; however poor in hand, yet they
are rich in bond, by virtue of the bond of the covenant,
wherein they have Chrift bound for their fupport in
^ prefent wprld.— — If you know any VS-.m of tlii.s,
S a ' vcur
144 The Tiu^ ofNEE d, Ser. XCIII.
your time may be a time of want^ and yet a iim^ of
love,
2. " But, fays another, my time is a time oi inward,
*' zvant^ fpiritual want ; want of faith, and want of
«' grace ; and can fuch a time be a time of love ?"
Answ. It may be fo, if you arc Imm bled under a
fenfe of your want, and really fee your want and po^
verty in fpiritual things, you may reckon the Lord
thinks upon you \\\th i/jwgbts of peace and not of evif,
to groe you an une^peBed end. 1 am poor and needy ^ but
-the Lord thinks upon vu^ Pfalm xl. ij. Yea, you may
reckon that the Lord looks towards you with an eye
of pity, To this man will I looky even to hi?n that is poory
iind of a contrite fpirlty and trembleth at my word^ Ifaiah
Ixxi. a. " And again, if your want and poverty com*
mends Chrifl and his fulnefs to you ; To them that be*
licve he is precious : and even to them who believe their
own want and his fulnefs ; who beheve their utter in-
fufficiency, and his infinite all-fufficiency ; who believe
they are nothing, and he is all in all.-'— If you be kept
empty, and fenfible of your utter want, fo as to have
no confidence in yourfelves, or in the flefh. and hence
find no caufe of rejoicing, but only in Chrift, and hia
fulnefs, and dependent upon that, your time of want
is a time of love. Blejfed cire the poor in fpirit ; far
theirs is the kingdom of heaven^ Matth. v. 3.
3, Say ycu, " My time is a time of guilt ; I have a
<* fenfe of much guilt lying upon my confcience ; and
" can that be a time of love, which is a time of the
** prevalency of fin, and the preifure of guilt ?''
Answ. It may be a time of love in the following
cafes — If the prevalency of fin be hujnhling you to the
duff, faying, 0 wretched man that I am I whojhall de^
liver me from this body of fin and death ? — If the pref-
fure of guilt be leading you to the fountain of Chrifi's
blood for cleanfing. — If the pardon of fin be highly va-
lued by you, above all things in this world, faying,
BleJJed is the man whofe iranfgrejfion is forgiven^ and ta
whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, And if at any
time the fenfe of pardon, or the hope of pardon, melt
your beartj and make you fear to oflcftd any more, and
. sfraid
Ser. XCIIL a Time of Love* j4^
afraid of falling into fin, and lead you to fay, Hence-
forth we zviil not go back ; quicken us, and we will call
upon thy name, PTaL Ixxx. i8. — Do you get any grace
to hate fin, and to refolve a war againfl it? grace to
hope for viftory at laft, though you fhould fight all your
life ? And arc you made fometimes to fight in hope of
full vi£lory through Chrift, faying, I thank God, thro^
Jefus Chriji.- In this cafe, thy time ol fenfihle guilt ^
and of the prevalency of nn, may notwithftanding be
a time of love,
4. Say you, " My time is a time o{ weahuefs ; I fmd
" no ftrength for duty, no ability for work or wor-
" (liip that God calls me to \ and can that be a time
^' of love?"
A NSW. Why, even that time may be proven to be
a time of love. If the fenfe of thy weaknefs drives
thee out of thjfelf to the ftrength and fufficiency of
Chrift, faying with the apoftle, Not that we arc fuffici-
e?it of ourfelves^ to think any thing as cf ourfelves, but
our fufficiency is of God, 2 Cor. iii. 5. — Do you know^,
when you are weak in yourf elves, then to ht: ftrong in
the Lord ; flrong in the grace that is in Chrijl ?— When
you find in yourfelves no grace to pray, yet even then
have you gone to prayer, and found ftrength before
you was aware, fo as you could fay, In the day when I
cried, thou anfweredfi me ; and ftrengihemdjl ?nc, with
Jlrength in my foul, Ffalm cxxxviii. 3. 1 found my foul
weak and without ftrength ; but when I began to try
in that cafe, he ftrengthened me with his fecret power,
his invifibie hand. — Did you find, that he who brings
light out of darknefs, brought ftrength out of weak-
jiefs ? And is your weaknefs fometimes the cccafion of
magnifying and fetting off the ftrength of Chrift ? ac-
cording to 2 Cor. xii. 9. My grace f: all be fufficient for
you, and iny ftrength Jhall be perfeEl in thy weaknefs, — ^
And arc you thence fometimes made to glory in your in-.
firmities, that the power of Chrifi may refi upon you ? and
content that your ftock of ftrength is not in your cwa
hand, but in Chrift's ? Bleffed is the ?nan whofc ftrength
is in thee. In this cafe, your time of zveakmfs may
fcq ^ tm of lov^^
146 "^hs T I M E e/" ^^ ^ E D, Ser. XCIIL
5. " Perhaps your time is a time of difficulty^ about
•^^ feme piece of work, fome ftep of your pilgrimage,
" wherein you know not what to do \ can fuch a time
** be a time of love ?'*
, Answ. Yea, it may, in the following cafes. Are
you getting grace to fpread the cafe before the Lord^
to acquaint him with your cafe, according to that call.
In all thy ways acknowledge him^ and he jhall direct thy
Jieps f — Do you co?mnit the guiding of your ways to
him, according to that, Pfal. xxxvii. 5. Commit thy ways
to the Lord ; tru/l alfo in him^ and he will bring it to
tafs f Though you fee no lights nothing but darknefs.
It is a fign he will direO: according to his promife ;
I will lead the blind in ways they know not ; and in
paths idhich they have 7iot trode.-^Axt you zvaiting on
him for his promifed conduct, according to that pro-
mife ; They Jhall hear a ^voice behind them faying^ This
is the way walk ye in it f Thy time of difficulty is a time
of love ; He will guide thee with his eye,
6. Say you, " My time is a time of great affliEli-
^^ on ; affliclion on my body, afflidion on my foul, af-
" fii<5lion in my family ; how fliall I know if this time
" of afliidion be a time of love V^
Answ. It is fo in the following cafes. Are you
helped to c aft your burden on the Lord^ to roll this cafe
upon him ? — Do you fee the wifdom of God in afflicting
you, the hoUnefs o^ Godi^ the fait bful^efs of God ^ the
7?iercy and love of God in your affliclion ? Do you fee
his name ? — Are you brought to fubmit to God, and
put yourfelf in his hand, to lay the rod on your back as
he pleafes, if it be needful ? And efpecially to look
to him {ox fan6lifying the i*od, and concerned rather to
have affliftion fandified, than removed, faying, O let
the wind blow, till my chaff be blown away ; let the
fire burn, till my drofs be purged out, 6"^.^^Thy time
or affliclion is a time of love,
7. " Oh ! but my time, fay you, is a time of rebeU
** lion and incorrigiblenefs ; tho* I have been afflided,
" yet 1 am not the better ; I find my heart rebelling
" againft his chaftifements ; and that though he hides
*' hijnfelf d.ndfmitcSi yet / go on frowardly injhe way
(C
Ser. XCIII. « Ti ME ^ Love, r^j
" of my heart, as it is faid, Ifa. Ivii. 17. I find cor»
" ruption irritated by the crofs, and enmity ftrong j can
«' fuch a time be a time of love ?'*
Answ. It may be terrible, indeed, to think of thy
rebellion agai nil word and rod ; yet thy time notwith-
(landing all this may be a time of love ; if thy enmity
be affliding to thee, and thou heavily lamented: it be-
fore the Lord, faying, " Lord, thou feed nothing will
" do with me ; no word, no rod ; fuch is the power
" of fm and enmity : nothing but a fovercign ftcp of
** grace will overcome me ; therefore, See my waysy
" and heal me, in a way of fovereign grace :" And
doft thou therefore cad thyfelf down at the throne of fo-
vereign grace, that thou mayeft be conquered, pitied^
and faved in this way ? Art thou complaining of thy
enmity before God, and of thy incorrigiblenefs, and
waiting upon God for more and more of his power ex-
erted for deftroying it, and delivering thee ? *There is
hope in Jfrael concerning thee, that thy time is a time of
love ; he will fee thy ways, and heal thee.
But, fay you, *• My time is a time of divine dbfence
" and anger ; I think the Lord has call me off \ and
*' can fuch a time be a time of love ?"
Answ. Yea, it may be a time of love, notwithftand-
ing thefe apprehenfions of thine : if in this cafe thou
art endeavouring, through grace, to look to the tem-
ple of God, faying, with Jonah, chap. iii. 4. I faid, I
am cafi out of thy fight ; yet I will look again to thy holy
temple, — Art thou out of the belly of hell crying to God ;
and againft hope believing in hope, looking and longing
for the rifing of the Sun of righteoufnefs, and a reviv-
ing in the bondage ? — And while he is abfent and an-
gry, can you fay, 'The defire ofyourfoid is to his name f
A behever at his loweft, may be known by his hidden
and holy defire.
Qu EST. When is the defire holy ?
Answ. i. When you defire to htjuflifed, that you
may h^fanftifed ; or to be pardoned, that you may be
purified. 2. When you defire to h^ faved, that God
may hz glorified ; or to have happinefs, that God may
have honour^
Again,
J4% ns T 1 M.E ^/ N if E D, S E R. X€IH.
Again, try xh(t time of love by the remarkable-
>fEss of that time. And here 1 would offer two things,
for helping your trial, i. The remarkable />^r//. 2.
The remarkable attendants or properties of the time of
love.
i/?5 Try the remarkable parts of it ; I mean, r,
'lihe conmiencemeni, or morning of it. 2. The progrefsy
or mid-day, of the time of love ; for it never has an
evening.
1. One of the remarkable /^r/j of it is the coinmence-
tnent thereof ; preparatively, by the lawj effectively, by
the gofpel.
(1.) Preparativelyj by the law; giving a view of fin,
and the wrath of God for fm ; for people never value
the revelation of the love of God in the gofpel, unlefs
they have got a revelation of the wrath of God in the
law : has ever the commandment come ? Was you ever
brought to the foot of Sinai, and there got you a dif-
•cover y of your fm and guilt, and of the wrath of God
you deferve, making you tremble, and fear hell and
damnation, faying. Oh ! what Jhall I do f I cannot
live, and I dare not die : what Jhall I do to he faved ?
Have you come under the fpirit of bondage and con-
viftion ?
(2.) Effeclively^ by the gofpel ; the law breaks the
hard heart, but the gofpel melts it. A (tone duly bro-
ken, may be ftili a hard (tone : but the gofpel melts,
the Sun of righteoufnefs diffolves, and that partly, by
the revelation of niercy to the fmful^ g^j^^Y creature ;
partly, by the particular offer of mercy ; here is mercy
for you, a Chrift for you, falvation for you, that defer-
red damnation y O this melts ! And partly, by the
Spirit of faith, given to fall in with the gofpel, and
receive Chrift for wifdom^ righteoufriefs, fan^ifcation^
and redemption^ and to inlift with Jefus Chrift. Then
the time of love n commenced in the foul.
2. The other remarkable />jr/ of the time of love ^ is
the progrefs thereof. The time of love is continued,
and the defign of love carried on mere and more.
And that^
(I.) By
Ser. XCIIL a Time of L o v e. i0
(i.) By /<?^^>6//?^^ ordinances ; ^"^ faith comes by hear*
ing ; foithe increafe of faith by hearing more and more.
(2.) By fealing ordinances, and folemn occafions ;
tjiey. fee his power and glory in the fanduary ; get her a
a little and. there a little. And,
(3.) By croffcs '&x\(\ judgments ; for, By this Jhall thS'
iniquity of Jacob be purged ; and this is the fruit of ally
to take away fin* It was good for me that I was afflidedy
for now I have learned thy law,
■ (40" Sy. mercies outward and inward ; they are
brought to fear the. Lord and his goodncfs ; get new
difcoveries of his glory from time to time ; new com-
munications of his grace, new reilorations after de-
cays ; He rejloreth my fold ; and new converfions, as
it is faid to Peter, When then art converted^ flrengthen
thy brethren ; and David, Reftors to me the joy of thy
fahation ; then will I teach.tranfgreffors thy way. They
get new excitations and upftirrings ; new drawings,
new quickenings, new gales of the Spirit, By thefe
means the time of love is continued, even to the belie-
ver's fenfe now and then ; and the defign of love car-
ried on. This is the progrefs thereof.
2dly^ Try the //V/zcT c/'/oi'^ by the remarkable j//^?;^-
anfs and properties thereof.
(i.) Try it by the remarkable attendants of it.
I only mention two of them.
I. It is attended with remarkable /Jij-zcfr, Pfal ex. 3.
The ti?ne of love is called a day of power ; but how
can thi.s power be remarked ? ¥7hy, how do we re-
mark the pov/er of God in the works of creation, but
by the effects thereof in the vifibie heavens, fun, moon,
and ftars ? fo, how do \vz remark the power of God
in the work of grace, but by this effed thereof, our
being made wilUng ? The invilible pov^er of God may
be known by this effefb. But many fay, they are
willing, who are not truly fo;
Q^UEST. When is one made truly wiiiirtgl
Aksw, There are four properties of tTAje wilhngf^
nefs. r
(1.) It is a />/^^/rzw/ wiliingnefs^ not conftrained-by^
t^erroror dread only j but" made freely willing, plea-
Vol. VU T fantly
750 ne Tius e/" N E E D, SfiR. xciir.
fantly willing. And this pleafant willingnefs bath two
things in it, joy and generofity. It has Joy in it ; the
man is glad to /ell ally thai he may buy the pearL It
has generoftty in it ; he would give a wolrd for Chrift ;
nay, a thoufand worlds for him, had he them at his
command,
(2.) It is a /rf,^/2/ willingnefs ; the man goes in pre-
fently to the call, according to that, Now is the accep-
ted ti?ne, now is the day of falvation. Many are con-
tent of Chrift for the future, and they delay till fome
other time ; but they are not for Chrift's beings a pre-
lent portion : it is otherwife with fuch who are made
willing.
(3.) It is a peremptory willingnefs : the foul fays,
O I I mufi have Chrift ; I cannot want him ; I can-
not live without him ; I cannot die v/ithout him^ ; I
perifh without him : give me Chrift, or elfe I die.
(4.) It is an iiniverfal willingnefs ; the foul is made
willing to have Chrift for fandification, as well as
righteoufnefs ; to be faved from fm, as well as from
wrath ; to have Chrift and his crofs, as well as Chrift
and his crown.
2. It is attended with remarkable light and know-'
ledge^ 2 Corinth, iv. 6. Try then your time of love
by its being a time of light, and faving knowledge. —
And this knowledge is remarkable for thefe four pro-
perties.
( I .) It is a down cafiing knowledge and light ; The
bftinefs of man is brought low^ and the Lord alone exalte
edy Ifaiah ii. 11. Other knowledge and learning puf-
feth up ; the more a man has of it, he is the more
proud : but this knowledge cafts him down to the
duft, down to the ground ; it cafts down felf, and
felf-righteoufnefs, felf-wifdom, felf-love^^ and felf-feek-
ing.
(2.) It is an up'!ifti)2g knowledge ; it exalts Chrift
ia the heart, and lifts up the heart in the ways of the
Lord, in refped of fatisfadion ; it brings in fatisfac-
tion to the heart and confcience : this water being
given, the man thirfts no mare, in refpeS of abfolute
wanty
Ser. XCIII, a Time ofluO^t. ijr
want, Johiriv. r4. ^Nothing fatisfics him but this
knowledge of Chrift j or, rather this Chrift made
known.
(3.) It is 2iftn^ular knowledge ; fingular in refpe6i:
of the obje£t, author, and fubjeft. The ohjecl is a
God in Chrifl: ; whatever men know, if they know
not God, in Chrift, they are miferable ; though they
had all fcriptural knowledge, if they want the know-
ledge of Chrift, // 7nay be /aid of them^ they know nothing
as they ought to know. In paradife, there were many
trees, and every one good ; but only one tree of life :
in the fcriptures, many truths, and all good ; but there
is only one tree of life there ; and we perifh, if we
eat not that. — The Author of this knowledge is God ;
Flejh and blood has not revealed thefe things to ihee^ but
viy Father who is in heaven. — The fuhjeHs are ordina-
rily i^oox babes ^ who have neither wifdom nor prudence,
in refped of other? in the world ; / thank thee^ 0 Fa-
ther^ Lord of heaven and earthy that thou hajl hid thefe
things from the wife and -prudent^ and hafi revealed them
to babes y Mat. xi. 25. Some are capable of this know-
ledge of Chrift, that are not capable of other learning.
— A w^ooden candleftick can hold a candle as well as
a filver one ; fo are thefe capable of the knowledge
of Chrift, that are deftitute of outward ornaments and
literature.
(4.) It is a warming and working light and know-
ledge. We know fo much of Gocl and Chrift, as we
are affe£led, touched, and wrought upon. It is faid,,
Jer. ii. 8. They thai handle the laiv^ know not God. •
Some may handle the law, and yet not know God ;
they may handle the gofpel, and yet not know Chrift,
by his fpecial, fmgular, and faving knowledge : they
may have a vaft deal of head knowledge ; but a fpark
in the heart is worth a torch in the brain. The know-
ledge of Chrift feeds all graces. It feeds/;////? ; They
ihat know his tmme will put their iruft in him. It feeds
repentance ; They Jhall look on him whom they have pierc-
ed^ and mourn. It feeds /o^'^; they only who know
him to be altogether lovely^ do truly love him. It feeds
all grace ; ftrengthening all grace.— — Examine thig
T % knovv"
If s% The T I M^ o/Ne^ p, S e r. XGIIB
knowledge^ and be fure you find the/difference be-^
tween it and the forni of knowledge ^ whicHi^^y^r warms
the heart, or works any change in you: it is but like
the fun painted upon a 'board -for a fign ; you call it
a fun J but it has no fun-iightj no fun-influence, no
fun-warmth ; fo you may call that the knowledge of
ChriH:, which hypocrites and profane gracelefs men
luay have j you may call it knowledge, but it is but
ixform, a fhadow. a picture : there i^ nothing of the
light, heat, and influence that w^ill take place when
you come to the true light, — < — Examine yourfelf by
thcfe jtbings.
[2.] There are fome remarkable properties of
the ii/ne of love, by which you may try.
J, It is a time of remarkable y^j/- and y^^rr^z-ic; ; for-
rowing for ftn, and yet rejoicing in the Lord : T/jey
fhall come with i^eeping ; and with fiippHcations I %aill
had them ; or v/lth favour, Jer. xxxi, 9. He leads
them with weeping, and with Trnging ; weeping, for
their fms ; and Tinging, for his favours. The tme of
/i?^•^ is called. Song ii. 11. a time of the fingingof b'lrds^
and the voice of the turtle ; which, applied to the be-
liever, is his mournful notes. It is remarkable, that
the book of Lamentations is all poetical : every chap*
ter, except the third, has twenty-two verfes ; and eve*
ry verfe begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet ;
the firfl verfe with the firll: letter, Aleph \ the feeond
verfe, with the fecon(i letter, Beth ; and fo on to the
clofe : and the third chapter has fiXty-fix verfes, and
every three verfes begins with a letter thereof, three
times over ; the firfl three verfes begins with the hrft
letter, tliree times over ; the feeond three verfes, be-
ginning with the feeond letter, three times over, and
fo on. What is the meaning of all this, but to fhow,
that a time of mourning and lamentation may be to
the Lord's people a time of mirth and holy muhc ?
And ordinarily it is fo : and when hath the believer
more joy than when in a flood of tears before the
Lord ?
2. It is a time affrayer } ^n^ very remarkable for
' , QjJEST.
SeR. XCIII. 'i7TlME o/'LovE. 355
Q^£ST. What is there remarkable in the prayers of
thefe^ whofe time is a time of love ?
A N s w. There are two remarkable outpour! ngSj
I'is. the outpouring of the Spirit^ inentioned, Zech.
xii. 10. ; and the outpouring of the hearty mentioned,
Pfalm Ixii. 8. When thefe two concur, then it difco-
vers a time of love. At other times prayer comes drop
by drop, as water out of a flill ; but then it comes
plentifully as water out of a fountain. See Ifaiah*
XX vi. 16,
3. It is a time of prai/e-, the heart is filled with
the high praifes of God, And this heart exercife takes
in both admiration and invitation : admirotioii ; O
wonder ! fays the foul, that ever God manifefled his
love to the like of me. What am /, or my father* s houfe ?
Invitation^ to all the creatures to help them to praife j
0 let fun ^ moon y and ft ars praife him* This feems to
be the temper of the heavenly harpers in their halelu-
'yXi^^ Traife ye the Lord \ importing, that they cannot
praife him ; therefore let all the creation help us to
praife ; Fraife ye the Lord,
4. It is a time of love^ a loving time ; for love ma-
nifelted begets love ; the love of God kindles love in
us in the time of love : and it is remarkable in twa
things. The love that refults from the manifefling of
divine love, gives, _/?r/? the heart ; ^nd fecondly the
HAND to the Son of God. — The heart ; My fon^
give me thy heart. Many fay they love ChriR, and yet
give their heart to the world, and to their lulls ) but as-
Delilah faid to Samfon, Judg, xvi, 15. How canfzthou
fay^ that thou love ft me^ when thy heart is not toward
me ? So, how can you fay, that you love Chrifl:, when
your heart is not toward him, but given away to other
lovers ? If Chrifl be your treafure, your heart will be
fet upon him. — Again, the hand is given to him, to
ferve and work for him : we read of the labour of love.
As Jacob ferved for love to Rachel, fo the love of
Chrift conftrains to his fervice ; If ye love me^ keep my
com7nandments. It is true, the believer's heart may fre-
quently mifgive hmi, and then he draws away his hand
too ; but this i^ not a<Sed like a believer j this is his
burden
154 K^ Time 9^NfiEb, Ser-XCIII.
burden and difeafe ; and he is never himfclf till his
heart and hand be both given to the Son of God,— —
Try yourfelf by thefe things.
We fhall now (hut up our prefent exercife, with a
fiiort addrefs to you whofe iime^ either formerly has
been, or at prefent is a time of love. And our advice
to you is, O render unto the Lordy lomefor love. And to
induce you hereunto.
1. Confider, how abfolutely free^ unmerited^ and undC'
ferved his love was to you. There was nothing that
could induce him to love you : every thing about you
was wretchednefs and mifery, as we endeavoured to
fhew in tracing the connexion where our text Hes.
You was lying in your bloody no eye to pity you : and yet,
in thefe deplorable circumftances, in his pafling by.
Behold^ your time was a time of love. It was (aid of Ma-
r}'', that Ihe loved much^ becaufe much was forgiven her.
Well, fee that you love the Lord more than ever, be-
caufe much iniquity hath been forgiven you, and
much love conferred upon you. Thy ti?ne was a ttjne
of love,
2. Confider, in order to perfwadeyou to render him
love for lovey that he was before-hand in his love towards
you : his love prevented yours : and if it had not been
fo, your ii?ne could never have been a time of love. —
Therefore, fays the apoftle. We love hi?n, becaufe hefirft
loved us, I John iv. 19. Let the priority of his love
to you, influence you to love him. Behold, ihy ti?ne
was a time of love I
3. Confider, what an agreeable and comfortable time
Vour tijiie of love was, when he brought you into the
mnquetting houfe, and difplayed his banner of love over
you. When you was enjoying thefe love-calls, love-
vifits, love-tokens, love-looks, and feafting upon the
loving-kindnefs of God ; how was your foul ravifhed
with his love ! Were you not made to cry out, 0 the
height, the breadth, the depth, and the length of ihe love
of God! Should not this then be a powerful motive to
engage you to render him love for love f And, is it
not the bed way to have his love-interviews continued
with
Ser. XCIV. ^TiME^^LovE. 155
with you ? 0 love the Lord^ oil ye his faints. Keep
yourfelves in the love of God. We might adduce ma-
ny other confiderations to perfwade you to this, but wc
defer them at prefent j we may, perhaps, have an op-
portunity afterwards.
SERMON XCIV,
EZEK. XVI. 8.
Now^ when I pajfed by thee and looked upon thee ; be*
holdy thy time was a time of love,
[The fifth Sermon on this Text.]
INHERE are two words that fliould take up moft
of our thoughts and cares, namely, time and
ETERNITY ; time^ becaufe it will foon be at an end ;
and eternity^ becaufe it will never come to an end. The
candle of time is fail burning, and if we play the fool,
and be idle about eternal work, till the candle be burnt
out, we will have ourfelves to thank, if we go to bed
in the dark ; I mean, if we go to death and eternity,
under the dark cloud of God's wrath, we cannot ex-
pe6l, unlefs we are madly deceiving ourfelves, an eter-
nity of happinefs in the other world, if we arc Gran-
gers to a time of love in this world : for, whom God
loved, with an everlafting love from eternity, he draws
them with loving-kindnefs in time, that he may crown
them with loving-kindnefs to eternity. His everlaft-
ing love, in point of manifeftation, hath its beginning
in time, upon all the objeds thereof ; and thefe in
whom it has no beginning in time will be the objeds
and vafials of wrath for ever. It is therefore a matter
of the higheft moment to know what takes place in
time now \ and if your time be a time of love,
Wff
156 Ttje T I M E cf N J5 E D, Ser. XCIV.^.
We have not only finldicd the do£lrinal part cfthi|j,
fiibjed ; but alio infifled at confiderable length, on the
application, in the profecution of feveral ufes. It now
ternains that we conclude the fabjed with an ufe of
exhortation. And our exhortation ihall be tendered*
to two forts of perfons. i. To thefe whofe time never.
was a time of love* ■2. To thefe whofe time has been
fuch a.//V72^ of love as I have fpoken of,
Fijy9y We tender our exhortation, to you whofe
time NEVER was a ti?ne of love ; I mean, you, who not-
withfl:anding of your living under a loving difpenfation
of divine grace, by the gofpel, yet have never feen or
believed, the love and grace of God in Chrifl, fo far as
to draw out your heart-love to Chrifl. 1 would fay to
you,
i/l, O confider what a miferahle fiate you are in,
and like to be into, to all eternity. In li?ne you are nii-
ferable ; for, you are empty of all good, and full of all
evil. — How empty are you of all good, while you are
without Chrifl, and love to him, having nothing of the
love of Chrifl ? you have no good in you ? you would
think it a bad houfe to dwell in where there is neither
meat, .nor drink, nor clothes : but a worfe houfe is
yaur heart, while you have neither God, nor Chrifl,
nor the Spirit. — tlow fidl are you of evil, while deflitute
of the love of ChriH ? Full of enmity againfl God, full
of fin, full of hell, full of the devil, full of the wrath of
God, \iabideth upon you ; and you are expofed to the
utmoil meafure of it. You are miferable through all
eternity, if you live and die in that flate ; If any ?nan
love not our Lord Jefus ChriJ}, let him be anathema
MA RAN- AT ha; [that IS, accurfed until Chrij} come,'}.
I Cor. xvi. 22. Let him come under the fentence of
the greater excommunication, of being for ever banifhed
from the prefence of God.
zdfyy Confider how it comes about, that your lovs
goes not out after Chrifl, when you live in a time where-
in his love and lovelinefs are manifefled. Surely, it mufl
be from fome dcfperate enmity. Have you not heard
of his fame? Is there any thing in all the world, chal-
lenges your love fo much i! If you have heard and for-
gotten,
Ser. XCIV« aJiuBo/LovE^ \tf
gotten j I will juft now lay before you fo much of the
loverLnefs of Chrifl as may for ever render you inexcuf-
able, if you henceforth fall not in love with him above
all things elfe. Confider what he is in hhnfelf^ what he
is to Qod^ wbat he is to you, finner.
[i.] Confider what he is in bimfelf. Is he not altoge-
geiber lovely^ cenfidered either in his natures or per-
fon? ^
1. View him in his natures^ divine and human.—
In his dhlne nature^ he is God's equal ; Who thinks it
no robbery to be equal with God ; he is the true God, ar,d
eternal life ; and has in hlni all thefiilnefs of the Godhead
bodily^ that is, perfonally ; ne Father loveth the Soriy
and hath given all things into his hand.^^n his human
nature : view his human body and fouL His human
body now glorified in heaven, what a glorious body is
it ? The apoftle fpeaks of the glory of bodies terreltrial
and celeftial ; how much more glorious are celeftial
above terreflrial ? And, how glorious above all celef-
tial bodies is that of the Lord Jefus Chrift ! When
Paul, at his converfion, got a view of it in a vifion-, it
exceeded the iky in its meridian brightnefs. His hu-
man foul^ how much more lovely is that ? By how
much the foul is, beyond the body, by fo much the
foul is more glorious than the body. All the excel-
lent qualities that ever adorned a foul are in him to
perfection : and befides thefc, a fuperemlnent undtioa
of the Holy Ghoft, the 6^/V/V above mea/ure, whereby
he is immenfely full of grace and truth. -He is thus
the moil amiable object, viewed in both his natures,
human and divine didindly. But bejQde this,
2. View him in the u?jion of both thefe natures, as
different, as finite and infinite, in one perfon : thi?;
brings God down to man as near as he can come, and
raifes man up to God as high as he can afcend. Vv"hat
a terror might unvailed Deity be to guilty fmners,
were it not allayed with the vail of humanity ? But,
O ! how fit a Mediator is he, being ImmanuflL, God-
man f* Thus he has a divine fulnefs and fufBciency to
fave us, together with a human meetnefs and congru-
ity for applying it in a m:\nner mod fuUable and pro-
Vol. VL U per
15S 72?^ Time o/^Need, Ser.XCVL
per to our condition. Now, may not that queftion be
for ever filenced with contempt, M7?at is the Chriftian's
Beloved more that another's beloved^ that he jhould be fo
mightily extolled ? Is there one in the world fo lovely
and glorious ? Is he not -white and ruddy ^ the chiefeji
among ten ihoufand f
[2.] Confider what he is to God ; particularly in
thefe two refpeds.
I. Is he not God's darling f Has not the Father tef-
tified his love to Chrifl above all things elfe ? Ifaiah
xlii. I . Behold my Servant^ whoin I uphold ; mine Eled^
in whom iny feul delighteth. Mark i. 11. This is my be-
loved Son, in zvhom I am well f leafed. What honour
confequently has he put upon him, in raiftng him from
the deady and fetting him at his own right-hand, and
giving him a name above every name, committing all
judgment, yea all things into his hand. He is the Son
of his love. We are then to love Chrift for his own
fake and his Father's fake : and ought we not to love
him as the Father's favourite ? Is it not a fufEcient in-
centive to our love, that, befide his own pcrfonal ami-
able qualities, he is fo much the objed of the Father's
love.
2. Is he not the Father's reprefentative ? God's
greatefl reprefentative, in whom he difplays all his
perfedions ? 2 Cor. vi. 6. John xiv. 9. John i. 18.
The reprefentations of the divine glory in Chrift ex-
ceeds all other reprefentations in thefe particulars.
(i.) It is th€ brightefi : the glory of God fliines no
where fo brightly as in his infinitely fair face, who is
therefore called the brightnefs of his Father^ s glory, and
the exprefs image^^[oTy representation] of^ his per-
fon, Heb. i. 3.
(2.) It is the fullefl : the reprefentation of God*s
glory, in the work of creation and providence, fet
forth, in a moft illuftrious manner, fo?ne of his per-
fedions ; but here all his glory fliines with inconceiv-
able brightnefs ; all his attributes, even his mercy and
truth meet together, righteoufnefs and peace kifs each other •
Here they all fhine with a peculiar luftre, and harmo-
aruoufly confpire and centre,
Ser. XCIV. ^ Ti ME o/* Love. 159
(3.) It is the mod intimate znd propitious : how could
God reveal himfelf more nearly, than through the flefli
of his Son ? How more gracioujly, than by giving him
to us, and for us ? How more kindly could he reprc-
fent his infinite juflice and holinefs, than as vindicated,
fatisfied, and glorified in Chrifl, by whom grace reigns^
through righteoufnefs unto eternal life,
(4.) It is the mofl fafe reprefentation of the divine
glory, and fecure from being perverted to an undue
exaltation of the medium : for, the glory of God, re-
prefented by the heavens, has been abufed to idola-
try, men worfhipping the means by which God manl-
fe'fts himfelf : but here there is a fafe reprefentation ;
the mean and end meet in one : we cannot j^ut too
much honour upon Chrift ; He that honours him ho-
nours the Father,
(5.) It is the mofl myjlerious : here is the zuifdom of
God in a myftery ; the manfold wifdom of God : fuch
a large compafs, both in contrivance and execution,
that none can penetrate into the depth.
(6.) It is the mofl durable and permament : fee Ifa.
li. 6. The earth Jh all wax old as a garment ; hut ray faL
vatlon, through Chrifl, Jhall he for ever ; and my righ-
teoufnefs Jhall not he aholifhed. God will never ceafe to
manifefl his glory through Chrifl : though there may
be different ways of that manifeflation, yet it will be
to eternity ; Revel xxi. 23. The Lord God, and the
Lamb, is the light of the place. Rev. xxii. 3. The throne
ef God is the throne of the Lamb ; and his throne is for
ever and ever*
Now, confider what a facred and precious thing the
divine glory is above all other concerns ; and that a
proportionable love and efteem is due to things accor-
ding to the imprefTions of God upon them, and their
reference to God's glory. Doth not Chrifl then chal-
lenge our highefl love and efleem on this account, be
fides what he merits from us by bis original intrinfic
excellency.
[3.3 Confider, what he is to us, or what relation
he flands in to finners ; and what he has done, or is
doing, by virtue of that relation.
U 2 I. What
■t^o T/6(? Time £/• Need, Ser. XCiVw
1. What relation he (lands in to us, finners, as a
Saviour of God's appointing and anointing ; We tefti-*
fy thai Codfent his Son to be the Saviour of the ivorld^
I John iv. 14. He is a Saviour of Tinners by ojfice ;
and fhould not finners love their Saviour, and employ
him ? Should we not love him with a love of defire,
to clofe with him as our Saviour ; and then with a love
of delight in him ? The general relation to us arifing
from his partaking of the fame nature, is the foundation
of a particular relation, and iliould be improven to the
Beared relation of being myftically one.
2. What he has done and is doing. He came from
heaven to earth to feek and tofav^ loftftnners ; he made
himfelf in all things like unto us, Jin only excepted ; ex*
cepted as to the inhefiqn of it. which was abfolutely re*
mote from him : but not excepted as to the i?nputaii*
en of it ; for, He bore cur fins in his own body, and fub-
initted to have the iniquities of us all laid upon hitn^ tha|
he, as our Surety, might become accountable and an-
fwerable for them : and as the hamb af God facrijicei
for us, might take them away : finding us obliged to
the perfect obedience the law required, but utterly un-
able to perform it, and fo cut off from the remoteft
poffibility of ever obtaining that life it was ordained to
convey : he yielded in our place, an obedience to it
abfolutely perfed, and meritorious of eternal life, and
gives this his rightcoufnefs to us, to become our title
to heaven and eternal happinefs : finding us preifcd
down under an imnienfe debt to divine juftice, and the
penalty of the law, he took it on himfe}f, paid it offj
and difcharges us by fufiering for us ; thus he is the
end of the law^ and perfe6tion of it, for right eoufnefsy
which we coukl never attain ourfelves, but do now in
him, the end and determination of its penal fandion :
fmding us in prifon, bound with the fetters of our own
iniquities, held in the cords of fm and mifery, and re-
ferved to the day of wrath and vengeance, he comes
and vifits us in our prifon, and is content to be kept
therefor a time, in our room, till he fhould fatisfy for
our crimes, that we migh^ he fet at liberty : finding us
under
Ser. XCIV. ^! Time c/Love* tffi
under the ciirfe^ he is made a ntrfefor tts^ that we might
be redeemed from it ; findhig us doomed to death, he
died for us, that ive vught live : finding us lying under
the cdgt of i\\t flaming [word of vindiftive juilice, he
put his own neck upon the block, and made his foul
an c/ff'ering forfln ; finding a cup of heavy wrath and
indignation prepared for us, he took it out of our hands,
into his own, and drank it off, in our ftead, that wc
might not have the leaft drop to our own (hare, but in
lieu of it a cup of falvation for us to drink.
Was there ever love like Chrifl's, which fuch floods
of tribulation could not quench or drown ! Though he
was God, yet he became man ; yea, His vifage was
7nore marred than any man, and his form more than the
fons of men, Ifa.lii. 14. So that he was fofar from ap-
pearing like a God, that he fcarce looked like a man,
but rather as a worm, Pfalm xxii. 7. A worm tram-
pled on by all ; a reproach cf ?nen, and deffifed of the
people. Why all this, but that his love might fhine the
brighter through the dark fhades that eclipfed his glo-
ry ? The more he lelTened his perfon, the higher he
raifed his love, which appeared in all his fulnefs, while
the other difappeared, as it were, for a feafon, and
feemed to fade away, Thus he is amiable in his po-
verty ; for, He was made poor, that we through his po-
verty might be made rich : amiable in his flripes, where-
by we are healed : amiable in all the amazing inftances
oi felf-ahafement, providing for the greateft happinefs to
us, at the greateft expence to himfelf.
Ought he not to be loved, who thus has loved us
unto death ? Who muft be loved if not he ? And how
fwcetly may the love of a believer entertain itfelf at
the very crofs of Chrift, which is a tree of life ; of
life to us, though it was a tree of -death to him ; a
tree of bleitednefs to us, though a tree of bittcrnefs
to him ? We may gaze at the crofs, and Chrifl hanging
upon it, and have loving, ravlfliingprofpecls here, with-
out the leafl partaking of the diftrefs and bitter anguiih
of fpirit Chrift endured upon it ; for the crofs of
Ghrift being the greateft proof and pledge of liis love,
qugh't tQ be the joya crown^ and glory of every behol-
der 1
%6t rbeTiM^of^EiEry] Ser. XCIV.
der; and viewed, not with a fad, heavy, and fearful,
but with a glad, chearful, and joyful heart 5 at which
we are to dry up every tear of heart-breaking grief,
and vent none but tears of joy, mixt only with thefe
of fweet relenting forrow ; mourning over fm, which
by no means marrs, but friendly accords with this joy.
We may fit under the'fliadow of his crofs with great
. delight, with a rejoicing heart, and find all the fruits
of it, being fruits of love, grace, favour, and happinefs
inexpreffibly fweet to our tafte. Here the horror of
his curfed, painful, and fhameful death can by no
means damp the joy and fatisfadlion ; Weep 7iot for me^
faid ChrilL Why ? his fufferings were voluntarily ne-
ceffary, defigned for an happy ilTue ; and it was not
poffible he could be fwallowed up, or con fumed by
them ; and they are now long fmce pafl and gone, as
to the fmart he felt below, though abiding (till in their
virtue, ufe, and excellent fruits, and are now fo many
trophies of honour ; beauties inftead of blemifhes, and
higheft matter of glory and triumph : hence he appears
in heaven with the marks of his bleeding wounds, A
hainh as it had beenjlain in the midjl of the throne. The
fname and pain of his crofs redounds to him for an
enfign of honour and eternal glory ; a perpetual me-
morial of his love, merit, and vidory.
3. What is he fiill doing f Still purfuing the fajne
kind deftgn^ though in a new manner. As his love was
proved here hy poverty and tribulation^ it is now proved
by ^fidnefs of glory and power : his love was here in
labour and dijirefs for us ; now it is inthroned and tri-
umphing^ yet ftill for us alfo. He remembers us fo as
to think himfelf imperfed and incomplete, and as only
half glorified till we come to be glorified together with
him. As he laid down one life for us on earth, fo he
employs another for our ufe in heaven ; living there
to intercede in virtue of the obligation he made, Heb.
vii. 25. : living there to fend down his Spirit, as a Spi-
rit of wifdom and revelation, of grace, fupplication,
fanclification, and confolation : and to lead, guide, di-
rect, begin, and carry on his good work ; make ap-
plication of his redemption \ living to execute his of-
fices
SsR. XCIV. ^ Time £/■ Love. 163
fices fully, which he happily began on earth ; and to
perform his promifes, that are 2^ea and Afnen in him. —
Is there no lovelinefs here ? Is this love and lovelinefs
of Chrifl difcovered to you, and yet no time of love with
you ? No love of defire after him wrought in you ?
How inexcufable art thou, and wilt thou be, that loves
vanity inftead of him !
Secondly, We next dire^ our exhortation in a word
to thefe whofe time has been 3i time of love. And
thefe are of tv/o forts ; either fuch as doubt if their time
has been a time of love, or fuch as are a/fured their time
has been a time of love.
ly?. Such as DOUBT of it, and yet their time has rea-
ly been a time of love. Thefe doubters are of two
forts : fome are waking and mourning doubters ; o-
thers are fleeping and Numbering doubters.
[i.] Some are waking and mourning in their doubts,
and apprehenfive that they never had a fijne of love.
" Alas ! fay fuch, many a fermon and facrament have
*' I attended ; but, to this day, I never met with a time
" of love : wo is me that I cannot get a difcovery of
" the glory and lovelinefs of Chrift, nor my heart
*' engaged to love him !'* If this be thy cafe and ex-
ercife, mourning and crying, O for a time of love !
There are two fcriptures I would dired you to for re*
lief.
1. If you are mourning and in htavinefs becaufe you
reckon your time has not been a time of love, or of
power, read Ifa. Ixi. 1,2, 3. He is anointed to give thefe
that mourn in Zion^ beauty for afhes, the oil of joy for mour"
ning, and the gartnent of praife, for the fpirii of heavi-
iiefs,
2. If you are crying for a time of love, read Ifaiali
XXX. 18, 19. He is a God of judgment ; and hleffed are
all thefe that wait for him. lie will be very gracious un-
to thee at the voice of thy cry ; when hejhall hear it, he
will anfwer thee. He will turn at a cry, as that word
need fignifies^ Heb. iv. 16. Let us come boldly to the throne
of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help
in time ^/'need, Preffing need, that makes you cry :
he
t64 T/jeTiMK o/N e'e d, Ser. XCIV*
be turns, as it were, at the cry, according to the pro*
jnife here, He "juill be 'very gracious to thee at the voice
of thy cry. Therefore wait patiently, hopefully, and
carefully for him, who has either begun, or is begin*
ning the good work.
[2.] Some are T?^^^'^)/;?^, and y7t^;72Z'm;2^ doubters, that
HAVE HAD a time of love ^ but now it is out of fight, by
reafon of their backlliding, and leaving their hril love.
To you I would fay,
1. O remember whence thou hajl fallen^ and repent^
and do thy firfi works ! Confider what anfwer you will
have to thefc queftions: What iniquity h croc you found
in him^ that you h^ve gone far from him f Have you feen
any thing in Chriil: to alienate your aifeftions from
him ? Was he ever worfe than his word ? Or, is there
any uncomelinefs in his way ? — What comelinefs have you
fecn in other lovers ? Have you found iny other objed
like him ? Is there any amongit the creatures that can
do for you what he has done ? Can the world give yoii
ttiat which he has to give you ? Do you find reft and fa-
tisfadion to your heart and confcience elfewhere ? What
fweet days had you onte v/hen your heart went out af-
ter him ? Could you not then have faid. My Beloved is
mne^ and his dtjire is towards mc^ and the defire of my
foul is towards him^ when he brought you to the ban-
quetting-hcufe, and difplayed his banner of love over
you, making you to drink of the fpiced wines ? May
not a refledion upon thefe fweet days you had, when his
candle (hined upon you, break your heart, that now you
are fet to the back of the door, and fay, 0 that it were
with me as in months pafl f — Wljat fad days have you
had fince you departed from him^ and was fhut out of
doors, and had a fcreen drawn between him and you ?
What a fad change is there when you want that fweet
communion with him that once you had? O then ! re-
member whence you have fallen.
2. Return to him, faying, I, will go and return to my
firji hufband. Reittrn ye backjliding children^ though
you have played the harlot with many lovers^ for I am
married unto yoUy faith the Lord* I hate putting away.
I am
6sR. XCIV. a Tlime of Lovt. 16^
I am God, and change not ; therefore you are not con^
fumed. Return for he flands ready to heal your back^
Hidings.
* To both forts, whether you be waking or fleepinn;
Chriftians, to whom a time of love is dubious, I would
exhort you to hear his loving cries after you, and let
it be followed with your cries after him.
(i.) Hear his loving cries after you. — One cry he
fends after 70U, is that of the angels, Luke ii. io»
Behold ! I bring you good tidings of great joy ; for to you
is born a Saviour^ which is Chrifi the Lord. 'To you a
child is horn, to you a fon is given. — Another cry aftef
you is that, Rev. iii. 10, Behold ! I fiand at the door, and
knock ; if any man hear viy voice^ and open the door, I
ifjUl cG?ne in, andfup with him, and he with me. He is
feeking to fup with you, to have communion with you,
and you with him. I am knocking at the door of your
undcrftandings, at the door of your wills, at the door of
your hearts and afi'edions : do you not hear me knock-
ing ? — Another call is that, Song v. 2. Open to me, ir.y
ftfter, my fpoufe, my love, my dove ; for my head is fil-
led with dew, and my locks with the drops of the nights
I have filtered the midnight-fhower and ftorm of di-
vine wrath for you, it fell on my nead ; I have fuffcred
for you, and now 1 am here ready to apply the blefhng
of my blood ; open to me : I own you for my love, my
dove, and my undefiled, having no fpot but what my
grace fhall cover. — Another cry is that. Song iii. 1 1.
Go forth, 0 ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solo-
mon with the crown zvherewith his mother crowned hi?n.
He is holding forth the fceptre ; to thee to go forth by
faith and take a view of him till your heart be fully fa-
tisfied ? O come, tafte and fee ; come and fee him ; fee
what he has done for you, what. he is doing for you,
and what he v;ill do for you. — Another cry is that,
John i. 29. Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away
the fin of the world ! Are your fins great and many,
yet, O let no fin keep you away 1 Tl:ie blood of Chrifi
cleanfeth from all fin : there is infinite virtue in that
blood for making you perfe<^iy clean. — Another cry
is that, iVlatt. xxii. 4, All things are ready, come to
Vol. VL X the
tS6 The Time of "^E ED, Ser. XCIV,
the marriage* O was you never married to the Son of
God ? Come, and be the bride the Lamb's wife ; give
your heart and hand to him, and take hold of him for
your Head, Hufband, wifdom, righteoufnefs, fandifi-
cation, and redemption. Or, have you have been al-
ready married to Chrifl ? O come and get confirma-
tion ; get a new token of his love ; come to the 7nar'
riage flipper of the Lamb, — Another cry is, in cafe you
think it is not a free wedding, Ifa. Iv. i. Ho^ every one
that thirfieth, come ye to the waters ; and he that hath
no money ^ come ye ; buy and eat ; yea^ ccme^ buy wine
and milk^ without money^ and without price. The
poorer you are the welcomer to the market : no mo-
ney here is good price : here is grace and glory free-
ly \ Whofoever willy . let him come and take of the water
of life freely, — But, are you yet fighing under the bur-
den of fin and guilt \ Then another cry is, Matthew
xi. 28. Come to me^ all ye that labour ^ and are heavy la-
den^ and I will give you red to your fouls : come, and
get reft to your minds ia him, who, as a Prophet, is
the wifdom of God ; come, and get reft to your confci-
ence in him, who, as a Prieft, is the righteoufnefs of
God ; come, and get reft to your hearts in him, who,
as a King, is 'Ciit power of God ^ and has all the riches
of divine fulnefs in him. — Another cry that he is fend-
ding after you is, Jer. rii. 14, 22. Return^ 0 back/lid-
i7ig children ; for I am married unto you^ and I will heal
your backflidings. As if he had faid, " However grie-
*' voufly you have revolted and rebelled from the womb
*' unto this moment, all bygones fhall be bygones ;
*^ only henceforth let it be a bargain between you and
*' me, an everlafting bargain never to be forgotten.*' —
Another cry after you is, Song ii. 14. 0 2ny dove^ that
art in the clifts of the rocks ^ and in the fecret places of
the flairs, let me hear thy voice^ let me fee thy counter
nance ; for fweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is
comely, " Do not hide your face from me for fiiame^
" might he fay ; do not blufti to look to me, nor a-
" fraid to fpeak to me ; come boldly to my throne of
" grace, for I delight to hear thy voice of prayer and
^' praife. though it be but a mourning like a dove;
*^ and
Ser.XCIV. aTiMEo/Lovis.. i6y
*' and I delight to I fee you coming boldly and confi-
" dently, depending upon me : you need not fear to
" face me, for I am your kindly fuitor ; come, trem-
^' bling dove, and flee in to my bofom.'' Hear his
loving cries after you.
(2.) Let it be followed v^^ith an echo from you, even
with a ioud cry after /jtm. I will tell you fome of the
cries you may fend after him, — One is, Pfalm xxv. 1 1,
0 Lord, for thy na?ne*s fake, pardon mine iniquity ; for
it is great. Let not your great fm hinder your crying
after him, but be made an argument, inducing you to
cry after him more ardently and fervently. — Another
cry is, Pfalm cxliv. 5. 0 bow thy heavens, 0 Lord, and
come down; touch the 7nountains, and they jhall melt^
Mountains are in the way, but let \\^tmfl:ip like lambs,
and the little hills like rams, at the pre fence of the Lord.—
Another cry you may fend after him is. Song i. 4.
Draw me, we will run after thee. " Put forth thy
" drawing power ; for I cannot come, I cannot move,
" I cannot ftir without thee ; but I promife to run if
" thou draw/* — Another cry you m.ay fend after him
is that of blind Bartimeus, Mark x. 51. Lord, that I
may receive my fight, " O enlighten my eyes, that I
*' may know the myfteries of the gofpel, that I may
" fee the glory, grace, and love of Chrift,"— Another
cry is, Pfalm xc. 13, 14, Return, 0 Lord, hoza long'-'
0 fatisfy us early with thy viercy, that we may be glad
and rejoice all our days : " Thou haft an infinite o-
" cean of mercy, O let the waves of the ocean reach
" my foul ! pardoning mercy, purifying mercy.*'—
Another cry is. Song ii. 17. Til! the day break, and the
Jhadows fee away ; turn, my Beloved, and be thou like
a roe, or a young hart upon the inountains of Bcther. — *
" 1 want ability to mount up the hills of fni, guilt, and
" difficulty between thee and me ; but it is the glory
" of the roc to afcend the rocks and mountains : O
" get glory this way !" — Another cry is, Song iv. 1 6,
Awake, 0 north-zvind, come thou fouth, blow upon my
garden, that the fpices thereof may fow out. Come frorii
the four vAnds, 0 breath, and breathe upon ihcfefiain
that they may live, «' O fend the prcmifed Spirit like
i68 !ra<? Time ^ Need, Ser.XCIV.
*' water upon the ihirjly^ andficods upon the dry ground,^*
-— Ano:her cry you ihould give after him, that is thus
prying on you, is, Jer. iii. 22. Behold^ we come unto
thee ^ for thou art the Lord our God ; and with the poor
man in the gofpel, Lord^ I believe ; help my unbelief
O fend forth thy light and thy truth to lead me.
rtdly^ Wc come next to addrefs ourfelves to thefe
who are more assurer their time has been a ii?ne of
hve* I oiler thefe four advices following.
[i.] Do not deny or djfown the time of love ; be-
ware of queftioning if ever fuch a time went over you.
— Do not deny it to your fellow Chrifiians, that you
may have it to fay, Come hither all ye that fear the
Lord^ and I will tell you what he has done to my fouL-^
Do not deny it to God^ that you may have it to fay,
O my foul^ thou hafi faid unto the Lord^ Thou art my
Lord. And that you may maintain your confidence
before hi rn.
[2.3 In ^// time coming rem.ember the time ef love ;
for it m.ay be very fervigcable to you. — In the time of
temptation, remember the time of love ; wherein God
becomes forth^coming, tliat, zvith the ie?nptation, he
^would give a ivay of efcape^-^ln the time of tribulation ^
remember the time of love \ when it was fccured that
he would be with you in trouble,-^ — In time of defertion^
remember the time of love ; wherein it was promifed.
He would never leave you, nor for fake you. ^-ivi time of
defeftian and backjliding^ remember the time of love ;
wherein it v/as fecured, that he would heal your back-
Jlidings, and love you freely ^ and refiore your fouL-^ln
time oi want and poverty, remember the time of love ;
"when you was made to believe that your God fhouid
fufply all your needs ^ according to his riches in glory, by
Chriji J efus,-— In the time of repr&ach for his fake, re^
member the time of love ; wherein it was infured, that,
If you be reproached for the name ofChrifi, happy are ye ;
for the Spirit of God, and of glory reflet h upon you, — In
time of man's wrath^ rage, and perfecuting fury, re-
member the time of love ; wherein it was fecured, that
ibe wrath of man Jhoidd praife him, and that the remain-
der of his wrath he would rejirain.-^xi the time of t/i-
vine
Ser.XCIV. r2 TiMfi ©/Love. i%
*uine ivrath, heavy judgments, and gloomy terrible dif-
penfations, remember the time of love ; "whereni it was
promifed, that, though in a little "wrath he Jhould hide
himfelffor a moment^ 'jet with everlajiing mercy he would
gather thee. See Ifa. liv. 7, 8. — In a time of//« and cot-
ruption prevaihng, remember the time of love ; where-
in you was made to fay, Though iniquities prevail \ yet^
as for our tranfgrejjtons thou wilt purge them away, — In a
time olforrow and heavinefs^ remember the time of love ;
and then you may be led to fay, Why art thou cajidown^
0 my fold f Hope in God, for I [hall yet praife him.—
In a time of danger remember the time of love ^ as did
the apoftle, 2 Cor. i. 10. We had the fentence of death
in ourfelves, that we fhould not trufi in ourfetves, but in
God which raifeth the dead, who delivered us from fo great
a death, and doth deliver ; in whom we trujl that ht
will yet deliver us. He delivered me from the paw of tht
lion, and mouth of the hear, and will he not deliver from
the hand of this uncircumcifed Philifiine f — In a time of
diffide7ice and diftrufi, remember the time cf love, as a
notable means and motive to faith, Lam. iii. 21, 22,
23. This I recal to mind, therefore have I hope : this^
what is it he recals to mind ? even the time of love
and mercy that follows ; It is of the Lord's mercy w^
are not confumed, and becaufe his compajfions fail not :
they are new every morning ; great is his faithf nine fs,—
In a time o{ darknefs, remember the ilnie of love ; and
then you may fay, Though I fit in darknefs, the Lord
will he a light to me ; The Lord my God will enlighten
my darknefs. — In a time of deadnefs, remember the time
of love, and fay, ^icken thou me, according to thy word.
—In a time oiwedknefs, remember the time of love ^ and
the words of love; MygracefhallbefiifficicntforyoUy
andmyflrength fhall be perfected in your weakncfs. In a
time oi death, remember the ti?ne of love ; and in the
believing rememberance thereof, you may fay, Tbo' I
WQilk through the valley of the fhadow of death, 1 will fear
no evil ; for thou art with me, and thy rod andjlaff they
xomfort me* 0 death, where is thy fiing f 0 grave,
Vfher^ U thy vi^gry f
[3-] Has
J70 77^ Time e/'NEED, Ser. XCIV,
[5.] Has ever your time of need been his time of love^
then in all future times of need comt boldly to the throne
of grace, that you may find grace to help in time of need :
for, the time of love, in times of need formerly, fe-
cures his loving help in all time of need to come : only
obfqrve thefe rules about help in time of need.
1. '' That your expedation of things not neceffary
*^ or ahfolutely needful^ may fail you.'^ You may be in a
delufion in your expectation of certain outgates you
would have, and of fenfible comforts at all times ; but
you fhall never be in a delufion in your expedation of
needful help from the throne of grace ; for, the match-
lefs God of Jefliurun rides in heaven^ for the help of his
people^ and in his excellency on ihefkyy Deut. xxxiii. 26.
2. " That needful help and fupport comes from the
fame throne from vi^hich fenfible comforts come." It is
remarkable, you are called to come boldly to that throne,
for thefe things you may be always fure to find there,
namely, mercy and grace to help in time of need ;
you are not affured alv^^ays of fenfible comforts there ;
be content of fupport promifed in time of need ; and
remember, it is no little mercy to get a little help ; that
the fame love may be read in the meaneft, loweft mea-
fure of grace and mercy that is to be read in the great-
cfl: ; they come from the fame fountain, the fame throne
of grace.
3. " That they that get this help may lay their ac-
*' count, notvi^ithflanding, to be kept weak and infrmP
Look not for fuch help in this world as (hall make you
no more poor and needy beggars at the throne of grace:
help and affiftance, you know, is for weak and infirm
people. Look not for help that will make you better
flored in yourfelves than you were before ; you muft
be kept poor and needy ^ that the Lord inay think upon
yotiy as thePfalmiil: fays, Pfal. xl. 17. ; and as it is, Dan.
xi. 34. you mufi: be content to be holpen with a little
helpy and kept from crulhing, though you be holden
in the the dufl ; Troubled on every fide, yet not dlflreffed ;
perplexed^ but not in defpair ; perfecuted, but notforfak*
en ; caft down^ but not deftroyed, 2 Cor. iv. 8, 9. Lny
your account, though you get help, that, as it finds you
weak.
Ser. XCIV. ^ Time ^ Love- i^l
weak, fo it v/lU keep you weak in yourfelves, and yet
do your turn.
4. «' Help is given to them who have their hand at a
" turn.^^ We do not fpeak of helping or affifting fuck
as defire and endeavour to do nothing themfelves ; fo
here, exped not help but in God's way, and about his
hand, and his throne ; aiming at duty, though you are
not able to go through it : when thy heart is over-
whelmed, and yet thou art crying, when thou art fmk-
ing, it is in that pofture needful help ufes to be given,
Pfal. Ixi. 1,2.
. 5. " That help comes not, and is not to be expec*
«' ted, till a time of need ^ 2indi prejjlng need ; fuch as puts
" you to cry under the preffure of the need ; as I faid
" before, the word in the original Cgnifics, to turn at a
^* fry, as God promifes to do, Ifa. xxx. 19.'' People
would be content of help if they could get it befide
them, always at hand ; but, fays the apoflle, a time of
need fliall come, and help in a time of need ; In dies
time you /hall reap if you faint not. This may be a cure
to all anxiety about what fliail happen hereafter, or
what may be before us. We have no ftrength to grap-
ple with fuch unforefeen difficulties ; why, but let us
remember we are to be bufy at the prefent work of the
day, and leave -the next day to God, who gives help
in time of need : as Chrifl fays in another cafe, Matth*
vi. 34. Take 710 thought for ta-morrow^ for the morrow
Jhall take thought for the things of it f elf ; fifficient for the
day^ is the evil thereof What have we to do with help
till it be needed ? To what purpofe is it to have Jordan
running dry, till the prieds feet be fet in the water ?
To what purpofe is it to know wherewith we fliall ferve
the Lord, till we come thither ? And then it Ihall be
given in the hour it is needed, as Chrifl fays, oiffeak-
ing to enemies^ much more in fpeaking to our befl friend.
This may allure us alfo that we cannot expe£l help till
we cry, as David, Out of the depths have I cried to thee.
We are many times in diftrefs murmuring and not cry-
ing ; we need help, but are not feeking help : God is
an obferving God as well as a hearing God \ he would
have us cry when he requires us.
(5, " Though
171 TJ^ T I M E of Nee d, Ser. XCm
6. " Though y^(:/"^^ fupport ni^iy be given to them
<' that cry under their need, yet fathfying help may be
^' delayed for a time,** And there are feveral caufes
of this delay \ fome relative to ourfelves, andfome re-
iative to the church, or the public.
(i.) Some caufes relative to ourfelves. The Lord
!ivill not always help when we are prefled under the
fieed of help, that puts us to cry, until the trial comes
to the uimojl extremity ; Deut. xxxii. 26. He will judge
bis people J and he will repent him f elf for his fern) ant s^ when
he fees that there is nojiejhut up or left. As long as we
have any thing that looks like doing our own turn
without him, he will ly by, Pfal. xciv. 16, It is not till
the Pfalmift faid. My foot flippeih^ and I am jud falling
over, that needful help comes ; but then, thy mercy ^ O
Lord^ held me up. Thus with Abraham in the matter
of offering up his fon Ifaac, Gen. xxii. 10, 11. The
Lord is not feen in the mount, till the knife is at the
throat of Ifaac. This is the Lord's way not to come
juft when we are really prefled, and hard put to it ; as
long as there is a ftep further for the difficulty to go,
he may let the trial go on before he comes with help
that we may be humbled under the prelfures, under
the guilt that drew them on ; and that we may be put
in a capacity of efteeming it a great mercy when we are
thus Ixlped with a little help.
(2.) Relative to the public. The Lord fufpends ma-
ny a time, at leait, the comfortable help of partiular
faints, till he bring up the public intereft with it : and
it is not unfuitable to fee the children in diflrefs while
the mother is wearing a mourning weed. Defertions
are not readily the lefs frequent among faints, that God
covers himfelf in a cloud in his anger from Zion : but
there is a bleffed time of relief coming, as you may
read, Pfal. cii. 20, 21, 22. and ver. 16, 17, When
the Lord appears in his glory to build up Zion, then he
will hear the prayer of the deftitute, and the groning of the
frifoners. As we ufe to fay, when a thaw comes after
a great froft, or rain after a great drought, it Ipofes ma-
ny prifoncrs : fo i»Then a fhower of the divine influences
come
/ J
Ser. XCIV. /? T I m £ ^ L o V g. if
come from above upan the church, and ah outpouring
of the Spirit, then many prifoners fliall be fet at hber-
ty, many bonds fliall be loofed, many a cord broken,
that is fettering the people of God : therefore, we are
to wait the Lord's time of giving needful help, and be
thankful for needful fupports, though we yet want fen^
fible comforts : needful waterings fliall not be withold*
en in the mean time, unlefs we in our petted humour
will not be content with fopport and help, nor will
blefs him for it, and fo provoke God to let us feel our
our own weight, that we be humbled and learn to
gather our comforts among the midft of our crolTes,
and our mercies among our miferies, and pleafures.
among our prelTures.
[4.] Has your time been a t'wie of Icve^ of God's
love to you ? Then, let all your time be a time of love
to him. 0 love the Lord all ye his faints^ and let his
love conjirain you to his fervice : and for this end,
maintain a deep fenfe and Imprefllon of his love to you.
— Mind how antient his love to you was, even prior
to your being, from eternity ; on the mere forefight
of your fm and mifery, his eyes affe£led his heart, and
provided a cure before you got the wound.~Remem«
ber ho\i free and generciis his love is ; how he loved
you, not only when you v;as a iiranger to him, a
mean perfon, infinitely below him, a v\;orthlefe perfon^
having no good quality to recommend you, and indued
with many odious qualities, but an enemy, a defperate
rebel, mere grace only could drav/ out this Icve.—-
Recolle£t how unchangeable and everlajling it is^ fo as
he will never cafl you out of his aiTedlons, however
deferving to be rejeded ; He is God^ and changes not^
therefore the fons of Jacob are not confumed. He is flill
overcoming evil with good ; as he injoins us to do it,
fo he is always doing it himfelf.— Call to mind how
dijllngiiifDing it isp not only when he paiTed by ^.ngels
that finned, but many of your feiicvv'- creatures. — Re-
member how very fympathizing it is, cauiing him. who
fuiTered for you on earth to fuifer with you in hea-
ven ; for. In all your afTiiBlons^ he is affii^ied. — ^Mind
Vol, VL Y ' how
'3/4 W^ T I M E^ N E E D, &C. S E R. XCIY.
how manifold it is : it is a love of deftre after you ; he
defires fellowfhip with you, and will never reft nor
reckon himfelf a complete Chrill, as to his myftical
body, till you be with him together with the reft of
his members myftical — It is a love of delight^ he takes
pleafure in your company ; 0 ;;/;' dove^ tipat art in the
'clifts of the rvck^ and in the fecret places of the flairs^ let
me hear thy voice ^ let me fee thy countenance ; for fweet
is thy voice^ and thy countenance is comely. The Lord
takes pleafure in his people. — It is a love of beneficence
always doing good ; and fliall not love work love. O
let your time be a time of love to him. You that ex-
pe£i: an eternity of love, let it be evident to the world,
that j'^wr time is a time of love ^
SERMON
C »75 3
S E R M O N XCV.
Sensible PRESENCE, Sudden ABSENCE;
or, the Believer's mofl comfortable InterviewSj but
of fliort Duration ■^.
Genesis xxxv. 13,
Md God went up from him^ in the place ivhcre be ialk-
ed with him,
IH O P E feme, at this occafion (however few they
may be) have had fome accefs to God, and fel-
lowfliip with Chrifl Jefus ; yet fuch are to remember,
and confider that it needs not be thought {lrange,tho'
they fliould fenfibh' enjoy him, and lofe him in a mo-
ment, as Jacob here; He ivent up from him^ in the place
where he talked with him. What intercourfe was be-
tween God and Jacob, you have an account of, from
the 9th ver. And God appeared unto Jacob again^ when
he came out of Fadan-arajn ; and bleffed him, God m^t
with him in this place, vi%. Be.thel, and bleiled
him, and he appears again to him. Thofe to whom
God has once manifeited himfelf, may expe6l a nev/
vifit of him. At this time there are two notable ef-
feds of the appearance God made unto him.
I/?, God confirms the ncane he had formerly given
unto him, calling him Israel. As God gives to
all his people, to whom he favingly manifefls him-
• This fermon was preached at Orwell, on Monday, Augufl: 5111,
1734. after the celebration of the facrament of the Lord's Tapper
there. — In the firft edition of this fermon, we are told, it was printed,
not from the Author's manufcript, but from the fiiorihand r.oics of
one who wrote it down in the time of the delivery. On tbis account,
probably, it is neither fo complete in itfelf, nor yet, perhaps, appears
with fuch advantage as it would have done, had it been copied from
the original. — This is the fifth impreffion.
y 2 felf,
J76 Senftbk Presence, Ser. XCV.
felf, a new name ; fo he loves to call them by that new
name.
2d/y, He confirms the promife he had madexmto him
of his own name El-shaddai, the Almighty God ;
the God that, when he pleafes, can give a being to his
word, and will make his promife effedual in his own
thne and way. — —There ate two things God promifes
unto Jacob,
1. That he fliould be Ti father of many nations ^ and
great kings ; and a nation and company of nations
ihouid be of him, and kings ihould come out of his
ioins.
2. That he ihould be the pofejor of a good land,
'viz. the land of Canaan. Thefe two things had a fpi-
ritual fignification j and we now, who live under the
gofpebdifpenfation, if our eyes be open, may fee the
meaning of them, perhaps, better than Jacob could,
under this typical reprefentation : the promife d feed y
pointed at, was Christ himfelf, the Great King of
Zion, who was to come of Jacob : and the promifed
land pointed at, was Heaven itfelf, the heavenly king-
dom. The former was the foundation, and this the
top-flone of the building of mercy * that v/e were hear-
ing of. Here then is the promife that God makes un-
to him. God, v/hen he favingly manifefts himfelf to
his people, he comes to them as a promifmg God in
Chriil jefus.
But then, in the words of the text, you have an
account how this intercourfe is interrupted, and mar-
red at prefent, God went up from him^ in the place where
he talked with him. Where we may obferve two
things. I. How he left him. And, 2. Where he left
him.
I. Hozv he left him, God went up from hinu It was
by fome vifible appearance, that had hovered over him,
while God talked with him. God may go up from
his people in fovereignty, when he does not go away
from them in anger. However, we are carefully to
* Alluding to the atflion-fermon, preached on thefe words, Pfalm
Ixxxix, a. IVUrcy fiall t)s built up for ever*
obferve
Seb.XCV. Sudden Abs:ENCE» 1^7
obferve, that it is not viftbk appearances of God that
now we are to expedH:, God is a Spirit^ and invifiblc ;
and as we are to worfl^ip him fpiritnaliy, fo we are to
fee and enjoy him fpirituaily,
2. Obferve where lie left him ; it was in the place
where be talked with fwiu The name of the place is
Bethel ; and you fee that Jacob here fets up a piU
lar, as a memorial of the communion he had with God
there, and calls the name of the place Bethel ; he
confirms the name formerly given to the place, when
he had met with God there, he calls it Bethel, the
houje of God: it was even here, in this very place, the
houfe ofGod^ that,^^^ WPit up from him ^ where he talked
with hun.
The doctrine, that I propofe to fpeak a little unto^
is the following.
D 0 c T. That they who hu'vs had CQmmunkn and con-
verfe with God, -niay mifs him in the 'very fpot where
they enjoyed him, God went up from him, in the
very place where he talked with him.
Thus it was with the difciples at Emmaus, Luke
xxiv. 31. their eyes was opened, fo as they knew him.
And he vaiiiftoed out^ of their fight ; or, as it is in the
margin of fome of your Bibles, He ceafed to he feen of
them ; They enjoyed his prefence, and yet inilantly he
ceafed to be feen of them. Again, you may obferve,
tjie paffage in the mount of transfiguration, where Pe-
ter fays, unto Jefus, Lord, it is good for vs to be here ;
and then it follows in the next verfe, V/hile he yet
fpake, behold a bright cloud overjhadowed them, Matih,
xvii. 4, 5. A cloud may quickly intervene between
God and the foul that has communion and fellowrnip
with him.
In handling this fubje^l, I propofe, as the Lord
ihall be pleafed to aflift, Xq obferve the following mc^
thod.
L To
IffS Senftbk Presence, Se r. XCV.
I. To touch a little at the communion his people may-
have with him, which is here called a talking with
him.
II. Offer a few remarks concerning their mijftng and
Jindirig the Lord.
III. Enquire in what refpe&s they may mifs him
where they enjoyed him.
IV. I would give fome reafons of this difpenfa*
tlon.
V. Make application of the whole,
I. As to the Jirjl of thefe. To fpeak a httle of this
ccmmunicn that God's people may have with him, which
is here called a talking with him ; God went up from
kim^ in the very place where he talked with him*
. This communion and converfe with God may im-
port thefe five things.
I. It imports the prefence of God ^ and his perfedi-
ons round about them ; fur, As the mountains are round
about Jerufalem^ fo the Lord is round about them that
fear him^ and fo his perfedions do furround and envi-
ron them. Indeed, we are to diflinguifli between y^;z-
Jible prefence and real prefence : God is always really
•^prefent with his people ; for he has faid, I will never
leave thee nor forfake thee ; but he is not always fenfibly
prefent. He may be prefent at their hand, when they
do not fee him, as in the cafe of Mary, when flie was
talking with Chrift, and yet afed where flie might
fmd him. We are to diflinguifli alfo between his quic-
kening prefence and his comforting prefence : the Lord
may be prefent with his people quickening them to du-
ty, and yet they may want fenfible comfort in duty.
To this purpofe fays the fpoufe, I fought him^ but I
found him not, I fought him ; there is his quickening
prefence exciting her to duty ; But l found him not,
I wanted his fenfible comforting prefence.
It imports vicinity and nearnefs ; the Lord is graciouf-
ly near to them *, he is gracioufly near to all that call
upon him in truths a prefent lyelp^ efpecially in the tinie
of trouble, as here he was to Jacob in his trouble.
.A gain J
3. This
S E R. XCV. Sudden Absence. jfg
3. This converfe^they have with the Lord, not only
imports vicinity and nearnefs, but amity zndfrienJ/hip^
as fays the prophet Amos, iii. 3. Ca?i two walk together
except they be agreed ^ So I may fay, Can two talk toge^
iher iinlefs they be agreed f* There is no fweet converfe
with God, but what imports agreement. It takes in,
then, their friendfhip with him j their being reconciled
to him in the blood of Jefus.
4. It imports communicn with him, fuch as that,
Truly our fellowjhip is with the Father^ and his Son Je-
fus Chriji. They have fellowihip vi^ith God in Chrifl: :
fellowfhip with him in his life ; Becaufe I live ^ ye fbaU
live alfo : fellowfliip with him in his love, while he
floeds abroad his love in their hearts. Again,
5. It imports commu7iication ; and this communica-
tion, or God's talking with his people, it has many
things in it.
(i.) There is therein, fometimes, a mutual iniima*
iion of love ? the Lord fometimes intimates his love
unto the foul, faying, / have loved thee with an ever*
lajiing love : the foul fometimes intimates its love to
him again, Thou that kmwejl all things y knoweji that I
love thee,
(2.) It takes in fometimes a mutual conunetidation of
one another ; I fay, mutual commendation ; the Lord,
when he is talking with them, he fometimes commends
them forfooth. Behold^ thou art fair ; thou art all fair ^
my love^ there is no/pot in thee : and indeed they can-
not but blufh, when he commends thc^n after this man-
ner. Again, they commend him, (as it well becomes
them,) My Beloved is white and ruddy ^ the chief among
ten thoufand ; his mouth is moji fweet ; yea^ he is altoge*
iher lovely^ infinitely lovely. Again,
(3.) This communication has in it, fometimes, mu-
tual counfels imparted, their minds imparted. The
Lord imparts his mind to the foul, The fecret of the Lord
is with thetn that fear him, and he wiUJhew the?n his co-
venant : and the foul imparts its mind again to God,
and pours out its heart unto him, telling him ail his
mind, that he cannot tdl the world. Again,
(4.} This
tSo Senfible P R E s £ N d ^% S e R. XCVl.
(4.) This communication takes in the mutual con-
fidence they (exprefs in one another. It is wonderful
that the Lord has a kind confidence and trufl he puts
in them : there are fome beUevers he will not trufl:,
knov/ing what is in their hearts ; but there are others
to whom he commits a trull:, he commits his Jianie and
truth to them. Rev. ii. 13. knowing that, through hi^
grace, they will be faithful. They put their trufl in
him : Lord, all my confidence is in thee ; I have no
hope but in thyfelf : and they exprefs their trufl in
him, as Job does, chapter xiii. 15. Though he Jlay mcy
yet will I trujl in him. Again,
(5.) This communication, it takes in the mutual
care they exprefs to one another : O the wonderful
care that Chriil expreffes cf his people ! That is ob-
ferved by the church, v;hen flie fays, His left hand is
under my head^ and his right-hand doth embrace me^
Song ii. 6. O the tender care of the Lord Jefus to-
wards them ! And then they fometimes exprefs a care
with reference to him and his intereft, and his con-
cerns ; their great' concern isj to have his honour and
glory advanced in the world.
(6.) This communication takes in mutual affziranees
of love : he alTures them of his love unto them, and
relation unto them ; / am thy God,, I will be thy God*
Well, they acknowledge fometlmes this relation, and
therefore cry out. My Lord^ and my God : and fome-
times, when they are under the influence of the Spirit
of God, the Spirit of adoption, they acknowledge their
relation, crying out, Abba, Father,
In a word, this communication fonifetimes Lnkes In
a mutual dedication of themfelves to one another : the
Lord gives himfelf unto them : he gives himfelf, he
gives his Chrifl, he gives his Spirit, he gives his blef-
fing unto them, and they furrender all that they have,
and are, unto him : they give up themfelves, their
name, their children, their foul and body, and all their
concerns unto him 5 they put all into his hand. This
is a part of their communication, their mutual talk
v/ith him. So much fhall fuffice for a touch at this
6ril head. I go on,
II. ^0
S E R. XCV. Sudden Absence. i 8 1
II. To the fecond thing propofed, i;/z. To offer a
remark or two concerning xht finding zndmi//ing the
prefence of God. O Sirs, what know we, or do we
know any thing of that prefence and fcllowfhip with.
God, that I have been mentioning ? That the Lord's
people may have fome further view of this matter,
there are thofe few remarks I would offer, concerning
their meeting with him, and their milling of him.
The jirji remark I ofler is this, " That thefe who
" are acquainted with his coming, and going, they
" are the feed of Jacobs praying Jacob, to whom God
" has faid, Theyjhall not fee k him in vain,'^ And
fometimes they have it to fay, Ifozfg/jf him, aJidlfound.
him ; but many times they have it to fay. We fought
him, but we miffed him : vjz fought him, but vi^ found
him not. There is a generation that feek the face af J a*
coVs God,
But, fecondlyy I would here remark, " That fuch an
" enjoyment of God's prefence, as his people denre,
*' and would be at, is denied them while they are in
" the world." And this he is pleafed to do for many,
wife and good reafons : partly, to draw out their de*
fires more after him ; partly, to quicken their endea-
vours, in feeking after him ; partly, to prove and hum*
ble them, and to do them good in the latter end. . -t
But then, thirdly^ another remark, 1 would offer
is, " That the Lord*;* communicating himfelf unto his
*^ people, is in a way that is very njanabkJ' He ma-
ny rimes furprifes them with his vifits.— Sometimes \}^-
comes when they are in their v/orft cafe. He fome-
times talks with them when they are napping, as it
were; he takes them when they are dead, and liki
bfafs before him, — Sometimes when they are in their
•word frames ; For the iniquity of his covetoufnefs was I
wroth, andfmote. him ; I hid me and was wroth ; and
he went on frowardly in ih^ way. of his heart* Well,
faith the Lord, / havefeen his ways and will heal him ;
I will had him alfo, and reft ore comforts to him, and to
his mournirs, Ifaiah Ivii. ly, iS. — -Sometimes he come^
to them, when they are juft at the giving over ; I faid
J am cajl out of thy fight ^ i^id Jonah, y^t will I look again
Vol, VI. Z ioiuarJs
i82 ^^^Z*/^ Pre SEN c E, Ser. XCV.
towards thy holy temple^ Jonah ii. 4, — Sometimes their
ordinary attainments do exceed their communion-at-
tainments ; and hence they have it many times to fay,
G that it were with me at a communion-table, as in
fuch a time, and fuch a time.- The Lord's way is
variable.
•But again, in the fourth place, I would here re-
mark, " That the Lord's hiding himfelf, and the foul's
** miffing of his prefence, when either they are feek-
*' ing after him, and are difappointed ; or, when they
" have found him, and do immediately mifs him, I fay,
" it is very heavy unto them." Alas 1 it is a great
burden to them 1 Ufually, when they thus mifs him,
they are compafled with clouds of darknefs. It may be
they are in darknefs about duty^ not knowing what to
do. Perhaps, they are in darknefs about their graces^
not knowing whether they are gold or counterfeits. It
may happen, they are in the dark about the fromifes^
not knowing whether they belong to them or not. It
is poffible, they are in darknefs about their experienees^
whether they be delufions or not. — They are oft-times
filled with amazement, when they mifs their Beloved.
When their love is away, they think fuch a difpenfa-
tion is contrary to his merciful nature ; they are apt
to think fometimes, that it is contrary to his gracious
promife, and that it is contrary to the experiences of
his people ; and, perhaps, contrary to their own ex-
periences ; and contrary to the hopes they have had.-—
They are, I fay, in great heavinefs^ for ordinary, when
they mifs him.
But again, "^ fifth remark I offer here, is, " That
*' when the Lord has been long away from his people,
** and, at laft, returns to them, readily the meeting is
*' very remarkahle.^^ — Their meeting with him then is
readily remarkable for its ftdnefs : it is like a great
fhower after a long drought ; or, they get the more
full meal, that they have been long falling ; and the
longer they have wanted accefs, the accefs is the near-
er.— Readily fuch a meeting is remarkable for the
jweetuefs of it. O ! how fwcet is it when the Lord's
people meet with him, when he hath been long abfent 1
It
Ser. XCV. Sudden Absence.^ 183
It is like the loft piece offilver^ Luke xv. 8, 9. Here
is a loft privilege I have found again ; I thought the
Lord would never have returned to me again ; but
now I have got him again. — Such a meeting is re-
markable for the melting quality of it : it is like the
meeting of two dear friends, that have been long afun-
der, that fall a weeping for joy in one another's arms.
O the joy that a meeting between Chrift and his peo-
ple caufes, after they have been long afunder. — It rea-
dily alfo is remarkable for the pozver and efficacy of it.
It has a powerful and ftrong imprefTion on them, when
they meet with him, after he has been long away.
It is a Bethel that they will not eafily forget ; / ivill
remember ihee^ fays the Pfalmill, from the land of Jor-
dan^ and of the Hermonitcs^ and from the hill Mizar,
Pfalm xlii. 6.
But again, in the Jixih place, I would here alfo re-
mark, " That thefe meetings with the Lord are very
*• rare»*' They are not to be expected from the Lord
often : they are feaft-days ; and every day is not a fcafl-
day. They muft come down from the mount ; We
mujl live here by faith ^ not by fight. The Lord's peo-
ple, many times, cannot bear a full cup, far lefs carry
with it for a long time.
But again, feventhly^ I would here remark, " That
" the Lord's coming and going, bis peoples meeting
" with him, and their milling of him, are remarkable
*' and difcernable, according to the degree of his com-
^' ing and going." Sometimes in his coming unto
them is more fudden 2Xi^ furprifing ; and then they
readily know his coming. Sometimes it is more gra-
dual^ and lefs difcernable ; fo it is alfo with his going.
Sometimes he goes away more iiiddenly, and they mil's
him immediately ; and fometimes he goes away gra-
dually, and then they may not fo eafily know that he
is gone ; as it is fald of Samfon, TZ>6' Lord departed
from him^ and he ivifl it not.
But then I would remark, in the eight and lajl place^
*' That this difpenfation ot divine grace, his manifef-
gifting himfelf, and allowing his people accefs to hjip,
" and fueh communication with himj as it is a rare.
Z 2 *' thing.
iB^ S'enftble T^iksti^CE^ "Ser. XCV.
^' thing, fo it is a great mjfieryy It is even a myf-
tery to them who know it ; for they know but darkly :
Now J we fee through a glafs darkly^ but then face to face.
It is a hidden myftery to the mod part of the profef-
lors : it is like the holy of holies^ that none but the
pricfts entered into ; fo none but thefe that are kin^
and priejls unto their God know any thing of it.
Having offered thefe remarks concerning this hts
' ccming^ and gowg from his people. I go on
III. To the third thing propofed, which was, To en-
quire in what refpeBs they may mifs him, where they
enjoyed him ; Cod %vcnt up from him in the place where
he talked with him. On this head, there are thefe eight
particulars I v/ould fiiortly touch at.
I, They may mifs him in the duties wherein they
have enjoyed bim. They may mifs him in the word
wherein they have enjoyed him to their fweet experi-
ence ; ] will remember thee, fays the Pfalmift, from the
" land of Jordan^ and of the Hermojiiies, and from the bill
Mizar^ Pfalm xlii. 6. I will remember by-paft expe-
'riences.— — But it feems, for all that, he miffed him
there ; for he fays in the next verfe, Deep calleth unto
deep, at the noife of thy water- fpoiits ; all thy waves and
ihy billows are gone over /.'/f.-— They may mifs him in the
AwX.^ qS. reading the fcriptures, wherein fometimes they
have enjoyed him. It is fometimes the food of their
fouls ; at other times it may be a fealed book to them.
—They may niifs him in the duty of meditation, where
fometimes they have enjoyed him ; My meditation of
him fhall he fweet, fays the Pfalmift, Pfalm civ. 34.
But again, they niay have it to fay, I remembered God,
and was troubled.-^ They may mifs him in the duty of
prayer, wherein they have frequently enjoyed him, and
got him in their arms ; they may fo mifs him, as to be
obliged to fay, Why art thou fo far from helping me, and
from the words of my roaring f Wherefore hideji thou thy*
felffrom me f But again,
?, They may not only mifs him in the duties where-
in they have found him, but they may mifs h-im in the
frames
Ser. XCV. SuJdsn AfiSENCfi"^. 1^5
frajnes wherein they have enjoyed hirri. -They may
mifs him fometiuies even in a mourning frame, and may
.|-<? mmming without the fun, Mary feeks him weeping
and mourning, and flie mifles her Lord, though flit:
was in that frame* Again, they may mifs him in a
melting and a loving frame \ fo it was with the church,
when ilie fays, J fought him ^ wht)?n my foul loveth ; but
I found him not. — -They may mifs him, even when in a
right lively frame ; / fought him^ (I was quickened to
feek him) but I found him not., — —-They may mifs that
prefence that fometimes they had, and that they would
gladly be at. But again, in the next place,
3. They may mifs him in the be/i cafes wherein they
have enjoyed htm : they may mifs him in that cafe
they think to be bed, and that cafe which is really
beft. They may mifs him when they think they are
befl, ^72. in z joyful C2i^e ; yet they may mifs him, in
regard of that meafure and degree of prefence they
would be at. They may mifs him in that cafe when
it is really befl with them. When is it bed with them?
It is befl when they are beheving, and their heart is
opening to the Son of God ; and yet in that cafe they
may mifs him ; the fpoufe fays. Song v. 6. I opened to
my Beloved ; but my Beloved had iviihdrawn himfelf
and was gone. When they have much and fweet en-
joyment of him, they may fuddenly mifs him, and when
they are opening the door of their heart to him^ lie
may difappear. But again, in the
4. Place, They m.ay mifs him not only in the befc
cafes, wherein they have enjoyed him ; but they may
mifs him in the worfi cafes, wherein they have been pre-
vented and furprized with the communications of his fa-
vour : for inflance, they may mifi; him in confufed tim'esy
when the enemies of the Lord are making a tumult, and
when all things are feeming to run to diforder and
confufion, though the Lord ufes fometimes to refreHa
them in fuch circumflances, according to his word ;
There is a river, fays the pfalmiit, the fir earns vjheteof
fhall make glad the city cf God, Pfal. xlvi. 4. I remeih^
ber it is faid, Pfal. Ixxxiii. 1. Keep not ihoufilence, O
God : bold 7iQt thy peace a7id be mtJllHj 0 Cod ; for by
ihin^
iS.6 ^Senftble Presence, Ser. XCV,
tljine enemies make a tumult ^ and they that hate thee^ have
taken crafty counfel againji thy people y and confulted a^
gainjl thy hidden ones ; and at the fame time it fuppofes,
that the Lord is filent, was not taking notice as he ufed
to do, and as they expeded he would. — Again, they
may mifs him in the time oi perfecution^ when he ufes
to ftand by his people, as Paul fays, The Lordjiood by
me ; even in fuch a time they may mifs his prefence,
ss the church fays. Song v. 7. The watchmen^ that
went about the city^ found me^ they fmote me^ they wound-
ed me ; the keepers of the walls took away my vail from
me : there was perfecution, and at the fame time flie is
crying, and yet finds him not. — Again, they may
mifs him in the time of temptation, when he ufes to
ftand up in fuccouring them, making a way to efcape ;
thus it was with Paul, he was buffeted by Satan : he
prays and prays again, yet the temptation continues ;
and he mifles him, until he goes on and finds him ;
and the anfwer the Lord gives him is, My grace fhall
be fufficient for thee, and my fir ength fhall be perfected
in thy weaknefs. However, I fay, in the times of temp-
tation they may mifs him. — Again, in times ol iribula-
iion and cifflidion, he ufes to come to them, according
to his word. When thou paffeft through the waters, I will
be with thee ; and through the rivers, they fhall not over"
flow thee : when thou walkefl through the fire, thoufhalt
not be burnt, neither fhall the flame kindle upon thee,
Ifa. xllii. 2. Yet even when going through fire and
water they may mifs him ; as it was with Job when,
m great afBidion, he cries unto the Lord, and he does
not regard him ; Behold, J go forward, but he is not
there ; and backward, but I cannot perceive him : on the
left 'hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him ;
he hideth himfelfon the right-hand, that I cannot fee him.
Job xxiii. 8, 9. Oh ! fay the Lord's people, I would
think nothing of my afflidlion, if the Lord did not hide
his face : this is not a ftrange cafe ; you may mifs
him even then, as is evident from what I have faid. —
Again,
5. In the next place, the Lord's people they may
mils him, in the words of grace ^ wherein fometimes
they
S£ R. XCV. Sudden Absence. 187
they have enjoyed him. The Lord nianifefts himfelf
fometimes in the word, and gives them his prefencc by
means of his word ; and then they have it to iay, per-
haps, with the pfalmift, The Lord hath fpoken in his
holinefs^ and I will rejoice^ Pfal. Ix. 6. But at other
times, they may fo far niifs him, that they may cry out.
All men are liars. But how, Sirs, can behevers make
God a liar, but by making the prophets hars, and the
words of the prophets lies ? Will the Lord cajl off for
ever f And will he be favourable no more f Is his merry
clean gone for ever f Doth his promife fail for evermore f
Hath God forgotten to be gracious f Hath he in anger fhut
up his tender mercies f PfaL Ixxvii. 7, 8, 9. They may
at fome times meet with a promife, and rejoice there-
in ; but at other times that promife may be taftelefs to
their fouls ; they can fee nothing of God there* I fay,
they may mifs him fometimes in the words wherein they
have enjoyed him. Again,
6. In the next place, they may mifs him in the in-
Jlruments whereby they have enjoyed him ; it may be
fttch a minifter, and fuch an inftrument, is blafted to
them. He comes to them fometimes with full breaits
and they fweetly fuck out of thefe full breafts of con-
folation ; but behold, at other times, he comes to them,*
with dr'j hreojls^ as it were ; they can find nothing of
God in his fermon, where they have formerly met with
God by him. Why Sirs, we minifters are the favour
of life ^ juft as the Spirit of life is pleafed to go along
with the word : and therefore we have httle need to
idolize inftruments. We may mifs him in the in-
ilruments, whereby we have enjoyed him. Again, in
the
7. Place, we may mifs him in ihtfcciety of the Lord's
people wherein we have enjoyed him. It is a commen-
dable pradice of fome of the Lord's people, that they
meet for focial prayer, and conference, and the Lord
many times countenances them in it. It is faid, Mah
iii. 1 6. They that feared the Lord, fpake often one to
another y and the Lord hearkened and heard it : and a
book of remember ancs was written before him^ for them
iksit
iB8- Senf.ble. P r e 5 e n g e, Ser. XCV.
ibai feared the Lord^ and that thought upon his name*
They fonietimes meet with the Lord there : but at o.
thcr times they may mifs him very fuddenly, and be o-
bliged to fay with the church, Lam. iii. 8. When I cry
and Jhoiit^ he Jhuiteth out my prayer. And in the 44th
verfe, Thou hajl covered thyfelf with a cloudy that our
prayers Jhould not pafs through. But again,
8. In the next place, to add no more, they may-
mifs him in the very place where they h^o^ve enjoyed
him ; God went up from hi??!, in the very place where he
talked with him. I fay, they may mifs him in the very
ijmes and places where they have enjoyed him ; and
they may enjoy him, but fuddenly the Lord may with-
draw from them. They may mifs him in the pubUc
places, the ordinances where they have enjoyed him y
they may mifs him in fecret places, in the chamber,
in the field, in the fpot where they enjoyed him ; God
went up from him^ in the place where he talked with him,
So much fhall fuffice for the third head.
IV. The fourth thing I propofcd was. To give the
grounds and rcafons of this dlfpenfation : Whence is it
that the Lord's people may enjoy God, and yet may
quickly ntifs hiiDj even in the very fpot where they
have enjoyed him ? I cannot (land to enlarge upon
this ; 1 ihall oifer fome reafons in fo many words.
1. By this the Lord ihewshis fovereignty^ that he is
the foyereign difpenfer of his bleffings, and confers
them when, upon v/hom, and in what manner he plea-r
fes.
2. The Lord by this would alfo confirm his people
unto their Head^ Jefus Chrift, who was deferted of
the Father, My God^ my God^ fays he, i^hy hqjl thou
fdrfqken me f Alas ! this was a bitter cup, yet the
Xoxdwill have his people to be plunged in it, fo to
fpe^jc, to know the bitternefs of that cup of defer-
tion.
3. It is ordered alfo, to make a di^erence between
heaven ^nd earth. We are but Grangers and pilgrims
here : and are not to expert an uninterrupted enjoy,
iiieut of <our Lordin this world. There is an eternity
of
S £ R. XCV. Sudden Absence. i8o
of the enjoyment of God a-coming, nnto all the chil-
dren of grace ; and therefore he takes the liberty with
his people now to hide himfelf from them. Again,
4. It is ordered alfo, for Ihewing unto us that the
Lord may -approve of his people, and accept of their
fervices and duties in Jefus Chrifl:, even when thev
mifs that in duty which they would be at, namely,
his bieffing of them with his comfortable prefence : this
is what he will give unto them as he pleafes.
5. He would have them to know they are not to
reji on the means ; that they are not to be depended
upon, but that they are to ufe the means, with a re-
fpe<3: to his command, and a regard to his authority,
even though the Lord Ihould deny his comfortable
prefence therein. The Lord orders it alfo, it may
be,
6. To chajlife xhtiv former mifbehaviours, either in
feeking, or in the enjoyment 01 him : he will learn
them to value his prefence, by abfenting himfelf from
them.
7. Many times he does it, to quicke?i their endea*
vours after him, and to lead them unto the due ac-
knowledgment of their fins, by which they have pro-
voked him to depart and hide his face ; as the Lord
fays by his prophet, I "ivill go and return to my place ^
till they acknowledge their offence^ and feek my face : in
their offlidian they will feek me early. Many fuch rea-
fons might be given, why the Lord orders matters
thus.
8. I {hall give you one reafon more ; (and. Sirs,
we may tremble when we fpeak of it) the Lord may
hide his face, in many of the duties of his appoint-
ment, to fhew his difpleafure again ft his church and
people ; and to fhew what vengeance may be a-com-
ing upon them, becaufe of their fms and provocations:
and the Lord may withdraw from his ov/n people, and
hide his face from them, becaufe of their fmful accef-
fion to the evils of the time and place wherein they
live. Ah i what ftroaks may be a-coming upon a fm-
ful generation ! And alfo, for this reafon, he may hi,de
his race from his people, that it may not be in their
Vol. YL A a power
jgo 5^72/?^/^ P-RESEN c E, „Ser. XCV.
power to ftand up in the gap, to hinder the ftroak to
come on ; and therefore he hides his face, and hard-
ly allows them to pray. What is the language of k ?
It is to this cfFed, Fray not for this -people^ when I am
peremptorily refolved to bring down vengeance on them ;
therefore he with-holds the Spirit of prayer. And he
fometimes withdraws with reference to this very point,
that they have not fo much as the affu ranee of the de-
lay of a ftroak, becaufe he is quickly to bring it on ;
and, perhaps, this may be one great complaint of the
Lord's people, and of fome that go many a foot to his
ordinances;. Oh! the little communion they meet
with in them 1 It may be the Lord is referving the
comforts of a communion till the time of a wildernefs
want fliall come ; Behold^ I will allure her^ and bring
her into the zvildernefs^ faith the Lord, by the prophet,
and /peak comfortably^ to her^ Hofea ii. 14.
V. I come now, in the lafl place, to make appUca^-
tion of the whole. I fliall confine my application to
thefe two ufes. i. By way oi trial and examination^
And, 2. By way of exhortation,
1/^, Is it fo, that the Lord, when he allows com-
munion and fellowfliip with him to his people, may
faddenly withdraw, and they may mifs him in the fpot
where they have enjoyed him ? Then, O Sirs, you
fbould try what you know of his prefence^ and of com-
vninion gnd fellouufhip ivith him. It were the lefs ha-
zard that you knew, to your experience, that of ;w/^
fmg him, if ye really knew what it were \.o find him,
and what it is to enjoy him, and to have communion
with him. Why, Sirs, I would have you put it to the
trial, if God has been talking with you at this occafion,
or at any other time. Do you know what it is to
have God talking with you ; I mean, to have commu-
nion and feilowlhip with him ? You cannot exped: to
have the enjoyment of glory hereafter, if it be not
begun in grace here. Why, how fhall we know, fay
you, if we have met with the Lord ? Or attained any
thing of the enjoyment of him ? Why, in the
I. Place,
Se R. XCV. Sudden Absence. 19-I
1. Place, you may try it by this, There are fome
things you will be hardly able to endure^ if you have
met with him. — The Lord's people they cannot endure
that God go away from them again ; or that God
fliould hide his face. Oh ! it is heavy to think of the
Lord's withdrawing from them : they cannot endure
to think that God fliould be angry with them : they
cannot endure that any thing fliould have Chrift's room
in their hearts : they cannot endure that any thing
jfliould hinder or marr that meeting with, and enjoy-
ment of, God they have : they fay with the Pfalmift,
Depart from me^ all ye workers of iniquity ; for I will
keep the commandmenis of my God, What will all the
world be to me, fays the foul, if I have not commu-
nion and fellowfliip with my God ? — Again, the foul
cannot endure any thing that tends to 7narr the enjoy-
ment of God y when he has it, when he is brought i??^
to the banquetting'hoitfe^ and has the light of God's
countenance, he is ready to charge all about him^ with
the fpoufe, that they do not provoke the Lord to de-
part J / charge yoUj fays (he, 0 ye daughters of Jerufa-
lem^ by the roes and by the hinds of the fields, that ye ftir
not upy nor awake my hve till he pleafe. Song ii. 7.
What know ye of this ? Again,
2. If ye know his gracious prefence, you will be one
that rejoices in his prefence^ and laments at his abfence.-—
His prefence will be your chief joy ; his abfence will
be your chief forrow : his prefence will give you more
joy than all the w^orld can ; his abfence will make you
more forrowful, than any thing in time can make you
joyful. This is the import of that word, Thou haji piit^
fays the Pfalmift, gladnefs in 7727 hearty more than in the
time^ that their corn and their wine increafed^ Pfal. iv. 7.
— Again, if you be one that has had a meeting with
the Lord, then, to be fure, his abfence will be a dif-
irejfing\k\\x\g to you. As you defire his prefence above
all things, and count all things but lofs and dung^ for the
excellency of the knowledge of Jefus Cbrifi^ and commu-
nion with God in him ; io^ when you cannot win at the
enjoyment of him, when you cannot get your heart
brought up to love him, when you cannot get your
A a 2 eYt>s
igi Scnfible Presence, Ser. XCV.
eyes open to fee bim, you look upon yourfelf as a dif-
trefFed perfon, as a broken perfon, as a miferable per-
fon, by reafon of the abfence of God, and the pre-
fence of fm. A child of God looks upon himfelf to
be, and is really, an afflided and a broken body, by
reafon of the prefence of fin, and the abfence of the
Lord ; and therefore he cries out, 0 that I knew where
I might find him ! But again,
3. If you are one that have experience of this pre-
fence of God, and fellowfhip with him ; then you will
have fome fellowfhip with they^i?2/j, the excellent ones
of the earth. What know you of this ? I think this is
a good fign, when the heart warms towards one that is
a child of grace, though he be a beggar, or in poor
circumllances, or one of httle wit otherwife ; when
your heart warms toward the pidure of Chrifl, when
your heart warms towards one, becaufe he has the i-
mage of Chrifl ; By this we know^ fays the apoflle Jolin,
that we have pojfed from death unto life^ becaufe we love
the brethren^ i John iii. i, 4. The heartwarming to-
wards thefe that have the image of God ; it has in it
fomething of heart Avarming towards Chrifl himfelf.
Again,
4. We may know it by the humbling effect of it.
When a perfon has the image of God on him he will
be humbled ; thus Job, when he had got a clear fight
of himfelf, fays to the Lord, I have heard of thee by the
hearing of the ear^ but now 7m?:e eyejeeth thee ; where*
fore I abhor myfelfy and repent in dufl and afhes^ Job
xlii. 5, 6. O the prefence of God makes the perfon
hate fm ; it humbles him to nothing, as the Lord fays
by the prophet, L^aiah ii. -11, The lofty looks ofmanjhall
he humbled^ and the h aught iiiefs of man /hall be bowed
4own^ when the Lord alone is exalted in the foul, when
he is prefent on the throne of the heart. Again,
5. We may judge of it by this, they that have met
with God and have his prefence, whether they have
it fenfibly or not, they have flill an high efhem of Chrifl,
even though he fhould be abfent. They have alfo
an high efieem of his ordinances, even when but dry
breads j they dare not undervalue them : nay, they
have
Seh. XCV. SuJilat Absence; 195:
hatre a gf<iat regard fot tvtvy tklng th^t appertains to
htm, and bears an imprciTion of his image.
6. They have ibiiiething al'fo of a tendcrmfs of hearty
that they dare not albw themfelves in lin ; they dare
not live in the omiflio-n of known duty, or in the com-
tnlllion of known fin ;• and they have fomething alfo of
a tendernefs of walk ; though iniquities prevail againjl
them^ yet they never dare run into an excefs of riot with
the wicked World. They are fueh ^'^fear the Lord ;
or have the ehara6!er given them that we find record*
ed in the firft chapter of Neliemiah, verfe 11. they
dcfire to fear his name. ■-■You may enquire by what
1 have been faying, w^hether you knov/ the prefenceof
God, and fellowmip with him.
I thought to have fpoke by way of addrefs^ i. To
thefe who have known fellowfhip v/ith him, but now
they have mified him. 2. To thefe who at prefent
may be under the joyful imprelnons of their having
fiellowfliip with God, io that he is talking with thenu
And, 3. To thefe that know nothing of this intercourfe
with God, and as little care for it. I would fay but a
few vi^ords to each of thefe.
I/?, As to thefe vA\o found the Lord talking with
them, and who have had fome intercourfe with hi-iti
allowed them : but now they have rniffed him, and it
maybe have provoked him to hide his face. Alii
would fay to you, is, to offer you thefe two or three
advices.
I. I would have you to ftndy divine providences to-
wards yourfelf, and the providence of the Lord towards
others of his people, in his coming and going towards
them. Eye the fovereignty of his difpcnfations. Why,
it may be, in this ftudy, you m.ay meet with him .\
Whofo is wife^ and will obferve thefe things, even they
foal I underfland the loving-kindnefs of the Lord, Pfal,
cvii. 43.
1, I would advife you, in thefe circumliances that
you are in, if you would have your captivity return-
ed, be concerned on your knees before the Lord, a-
bout your friendsy and others you Ihould be concerned
for
194 S<?/2/?^/^ Presence, Ser. XCV,
for. It is remarkable, Jobxlii. lo. The Lord turned
ihe captivity of Job ^ when he was praying for his friends :
when you are applying for your friends or others, you
may find the Lord turning your captivity.
5. I would advife you to be concerned for the church
of Chrift. It may, perhaps, be one caufe of the Lord's
withdrawing from you, in your private cafe, on ac-
count of your having little concern about the church
of Chrift. You will find, that when Daniel was ap-
plying to God for his church and people, then he met
with that intercourfe with God, wherein he fpake
unto him, faying, 0 man greatly beloved : and, fays the
Lord to Baruch, Seekeji thou great things for thyfelf f
Seek them not : for behold^ I will bring evil upon allfiefh,
faith the Lord : but thy life will I give unto thee for a
prey^ in all places whither thou goefl^ Jer. xlv. 5. Well,
be concerned for the public ; and in this way you
may come to meet with the Lord again. But, then
again,
4. Another thing I would advife you to, is, endea-
vour, through grace, to be concerned for, and weight-
ed with, the fins of the day and generation you live
in : by this you may get a mark fet upon you ; for, he
fets^ mark upon the foreheads cf them that f.gh and cry,
for all the abominations that be done in the midfi of the city.
But then, again,
5. Believer, fee that he have you alone ^ if you be
complaining that you mifs him in ordinances. I remem-
ber what was faid concerning Chrift and his difciples,
chap, iv, 34. When they were alone he expanded all
things to his difciples. See that he have you alone, and
fee that you be much in fecret with him ; and thus the
Lord may communicate himfelf to you. He will not
readily tell you his mind until he get a convenient
time ; you may get that in fecret, that you have not
got at a communion-table. Again,
6. I would have you to beware of conformity to the
generality of profelfors in our day. O beware of be-
ing conformed to them in their neutrality and indiffe-
rency about the work of God ; and bringing their neu-
trality
Ser. XCV. Sudden Abs'E.^qz. ip^
trality this way under the good names oi moderatioriy
good breedings and the like : beware of conformity to
thefe ; for it is your reproach to be conformed to them
in their felfiihnefs, while mofl party^f;^ their own i kings ^
2Xi6.few the things of J ejus Chrijl ; and in this way you
cannot exped to meet with Chrift. — In a word. Do
you yet mifs him ; Wait on him : The Lord is a God
oj judgment^ and bkffed are all they thai wait for him.
idly. But I would now fpeak a word to thefe who
\i^\c found the Lord at this occafion, fo that he is talk-
ing with them. It is pollible there are fomc that have
the joyful impreflions of communion with God, and
with Jacob, are talking with God, and God is talking
with them. Are you brought into the mount of com-
munion and converfation with him? Then I would give*
you two or three advices.
1. O believer, if that be thy cafe, O be thankful,
let God have the praife of his mercy : remember to a-
dore, and ftir up others to adore and magnify him«
You are dignified before many others that are in ma-
ny refped:s better than you : What are you that you
Ihould be fo dealt with ? Again,
2. Ohtwzxcoi idolizing your entertainment ; when
you are enjoying thefe fruits of the Mailer's kindnefs,
beware of reding upon the fruits ; for they will not
bear you ; but you mull reft upon the Tree of life :
beware of making a Chrift of them : beware of being
ftrong in the grace received ; but htjirong in the grace
that is in Chrtjl Jefus. Again,
3. I would advife you to entertain Chrift well, when
he is with you ; and beware of provoking him to de-
part from you. I'here are feveral things we fhould
beware of, that provoke him to depart. He may go
av/ay in fovereignty, and it is beft when he does fo,
and you have not a fmful hand in it. Beware of unbc'"
lief ; this is readily the firft door by which your com-
forts will go out from you. — Beware oi doubting of his
love, and difputing of the mercy of God, Do you en-
joy his love ? Are you fure concerning it, as having an
infallible mark of it in his word ? Then take inftru-
jnents, that it is no delufion : that fo when the Lord
bides
xgG Senfihk Presence, 8£r. XGV*
hides his face, you may not raze the foundation, cal*
ling all in quellion.^ — Again, beware o^fccurity zw^f.esp-
ing after you have got a good meal. If a friend fhould
come and pay you a vifit, and you fhould fall aflcep
befidehim, he will think, that you make very little of
bis vifit, and he will foon make away from you. —
And then I would have you beware of covetoufnefs and
Ivor Idly -mindednefs ; For the iniquity of his covetoufnefs I
%vas wroth ^ and fmote him ; I hid jne and was wroth ^
fays the Lord, by the prophet, Ifa. Ivii. 17. There
you fee is both anger and abfence, by reafon of a co-
vetous heart, a worldly heart, and wor]dly-mindednt;fs j
I fay, beware of this. — Again, I would advife you to
beware of defiling the Lord* s hcufe : keep the houfe,
where he is, clean, fo as he may not be provoked to de-
part. Keep the houfe clean for him : endeavour, thro'
his grace, to keep the heart clean, to keep it clean
from fecret fm ; Who can undcrftand his errors ? Cleanfe
ihcume from fecret faults J fays the pfalmift, Pfal. xix. 12.
Endeavour to be clean, not only from fecret faults,
but public faults and fms in the day and generation
wherein you live. The negled of this may greatly
provoke him to withdraw his prefence from you. En-
deavour to be faithful to his truths that are controvert-
ed "^ . Some will be ready to fay, Why (liould we be
concerned for controverted truths f If, indeed, we do
not {land up for any but thefe which are uncontrovert-
ed, the devil and his inftruments will not trouble us ;
but if we do not fo, v;e cannot be faithful to God,
And we are to be faithful to the lead truth of Chrift,
Some may be ready to fay, If, for the caufe of truths
we are to fuiier, why not ? But many are contending
about thefe things that are trifles. O Sirs, If they be
the matters of Chrift, beware of calling them trifles. I
remember to have read of a lady in France, at the
time of the malTacre there, that was led away to be
drowned for the fake of her religion j her perfecutors
• Several of thefe controverted and oppofed truths of God are con-
t^e/ceoded on above, Vol. I. p. aj8. Vol. II. p. J04, 305, 466. Vol.
'IV. p. 148. Scealfo Vol.Y. Serm. LXXXil, LXX:xni, LXXXiV.
LXXXV.
pro-
Ser. XCV. Sudden Absence. 19;^
promifed her life^ if (he would but fay, Ave Maria ^ or
Fater Nojler, She anfwered, " I might eafily repeat
** thefe words ; but if my doing be fo interpreted by
*' you a renouncing of my religion, and a yielding up
^' of the caufe of Chrifl, in that fenfe 1 will not do it:*'
and fo flic was drowned* If we come to yield in fmah
ler things, we may do it in greater. We are to rec-
kon nothing fmall in the matters of Chrift. Then,
4. See that you iinprove his prefence, if you have
got it at this occafion. How fliall we improve it in
the behalf of Qhrijl^ to commend him more to you
than ever : and fure, if you have his prefence, you
cannot fay too much of it ; O improve it for the com-
mending him more and more to you. — Improve it in
behalf of his ordinances^ making them more precious
in your view.— -And improve this prefence of the Lord
in behalf of your children : Have you children, man»
v/oman ? Improve it in behalf of them, and cry to God,
wrefile with him for a blelTmg to you and your feed,
feeing he has brought you near. — Improve it in behalf
of the church of Scotland : plead that he may not take
a farewel of Scotland ; that he may return to his ordi-
nances ; that he may return to the judicatories. — -O
improve your enjoyment of the prefence of Chrift, in
behalf of the churches abroad^ that are brought very
low. — O improve his prefence in behalf of your /r;V;.Y//
in Chrijl^ thefe that are in Chrift, that have not win
your length, that have not win half your length. Are
you brought into the King's court ? O fpeak a good
word for the Jofeph's that are in prifon, that are under
the hatches, that the Lord may advance them as well
as you. — Then improve his prefence in behalf oiji-ran-
gers who never faw any thing of his glory, as we find
the church in the Song does. Song viii. 8. We have a
little Jijler^ fays (he, andjhe hath no hreajls : what Jhall
nve do for our fifter^ in the day when JJse JhaJI be fpoken
for ? Jf/he be a %vaU^ we will build upon her a palace
of fther ; and if Jhe be a door^ we will inclofe her with
boards of cedar. We fhould ^ray for a blefiing upon
the defign of preaching the gofpel unto a Pagan and a
Htathen world : we v/iili that you would mind them
V o L. VL B b that
^Jtg^ Senfible Presence, Ser. XCV.
that are called to preach the gofpel to the heathens.
O pray that the Lord may be with them. — Then re-
member the advice that Jofeph gave to Pharaoh, Lay
Mpjor the years of famine ; lay up comforting promifes
and experiences : you may need all that you have got ;
yea, you may need much more.
3 J/y, I fhall only fpeak a word to you that know no*
thing of this prefence of God, of his coming and go-
•jng ; that know nothing of finding or miffing him ;
and, perhaps, as little care. You never had any con-
cern about his prefence \ for you are ftrangers to fel-
.iowfliip and communion with the Son of God. O man,
woman, I would fay a word to you ; O hear what God
fays to you, before he go away from the place where
he is fpeaking to you : he is fpeaking to you in this
^evcrlafliing gofpel. We are not to flay here, but w^e
,are to part : and we will probably never meet all again,
;until we come before the tribunal of God, when the
Lord Jefus Chrifi fhall he revealed fro?n heaven^ with his
mighty angels, injianiirigfire^ t&king vengeance on them
■that know not God, and that obey not the gofpel of our
Lord Jefus Chrifi, Before God go away, who is talk-
ing to you in this gofpel, come to Chrifi, who is deal-
ing with you and fpeaking to you. Confider, that if
thefe meffages of grace, that you have got already, at
- this occafion, be all flighted by you, there are more
terrible ones abiding you than ever came to Job, and
they were right fearful ones : there came one to him
and told him, The oxen were plowing, and the affcs feed-
ing hcfide them, and the Sabeans fell upon ihem, and took
iheni away ; yea, they have flain thy fervanls with the
edge of the fword, and I only am efcaped alone to tell thee.
—That man is hardly done fpeaking, when another
comes and tells him, The fire of God is fallen from hea-
ven, and hath burnt up the fheep, and ftrv ants, and
ion fumed them ; and I am efcaped alone to tell thee.—^
While that man is fpeaking, another comes in and tells
liim, The Chaldeans made out thr^e bands, and fell upon
your camels, and have carried them azvay ; yea, and
jlain the fervants with the edge of the fword ; and I only
ifU efcaped alone to tell thee. — While that man is fpeak-
S E R. XC V. Sudden- Absence. rgg
ing, another comes in and tells him, Yom/ons and
your daughters were eatings and dr'piking wine in their
eldeji brother^s houfe^ and behold^ there came a great
wind from the wildernefs, and f mote the four corners of
the houfe^ and it fell upon the young men^ and they are
all dead and gone ; and I only am efcaped alone to tell
thse^ Job i. 14, — 19. Thefc are heavy meffages ; but
they are nothing in comparifon of the heavy melTage
that, a few days hence, it may be a few moments, for
ought you know, at death, is abiding you. One mef-
fage will be, That you muft part with all your dear
and near relations you have had upon the earth, and
you mufl part with them for ever. Upon the back of
this meflage another comes, Man, you mud part with
all your enjoyments of time ; you muft part with all
your profits, pleafures, or honours, Ere that melTage
is given, another comes, Man, you muft part with
your foul ; however near the relation was bctvreeti
your foul and your body, yet your body muft go down
to the duft, and your foul to God who gave it : yea, a
fadder iiTeffage comes yet, Man, you muft part with
the prefence of God, and you muft be fent to hell,
and there punijhed with everlajling dejlru&ion^ and be
baniftied for ever, from the prefence of the Lord, and
from the glory of his power^ 2 ThelT. i. 9. Why, poo'r
Chriftlefs man, you muft lay your account with tills
meflage ; unlefs you could make yourfelf immortal":
this will infallibly come upon you. This will be the
meflage of death.
And there is a four-foW v/o that will come upon
you, if you continue in this your natural (tatc.
1. Wo unto you, for you are certainly miferable-;
^he wicked fhall be turned into helU dnd all the nations
that forget God^ Ffalm ix. 17.
2. Wo unto you, for you fhall be fuddcnly mifera-
ble \ when you are liiying. Peace, peace, to yourfelves,
then fudden deft ruction fhall come upon you, as travaUitp.
on a woman with child ^ and you jhall not efcape, 1 TheT.
3. Wo unto you, for you fhall be doubly miferable ;
you are not only defpifers of God's laW; but dcipiiers
B b 2i of
aoo Senfthle Presence, Ser. XCV,
cf the gofpel ; therefore your damnation fliall be dou-
tle. Then 5
4. Wo will be unto you, for you Ihall be eternally
rniierable : as long as God lives, you fliall live in To*
phct ; and when you have lived in it as many thou*
lands of years, as there are pileg of grafs on the earth j
and when thefe are expired, and you have lived as
many thoufands of years in it, as there are pickles of
fand on the fea-fhores ; and when thefe are alfo ex-
pired, and you have lived in it as many thoufands of
years as there are flars in the firmament 5 and when
thefe are alfo done, and you have lived in it as many
thoufands of years, as there Ihall be moments from the
beginning to the end of the world ; and when you have
counted numbers until they come to be innumerable,
one of your great miferies will be, that it is eternal ;
for time is gone, and there is nothing but eternity re*
mains.
O confider thy dreadful cafe that haft no concern
about the nielTages of the goi^pdy that haft not been
aflefted with it to this day : I would have you to con*
iider this, that Chrift is yet in your offer, before we
go from the place \ve are in ; he is yet in the place,
i would give you another offer, and if you do not ac*
cept thereof, it will m.ake you the more inexcufable^
What ftiould hinder your acceptance, but your unbe-
lief ? Has he not conciefcended to be a Saviour to you ?
Yea ; for he is exhibited as the Saviour of the worlds
He is as much your Saviour, as a phyfician of an army
is fo to the whole army, whether they employ him or
not. You have a right to clofe with hirn ; ye defpife
your own mercy if you rejeft him, O Sirs ! has he
come in your nature, and will you not come to him \
Has he become Jin for yoii^ and y^ixW you not come to
him ? Has he become a curfe for you, and will you not
come to him ? Has he come at this occafion to you,
and will you not come to hitn ? Has he not faid, Ti>
you ii the word of this falvationfent^ man, woman, e*
very individual of you ? Has he come and declared
upon his veracit;^, that him that cometh unto jne^ I will
in no^wife cqfi outf Q Sirs ! why theu will you not come
to
Ser. XCV. Sudtlen A^%Ts.^c^* 5^o|
to him ? If thou wHt not kt him in at the door of
thy heart, thou mufl anfwer for it at the great day 5
Beholdy ye defpifersy and wonder ; wonder and perip :
for I work a work in your days^ a work which ye Jhall
in no'wife believe^ though a man declare it U7ito you^ A£ls
:siii. 41.
It may be you have been wondering at all thefe of-
fers of Chrift, and at all thefe fermons and facraments ;
if you will not wonder and be faved, you mud won-
der and be damned ; Behold, ye defpifers, -wonder and
pcrijh. What is it, man, that is the matter with you ?
What is thy cafe ? Art thou not fully warranted to
come to this Jefus ? What fort of fmner art thou ? Art
thou dejlitute of knowledge ? Why, he comes to be
wifdom unto thee. Art thou guih'j ? He comes to be
righteoufnefs unto thee. Art thou z polluted fmner ? He
comes and offers himfelf to ht fan^if cation unto thee.
Art thou a mif^rable fmner ? He comes to be redemp^
tion unto thee. Art thou lying among the unclean pots
of hell ? He comes to thee, to make thee as the wings
of a dove, covered with filver, and her feathers with
yellow gold. Art thou a hackjllder. He fays unto thee.
Come unto me, and I will heal thy backflidings, I will love
thee freely ; for mine anger is turned away from thcc.^-^
What fort of a fmner art thou? If you be upon the face
of the earth, you have a right to accept of the offer of
Chrifl: made to you in the gofpel ; Look unto me, faith
the Lord, and he ye faved^ all the ends of the earth ; for
I am God, and there is none elfe, Ifa. xlv. 22. O that
the power of divine grace may draw you 1 Are you
deftitute of all grace ? Chrift comes to you with the
offer of his grace in his hand ; who is full of all that
grace and truth you ftand in need of. Are you un-
able, and faying you cannot come to him ? Why, that
need be no hinderance : you cannot come to God but
by Jefus Chrift ; and not only as he is the Way to God^
but as the Leader, the Mighty God, on whom God has
laid thy help ; and he fays. Will you be helped out of
that horrible pit and miry clay you have fallen into ?
O ! will you take the Mediator*s help ? Sirs, go Jilone
when ever you have time, and plead that the Spirit of
the
ioi Senftble P R E S B N C E, "^2^^, S E R. XC V,
the Lord may back the word to you, for without this,
it will all fall to the ground.
I fhall only fpeak a word (and clofe with it) to the
Lord^s people. Perhaps your hearts have been touched,
and you have feen fomething of the Lord's glory in his
fanduary. O improve what you have got for ftrength-
ning you ; remember what is faid of Jacob, after he
got a view of God at Bethel, it is faid, He went on bis
ivay ; it is in the original. He lifted up his feet. He
was, as it were, dragging his feet before, but then he
went on his way, and walked without wearying. O
improve any thing you have got at this occafion for
exciting you to run your Chriftian race, and for fight-
ing your Chriftian battles. Go forth in the name and
flrength of the Lord, depending and leaning upon your
Beloved. Walk in the fear of the Lord^ and fo you fhall
alfo walk in the comforts of the Holy Ghoji^ as it is faid,
AQ:s ix. 31. If you walk under the influence of the
Spirit as a San£lifier, you fhall walk under his influ-
ence as a Comforter.
May the Lord back his own word with his own blef-
Jing ; and to his name be the praife.
SERMON
C *°3 3
SERMON XCVI.
The Mounting CHRISTIAN; or, the Eagle-
WINGED BELIEVER*.
Isaiah xL 31.
'-^TJjey Jhall mount up -wiib wings as eagles*-^
WE have a remarkable queftion of the difclples,
and anfwer ofour Lord, Luke xvii. 37, The
queftion is, Where^ Lord f The anfwer is, Wherefoever
the body is^ thither will the eagles be gathered together,
Chrift had been fpeaking of days of great tribulation
a-coming ; and the meaning of the queftion feems to
be. Lord, where fiiall thefe that fear thy name fly in
thefe days of trouble and diftrefs ? Where ftiall we
find peace in the midft of war ? Where is he who gives
peace to the world ? Where is Chrift to be found, to
whom the believer ftiall fly like an eagle to his prey ?
Faith needs not be at a lofs in this inquiry, Where Lordf
In the womb, in the rags, in the manger ? thither may
we go to fee the Son of God in a low humbled ftate.-^
Where^ Lordi Go to the garden, and fee him fuftering
for your fms the wrath of his Father. — Where^ Lord f
Fly to Mount Calvary, and fee him on the crofs ; there
may the eagles gather together, and behold him bleed-
ing, fuffcring, crying, dying for them. — Again, Where,
Lordf From Calvary to heaven, there he is now, and
there muft the foul fly, and fee him crowned with glo-
ry and honour. — Where, Lord f Even at a communi-
on-table, where he is fpirituaily prefent, to be fed u-
♦ This fermcn was preached at Kinclaven, on the Sabbath even-
ing> imtnediatdy after the adminiftration of the facrament of the
JUord'i fappet there; June i. 1735. It hath been fire times printed
"■7 pon
i04 Tbe Mounting Cn^v^riA^ ; cr, Ser. XCVT.
pon like a carcafe, by the poor, believing, greedy,
hungry engle. — Where^ Lord f Wherever he be, the
the believing fouls mufl be at him ; if on earth, no
corner mud be unfearched: if in heaven, diftance mull
not keep them from him ; nay though he be mounted
lip to glory, yet they mufl mount up after him, accor-
ding to his promife, Theyjhall mount up with wings as
eagles.
In the four preceding verfes we have the prophet,
1. Reproving the children of Ifrael for their unbelief
and dijlruft of God, their dejedion and defpondency
offpirit; Why fayeji thou^ 0 Jacobs and fpeakejl^ 0 Jjl
rael ; My way is hid from the Lord^ and my Judgment
is faffed over from my God^ ver. 27. Why do you
think and fpeak, as if God did not heed and obfervc
you, and as if God could not help and fave you, what-
ever be your afflicted miferable cafe ?
2. He reminds them of virhat is able to filence all
their fear and diftruft, Uajl thou not known f hajl thou
not heard^ thai the everlajiing God, the Lord, the Ore*
ator of the ends of the earth faint eth not, neither is wea-
ry f There is no fearching of his U7iderjianding, ver, 28,
^. d. He is an eternal God ; fie that there is no defed:,
no decay in him ; he is an omnipotent God, who creat-
ed the ends of the earth, and doubtlefs is as able to
fave as he was at firft to make the world. He is of in-
finite wifdom to contrive your falvation ; There is no
fearching of his underjianding : none can fay, fo far
God's v/ifdom can go, and no further ; for when we
know not what to do, he knows ; and he is a God of
infinite power, he faints not, nor it wearied : he up-
holds the pillars of heaven and earth, and is neither
■wearied nor toiled with it.
3. The prophet relates to them God's communicative
-goodnefs. He giveth power to the faint ; and to them that
have no might, he encreafeth Jirength, ver. 29. He is
not only powerful himfelf, but he communicates 'power
and ftrength to thefe that need the fame : He gives
power to the faint. Many out of weaknefs, even of bo-
dy, are made ftrong, and recovered by his providence ;
and
SsR. XCVL the EaglC'ivinged Believer. ' "Hi;
and many that are feeble in Spirit, unable for fervice
and iuffcring, yet are (trengthened by his grace, with
all might in the inward man ; and efpecially to them
that are fenfible of their weaknefs, he increafesjirength :
for when they are weak in themfelves, they z.x^Jirong
in the Lord.
4. The prophet dates the difference betwixt them
that trtifl in themfelves, and tliem that trufl: in God :
as for them that trufl in themfelves, and trufl: to their
own fufficiency, they Ihall find their flrength to be but
weaknefs \ even the youths jh all faint and be weary ^ and
the yoimg fnen jhall utterly fail^ ver. 30. ; the young
men who are ftrong, and apt to look upon themfelves
as (tronger than they are, and fo look not unto God for
his grace to be fufficient for them, they Ihall faint and
fall, and be made to fee the folly of trulfing to them-
felves. But as for them that trufl in the Lord, and
wait on him forfupplies of grace, ^ey jhall renew their
flrength : they f jail mount up with wings as eagles ; they
Jhall run and not weary / they fh all walk and not faint y
ver. 31.
Thus you fee the connexion of the words with the
preceding ; and in them you have three things, i.
The exercife of God's people. 2. Their privilege^ They
fnall renezu their flrength. 3. The eff'edt of this privi-
lege, They Jhall mount vp %vtth winp as eagles ; they
fhall run^ and not be weary ; they pall walk^ and not
faint.
1 . The et:ercife of God*s people ; they are fuch as
wait upon the Lord. Now, who are thefe that wait
upon God ? i anfwer, in the words of the pfalmifl Da-
vid, Pfah XXIV. 6. This is the generation of them that
feek him, that feek thy face, 0 Jacob ; that is, O God
of Jacob. And hence feeking and waiting are joined
together ; The Lord is good to them thai wait for him^
andto the foul thai feeks him. Lam. ih 25. The true
waiter is a feeker, and the true feeker is a waiter upon
God. It is a duty comprehenfive of the whole charac-
ter of the religious perfon. If you be truly feeking
God, man, woman, at this ordin.vrrr^ then you are
waiting upon him. .
Vo;_. VL 0 c ?•• But
-206 Th Mounting Christian ; or, Ser. XCVI.
2, But what advantage have they that thus feck and
wait upon God ? This is ihcwed us in the fecond part
of the words, their privilege ; They Jhall renew their
Jlrength, Their flrength Ihall not only be increafed,
but renewed ; as there is new occafion, they fliall have
new fupplies, andfo they Jhall renew their Jlrength ; or,
as it is in the Hebrew, They jhall change their Jlrength,
as a man changes his raiment : as their work is chang-
ed, their flrength fliall be changed, whether it be
doing or fuiFering work ; they fliall have flrength to
labour, flrength to wreflle, flrength to refifl: tempta-
tion^ and flrength to bear burdens ; They Jhall renew
their Jlrength : get new flrength for new duty. The
beft of God's children, if continuing long in duty,
their fpirits are wafted : well, God will renew their
fl:rength, efpecially their fpiritual flrength, which is
from God himfelf, from whom is their new temper
and difpofition, their new nature. But what of all
this, fay you j indeed they fhall have much benefit, if
you confider,
3* The effed of this privilege, or how it is made evi-
dent ; that is evinced in three particulars.
(i.) They Jhall mount up with wings as eagles, O it
is a great privilege for a believer to be brought, thro*
grace, to fly ; yea, not only to fly like a weak bird,
but to mount up like an eagle, the ftrongefl of flying
birds : the weak believer, by waiting on God, be-
comes ^/?ro/?^ in the Lord^ and in the power cj his ?nighf.
Grace ftrengthens the foul to mount heaven-ward, and
carries it above the world and the things of it.
(2.) They Jhall run and not be weary ; that is, they
fliall run in the way of God's commandments chear-
fully, and with alacrity, conflancy, and with perfeve-
rance.
(3.) They Jhall walk and not faint ; weak and fickly
perfons are in danger to faint and fail when they walk,
but they Jhall walk and not faint. You have a word.
Gal. vi. 9. het us not weary in well-doing ; for in due
Jeafon we Jhall reap ^ if we faint not. O fays a child of
God, that is endeavouring, through grace, to wait
vpon the Lord, 1 fear 1 never reap, becaufe I will foon
be
Ser. XCVI. the Eagle-winged Bfxiever. 207
be faint and weary : but here is the promife you arc
to take hold of, Toujhall run without ivearyingy and
walk and not faint : and in this way there is no fear but
you fhall reap : grace is promifed, as well as the re-
ward of grace.
We have already difcuffed one dodrlnal obfervation
from thefe words, viz,, 'That as it is the duty and prac*
tice of God* s people to wait on God 5 fo it /hall be their pri-
vilege to have their firength renewed. But having fini-
fhed what we intended upon this doclrine, we come
now to confider the fecond obfervation, namely,
D o c T. That believers y who^ in waiting on the Lord^
get their firength renewed^ they fhall mount up en
wings as eagles.
The fcripturc is full of parables, where fpiritual
things are reprefented by natural ; fo here, the belie-
ver is compared to the eagle : the gofpel of Chrift is
full of them ; and it may be for thefe two reafons.
T. Becaufe parables make a lively impref/ion on the
minds of auditors, and convey the truth to the perfon
before he be aware : fome, who are ready to forget
the truth, will mind the fmiile ; and fo it leads them
back again to the truth which they had forgot.
2. To teach us 2. fpiritiml and facred ufe of the crea»
ture, like Jacob's ladder, the foot on earth, and the
top in heaven ; that by thefe w^e may afcend to hea-
ven, and by the creature look above the creature.
The method we would propofe, for illuflrating this
fubjedt, through divine afiif lance, fhall be the follow-
ing.
I. We {hall fpeak a little of the wings wherewith
they mount up.
II. The things wherein they mount up.
III. ')L\iZ feafons when it is efpecially they mo^nt
up.
IV. The manner how they mount up.
V. The reafons why they mount up, And.
C c 2 ' VL Make
.^c8 The MQuniing Ch-ristia-n ; '(jr, Ser. XGVI.
yi. Mdkt foffie opplication o{ xhQ A\ih]^Qi, And in
the whole of thefe particulars iludy cis much brC"
vity as poirible,
1. VvTe are to fpcak of the icings "\7herewltb they
mount up. And here 1 might tell you the wings where-
Vvith they are mounted up, and the wings wherewith
they do mount.— The wings wherewith they are m»ount-
ed up are. nothing elfe but the influences qf the Spirit of
Chn/I ; the enlightening and enlivening influences
thereof ; they are, indeed, more pailive than a6:ive
at iiril ; When J am lifted up^ I will draw all inen after
vie. Chrht being mounted up, he makes all his rem*
iiant to mount up after hirn : and herein they are a6led
before they ad ; for, he 'nvorks in ihem both io will and
to do. They ate carried up, as it were, on the wings
of the wind ; for thefe influences of the Spirit, w'here*
with they are mounted up, are compared to the wind ^
JSong iv. 16. Awake^ 0 nQrih %vind :■ conic thou fouth :
blozo upon my gardens that the fpices thereof may flow
out* Believers knovv^ well enough what it is to be
mounted up on the v/ings of the Spirit.r:— But more par-
ticularly, as to the v/ings wherev>/ith they do mount up,
they are efpecially thci^e two^ w. the w^ing oi faith ^
and the wing of love,
I. Tl^e wmg o^ faith they have, and mud have, who
would mount up heaven-ward. Now, there is not a
feather in this wing, but is made in heaven ; By grace
ye are faved^ through fiiih^ and that not cf your [elves :
it is the gift ofGod^ Eph. ii. 8. Yea, after the believer
hath got faith, he cannot fpread out his wing v/ithout
God ; To you it is given y not only to believe but to fuff'er
for bisfake^ Phil. i. 29. To you, believers, it is given
to believe ; not only the habit of faith, is the gift of
God, but the exercife of faith is his gift alfo. Now,
this is one wing, and none can mount up to heaven
without it ; for it is a grace that looks not at things that
are feen in this world, but at things that are not feen ;
it is the evidence of things not feen ; it mounts the foul
to heaven and heavenly things, ^nd makes them evi^
dent, . .
' %, There
Ser. XCVl. the Eijgk-'winged Believer. ^o^
2. There is the wing o^ love^ by which the beUever
mounts up to heaven : and this is a wing made alfo
by God ; The love of God is JJoed abroad in our hearts
hy the Holy Ghoji^ Rom. v. 5. This is a wing then
framed in heaven, a grace that comes from the God
of love ; and therefore it flies up to heaven again : the
holy fpark of this fire flies upward. This grace is of
fuch a mounting quality, that it unites the foul of the
believer to Chrift, as well as faith. As Jonathan's foul
was l^nit or joined to the foul of David by love ; {<:>
is the foul of the believer knit and glued to Chrift by
love : and, O this wing of love is a ftrong wing 1
Song viii. 6. Love is flrong as death ; yea, flronger
than death and life, and principalities, and powers :
/ am perfuaded^ fays the apoftle, that neither death. Jior
life^ nor angels^ nor principalities^ nor powers^ nor things
prefent^ nor things to come^ nor height^ nor depths nor
any other creature^ jlmll be able tofeparate us from the
love of God ^ which is in Chriji J ejus our Lord^ Rom.
viii. 38, 39. This is fuch a ftrong wing that the fire
cannot burn : martyrs have found that it would abide
the fire, when they glorified God in the fires ; the fire
did not burn their love, no ; it mqunted up to heaven
with the flame,
II. T\\Qfeco7^d thing was, To fiiew the things where-
in they mount up. Here we fliall give you both a ne-
gative and a pofitive account of them. -
i/?. We propofe to give you a negative account of
thefe things.
I. They do not mount up in airy /peculations : fome
mount up only in airy motions ; they have a great dcr.l
of head-knowledge, but no heartdove to the truth i
They receive 7iot the love of the truths that they might be
faved ; for which caufe^ God fends themflrong delvfon^
that they fbould believe a lie^ 2 TheiT. ii. 10, 11. luc
devil himfelf knows God and Chrift ; but hath no
love to God or Chrift in his heart : there may be
much fpcculative knowledge, where there is no lav-
ing grace.
i. They do not mount up in finftd curiofity, to pry
iuto
aio The Mounting Christian ; or, Ser. XCVI.
into the fecrets of God ; For fecret things belong to Gody
to us the things that are revealed, Deut. xxix. 29. — ^
Many mount up too far into the decrees of eledion and
reprobation. Oh 1 I fear I am a reprobate, fay fome.
Alas 1 Sirs, beware of fuchblafphemy ; as, if, foriooth,
you were omnifcient, hke God ; and as if you had
been upon the privy council of God from eternity,
when he marked down the names of eleci: and repro-
bate : this is a thing cannot be known. In this fide
of time you cannot be fure you are a reprobate, as long
as you are out of hell ; but I can give you aiTurance,
better than the ftabihty of heaven and earth, that if you
truly repent of your fm, and flee to Chrift, the only
Saviour, you are no reprobate ; Lei the wicked forfaks
bis way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts ; and. let
him return unto the Lard, and he will have mercy upon
him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon, Ifa.
Iv. 7, But if you will not part with fm, nor flee to
Chrill, you fubfcribe your own reprobation. Now, I
fay, the believer doth mount up in fmful curiofity, con-
cerning the decree of election and reprobation ; but
in fo far as it is revealed to him, to give all diligence to
make his calling and ele^ionfure : neither doth he pry
curiouily into the fecrets of God's providence ; //
is not for you to know the times and the feafons, which
the Father hath put in his own pozver. Some have been
very ralh in telling when the day of judgment would
be : we fhould not meddle with fuch fecrets ; For of
that day and that hour knozveth 710 man, Matt, xxv. 13.
3. They do not mount up m felf -conceit 2Xidi felfejii*
mation, as fome do, who mount up in the pride of their
hearts ; God abhors the proud, and he will caft them
down, let them mount up never fo far : He refijls the
proud, and gives grace to the humble, James iv. 6. - ■
Pride was the fin of fallen angels ; they would be as
high as God, viz» felf-dependcnt ; and therefore God
cafts them down. This was the ill lefTon that the devil
taught our firft parents, Toufhall be as gods ; and they
were taken with this bait to their overthrow and ruin ;
and ever fmce, pride and felf-conceit hath been natu-
ral to their pofterity j and hence it isj fo much ielf
is
S E R . XC VL the Eagk'Wmged Believer* >i i ^
is mixed with all our preaching, praying, communi-
cating. But when the behever mounts, he mounts in
fome meafure above lelf, and gets it trode under lois
feet in felf-abafmg, felf-abhorring thoughts.
4. They do not mount up in fits dnidjlarts of devo*
iioUy in modes and pangs of affedtion in a tranfient
way. Many profeflbrs, when they hear the word, they
feem to be mounted up in joy ; but what comes of it I
It is but a flafli, and hke a land-flood. The ftony-
ground hearers may receive the zuord with joy ; but
having no root^ they wither and dwindle to nothing,
Luke viii. 6, 13. Some, when they hear of Chrift^s
fufferings, and fee him facramentally crucified, it draws
tears from their eyes, and they never mount further.
idly^ We come now to give z pofttive account of
thefe things wherein the believer mounts up. Believers
mount up with wings as e^gle^^ in thefe following things,
or the like.
1. They mount up in fpiritiial'mindednefs^ contem^
plaiion^ and holy meditation : Hence fays David, My me-
ditation of him fhall he fweet^ Pfahn civ. 34. Having
got the Spirit, they mind the things of the Spirit ;
ney that are after the flefl^^ do 7nind the things of the
fiefh ; hut they that are after the Spirit^ 7nind the things
of the Spirit : that which is horn of the Spirit^ is Spirit^
Rom. viii. 5. Their heart is fet and bent to mind the
great myfiery of godlinefs^ God mads manifefi in the fiefh ^
I Tim. iii, 16. And to know the height^ and depth y and
lengthy and hreadth of the love of Chri/i. They do not
fuiier their thoughts to wander on the mountains of
vanity.
2. They mount up in high defigns and intentions :
their ultimate del^ign is the glory of God, and the cji-
joyment of him^ W'hich, you know, is man*s chief end*
This is the winged Chriftian's end : he mounts up ia
this high and holy end, and that in all his anions ; in
his civil adions, as in his buying and felling, travel-
ling, labouring ; and in his [acred adions ; as his pray-
ing, reading, hearing, communicating ; or, in his r^-
lative adions, what he doth as a father, mafter, fer-
vant, or child j and in his natural a<ftions, Whether
he
nih The MonnUng Christian; or, Ser* X^CVt.
he eat or drink ^ or whatever he doth^ he doth all to the
^lory ofCod^ i Cor. x. 31. At leaft his fhort-coming
herein is matter of forrow and {hame to him.
3. They mount up in holy defires, f^yi^^g with Job,
0 that I knew where I rnightjind him ! that I might come
even to his feat ! And their delires are not like the
faint y languifhing wijlo of the wicked, fuch as Balaam
had ; no, no : their defires are fpiritual and Jincere^
fuch as thefe fpoke of, Ifa. xxvi. 9. With my foul have I
deftred thee in the night ; and with my fptrit within me
will I feek thee early. — Their defires Tircjirong and/^r-
venty none but Chrill will fatisfy them ; What wilt thou
give fue, feeing I go childlefe f faid Abraham, Genefis
XV. 2. So fays the foul, mounting up to-vvards God,
O what what wilt thou give me, feeing I go Chriftiefs?
It pants after God^ the living G^'^-/.— Their defires arc
xejiricledxo God and Chriit alone ; One thing have I
de fired of the Lord^ and that will I feek after ^ that I may
dwell in the hoife of the Lord^ all the days of my life^ to
behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his tem-
ple. Whom have I in heaven but theef and there is ?jone
ttpon earth that I defire he fides ihee^ Pfal. Ixxiii. 25. —
Their defires are dilated on a whole God, and a whole
Chrift ; 0 my foul ^ thou hajl faid unto the Lord^ Thou
art my Lord, my God, my King, Pfal. xvi. 2. They will
have a whole God in ail his eiTential perfections, and in
all the relations he ftands in to his people. They will
have this God for their God for ever and ever, and for
their guide even unto death. And they will have a whole
Chrift ; Chrift for fandification, as well as for falva-
tion ; yea, Chrift for their all in all.
4. They mount up in pious inclinations : they have
•an averfion at fin, at the fmful pleafures of this life ;
yea, they abhor them with Ephraim, What have I any
more to do with idols f That is the language of the
eagle-like believer; he hath a great inclination, a ftrong
bent of fpirit after a God in Chrift, as the top of his
•perfedlion, as the very fpring of all his pleafure, and
•as the magazine of all his treafure, as the reft of his
Coul y if the devil and his evil heart hath fet him at any
diiV
Ser. XCVI. the Eagle-Twinged Believer, ^i i 4
diftance from God, his mind is reftkfs till he retuiTi i\:i
him again ; Return to thy reft^ 0 my foul ; for the Lord
hath dealt bountifully ivith thee^ Pialm cxvi. 7. The
top-fwarm, as it were, of his inclination mounts up
this way.
5. He mounts up in hcnvenly affeSlions : hence is
that injundion. Set your ajffeclions on things abonje^ and
not on things on the earthy Col. iii. 2. He endeavours
through grace, to have his affeftion fome way cor-
refponding with God's all'edton, fo as to love what
God loves, and hate what God hates ; yea, to love aji
God loves, and to hate as God hates. God loves ho-
linefs with a flrong and great love ; fo doth the belie-
ver. God hates fin with a ferfed hati^d ; and fo doth
the believer, / hate c-cery falje way. See aifo, Pfalni
cxxxix. 21, 2.2.
6. They mount up in a gofpel-converfation ; fo faith
the apoftle. Our conijerjaiion is in heaven^ fro?n whence
we look for our Saviour^ the Lord J ef us Chriji^ Phillip,
iii. 20.
7. The v/inged faint mounts up in a heavenly walk :
as Enoch and Noah walked with God ; fo doth the
winged foul, whofe ftrength is renewed ; he runs with'
cut wearying^ and walks without fainting on the Lord's
way. His heavenly walk difccvers itfclf, 1. In his hea-
venly- words^ iJuy are feafcned with fall^ and edifying.
And, 2. in bis actions^ wherein he iludies fobriety,
righteoufnefs, apd gcdlinefs in all the duties of religi-
on, prayer, and praife. And, 3. In \\% company^ for
he can fay with David, lam a eorapanlon of all them that
fear ihee^ Pfaim cxix. 63,
II. The next thing v/as. The fcafons when it is that
the believer, whofe ftrength is renewed, doth mount
up.
I, Whenever he gets the new nature^ and the d'f-
pofition ; whenever he is converted, he. mounts up on
wings as an eagle. It is faid of Paul, A£ls ix. ir*
whenever he was converted, Behold, hepraycth , think
you Paul never prayed any before that time ? Yea,
many a prayer had he uttered, no doubt j i'Or he pro-
V o L. VI. ' D d lued
514 T/je Motiniing Chkistiai^ '^ or, Ser. XCVI,
fited in the Jewifli religion, above many of his equals
in his own nation : he had learned to fay his prayers
as well as the bed of them ; but he never prayed fpi-
rituaily and acceptably before ; he had never mounted
up to heaven in his prayer before : but now, behold
he prays ; behold he mounts up, whenever he is con-
verted.
2. He mounts up to heaven, all the days of his life^
after his converfion ; he is flill making fome progrefs
heaven-ward ; whatever backfets he may get by fin
and Satan, now and then, yet he gets up again, and
ftill afcends nearer and nearer heaven ; Neverthelefsy
I am continually zvith thee, Pfal. Ixxiii. 23. Whatever
I do, I endeavour flill to be up on the mount w^ith God.
David would have both day and night fpent with God ;
The Lord will command his loving-kindncfs in the day -time,
and in the 7iight his fong jhall be with me, and my prayer
unto the God of my life, Pfal. xfii. 8. He went to bed,
iis it were, with God in his arms ; For he remembered
him upon his bed, and meditated on him in the nights
ivatches ; and his foul was fatisfied as with marrow and
fatnefs : and w^hen wakened out of his fleep he found
him in his arms; When I awake, I amjiill with thee.
3. He mounts up, when he gets -a. frcjh gale and
nevj influences of the Spirit. The believer, at his low-
cil, is like a Ihip wind-bound, lying at anchor, but
ready to fet fail w^ienever the wind is fair ; he can but
make fmall progrefs with th^e oars of diligence, when
the wind and tide is againil him. O Sirs, if there be
any gale of the Spirit blowing among you this day,
then mount, mount, mount ; you may make more
progrefs then in an hour, than you will do without it
in many a year, yea, in a whole life-time,
4. The believer ufes to mount up with wings about
a cofiununi on-time ; nothing lefs will ferve him than to
come to Bethel, the hcufe of God ; he v.'ill go into
the chambers of prefence, and never reft till he be at
the end of his flight. Where is that, fay you ? Doth
he mount to a communion-table ; nay, he muft be far-
ther : doth he mount to the top of duties and ordi-
nances ; nay, he muft be farther : doth he mount to
heaven I
Ser. XCVI. the Eagle-winged Believer. 215
heaven ; nay, he mufl be farther yet. -Strange !
Where would he flee next ! Indeed, he would flee ir-
to the heart of Chrift ; Set me as a feal upon thine heart :
yea, and which is more yet, he would not only have
himfelf in Chrift's heart, but he would have Chrifl: in
his heart ; Chrijl in him ih.e hope of glory. And what
would he do with him when he hath got him there ?
O then, faith he, He JJjall ly all night beizveen my bread r ;
if I can, I will keep him all the night-time of this life,
which is but a night, Till the day of eternity breaks and
the Jhadows fly away.
5. The believer mounts up on wings as an eagle at
the day of death ; then he foars aloft ; This night thou
fhalt be with me in paradife. It is fa id of the adder,
that when Ihe is old, ihe goes through fome ilrait paf-
fage, and leaves her old (kin in the paffage, and there-
by renews her vigour and life. This paltage of death
is fl:rait, and uneafy to the body, which, like the ad-
der's flvin is left in the way ; and not without much
pain and difficulty to it : but the foul pafleth through
without any harm ; and the next moment mounts up
to her fl:ate of immortality and happinefs : tlien the
believer mounts up indeed to the general affembly and
church of ihe firfl-born^ to the innumerable company of
angels y io God the judge of all ^ and to Jefus ihe Mediator
of the new covenant ; yea, then he is mounted up a
pillar in the ieinple of his God.
6. The believer will mount up at tlie day of judg'
ment as with eagle's wings ; then will he flee up ro
meet Chrifl: in the air ; Then we zvhich are alive and
remain.^ fo all be caught up together voith them in the clouds.,
to meet the Lord in the air., and f) flmll we ever be. with
the Lord^ i ThefT. iv. 17. You fee then when the
believer mounts up.
IV. The fourth thing is, To fpeak to the manner
how the believer mounts up, He mounts up with win[^s
as an eagle. In whatever refpevts the eagle mounts up,
the fame way doth the believer.
.i..The eagle mounts \x^ freely and naturally ; God
gives it a. mounting nature : Doth ihe eagle mount up at
D d :i ' ihy
^i6 Hje Mounting CnpasTiAN ; cr, Ser. XCVI.
thy command f' fays the Lord to Job, chap, xxxix. 27, j
nay, it is by the inftind which the Lord hath given it;
fo that it is natural to it. Thus the bcUever mounts up
naturally after God hath given him the new heart ; it
is natural to him to be mounting towards God : when
the hypocrite mounts, he is forced up contrary to his
natural tendency, as it were, hke a iione caft up into
the air ; it is not natural to it to fly up, but rather to
fall do^vn : but the behever mounts up naturally and
freely.
2. The eagle mounts up /jighly ; fte flies higher
than other birds : Ihe makes her neft on- high, on fome
inacceffible rock ; not like the oftrich, that leaves her
eggs in the fand, as fome leave their fouls here on
earth ; but thefe fpiritual eagle behevers, thefe hea-
venly birds, they fly high, even to the Rock of ages ;
and hence their daily defire iSj Lead me to the Rock that
is higher than 7.
3. The eagle mounts up Jlrongly^ vehemently^ an4
'Violently ; it is a (Irong bird, and when it hath got the
prey, it flies with violence, Thus doth the believer
moimt up ; For the kingdom of beai^enfuffereth violence^
and ihe violent take it by force. With fuch earneflinefs
and intentnefs doth he mount up towards heaven, that
no difiiculty in the v/ay fliall hinder him.
4. The eagle mounts up fvjiftly and fuddcnly : this
follows upon the other ; for its ftrength and violence
in flying, infers celerity : fo doth the believer, under
the lively influences of the Spirit, O how quick is
his motion ! Or ever he is aware ^ bis foul makes him
like ihe chariots cf Aminadab.—. — It is a fpeedy flight,
that the believer makes towards Chrifl ) he mounts
fwiftly.
5. The eagle mounts up gradually : tho' its flight
be if rong and fwift, yet it is gradual ; it comes not to
the utmoft extent of its motion, but by degrees : fo
the believer mounts gradually ; he ^ots from fir ength
to ftrength^ till he appear before God in Zion^ Pf. Ixxxiv. 7.
He flies (Hll higher and higher ; and fo the objeft of
his aim draws nearer and nearer to him, v/hile he comes
to
S E n . XC VI. ihs 'Eagh''winp:d Bet: rE ve r. 217
to more and more knowledge of God, and more and
communion with him, till faith and hope land in vi-
fion and fruition.
6. The eagle mounts up frequently and daily ; and,
in refpecl of its mounting difpofition, conftantly : fo it
is with the believer, he is always mounting ; he hath
ftill a mounting difpofition, and he is conflantly endea-
vouring to be adually mounting. The carnal profef-
for never mounts up, but about the time of a commu*
nion, or the time of fome fore affliction or conviction ;
and whenever thefe feafons are over, he goes as faft
down as he went up : but it is the believer's trade of
life to be mounting on week-days, as well as on Sab-
bath-days ; and on ordinary Sabbaths, as well as com-
munion Sabbaths.
V. The next thing is, To fliew the reafojis why the
believer, who hath his ftrength renewed, mounts up
on wings like an eagle.
1. Becaufe he hath an eagle's 7ialure. I faid before,
tliat the believer mounts up naturally ; why, becaufe
he hath an eagle's nature. It is the natural difpofition
of the eagle to fly upward : fo the believer hath a dif-
pofition to mount up to God, he being a new creature ;
If any man he in Chrifi^ he is a 7iew creature^ 2 Cor.
V. 17. This new nature afcends to heaven froni
whence it defcended ; the old nature goes ahvays down-
ward, but the new nature mounts upwards. If you
want the new nature, you want the mounting difpofi-
tion.
2. He mounts up on wings like an eagle ; becaufe
he hath an eagle's eye: fo the believer, he can fee
that invifible Sun, which no natural eye can attain to :
^I he poor in fpirit^ and pure in hearty flmll fee God^ Matt,
V. 3, 8. The natural ?nan receiveth mi the things of the
Spirit of God ; for they are fooli/Jmefs unto him^ i Cor.
ii. 14. : but the believer knowing the mind of Chrifl:,
fees farer than the world ; he fees the King in his beauty^
and the land afar off. When he fees thefe things, he
cannot but mount up to them ; He endures ^ as feeing
fjim who U invifible^ Heb. ii. 27. lie is far fighted ;
Mrahani
ct8 The Mountmg Christian ; or, Ser. XCVL
Abraham rejoiced to fee ChriJTs day afar off, and hefaw
it^ arid was glad* This is that blelfed objed, which
every believing foul doth fee, even when he is in this
world.
3. He mounts up on wings like an eagle ; becaufc
he hath his nejl on high, like an eagle : no wonder
then he flics up, for his nefl: ; I mean, his feat, his
food, his treafure, his heart, his head, his all is above.
— YVx^feat is above : the believing eagle cannot find
himfelf fafe while here below ; therefore he flies to the
Rock of ages, and there he fits. — ^His food is above :
Chrift is his food ; My flejh is meat indeed, and my blood
h drink indeed^ Now, his food being above ; Where
the car cafe is, thither will the eagles be gathered together*
—His treafure is above : he hath an inheritance incor~
mptihle, undefled, and that fadeth not away, that is re^
ferved in heaven far him ; and up we muft to vifit his
inheritance. — ^His heart is above, where his treafure is ;
3'ea, Chriit hath gotten his heart a-kecping ; and he
inufl: be where his heart is. — And, in a word, his head
is above : and mull: not the members be where the
iiead is ? And muft not the ftones of the building be
where the foundation is .^ Chrift is the head corner-
ftone. — His all is above : Chrift is all in all to him ;
and therefore, mount he muft j for this eagle hath a
rich neft above,
4. He mounts up w^ith wings as an eagle, becaufe
\ix%firengih is renewed, like the eagle's ; Who fatisfes
the foul with good things ; fo that thyjirength is renewed
like the eagle, Pfal. ciii. 5. Therefore, having renewed
his ftrength, he mounts up on wings like the eagle.
Some fay the eagle is renewed, when it cafts its old
feathers, and gets new ones ; fo the believer gets the
old feathers of corruption removed, and puts on the
new man, Eph. iv. 24. Others fay the eagle's youth
is renewed, when, its ftomach being thirfty, it drinks
the blood of the prey ; and fo the believer gets his
ftrength renewed, by drinking the blood of Chrift by
faith. Eph. iv. 13. It is in the unity of the faith, that he
comes to the perfect man, to the meafure of the flature of
the fidnefs of Chrijl, If you have got a drink of the
blood
Ser. XCVI. the Eagii'Winged BELIEVE9., 21.^
blood of Chdil this day, to be fure your flrength will
be renewed ; and if your ftrength be renewed, you
cannot but be mounting up on wings as an eagle. —
Here we might fhew the iufluence between the renew-
ing of the believer's flrength, and his mounting up ;
but this is eafily perceived, cfpecially by thefe that
know it experimentally.
VI. The^xth thing in the general method, is the
applicaiiGU, Is it fo, Jhat believers^ wbo^ in waiting
on the Lordy have theirjirength renewed ^ do mount upon
wings as eagles f Waving feveral ufes that might be
made, hence,
I/?, May we not fee ground to lament^ that fo few
are mounting up as on eagle's wings at this day. Ma-
ny peoples mind are no-ways with God ; God is mt in
all their thoughts ^ Some mount up only in vain
thoughts : and, Oh ! How longjhall vain thoughts lodge
within "jou ? Jer. iv* 14. Some fpends their thoughts
on worldly affairs, the profits, pleafures, riches, and
honours of it ; they mind earthly things. Some feem
to mount, and they mount a little, but they come down
again ; like Herod, who heard John gladly, but-fooa
did he fall. Some, when they are young, they are
very religious, but their religion is eafily rubbed ofF
again ; ^hey begin in the Spirit ^ and end in the Jlejh. —
Some mount no farther than reflraining grace, while
the Lord witholds them, as he did Abimelech from
finning againfl him ; but they want reftraining grace ;
they know not what it is to have the lo^ce of God am-
Jiraining them. Many, inftead of mounting in time of
ordinances, the devil and the w^orld run away with
their hearts ; or if they get any kindly frame about
a facrament, whenever they go home, they forget ail,
and give loofe reigns again to their thoughts and words,
to their affedions and adions.
^dly^ We may apply.it for examination and triaL
Try whether you be mounting Chriilians or not : to
be fure, you are mounting or finking. You need to
try after as well as before you go to the Lord's table.
How
a2(> T/je Mmnting CHrRisriAi^ ; or, Ser. XCVf.
How Jh all I know, fay. you, whether or riot J be mowiU
ing up as on eaglets wings f I Ihall keep by the fimile,
and give you the following marks.
1. If you be mounting up on wings like an eagle,
then God hath opened the iron cage, and fet you at
liberty.— —While a man is in a Itate of nature, or
in legal bondage, he is like a bird in an iron cage ;
he cannot mount, till God come and knock off his
fetters, and loofe his bands, and proclaim liberty to the
captives, and the opening of the prifon doors to them
that are hound ; and fo lets them out to the free
air, that they may fly. If you be a mounting foul,
you will know fomething more or lefs of this ; you
have found yourfelf in the iron cage, in the devil's
claws: and you ha.ve io\iw^\}[iz\.o\iiiurning you from
darknefs to light, and from the pozver of Satan unto God ;
at leaft, you can fay, in fome meafure, Once I was blbid,
now I. fee ; once I was bound, and now I am fet at h-
berty.
2. If you be mounting up on eagle's wings, then
you will . have fomething of an e?.gk's appetite ; Where
ihe carcafe is, thither will the eagles he gathered together.
The eagle, it is faid, doth very greedily devour her
prey ; and if you be a true eagle, you will eat greedi-
ly of the flelh and blood of the Son of God. It is not
a little of this heavenly carcafe that fatisfies the believ-
ing eagle ; he muft feed upon it greedily, and daily ;
yea, and live upon it conftantly : ihe life that he Hves^
is by faith on the Son of God.
3. If you be mounting up on eagles wings, then
you have got fomething of an eaglets heart : the eagle
is a noble kind of creature, difdaining to prey upon
mean birds. We have a common Latin proverb,
Aquila 7ion capiat mufcas ; [that is, The eagle doth i)ot
catch flies.] It preys only upon creatures worthy of
it: fo, the noble generousfoul of the mounting belie-
ver will not ftoop to thefe things that are inferior to
him, or unwortliy of him ; »o kingdom will pleafe
him, but the kingdom of heaven ; no heritage, but the
heritage of Jacob ; no rock, but the Rock of ages ; no
portion, but z portion in ihe Son vf Jefe.
4- If
Ser. XCVI. the Eagle-winged Believer. an
4» If you be mounting up on eagles wings, then you
will be daily cajilng off 'j our old feathers ; fuch as, the
old feather o{ f elf -right eoufnefs : you will never allow
yourfelf to mount up with the wing of your own righ-
teoufnefs. You will know that the devil dipt old
Adam's wings ; yea, that by the fall he brake his
wings, and that never one fince the fail could mount
up to heaven on the wing of this old covenant-righte-
oufnefs, unlefs it was the double eagle, if I may fo ex-
prefs itj the God-man in two natures, and one perfon,
who came to bring in everlaflingrighteouhiefs : under
this great wing, do ail the little eagles flock, as the hen's
chickens do under her wings, defiring to be found in
Chriil, iVi?/ having their own righteoufnefs^ which is af
tcr the law^ hut that which is through the faith ofChr'yly
the righteoufncfs which is of God by faith, Phil. iii. p.-—*
And as they will be cafting the old feather of their
own felf-righteoufnefs, fo the old feather o{ felf conceit,
O the mounting believer thinks little of himfclf; fo
little, that he thinks nothing of himfelf. If nothing
could be divided, he is less than nothing in his own
fight ; and if nothing could be difparaged, he is worse
than nothing ; he is the leajl of faints, and the chief cf
ftnners, as Paul was in his own eyes : he calls down
all his attainments, all his enjoyments, all his qualifi-
cations, all duties at Chrifl's feet as nothing ; that fo
he may have nothing to be a weight to keep him from
mounting up. — In a word, he calls off the old feathers
o^fin and corruption daily ; alfo enmity, unbelief, hy-
pocrify, carnality ; he feeks to have thefe works of
the devil deftroyed wholly. It is faid, that there is an
antipathy between eagles and ferpents ; ,fo there is a
continual antipathy between the believing eagle and the
old ferpent ; and all the ferpent's brood are abomina-
ble to him.
5. If you be mounting up on eagle's wings, then
you will be cloathcd with the fun ; the fun will be big
in your eye. The mounting eagle gets a view of the
fun ; and the higher it mounts, the bigger doth the
fun appear. If you be a mounting Chriflian, you have
got above the clouds of darkncfsand unbelief now arid
Vol. VI, E c then,
■222 The Mounting Christian- ; or, Ser. XCVI.
then, and got a view of the Sun of righteoufnefs ; and
he hath been fo big in your eye, as to darken the glo-
ry of all created objeds ; yea, fo big in your eye, that
you have feen him to be all in all ; to be the all of
the covenant, the all of the facraments, the all of the
gofpel : you have feen him to be all things, and above
all things, and better than all things : you have feen
him to be heaven itfelf, yea, more than heaven, yea,
more than ten thoufand heavens : you have feen all
things to be in him ; election, redemption, juflifica-
tion, fandification, grace, glory, and all. O Sirs,
to you that believe^ he is precious^ and a pearl of great
frice.
6. If you be mounting up on wings as eagles, you
will be cloatbcd with the fun^ and you will have the
7noGn of this world under your feet ^ Revel, xii. i. The
mounting eagle being above the clouds, fees the fun
big above, and the earth little below ; and the higher
it mounts, the lefs will the earth appear. O the mount-
ing believer thinks little of the world ; if we were
as high as the (tars, we would not fee the earth ;
the higher we fly to heaven, the more doth the no-
thingnefs of the earth appear to us.^ The believer
fometimes mounts up fo high, that he flies out of
fight ; the world is out of fight of him, and out of
his fight and mind alfo ; when he is on the mouiH
of communion v/ith God, glad would he be that he
might never come down to the world again, as Peter
on the mount of transfiguration, // is good for us to be
here,
'T^dly^ This dodrine may be applied {qt exhort at ion ^
■which I iliall form in a ihort addrefs. i. In a word
o^ terror to the foul that never mounted. i, A word
of comfort to the mounting foul. 3. A word of counfel
to the hovering foul,
[i.] A word of terror to you that never mounted
up to heaven towards Chrilf. Alas ! what fhall we
fay to you ? You are not like eagles, but like filthy
black ravens, that do not mount heaven-ward, nor
look upon the fun, but wander to and fro upon the
earth, as Noah*s raven did, and feed upon dung-hills
and
Ser. XCVI. ihs Eagle-winged Believer. 223
and fordid things; you cannot fly to heaven, but flut-
ter upon the earth : but if you do not mount up to
heaven, the curfe of God wili come upon you ; all the
curfes mentioned, Deut. xxvi. 15, — 20. You wili bs
cttrfed in your hajket^ and in your Jlore ; curfed in your
outgoings and incomings. The curfe of God will be in
your houfe, Prov^ iii. -23. The curfe of the Lord is in
the houfe qf the wicked \ that is, the man that doth not
mount up to Chrift by faith, nor mount up in the ways
of God. The curfe of God will be in your prayers and
duties ; The facrifice of the wicked is an abomination to
God: your facrifice will be curfed to you : the wprd
you hear will be a curfe to you, it will be a favour and
feal of death, and not of life to you, 2 Cor. ii. 16.
The facrament of the Lord's fupper will be curfed to
you ; for there you eat and drink damnation to yourfelf
If you never mounted by faith, and yet went to a com-
munion-table, you have been eating and drinking God^s
curfe, which you will never vomit up again, unlefs
you mount up to Chrift with the wing of faith. What
fliall I fay? If you do not mount, Chrifl: himfelf will
be curfed to you ; We preach Chriji crucified^ to the^
Jews aflumhling-hlock^ and to the Greeks foolijhnef. If
you do not mount, you will ftumble into hell ; and
Chrifl himfelf will be a flumbling-block over which you
will fall and break your neck, and perifh for ever. O
then, do not tempt Chrifl by lying flill in your fin and
unbehef, when you fhould be mounting. See a re-
markable word, I Cor. x. 9. Neither let us impt Chrift^
as fome of them aJfo tempted^ and were deftroyed of fcr-
pents. If you do mount, with the eye of faith, towards
Chrifl, the myrdcal brazen ferpent, you will be deflroy-
ed with worfe ferpents than the Ifraelites were : he will
let loofe the old ferpent the devil ; he will let loofe the
young ferpent, your ccnfcience, upon you, and both
thefe will tear you to pieces to all eternity ; befides,
the fiery ferpent of God's everlading vengeance: if you
do not mount, God will caft you down into the dun-
geon of hell, to live among all thefe ferpents, as long
as God lives. Think not thefe to be v/ords of courfe,
man^ woman j I am not jefling with you; nay, I de-
^24 ^/^^ Mounting Christian ; or, Ser. XCVI.
dare to you in the name of the everlafting God, that
if you do not mount up to Chrifl, you (hall go down
to hell with the devil ; Matth. xxv. 30. The unpr ofi ta-
ble fervani Jhall be caft into utter darknefs^ there jhall he
lueephig^and gnajhing of teeth. Rev, xiv. 10. They JJmll
have no reji, Conftder this, all ye that forget Gody and
forget to mount up to him.
[2.] A word oi comfort to the mounting {ou\. — Are
you a mounting eagle ? Then you Ihall be blejfed in
your outgoing and incoming : God*s blefling will be
in your houfe ; For he hleffeth the habitation of the jufi :
you will be blelfed in your prayers and duties : For the
prayer of the upright is his delight : the word will be
bleiTed to you ; it will be a river of life to comfort you,
poor believing eagle, when you droop your wings : the
facraments are blelTed to you ; the communion-table
is a foretafle of the fruit of the vine, which you fhall
drink for ever new in your Father^ s kingdom, where you
fhall be for ever with the Lord : you are happier than
the tongues of men and angels can tell. — And as the
mounting foul is blefled, fo he is fafe : as long as he
is mounting, he is out of the reach of this world's
mifery ; fare againfl death itfelf ; yea, fafe againfl the
wrath of God ; you are above ail this, for you are
mounted up to the love of God, and that is above his
wrath. O believer, if you be mounting, keep up your
head, and be ahvays mounting, till you come to the
throne of God, and of the Lamb. O mount, mount,
mount, till you come to heaven, to the top of the tree
of life, v/here the birds of paradife fliall fmg, Hallelu-
jah, to him that Jits upon the throne, ajid to the Lainb
for ever and ever. The eagle is never in danger, but
when (he is on earth : we are never in danger when
we are in Chrift, but till we fly dov/n to the earth ;
therefore, feeing God hath renewed your flrength to
mount up as on eagles wings, O foar aloft ; look down
with a generous difdain upon the world, and the vani-
ties thereof, and keep your heart up in heaven.
[3.1 A word of counfel to the hovering foul. Per-
haps there are fome hovering fmners, and fome hover-
, iug faints here.
CO As
SsR. XCVI. the Eagle-winged Believer. ^2^
(i.) As for hovcxmgjinners that never yet mount-
ed, they have fome thoughts of mounting ; but fome
objedions come in their way, and they are in a hover.
Object. Oh I fay you, you are defiring us to go
about a duty we are not able to do ; alas ! I am a poor
things not able to fly up to heaven : how is that pojjlbk
to me that want the wing of faith and love ?
Answ. I. ITp, you muft go, or elfe go down to
the bottomlefs pit : God commands you to mount ;
and if you be not able, conlider whence your inabi-
lity flows ; the fall brake your wings ; For God made
man upright^ but he found out many inventions : thou hafl
difabled thyfelf in Adam, therefore God may condemn
thee.
2. The reafon why you do not mount up, is, be-
caufe you are wilful ; Tou will not come to me that you
might have life^ John v. 40. Your weaknefs flows
from your wilfulnefs : if the weaknefs of your will
were taken away, then you would mount up with
eafe.
3. Do what you can to fly up ; if you cannot fly,
endeavour to run without wearyiyig ; if you cannot
run, ti\diQ2M0\jiX to walk without fainting : if you cannot
walk becaufe of your broken leg, then will you creep
to the phyfician with it, and hold out the broken leg,
the withered arm to him ; if you cannot creep, v/iil
you cry to him ; He hath not f aid to the feed of Jacob,
feek ye me in vain : if you cannot cry, will ye look to
him 5 Look to me and be yefaved^ all the ends of the
earth : if you cannot look to him, will you long for
him ; for, Hefatisfies the Iongi?2g foul : figh, and fob,
and groan after him. And, if after all, you think you
can do nothing, becaufe of your abfolute weaknefs ;
then, O will you wait on the Lord, and you fijall renew
yourflrength ; wait on him in the ufe of means ; ly at
the pool, and you cannot tell how foon you fliall get
flrcngth to mount : Wait, ^ f^J^ ^'^ i^^^ Lord.
Object. Alas ! fay fome, my mounting time is gene ;
ray day of grace ispafl ; I have been a long hearer of the
gofpely and many a call have I fdghted ; I fear thrift
liill
226 ne Mounting Chkisti At; ; or^ Ser. XCVT.
will never take pains on me^ to make me ?nount up to hea*
Aksw. To you I would fay, i, O how dare you
ineddle with God's decree ? I faid fomething to this
already ; mind this is a ftratagem of Satan, to keep
you from coming to Chrilt. I have read that the devil
faid once to a man, " You need not ferve God any
'^ more, for you will not win to heaven." The man
was troubled at this : But what was his anfwer ? " If
*' I cannot win to God in heaven, I fhall have as much
^^ of God as I can on earth." O man, you will cheat
the devil efFedually, if you tell him in earneft, I will
take all of God that I can now, though I fliould never
get any more of him.
2. Are you not waiting on God in ordinances : and
for rowing at your heart, that you have fmned fo much,
^nd flighted Chrift fo long ? Then your day of grace
is not pad, it is yet time to mount. Now is the ac^
cepted timCy now is the day of falvation ; and it is, per-
haps, now or never. O young fmner, old fmner, your
mounting time may be gone before you get another
call. Death will difmount you from thefe high pri-
vileges in a little, and then you fliall never mount
again ; but fuik, fink, fink for ever in fire and brim-
{lone,
(2.) There may be fome hovering faints here, who
know what it is to have mounted fome time a day,
but now they are fallen down again ; gladly would
they mount, but many things hinder them from mount-
ing,
Object, i. Alas/ fay fome, the wofiil world
keeps 7nefrom 7notiKiing ; the loffes, and croffes^ and temp-
tations of the world are a clog ; luhcnever I go home^ I
ivill tneet with fomething that will draw me dow?i bj the
heels again^ as it zvere,
A NSW. G believer, be not difcouraged, but fet a
flout heart to a fteep mountain : oppofe the love of the
world as much as you can ; and fee vanity written on
its forehead : you know that communion with God is
better than all the enjoyments of this life ; cail- off
thefe things that trouble and afford vexation to vou,
6 let
Ser. XCVI, ihi Eagk-'ivhiged Believer. 227
O let not the world get into your heart ; if the world
mount up in your heart, it will indeed draw you down,
that you fhall not mount up to heaven. Beware of
your gracelefs friends, their carnal walk and convcrla-
tion may rob you of all your fpirituality in half an hour,
and fpoil a good communion in two minutes. O Sirs,
be as little in their company as you can ; and when you
are obliged to be with them, yet let your heart be al-
ways mounting, and giving a ftolen look to Chrift — .
But, perhaps, there are other things in the world alio
that keep you from mounting, and keep you down
with difcouragement : you fee things going all wrong
in the church, grievances lying heavy upon us ; aeai
decaying, and iniquity abounding ; and the like. O
how can I get mounted up under fuch difcouragements.
As to all which, I {hall only fay, you have the more
need to mount up to heaven, that you fee things fo far
wrong here below.
Object. 2. But^ Oh! fay ^ovi^ there is another
thmg that hinders mefrojii ?nQunting ; I have a stone
in tny heart that bears me down ; the dead zveight of
corruption that draws me downward ; how can I mount ■
with fuch a rock on my back^ fuch a heavy Jlony heart-
in my hreafl,
Answ. O believer, that art groaning under the
fenfe of your heart-evils, will you go to God with your
flony heart; none can cure the fpiritual gravel but God
himfelf ; he can cut the (lone out of the hard-hearted
fmner, and he hath promifed to do it, Ezek. xxxvi. -26. >
Iwill take azvay the flony heart out of your fief \ O Sirs,
go and tell him, that it bears you down when you would-
mount up to heaven, and feek to have the ftony heart
foftened in the blood of Chrift ; for Chriil's blood is a
hcart-foftening blood ; Look to him whom you have pierc-
ed and mourn : if you but mount up with your eye to
him, it will melt your ftony heart ; and then the melt-
ed heart will be a mounting heart. Alas 1 fay you, I
have a worm at my heart, Iniquity prevails againfi me^
and this is a heavy thing that bears me down, forely,
down ; and, I think, it will wear me down to hell :
mine iniquities are a burden ; they fink mc dovvn. ter-
S28 Tue Mounting Christian ; or, Ser. XCVL
ribly, down into the mire. But what flialll do, I will
never win up, I think, from under this burden ; Poor
foul, cad your burden upon Chrift ; God laid on h'un
the iniquity of us all, Cqft thy burden on the Lord, and
he will fujiain thee. Doth the guilt of fm burden you ?
Look to him who is made of God to you right eoufnefs.
Doth the pozver of fm burden you ? Look to him who
is made of God to you fandification, Co?ne unto me, all
ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you
reji.
Object. 3. Oh! fay fome, there is another thing
that hinders me from mounting up ; the devil Jieps
in between me and heaven, between Chrijl a?2d me, and
fo I cannot get mounted ; he affaults me fore with many
fad temptations, he fears me from duty, and tempts me to
Answ. Poor believer, be comforted ; it feems you
are not on Satan's fide ; it feems you are come out of
his camp ; and therefore he affaults you fo fore : mean
time, O endeavour to mount up notwithftanding of
all temptations ; for, within a little, God fhall hruife
Satan under your feet, Rom. xvi. 10. The believing
eagle (hall get day about with the devil, and tread u-
pon this old ferpent. Again, tell me, haft thou not
wings to fight againft the devil, as they fay the eagle
doth? when any come to take her young, then fhe
fights with her wings. So do you fight with the wing
of faith, that is the fliield that quenches the fiery darls
of the deviL The devil's darts cannot pierce the belie-
ver's wing of faith. Fight with the wing of love ;
love is a ftrong wing, like coals of fire, it hath a moft
vehement flame ; this hre of love v/ill burn the devil's
darts that he throws at you ; < the love of Chrift will
conftrainyou to refift him boldly, But, alas I fay you,
for all that, 1 cannot fight ; my faith is feeble, and my
love is faint ; Then I only fay to you, O poor foul, go
to Chrift ; Chrift is like the old eagle that helps the
young ones ; yea, Chrift takes the young eagles on
his wings, Deut. xxxii. 11, 12. As an eagle flirreth up
her nefij fluttereth over her young, fpreadeth abroad her
wings.
Ser. XCVL the Eagle -winged ^F.Li^-V'E^l Ti^
wings ^ iakelh ihem^ heareth them on her wings : fo the
Lord alone did lead him ; and there luas nojirange god
with him. Exodus xix. 4. / bare you on eagles wings y
and brought you to myfelf, Chrifl: will carry you on
his wings ; and for your encouragement, know that
he hath fought with the devil already, and overcome
him, he hath ovtrcomt principalities and powers ; yea,
by death he hath dejlroyed him that had the power of
deaths that is, the devil.
OujEGT. 4. And lajlly^ Alas I fay you, there is a*
nother thing yet thai hinders me from mounting ; / would
not think much of the common enemies of my fa Iv at ion ^ ftn^
Satan, and the world ; I know they will do their utinojl
to keep me out of heaven : but, oh I God himfclf is pr ef-
fing me down, and that is faddeft of all, he doth not give
the wonted communication of his grace, nor firength to
moMit : though 1 had habitual grace that will not do, I
muft have auxiliary grace.
A NSW. It may be, when you got additional grace
at the laft communion, you have hnned it away; and
no wonder, when you turn the grace of God into wan*
ionnefs, that the Lord make you go empty-handed — '
But again, he may do this to let you fee, that habitual
grace is not fufficient, in order to your moi^nting up
to heaven, without adual grace ; // is not in him that
willeth^ nor in him that runneth, but in God that Jheweth
mercy. — However, know that God is a fcvereign God,
and he will let you know^ that he is fo, by giving you
new fupplies of grace, and withdrawing them again
when he pleafes j but wait on him, and you f:all renew
your ftrength.
Object, " But, oh ! how can I mount, when he
" not only denies his grace, but hides his face from
me ? The eagle mounts towards the body of the fun,
' but my fun is covered with a cloud, and I go mourn-
ing without the Sun. A day bird cannot fly in the
night ; and, alas ! how ihould 1 mount in the dark
'* night of defertion ?"
Answ. It may me you have hid your face from
God, and that makes him hide his face from you ;
you have finned away his prefence, by turnn::g away
' Vol, VI. F f from
230 The Mouniing Christian ; oi\ %Ser. XCVI.
from his prefence ; or, perhaps, God doth this for
the trial of your faith, love, and patience. However
it be, you mud exercife your wings of faith and love,
and mount up notwithftanding that you be in the dark ;
Who is among you that feareth the Lord, and obeyeth the
voice of his fervani, that tvalketh in darknefs, and hath
no light f Let him irujl in the name of the Lord^ and
Jiay himfelf upon his God, Ifaiah 1. 10. The fpoufe was
bufy even when Chrifl: was gone, Saw ye hint whom my
foul loveth f
Object. " Oh ! but how can I mount, when he
" is not only an abfent, but an angry God ; I fee no-
'' thing but furly looks in his countenance ; and he is
" fhooting arrows againft me; yea. His arrows flick
^^ faji in me, and his hand prejfes me fore ; when I mount
*' up he fhoots me dowft with his arrows ; For the ar*
*• rows of the Almighty are within me : and when my
*^ wings are wounded, dov/n I fall.*'
Answ. God may do fo to humble you ; you muft
be humbled ; and the more humble and low you are,
the higher you iliall be advanced, and mount up the
higher after your humiliation : never was the believer
higheft than after he was lowed, James iv. 10. Humble
yourf elves in the fight of the Lord, and he Jhall lift you up ;
and remember how you may meet with barbed arrows,
poifoned arrows of God's anger, and yet all in love :
In a little wrath have I hid myfclf from thee for a mo*
mcnt ; hut with everlafli?ig kindnefs will I have mercy
upon thee* Ifaiah liv. 10. For the 7nou?iiai72s Jhall depart,
and the hills be removed, but my kindnefs jhall not depart
from thee* You fliall at lail find all thefe things well
ordered. What think you, when you fliall come to
heaven, and Chrifl fay to you, Welcome, believer,
when 1 hid my face, did I not deal kindly with you ?
When I fhot the arrows into your heart, did I not deal
kindly with you ? And the believer will then fay, In-
deed, Lord, thou haft done all things well : all is well
that ends well.
Object. "Alas! but I think the Lord will kill
" me with his arrows j and will I fly to heaven, if he
'' kill me V\
Answ,.
Ser. XCVI. the Eagle'ivi?2ged Believer. 231
Answ. There is no fear that your kind Lord will
kill you ; but though he fhould, yet make ufe of your
wings, and fly to him, as Job, Though he Jlay me^ yet
will I irujl in him. I read of a fparrow, that when
purfued by a hawk, flew into Xenocrates* bofom, his
words were, 'Non oportet fuppUcem prodere ; " It were
" barbarous to betray a poor fupplicant." IF you fly
to God's bofom, no fear that he kill you ; when his
wrath purfues you, he is but chafmg you into his bo-
fom : therefore let nothing hinder you from mount<*
xng.
The Lord himfelf engage you to wait on him, that
you may renew yoMxJlrength^ and ?iiou?ii up on wings
as eagles.
Viz SER'
I ^3^ 3
SERMON XCVIL
The RIVER of LIFE, proceeding out of the
Throne pf G o p, and of the L A m b *,
Revel, xxli, i.
And he fhezvui me a pure river of water clear as cryf-
ia!, proceeding out of the throne qf Gqdy and of ih^
Lamh*
AT the lad facramental allien, that fell to my
fhare here, I took occafion to fpeak of our
Lord Jefus Chrift as the Lamb in the midfi of the throne^
Revel, vii. 17 f. And now I would fpeak a little, as
the Lord may aiTift, of the great bleffings that proceed
from that throne, to the everlafling falvation and con^
folation of all the redeemed.
Some underftand all that is faid in the tv/o laft chap*
ters of this book, of xh^ftaie of the church even here
on earthy in the glory of the latter days. Others view
it as a reprefentation of the perfed and triumphant ft ate
of the chyrch in heaven, 1 reckon it fafeil to exclude
neither of thefe ; and apprehend it takes in the hea-
venly (late of the church, and the happinefs thereof,
commenced in time here, and confummate through e-
ternity hereafter. That glorious flate begins here,
fmce grace is the beginning of glory, and glory the
perfedion of grace. Now, this happy If ate is defcribed
here, in allufion to the earthly paradife, that v/as loft by
the fm of the firft Adam, as another, a better paradife,
reftored by the righteoufnefs of the fccond Adam.
* This fermon was preached immediately before the celebration
of the facrameot of theLord's flipper, at Dunfermline, July 6. 1735.
It hath andergone fix imprellions,
\ See this Sernion, printed aboye, Vol, V. Serm. LX^^X^V.
la
Ser. XCVIL The Riv ^1^ of Li:tE. ^3j
In this vcrfe you fee a revelation made to John of
the river of paradife ; and by this river I underftar.d
the Sprite and ^W fpirliual blejjings : for fo I find tlie
Spirit frequently in fcripture reprefented, as a river, or
a flood of water j Ifaiah xliv. 3. / will pour wafer c?t
him ihai is ihirjly^ and floods upon the dry ground,
What is that I Even my Spirit^ and my bleffing ; as it
is explained in the words immediately following.
But then, you have the quality of this river ; it is ^
P u R. E r/'i^^r of water of life ^ qlear as eryfial h\\
the ftreanis of earthly comforts are muddy and pollut-
ed, and polluting ; but thefe are pure,, clear, heal-
ing, and refrefhing ; giving Ufey and preferving life for
ever to them that drink thereof. — ^You have the rife of
this river, or whence it flows and proceeds, namely.
Out of the throne, of Godj and of the Ldmh. The Spirit,
and all the bleiTmgs and comforts of grace and glory,
proceed from a God in Chrift. As the Spirit, with re-
ference to his perfonal property, proceeds from the Fa-
ther and the Son ; fo, with reference to his ofnce in
the o^conomy or redemption, he, as a Spirit of all grace
and comfort, proceeds like a pure eryfial river out of
the throne cfGod, and of the Larab ; the Spirit, ^nd all
fpiritual bkllmgs being from God, thro'* the mediation
of the Lamb, But I fliall further explain the words
upon the profecutioQ of th^ follov/ing dQ&'ine^
Oeserv. That the living Spirit of God ^ commumcaU
iug all the blefjlngs of everlafilng llfe^ gracioufly here^
and glorioufiy hereafter^ proceeds^ like a pure crvftal
river y out of the throne ofQodyard (f the Lainb..
And here I ihall, as the Lord may pleafe to aJiflj
pfTay to do the following things.
I. Offer fome remarks for clearing and confirming
the dodrine.
II. Obferve l\i^ proper ty,,m^ quality of the water of
this river; ^
III. Shew what may be imported m its being faid to
proc^^d mt of tht throne ofGod^ and of the Lamb.
IV, Eu^
234 The River of Life. Ser. XCVIL
IV. Enquire whence it is, or alTign the reafons why
this river of life is faid to proceed OMt of the throne
of God, and of the Lamb.
V. Deduce fome inference for the application.
I. We are to offer fome remarks for clearing, con-
firming, and illuftrating the do&ine.
Remark i. " That communion with God in Chrift, in
" his bleflings and comforts at his table, whether a-
" bove or below, is by his Spirit.'* For, as through
Chrift loe have accefs to the Father by om Spirit^ Eph.
ii. 18. ; fo all the bleflings and comforts of the new co-
venant are commmunicated from the Father, through
the Son, by the Holy Ghofl : and hence we enjoy the
grace of the Lord Jefus Chriji^ and the love of God^'
through him, in the cominunion of the Holy Ghoft^ 2 Cor.
xiii. 14.
Remark 2. " That all fpiritual bleflings, thus com-
" municated, are everlafiingJ*^ They are the bleflings
of everlafting life, begun in grace here, and confum-
niate in glory hereafter. God himfelf, the prime and
principal blefling, is the everlafl:ing God; and the ever-
lafting light, the everlafting life, the everlafting hea-
ven and happlnefs of his people. And all the ftreams
of blelhngs that flow from this fountain of living wa-
ters are everlafting. For example, is peace a ft ream
of this river ? Rom. v. i. Being jujiified by faith ^ ive
have peace with God, This peace is everlafting : and
hence departed faints are faid to enter into peace when-
ever they die, Ifa. Ivii. 2. Peace here enters into them,
and there they enter into peace. — Is pardon of fin a
itream of this river ? Yea, We have redefjiption thro^
his bloody even the forgivenefs of fin ^ Eph. i. 7.; and
this pardon is everlafting : and it is faid of the inhabi-
tants of heaven, The people that dwell there ^ jhall be
forgiven their iniquity^ Ifa. xxxiii. 24. Here they are
pardoned, and there the pardon is lengthened out to
eternity. — Is fanflification and holinefs a ftream ? Yea,
Beholding his glory ^ we are changed into the fame image.
Well, it is an everlafting blelflng, for in heaven it is
perfected ) ff> Jhall be like him, for we Jhall fee him as
. . ^ " he
Ser. XCVII. The River c/^ L i f e. 235
he is, I John iii. 2. — ^Again, Is the life of comfort here
a ftream ? Yea, we joy in God through Chrift. This
bleffing is everlafting, and therefore called everlafling
confoiaiion, 2 ThclT. ii. 16. And hence the Comforter
is laid to abide in us for ever^ John xvi. 25. Even
■when the fenfible comfort is withdrawn, yet the Com-
forter abideth for ever. — Again, Is the begun life of
coimnunion with God a ftream of this river of the water
of life ? What is this fellowfhip with the Father and
the Son, but the beginning of everlafling communion r
—In a word. Is grace a ftream of this river of the wa-
ter of life ? What is the life of grace here, but the be-
ginning of the life of glory, which is everlafling, and
commenced whenever the foul believes in Chrift ? He
that believeih on the Son hath everlafling life* This is
life eternal y to know thee the only true God, and Jefus
Chrift whom thou haft fent. Thus you may fee what
I mean by the blelhngs of everlafting life, to be en-
joyed gracioufly here, and glorioufly hereafter, called
the water of life in the text. And fo far I have here
defignedly prevented myfelf the necellity of explaining
much further this zvater of life^ or i\itfhea?ns of this
river.
Remark 3. " That the Spirit of God, as the great
*' bleffing of the covenant, and all the other fpiritual
" bleffings of everlafting life, are compared irequently
** to zvater in fcripture, John iv. 14. and 10. verfe
" compared." There Chrift is faid to give us livi}:g
water ; and again, The water that Iflnillgive him thai
drinketh it, Jhall be in him a well of water fpringing up
to everlaftiJig life. And John vii. 37. If any man tbirft^
let him come to me and drink. He that believeth on me^
as the fcripture hath fuid, out of his belly, out of his very,
heart and foul, flmll flow rivers of living water. This'
lie fpeaks of the fpirit. But I infift not on all the in-
ftances I might offer ; only the Spirit and his influen-
ces, graces, comforts, and bleffings, may be on many
accounts compared to water. I inftft not upon the pa-
rallel ; only, as w^ter is for quenching of thirft, waffi-
ing of ft:ains, cooling of heats, healing of wounds, fof-
tening of hard earth, and frudifying of barren earth ;
fo
%l6 Tfjs R I V E n ^/ L I ? E. Se R. XCVIT,
fo the Spirit, in his various Infiuenccs and operations,
is of manifold fuch like ufe to the fouls of all his peo-
ple.
Remark 4. " That this river of water of life, that
*' waters the church, militant and triumphant, with
^^ all fpiritual and everlafting bleffings, proceeds out of
" the throne of God, and of the Lamb : I mean, the
'' Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son." Not
only doth he fo, as he is the third perfon of the glorious
Trinity, and that by an eternal and ineffable proceffion ;
but alfo, as he is clothed with the peculiar and glorious
office of applying the purchafed redemption. He comes
forth from the Father and the Son by a voluntary fu-
bordhiation. This is plain from feveral fcriptures,
particularly, John xiv. 16. / -wUl pray the Father^ and
he /hall give you another Comforter^ that he ?nay abide
with you for ever^ even the Spirit of truth, John xv.
26. VV hen the Cojnforier is come^ whom I will fend unio
you from the Father^ which proceedeth from the Fa-
ther^ he fhall teftify of me, John xiv. 26. But the Com-
forter, which is the Holy Ghofi, whom th€ Father will
fend in my name, he jhQll teach you all things. And a-^
gain, John xvi. 7, — 14. If I go net away, the Comfort
ter will not come ; hut if 1 depart I will fend him unio
you. And when he is come, he will convince the world
of fin, righteoufnefs, and judgment. He will guide y on
into all truth* He Jha II glorify me, for he /hall receive
of mine, and fhall floeiv it unto you. Whence then fnail
we have a good communion with God this day ?—
Whence {liall we. have the Spirit, or any fpiritual blef-
fing and comfort ? It is from the throne of God and
of the Lamb : it is from the Father and the Son. —
This water is from God, through the mediation of
the Lamb.
IL The feccnd thing propofed was, To point out
fome of the qualities of this great bleiling, comprehend-
ing all other bleffings of everlafling \\{t. The text
calls it a pure river ^ the water of life, clear as cryftal ;
where the water is dcfcribed four v/ays^ namely, from
the
Ser. XCVIT, TbeRivER of Life. 137
the plenty^ the purity^ the virtue^ and the fp)cndor
of it.
1 . It is defcribed from the plenly^ or great llore of
it, and therefore it is called a River. This is that
river ^ the Jlreams whereof make glad the city of God,
Pfal. xlvi. 4. No pleafures are like thcfe that How from
the Spirit of God. The fruit of the Spirit is peace and
joy : but here it is only the ftreams of this river that we
enjvoy ; but in heaven the river itfelf will be enjoyed.
The holy Spirit is a river, not a cillern, to fliew his
infinite plenitude and fulnefs, and the great abundance
of heavenly bleflings that flow from him. Our Lord
Jefus hath received of this river above meafure, and
yet the river is as full as ever. All believers, in all
ages, from the beginning of the world, thoufands and
ten thoufands, have drawn out of it ; yet it is flill an
overflowing river. O let us bring all our empty pit-
chers here ! For there is enough here for every fon
of Adam, if he would come ; enough for time, and
enough for eternity : the river is flowing by our
^oo-: ; O may we draw water out of this well of j ah a-*
tion !
2. It is defcribed from its purify^ It is a ruRE river.
The Spirit of God is a pure and holy Spirit : and all
his bleihngs and comforts are pure and holy, purifying
and fan'£lifying blellings. A pool or a (landing water
may be impure ; but a river though it fhould run thro'
a ioathfome ditch, will carry away the pollution of it :
no man's heart, be it never fo polluted, like a llink-
ing ditch, but if a dream of this river be let into it,
and have a free paifage, it will carry av/ay all the filth
and pollution thereof. And why is it faid of heaven.
Revel, xxii, 27. that there fhall in no-wfe enter into it
any thing that defleth f Becaufe there is the river ever
running. Here we have only the (1 reams running fome
times, but there is the river itfelf; the pure river, con-
tinually running. O let impure polluted fouls come
now to the flreams of this pure and purifying river, as
they are running from Chrifl in- a gofpel-difpenfation ;
and never reft till they win to the river of perfeQ pu-
rity.
Vol. VI, G g 3, It
%^Q The River o/h i f e. Ser. XCVIL
3. It IS defcribed from the quickening virtue of it : it
is a pure ri^^er of water ofi.iYf., This river of water is
the living Spirit of God > the Spirit of life, that quic-
kens whom he w^ill : he hath life in himfelf, and by
him dead fouls are quickened, and made to live for
ever. All earthly elementary waters have a beginning;
but this river, the Spirit of God, is from everlafting to
cvcrlafling, without beginning, and without end. O-
ther rivers are fed by Iprings and fountains ; but this
river of the Spirit is himfelf i\it fountain of living ivaters^
as well as a river. This river proceeds from God, and
yet the riycr is God himfelf; For there are three that
bear record in heaven^ the Father^ the Word, and the
Spirit^ and thefe three are One, Though God hath
provided a channel of ordinances to convey fome of
the water of this river to us, for quickening and re-
frefhing us ; yet the river cannot be circumicribed or
limited as it is in itfelf. O let de.d fouls conceive hope
of life! here Is the living and life-giving Spirit of God,
to give the life of grace, the life of peace and pardon,
the life of holinefs andfancliiication, the life of joy and
confolation, the life of communion and fellowfhip with
God, which are all the beginning and com.mencement
of everlafting life, as I liave already (hewed.
4. This river of water is defcribed from the bright-
nefs^ fplendor^ and ^/ory of it : it is clear as crj/iaU
This, I think, may point out both the pleafure and
perfpicuity of the river. What a pleafant river is the
Spirit, in the everlafting emanation and flow of his
influences and comforts ! How fweetiy do the redeem-
ed drink of this river of pleafure^ Pfal xxxvi. 8. Jn
the prefence of God there is fulnefs of joy ^ and pleafures.
for evermore, Pfal. xvi. 11. And what a perfpicuous
river is that of the Spirit, clear as cryfiaU The Spirit
as a Spirit of wifdoin and revelation, in the knowledge of
Chrijiy makes clear difcoveries as a cryftal glafs, or
a cryftaline tranfparent river. It is by the Spirit we
behold, as in a glafs, the glory of the Lord, 1 Cor. iii,
I 8. It is the Spirit that glorifieth Chrift, by (hewing
the things of Chrift ; he giveth clear difcoveries of the
glory of Chrift, and the glory of God's perfedions in him
The
Ser. XCVII. The River 0/ L i f e. ^39
The Spirit of life is the Spirit of light, that giveth the
fiducial vifion here, and the beatifical vifion hereafter.
IIL The next thing propofed was, To fliew what
may be imported in this river being faid to proceed out
of thethro?ie of God and of the Lamb,
1. It imports, that God and the Lamb have but
one and the fame throne^ from whence the river of the
Spirit, and all fpiritual blelTmgs do proceed. Here
are good nev/s to us this day, when we are to comme-
morate the fufferings of the Lamb of God ; that, as
the Lamb that was flain upon the crofs is now futing
upon the throne, fo that God and the Lamb have not
two thrones, but one and the fame throne. The throne
of God is the throne of the Lamb, and the throne of
the Lamb is the throne of God, Rev. iii. 21. lamfct
doiun with my Father in his throne. He is the Lamb in
the midfi of the throne o^ Godi \ but of this I have for-
merly treated.
2. It imports, that God and the Lamb have but
C7ie and the fame Spirit* The river proceeds from the
throne of God and of the Lamb. The Spirit of God
is the Spirit of the Lamb ; and the Spirit of the Lan^b
is the Spirit of God, Llappy they that have the Spi-
rit of Chrill in them, for the Spirit of Chrill:, is the
Spirit of God. He is the Spirit of both of the Fa-
ther and of the Son ? All things that the Father haih
are mine^ fays ChriH, John xvi. 15, And particularly^
the Father's Spirit is the Son's ; hence it is faid. Gal.
iv. 6. Becaufe ye are fons^ God hath fent forth the Spirit
cf his Son into your hearts^ crying, Abba, Father. This
river proceeds not out of the throne of God, or the Fa~
ther's throne only ; but out of the throne of the Lanih
alfo, the Son's throne. The Spirit of life, for quic-
kening dead fouls into everlafling life, proceeds not
out of the throne of God as an abiolute Gcd, but a^: :•
God in Chrifl ; and therefore is laid td proceed oin
of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
3. It imports, that tiie fulncfs of the Godhead, tliat
is in Chrift, is a communicative fuinefs ; and hence the
river is faid to i&^tfro?n the thrQne of God and of tHe
^40 The RivzK of Lit ^, g e r. XCVII.
Lamb. The everlafting fpnng of the nver is within
the throne of God, where the Lamb fits : and the
Lamb is anointed w^ith the Spirit above meafure ; for
the Father giveih not the Spirit by meafure unto him^ John
iii. 34. And this ocean of divme fulnefs that is in hiin
is not (hut up within the throne, but proceeds like a
river out of it, that wc, out of his fulnefs ^ may receive
and grace for grace^ John i, 16. Tiiis coir-munication
is free, as free as the run of a flream out of a fpring.
And as the river proceecis freely out of the throne, lo
we may as freely come and drink of the water of life
that runs out towards us. But again it imports,
4. That the giving out of the Spirit, and of all fpi-
ritual blelnngs, is a part of the royalty of Chriit, and
the fruit of his mounting the throne of heaven after he
had nniihed his work upon earth : and hence. When
be afc ended up on high^ leading captivity captive^ he re-
ceived gifts for men^ even for the rebellious^ Pfal. Ixviii.
18. I'he giving out of the Spirit in the moft plentiful
manner was deferred till the Lamb that w^as llaia
fhould be in the midft of the throne. It is faid, John
vii. 39. The Holy Qhoji was not yet given, becaufe that
J ejus zvas not yet glorified \ but, whenever he is glori-
fied, then the river, in a plentiful manner, was to pro-
ceed cut CI the throne of God and of the Lamb : If I
go not azvay^ the Comforter ivill not come : but if I de-
part I will fend him unto you. Whenever 1 am glori-
fied upon the throne, then I will fliew the river of
the water of hfe proceeding out of the throne. The
giving then of the Spirit of life is a part of the Media-
tor's royalty. Chrifr, as a King, hath the giving of
the Spirit ^ this belongs to his adminidration, as the
Lamb now upon the throne : hence fays Chriif, John
xiv. 26. The Father will fend him in ?ny name^ even in
m^ name and authority, as the crowned King ot Zion ;
and, John xvi. 7. / will fend him. Thus God and
the Lamb agree from the imperial throne, to fend from
thence the river, the Spirit of life, as an evidence of
the Mediator's exaltation^ and of his gloriouskingdom
and royalty. Our Lord Jefus Chrift fv/ays his fceptre
of grace, and erefts and m<mti\UiS ki§ kingdom, by
fending
$ER. XCVIL The River c/ L i f e. 241
fending bis Spirit, The Lamb was facrificed to pur-
chafe eternal redemption, and is enthroned to give the
Spirit \ and, O but the Spirit is a royal blciling ! As
Chrift is a Pried upon the throne, fo thefe that (hare
of his Spirit are a royal priejlhood ; and, having the
Spirit, they are king^ and pricjls to their God, Let us
wait this day about the throne for this glorious fruit
and effect of his royal bounty.
IV. T\i& fourth thing propofed was, To enquire in-
to the reafonSf or whence it is that this river of life,
for quickening dead fouls to everlafting life, proceeds
out of the throne of God ^ and of the Lamb,
1. It is to fhew, that as the grace of God tov/ards
fmners is reigning grace, enthroned grace ; fo it reigns
through the righteoufnefs of Chri/i to eternal life^ Rom.
v. 21. And that no life, no {jViritual life, by the word
and Spirit of God, is to be cxpefted, but as it runs
in this channel. No life by the law or covenant of
works is now to be expelled. God and Adam are
now feparate ; and the channel of the communication
of life, or of living waters, by his covenant with the
lirfl Adam, is quite cut off; but, behold, God and
the Lamb are joined together in an evcrlalling cove-
nant, and fit together on an heavenly throne. The ful-
ncfs of the Godhead is gone in to the fecond Adam,
the fulnels of the Spirit of fife is given to the Lamb
above raeafiire^ John iii. 34. And now the Lamb, be-
ing the Lord cur righteoufnefs^ is exalted to the Father's
throne ; a throne enriched with the river of life.
Grace reigns on that throne, tlirough the righteoufnefs
of Chrifl, to the communication of all the bleHings
of everlading life. JVIe^'cy vents through the blood of
Chrift, through the blood of the Lamb, once hanging
upon the crols, and now reigning upon the throne.
2. This river of life is difcovered as proceeding out
of the throne of God and of the Lamb, to Ihew the
dyiinct caconoiny of the glorious Trinity in this bufmefs
of our redemption, and of the eternal falvatioii of lolt
finners. Cod the Father, the firfl perfon in the order
of fubriftence, (i^s upon the thron(; of his fovereign
graces
242 77jeRiVEKofLi:PE. Ser. XCVII.
grace ; God the Son, the Lamb that was the purchafer
of Hfe on the crofs, is made the adminiflrator thereof
\ipon the throne ; God the Holy Ghoft, proceeding
from the Father and the Son, is the great AppUer,
bringing home the bleflings purchafed to all the re-
deemed in a perpetual egrefs and flow of divine com-
munications : and hence all the ftore of divine things
and bleffmgs, that the Spirit communicates, are faid
to be the things of God the Father, and Chrifl: the
Son, difcovered and difpenfed by the Holy Ghoft ; He
Jh all glorify me^ for he jhall receive of mine andfl^ew it
unto you. All things that the father halh are mine ;
therefore faid /, He fhall take of mine and fhezv it unto
you^ John xvi. 14, 15. And hence alfo believers are
faid to receive the Spirit which is of God, that they may
know the things that are freely given them of God, 1 Cor,
ii. 21. — Thus we fee the diftinQ oeconomy of each per-
fon of the glorious Trinity in this matter, Father, Son,
and Holy Ghoft, one God in three perfons ; and how
we are equally indebted to each of them for the benefit
of redemption.
3. This river of life is difcovered as proceeding out
of the throne of God and of the Lamb, to fhew the
effential unity and glorious harmony of the ever-blefted
Trinity, notwithftanding of their perfonal diftindion ;
according to i John v. 7. Ihcre are three that hear
record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy
Ghoji ; and thefe three are one. And this effential u-
nity or natural onenefs is, I think, pointed out in our
text, where the throne being called the throne of God,
and of the Lamb, declares what Chrifthimfcif declared,
John X. 30. / and r,iy Father are one* And if the Spi-
rit were not the fountain of living w^atcr, equally and
effentially one with the Father and the Son, how could
he proceed like a river out of the throne of God and
of the Lamb ? So that, as in this clear glafs of the
gofpel we fee the diftintt oeconomy of the glorious Tri-
r.ity, in the work of redem.ption, and their perfonal dif-
tindion, fo we may fee their eftential unity or natural
onenefs : 'Fhefe three are Q7ie God, the fame in fuhfiance,
e^-ial in po-vjer and ghry. And ia the fame light we fee
their
Ser. XCVII. T/js RiVEK of Livt. ^43
their glorious harmony in our redemption-work. As
it is faid of the three that bear witnefs on earthy the Spi-
rit, the water, and the blood, that, as thefe three are one^
one in nature ; fo they agree in one, in one great and
glorious work and defign towards the falvation of poor
fmners. There is a perfed harmony and agreement
between God and the Lamb upon the fame throne :
and how doth the Spirit agree with the Father and the
Son proceeding out of the throne of God and of the
Lamb like a pure cryftaline river ? And thus lliewing,
that everlafling life is from God in Chrift, by the Spi-
rit. Again, jmother reafon is,
4. To fhew the excellent Jimmcfs zr\d Jlability of the
new- covenant blefiings, and on what a fure ground and
bottom the eternal life and happinefs of the church mi-
litant and triumphant is built. Thefe blefTmgs ajre
equally fecurcd with the throne of God, and of the
Lamb, and the perpetual flow of the river or the water
of life that proceeds therefrom. The everlafling life
of the redeemed is fome-way interwoven with the per-
fonal properties of the glorious Trinity : for, as the
Spirit, perfonally confidercd, proceeds from the Father
and the Son ; fo he proceeds communicatively out of
the throne of God, and of the Lamb, to water all. the
redeemed, as an everflowing and overflowing river of
everlafling hfe. A glorious Trinity may be feen in
every fpiritual bleffing : hence may a believer fay. This
pardon, for example, is a divine blelnng, it is from the
throne of God ; it is a purchafed bleffing, it is from
the throne of the Lamb ; it is a- fealed bleffing, by the
Spirit, as a river running from the throne of God and
of the Lamb, fo as the happinefs of the redeemed can-
not fail, nor the river ceafe to run out to their ever-
lafling life, no more than God can ceafe to be God,
Father, Son, and Holy Ghofl, one everlafling God,
in three perfons. The ilream of grace here, and glory
hereafter, proceeds from a fountain that can never be
drained ; here they will drink, and bathe, and fwim
for ever, if we may be allowed the expreffion. The
throne of God will fiill be the throne of the Lamb } he
. will
^44 The River c/ L i f e. Ser. XCVIf.
will ftlll be a God in Chrift : and the throne of the
Lamb will ftlll be the throne of God ; for to him the
Father fays. Thy throne^ 0 Godj is for ever and e-ver*
And the throne of God and of tlie Lamb will ftill be a
throne whence the everlafting Spirit will proceed like
a pure cryflal river ; for he will never ceafe to be a free
Spirit, a free fountain of living waters.- — — -O glorious
and bleffed fecurity.
V. TliQ //i/j thing propofed was. To deduce fome
inferences for the apj)licaUon» Is it fo. Thai the living
Spirit of God ^ communicaling at! the blejjings. of emcrbji'
ing life gracioujly here^ and glcrioufly hereafter, proceeds
like a pure cryftal river out of the throne of God and of
the Lamb f Then,
1. Hence fee the harmony between the church mili-
tant and triumphant ; they drink of the fame river :
only here we have but drops, but there they have the
ocean, and drink at the fountain-head : the utmofl
here is 2i flaying us with f.aggons, but there the redeem-
ed fwim in the river of life. The faints in glory, as
well as behevers on earth, hold their title unto ever-
lafting life of Chrift : their everlafting happinefs is
grounded upon the blood of the Lamb, and flows from
the throne of God and of the Lamb. Chrift will be
the glafs, even in heaven, wherein the glory of God
will be feen through the pure tiver of the water of life
clear as cryftal.
2. Hence fee the happinefs of every believer who
have got but one faving drop of this river poured out
upon his heart ; for this Spirit of God and of the
Lamb will be in him a well of water fpringing up to ever-
lafting life^ John iv. 1 4. ; and that becaufe this v;ater
proceeds from the throne of God and of the Lamb. —
It is a royal bleiling from the divine throne ; and the
bleflings of the throne are the beft bleftiugs. Many are
content with the bleflings of the footftool, and hunt
only after thef^, faying, Who ivill f^w us any earthly
good? But, blelTed are thefe that cannot be fatisfied
v/ith any thing lefs than throne-bleilings ; Lord^ lift
thou up the light of thy countenance upon me : then f}.^all
I have
Ser* XCVIL ?7^^ River ^ Life. 245
J have 7iiGre gladnefs than the wicked world, in the time
that their corn and ivtne increafe^ Pfalm iv. 6. O lee
what a royal gift it is to get the Spirit ; Chrifl afcend-
ed v.p on high^ and led captivity capti^^e^ and received
gifts for men, F^-dim Ixviii. 18.
3. Hence fee the glory of God, Father, Son, and
Holy Ghoft, ihining in the work of redemption thro'
Jefus, and in the way of our falvation thro' his blood
and righteoufnefs. Here, as in a glafs, we may kc
the glory of God the Father fitting on the fame throne
with Chrillj that is^ appearing as a God in Chrid ; the
glory of Chrifl the Son, our Redeemer, exalted to the
Father's throne, after he had finillied his work ; and
the glory of the Holy Ghoft in his breathings and blef-
fings, graces and comforts^ proceeding like a pure cryf-
tal river out of the throne of God and of the Lamb :
and alfo the glory of all the divine attributes; their
honour is fecured in this throne of grace, from whence
grace and m.ercy vents, to the credit and honour of
juftice and truthj through the juflice-fatisfying blood of
the Lamb ; therefore it is faid, J'^ijlice and judgment are
the habitation of his throne,
4. Hence fee how glorious the go/pel is, and hew
powerful, while it is in the channel wherein the Spirit
of life, the river of the water of life runs from ihe
throne cf God and of the Lamb ; Received ye the Spi-
rit by the works of the iazv^ ir by the hearing of faith f
Gal. iii. 2. It is by the hearing cf faith ; and hence
the Spirit and the word are put together in a promife
to Chriii, and in him to all his (eed ; This is viy cove-
r.ant 'with them, faith the Lord, My Spirit i^hicb is upon
thee, and my words which I have put in thy niciiih,fhall
not depart out of thy mouth, nor out cf the viQuih of thy
fesd, nor out of the mouth cf thy feed's feed, faith the
Lord, from henceforth and for ever, Ifaiah lix. 21.——
This river of life, for <]uickening dead fouls, runs al-
ways in the channel of the v/ord of grace and promife ;
and the gofpci is the miniflraiion of ihe Spirit in the
•hands of his fent fervants : and this ought to be highly
prized by all that are followers of the Lamb, and would
enjoy the witnefs of his Spirit from the throne. There
V 0 L. VL H h ar.:
^4^ The R 1 V E R ^ L I F E. Ser. XCVIL
are, indeed, in our day, many that are but miniflers
of the letter ; thefe ought to be difcouraged and dif-
countenanced : but there arc fome evidently miniftcrs
of the New Teftament, not of the letter, but of the
Spu'it ; thefe ought to be highly encouraged and coun-
tenanced ; for, though the letter kills, the Spirit gives
life, 2 Cor. iii. 6, It is dangerous to defert a mini-
itry wherein the Spirit of hfe run ; this were to run a-
way from the river that proceeds out of the throne
of God and of the Lamb.
This, by the bye, may fhew us a rule for our con-
duel in this day of divifion, when many of the Lord's
own children are ready to run to fome dangerous ex-
tremes with reference to their countenancing this or
the other minifter. Why, if they are miniftcrs of the
letter, that have nothing of a gofpel-fpirit, or of the
Spirit of faith or faithfulnefs in preaching or managing;
and, if this be evident, why not ? Let us teftify duly
againft them : but, if we have to do with minifters of
the Spirit, let us remember, that fome of thefe are
appointed of God for fuch a work ; and fome for ano-
ther work ; and fome of them have a greater mea-
fure of the Spirit of faith and zeal than others ; and
fome of them have a leffer meafure given them of God,
according to the work he hath for them : but, if they
have any meafure of a gofpel-fpirit, and of the Spirit
of faith and faithfulnefs in their ftation, though they
come not up to the fame meafure and degree with o-
thers, nor be fet upon the fame ground, beware of
flighting and defpifmg them ; for the great river of the
city of God runs out in many ftreams, fome greater
and fome lefler, and to defpife the leafl ftream is to de-
fpife the river ; He that 4efpifeth you defpifeth me,
5. Hence fee what it is that would make good and
happy days in the church militant ; namely, the run-
ning out of this river more plentifully : Until the Spirit
he poured upon us from on high, and the ivildernefs be a
fruitful field, and the fruitful field he counted for a forefl.
Then judgment fhall dwell in the ivildernefs, and right e-
oufnefs remain in the fruitful field* And the work ofrigh'
teoufnefs
Ser. XCVIL TJ^ River c/ Life. 247
leoufnefs Jhall be peace ^ and the effefi ofrighteoufnefs^ quiets
nefs and ajfurance for ever^ Ifaiah xxxii. 15, — 17. O
when may we cxped fuch a day ! Indeed, fuch is the
univerfal corruption of church and (late, and fuch hath
been our perjury, covenant-breaking and blood-fhed,
unrepented of; and fuch is the profanity, error, and
blafphemy of the day we live in, that in all appearance,
before the happy day of the outpouring of the Spirit,
we may exped a terrible day of the outpouring of
blood. Our national bloody fins are crying for bloody
vengeance \ and many fee it haftening on. But, Sirs,
what is it that will wafh away Scotland's bloody guilt
and bloody gore at once ? What but a flood from hea-
ven ; even a flow of the pure river, clear as cryftal,
proceeding out of the throne of God, and of the Lamb !
Whatever fad days may come before it, yet this is the
happy day you ought to fcek, for Zion*s fake, and foi
the fake of the rifmg generations in Scotland, and of
future ages.
6. Hence fee what would make a hearifome commu-
nion folemnity among us this day, amid ft all the fiid
figns of the times, namely, the running down of this
river. And fee, at the fame time, what ground we
have to expeQ this river of life to run out ; the ground
of hope is, becaufc the Lamb is enthroned. The time
was that the Spirit, the Holy Ghoft, was not given
plentifully, Becaufe J c fits %vas not yet ghrified^ J^'jb^i
vii. 39. But now jefus was glorified, the Lamb is fit-
ting on his Father's throne ; therefore we may feck
and exped that the Spirit may be poured out. Let
faith ad, for fupplies of this water, upon Chriii's exal-
tation to the Father's right-hand to give repentance and
remiilion of fms ; exalted to give the Spirit of faith
and repentance, to give the Spirit of holinefs and com-
fort ; exalted to the well-watered throne to let out the
river plentifully. Again,
7. To raife our hope and experience, let \\z from
this dodrine fee, ttiat the throne of God and of the
Lamb is r\o pcmiriousxhxoxxz^ that hath little to fpare :
as in our Father's hcufe there is bread enough and iofpan\
fo about our Father's throne, the throne of God and
H h a of
54^ The River c/ L i f e. Ser. XCVIL
of the Lamb, there is water enough and to fpare, the
pure river of the water of Hie fully and freely proceed-
ing out of it- Tht feven Spirits are faid to be before
the throne^ Rev. 1.4.; that is, the one eternal Spirit of
God, as a river flowing out in all his various ftreanis
'of gifts, influences, operations, breathings, blefiings,
and comforts : this river is before the throne. Which
fays, by the bye, that it is good to go boldly and fre-
quently to the throne of grace ; for this quickening
river will meet us by the way ; and whenever our feet
touch the river, then, Hke a flood, it will carry us off
our own feet, and bear us up towards the throne^ as
the water did the ark to the top of Ararat,
8. Hence fee how we may attain communkn with
God at a communion-table, and how we are to go
there : you ought to go v/ith as great awe ?ind reve-
rence as if you v/ere going to the throne of God, for
his throne is at the head of the table. But then, how
ihall we go to the throne of God, v/ho is an infinitely
holy and juO: God, whereas we are guilty, guilty hn-
ners ? Why, we cannot go to the throne of God but
through Jefus ChriPi ; and through him we ought to
go boldly, becaufe it is not only the throne of God,
but of the Lamb, by whofe blood v/e have boldnefs to
enter into the holieff, But again^ if you think, how
ihail Y/e go thus to the throne of God and of the Lamb,
having no life or power to do any thing ? Vv^hy, in-
deed, we cannot win to it but, as it were, fwimming
in the river that is before the throne, the river of the
Spirit's influences ^.nd graces, that proceeds put of the
throne of God and of the J^amb. That which brings
us to the throne mud: proceed out of the throne ; there-
fore we are to go believingly and dependently, being
itrong only in the grace that is in Chriff Jefus, the grace
tiiat is in the throne of gv^^ce to be freely communicate
from it.
9. Hence we may fee the marks and charaders of
right and worthy communicants. They are fuch as have
got a difcovery of what is here fliewed unto John : He
Jhcwed me a pure river of water of life ^ clear as cryfiaJ^
proceeding out of th^ throne of Qociy and of the L-amh.--^
I 4o
Ser. XCVII. The RivzK of LiF e. 249
I do not mean, that every true believer gets fuch an
extraordinary difcovery as John here got the revelation
of; but there is fomething of the myilery thereof in
ibmc degree that, I think, every believer gets fonie
view of, particularly in thefe three things, by which
you may examine yourfelf.
(i.) Have you got a view of the throne of God; I
mean, of God himfelf, in his infinite holinefs and juf-
tice ? For God fits upon the throne of his holinefs, juf-
tice, and other glorious attributes ; and to fee the
throne of God, is to fee and know him to be Majefty
itfelf ; for a throne points out majefty. H^ve you e-
ver apprehended the majefty of his holinefs and jufticej
and that the throne of iniquity cannot have fellowihip
with him ; that be is of purer e^cs than to behold iniquity ;
.that he is a God that 'will by no means clear the guilty f
.And hath ever the view of this made you tremble and
quake, and fear, left you fnould never have fellovdhip
with him, becaufe you are nothing but a mafs of fm
and guilt ?
(2.) Have you ever, upon the back of this, got a
view of the throne of God as the throne of the Lamb^
fo as the terrible majefty of the throne hath been allay-
ed by the apprehenfion of divine mercy, venting thro^
the blood af the Lamb that w^as llain ; (lain viriualh
from the foundation of the world ; ilain acliuilly on the
crofs at Jerufalem., and now fitting glorioufly upon his
Father^a throne ? In this light have you feen inhnlte
holinefs honoured and vindicated by the obedience of
the Lamb, and infinite juftice pleafed and fatisfied by
the death and blood of the Lamb ? And hath the view
of this turned the throne of God. from a terrible to
an amiable throne in your eye ? The throne of God
and of the Lamb is nothing elfe but a God in Chriit
reconciling the world to himfelf; a God declaring
himfelf well-pleafed in Jefus Chrift. -Hath the view
of this turned your fear to hope, and your terror to
triumph ?
(3.) Have you ever hereupon feen and felt, to your
experience, living ^waters proceeding from the throne
pf God ai)d pf the L?^n^h \ Hc\ve you feen the fulnef?
25«> "The River c/Life. Ser. XCVIL
of the Spirit to be in Chrift, as anointed therewith a-
bove meafare ? And have you ever found this living
water guihing from the throne, as it were, in a fweet
flood of influences ? When you was pouring out your
heart before the Lord, he was pouring out this flood u-
pon you, and making you, as it were, fv/im in this
river. Believer, know you not fomethmg lefs or
more about this ? Well, what was the quality of the
water which you was then baptized with ? Perhaps you
came to the throne empty and dejlituis^ and like dry
ground ; but, before you went away, you was filled as
with the fulnefs of a river gufliing out upon you. — Pof-
fibly you came to the throne very dead and lifelefs^ fay-
ing. Oh ! is it poflible that thefe dry bones can live ?
But your foul was quickened, and brought to life and
livelinefs, fo as you found the river to be indeed a ri-
ver of the water of life ; of hfe to your dead foul. —
May be you came polluted and unclean^ crying out. Be-
hold^ I am vile ! Will ever fuch a vile beafl: have accefs
to God, or be waflied from ftains ? Yet, behold, you
found your foul furrounded with purifying waters, with
the pure river of the water of Fife, infomuch that, per-
haps, at that time, though it was a miftake, yet you
joyfully imagined, that all pollution, corruption, and
impurity, was waflied away with the happy flood that
fweetly overwhelmed you, and drowned all your lufl:s ?
Was not the river then in your view as a pure and pu-
rifying river? — Again, perhaps, you came to the throne
under many doubts 2CCi&fears^ and dark clouds ; but,
fay you, before I went away, I got a clear view of the
mercy of God in Chrifl:, a clear view of his everlafliing
love, a clear view of the door of hope open to me ;
or, at lead, that there was hope in Ifrael even for me.
You thus found the pure river of the water of life to be
clear as crjftal^ when a gufii of that water was able to
clear your eye, when it was dim ; to clear your mind,
when it was dark and confufed ; to clear your confci-
ence, when it was black with guilt : the fl:reams of th-e
river, clear as cryflial, running thro* your heart, made
all clear before it»
Have
Ser. XCVII. r/^^ River ^ Life* 251
Have you ever got any view and experience of tbefe
things in fome meafure, however fmall the degree be ?
1 hen you have the mark and character of fuch as have a
fight to the communion-table : but, if you never got a
view of the throne of God ^ or of the majefly of God, fo
as to fear his wrath becaufe of your finfulnefs ; and if you
never got a view of the throne of the Lamb^ or of the
mercy of God in Chrifl:, fo as to hope in his mercy,
as venting through the blood of the Lamb; and if you
never felt any drop of this pure river of the water of
life, clear as cryftal, proceeding out of that throne ;
if you never found one gu(h of that river of the Spirit's
influences, either filling your empty foul, quickening
your dead foul, purifying your polluted foul, or clear-
ing your dark mind ; then furely you have no right to
the communion-table, as being a ftranger to commu-
nion and fellowfliip with a God in Chrift, by the Spi-
rit.
It may be fome poor weak believer will tell me,
" Sir, 1 think, indeed, I am no utter ftranger to what
you have been faying : there was fuch a time, and fuch
a time, wherein I thought I got a view of thefe things;
but, alas 1 all is now gone 1 the throne of God and of
the Lamb is out of view, and the gufii of influences
from the throne, that I was watered with, is all dried
up, and I am nothing but hke a piece of parched
ground.'' Well, it may be {o ; but here is good
news ; the throne of God and of the Lamb ftill re-
mains ; the pure river of the water of life is ftill fub-
fifting ; and the throne of God and of the Lamb, is
ftill the fountain of living waters, that can never Lc
dried up or drained, but is as full as ever. Therefore,
wait about the throne for the pouring out of the Spi-
rit, as waters upon the ihirjly^ and floods upon the dry
ground,
10. Hence fee the duty of all that hear this gofpel,
namely, to come and take of the water of life freely ; to
come to Chrift, and drink of the river that proceeds
out of the throne. This inference is drawn from this
dodrine, in the 17th verfe of the fame chapter ; The
Spirit. and the bride fay.^ Come ; and let him that is athirjl
comcy
come ; and whofoe-ver willy let' him take of- the ivaier of
life freely M Ifa. Iv. !• Hi?, every one thai thirftetb^ ccrni,
to the waters, John vii. 37, 38, 39. On the great day
ofthefeafzy Jefus flood arid cried ^ if any man thirjiy let
him come unto me and drink ; for he that believeth on me^
out of his belly, out of his heart and bowels, /hall fow
rivers of living water. This he [peaks of the Spirit y which
they that believe on himfhould receive.
He who then ftood and cried in this manner before
he afcended to the throne, he appointed us to be criers
in his name, with this encouragement, Loy I am with
you always to the end of the world. Indeed, if it were
not for this encouragement, in vain would we cry to
you, but, O regard the cry of the Son of God, fay-
ing, Jfany man thirft^ let him <:ome to me and drink cf
this pure river of living water, I cannot offer you the
facrament fafely, till I offer Chrid to you, the fubftance
of it ; and you cannot take the facrament honeftly,
till you accept of the offer, otherwife you will eat and
drink unworthily. Let me therefore prefs this exhort a-
lion on you, before I clofe, wuh a few confiderations ;
and, O look up for power to accompany them. 1 fhaii
go no further than my text and context.
(i.) Confider the authority by which you are called
to come to Chrill, and drink of thefe living waters. It
is a divine authority ; the orders are iffued from the
throne of God ; This is his commandment ^ that y£ Jlooidd
believe on the name of his Son Jefus Chrifiy i John iii.
23. Are orders from an earthly throne to be regard-
ed, coming in the name and authority of the prince ?
O what infinitely more regard is to be had to the
throne of God ! to the divine authority ! Ifa poor man
only were calling you to come to Chrift, you might
fafely fit the call, and fay, By whut autJj^riiy do you
thefe things f But all the authority of the throne of God
and of the Lamb is here interpofed ; ^nd you <:annot
fit the call, without trampling ou the authority of
God.
(2.) Confider the glory of that Jefus, who mvltes
you to come to him and fhare of this living water, and
drink of this pure cryllai river, O 4hat ia tLis clear
Itream
Ser. XGVII. The River 9^ L i f e. ^53
flream of the Spirit's illumination, you could fee the
glory of Chrift, who fays, lie p,d all glorify me ! There
is a twofold glory of Chrifh here : he prefents, i. His
imperial throne ; 2. His glorious mediatorial fulnefs.
— His glorious throne : how glorious foever the throne
of God is, fo glorious is the throne of the Lamb ; for
here you fee the throne of the Lamb is the throne of
God : and though he be the Lamb that was ilain, yet
he is God equal with the Father, and thinks it 710 robbery
to be equal with God : and the Father thinks it no dif-
paragement to him to fet the Lamb in the midft of his
throne. O glorious Jefus 1 His blood was the blood
of God ; his righteoufnefs the righteoufnefs of God ;
his wifdom is the wifdom of God ; his power is the
power of God ; and his throne is the throne of God.
Angels and archangels worfhip with reverence before
his throne. — YY\s glorious fulnefs is here alfo prefented,
all the fulnefs of the Godhead is in him ; all the Father's
fulnefs is in him, and all the Spirit's fulnefs is in him.
The fulnefs of the Spirit, that ever any mere creatv.r^
had, is but like the fulnefs of a veffel ; but the ful-
nefs of the Spirit that is in Chrid, the Lamb of God,
is the fulnefs of a fountain : and hence it is that the
Spirit, and all fpiritual bleffings, proceed like a pure
river of water of life out of the throne of God^ and of the
Lamb.
(3.) Confider the qualities of thefe waters which
Jefus calls you to come to him for. They are fuch
as, whatever be your fad natural ftate, or your mi-
ferabie prefent cafe, there is fuitable relief prefented
therein.
[i.] Are you defiitute and empty of all good, empty
of all grace ? O let that be no hinderance, but a rea-
fon to move you to come to Chrill, and look to tlie
Lamb that is on the Father's throne ; for here is a full
fountain, a flowing river : he calls you not to come
and give^ but to come and take what you need. O
bring all your empty vefl'eis here ; this river compre-
hends no lefs than God himfelf, and all his perfei^'lions ;
Chriil hmifclf, and all his fulnefs ; the Spirit himfelf,
and all his graces, bleffings, and comforts.
Vol. VL li [2.] Are
2S4 T/je RiYEK of Li¥E. Ser. XCVII.
[2.] Are you dead in law^ and dead in fm^ dead in
ftate, and heart, and frame ? Let that be no hinder-
ance, but a reafon to move you to come to Jefus for a
drink of this river ; becaufe it is the river of the water
of hfe. Chrifl's great complaint is, Te will not come to
ine^ that you jiiight have life : the life of abfolution from
the fentence of the law condemning you to eternal
death ; together with the life of grace here, and glory
hereafter : life to your dead fouls ; prefent life, future
life, everlafling life.
[3.] Are you polluted mth thenaftinefs of hell about
you, and altogether filthy and unclean ? This is a-
nother reafon why you mud come to Jefus, and fnare
of this pure river, and purifying water. This is the
quality of the river to which you are invited to come :
the dreams of this pure river will wa(h and cleanfe your
impure heart, and wafli you from allfltbinefs of ihefefh
and of the Spirit,
[4.] In a word, Are you dark and ignor<^nt^ and
unclean in your mind about the knowledge of God,
and the things of God ; and in your conicience about
peace with God ? Why, here is no bar, but a mo-
tive to come to Chriil and take of the water of If e free*
ly ; for another quality of the waters is, that they are
clear as cryfiaL And how fliall you get either the mind
cleared from darknefs, or the confcience cleared of guilt,
but by looking, as it were, through this cryftal flood
that proceeds out of the throne ; I mean, the clear glafs
of the Spirit's illumination, to fee by this means that
the throne of God is the throne of the Lamb ; that is,
that God is a God in Chriit, whom, to fee and know,
is life eternal ; there is clearing to the mind. And to
fee alfo, that the Lamb upon the throne of God now,
is the Lamb that was flain to be a facrifice to fatisfy
judice and expiate guilt ; there is clearing for the con-
fcience, when difcerned, that, being juftified by faith,
you may have peace with God. Confider then the
quality of thefe waters which the Lord Jefus calls you
to come and take, to come and drink j they can an-
fwer every cafe,
(4.) Con-
Ser. XCVIL TZ'5> River ^/ Life. 255
(4.) Confider what is the quality of thofe that are
invited to come to thefe waters, and upon what ter?ns
you may have a drink here, and hve for ever : why,
the exhortation here fays, Let htm that is athirjl come ;
andwhofoever will, let him take of the water of life free-
ly, ver. 17. Here is the quahty. Let him that is athlril
co?ne. Who is the thirjiy perfon ? I anfwer, It is the
man that (lands in need of a drink. IF you need a drink
of this water ; if you need Chrift ; then you are invit-
ed to come and drink. Why, fay you, we ah need
Chrift ; then fay I, you are all welcome for to come
to Chrift ; and I dare feek no other qualification of
you.
" But pray, Sir, fay you, tell us plainly what you
mean by this thirji : for I thought I would have been
excluded by this qualification, becaufe perhaps I have
not a right thirft ?" Why, man, I dare not, upon
my peril, add any thing to this word, only, Let him
thai is athirfi come ; becaufe of the word that follows
that text, ver. 18. Jfanymanfmlladd unto thefe things,
God fhall add unio him the plagues that are written in
this hook. Now, if I fliould add any thing to this v;ord,
Let him that is athirfi come, by faying, The call is on-
ly to you that thirft rightly, to you that thirft greatly,
to you that thirft vehemently, to you that thirft fpiri-
tually, to you that thirft after nothing elfe but this wa-
ter of life, then 1 would run the terrible hazard of ad-
ding to God*s word, and alio the hazard of fcarring you
from coming to Chrift, faying, 1 fear I want this and
that qualification. God hath fet down the word uni-
verfally, without qualifying what kind of a thirft it is,
that fo the call may be wid.ly extended to all that
thirft under heaven : therefore fays Chrift again, John
vii. 37. If any man thirft, let him come to mc and drink.
If any man, that is, any man or v/oman under heaven ;
for God created man male and female : if any man,
any perfon of Adam's race, needs a drink of thefe wa^
ters of life, let him come. But fome are thirfting after
the world, after their vile lufts ; are not thefe exclud-^
cd ? No, no : the Spirit of God comments upon this
thirft, and invites even thefe by nauie, as perfons that
I \ z ftand
256" Ty^r River c/ Life. Ser. XCVIL
ftand much in need of Chrifl, Ifaiah Iv. i, 2. Ho^ eve-
ry one that ihirjieth^ come to ihe waters^ &c. Wherefore
do ye fpend your money J or thai which is not bread f and
your labour for that which fatisfieth not ? That is. All
ye that are feeking and thirding after fatisfadion in the
muddy waters of the world, and in the filthy water of
your lufts, come to me, and you will get better water
for nothing, even the pure river of the water of life ;
and fo it is all thirfters under heaven that hear this
gofpel, even all that need a drink of this water. And
why doth Chrifl^ think you, offer himfelf to you all,
and every one of you ? Not only becaufe you all need
him, but becaufe his Father gives him to you, as he
fays, John vi. 32. My Father gives you the true bread
from heaven : Even fo, which is the fame thing, his
Father gives you the true water of life, everlafting life
is given in the w^ord ; This' is his record, that God hath
given you eternal life, and this life is in his Son, You
have a right to it, and a right to take what God gives.
Say not. If he be given to me, there needs no more,
I am happy : Why, man. you might die of third, tho'
one gave you a cup of v/ater, if you would not take
and drink what is given you ; fo you may die and pe-
rifh for ever, though Chrid, and the water of everlaf-
ting life be given you, in this word, if you do not take
and welcome the gift of God to your heart ; and you
perilh fearfully if you rt^j^Ct and neglect what was thus
given you. If you alk. What is the leafl qualification
required, in order to come to the throne of God and
of the Lamb for this river of the water of life ? Indeed,^
I cannot tell you what is the lead : for, let us feck
from you never fo little a qualification, Chrid will feek
lefs ; let us go never fo low, Chrid will go lower. He
that came down as low as hell to make the purchafe,
will come down as low as hell to make the application.
Therefore, finner, though you be in a deep hell of fin
and mifery, out of the belly of hell look to him and be
faved. If you need Chriff, and think he can do you.
any gocd, it is qualification enough. For God's fake,
fhut not the door of hope again it yourfelf, v/hen God
is opening it to you. Though your third be no other
than
Ser. XCVIL r/j^ River c/" Life. i^j
than like that of the dry ground, that needs a fhower,
G come to hhn that fays, Ifaiah xliv. 3. / will pour
water on the thirjly^ and floods upon the dry ground, —
God is at pains to find out words to fit your condition,
and to Ihut all back-doors, that your unbelief may
have no excufe, and that none here may have it to fay.
The offer v^as not made to me.
If thefe confiderations and arguments were duly
pondered, they might have weight ; but, alas ; no ar-
gument will do but an argument of power ; no motive
will do, if God be not the mover. You remain dead
carcalTes, dead fouls, notvvithftanding all the w^ords
that can be faid concerning thefe living waters that
iffue from the throne of God and of the Lamb. But,
0 ! fmce it is life eternal to know God and the Lamb.
1 mud tell you, that this moment, that fpi ritual life,
which is and will be eternal, will begin to (tir in your
heart and foul, be it never fo dead ; if this moment
you begin to know, that this God that fits upon the
throne v/ith the Lamb, is the living God ; and that
this Lamb that fits upon the throne of God, is the
Lamb that was dead and is alive, and lives for ever-
more ; and that this river, that proceeds out of the
throne of God and of the Lamb, is the river of the
water of life, the living Spirit of God and of the Lamb:
^hey that know his name^ will put their truji in him.
If you know the name of this living God, though you
were never fo dead, the life of faith, and hope, and
trufl in him, will begin. And there are two parts of
his name, that, I think, I am commillioned to declare
among a conipany of dead fouls here, which you
faall no fooner favingly k?iow, but you Ihall inftantly
live.
One part of his name is, Exod. iii. 4. I am that I
AM. And, I think, he, whofe name is, / ^,V2, hath
fent me to tell you, that this is his name ; the God of
beings, who hath life and being in himfelf : He is be-
ing itfclf, and none can fay, I am but himfelf. All the
creatures in heaven and earth are nothing before him :
He brought them out of nothing, ::nd they are reduci-
ble to nothing if he pleafe§,
Another
ci58 The RivEK of Life. Ser. XCVII.
Another part of his name is, Rom. iv. 17. The God
that quickens the dead, and calls the things that are not
as though they were. Now, O dead and lifelefs foul !
if you have but ears to hear this gofpel, do you know
that this is the name of God ? 1 alk not, if you think
znd fancy fo ; but do you know and believe that he is
the God that quickens the dead, and quickens whom he
will, and is able to quicken you ? Do you know and
believe that he is the God that calls things that are not^
as though they were : who with his bare word can give
a being to that which is nothing, and create light and
lifej where there was nothing but darknefs and death,
laying. Lei there be light : let there be life ? Now, if
you know your own name to be darknefs and death ;
and if you know this name of the Lord to be The Lord
of light and life ; the God that quickens the dead, then I
know there will be fome ftirring among the dead and
dry bones and hearts here : -Tefhall know that 1 am the
Lord, when I have opened your graves, and fhall put
my Spirit in you^ and ye jhall live, E^ekiel xxxviii.
13, 14.
There is no room then for any to objed. Why is
the minifter calling us all to come to Chriit, and take
of this water of life ? How can one come to Chriit
for life, that hath no life enabling him to come ? In-
deed, 1 could not well anfwer that, if it were only
the word of the minifter that was calling : but he calls
you who hath the words of eternal life, and whofe
word creates life, whofe word recovers hfe, whofe
word maintains life, whofe word perfeds life, quic-
kening whom he will to everlafting life, and whofe
words are Spirit and life ; infomuch, that one drop of
this river of the water of life, mixed with this word,
will make it a life-giving word : Therefore, in his
great name, who fays, / am the refurredion and the life^
be that believeth on me, though he were dead, yet Jhall he
live ; in his name and authority, wfe fay, O dead and
dry bones, rife and live ; for, the God that quickens
the dead calls you. O lame and difeafed fouls that can*
not ftir, rife and come, for the Lord of life calls you.
O dead fianer, dead Lazarus, that hath been fo long
rottmg
Ser. XCVII. The River (?/ L i f e. 259
rotting in the grave of fin and iloth, come forth, come
forth ; for he that is the refurredlion and the life calls;
you. However long or fiiort time you have been dead
in fins and trefpaffes, and (linking in that filthy fepul-
chre, yet if there be any ftream of the water of life
running from the throne this moment, any motion pf
the living Spirit about your heart, then a quickening
voice from the throne of God and of the Lamb is cal-
ling you. Words without power will not do with you ;
the words of men and angels cannot give you the leaft
degree of life, nor quicken that dead heart of yours ;
but, where the zuord of a king is, there is power. Rife
then, dying, drooping foul, the Mailer calls you. The
King of glory that fits upon theFather's throne is fpeak-
ing to you, and faying, " Rife up, ray love, my fair
one, and come away : however foul and filthy, black
and ugly in thyfelf. Lo ! The winter is pafl, and the
rain is over and gone ; the florm of divine wrath, that
fliould have fallen on thee for ever, is over thy head,
and hath fallen on my head, when I fwate in the gar-
den, and hang upon the crofs ; and now I have mount-
ed my Father's throne, to draw thee up to me, and
to fend down my Spirit as the river of life, to run into
thy heart, and quicken thee to hear my voice, and an-
fwer my call. Come then, though you fee ycurfeif
black like hell, and like a devil ; Rife my love, my fair
one, and come away. Come with me from Lebanon; from
the lions dens, and mountains of leopards. Come away
from this vain world, this vile world, this venomou.^
and viperous w^orld ; come and fliare of my grace ia
time, and my glory for ever after time." BielTed are
they that hear his voice, and open to hiiu. If the ri-
ver of life that proceeds out of the throne of God and
of the Lamb be running through any heart here, the
work is done, hfe is begun, and open doors are made
for the King of glory : if it be otherwife, 1 have no
.more to fay, but, glory to God and the Lamb, that as
many as were ordained to eternal life f hall believe, and
live for ever.
SLR MOJS^
r 260 ]
SERMON XCVIIL
The COMER'S CONFLICT; or, the Begin-
ner's Battle with the Devil, when ef-
faying to come to CHRIST hy Faith *.
Luke ix. 42.
And as he %vas yet a comings the Devil threw him down
and tare hinu--^
HE R E IS the hiftory of Chrlft's healing a luna-
tic child, whole father came to the difciples,
and they could not cure him ; and now he cometh to
Chrifl:. As we ought to come to Chrift ourfelves for
healing, fo we ought to bring our children to him ; and
when fervants and other means can do us no good, we
ought to go to the mailer, and look over the head of
all minifters and fervants. After Chrift had reproach-
ed the difciples for their unbelief^, he gives the poor
man an encouraging word concerning his fon ; Bring
ihy fon hither, ver. 41. Bring him to me. We ought
to bring our fons and our daughters to Chrift ; to
bring our difeafes and all our various cafes to Chrift.
But after this encouragement, follows a trial in the
text : As he was yet a co?7iing^ the devil threw him down
and tare him.
In which words we have three things obfervablc^
namely,
• This Subje<^ was handkd in two Difcourfes. The firfl v/as o'e-
livered at an evening exercife, on Saturday, July 19. 1735. before
the celebration of the facrament of the Lord's fupper, at Kinglaflie
on the aoth. The fccond was preaclied on the Monday, after ihe
adminillraiion of thai ordinance,- U hath undergone iiv^ im'^rti-
fions.
Ill
Ser. XCVIII. The Comer's Conflict. 261
1. An excellent duty ; that is, coming to Chnfl,
2. An eminent trial and heavy difpenfation that befel
the comer ; The devil threw him down and tare him,
3. The time and juncture when this heavy trial and
great afflidion befel him, namely, As he was yet a com-
ing.
Hence we may obferve the three following particu-
lars.
(i.) The heft courfe that any can take for relief from
whatever afflids them, is to come to Jefus the Savi-
our.
(2.) They who come to Chrifl: for help will be an
eye-fore to hell and the devil j he will be fure to fly u-
pon them.
(3.) They who come to Chrifl for help and healing,
though they may be fure he will help and heal them,
yet they may find their cafe worfe before the relief
come ; they may be thrown down, and torn, as it
were, to pieces by the way. Or thus, Chriii may
undertake to deliver people, and yet their diftrefs may
grow upon their hand before their deliverance come.
Here is Chrift's undertaking, Bring him hither to inc.
Here is tne perfon coming with hope of deliverance,
he is on his zvay coming to J ejus ; and yet, behold, here
is a dreadful dafii, a mighty trial to faith and hope^
both in the father and fon : yea, after he \ as couie to
the phyfician, and the healing word fpoken, as you
fee, Mark ix. 25, 26. where this fame hiftory is record-
ed, with other circumitances. The fpirif cried, and rent
him fore before he came out of him, and fo he was as om
dead, infomuch^ that many faid^ He is dead*
"Well then, the do£lrinal obfervation, we would in-
cline briefly to profecute from thefe words, may be
framed as follows.
D o c T. That fecple^ who come to Chrift^ and whom
be undertakes to heal and help, may have their dif-
irefs growing on their hand, before the delyjc ranee
come, which yet will certainly come.
Vol. VI. K k It
252 ne Comer's ConplicT. Ser. XCVIII,
It is in this cafe/as it was with Ifrael in Egypt, God
faw their affliElion^ and undertook to come and fave
them ; and yet, behold, before their deliverance comes,
their bondage becomes heavier than before. The dark-
cfl time of the night may be before day break. Thus
it was with Ifrael, in returning from Babylon, to re-
build the temple in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah —
The king gives commandment to go and build ; God
ftirs up the civil authority to give encouragement to
them : but quickly the haters of Zion, mifreprefcnting
the work, procure an order to caufe them defifl from
it. This dodrine then is verified both with relation to
Ood's public work towards a church, and his particular
work on the fouls of his people, as you fee it was with
the ruler of the fynagogue, Mark v. 23. that applied
to Chriftin behalf of his daughter at the point of death,
that he might come and heal her. Chrift went with
him ; but fee what fad news he gets from his houfe,
trouble not the Majier^ for your daughter is dead, ver. '^^.
And now they looked upon the matter as hopelefs, tho'
yet Chrifl: was on his way to fave her.
The method we v/.ould lay down, for the farther pro-
fecuting this fubjed, through fupei natural aid, fhail be
the following.
I. We will fpeak a little of coming to Chrift.
II. Enquire in what refpeBs matters may grow zvorfe
with people, even when they are thus coming to
Chrift.
III. Enquire into the reafom whence it is that people
who come to Chrift for help, and whom he un-
dertakes to help, may find their di/lrefs grow be-
fore their deliverance come.
IV. Make fome amplication of the whole.
L We are to fpeak a little of coming to Chrift
There are only two things I would obferve here.
I. Coming to Chrift imports a view that vain is the
help of man; vain is the help of the creatures ; vain
is the help of minifters, means, and ordinances of them-
felvcs. Thus it wa§ byre with the fathci; of the child ;
Ibe^
Ser. XCVIIL The Comer's Conflict, 263
/ he fought thy difciples to call him ottt^ hut they could not,
ver. 40. So they who come to Chrift find all other re-
fugs s fail them^ Pfalm cxHi. 4. ; other phyficlans were
of no value. None come to Chrifl till they can do no
better ; yet he is content with fuch comers that fee
there is no other lliift for them.
2. This coming to Chrifl imports a putting the work
in his hand ; Mafter^ I befeech thee look upon ?ny fon :
he prays, and he brings him to Chrifl at the Lord*s
call. They that truly come to Chrifl for help, they
put the work in his hand, and give him employment
in his faying offices, looking on him as able, and wil-
ling, and ready to fave : the difeafe is half cured when
it is laid at Chrifl's feet. Happy they that come thus
to him, and intrufl him with their fouls, and trufl with
their cafes : Commit thy vjay unto the Lord ; trvjl alfo
in him^ and he will bring it topafs^ Pfalm xxxvii, 5.
IL The fecond head propofed was, to enquire In
what refpe^s may matters grow worfe wath people, even
w^hen they are thus coming to Chrifl. Here two things
are recorded ; i, Satan*s affault, 'The devil threw him.
down. 2, How heufed him. And he tare him,
1. They who come to Chrifl, before they get the
deliverance which is infured to them, they may meet
with down^cafting providences ; The devil threw him
down. They may be cafl down with difcouragement
and defpondency for a while ; cafl down with fears
and doubts ; cafl down with jealous apprehenfions
and unbelieving thoughts. Believing foals, after their'
coming to Chrifl, niiuch more as they are coming at
firfl, may be greatly caft down ; 0 my Cod, my fold is
caji down within me^ Pfalm xlii. 6. They may be cafl
down with a multitude of perplexing tlioughts, de-
fpairing thoughts, and manifold objections and Icru--'
pies, their mind raifes, or rather unbelief frames with-
in them.
2. They may not only be thrown down, but torn hy
the way ; The devil threw him down and tare him.
Whenever a man begins to come to Chrifl, and the
devil begins to fear he fliall lofe his poflcfiion, then he
K k 2 rages
t54 "^^Je Comer's Conflict. Cer. XCVIII.
rages agalnft that maiVj and would tear him to pieces.'
Therefore think not flrange that beginners in religion
and fuch as are coming, or but lately come to Chrift,
or even thefe who have come formerly, and are com-
ing again to him, may be mightily aflaulted and at-
tacked by all the pov/ers of hell. So long as people
remain at a diftance from Chrift, the devil does not
meddle with them ; He keeps the boufe, and the goods
are at peace ; bat in coming to Chrift they may lay their
account to be torn by torm.ents, torn by terrors, and
blafphemous fuggeftions ; they may lay their account
with fiery darts. When we expect the Lord is about
to remove one burden, he may lay on another, that he
may have the more mercy on us.
III. The next thing propofed was, to enquire into
tiie reafons whence it is that people, who coming to
Chrifl for help, and whom he undertakes to help^ may
fmd their dijirefs grow before their deliverance come^
V\^hatever malicious hand the devil hath in this matter,
God hath a holy hand in perm.iting it.
1. God's def]gn in it is to fhev; his ii;ifdom and
power,
(i.) It is to manlfeft his vjtfdom : how^ he can ad-
vance his work, by the ftops in the way of it ; and
enrich his people, by impoverifhing them ; enlarge
them, by imprllbning them ; and give ihem meat oitt of
the eater ^ and fweet out of thcjirojig,
(2.) It is to evince his power ; how he can fupport
them under, and deliver them from their dlftreffes,
which would not appear fo much, if their diftrefs came
not to a height. He fulFers them to be dejcded and
torn, that his wifdom and povv^er may appear the
more evidently in lifting them up and healing them.
2. It is to check the unbelief \h7{i attends our faith in
coming to Cbriit. Sometimes when we commit our
cafe to him by faith, \\c do not exercife this faith to
ci patient waiting for the Lord. Chrift's firjl word to
ii is people is, Come to me, Matth. xi. 28. ; and his lafl
word is, JbJde in 7v.e^ John xv, 4. It is well done to
come, but, alas ! we do not abide 3 and therefore, to
check
Ser. XCVIII. lie Comer's Conflict. 265
check our unbelief in coming, as it were, but one ftep,
and going back the next ftep, he fhews the need of go-
ing forward, by letting loofe the enemy, and fullering
matters to grow worfe with us.
3. It is to raife the worih and ejleem of his mercies
in the hearts of thefe who come to him. We ufually
do not know the worth of mercy, till we be deprived
of it ; nor the worth of deliverance, till the diftrefs be
extremely great : help is then highly efteemed, when
we can fay, / was brought low^ and he helped ?ne,
4. It is to try oviX faith ^ whether or not it be fuch
as wall not only conie to Chrift, but alfo abide with
hijii till he work the deliverance ; and if we can keep
our eye upon the deliverer, when the deliverance is de-
layed ; our eye upon the promife, when crofs providen-
ces appear ; and can hope againil hope. He defigns
the trial of faith for the prefent, and a more glorious if-
fue thereafter,
IV. The lafl: general head propofed w^as. To make
fome application* Is it {q^ That people who come to Chrijl^
and zvhom he undertakes to heal and help, may have their
dijlrefs growing q7i their hand^ before the deliverance come^
which yet will certainly come f Hence we may fee,
I. What a cruel enemy the devil is to immortal fouls,
and their eternal falvation : for, whenever a foul be^
gins to mind relip-ion in earned, and to come to Chrift
for help and deliverance, then that foul becomes the
object of the devil's fpite and malice. As long as peo-
ple remain gracelefs, and Chriftlefs, and formal, the
devil will let them enjoy themfelves, and hugs therii
afleep in their fecurity ; but as foon as they begin to
come to Chrift, then he will attempt to caft them down
and tear them, and ftirs up all his v.'icked inftruments,
either to difcourage and ridicule them, or to tear their
name and reputation to pieces, and to perfecute theiu
with tongue or hand, or to raife a hue and cry againft
them, as if they were turned diftracfed, and out of
their wits. As they are coming, the devil throws them
down and tears than,
2. Hence
255 The Coheres Conflict. Ser. XCVIII.
2. Hence fee the reafon of all the melanchoUy moods ^^
heavy damps, and great difcQuragements of many beghi-
ners, that are fetting on m the Lord's way ; though
ivifdom^ ways he ways of pkafantnefs, yet Satan, wha
is a liar from the beginnings would maj^e the world be-
lieve, that it is a bitter and unpleafant way ; and
that the beginning of religion is but the beghining cf
for rows.
3. Hence fee the difference between the ccnvicfion of
the Spirit and the temptation of Satan ; and the differ-
ence between the diflrefs of foul, that arifes from a law-
work before converfion, and that which arifes from the
affault of the enemy of our falvation ; whenever eon-
vidion begins, and the foul comes to be troubled for
lin, and under fear of hell and wrath, Satan mdeed
fhhes in the muddy water, and mixes his temptations
with the Spirit's convidious ; and if he can bring all
convidions to nothing, either by force or fraud, he will
do it, that the convinced foul may never come to Chrifl
for a cure : Satan will Ji and at his right hand to re/tji
hinu But the difference between them is,
(i.) The convidion of the Spirit are before a man
come to Chrifl, and tend as a fevere fchcol-majler to
lead him to Cbriji^ Gal. iii. 24. But the temptations of
the devil are efpecially when a man is coming to
Chrift, in order to keep him from coming. If the
Spirit of God, by a law-work, feem as it were, to cafl
down the man, and tear him to pieces, the defign is
to oblige him to go to Chrifl for help and healing ; and
to provoke him to come to the Saviour, and fly to the
city of refuge. But the defign of the devil's tempta-
tions, when he throws down and tears the foul, is,
wj^.en he is coming, or as he is coming -to Chrifl, in
order to detain him from coming, or difcourage him
in coming.
(2 ) The convidlions of the Spirit are humhUnj^, tend-
ing to make the foul defpair of help in himfelf, or in
God out of Chrifl. The temptations of the enemy are
terrifying^ tending to make the foul defpair of help in
Chrilt^ or in God through him : the former (huts the
doer
S"R. XCVIII. The Comer's Conflict. 2^7
door of hope by the law ; but the devil would (liut the
door of hope by the gofpcl.
4. Hence fee there is no ground to blajne religion
and religious duties^ notwithftanding difcouragements
and downcaRing trials in the way of duty : though
matters grow worfe with you in the way of duty, and
in the way of coming to Chrift, blame not yourfelf
for coming to Chrift, becaufe the devil attacks you by
the way. You have enough to charge yourfelf with,
though you charge not yourfelf fooliftily. It would be
far worfe with you if the devil and your own wicked
heart prevail to take you off from the ufe of promifmg
means. When, like Peter, you caft yourfelf upon the
water to come to Chrift, be not terrified, though the
devil raife a ftorm ; the Lord'Jefusy?/j upon the floods^
and is inightier than the mife of many ivaters^ Pfalm
xciii. 4. ^Nevcr think the worfe of Chriit, though
matters feem to grow worfe with you, when you come
to him for reft, and yet find trouble ; for it is the de-
vil and the ill heart that breeds all the trouble : keep
honourable thoughts of the Lord Jefus ; believe he
can do for you, and wait till you find that he will do.
Bring wind from all crofs providences to haften you
nearer to your reding place ; for all that comes to
him lliall find reft in fpite of the devil : fomc begun
reft here in time, however difturbed by the devil
from time to time, and by unbelief, until reft be per-
fe^led in heaven.
5. Hence fee an evidence of a true believer and corner
to Chrift : if the devil be no enemy to your faith, you
may know it is a falfe faith. Many have a faith that
the devil is well enough pleafed with ; and therefore he
never troubles them nor it : but if you have faving
faith, it will be the eye-fore of hell ; or if you be truly
coming to Chrift, you may expecl the devil to be upon
your top. No fooner doth true faith begin, but the
fight of faith begins. Some may blefs themfelves they
were never aflaulted by the devil, and yet they are but
fteeping, as it were, in the devil's cradle ; he is rock-
ing them. Try your faith ; if it be from heaven it
will meet with oppofition from hell : We wreftle not
agairfi
268 The Comer's Conflict. Ssr, XCVIlt.
agalnjl fleflo and bloody but againji principalities and poiv*
ersy again/2 the rulers of the darknefs of this worlds a-
gainjl fpiritual wicked^iefs in high places ^ Ephel", vi. 12.
Therefore we are called, as part of the Chriftian ar-
mour, to take the pi eld of Faithy whereby we fhall be
able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked^ verfe 16.
The devil may let you peaceably go about duty ; read,
and pray, and communicate, becaufe you may do thefc
things carnally and formally, and go to hell when all
is done : but if once you begin to come to Chrifl, or
to go about any duty believingly, then you are on the
way to heaven, and if the devil can, he will draw you
back, and throw you down with difcouragements, and
tear you with temptations, either as you are coming,
or after you are come. But it is always the bejl faith
that is moil oppofed by the devil.
This dodrine may be applied by way of addrcfs^
I. To thefe who never yet came to thrift for help and
falvation. -2. To thefe who are coming in obedience
to his call.
I. To you who never yet ca?ne to Chri/l for help and
falvation. Oh ! ft ay not away from him for fear of
the devil, left he throw you down and tear you. Bet-
ter be thrown down by the way in coming to Chrift,
than thrown down to hell, with the devil at laft, by the
hand of God, who will throw you and the devil down
to hell if you do not come to Chrift. Better that the
devil tear you to pieces, when there is a Deliverer,
even Jefus, at hand to deliver you from him, than that
God himfelf tear you to pieces when there ftiall be none
to deliver : Confider this, ye that forget God. left I tear
you in pieces, and there be n(me to deliver^ Pfalm 1. 22,
Come, otherwife you remain Haves to the devil and
your lufts. O be fenfible of your ilavery and malady !
Know none can fave you but our Lord Jefus Chrift ; he
is a mighty Saviour, and a merciful one : No name is
given under heaven, whereby afinnsr can bs faved, but
the name of Jefus, Put the work in his hand \ put
your foul in his hand. Bring him here to me, fays
Chrift
Skr. XCVIII. The Comer's CoNFLicr. i^g
Chrifl,. to the man here. O come and bring your chil-
dren with you ; hear him faying, Bring your fon to
me, bring your daughter to me, bring your foul and
your cafe to me ; O bring your difeafe to me, bring
your hard heart to me, -and I will foften it ; bring
your fiithy heart to me, and I will cleanfe it ; bring
your heart pofTclTed of the devil to me, and I will caft
out the devil ; bring your feven devils to mc, and I
will call them out.
2. 'We addrefs ourfelves to you who are coming in
anfvv'er to his call. O be not difmayed, though tlie
devil throw you down and tear you as you are coming.
Here is a ^aviour ready to lift up, whom the devil
throv/s down ; ready to heal, whom the devil tears ;
ready to help all that are hurt by the old ferpent. > It
is his trade to dejiroy the 'ujcrks of the devil. You may
be always fure that it is an evil fpirit that is dealing
with you, that w^ould mar and hinder you in your com-
ing to Chrifl ; for the voice of the Spirit of God is.
Come ; The Spirit and the bride fay^ Come, The Spirit
of God, as a Spirit of bondage, may caft down the foul
before it come to Chrift, and in order to its coming ;
but it is not the Spirit of God that cafls down the com-
ing believer ; no, We have not received the fpirit of hon-^
dage again unto fear, Rom. viii 15. After coming to
Chrift, and believing in him, it is only the devil that
calls down and tears you. Fear not the lion of hell :
here is the Lion of the tribe of Judah to defend you :
it is unbelief and departing from Chrifl, that may bring
you to the greateil danger ; therefore. Fear not^ only
believe ^.
* This ends ^vhat was delivered on xht faturday evening, In the
firft edit on of this difcourfc, we are acquainted, that the Author
enlarged the applicauon, in feme othtr interence?, upon the Sabbstl -
day ; but the nores of that difcourfe were not wnitrn. Vv'hat follows,
wears told, was deliv£r«d upon the Monday, after the fcxrament.
V o L. VI, LI BE R«
•273 TZ-f Comer's Conflict. Ser. XCIX,
SERMON XCIX.
Luke ix. 42.
/Ind as he %vas yet a comings the Devil threw hbn down
and tare him.---^
[The fecond Sermon on this Text.]
THIS dodrine may be applied, at the time, in
an exhortai'ton or advice particularly to thefe that
are tempted and torn of the devil, when they effay to
come to the Lord jefus. In order to your being forti-
fied, through grace, againft his afiaults and fiery darts,
there are only fix forts of temptations, I would, at
prefent, endeavour to fortify you againft, i. With
reference to heart-blafphemy, 1. With reference to
heart-wandering, 3. With reference to the commijfion
of fin. 4. With reference to the omijfton of duty. 5.
With reference to unworthy apprehenfions of God. 6.
With reference to f elf -murder. There are temptations
with reference to all thefe that you need to be fortified
againft ; while you are coming to Chrift, Satan may
attempt to throw you down, and tear you in all thefe,
and many other refpeds j but I fhall touch a little
at each of thefe.
ijiy There are temptations of Satan with reference
to blafphemy^ whereby he would throw down and tear
in pieces, as it were, the fouls of thefe that come to
the Lord Jefus Chrift. They may be tempted to dread-
ful blafphemous thoughts, which are not to be named,
they are fo deteftable and abominable ; they are fear-
ful inje<^ions upon the mind, and very terrifying to a
weak believer that is coming to the Lord Jefus Chrift^
In order to your being fortified againft thefe, I would
offer vou the following advices.
I. Be
Ser. XCIX, The Comer's Conflict. 271
1. Be not terrified with them, fmce they harm you
more by their horror, than by their guilt. It is true>
the guilt of them is fo great, that it is unpardonable to
whom it belongs. Thefe are Satan's fms, and not
thine ; and he Ihall anfwer for them, and not thou.
Though he lay thefe blafphemous thoughts at your
door, he is the father of them. Such thoughts are
like lightenings caft into a room, they have a great
deal of horror ; but as the lightening fprings not from
any caufe in the room, fo thefe thoughts proceed not
from any thing in thee ; not properly from thy corrup-
tions, for unregenerate men themfelves abhor them :
and though the feed of all fin be in our nature, yet
fcare, if ever, doth this fin fpring up even in repro-
bates ; nay, the devil himfelf doth not think of God
that which thefe thoughts fignify. Since thou dofl
not actually, nor did originally in Adam, give confent
to thefe thoughts, they are not thy fins. Suppofe fome
villain fhould meet a chafle virgin in a field and ravifh
her, if ^t druggies and cries, fhe is innocent by the
law of God ; this is his her afflidion, not her fin. She
may mourn for her fuifering, not her guilt ; cfpeci-
ally fhe doing nothing to provoke him. It may be the
villain finds her at prayer, as the devil doth find tli#e,
when he injeds thefe thoughts. Therefore, be of good
comfort, thou art more afraid than hurt : for a care-
lefs wandering thought in prayer, hath more guilt in
it than thefe have. If one attempt fiiddenly to firikc:
our eye, though we know he doth not intend to ftrike
it, yet it cannot but wink ; fo we can fcare choofe but
be terrified with thefe thoughts ; but we mufl refiR
and conquer fuch fears. I fay not, we Ihould not ab-
hor fuch thoughts, for then we fiiould be worfe than
heathens ; but we fhould not be terrified out of our
faith, or duties, or comforts thereby.
2. Do not give over your duties for thefe blafphemous
thoughts and injedions ; for, tho' thefe thoughts arc:
not thy fin, yet they may be the caufe of thy finning,
if they caufe thee to abft ain from prayer, reading the
word, attending upon the ordinances, and the likc^
duties. You may, perhaps, think it better not to pray
L 1 2 than
•2%2 The CoMEx's Conflict. Ser. XCIX,
than to have thefe thoughts : but thy prayers may do
thee more good than thefe can do thee harm : and hov/
wilt thoa conquer if thou cafl away thy weapons ?
Neither haften from duty ; for thus you do the devil
too much homage ; his temptations Ihould make you
pray the more, not feldomer^ or ihorter.
3. Think not overihofe thoughts again^ even when thou
goed to God to complain of Satan and his dreadful. af-
faults 'y for, if thou yield not unto the tempter,- thefe
blafphemies are not the matter of confeflioUj but rather
of complaint ; as a woman that is raviihed doth not
confefs, but lament her affliction. Neither fpeak them
oyer, when you go to a Minifter or Chriftian friend for
advice or comfort ; but only mention in general, that
horrid thoughts and blafphemies trouble you : they
will underftand v/hat you mean ; but, perhaps they had
iis good Satan fhould injeci: fuch thoughts, as to hear
)0U name them,
4. Fray much againjt thefe blafphemies^ and thus flu -
dy to be gainers by them, and to be avenged upon Sa-
tan, which you may, if you do as they did, AQs xix,
when they heard that fome would fpeak againft their
goddefs Diana, they cried out for the fpace of tv/o
hours, Great is Diana of the Ephefians, ver. 28, 34. ;
io that whofoever fhould go about to fpeak againll Dia-
na could not be heard. Do thou likewife ; when
Satan throws in blafphemous thoughts, break thou
forth into bleffmg and praifmg of God ; and if thou
canfl not do fo, try to read or fmg fome pfalm full of
praifes, as Pfal. ciii. cv. cxvi. cxlv. &c. i and if thou
art private enough, read or fmg them with a loucj
voice, and when Satan fhall fee that thou art the gain-
er by his temptations, he will be weary of tempting
thee. 1 hefe blafphemies are Satan's railings and reviU
ings againif the God of heaven ; therefore you are to
do with them as Hezekiah did with Rablhakeh's rail-
ing letter, Ifa. xxxvi. 21. he went Tundifpread the blaf-
phemy before the Lord, He did not fo much as read over
the letter, but fpread it before the Lord : fo, without
jiaming oyer that blafphemy, you fhpuld pray againffc
Us
Ser. XCIX. ^he Comer's Conflict. iy<^
it, that God would fupprefs this fmoak that afcends
out of the bottomlefs pit.
You may lawfully difpiite and argue with Satan a-
gainft fome of his blafphemies ; as when he tempts you
to queflion the being of a God, and the truth of divine
revelation, as the archangel difputed with the devil about
the body of Mofes; fo v/hen you are tempted, for ex-
ample, to doubt if the fcripture be the v/ord of God,
you may confider the plain arguments that prove it^
and a& Satan, Why doft thou fly before it ? If the ark
were not the ark of God, why doth Dagon fall before
it ? If it were not the word of God, why doth Satan
tempt me not to believe it ? But do not depend upon
thy arguing ; Satan is too ilrong for reafoning ; be-
take thyfelf to the Lord Jefus by prayer. Though
Satan may ftand out againfl thy arguments, he will
not be able to ftahd againfl the prayer of faith. The
archangel faid, The Lord rebuke ihee. Though he will
not fly at thy rebuke, yet he will and muft at the re-
buke of God. And by the way, fee the excellency of
Chrifl above the archangel : Chrifl rebukes Satan by
his own power and authority ; for he faid not, 'TJje
Lord rebuke thee ; but, Get thee behind me^ Satan,
idly^ There are temptations of Satan with reference
to heart -zvande rings in duty, Satan knows, that if he
can get thefe flies to come and refl: in this precious
ointment, they will putrify it. —He knov;3, if the
thoughts wander, God regards not what the tongue
fays ; and if he can fpoil your prayers, he fears not
any ordinance what good it can do thee. If your
thoughts be earthly, he cares not how heavenly your
words are. — Herein Satan gets afliflance from the
evil heart ; Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts^ Llat.
XV. 19. They arife out of the heart as fparks out of a
furnace ; they flay not in the heart, but are adivc,
and afcend up to the head : and they come out of the
heart, not as fparks out of a flint, by concuflion and
violence, forced out ; but they proceed out of it, fiiys
Chrifl ; they come out of themfelves, and they pro*
^eed always in a continued ad, — Satan's temptations
^74 ^^^ CoMER*s Conflict- Ser. XCIX^
to heart-wandering in duty, are alfo furthered by a
multitude ofbuftnefs^ and that two ways.
(i.) If we come from a muhitude of bufmefs ; for
our hearts are like the troubled fea, it mufl have feme
confiderable time before it be compofed, though the
winds that raifed the ftorms ceafe ; fo when we come
from bufinefs, there mufl: be fome time after ou* bufi-^
nefs is ended before our hearts can be fedate and quiet,
and fit for prayer ; nay, in this our hearts are worfe
than the fea, becaufe,
(2.) Future bufinefs will diftraO: us before it come^
The fea is not tumultuous before the wind blow, but
the bufmefs we have to do will trouble us before it
comes to be done. It is a hard thing to keep bufmefs
out of our thoughts when we pray, and make it flay
till our prayer be ended.
Now, to fortify againfl: thefe, I offer the following
four advices fhortly.
1. O fludy to mortify the hve of the zvorld : where
our love is, there will our thoughts be. To fet your
love on the world, and your thoughts on God, you
will find altogether impoflible ; He that loveth the worlds
the love of the Father k not in him. O feek to mortify
this.
2. Lay up your treafure in heaven ; For, where yciir
ireafure isy there will your heart be alfoy Matth. vi. 21.
The heart of the Jews went after their covetoufnefs^
Ezek. xxxiii. 31. : when they were hearing the word
they could not keep their hearts where their bodies
were, but they would be where their love was, and
where their treafure was.
3. Let not the world be your familiar friend^ for fa-
miliar friends come in without knocking or afking
leave ; therefore be thou tl fir anger in this pre fent worlds
Heb. xi. 1 3, They were not itrangers in this or that
part of the earth, but in the whole earth : be a fl:ran-
ger to the world, and the world will not vifit you in
prayer.
4. Make prayer your delight^ not your tafk. Chil-
dren are fubje<^ to look off their books, becaufe they
delight not in them \ but when they are playing, they
are
S£R. XCIX. The Comer's Conflict. 275,
are eager and earned. The bird flutters in the cage ;
but fits quietly on the tree, and fings there : Izvill go
to God^ fays David, to God my exceeding joy^ Pfal xliii. 4.
When our thoughts find fatisfadion, they fct up their
habitation and wander not.
3^/y, There are temptations of Satan with reference
to omijfion of duty : as for example, he reprefents to
them the difficulty that there is therein. O 1 cannot
pray nor hear aright, 1 cannot meditate nor mortify a-
right ; therefore I may let it alone. Now, in order
to fortify againfl thefe temptations, confider,
1. That this \s\necejfary ; you mufl be exercifed unl9
godlinefs ; cxercifed in keeping a confcience void of offence
towards God and man ; and b^fiedfafi and immoveable^
always abounding in the work of the Lord^ knowing that
your labour fhall not be in vain in the Lord, i Corinth.
XV. 58. As for the wicked, who are otherwife difpof-
ed, having no heart nor will to the Lord's fervice at
all, what can they cxped: at his hand, but this. Take
thefe mine enemies^ that would not that I fhould reign over
them, bring them hither, andjlay them before me : Yea,
he will come in flaming fire to take vengeance on them that
know not God, and obey not the gofpeL It is therefore
abfolutely neceflary.
2. Confider, that it is pofJlbJe to ferve the Lord ac-
ceptably by his grace. Though duty be difficult to
nature ; yet, if you get the Spirit of God to help you,
you will do well enough ; and God hath promifed his
help, Ifaiah xl. 29, — 31. He giveth power to the faint ^
and to them that have no might, he increafethfirength, &c.
They that wait on the Lord fhall renew their flrengih.-^
Hence all the faints of old, and of late too, have tried
the Lord's way, and found that the way of the Lord
Wdisflrength to them ; yea, that wifdom's ways are plea-
fantnefs : their delight was in the law of the Lord ; in
keeping of his commands there is a great reward. One
fmile of God's countenance is worth all your pains,
wtho' you were at a hundred times more. There is al-
ways fome thing favoury and fweet in religion that ac-
company the fedulous exercife thereof. Tho' the foul
hath nothing to claim on the account of its own works
or
27^" The CoMER^s Conflict. Ssr. XCIX«
or duties ; yet the Lord is gracioufiy plealed to own
and countenance his own v/ay, when the foul is found
in it, befide the glorious and gracious reward that a-
bides it in heaven.
Therefore, let faith batter down this temptation of
Satan, faying, What though Satan prefent difficulties
in the way, Chrift underwent greater difficulties : He
hath borne the burden and the heat of the day. I am
not called to go 2indi fatisfy jujiice ; Chrifl: hath done
that to my hand : 1 am not called to go zndi fulfil the
law as a covenant of works ; Chrift hath done that to
my hand ; 1 am not called to work for llfe^ but to
work for love to him that worketh all ?ny works in mCj
and for me ; and who, as he calleth me to this work of
love, fo promifeth to work in me both to will and to do :
and therefore, in his name and (Irength, I will go for-
ward, making mention of bis righteovfnefs^ and his only ;
and, in his name, I will encounter and grapple with the
devil himfelf, for Chrift hath conquered him to my hand.
4thlyy There are temptations of Satan with reference
to the commijfon of fin : he will fuggeft to them that it
is but a little fni, and God will not be angry for a little
fm ; fuch as a lye i^ a droll, an idle word, &c. Can
fuch a little fin endanger the foul ? Now, to guard you
againft this temptation, confider,
1. That the firjl fin which brought all mankind into
a miferable ft ate, was, in appearance, but difmall and
little fin : it was but eating a little forbidden fruit, the
tafting of an apple ; yet, had it not been for Chrift's
fatisfaftion, it would have deftroyed irrecoverably all
the pofterity of Adam. There was a man, Sirs, that
gathered a few fticks upon the Sabbath-day ; you
would have thought that was but a httle fin, yet God's
thoughts are not your thoughts, for God thought that
fm v/orthy of death, Numbers xv. 32, 33. Uzziah*s
putting his hand to the ark, and touching it when it
uttered, feemed to be but a fmall fm, and yet you
know he was fmitten inftantly with death for it, 2 Sam.
Vu 7. It is dangerous to give even a little wrong touch
to a tottering ark.
2. Confider the nature of every fm j though fome
by
Ser. XCiX, fhe Comer's Conflict. ijr/
are comparatively fmall, and others greater ; that is,
by reafon of feveral aggravations, more hainoiis in the
fight of God than others ; yet, in themfelyes, none
are finaii. The leafl fin is againit an infinite God, and
infinite authority ; and fo, objedively confider^d^ an
infinite evil ; and therefore cannot be expiated with-
out infinite fatisfadion : and it is not Httle promifes, or
little threatenings that your little fins do flight ; yea,
there is no little ingratitude towards God in little fms :
there is great unkindnefs to God in little fins. To dif*
pleafe God, your beft friend, for a little fin^ O un-
grateful thing ! h this your kindnefs to your friend^ The
wages of every fin is death eternal. It is not little mifery
that every fm doth expofe you to* Will you make
light of the wrath of the infinite God ? Then do not
make light of little fms. In a word^ remember that
boldncfs in little fms will be an encouragement to
greater. Sin is of an encroaching and bewitching na-
ture ; a little theft may open the way to a greater.
The devil tempts people to go from one degree to ano-
ther ; he tempts them to the reverfe of the ble/fedman^
mentioned Pfalm i. i. He tempts them to walk in the
council of the ungodly ; having taken a walk with them,
he tempts them next to fland in the rvfi.y of firmer s^ which
is more ; and then having flood a while with them, he
tempts them laft of all to fit in the feat of the fcornful^
even to the height of wickednefs. Ihe devil fird makes
you fit down with the drunkard, then to drink with
him, and at lafl to be drunk. Thus he leads people
from unclean thoughts to unclean locks, words, and
aclions : therefore, let faith refill: this temptation, and
fet you upon your watch againfl that which you call
a little fiT.. No man that ever faw fm can truly call
any fm little or fm all, nor can it ever be, till there be
a little law to break, a little God to oilend, a little
guilt to contrad, a little wrath to incur ; all which are
impoflibie to be, biafphcmy to wifli, and madnefs to
expc^l:,
^thly^ There are temptations of Satan with reference
to unwprthy apprehenfions of God, Satan may fugged
very flrange thoughts of God, verv bale thoughts of
Vol. YI. Mm ' "Cod,
27B The Comer's Conflict. Ser. XCIX.
God, mofl unfaitable apprehenfions of him, fuch as are
not to be fpoken of ; and the prince of this world hath
much in us, who are fo ignorant of God, to further
thcfe miihapen thoughts of God. And to fortify you
againfl Jthefe aflaults, there are thefe two diredlions I
would offer concerning the way how we are to con-
ceive of God.
(1.) We are to conceive of hkn as inconceivable :
for the thoughts we are to have of hrm are overwhelm-
ing thoughts. As long as we are merely a^live, and
are able to mailer our thoughts of God, they are ut-
terly unworthy of him. Whatfoever we know, com-
prehenfively, 1 mean, except we fee it to be infinitely
beyond us, that is not God, nor to be adored. I have
read a dialogue between a Chriflian and a Gentile : the
Gentile feeing the Chriflian very fervent in prayer, and
feeing no image before him, afked him, " whom he
*' worfhipped :" he anfwered, / know not. " Why
*' then do you worfhip him ?*' / therefore worjhip him^
fays he, becaufe I cannot know him, " It feems llrange,
*' faid the Gentile, to fee one fo ferioufly worfliip that
" he knoweth not.'^ Moreflrangeit is for one, faid the
Chriflian, to worjhip that which we can comprehend. If
we are not lofl in our thoughts of God, our thoughts
of God are lofl. When we throw a ftone into a pond,
it makes circles larger and larger, and quickly they
come to the fliore : but if one fhould throw a milftone
into the midfl of the calm ocean, though it would make
larger and larger circles, yet it would not reach the
Ihorc, becaufe the flrength would be fpent long before
it come the length : So, when we think on the crea-
ture, we eafily enlarge our thoughts fo as to fee*' an end
of their perfedion, and to be more than comprehenfive
of their excellency ; but when we think of God, we
can never know him to perfection, Pfalm cxix. 96. —
Here our knowledge mull end in admiration, and our
love in extafy. Nay, we mull conceive of God as a-
bove all words, above all knowledge, and above all
admiration ; above all Jove, and above all extafy. But
let us go to fcripture, God knows bed how to fp^ak of
Ivanfelf, and we may fafely acquiefce in fcripture ex-
preflions j
Ser. XCIX. The Comer's Conflict. 279
preflions, Neh. ix. 5. Thy name is exalted above all praife^
above the fraife of men and angels ; this is a very high
expreflion ; but doth this reach him ? Nay, if it did,
God fliould not be exalted above all praife, fince this
would reach him.
(2.) We are to conceive of God in Chrifl ; Chrifl:
mud be eyed in our addreifes and ads of v^^orfliip. All
the former confiderations fet us but at a greater diflance
from God, and make us afraid of God, and fly from
him, if v^^e go no further; and, indeed, human rca-
fon can go no further. The utmoft it can do, is but
to think of mercy without a promife, which is a very
arbitrary thing : and we fee that God hath not (liown
mercy to fallen angels ; for never was any devil con-
verted ; therefore we muft necefiarily have thoughts of
Chrift : We are to honour the Son as zve honour the Fa-
ther ; and to honour him,
I. As a A"/>?^. God hath exalted Chrifl: /jr above
all heavens ; and hath com?na?ided us to do all in his
name ; And whatfoever you do in word^ or deed^ do all
in the name of the Lord Jefus^ Col. iii. 17. He orders
that all men jhould hoiiour the Son^ even as they honour
the Father^ John v. 23. I fliall relate a hiflary to this
purpofe ; it is this, Theodofius the emperor having
made an edid for the giving liberty for the Arians to
preach ; Amphilochius took this courfe for prevailing
with the emperor to recal that edict. Theodofius hav-
ing made Arcadius co-empcror and Crefar with him,
feveral bifliops came to falute the emperor, to congra-
tulate Arcadius, and to fignify their confent to Theo-
dofius his aft, and by their refpeft and honour done to
Arcadius, to fliew that they took him for the fucceflfor
of Theodofms in the empire; among others came this
Amphilochius, bifliop of Iconium, who, after he had
done obeyfance very fubmiflively to Theodofms, was
going away without fliewing any refpe6l to Arcadius,
though he fat by Theodofius in all his royal robes ;
Theodofius therefore called to Amphilochius, faying,
'* Know you not that I have made Arcadius, my Ton,
*^ emperor with me ?" Upon which Amphilochius
v/ent to Arcadius, and ftriking him on the head; faid,
M \Vl z ' lie
^8o ^:>e CoMER^s Conflict. Ser. XCIS.
He wds a very hopeful Lqj, Theodofius being very an-
gry at this indignity done his Ton, commanded him to
prifon. Amphilochius, after he had gone a little way,
turned back, faying, " O Theodofius, you are angry
'' that I give not your fon the fame honour I give you,
'^ (ince you have made him equal in majefty to your-
*• felf ; and think you God will be well-pleafed that
" you fuiTer the Arians to abufe Chrift, whom he hath
^^ fet at his rtght-haiid \\\ glory, and ivill have all men
^' honour the Son^ as they honour the Father, "** Upon
which the edid was reverfed.— -I may fay, Can you
think that God v/ill accept your worfliip to him, be
it never fo great ; if you take no notice of Chriil ; be
fure God will reject you and your fervices. But then
again,
1. As God will have Chrift to have the glory of his
kingly office, fo an'o of his priejily. Thus, fuppofe
fome great monarch, his fon confenting, fliould lay
upon his fon the puniOmient due to fome rebellious
iubjcds, intending the fon's honour as well as their
pardon ; the king fends forth a proclamation to them,
to let them know that his fon had fatishcd juftice, and
procured a pardon : but many of them not trufting to
this, would not comx in, but would fend the king gifts
and prefents to gain his favour : the emperor fcorns
their gifts upon that account ; efpeciaily they thus rob-
ing his fon of the honour of making their peace, and
thereby alfo plainly fliewing, that they thought their
crime was not fo great, but a finall matter would make
it up, fuch as their gifts. Surely, if gifts would have
done the bufinefs, his fon had greater gifts than theirs ;
fo that he needed not have died or fuffered. The red-
dition of this umile may be eafily made : God abhors
our prayers, alms, and all our fervices, if we bring
them as fatisfa6lory to his juftice, and fprinkle our
puddly waters, cur tears, upon the mercy-feat, and
fill the holy place with the (linking favour, the ftink-
jTig vapours of our prayers, which are unperfumed
v/ith the incenfe of Chrift's righteoufnefs, or that are
r.o better than the reeking fleams of a dunghill, the
ppxious
Ser. XCIX. The Comer's Conflict. 281
irioxious vapours of an hollow cavern, or the fmoke of
fome fulphruous vuicano ; i fay, go to the holy place
u^ith thefe, inftead of the mcenfe of Chrift's merit and
intercefTion, is not to make atonement, but a provo-
cation. This makes popilh auflerities to be a£ts of
pride, indead of being acls of mortification.
3. God will have him get the honour alfo of his
prophetical office ; for it is by his Spirit that he inftrudls
and teaches us how to pray as well as perform. By
his merit we have acceptance, and by his Spirit affif-
tance. If a child fliould write fome excellent tracl in
the mathematics in Greek, we would infallibly con-
clude fome did learn him, or didate to him ; fo when
you pray in the Spirit, and fpiritually, for fuch or fuch
Spiritual bleilings, who do you think di6lates to you ?
This is not your mother-tongue ; doubtlefs it is the
Spirit of Chrifl that helps your infirmities. In a word,
Chrift by his adive and paffive obedience, whereby he
hath fatisfied juilice, hath a wonderful intereft with
God, more than all the angels of heaven, infomuch,
that God delights to pardon the greatefl of fmners for
Chrifl's fake : therefore, in prayer, conceive of God
as a great, an infinitely great God, and as a God in
Chrift. Look on God through Chrift, keeping the
humbling fcnfe of your own diftance and provocation ;
look upon God as through Chrift the moft compaf^
fionate fondeft Father in the world ; if he give thee
not every thing thou thus afkeft, it proceeds not from
his unwillingnefs to give, but thine unfitnefs to re-
ceive.
^ibJy, There arc temptations with reference to ft:If-
murder : Satan many times tempts people, particularly
thcfc that are coming to Chrift, he throws them down
and tears them, urging them to tear themfelves to
pieces, to make away themfelves, and cut off the thread
pf their own life. This is a fubjed I feldom or never
took occafion to fpeak in this manner upon ; but nov/,
I think it the more neceflary that we are living in a
time, wherein we are compaifed about with awful in-
ilances of profefTors being left under the power, and
fwallowed up with the violence Qf this temptation ;
yea.
282 The Comer's Co^:flict. Ser. XCIX.
yea, fuch inflances thereof, as have perhaps made the
hearts of many here prefent to tremble. And fmce
what hath been, may be, and not knowing but in fuch
a great company as is here, fome one or other may
be under fuch temptations, I would offer thefe fol-
lowing advices fhortly, to fortify you againft thefe af-
faults.
1 . Confider that felf-murder is a fm againft the ve-
ry light of nature^ and the very letter of the law of God^
Exodus XX. 13. Thou /halt not kill. And you may be
fare, that no thought of this fort that enters into your
heart, can be from God ; for it hath the very image
of the devil upon it j He was a murderer from the be-
pnning.
2. Tield not to the tempter ; for, though this is a
temptation incident to God*s people, infomuch that,
perhaps, there are few of them that have not been thus
tempted, as our Lord Jefus Chriil himfelf was, to
whom the devil faid, Caji thy felf down from the pinacle
of the temple ; yet we read of no faint in fcripture that
yielded to the tempter. We are therein told of none
but wicked wretches that deflroyed themfelves, fuch
as Saul, Achitophel, and Judas ; and fure you would
not defire to be like them,
3. Confider the contrary praBice of the faints in fcrip-
ture^ both in their hefi and worfl time. — Old Simeon
got an armful of Chrift, and did he now attempt to cut'
off his own life, that he might win away to heaven ?
No ; he willies to be away, but he puts himfelf in
God's will ; IS^ow lettefl thou thy fervant depart in peace*
Paul is wrapt up to the third heaven, and his defire
of death muft have been very great ; yet he is content
to flay till he was diffohed, — Again, on the other hand,
if pains of body, and terrors of m.ind, might contribute
to ftrengthen fuch a temptation, Job did not want his
ihare of both ; yet, inftead of putting a period to his
own days, though indeed he cur fed the day of his hirth^
and wijhedfor the day of his deaths yet he fays, All the
clays of my appointed time, will I wait till my cha?ige come.
Job. xiv» I4«
4. Coi>
Ser. XCIX. The Comer's Conflict. 285
4. Coufider, that by fuch horrid fuggeftions as thefc
\ou are tempted to aflume to yourfelf a prerogative
that belongs to God only. It is he that lives for ever
and ever that fays, / killy and I make alive ; I wound^
and I heaU Deut. xxxii. 39. Your hfe is not your
own to difpofe of j and as you cannot lengthen your
life, fo you may not fhorten it. Therefore,
5. When you are thus tempted, keep not the deviFs
coiinfels^ nor be thou \\\s fecretary : go to fome faith*
ful minifler, or experienced Chriflian, and tell them
how you are tempted ; for this temptation is partly
conquered, when it is revealed.
6. Thefe who think they ihall be damned^ and go
to hell when they die, it is the great ejimadnefs in the
world for them to haflen their death. That the fear of
hell Ihould make them leap into hell, is fo contrary
to all common fenfe, that it is a wonder that any one
iliould fo much ceafc to be a man, not to fay a Chrii-
tian, as to do a thing fo contrary to nature, let be to
grace. Let me alk you, Can you endure to be among
blafphemers ? Can you endure to blafpheme God
yourfelf for a year together, or an hour, and to fpend
it all in curfmg and blafpheming ? If your foul abhor
this, why will you leap into hell, a place of everlaiting
blafphemy ? I read of one, who having been a long
time tempted to make away herfelf, at laft refolved to
do it, for the thoughts of the torments of hell were not
prevalent enough to deter her ; but as (he was going
to deftroy herfelf, it was brought to her mind, that in
hell fUe iliould blafpheme God for ever ; which flie
abhoring to do, upon that very account forbore the
wicked action. If you were to be only in a ftate of hor-
ror and torment, it were fad enough ; but for to put
thyfelf into a ftate of blafphemy, how canfl thou en-
dure to think of it ?
7. Take heed of fighting again ft Satan with human
reafoHy for this Leviathan laughs at the fnaking of this
/pear : his fcales are too clofs to be pierced by it :
but take the /word of the Spirit, which is the %vord of
God^ which divides between the joints and the marroiv ;
fay to Satan, It is written, Tboujhalt not kill
8. Tra\^,
2S4 The Com-er's Conflict. Set.. XCI^/
8. Fray^ pray much ; for the fword of the Spirit
mud be wielded by the fkiiful arm of the Spirit. If
thou goeil out in confidence of thy being able to ma-
nage icripture by thy own flrength and (kill, it will
fare with thee, as it did with thefe, Adls xix. 15, 16.
^hey thmght to cafi out devils by the name of Jefusy hut
the devil rent them and wounded them^ and made them
to Jiy, f^^y^^^gi Jefus I know, and Paul I knoiv ; but
who are ye f
The great argument that the devil ufes to perfuade
thee to felf-murder, is by periiiading thee that thou
art a reprobate ; but thou mayefl confider that Satan
cannot know that thou art a reprobate : Was Satan,
think you, orf God's council, when he made his eter-
nal decrees? Satan, who is not fo much as one of
God's hired fervants, but a (lave and a malefaflor
kept in chains, he is fo far from being of God's coun-
cil, that he is not fo much as one of his family. If
thou fayefl thy confcience tells thee that thou art a re-
probate ; know, that no man living can tell v/ho arc
reprobates ; nor can any man know himfelf to be a
rebrobate, except he hath committed the fm againfl
the Holy Ghofl, which no man hath committed, that
is forry to think he hath committed it ; For it is im^
-pojjihle that fuch a man jfhould he reneisoed^ either by or
to repentance^ Heb. vi. 6-
Ye that walk in darknefs and fee no light, that arc
haunted with thefe temptations, confider what a God
we have to do with ; we ferve fuch a great Lord, that
all the m.onarchs of the world are beggars to him ; and
fuch a gracious Father is our God, that the tendereil
parents in the world, and your dearefl friends, are ty-
rants, yea, wolves and tygers compared to him. And
if we fhould provoke them, as we provoke him, and
they could as eafily crulh us as God can, v/e would
quickly find that their tendereil mercies are cruelty j
whereas the feveral providences of God will be to thee,
not like the gall of afps^ bitter and deadly, but like
God's rubarb and aloes, by which thine iniquity fhall
be purged, and all the fruit of it fo all he to take azvay
ihyfin ; and though for the prefent the afflicting hand of
God
SsR. XCIX* TJje Comer's CoNFLidt. 285
God upon ihee^ is not joyous^ but grievous^ yet if thou art
exercifed thereby^ it wili bring forth in thee the quiet fruit
of righteoufnefs. Lay afide therefore your fears of hell,
and hard thoughts of God.
But now, to add no more particulars, let mc exhort
you and all that hear me, to come to our Lord Jefus
Chriit, whatever oppofition from hell (lands In your
Way ; and though the devil fliould throw you down
and tear you as you are coming ; yet Chrift will lift
you up, and heal you. Oh ! what offends the world
at our Lord Jefus ? Will you tdll me, finner, what ails
you at Chrift ? What difobliges you at his perfon ? I3
he not the brigbtnefs of the Father^ s glory ^ and the chief
among ten thou/and f Is he not the rofe of paradife^ the
heart of heaven ?— ^What ails you at his offices f Is he
not a Prophet, that can teach you ; a Prieft, that can
atone for you ; a King, that can conquer for you P^^—
What ails you at his relations ? Is he not a Sihepherdj
to feed you ; a Phyfician, to heal you ; a Father, to
pity you ; a Hufband, to cherifh you ?- — What ails
you at his doings to fulfil the law for you ; or his dy^
ing, to fatisfy juftice for you ?-— What ails you at his
yoke ^ Is not His yoke eafy and his burden light f^ his ways
pleafantnefs and his paths peace f — -What ails ycu at his
grace and glory f
What ails you at him. Sirs ? O i is he not worth
your while, though ycu fhould run through hellto
come to him ? Is there not a heart in all this company
that would fain be at him ? Alas ! would you rather
go to the devil than come to Chrift ? That a comely
Jefus cannot get two or three hearts in all this compa-
ny, O pity, pity ! and a thoufand pities that the beauty
of the Godhead c?.nnot get a lover ! Will you all be fo
mad as to run by Chrift to othtr lovers, while he begs
your love, as if he were upon his knees, and fends us
to pray you in his ilcad to be reconciled with him, and
come to liim ?
And therefore, Sirs, in his blejJed name I pray you,
go not by him. 1 beg it as the beft favour you can do
to my Mafter and me, that you come to him ; I be-
feech you, by the mercies of Gcd^ and by the boi^ds of
V o L, VI. N n Chri/}.
2^^_ The Comer's Conflict. Ser. XCIX,
Chri/i^ tKat you come to him. He will welcome the
woril of you that will come to him ; and if you but en-
deavour to ftretch out the withered hand, or put out
the withered heart toward him, he will help you to it,
and embrace you with hand and heart both. He is
content to come to you on any terms ; and, will you
not come to him ? He (lands at the door of your heart,
and waits that you will but allow him to come in, and
let him have accefs. Have you a hard heart ? He
would be in to foften it : Are you pleafed ? Have you
2i filthy heart ? He would be in to wafli it : Are you
content ? Have you a wicked heart ? He would be in
to renew it : Are you fatisfied ?
If you will not come to him, will you let him come
to you, that he may make you willing ? Confider what
is a-coming. O Sirs, is not a day of calamity coming ?
And why will you not come to Chrift ? Is not a day of
death coming ? And why will you not come to him ?
Is not a day oi judgment coming ? And why will you
not come to him ? Or, why come you to any thing
elfe ? Why come you to ordinances^ if you will not
come to Chrift, for he is the life of ordinances ? Why
come you to fernions^ if you come not to Chrifl, who is
the fubftance of all fermons ? Why come you to a coni^
Tnunion-table, if you will not come to Chrift ; for he is
the heart of the communion ? Why do you hope for
heaven, if you will not come to Chrift, for he is the
all of heaven, the heaven of heavens ? A thoufand hea-
vens are lighter than a feather when laid in the balance
with him. Had I the tongue of a feraphim, I could
not commend him enough to you j but, O may he
commend himfelf to your heart, and caufe you to throw
your immortal foul into his faving arms, notwithftand-
ing all the down-cafting temptations of Satan, and
whatever objections and oppofitions ftand in the way
of your coming to him,
SERMON
C 287 ]
SERMON C*.
Dark Providences cleared in due Time.
John xlil. 7,
'--What I do^ thou knowejl not now ; but thoujljalt know
hereafter,
MY friends, the invlfible God a6ls like him[clf,
even amidfl all the vifible and fenfible tokens
he gives of his prefence ; fuch as he hath been giving
you at this occafion : for, amidfl all his ways and
workings that are feen and felt, yet fliil his way is in-
vifible, unfearchable, and myilerious. How finall a
portion do we know of him ! What is faid of his pre-
ience and abfence, or of his coming and going fome-
times, may be faid alfo of his doing : his coming near
once to Jacob was dark to him ; therefore he faid.
Surely the Lord ivas in this place ^ and I knew it not, —
His going away from Samfon was dark to him ; there-
fore it is faid, He wifi not that the Lord was departed
from him. And what is thus faid of his coming and
going, may be faid of his doing, and perhaps of his
doings among us at this occafion ; What I do^ thou
knoweft not no-iu ; hut thou JJmIt know hereafter.
We have here, in this chapter, the remarkable hif-
tory of our Lord Jefus, his waOiing his difciples ieet
while he was at fupper with them. It was great con-
defcenfion to fup with them ; and yet greater to w^afli
their feet. How far Chrift will ftoop down to the ue-
ceiTities of his people, is amazing ! It is obfcrvcd- ver. 3.
* Thisfermon was preached at Danfermline, on Monday, July 1.
1736. after the celebration of the iacrameat gf the Lord^s iuppef
there. It hath ur.d?rgoav Cx imprefRoia.
K a % th:it
288 Dar]k: Provipences Ser. C.
that Jefus knowing that the Father had committed all
things into his hand^ and that he vjas come from Gody
end "juent to God: he rifes from [upper ^ and laid afide
his garments^ and took ci towel and girded himfelf and
poured water into a hafon^ and began to wafJj the difciplcs
feet^ ver. 4, 5. All power and fovereignty was com-
mitted to him, yet the knowledge of his excellency did
not hinder his condefccnfion ; in the view he had of
his greatefl glory, he evidenced the greateil humility.
Neither the greatefl fufteriiigs he was juft now to en-
dure, nor the greatefl honour he was advanced unto,
could make him forget his poor people ; his heart was
fet upon them as much as either upon his fufi'erings or
his glory : why ? for them he fudered, and for them
he was to be glorified. And as the thoughts of his
glory formerly did not hinder his condefccnfion ; fo
the poUeiTion of his glory now doth not hinder hi^
^looping down to ferve, yea, to wafli, and fave them.
And the higher the Father hath exalted him, the more
hath he fitted him for doing fervice tq us in our low
cafe and condition.
Now, v.'e have here Peter's amazement, Lcrd^ dojh
ihou wafh my feet f verfe 6. What ! might he fay.
Thou 3 the Lord and Ruler of the world, dofl thou
(loop to do this for me, a worthlefs worm, a fmful
man ? Here is a paradox I cannot undcrPcand. O!
but Chrid's condefcenfions, wherein we find ourfelves
taken notice of by his grace, are juftly matter of ad-
miration. Is this the manner of man f What are we^
and what is our father's honfe? It well becomes us,
and the beLl of the fons and daughters of Adam to {\\
down at his feet and wafli them with tears, and wipe
theni with the hairs pf opr head. But, O ! what is
this \ dofl thou wafh my feet, Lord ; O King of kings ^
and Lord of lords f Chrifl's abafmg himfelf, and loop-
ing fo low to us, ought not to obfcure his majefly, or
make us think the lefs of him, as if he did what was
too mean and unbecoming his grandeur ; nay, if we
h^iVt faith as a grain of muflard feed^ the lower that he
floops towards us, the more will we honour him, and
the highe? thoughts will we have gf bira,
^^ '■ ■ ■ TH
Ser. G. cleared in due Time. 289
The text is an anfwer to Peter's amazement. What
I do, fays Chrift, thou knoweft not now ; but thou jh alt
know hereafter. Where he tells him two things, i.
That the deft^n of this work was at prefent hid from
him. 2. That it lliould be afterwards revealed to him.
So ignorant was Peter of this work, which was after-
wards explained to himj as fignifying another inward
wafhing, and giving to us a copy of humility, and of
humble fervice one towards another ; fo ignorant was
he hereof, that his fmful modefly makes him refufc
this a6l of kindnefs and condefcenfion ; as you fee in
the following verfe. Though it be commendable to
jear the Lord and his goodnefs^ and to be amazed at his
condefcending grace and mercy ; yet it is finful to run
to that extreme of fear and trembhng, as to faun, de-
cline, and refufe it : and though our Lord's ftooping
down be a great abafement ; yet it is the great error
of the faints to think he will not reckon it his glory and
honour to ferve them. It is a part of their ignorance
and error, when he floops down to them with his blef-
^'iVig, to think that he hath forgot himfelf in his con-
defcenfion, and that it is not poilible he means fuch fa-
vour to theni.
In the genera], we may learn from the words in
their connexion with the text,
1. That when we refufe any favour at Chrifl's hand^
or fliun any a6: of his condefcending grace, as if un-
becoming his greatnefs to grant it, or our meannefs to
receive it \ we but difcover our great ignor^ince and
error,
2. Chrid may be very near to his people, and do-
ing great things to them in fteps of gracious conde-
fcenfion ; and yet they ir^ay be very ignorant of him^
?md of his acting ; What I do, thou knovjeji not,
3. Every work of Chrift towards his people carries
fomething more great and precious in the bofom of \t^
than we are capable, at the time, to underlband ; it is
more loaden with wifdom, power, goodnefs, grace,
and faithfulnefs, than for the prefent we can appre-
beD4 * What I do, thou knnveFk ?wt ?2QWf
4, Though
Zgo B A R K P R O VI t> EN C E S Ser.C.
4. Though we cannot dive into the depths of Chrifl's
counfel in his doing towards us ; 3^et we ought to re-
vennce and adore him therein, and to yield implicite
obedience to his will, without quarrelling his way, or
cenfuring his proceeding, while through darknefs and
iguor.ancc we are fuch incompetent judges thereof ;
thus did Abraham, Heb. xi, 8. By faith^ when he was
called to go out into a place which he Jhould afterwards
receive for an inheritance^ obeyed \ and he went out, n&t
knowing whither he went.
5. Our Lord Jefus doth not explain his ?nind to his
people at the firft ; what he intends by fuch a work,
and fuch a promife, and fuch a providence, until af-
terwards, that fubfequent works explain preceding
works and fubfequent providences explain preceding
ones.
6. Learn that we are therefore to wait upon him.
till he fee fit to explain what may now be dark and
hidden unto us ; and we fhall afterwards know and
fee what was the tendency of events that feemed moft
crofs and ftrange. We mud let Chrifi: take his own
way both in ordinances and providences ; and we
will find, in the ilTue, that it is indeed the bed way.
What I do y thou knozvefi not now ; but thou Jhalt knew
herercafter.
But paiung all thefe, tke point of doctrine 1 would
fpeak to is this,
O B s E R V. nat the works of Chrifi towards his
people may be very dark and myfterioiis^ hidden and
unknown to ihem^ till afterwards he make them
What I do, thou knowcjl not nozv^ Peter ; but thou
f^alt know hereafter ; what need thou haft of being
wafhed, when thou fiialt be guilty of the hainous
crime of denying me thrice ; or, when thou ilialt, in
the difcharge of thy office, be employed as an in-
llrument to wafli away the finful defilements of o.
thers.
But
Ser. C» deared h due Time* 291
But this do6lrine may be verified from many in-
flances. — Jofeph's dreams, as well as Jacob's being
bereft of him, was dark and myfterious, till afterwards
it was manifefled in the courfe of providence.— — -
Abraham's call, to go and offer up his fon, as well
as his being ordered to go, not knowing whither he
wcnt^ was very dark and myflerious till afterwards.
— Elfher's marriage with Ahafuerus v/as a kindly pro-
vidence, but the defign of it was not manifefied till af-
terwards, to break Haman's cruel projedl. Chrifi: ma-
nifefted his glory to Peter, James, and John, upon the
mount ; but what he did they knew not the defign of,
till afterwards it appeared what eminent duties and trials
was preparing them for. — Mofes little knew what v/as
the myftery of the manifeftation he got of God, when
he faw him in a flame of fire out of the bufh, and the
bujh burned^ and was not confumed ; and when God
fpake to him, faying, / am the God of thy father/^
the God of Abraham^ Ifaac^ Qud Jacob : Mofes hid his
face, and was afraid to look upon God, till the Lord
thereafter fhewed what Vv^as the defign of this appear-
ance, and what fervice he was calling him to. — Little
did Ifrael know, when brought through the Red fea,
and finging triumphantly at the fliore over all their
drowned enemies, that this glorious appearance of God
was to uflier in a^ forty years weary travel through the
wildernefs ; and that what the Lord did then, by the
hand of Mofes, was but typical of the great falvation
through Jefus Chriil.— Little did Paul, our apoflle,
while he was yet Saul the perfecutor, knov/ what the
Lord did when he appeared to him in his road to Da-
mafcus, till afterwards that the Lord fhewed him what
he was to do zndf/fff'er for the name of Jefus His
ways, even of grace and mercy, are dark and unknov/n ;
therefore fays the pfalmifl:, Pfal. Ixxvii. 13, 19. Thy
wayy 0 God^ is iii the fanduary ; thy way is in thefegsy
thy paths in the great waters ^ and thy fooijleps are not
known, Pfalm xxxvi. 6. Thy righteoufnefs is like the
great mou72tains ; thy judgmejits are a great deep. PfaL
cxi. 2. The works of the Lord are great ; fought out of
all them thai have pleafure therein.
The
t^t Dark Pr 5VI0ENCES Ser. C
The Lord works and carries on his gracious v/ork,
according to bis rule of divine policy, that every one
cannot penetrate thereinto. As great politicians carry
on their defigns in a way that ordinary onlookers can-
not underftand ; fo, much more doth infinite wifdoin
work, as it were, by a holy and majellic ftratagem,
and carries on his work in the dark, and in a way much
hidden and unknown to us ; for, clouds and darknefs
are round about him ; and hence fays the apoftle, Romo
XI. ^3* 0 the depth of the riches^ both of the ivifdom and
hiowledge of God I How unfearchable are his judg?nents^
and his ways pafi finding out ! Whatever then God
hath been doing or faying to you at this occafion, think
Bot that you are wife enough now, or that you know
nil that he hath been doing or defigning by this work.
What I doy thou knowefi not now : tut thou /halt knovj
hereafter^
Having thus confirmed the dofEbVine, the method
for the farther profecution of the fub]c6l, may be the
following.
I. To fpeak to fonie things the Lord doth towards
his church and people, that are dark and myjieri--
ous^ hidden and unknown.
IL To fhew in what refpefts thcfe things that he is
doing for them may be hid and unknown to
them.
III. Shew for what reafon the Lord takes this way of
doing, fo hid, dark, and myfterious, that what
he doth they k?iow not.
IV. Obferve fome of the feafons when it is that he
makes them know what now they are in the dark
about, according to bis word here, Thoufhali knozv
hereafter,
V. Deduce fome inferences for the application of the
whole.
L We are to fpeak of fome of thcfe things the Lord
doth towards his people that are dark^ myferious^ hidden^
and unknozvn^
Ser. C cleared in due Time. 493
Here we might, to view it more diftiri^lly, mentioa
fome common (leps of his dealing with his people, that
for a long time, may be dark and unknown to them ;
fuch as, what he doth with refpedt to their outward
Jiate in the world : what he doth by ordering fuch and
fuch circumflances of profperity or adverfity in the
world : what he doth with refped to their birth and
education ; his defign in their being born of gracious,
or of gracelefs parents ; his defign in ordering the
bounds of their habitation, in fuch a fpot of the world;
his defign in bringing them under fuch and fuch a m\*
niftry ; to fuch a fermon, and fuch a facrament, and
fuch a table ; why he cads fuch a book in their way :
all may be hid and unknown to them till afterwards,
that the Lord difcovers what good and great defigns
he had thereby ; what he doth by fuch a mercy, and
fuch a judgment ; fuch a word, and fuch a rod.
Again, we might condefcend on what he doth with
refpefl to their inward fpiritnal Jiate t they may be
greatly in the dark, as to what he is doing, when, on
the one hand, he is convincing and awakening them ;
when he is humbling and breaking them ; when he is
deferting and forfaking them to their fenfe ; when he
fufFersthem to be tempted of Satan, and conquered by
their lulls ; and leaves them under the power of their
enemies ; denying their requefls ; refufmg to help
them in prayer, and to hear them ; and fceming to re-
jeft and caft them off : what he thus doth, they know
not till afterwards that he return.
And then, on the other hand, his way and work
may be hid and unknown, even when he returns^ fo
as they know not what he is doing : when he waflies
their feet, or condefcends to give them fome tokens of
his pardoning and purifying grace, they may expert
fair weather and clean way, or a prcfperous journey,
all their life-time afterwards ; while yet he may be
preparing them for a new ftorm» They may little
know what he doth when he is manifefting himfelf a-
new to them ; they may reckon it is a preparatory for
more glorious difplays immediately : but they may be
niiftaken, and may find themfelves tumbling down the
V o L. VI. O o hiU
,2^4 Dark pROviDEHCEb Ser. C.
hill into a mire, or ever they are aware. They may
little know what he doth, when, at a communion fo-
lemnity, he comes to loofe their bonds ; and when he
is comforting, flrengthening, or fealing them, and
fpeaking in to their hearts, they may be thinking
now that their mountain Jiands Jlrong^ they fliall never
he moved^ never be what they have been, nor doubt as
they have done ; yet quickly they may be at that with
it, "Ihou d'ldjl hide thy face and 1 was troubled. They
may little know, when he brings them to the banquet-
ting hoiife, and makes them fit down under his foadow
with great delight^ and his fruit was fweet to their tafie^
what is he doing and defigning ; they may think now
this is for my prefent comfort, now my cup runs over,
and I hope it will continue running ; while yet he may
be feeding them for the hunger to come, viftualling
them for a voyage, laying in provifion for a hege, pre-
paring them for a battle, or perhaps anointing them for
a burial. What I do^ ihou knowefi net now ; but thou
fljalt know hereafter.
But here I lliall mention fome of the fpecial works
of God, that are covered with a cloud of majefty, that
his people feldom know what he is doing with them.
As,
I. When his word and his work, his promife and
his providence feem to clajh and coiitradid one ano-
ther ; this is a dark and hidden rod. What he doth,
we know not thcn^ when his difpcnfations feem, to hu-
man rcafon, to be driving on a defign to defeat the
promife ; we cannot fee through the cloud without an
eagle-eye of faith, nor pry into the depths of his infi-
nite wifdom. Thus Mofes was fent to deliver Ifrael
cut of Egypt, and to tell them the good news, that
now the Lord was to deliver them from their bondage ;
but behold their bondage is increafed, their llavery is
doubled, they are filled with anguiih. Exodus v. 21.
Mofes himfelf could not well fee thro' this dark cloud ;
and therefore complains to God of it, ver. 22, 23. —
When things like this fall out to the church of God,
or a child of God, that here is a promife, but where is
the accomplilhmentj when the quite contrary appears ?
" Then
Ser. C. cleared in due Tim e. ^95
Then we are to think on his word, What I do^ thou
knoweji not now^ hut ihoujhalt know hereafter,
2. When his dealings and difpenfations arc fo dark
and unintelHgible, that his people know not whether
they fpeak niercy or wrath ; thus it was with Job, when
lie laid, Shew me luherefore thou contendeft with me ? Job '
X. 2. ; intimating, hcfw utterly ignorant he was, as to
what the Lord was intending by that ftrange difpenfa-
tion : in fuch a cafe he is faying, What 1 do, thou know*
eft not now.
3. When the Lord comes with falvation in a furprif-
ing way ; or, while his people are quite out of frame
7i\\6. jfitnefs for it ; as when it is faid, Ifa. Ivii. 17. For
the iniquity of his covetoufnefs was I wroth, and [mote him;
I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in
the way of his heart ; and yet it follows, / have feen his
ways, and will heal him : I will lead him alfo, and re-
Jiore comforts io hi?n, and to his 7nourners, O what is
this ! will he fliew himfelf a God of love to me, when I
have been ihewing my felf a devil of enmity againfi:
him ! Or, while he furprifes them with a mercy that
they were never hoping nor waiting for ; as Ifraely
when the Lord returned their captivity, were like them
that dream. His (lately march this way is fo hid
from their eyes, that what he doth they knoiu not ;
it is above their capacity to underfland his Ibvereign
way.
4. When falvation comes, not only in a way of mer-
ciful furprize, but notwithftanding all appearance to the
contrary ; when enemies are ftrong and invincible, by
them prevalent, and vidorious over them ; and when
hi-s people^ s Jirength is quite gone, Deuter. xxxii. 36. —
And when their hope is gone, and they are cut off for
t\iQ\x parts, Ezek. xxxvii. 11. When in fuch a point
of extremity he fleps in and faves ; and faves, perhaps,
by very unlikely means ; as by the blowing of rams
horns he throws down the walls of Jericho ; or, by
the ftripling David, he kills the great Goliath, and de-
feats the army of the Philiftines ; in thefe ways there
U much hidden majefty. What I do^ thou knowejl not,
O 0 3 4. When
^gS Dark Providences Ser.C.^
4. When hopeful beginnings of relief and falvation
meet with unexpeSledJiops and hinderances ; and when
the building of the fpiritual temple, after the founda-
tion is laid, comes to be retarded, and the work feems
to go back rather than forward, as in the building of
the material temple in the days of Ezra, How little
do we underftand what that means, when the Lord
fays, by Jeremiah to Baruch, Jer, xlv. 4. B^bold^ thai
which I have built^ *will I break dowjt ? When he fuf«
fers enemies to prevail, and break dow7i his carved ivork^
us with axes and hammers, who can fee through fuch a
difpcnfation, when it befals a church in general, as to
the work of reformation ; or a child of God in parti-
cular, as to the work of grace in the foul? What he
doth, we know not now*
6. Vv^hcn the Lord's way towards the godly and the
ungodly fecms U7ifu'itabls to their different ftatc, as if
he frowned on his friends and favoured his enemies ;
how dark and hidden is his work herein ? The profpe-
rity of the wicked, and adverfity of the godly was for
a time a great myftery to Afaph, Pfalm Ijcxiii. Yea
more, fometimes the godly are left to be great a flum-
biing block to others ; as when the Lord left Aaron
to make the golden calf in the v/ilderncfs, that brought
fo much fin and wrath upon the people. I might in*
fiance David, Solomon, Peter, and others : how dark
is this, and the like difpenfations ! And when, on the
other hand, he imploys the wicked themfelves to car-
ry on his work, and makes their wicked defigns contri-
bute to advance his holy end and glorious defign ; as
he did make the treafon of Judas, the fentence of Pilate,
the malice of the Jews to contribute for the work of
our redemption. Surely, 'what he doth^ we know not ;
his glorious works are hidden and unknown. He can
necefntate enemies, contrary to their will, to do that
which is a manifeft forwarding of his work, as when
the Philiftines were conflrained to fend home the ark
of Ifrael, i Sam. vi.
7. In a word, how dark and hid is his work, when
he cuts offinftrumenis that feem to be mofl fitted for it ;
and that either before their work be begun^ as David,
that
Ser. C» cleared in due Time. 297
that prepared materials for building of the temple, but
was not employed therein j or before their work be
ended, as Mofes that brought Ifrael through the wiU
dernefs, but is taken away then, and not employed to
end the work of bringing them in to the promifed land,
which he would gladly have done ! — How dark and
unknown is his work, when he calls them to believe
what feems contradictory to carnal Jhife and reafon ; as
that Abraham (hould have a fon, when his body and
Sarah's womb were both dead, who yet believed in God^
ivho quickens the dead, and calls things that are not, as
though they were ? Or when he calls them to do that
which feems exprelly againft his own revealed will ;
as when Abraham was called to go and facrince his
fon ; this was a command of trial, and by faith, Abra-
ham went all the length therein that was defigned ! —
How dark is. the providence and trial, when duty h
feemingly fet againft duty, as when churchmen and
prophets fet upon Nehemiah, and prefs him to that as
duty which was no duty ; as you fee the hiftory, Neh,
vi. 10, — 14. ? And when prophets are fet againft pro-
phets, not only BaaFs prophets againft the prophets of
God, but prophets of the Lord againft prophets of the
Lord ; as in the cafe of the old prophet, pretending
angelical information, and deceiving the man of God,
I Kings xiii. ? — ^Finally, how dark and unintelligible is
his work, when he lifts us with the one hand-> and cafls
down with the other 5 when he heals with the one, and
wounds with the other.-^ — ^Thus the child, Mark ix.
19, — 26. that Chrift took in hand to cure, grew worfe;
for, The devil threw him down and tare hinu The ruler
of the fynagogue got Chrift engaged to go along with
him, and heal his daughter ; but, behold what a wound
is given, one coming from his houfe, faying. Thy daugh-
ter is dead, trouble not the Mafler ! In thefe and the
like works he fays. What I do, thou knowefi 7ioi now ;
hut thou fhalt know hereafter.
IL The y^^(7;2i thing propofedwas. To fliew in what
refpeffs we may be ignorant, and in the dark about the
Lord's doing towards us, And,
I. What
^9^ Dark Providences Ser. C.
1. What he doth, as to the Ycry jjiatfer of his work,
may be hid and unknown, whether it be a common
®ra laving work; whether it be a merciful or a wrath-
ful work, fuch as what Manoah and his wife met with.
Judges xiii. 22, 23. He and flie differed in their judg-
ment about what they fay ; Manoah faid^ Surely we
Jhall die, hecaufe we have feen God, But his wife, on
the contrary, faid, Jf the Lord were pie a fed to kill us,
would he have received a burnt-offering and a meat-off^er-
ing at our hand I Or, would he have /hewed us all
thefe things ?
2. What he doth may be hid and unknown to them,
as to the manner and method of his doing. His way
of bringing about his purpofe is very ftrange and un-
perceivabie ; for he is the God that quickens the dead,
and calls things that are ?wt, as though they were, Rom,
iv. 17. He brings things of nothing, and one con-
trary out of another, 2 Cor. iv. 6, Light out of dark*
nefs, Ufe out of death, flrength out of weaknefs. Meat
out of the eater, and fweet out of the ftrong. How un-
knowable then to us is his work, who makes death
the way of life, and wounding the way to healing,
breaking down the way to building up, and lofmg the
way to gain.
3. What he doth may be hid and unknown, as to
the caufes of his working. There may be reafons of
flate that we are ignorant of : the reafon why he doth
doth fo and fo now ; and why he defifts at another
time ; why Zion is filled with judgment : why he fliines
on the counfel of the wicked, that pray not to him ;
and why the juit and upright man is laughed to fcorn*
Surely touching the Almighty we cannot find him out :■
for who hath known the mind of the Lord f Or who
hath been his ccunfellor f* Rom. xi. 34.
4. What he doth may be hid and unknown, as to
the beauty of his work ; Lord, doft thou wajh my feet f
Where is the beauty -and glory of this work P Is it
becoming for thee to do fo ? We may be ignorant
of the glory of divine wifdom that fhines in his deal-
ings ; the glory of his holinefs, grace, love, and mer^,
cy that fliines therein, till afterwards he make his worl^
appear*
Ser. C. cleared ip, due T i m e. ig^
appear. There is a beautiful connexion between what
he hath done, what he is doing, and what he will do
afterwards, that may be greatly hid, and the beautiful
feafon of his doing ; he hath made every thing beauti-
ful in his time. O ! there is a luftre in the very time
of his coming, when he makes our time of need his
time of love, our extremity his opportunity 5 yet for a
time this beauty may be hid.
5. What he doth may be hid and unknown, as to
the excellency and greatnefs of his work ; it may ap-
pear little, and low, and mean, as Peter thought when
he faid, Lord^ deft thou wajlo my feci ? Yet in due
time, it may appear to be a very great and excellent
work. His greatnefs and grandeur is not hereby di-
minifhed, but more and more difplayed. When the
Lord turned back the captivity of Zion^ they ivere like
them that dreamed^ did not fee or confider the great-
nefs of the work, till afterwards they fee and fay,
ne Lord hath done great things for us^ Pfalm cxxvi.
I, 3.
6. What he doth may be hid and unknown, for a
time, as the necejjity of the work, and the ufefulnefs of
it : part of Peter's meaning here, when he faid, Lord^
doft thou wajh my feet ? was. Lord, what is the need
of thy wafliing my feet ? And therefore he ignorantly
fays in the following verfe, nou Jhalt never wajh , my
feet ; whereupon Chriil opens up to him the abfolute
necellity of what he now did, and defigned by this
work ; If I waJh thee not^ thou haft 7io part in me,
There is a great need for all that Chriil doth to us,
though we be in the dark about it ; and we ought to
fee a need be in every thing he doth ; If need bc^ you
are in heavinefs through manifold temptations for a fea-
fon ; and if need be he will give a more joyful and
heartfome feafon ; he knows bed what you need, tho'
you do not know.
7. What he doth may be hid as to the variety of
his work, and the changes that befal us through the va-
rious changes and turns of his hand in working ; tho*
his heart and mind, his love and covenant, be unchan-
geable.
300 D A RK Pr 0 Vlt) ENC ES SeR, G-
geable. Sometimes he will let his people afk what
they will, and he will give them to the half^ yea, to
the whole of his kingdom ; and at other times they may
cry and fliout, and he fhut out their prayers. Some-
times he will let them hold him, and not let him go,
yea, and command him, as it were, Concerning my font
and my daughters ^ command ye me : thus he let Mofes aik,
and he faid, Shew me thy glory ; and God fays, I will
make all my goodnefs pafs before thee ; and yet behold, at
other times, he will condefcend to nothing, and fecni
inexorable ; Though Mofes^ Daniel, and Job were to
make intercejfion in the matter. Who can underfland
this variety of his doing, and the fecret reafons of the
viciflitudes and changes, that hereupon befal his peo-
pie in their Inward frame and outward lot ?
8. What he doth may be hid and unknown, as to
the end and defign of his doing, as to the upjlM and
i^ue thereof ; and what he is to bring out of that
-which now he doth. What he did in v/afliing the dif-
ciples feet, was not known in the defign of it till after-
wards. Many things he hath done the meaning where-
of was not know till afterwards. What he did, v/hen
he became man, when he became a worm^ and no
man ; what he did, when he lived our life ; what
he did, when he laid down his life, and hang upon
the crofs between two thieves, were not underitood
till afterwards : and then it appeared that it behoved
him^ Heb. ii. 17. And what he doth at this commu-
nion, we know not now. The way that he takes may
feem to be far about, and yet afterwards appear to be
the only right way : and when he leads his people in a
ivay they know not, and in -paths which they have not
known, may afterwards appear to be the bed way for
his glory, and for their good. And no wonder that
we be in the dark, if we conlider that the worker of
thcfe works is zuonderful in counftl, and excellmt in wor^
hing, Ifa. xxviii. 29. ; infinitely beyond all worldly po-
liticians, whofe proje£ls and purpofes are often hid
from us, and much more may the infinitely deep coun-
-fels of God.
III. The
Ser. C. cleared in due Time* 3'3-c
III. The third thing propofed was, To ofFer feme
reafons^ why the Lord takes fuch a hid myflericas and
unknown way of doing with his people ; that what he
doth^ they know not now* And,
I, It is to difcover himfeJf'm a way fuitable to him-
felf and his own glorious perfedions ; and to fliew that
his tboughis are not our thoughts^ as his ways are not cur
tvays* If he fhould work according to our thoughts
end imaginations, and in a way not tranfcending our
apprehenfions, how would it appear that he is Jeho-
vah, a fovereign God that a6ls like himfelf, whofe
will is a law to us, and a rule to himfelf; and whofe
way is in the deep waters >, fo as his fcoffceps cannot be
feen. — Herein he fhews his wifdom to be hidden wif-
dom, while his own people are apt to think that he is
about to deftroy his work in them and in his church,
when he is upon his way to raife them up, and to bring
down the enemy. — -^Herein he fnewshis truth zndfaith*
fulnefs miraculoully when he comes with falvation, af-
ter he had wrought fo long under ground, and out of
fight, and all hope was gone, but when it fliines out
from behind the dark cloud, then it appears with a,
more than ordinary glance and ludre. O then, they
fee his mercy is in the heavens^ and his truth reaches to
the clouds^ and his J ait h fulnefs to all generations, Pfahn
cxix. 90. So that no changes or viciiTitudes here be-
low can alter, no length of time can change his mind.
•2. It is to difcover his enemies^ that they may appear
to be what they are : what he doth for his people,
they do not know themfelves ; far lefs do hypocrites
and falfe-hearted profeiTors know what he is doing for
them, and what good he is doing for them. If the
Lord were appearing vifibly for his children, whenever
they are in a flrait, many falfe friends would take part
with them, and feem to love and favour them ; but
that their enmity may be difcovered, and they may be
made manifePt:, he comes to his people in unknown
ways, and hides his work ; and then enerjiies ihew
themfelves openly to be enemies to God's people, while
God doth not Ihew himfelf openly to be their friend.
He may hide himlelf and his work from his friends to
V 0 L. VL P p " dif-
301 Dark Providences Ser. C.
difcourage his enemies, and harden them in his righ-
teous judgment ; for, whom he will he hardens^ Rom,
jx. 1 8. by leaving them to themfelves.
3. It is to difcover the drofs and corruption of his
own people^ that lies at the bottom of their heart un-
feen ; for, while he keeps his work hid from them,
how does then their w«W/{/' appear, in many doubts
and fcruples that rife in their fouls about his defign ?
How doth their impatience appear, while he delays to
dear up matters to them ? Thus he fhews them their
fm, and humbles them under a fenfe of their ignorance.
Such a difcovery the pfalmiil got when he went to the
fan(Sl:uary, and rcfleded on the miflake he was un-
der about what the Lord was doing : SofooUjh was I
ajid ignorant^ I %vas os a heajl before thee. He makes
them thus to know what is in them.
4. It is to difcover their graces alfo, and to try and
exercife them : thus he tries their/?///:', when they arc
to believe, though they do not know how his word
Ihall be accompliihed, as he did the faith of Abraham,
Romans iv. — Thus he tries their patience^ when they
are to wait upon him, and they know not how long,
Pfal. xiii. I. How long wilt thou forget me^ 0 Lord, for
ever f How long wilt thou hide thy face from me f —
Thus he tries their hope^ when all human appearances
and probabilities fail, and they can fee no ground of
hope from without ; for, that which is feen is no hope*
— Thus he tries i\\t\x fubmiffton to him, and their obe-
dience to him, while he calls to ftoop to his will, even
when he hides his defign, and gives not account of
any of his matters 5 that we may bey?/// and know that
he is God,
5. In a word, he takes this hid and unknown way,
that we may learn to reverence zxi^fear him, and to
wait upon him, till he teach us what we know not,
and expound to us what we do not underftand : He is
a God of judgment, and bleffed are all they that wait for
him, — In this way he curbs the curiofity^ and checks the
pride of poor man, who, when he is done, mud go to
fchool again, and learn over what he learned before,
.aTid leara better.-— In this way he (lirs up to prayer ^
that
Ser. C. ' cleared in due Time. 303
that they may take every piece of his work back again
to him, that fo he may make them know the fecrets
of his counfels, and the depth of his government ; and
that they may put no fenfe on what he doth but his
own, which they arc very ready to do, without wait-
ing till he give them his own mind ; that we darken
not counfel without knowledge.^— In this v/ay he teaches'
us to be modeji in our minds ^ 2.nd fober in our fentimcnis
about what he doth, till once he hath done out his
work, and told out all his mind ; and that, in a fenfe
of our ignorance, we may daily be learning to read
and fpeak, to read his mind diflindlly, and to fpeak of
his actings knowingly ; otherwife we cannot order our
fpeech by reafon of darknefs.—^ln this way he not only
quickens his people to prayer, but gives great matter
of prai/e in the ilfue, when w.bat we know not 7ww^ he
makes known afterward^ and brings light out of darknefs^
yea^ and makes darknefs light before us. How doth it
accent their praife, when the dark cJouds give way to
the bright fun ? The ilTue of his dealing is the more
glorious, when afterwards his gracious and glorious
defign diall be made known — — -But this leads me to
the next thing propofed, namely,
IV. Tht fourth head, which was to point out fome
of the feafons when he makes them know afterwards,
what now they are, or may be in the dark about :
What I do^ thou knoweji not now ; but thou jhalt knoiu
hereafter,
T/?, In general, this hath a reference to the partial
difcovery he gives of his mind in this worlds and the
perfect zn^full difcovery he makes of himfelf in the
world to come. Here he fomctimes difccvcrs what was
dark and inyfterious formerly in his work and dealing ;
but fiill it is only a partial difplay ; For now we know
but in party we prophefy in part : And now we fee but
through a glafs darkly ^ i Cor. xiii. 9, 12. But in the
world to come, that which is perfect fhall come ^ and that
which is in part fid all be done away ; and then v»^e fliall
fee no more through a glafs, but face tQ face. Nozv I knew
P P ^, ^^^
^©4 Dakvl Providences Ser. C
in part, fays the apoflle ; but then Jhall I knowy even
as alfo I am known. At that day ye Jhall know^ fays
Chrlft, that 1 am in my Father^ and you in me^ and I in
you^ John xiv. 20. Here we know him but as he is
KOT, but then pofitively ; for, ^jue floall be like him^for
*we Jhall fee him as he is, 1 John iii. 2. Ye fhall know
hereafter perfedly. But therij
2dly, In particular, it hath a reference to fomc /per
Ctalfeafons, wherein, even in this world, he gives his
people to know afterwards what he 4oth, v/hich at pre-
fent they do not know or underiland; and I fhali touch
at fome of thefe feafons.
1. Sonnetimes the feafon of making known what he
doth, is very Joon, very quickly after the work is done,
;ind fo it was here ; for, after Chrift had waflied his
difclples feet, he explains what he defigned by it, and
that firfl to Peter, by fliewing what walking he efpe-
cially intended ; fo that without it, they eould have no
portion in the fcn of Jeife : If I wajh thee not, thou
hafl no part in me. And then afterwards to all the dif-
ciples he faid, Know you what J have done to you ; and
fo explains it further to them.— And as fometimes he
very quickly explains his work ; fo he doth his word
that was dark and unknown, Chrift had faid, John
xvi. ly. A little i^hile, and ye Jhall iiot fee me : and a-
gain, A Ultl'S vjhtle, and ye Jhall fee me ; becaufe I go to.
the Father : They were puzzled and perplexed about
it, verfe 18. ; and hereupon, before Chrift was done
with fpeaking to them, he explains it to them, ver.
19, — -28.; whereupon they fay, ver. 29, 30. Lo now
fpeakeft thou plainly, and fpeakeji no proverb. Now are
we fare thou knoweft all things, and needeji not that any
Vian fJoould afk thee : by this we believe that thou camejl
forth from Cod, Yet this knowledge that now they
got was but imperfecl, as Chrift's following anfwer
ihews.
2. Sometimes the feafon of making known after^
wards what he nov/ doth, is very long after the work
is done, or the word fpoken, which they are in the
dark about --Our Lord may do great things, and
fpeak gracious words to his people^ ^ud yet they may
be
Ser. C. cleared ifi d u e 'T i m E. 305
be in great darknefs as to the meaning and defign
thereof for a long time. God met v/ith Jacob at Be-
thel, and gave him a glorious manifeftation of himfeif,
and a fweet promife of his prefence and blefllng, and
It was to him tbe boxife ofGod^ and the gate of heaven^
Geii. xxviii. 17. But Jacob knew not what a feaffc
this was to be unto him twenty years afterwards, when
God gave him a new meal upon this old experience ;
faying, / am the God of B^tbel^ where thou anointedji the
pilar ^ and where thou vowedjl a vozv unto me^ Gcnefis
xxxi. 13. He knew not that it v/as to be a preface to
tv^^enty years fervitude ; and that the new remember-
ance and refledion upon it was to be a pledge of a new
vifit of the like nature : that the recognition of an old
Bethel, was to be a preface to a new Penlel. What
do I know but it will take twenty or thirty years to ex-
plain what fome have met with at this occafion in Dun-
fermline. ]/Vbat I do^ thou knouoejl not now ; hut thou
jhalt know hereafter. But whether it be in a fliort time,
or after a long time that he opens up the myftery of
what he does, he is fure to chufe the fit time, the
appointed time, the bed time ; befl for reaching ths
great ends of his glory and our good : The v'lfion is
for an appointed time, at the end it willfpeak, and not
lye ; though it tarry, wait for it : hecaufe it %vill fure-
ly come, it will not tarry, beyond the due time, Hab.
ii. 3.
Again, there are fome circumftance^ of time, where-
in the Lord thinks fit to communicate the knowledge
of what was dark and myfterious, hidden and un-
known in his work and doing to his people. — Some-
times after he hath hid himfelf in the dark from them
in private, he meets v/ith them in public^ and tells
them all his mind : when David went to the fanfiuary,
Pfal. Ixxiii. he got a refolution of his cloudy cafe, and
found, that even at the time \i\% feet was almojl gone^
and hisfieps had zuell 7iigh fjpt ; that even then the
Lord was holding him by his right-hand. They have
feen \\\^ power and glory in the fancluary. — Sometimes
he hides himfelf in ^z/Z'/zV, and gives them more of his
min(i
3o6 Dark Providences Ser. C
mind in z fecret corner: When the difclples ivere alone\
he expounded all things to them^ Mark iv. 34. What
they hear, and yet do not know in public, he clears
it up when he and they are alone. Hence the church
affeds retirement. Song vii. 11, 12. Come^ my Beloved^
let us go forth into the field ; let us lodge in the villages ;
let us go up early to the vineyards ; let us fee if the vine
ftourijh^ &c. ; there luill I give thee my loves : fweet
and fenfible communion is fometimes referved for a
corner, — Again, fometimes what he doth, he makes
them know after a black and long night of defertiony
when he furprifes them with a new vifit, and makes
them fay, The voice of my Beloved ! behold^ he comet h^
leaping upon the mountains^ flipping upon the hills. —
Sometimes he explains his mind more clearly to them,
after he hath tried their faith and patience for a while,
and brought them into great tribulation. John, in
the Revelation, never had fo much of Chrid's mind,
even when he leaned upon Chrid's bofom, as when he
was perfecuted and banifhed into the ifle of Patmos.
Thus it was with Ezekiel, when he was among the
captives by the river of Chebar, then was the heavens
opened, and he fav/ the vifions of God. — Sometimes
it is after deep humiliation tii^f^ fervent fupplication ; fuch
as that of Daniel, chap. ix. 20, 21. Then he js in-
formed by the angel Gabriel of fome great things he
was in the dark about before. — Sometimes the Lord
hath remarkably countenanced his people with great
and glorious difcoveries of his mind, when they have
fet days apart for prayer and confejfion^ afHicliiig them-
felves before him. But, Oh ! where are the Chrif-
tians of former generations, fome of whom would
have ihut themfelves up in their clofets for many days,
and got their meat fliut in to them at the window, and
holes of the door 1 — ^Again, fometimes he referves
the difcovery of what he is doing, till the time that he
gives a n^.ore full and plentiful out-pouring of the Spirit*
What 1 do^ fays Chrift here to Peter, you know not now^
but you fij all know partly, jufl now after I am done w;tli
wailiing your feet ; I will explain it, but you Ihall
know afterwards more cicarlv and diftindlv in the day
o!
Ser. C. cleared in due Time.' 307
of Pentecoft, when the Spirit fiiall be poured out ;
and hence fee Ads ii. how Peter then preached and
pubhlhed the doing, dying, and rifing of Jefus : Wliat
he did was then no more a inyflery to him. And you
fee John xvi. 26. the Spirit, the Comforter is promif-
ed for this very end, to teach tu all ih'mgs^ and to bring
all things to rememherance^ zvhatfoever Cbriji haih [aid
unto us. And wlxen the Spirit is more plentifully af-
terwards communicate, then he brings Chrid's words
and works to rememberance, in fuch a manner, as
to tell us what he intended by fuch a word and fuch
a work j what he faid and did at fuch and fuch a
time.
Again, fometimes he doth it a little before their
death ; he fometimes has anointed them before their
death with eye-falve, and let them fee farther than
ever they faw ; as it was with old Jacob, when his na-
tural eyes w^ere dim, he faw Shiloh coming, to whom
the gathering of the people fliould be ; he faw a little
further, then, I think, than he did either at Bethel or
Peniel, and fomething more concerning Chriif w^as
then explained to him than he knew before. Thus
it was alfo with old Simeon before his death ; he had
got a believing fight of Chrift before, but now he got
an arm-full of Chrift, and a more fenfible fight than
before ; t^ow^ lettejl thou thy fervant depart in peace ;
for 7m?2e eyes have feen thy fcdvation* I have knowai
fome get very clear manifeftations of Chrift before
their death.
In a w^ord, fometnnes at death lifelf ; though fome
of the Lord's fervants and faints have died in much
darknefs, yet others have got Chrift's doings expjlain-
en at death, that have been hid from them ail their
days before. Death may make a breach among
forty or fifty experiences, and bring them down to
two or three perhaps. But death to fome has multipli-
ed their experiences, and made them go through the
valley of the jhadow of deaths triumphing in God's ever-
lafting love. 1 read of Adolphus Clarebachius, who
had been all his lifetime kept under much bondage ;
when he became a martyr, and went to the ftake to
le
^oB' b A n K P R a V I D E K OE s Ser. 0#
be burnt, he then faid, " I have lived a moll melan^
'' choly and dejeded life till this day ; but now I be*
** lieve there is not a merrier heart in the world than
" mine." What the Lord did, by ordering his former
dejection he knew not, till nov/ that it appeared the
Lord's defign by his grievous and heavy life, was to be
a lane and avenue to that glorious and joyful death-
Some have gone thro' the dark trance between time and
eternity with more hght and knowledge of the Lord's
mind and v/orks than ever they had. Jacob never
had a brighter view of his old Bethel-vifit than when
he was upon his death-bed, and had all his children
about him, and fome of his children's children : he
now faw more clearly what God had done, and what
he was further to bring out of the Bethel-promife, with
reference to his numerous ilTuq, and their future pof-
fefiion of the land of Canaan ; and therefore he begins
his dying words with what pad betv/een God and him
at Bethel, Genelis xlviii. 3, 4. God Almighty appeared
to me at Luz, in the land of Canaan^ afid blejfed me ;
and faid^ Behold^ I will ?nake thee fruitful^ and ynultlply
thee ; and I will make of thee a multitude of people^ and
will give this land to thy feed after thee^ for an everlaft-
ingpofjeffion. Then might he fay, I had neither wife
nor children ; but now I fee my children, and my chil-
dren's children ; and I fee what God is about to Aq
with them : and fo he prophcfies of their future increafe
and various circumftances and appearances they w^ere to
make in after-ages. Thus his BethehbleiTmg was ex-
tended, and explained more clearly to him in his dy-
ing moments. What you met with, behever, in fuch
a place, and what you have met with in Dunfermline,
what he hath been doing at former occahons, or at
this occafion, may be, you do not fee through at pre-
fent, perhaps the further exphcation of it is referved
for a death-bed feaft unto you, when he ihines^ upon
his former words and works, and makes you fing of
his falvation, and fay, "Oil remember what he faid '
" to me in fuch a place, and what he did to me at a-
** nother. What he defigned by it was dark and un-
*' known
Ser. C. cleared in due Time. 509
" known to me, but now I fee more of his mind; I fee
" he hath been as good as his word, and that he hath
" done all things welL^* What I do, thou knozveji not now;
but thou /halt know hereafter, perhaps fooner or later,
even before you go into eternity.
V. T\\^ fifth and lafi thing propofed was. To de-
duce fome inferences for the application of the whole.
Is it fo, That the works of God, the doings of Ch rift Je-
fus, towards his people may be fo dark and inyfterious^
hid and imknozvn, till afterwards he make them known f
Hence,
1. See that we have great caufe to be humble and
foher : whatever the Lord hath been doing among us
at this occafion, let us not think that we know all that
he hath done, hnce he is faying, What I do, thou know-
eft not now. Let that great queflion humble us under
a fenfe of our own ignorance. Job xi: 7. Carfl thou by
fear ching find out God? Canfi thou find out the Almighty
to perfedion f It is higher than heaven, zvhat canfi: thou
do f Deeper than hell, what canfi thou knew? Think
not you have learned your lelTon perfedly ; the great-
eft believers on earth are but fcholars as long as they are
in the body. Divine light fliines gradually more and
more to the perfed day of glory ; therefore, wdiatever
they fee they need to fee more cleaily ; whatever they
are taught they need to be taught over again more
perfedly : What a fmall portion of God do we
know ?
2. Hence fee, what reafon believers have to loyigfor
heaven, fmce clouds and darknefs will never be alto-
gether dlfpelled till the beatifical vifion of God and of
the Lamb. That city hath no need of the fun, nor the
moon iojhine in it ; for the glory of God doth enlighten it,
and the Lamb is the light thereof I faw no temple there ;
for the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb, are the te?nple
of it. Rev. xxi. '2 2, 23. It may be faid of all the great
works of God that at prefent he doth, What I do, thou
know efi not now ; but thou fhalt know hereafter, v/nen
time fhall difcover it, even the Lord's time, the fit
time ; and even when that time bath made the difco-
VoL. VL Q^q very
310 D A R K Pr O VI DEN CES SeR.C.
very of what be was doing formerly, it may be alfo faid
of that difcovery, PVbat I do, thou knozveji not now ; but
ihoujhalt knov: hereafter ; when eternity fhali difcovcr
it, and heaven make it manifeft in another and more
glorious manner ; then all his dealings with his people
will be qonfpicuous ; and all his defigns appear, that
before were dark and myflerious.
3. Hence fee, that the church and children of God,
while in this world, muft not think of being exempted
from clouds and darknefs^ even when they have the Lord
near to tliem j for, Clouds and darkncf are round about
h'lm^ PfaL xcvii. 2. And he makes the clouds his cha*
riots wherein he rides towards his people. It is true,
the clouds that furround him have foinetimes a dark
fide, and fometimes a bright fide ; yet even at the
brightefl:, it is but a cloud, w^hercin he appears, and
they know not how far he is to ride upon it, how fooii
it will difappear, and what weather it prognoflicates.
The Lord defigns to give his people, while here, a proof
of his promiied caire, ifa. xlii. 16. In leading the blind
in a way they know not^ in paths they ha'ie not known :
making darknefs light before ihenu a^id crooked things
jlraight. And hence they are moflly kept in the dark ;
fometimes about providences befalling the churchy while
heavy clouds hang over it : fometimes in the dark a-
bout duty relating to the caufe of God, in the day
■wherein they live^ and the word of his patience ; fome-
times in tiie dark about theiry?^/^, and their aiTiired
intereil in Chrift; fometimes in the dark, as to comfort^
when deifitute of that neceifary confolation tlieir heavy
cafe niay require ; fometimes in darknefs about the
word of God, when a vail is drawn over it ; fome-
times about the work of God, and what he is doing,
when they cannot fee his ileps, nor hear his voice, nor
read his mercy and loving kindnefs by reafon of dark-
nefs.
4. Hence fee, that the Lord's time of doijvg is not
always his time q^ fhewing what he doth. He takes his
own time of working, and his own time of fliewing his
work. He may zvajh his difciples feet, and not let them
underfland v/Iiat he is doing, till a more proper time,
where in
Ser. C. cleared //^ d u e T i m e, ^i i
wherein he will fhew the glory of his work which was
hid. Hence prays the church, Pfalm xc 16. Let thy
work appear unto thy fervants^ and thy glory unto their
children. And his time of lliewing himfelf and his
work is ordinarily very fiirprizing and iinexpedled j
may be, it is when their nic^ht is at the darkell, and
their darknefs at the blackefi, then, according to his
promifc, To the upright there arifes light in darknefs^
Vh\, cxii. 4. He makes darknefs light before them ; When
I fit in darknefs^ the Lord ivill be a light unlo me. —
Sometimes indeed he manirefls his work to them, when
they are lending and hoping : For he fatisfes the longing
foul, and Jills the hungry iviih good things, Pfalm cvii. 9.
And yet fometimes he doth it, when they have
loft hope^ as it were, and are lead looking for it ; For
the needy Jh all not always he forgotten : the expedatlon of
the poor fnall not perlfh for e-ver^ Pfalm ix. 18. Inti-
mating, that they may be forgotten for a long time,
hM\. Xhty Jhall not always be forgotten ; their hope and
expectation may feem to periih for a long time, but
thizj fhall not be forgotten for ever : when it is j nil at the
perilhing, he pities poor perilhing hope, Sometimes
to (hew his regard to holinefs and ftridlnefs of walk, he
makes his glory appear to them, when they are exer-
cifed m pra^ieal piety towards God and man. Hence,
To the upright there arifes light in darknef, Pfah cxii. 4,
And, He that hath my commandments, and keepcth them,
be it is that loveih me : and he that loveth me, foall he
loved of my Father., and I will love him, and 7imnifeji my-
fe If unto him, John xiv. 11, 22. And it is in this -way
we are to exped liis coming to manifeft himfelf and his
work. Yet fometinv/^s, to fliew the fovereignty of
his grace, he manifefts himfelf and his gracious worl;,
when their relip;ion is at a low ebb ; their praying frame
is gone ; yea, and their backfiidings multiplied, and
their rebellion increafed ; Ifa. xliii. 22. Thou hajl ml
called upon me, 0 Jacob ; thou haft been weary of, mc,
O Ifrael ; yet upon the back of the challenge, that- he
may melt their hearts with his furprizing grace, he fays,
verfe 25, /, even I am he thai blotteth cut thy tranfgref
fions for my name's fake, and will 71 of remember thy fins.
Qj\% Ifaia'h
312 Dark Providences Ser. C.
Ifaiah Ivii. 17, 18. For the iniquity of his covetoufnefs was
J wroth J and f mote him : I hid me^ and was wroth ^ and
he went on Jrowardly in the way of his heart, I have
[sen his ways^ and will heal him : And / ^vill lead him
' alfo^ and reftore comforts unto him^ and to his mourners.
Some think even this is the feafon the text hath a rela-
tion to. What lam doings by wafhing thy feet ^ thou know*
eji not now ; but thou /halt know hereafter. When af-
ter thou haft denied me thrice^ I will give thee a look,
and thou fhalt go out^ and weep bitterly, When^ upon
the crowing of the cock, thou dialt run away to a cor-
ner, and refiecl upon thy grievous fins, and my gra-
cious look, then Ihalt thou, with a melting heart, fee
more into the myflery of this wafliing, What 1 do^ thou
knoweji not now ; but thm Jhalt know hereafter.
Again,
5. Hence fee ground of enquiry, what the Lord
bath been doings and what you know thereof, and if
it be hid and unknown to you or not.
[i.] Enquire what bath the Lord been doings or what
is he doing towards you at this occafion ; hath he been
flooping down to wafh your feet ?
Qjj£.sT. When may Chrift be faid^ in a fpiritual fenfe^
ioftoop down and wajh his difciples feet ?
Answ. (i.) Then be may be faid to walh their
itti^ when he fnews them their /&2// feet. O Sirs, hath
the Lord been fnewing to you, by his convincing grace,
what foul feet, what filthy afi-edions you have, what a
filthy heart, and what a filthy walk and converfation
you have had ? Hath he made the iniquity of your heels
io compafs you about? as it is, Pfaim xlix. 5. ,j:Hath he
been making you fay, with Ihame and forrow, Iniqui-^
ties prevail againft me ? 0 wretched man that 1 am !
How have I grieved his Spirit, and defiled my feet, by
running into the mire ? O was there ever fuch foul
feet as mine, that carried any to a communion-table.
(2.) Then he may be faid to wafh their feet, when
he makes them dip their foul feet into ihc fountain of
his bloody opened for fin and for uncle annefs. Hath he
been fhewing you the fountain of fin and wickednefs
that
Ser. C. cleared in due Time. 31 j
that is in you, and the fountain of cleanfing and puri-
fication that is in Jefus ; and making you, by faith,
to run in to this fountain of the Lamb's blood, that
cleanfeih from all fin f If thus he hath fprinkled his
blood upon your heart and confcience, and intimate
peace and pardon in his blood, and made it precious to
you, not only as pardoning, but alfo purifying blood,
'then he hath indeed been wafhing your feet.
(3.) Then he may be faid to wadi their feet, when
he makes them, with the woman, Luke vii. 3^. that
Jiood behind him weepings to wajh his feet ivith iears^
and to wipe them with the hair of your head. Have you
been admitted to fuch nearnefs to him, that with huni-
bie boldnefs you have laid yourfelf down at his feet ;
the woman was afhamed to look Chrift in the face,
but came behind him weeping f Have you been filled
with holy humble fliame, and confufion of face before
him becaufe of your fmfulnefs, and in the view and
apprehenfion of his being pacified towards yoUy Ezekiel
xvi, 63.
(4.) Then he may be faid to wafh their feet, when
they are made to v/a(li their feet in the blood of his ene*
mies ; as it is faid of the righteous. He Jhall waft:) his
feet in the blood of the wicked.^ and rejoice v:hen he feet
the vengeance^ Pialm Iviii. 10. : fo we may fay of be-
lievers, when ChriH is waihing their feet, they dcfireto
fee the heart-blood of their and his enemies, their un-
belief, atheifm, and all their lufts and idols : their joy
would be to fee the vengeance of God upon them ;
they are filled v^ith holy revenge againfl them, 2 Cor.
vii. II. The reafon otthis being an evidence of his
wafhing, is, becaufe, when he waflies them, he doth
it according to that promifc, Ezek. xxxvi. 25. I will
Jprinkle clean water on you^ a?id you Jhall be clean : from
ally our filthinefs^ and from all your idols will J clean fe you ^
Now, hath he thus been wafhing your feet ?
[2.] Inquire what you know, with reference to his
work : if you know that he hath been wafhing you,
this is more than fimple walhlng ; and in fuch a cafe,
he is faying to you in effe6t, What I do, thou knoweft^
and thou f halt know more hereafter. It is x^nc thing to
314 Dark Providences Ser. C.
be wafnen, another to be alTured of it ; and if he hath
given you the affured knowledge of his work, furely
ibmewhat of Peter^s amazement will fill your heart,
Lordy doft ihou wajh my feet f O Sirs 5 wonder, won-
der men and angels, that the Lord of glory fliould have
Hooped down fo far below himfelf to fuch a filthy worm
as to wadi me in his blood ! What JI:>all I render to the
Lord f Is this the manner of man f But this is not eve-
ry one's allowance. O be thankful and humble ; and
whatever you know this way, remember you know
but in part, and there is much more in what he doth
than yet you know% There are other believers here,
that perhaps know not all what Chrift hath been doing
with them ; He hides his face, and they are troubled*
They cannot fay he hath been wafhing their feet, but
rather wounding their hearts, and frowning upon them ;
Handing at a dilfance, and keeping them at the back
of the door ; the Comforter that jhould relieve their fouls
being fur away, 'V\d\y as the believer, that is clear,
knows not how foon he may be under a cloud : fo the
believer that is under a cloud, knows not how foon
the fky may be cleared, and both thefe cafes may be
paving the way for what is a-coming, when the Lord's
defign breaks out : therefore, whatever be the cafe,
let this word be fcill the confideration, What I do, thou
kmweft not now ; hut thou fl^alt know hereafter.
Therefore,
6. Hence let us fee the duty of all, hoxh faints and
finners in this great meeting of people. It yields fpe-
cial inftrudion to all the faints and children of God,
whatever their cafe be, and whatever the Lord is do-
ing, efpecially if his w^ay be hid and unknown, dark
arid myllerious in any refpect to them j and firil to
diiciples.
(i.) It is your duty, O believer, to 7nark what the
Lord is doing ; to obferve his fiatelv fleps and goings in
the fanduary, though they be very hid and unknown ;
yea, the rather that they are dark and myflerious,
they are the more worthy to be known. It is a
mark of the gracelefs, they connder not the opera-
tions
S E R. C. cleared m d u e T i m e. 315
tions of his hand. ^ But liohofo is wife., and will ch-
ferve ihcfe things^ even they JJmll under/land the lo-ving-
kindnefs of the Lord, This obferving comprehends a
beUeving that the Lord is carrying on his work, tho*
clouds hide him from our fight, and a palling a fuit-
.able judgment on what he is doing, conllruing all for
the beft ; this is to confider wifely cf his doings Pfalni
Ixiv. 9. Believing that all is good, and for the good
of his people, we ihould confider his w^ork, till we ob-
fervc his loving-kindnefs therein. Therefore,
(2.) It is your duty never io judge barfhly of his do-
ings, however hid and unknown they may be ; yea,
however heavy and afflidive : will you meafure Go<:i*s
love by outward difpenfations, or even by inward de-
fertlon ? Though, indeed, it becomes you to weep
when the bridegroom is away, as well as to rejoice
when he is prefent ; yet meafure not his love by his
providence, but by his proniife. Jt is the foolifli child
that thinks the mother hath cafl him off every time
fli,e is out of fight, or has given him out of her arms ;
therefore, fay not when he hides himfelf, " Oh I his
" heart is changed ; his love is gone ; ail he did was
" but a delufion ; there is no hope ; all is undone !*'
Whatever be his dealings, though you ihould not be
able to give an account of them ; yet what you cannot
believe by knowing, you mull: know by believing :
w^e mull: believe when we cannot know : wink at pro-
vidences, and open your eyes to promifes.
(3.) Do not quarrel and qucjiion w'hat you do not
know, but floop down, and Hand in awe ; Be flilU
and know that he is God, and w^ili a6t like himfelf ; fet
not li?/iits to the holy One of Ifrael, by concluding that
he will not come, becaufe he comes not in the time
and way that you imagine. Be afraid to think that
you could manage otherwife, and do better than infi-
nite wifdom fees fit to do. What abominable pride i,>
that ! O entertain high thoughts of him, whole ways
are fo hi^h above your reach, that what he doth you
know not : and if his works are fo high above you^
how high an«d unfearchable are his counfels; yet, O ftili
rer.;cmber, whatever clouds are/ or may be in your
IkY,
3i6 D A RK Pr 0 viD E^ c E s Ser. C.
Iky, he hath eftabllflied a firra connexion between
black dlfpenfations and fair promifes.
(4.) If you would know more of what the Lord is
doing, you muft ftudy to be pracllcal Chriftians, and
to walk in the fear of the Lord ; for, The fecret of the
Lord is with the?n that fear him^ Pfal. xxv. 14. The
nearer you live to God, the more may you exped to
know of his mind, and to be led by an unfeen hand
in a dark day ; for. The meek will he guide in judgment^
the meek will he teach his ways : ftudy therefore, to
walk humbly with your God ; and what he doth^ tho^
you know not now^ youfball know hereafter,
(5.) Be not/roz/^and lifted up ; if you know more
than others, and if he be ufing you as friends, accord-
ing to John XV. 15, Henceforth I call you not ferv ants ^
for the fervant knows not what his Lord doth ; but I have
called jou friends : for all that I have heard of my Father^
I have made known unio you. And, lefi you be exalted
above meafure^ think not ftrange though he fliould or-
der a thorn in the flefJd for you, and a crofs to keep you
down ; remember how formerly the crofs hath born
down your pride, reftrained your predominant, and
put you to your prayers, and fent you groaning to a
God in Chrlft. Be not proud of what you know ;
for, though you be in higher favour than fome of your
neighbours, you know not what weather is coming,
nor what ftorms may blow upon you, or upon the
church of Chrift ; or whether this be your laft com-
munion.
(6.) If what he doth be dark and unknown to you
now ; O wait upon him who fays, Toufjall know here-
after.— O wait upon him believingly ; when his work
is dark and hid to you, it is the proper feafon for faith
to bud and bring forth : 7 will wait upon the Lord^ that
hides his face from the houfe of Jacob., Ifa. viii. 7. Even
when promifed things look like improbable and im-
polTible things ; yet, having the firm word of God that
cannot lye nor change, there you are to reft as anchor-
ed upon that immoveable rock, and Tide out all ftorms
of carnal reafonings and corrupt fuggeftions. — Wait
upon him patiently ; The Lord is a God of judgment^ blef*
fed
Ser. C. chared Z;^ D L e T i m E. 317
fed are all they that %v ait for him, Pfalm xl. i, 2. /
waited patiently upon the Lord^ and he inclined unto mc^
and heard my cry. He brought me out of the horrible pit,
out of the miry clay^ and fet my feet upon a rock, and ef"
tablilhed my goings ; afid he put a new fong in my mouth,
even praife unto our God, Whatever be bis difpenfa-
tions, though he flay me, yet will 1 truft in him ; what-
ever dark clouds appear, either in his work, or his
word. The poor woman of Canaan met with many
difcouraging things, even in her apphcation to Chrift ;
at firll he anfvvers her not a w^ord ; and when he fpeaks
a word, the firft thing he faid, feeming to exclude her
out of his commifTion ; / am not fent, but to the Icji
Jheep of the houfe of IfraeL Alas ! now might fhe fay,
I need pray no more, I am a caft-away 1 Nay, but ftie
goes on, faying. Lord, help me : then he calls her a
dog ; yet flill fhe waits, and then gets a merciful and
marvellous hearing ; 0 woman, great is thy faith, be it
unto thee, even as thou wilt. Go on thus, believer :
O incredulous believer, give him trud, and give bim
time, and he will clear all to you in the ilTue, though
it fhouid be through fire and water, that he brings you
to the wealthy land. You have his promife fealed 'svith
his precious blood, and his folemn oath, that when you
go through the fire and through the water, he will be with
you, whether you difcern him or not. You know not
now what he doth or defigns ; you know not what deep
fteps are before you in point of trouble ; but with his
promife in your hand, you may fay as it is, Pfal. Ixxi.
<2o. Thou which haft fhewed me great and fore troubles,
fhalt quicken me again, and Jh all bring me up from the
depths of the earth, Thou jh alt increafe 7ny greatncfs, and
comfort me on every fide, — You know not wh at /^^.V fteps
are before you in point o^fn. Now 1 am wafliing thy
feet, might Jefus fay to Peter, but thou knoweft not
that this is but a dark fpecimiCn of another fort of
w^afhing you will very foon need ; For before the cock'
crow twice, you will deny me thrice, notwithftanding your
prefent refolution, Ihat though all men for fake me, yet
wilt not thou. You know^ not now, that you will fear-
fully defile your feet, even after I h;:ivewafheh themi
V b L. Y\. R r O won-
3i8 Dark Providences Ser. C,
O wonderful Jcfus, that he fhould wafli the feet he
knows will be fo foon in the puddle again ! But what-
ever ihould come about, though Satan, through his
temptations fliould hurry you into the mire of fin ; yet
beware of being hurried on the back of that into the
depth of defpair ; for that is what the devil drives at,
that he may make you affront both the law and the gof-
pel of God at once ; that having tempted you to dif-
honour his name, by breaking his commandments in
the law, he may thereupon tempt you to difcredit his
grace, by defpairing of any good from him by the pro-
roife of the gofpel : therefore, O believer, fee the need
of waiting and watching every moment, and the need
of the Lord's wafhing and watering every moment, ac-
cording to the promife, Ifaiah xxvii, 3. 7 the Lord do
keep it, I will water it every moment. Think not that
one wafhing or watering now will do your bufmefs ;
though, through the Lord's fliining upon you, you
were in a heaven of joy and confolation this moment,
you know not but, through his hiding and withdraw-
ing, you may be in a hell of fm and forrow the next
moment ; and though our glorious Lord were wafhing
your feet this moment, I cannot promife, but before
the cock crow twice, your feet will be as dirty as ever
they were : therefore, O wait and depend upon him
for wafhing and watering you every moment.
O beware offecurity ; for you never got fo much of
his grace and fulnefs one moment, as fhall allow you
liberty to flacken your dependence upon him in the
next. In this way of waiting upon him, though now
you know not what he doth, Tet you Jlmll knozv here-
after, and he will give you occafion to fee him bring
his work, though it fhould be through terrible ways,
to an amiable ifl'ue, and give occafion to fay, as Pfaim
Ixvi. 5, 6. Co?ne and fee the works of the Lord ; he is
terrible in his doings towards the children of men ; he
turned the fea into dry land, and there did we rejoice in
him. He turned a fea of tribulation into a dry land of
confolation ; and verfe 10. Come and hear all ye that
fear God, and I zvill tell wlmt he hath done for my foul,
What he doth novv^, by all the blinks and Ihowers, the
vicif-
S E R. C. cleared //z d u e T i m e . 319
viciflitudes and changes, the florms and calms of your
cafe, the dark and inyflerious ways he takes you thro%
he will come, foon or late, afterwards and explain to
you, faying, as it is Pfalm Ixxxi. 7. Thou calledjl in
trouble^ and I delivered thee ; J anfwered thee in the fe-
cret -place of thunder ; I proved thee at the waters of
Meribah. Ifaiah xlv. 5. I girded thee ^ though thou didji
not know me. What I do^ thou knozueji not now ; it may
take fome days or years to explain what he now doth :
however little or much you know ; perhaps a day of
approaching trial will make you know more ; a day of
death may make you know it better ; but the day 01
glory belt of all. lou fhall knozv hereafter^ believer,
partly on earth, and perfectly in heaven \ gracioufiy in
time, and glorioufly through eternity.
I fhall now conclude with a word to enemies^ iofin^
ners^ that are yet utter ftrangers to our Saviour Jefus
Chrift. O ye that are defpifers of the Lord of glory,
though he hath hQtx\fet forth evidently crucified before
you at this occafion. What fliall I fay to you ? May
not I tell thee, O fmner, how this text may be applied
to you ? Chrift is faying even to thee, What I do^ thou
knowefi not now ; but thou foalt know hereafter. Hp
hath been doing fomething before your eyes^ at this oc-
cafion, and you knov/ it not ; yea, he hath been do-
ing fomething to you that you do not know and confi-
der ; though he hath not been wafliing your i&<iX^ yet
he hath been oli'ering to wafn you, and not your feet
only, but your head and hands ; for the believer that
is wafhed already by regenerating grace, needethnot,
fave to wafh his feet ; but you need that your head and
heart be walhen, as well as your hands and feet. You
need to be wafnen from the filthinefs of your (late, as
well as from the filthinefs of your ways : but whatever
walhing you need, he hath been offering it, and him-
felf to be the doer of it, faying. If J wajh thfe not^ thou
haft no part in v.ie. And to this moment he is offering
himfelf -to you, faying. Wilt thou be made clean f wilt
thou let me wafh thy heart, and hands, and feef I No,
%oy foys unbelief^ thou flialt never wafh my feet, it
R r 2, >■ is
320 Dark Providences Ser.C,
is too much for Chrifl the Son of God to do ; I will
wafh myfcflf, and repent, and turn reUgious againft
fome other time ; for the prefent, I am otherwife ta-
ken up. Will you refolve to put no employment in
Chrifi's hand ? Is that the way you treat his kindly
offer, when he opens the door of mercy to you, and
calls you by this minifler and that minifter, and the
other minifter, all telling you, that you fhall be wel-
come for all your fms, and faying, Hhn that comeib, I
will in no wife caft out f Be who you will, young or old
fmner, behold the humble Jefus makes the mod con-
defcending offer to you, that ever men or angels heard.
0 filthy fmner, will you let me wafh you ; For^ iflwajh
you noiy you have no part in me^ nor ever fliali ?
If you are fo wedded to your filthy lufts, that you
are not willing to be walhen from them, I mufl tell
you, that you know not what you are doing, and
know not what Chrift is doing; but you JJo all know her e-
after ^ either in a way of wrath, to your great confu-
fion ; or in :^ way of mercy, to your deep remorfe.
I. What he doth by this offer to wafli you, you pall
know hereafter to your confufion. Perhaps, when you
are gafping for breath upon a death-bed, and confcience
av/aking, fhall begin to fay, O many a fweet offer of
Chrift and mercy did I get, and flighted, and this a-
mongft the reft, when he offered to walh my feet, and
1 refufed and rejected his offer! Tou fhall know here-
afier^ when you fhall hear the awful doom pafs againfl
you. Depart from me^ ye cur fed ^ into everlafting fire ^ pre-
fared for the devil and his angels ; and when, with
weeping and gnafking of teeth, you f jail fee Abraham, I-
Jaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, apofiles, andfoU
lowers of the Lamb in the kingdom of heaven, and yourfelf
Jhut out ; and when thou fhalt think and fay, " O vile
" wretch that I was, I might have been yonder in glo-
** ry J but I was taken up with the vain world, and
•' my vile lufts, and was unwilling to be wafhen from
*' them, and now I muft be lodged in hell among de-
** vils and damned reprobates for ever/* Oh ! think
upon this bef"orc it be too late !
Ser. C. cleared in- due Time. 321
2. If mercy prevent you after this refufal : What he
710W doth^ youjhall know hereafter to your bitter remorfe.
If ever the Lord have mercy on you, and manifeft
himfelf to you, oh! how will it go like a fword to your
heart, and pierce you to the quick, when he fliall fay,
/ am Jofepb your brother^ whom you fold into Egypt I I
am Jefus your Saviour, whom you flighted ! I am he
whofe cries you contemned, and whofe kind offers you
difregarded : when I offered to wafli your feet, you
lifted up your heel againft me ; and now. How jh all
I put thee among the children f How ihall I deliver thee,
that haft fo undervalued my kindnefs, and trampled on
my blood, wherein I offered to wa(h you ? What a
knell will this be to your heart, if he have mercy upon
you afterwards : and, O that the bitter remorfe were
begun in your bofom this moment, with a wo is me
that I have flighted fuch an offer fo long. O ! is he
faying to the vileft fmner in this company. Come and
let mc wafli you ! O then, were your heart faying.
Lord, come, and welcome ! O come and wafli my con-
fcience from the guilt, and my heart from the filth of
fm ; it were good. Arc you cordially willing, and
prefently willing, and univerfally willing to be waflien
in his h\oodi, from all your filihinefsy zud fro?n all your
idols ? Why then ? 1 hope he is doing fomething upon
your heart and will, which, though now you cannot
underitand, he will explain mercifully in due time ; for
it is his own promife : PVhat i do^ thou knowejl not jzow^
kut tl^u fhali know hereafter^
SER M O N
SERMON Cr.
The Great Trumpet of the Ever
lafling GofpeL
Isaiah xxvii. 13.
And it Jhall come to pafs in that day^ that the great trum*
-pet jhall he blown^ and they Jhall come which were
.ready to perijh in the land of AJpyria^ and the out'
cajis in the land of Egypt ^ and Jhall worjhip the Lord
in his holy mount at Jerufalem^
MY friends, it is only the trumpet of common
providence that hath, perhaps, gathered you
together to this place, you hearing the news go thro'
the country, that the facramental feafc was to be kept
here, and fo you have come along with the reft ; but
it is the great trumpet of fpecial powerful grace that
can gather periihing fmners together to Ghrift, and make
them come to him for life and falvation, liberty and re-
demption from their fpiritual captivity. And, O may
the found of this trumpet be fo heard, as many may
come to Jefus at this occafion, that they may worfhip
the Lord fpiritually in his holy mountain !
Thefe words are to be confidered, firft in their //-
ieralj and then in their typical and fpiritual meaning,
in order to deduce a fuitable doctrine from them,
ly?, As to the literal import of the words, they re-,
late to the church of Ifrael that was fcattered, their be-
* This fermon was preached at_ Abernethy, upon Saturday, July
*4'h, 1736. Bsirg the preparation-day before the adminiflrauon
of the facrament of the Lord's iupper. It hath undcrgons {i:^ im-
preffions.
ing
Ser. CI. The Great Trumpet, &c. 323
ing gathered together and brought back to Jerufalem.
Though the body of the people was abandoned as a
people oi no under/landings ver 11.; yet mercy was
laid up in flore for fome that were to be gathered as
the fheep of the flock, when the Ihepherds (the rulers
in church and ftate) that fcattered them fhould be rec-
koned with ; Thus faith the Lord God^ Behold^ I am
qgainji the Jhepherds^ and I will require my fock at
their hand, and caufe them to ceajl from feeding thejlock;
neither Jhall the Jhepherds feed themfelves any more ; for
1 will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may
not he meat for them. For thus faith the Lord God, Be^
hold, I evenly will both fearch my fheep, and feek them
out. As a fhepherd feeketh out his flock in the day that he
is among his fheep that are fcattered ; fo will I feck out
my fheep, and will deliver them out of all places where
they have been fcattered in the cloudy and dark day^
Ezek. xxxiv, lo, — 12. Now, concerning thefe fcat-
tered Ifraelites you may obferve thefe particulars.
1. From what place they were to be brought and
gathered. We are told, the Lord fliould beat them
off; that is, as fruit from a tree, which is carefully
gathered for the ufe of men ; and he ihould beat them
o^from the channel of the river to the Jir earn of Egypt ;
that is, from the river Euphrates to the river Nilus,
which were the two borders of the land of promife.
All the Ifraelites left in the land are here oppof-
ed to thefe of them that are difperfed into foreign
parts, fuch as Afiyria and Egypt : he (hall find out
his fcattered people, and feparate them from thefe
with whom they feem to be incorporated ; thefe that
were driven to the land of Affyria, ready to perifn for
want of necefiaries, and ready to defpair of delive-
ranee : and thefe that were outcalls in the land of E-
gypt, whither thefe that were left behind, after the
captivity into Babylon, went, contrary to God's ex-
prefs command, Jer. xhii. 6, 7. and there lived as
outcafts.
2. In what manner they were to be gathered j ver,
12. Tefkall he gathered one by one, 0 ye children of If-
rael ; pointing out either the fmalnefs of the remnant
of
324 ^h^ Great Trumpet of Ser* CI.
of that numerous people, or rather God's exad and
lingular careofthem,that notoneof them fhouldbelofl.
As God had mercy in (lore for periiliing outcafts, and
will make it appear that, though they are call out, they
are not caft off ; fo he takes particular care of gather-
ing them one by one ; not in multitudes, but firil one,
as it were, and then another. This, indeed, is the
way of God's gathering his ele61: remnant : for ordina-
ry they are but few : And of Zion it isfaid^ This man
and that man is horn there*
3. By what means they fhall be gathered. The great
irumpet fhall he hhwn ; that is, by the proclamation of
liberty by king Cyrus to the captives, which awaken-
ed the Jews, that were afleep in their thraldom, to be-
ftir themfelves and return to Jerufalem and their own
land ; of which proclamation you read, 2 Chronicles
xxxvi. 22, 23. Ezra i. 2, 3, 4. This was like the found-
ing of the jubilee-trumpet, which publilhed the year
of releafe ; thus God was tofummon them, as it were,
by the found of a trumpet from the remotefl: parts of
the earth, by an eminent call or a6t of his providence
in their behalf ; and particularly from Aifyria, v/here
the ten tribes where carried captive ; and from Egypt,
where many of the Jews were.
4. For what end they fliould be gathered, namely.
To worfhip the Lord in the holy mountain at Jerufalem,
Though the holy temple was in ruins, yet they had
the holy mount, the -place of the altar ^ Gen. xiii. 4.
Liberty to worfhip God in his inilituted ordinances is
a mod valuable and defirable liberty.
2^//, As to the typical 2c^^ fpiritual meaning of thefe
words. That they have a further view than what I
have yet mentioned, will appear, if you confider, that
as king Cyrus was an eminent type of our Lord Jefus
Chrifl ; fo the deliverance of Ifrael from the Babylo-
nifh captivity and Egyptian thraldom, by his means,
was eminently typical of the redemption to be wrought
for fmners through Jefus Chrifl, from their fpiritual
bondage. To this purpofe you may read, Ifa. xliv. 28.
and xlv. i,— 4» In all this Cyrus was a type of Chriil:.
who
6er. CI. the Everlasting Gospel. 31 j
who was made vl6lorious over principalities and pow-
ers, and intruiled v^ith unfearchable riches^ for the u-fe
and benefit of God's fervants his eled When he af-
cended on high he led captivity captive^ taking thefe
captives who had taken others captive, and opened the
frifon io ibem that zvere bov.iid.
Again, Cyrus' proclamation of liberty to the captive
in-aelites, which was here prophehed of, more than
a hundred years before it came to pafs, is compared to
^}^^ blowing of a great trumpet^ in aliufion plainly to the
filver trumpets which the priefls were to ufe, Numb,
X. 2. for aiTembiing the Ifraelites : which fignihed how
the minifters of Chriif fhouid lift up their voice like a
trumpet^ to ^cw people iheir fms^ Ifa. Iviii. i. ; and to
call them^ home to Chrift out of their captive ftate.
To the fame purpofe. Lev. xxiii. 23. we read of the
feaji of trumpets ; a memorial of blowing of trumpets
on the hrfl day of the feventh month, the beginnin^p^
of the year of jubilee. This was typical^' the preach- i
ing of the gofpel ; and in aliufion to this, they are faid
to be bleffed that hear the joyful found ^ PfaL Ixxxix. i ^ ;
that are invited to come to Chrifr, and to wait upon
God in his pubHc iniiituted ordinances. Mount Zion
alfo here mentioned being an eminent type of the gof-
pel-church, this text is not only applicable to the preach-
ing of the gofoel of Chrift, for gathering Tinners to
him ; but the typical and fpiritual fenfe of it is a pro-
phetical declaration and promife of the coriveifioii of
the nations to the faith of Chrift, by the blowing of
the filver trumpet of the everlailing gofpel
Here tlien in the words you have thefe four things
reprefented to you.
1. The JQd and miferahle cafe of fanners by nature,
they are outcajl^^ ready to penfto^ under their fpiritual
captivity to fm, and Satan, and the wraih of God.
2. The rtV/r/' provided and proclaimed in their ears^
by the great trumpet of the gofpel, whicii proclaims
the acceptable year of the Lord^ the year of liberty to
perifning captives ; The great trumpet jhallhe I
ait Oe ViCU:?7,
3. The power and efficacy of this relief, thus pro-
claimed by found of trumoet. fcr dtterminincr all the
Vol. VL Sf ' " chofcn
325 Th4 Great Trumpet of Ser. CL
chofen Ifrael of God, to betake themfelves to the city
of refuge ; They JJoall come ; the gofpel of Chrifl fhall
be the power of God to their falvation : they fhall come
to Chrift,
4. The end and deftgn of their coming to Chrifl,
namely, that they may fer've and worfnip the Lord in
his holy mounts and that they may have fellowihip and
communion with God in Chrifl ; and, being accepted
in the Beloved, may offer acceptable fervice to him in
his holy place.
PafTmg many dodrines that may be drawn from
the words, I fliaD, as the Lord may afTifl, fpeak to this
only.
0 B s E R V. That as it is the duty of perifhing fin-
tiers ^ who hear the gofpel^ to come to God in Chrijl
as the only Saviour and glorious objed of worfhip ;
fo it is an encouraging promife, that when the great
trumpet of the gofpel is blozun^ a number of outcajl
ftnnersy ready to perifh^ fhall come^ and fhall wor^
fhip and ferve him acceptably in bis holy mount.
1 might, at confiderable length, prove every branch
of this dodrine.
1. That it is the duty of perifhing finners to come to
Chrift the Saviour : this is plain from all the calls of
the gofpel : Whofoever willy let him take of the water of
life freely^ Rev. xxii. 17. Ho^ every one that thiifiethj
come ye to the waters ^ Ifa. Iv, i. Come unto me all ye that
labour and are heavy laden^ and I will give you refi^ Mat.
xi. 28.
2. That they ought to come to him as God the Sa-
'yiour, and God the glorious objed of worjhip^ by whom
"we are to worfliip God, and whom we are to worlhip
as God ; Ifa. xlv. 22. Look to wf, and be faved^ all thi
ends of the earth ; for I am God, aiid there is 7ione clfe,
John V. 23. All men muft honour the Son^ even as they
honour the Father ; who therefore fays, This is my be-
loved Son^ 'hear ye hinu
3. That it is ih^ great trumpet of the gofpel that is the
means for gathering fmners to Chrifl, is plain, Rom.
ix, 17,
Ser. CI. the Everlasting Gospel. 327
x'u 17. Faith comes by hearings and hearing by the word
of God* For this end a gofpel miniftry is given, Eph.
iv. 12 ; and therefore miiiifters are called io preach the
gofpel to every creature^ Mark xvi. 15.
4. That a niwiher offinners^ ready toperifh^ fliall come
at the blowing of this trumpet, and that it fliall be pow-
erful and effe6lual for bringing them, is alfo plain ;
for, Romans i. 16. the gofpel is the power of God to
their falvai ion : for therein is the right eoufnefs of God
revealed from faith to faith, The eledion fhall ob-
tain. And as many as were ordained to eternal life [hall
believe^ Rom. xi. 7. Adsxvii. 48. Vl\% people fhall be
lullllng In the day of\\\s power ^ Pfal. ex. 3.
5. That, being thus brought back to God in Chrift,
\\\cj foall worjhlp hint acceptably In his holy 7noimt^ is al-
fo plain from thefe and the like promifes, Pfal. xxii.
•27. All the ends of the earth Jhall remember and turn to
the Lord ; and all the kindreds of the nations foall wor-
fhlp before thee ; for the kingdom Is the Lords^ and he is
the governor among the nations, Pfal. Ixxxvi. 9. All na-
tions whom thou haft made fhall come and woifolp before
ihee^ 0 Lord ; and Jhall glorify thy name. They will
worfhlp towards his holy temple^ Pfal. cxxxviii. 2. Hence
fays David, Pfal. li. 18, 19. D^ good In thy good plea-
fiire to Zlon ; build thou the walls of Jerufalcm, Then
foalt thou be plea fed with the fa orifices of right eoufnefs^
with burnt ofj'erlngs^ and whole burnt offerings ; then
fhall they offer bullocks upon thine altar. When he fends
forth his light and trutb^ then lie brings them to his
holy hill and to liis tabernacle ; and then do they come
to the altar of God, to God their exceeding joy^ Pfalm
xlii. 3, 4. ; then they fliall worfliip a God in Chriil
acceptably and joyfully, Ifa. Ivi. 6, 7.
Thus you may fee the doclrine plain in every branch
of it ; That as it is the dutv cf perifmng finners ^ that
hear the gofpel^ to ccme to God in Chrift^ as the only Sa-
viour and glorious objed of worfhlp ; fo It Is an encourag-
ing promlfe^ that when the great trumpet of the gofptl
is blown^ a number of out caji [inner s^ ready to per[lh. fhall
come^ andfiall worfhlp andferve him acceptably in his ha^
ly mount*
S f i The
328 Vjc GiiEAT Trumpet cf Ser. CI.
The method wherehi I would fpeak to it, as ilie
Lord in ay aililt, is the following,
L To confider a little the fiaie and condition of Tin-
ners by nature, as ouicajh^ ready to perifh.
XL The duty of fmners to come to Chrift as the Sa-
viour, the great Lord-deliverer, and glorious ob-
je6l of worfhip.
IIL Speak of the incans by which the Lord gathers
thefe fmners thus to him, namely, the blowing of
the great goff el trumpet,
IV. Touch .at the ejpcacy of thefe means, and flicw
why it is promifed they fiall come.
V. Speak of the end for v/h;ch they fnall come,
their worjhipplng liirn in his holy mountain.
"VI. Deduce fome inferences for the application of the
whole,
L We r.re to touch a little at the fadftafe and circurn*
fiance of firmer s by nature. Nov/, there are two words
here, by which, O fmner, your natural fad (late is
reprcfented ; i. As oivlccfts., or fmners call cut. 2.
As (inners ready to peri fo,
I. We are outcafis, as Ifrael in Egypt were defign-
cd : and this is the name fever al times given to fmners
in fcvipture, in allufion to the outcufi: Ifraelites ; Pfal.
cxivii. 2. 'I be Lord fr^all build up Jervfalem^ the Lord
gat he ret b in the outcafls of Jjracl, Ifa. xi. 12. He Jhall
fet up an enfign for the nations : befall a/femble the out"
cajls of ifrael from the Jour corners of the earth. The
■Lord feems to glory in this name 01 gathering outcafts ;
for I fmd him again taking it to himfelf, Ifa. Ivi. 8.
The Lord %vhich gathers the outcafts of Ifrael^ faith ^ Tet
Izvill gather others to hini^ he fides thefe thai are gathered
I0 hinu Now, if you enquire in what refpect fmners
are ouicafs., (the confideration of this is neceffary, in
order to your coming to Chrift, wlienthe gofpel-trum-
pet is blown in your ears ; for, you will not prize the
proclamation of mercy, if you do not fee what a mife-
rable outcaLl (late you are in,) know then, O fmner,
that
SiE.R. CI, ihe Everlasting Gospel, jf^g
that by your fin and fall in the fir ft Adam, you are
caft out of God's, favour z.vAfellovjjhip^ being an alien
from the common-wealik of Ifrael^ and a Jir anger to the
covenant of pronitfe^ having no hope^ and without God
in the worlds Eph. ii. 12. Like the wretched infant,
Ezek. xvi. 5. caft out into the open fields to the lothing
of thy perfon in the day that thou waft horn ; having ns
eye to pity^ or have compajfion upon thee* O finners, you
are fuch outcafls, that not only have you cafl out your-
felves, by fin in Adam, and in your own perfon, by
original and adual fin, but you are call out by the jufw
tice of God, executing the law-fentence sgainft you*
You are under the curfe of the law. Gal. iii. 10. Cur-
fed is every one that continueih not in all things which are
written in the book of the law to do iheni. You are not
only under the fentence of the law, the fentence o£
condemnation, but the fentence is partly executed \
the fentence is, nQU Jhalt die, thou fhalt fiirely dic^
Genefis ii. 17. And behold, thou art dead, thou art
furely dead in fins and trefpaffes. The fentence is paf-
fed on thee, thou art legally dead ; the fentence is
executed in thee, thou art fpiritually dead : Being le*
gaily dead, thou art condemned already ; and, being
fpiritually dead, the fentence of condemnation is partly
executed already ; and there is nothing but the fmall
hair of a mortal life between thee and the full exe-
cution of that fentence in thy eternal death. — Thus
you are caft out of God's prefcnce, caft out of his
vineyard ; not only fet out, or gone out, but by vir-
tue of the law-wrath you are under, caft out like s
dead dog caft over the wall of a city ; For without are
dogs^ Rev. xxii. 15.
In a word, 0 finner, you are caft out to the devil,
and led captive by him at his pleafurc. The devil hath
pofteflion of you, he works in the heart of the children
efdifohedience* The devil is your god ; for lie is ihe
god of this worldy that blindeth your minds that believe
not^ 2 Cor. iv. 4.
In thefe, and the like refpects, you are outcaft^j
caft out of God's houfe, ^nd caft out to the devil ;
caft
33^ 5^^ Great Trumpet of Ser. CI.
caft out into the mire, and wallowing in the mire of
iin and lufts ; poor, vile, and miferable outcafls.
2. You are ready to perifiy in your outcafl (late, on
the very brink of periihing for ever, if mercy interpofe
not ; ready to die both the firft and fecond death.
Ready to die thcjirfi death; for your life is but a fpan,
and the half of it is pafh already, and perhaps much
more. Pray, where are your grandfather and grand-
mother ? Yea, may we not fay to fome here, Where
are your fathers and mothers ? Is not their time pad:,
and their acquaintance, whom you and your neigh-
bours knew } Is it not juft a dream to think on the
days of old ? Are they not all gone like a fhadow, and
the place where they were knows them no more ?
Like a bird that flies through the air, leaving no vef-
tige behind it ; or like a fliip that cuts out its way in
the fea, and immediately the water clofes up behind
it, and the place is not known through which it went.
Is not your life pcrifliing in that fame manner ! And
you cannot promife upon another year, nay, nor upon
another month, nay, not upon another week, nay, not
upon another day, nay, nor upon another hour, nay,
not upon another minute, another moment. — You are
ready to periih in your outcafl ftate, ready to die ;
and if you die in it, then you die for ever.
You are ready to die the fecond deaths which you
have defcribed, Rev. xxi. 8. But the fearful^ and un^
belie^ing^ and the abominable^ and murderers^ and whore-
viongers^ and fore ever s^ and idolaters^ and all liars ; jhall
have their part in the lake which burneth with f re and
hrimflone^ which is the fecond death. You have it def-
cribed alfo, 2 Their, i. 8. w4iere it is faid, Chrifl will
come in flaming fire^ taking vengeance on them that know
not God, and obey not the gofpel ; who foall be puni/hed
with everlafting defiriicllon from the pre fence of the Lord^
and the glory of his power ; or by his powerful and
wrathful prefence, which they fnall for ever have ;
and by being baniihed from his gracious and glorious
prefence which they fnall for ever want ; for as hea-
ven is a being far ever with the Lord ; fo hell is a being
for ever without him. The wicked may think it an
Ser. CI. the Everlasting Gospel,' 5^1
eafy punifliment to be without God now, while they
know not his infinite excellency ; but befide the pu-
nifnment of fenfe, and fenfible pain for ever, the pu-
nifhnient of his lofs will be found to be dreadful. Plun-
ger puts no pofitive torment or pain upon a man ; yet
his fuffering, through hunger may be very great,
when he can get nothing to eafe it : now, the nature
of perfedion is fuch that whatever rational creature
apprehends it, cannot but defire union v/ith it, and
be pained for the want of it. Now, if once God had un-
mafked his infinite glory and excellency (for there
is no atheifl in hell) they will fee what infinite ex-
cellencies they are deprived the enjoyment of. — —
What unexpreiTible uneahnefs and torment will it be,
to be under a necefHty of defiring that happinefs which
can never be granted ! A man may be deeply in love
with a mortal, a piece of clay which God hath painted
amiable and lovely in his fight, and that mortal per-
haps flight his addreffes, and he may fuiFer fuch tor-
ment by his being flighted as may pine him aw^ay to
death : and if one bit of clay defired, and not grant-
ed, be fo tormenting and uneafy to bear, let none have
flight and light thoughts of the pain of lofs that thefe
will fuftain, who are fecluded the prefence of the Lord,
and his infinite beauty and excellency. Here then is
the fecond death ; God's everlafling wrathful prefence,
and privation of his glorious prefence for ever. — Thus
you are ready to pcrifli : O difmal cafe ! ready for
bell, prepared for it, and ready every moment to be
thrown into that place of perdition i
II. ThQ fecond thing propofed was, To fpeak a 31t-
' tie of the duty of outcall fmners, ready to perifli ; and
that is, to come to Jefiis ; to come back to God, by
this new and living way, that they perifh not in their
outcafl fl:ate and miferable condition. I fliall here con-
fider a little what this coming imports^ and in what ca-
pacity they are to come to him.
I. This coming to Chrifl, or to God in him, as it
fuppofes that natural^ ciitcq/i, pcrllhing date and condi-
tion, which is a (late of diftance from God j and a
fenft
jS* '^^^ Great Trumpet of Ser. Cf,
fenfe or convlSllon of this diflant and difmal flate., fee*
ing the firfl ftep in God's way, is to fee curfelvcs in-
tirely out of the way, and that the devil and our lufts
are driving us to hell : fo it fuppofes, indeed, a draw-
■i?7g power of divine grace, making the foul willing to
be faved in a way of free grace, both from fm and
wrath, through the righteoufnefs of Jefus Chrifl. It
fuppofes one's hearing of the way of relief to be had
in Jefus Chrifl, and a weighty errand that brings the
foul to Jefus. Being fenfible of blindnefs, he comes
for light ; being fenfible of guilt, and under fear of
wrath, he comes for juftification and reconciliation with
Cod ; being fenfible of the power of (in, and hell of
corruption within him, he comes for fandification and
freedom from thefe maffy chains of hell : being weak,
they come for ftrength ; being weary, they come for
reft ; being naked, they come for clothing ; being
deflitute of all good, they come for fupply of all in hiin,
who is all in all. And hence.
More particularly, this coming imports a knowledge
of the perfon to whom we come ; for there is a feeing
ef the Son necelTary to believing in hi?n^ John vi. 400
By the fight of heaven the comer is made to fee his ab-
folute need of Chrift, and the glprious excellency and
fuitablenefs of Chrift. A man's coming to any place,
fuppofes his knowledge where he is going. It imports
fpiritual life and motion^ without which none can come
or go any where in a fpiritual fenfe ; no more than
there can be any coming in a natural fenfe without na*
tural life and motion. In the day of coming to Chrift,
the foul is quickened by the fpirit of life, by the fpirit
of faith; aud quickened to a lively hope: for this com-
ing imports a hope of coming fpeed, at leaft a may-bs
the merciful king of Ifrael will pity me, A poor man
will not come for an alms to any perfon that he thinks
hath nothing to give him ; the believing comer is per-
fuaded there is fulnefs enough in Chrift ; fulnefs of
virtue, in his blood ; fulnefs of merit, in his death ;
fulnefs of power, in his arm. — And hereupon chiefly this
coming imports a refoluie outgoing of foul after Chrifl as
oflered in the gofpel 5 an atftual cbiing vritb him, by a
praviicai
3er. CI. the Everlasting Gospel. 3V3
pra6*ical aiTent of the underflanding, a pieafant cou-
fent of the will, and a vigorous egrefs of the afftdion
tov/ards the Son of God. Seeing an abfolute need, he
ventures on an oSered Chrifl for wifdo?7i^ righteoufnefsy
fanBlficaUon^ and redemption^ i Cor, i. 30. -But this
leads to the next thing here to be conhdered, for I mult
not inlarge.
2. In what capacity we are to come. We are to come
to him in a twofold capacity, i. It is to him as the
Lord Redeemer. 2. As the Lord, the glorious objecb
of worihip ; They Jhall come andworjhip.
(i.) It is to Chrift as the Lcrd^nd Saviour, Redeem^
^r and Deliverer. Chrift (lands as a Saviour upon
mount Zion, inviting all forts of hnners to come to him;
old fmnersj young finners, great fmners, grofs fmners,
thevilefland blackcft outcafts, to come and get falva-
tion ; for it is his name to fave ; it is his nature, his
delight, his office to fave. V/e are to come as cap-
tives to a Redeemer, ready to deliver thofe who sre
ready to periih in their captivity to lln, Satan, juilice,
death, and heU ; and hence his voice is. Turn to your
ftrong bold^ ye prifoners of hope : come to me outcall
fmners, ready toperifli ; here am I ready to fave.
(2.) It is to Chrift as the Lokd Jehovah, the glo-
rious object of worftiip. This, 1 think, is alfo import-
ed in the words, They Jk at I come arid [hall ivorfnip the
Lord in his holy mount at Jerufalem. Before men come
to Jefus Chrift, from their fpiritual captivity, they are
worfhipping and ferving the devil and their lufts ; but,
Vs^henever they com.e tc JeAis, they both worfhip him^
and worfhip God in him : He is thy Lord^ worjlyip then
him, Pfal. xlv. 11. When ihey faw him, they ivor^
/hipped him^ Mat. xxviii. 17. And then, and not till
then, do they worfnip God acceptablvj when they
worfnip God in the Spirit, and by the Spirit of Chrift ;
2nd worihip the Father, in the Son, by the Spirit : for
the Spirit is the way to Chrift, He ftjali tejiify of me ;
and Chrift the way to the Father, 'No man Lonitth to the
Father hut by me. Faith, in coming to Ciirift, takes
bim lip both as Gcdj tKe rreat J&ho vak, the glo-
V 0 L. VI, T f " ricu3
S^4' 77^^ Great Trumpet of Ser. CI,
rious objecl of worfliip ; and as the Christ of God,
the way to God : becaufe he is both God and man ;
Immanuel, God with us. Thus he is both the end
and the way ; and fo both the glorious objed of wor-
fhipj and the perfon in whom our worfhip is accep-
table : Theyjhall worjhip the Lord in the holy mount, —
But of this more afterward.
III. The third thing propofed was, To fpeak of the
means by which the Lord gathers outcafl fmncrs, rea-
dy to perifh, and makes them come to him and wor-
fhip him, namely, by the blowing of the great Gospel-
trumpet : The great trrmpet fhall be blown^ and they
fhall come. This as I have already fhewed, is the
preaching of the gofpel of Chrift, and the proclamati-
on of the grace of God therein to poor outcaft perifhing
fmners.
That I may fpeak a little of this the more diftindlly,
I fliall fliew, I. Why, the preaching of the gofpel
is compared to the founding or blowing of a trumpet.
1, Why it may be called a great trumpet, 3. What
fort of -d. found this great trumpet makes ; or what the
meaning of it is, as to the contents of the proclama-
tion made by it. 4. The quality of the found when
blown.
I/?, Why the preaching of the gofpel is compared
to the blowing of a trumpet, I dcfign not to flretch the
metaphor beyond the defign of the thing : 1 fhall on-
ly mention thefe two or three particulars.
I. A trumpet is a roy^/and majejiic fort of an inftru-
ment, and hence ufually kings of the earth are crown-
ed and proclaimed by their heralds with found of trum-
pe : fo the gofpel is the royal and majeftic trumpet
of the great King of king5, and therein he difcovers
his glory and majefly, when he rides profperoufly on
thew'ord of truth, meeknefs, and righteoufnefs, Pfal.
xlv. 3, 4. Therein is Chrift proclaimed king of Zion,
and the royalties of his grace publifhcd.
2. A trumpet is a higfj ^r\di' loud founding inftrument,
and the found of it heard at a confiderable dillance.
-Such a trumpet is tlis g-ofpel 5 and therefore it is faid
of
Ser. CI. th£ Everlasting Gospel. 335
of the heralds of the great King, that preached the gof-
pel, Their found went into all the earthy and their words
into the ends of the worlds Rom. x. 18. It is the loud
voice of the Son of God by his ambalTadors : and it
is to be heard through all the earth before the end of
time : The gofpel of the kingdom fhall he preached in all
the worlds for a witnefs unto all nations ; and then fhall
the end come ^ Mat. xxiv. 14.
3. A trumpet is a mariiaU warlike inftrument, and
ufually blown to proclaim peace or war : and thus the
gofpel is a proclamation of peace with God, and war
with the devil. The firft found that ever this trumpet
made was a found of peace and war both : war with
the devil, the deftroyer of mankind ; The feed of the
woman fi^all bruife the head of the ferpent ; and peace
on earth, upon this ground, becaufe the God of peace
was, in this way, to bruife Satan tinder our feet. The
gofpel is the great inftrument, many ways ufeful in
diredling in the holy war. — Sometimes it is to found a
gatherings a gathering of the people to Shlloh : the ren«
dezvous under the (landard of the Captain of falvation,
calling all to come to him, and inliflwith him. — Some-
times to blow an alarm ; When ye blow an alarrn^ the
camp fldall go forward^ and take their journey. Numb',
X. 5, 6. — Sometimes to found a march, to go forward
to the battle ao-ainfl the enemv, in his name and
ilrength, of whom it is faid, Pfal. Ixviii. 7, 11, 12.
He went forth before the people ; he marched through the
wildernefs. The Lord gave the word ; great was the
company of ihofe that puhlfhed it : kings of great armies
did fly apace. It never founds a retreat, nor a fift from.
war, except in fo far as he himfelf fees fit to fpare his
enemies alive for necelfary ufes towards his people, fay-
ing. Slay them not, lefl my people forget. But when they
fight the goodf.ght of faith, and fight lawfully andfuccefs-
fully, the trumpet founds the victory and the triumph ;
Thanks be to God, which ahuays caufes us to triumph in
Chrifl^ 2 Cor. ii. 14. We are more than cwqucrors^
ihro* hi?n that loved us, Rom. viii. ^y, 0 death / where
is thy fling ^ 0 grave ! where is thy vidory f 2 Cor.
XV* ^^. To him that over comet h will J give ic fit with me
T t 3 m
2S5 "The Great Trumpet of Ser. CI.
on mj throne^ even as I overcame^ and am fct down with
the Father on his throne^ Rev. iii. 21.
4. The blowing of a trumpet requires life^ breathy
and %vifdom alio : even io^ in order to the blowing of
the go fpel -trumpet, the fpirit of life is neceliary, and
the breathing of the fpirit of life. They who are not
quickened by the Spirit of Chrift, and do not enjoy
the breaming cf the Spirit of Chriif , cannot blow the
gofpel-trumpet to any good purpofe, at ieafl, they are
jiot God's ordinary inflruments of quickening others :
but, ivho is fufficienifor ihefe things f Not thai vje are
Jujficienl of on rj elves ^ to think any thing as of curf elves ;
but Qitr fuff.cicncy is of God^ who hath made us able ;;//>
nifters of the new tejlament^ not of the letter hut ofthefpi*
rit ; for the letter killcth^ hut the fpirit giveth llfe^ % Cor.
iii. 5, 6. The gofpel-trumpet will do little fervice, if
the Spirit of God be not the breath that blows it. A
great trumpet requires great breath ; and therefore, 0
Sirs, look to heaven for the great breathing of the Spi-
yit to accompany the gofpe). Yea, the blowing of the
trumpet requires v/ifdom and ikill ; one m.ay have both
life and breath, and yet want (kill to blow a trumpet ;
even fo, mucl) fpiritual wifdom is requifite in blowing
\\\^ gofpel-trumpet, that w^e handle not the word of God
deceitfully : xhzl we blow not a falfe alarm, or a fah^e
peace ; that we give not an uncertain found ; for, as
the apoRle fays, i Cor. xiv. 8. If the trumpet give an
uncertain founds who Jhall prepare himfelf to the battle?
If it be not precious truth, and pure gofpel that is
preached, we are not to regard it, though the trumpet
were blov/n by the mouth of an angel ; If we or an an-
^et from heaven preach another gofpely lei him be accurf
W, Gal. i. 6.
2ir/{)', I am here to enquire, why the gofpel may be
called a great trumpets This I fhall difpatch in a few
words.
I. It is a great trumpet, becaufe it is the trumpet
of the great God^ and of the great King, the great Sa-
viour ; for fo our Lord Jefus is called, Ifa. xix. 20,
'They Jhall cry unto the I^ord becaufe of the oppreffors ;
and
5er. CL the Everlasting Gospel. 337
and he pall fend thejn a Saviour and a great One ^ and he
fi all deliver tkenu O how great is this man, this God-
man ! How great in his per/on^ being the hrightnefs of
the Father'* s glory ^ and the exprefs i/uage cf his perfon ;
ths Vrince of the kings of the earth ; great in his offices :
a great Prophet, a great High-prieft, a great King :
great in his relations^ great in his na?nes ; great in his
promifes ; great in his purchafe ; great in his vidories ;
great in \\\^ fulncfs ; having all ihcfulnefs of the God*
head in him. — ^^—it is the trumpet of the great King.
2. It is the trumpet of a great f ah at ion : Hebrews
ii. 3. How /hall we efcape^ if we neglcB fo great falvation^
pubhilied by the gofpel-trurnpet ? The great Saviour
comes with a commiiiion under the great feal of hea-
ven ; Tor him hath God the Father feakd, i And he
comes upon a great defign, the falvation of great fin-
ners, in fuch a way as the ultimate end thereof is the
glory of God's great perfeftions, and the praife of his
grace. It is falvation from the greateft moral evil,
namely, fm ; and. falvation from the greatcfl: penal
evil, from the wrath to come^ that is proclaimed by this
trumpet.
3. h is a great 'trumpet, in cppofition to all other
earthly trumpets, that are but little emblems of this
great one. What are the trumpets of earthly kings
and conquerors, when laid in the balance with tlie
gofpel-trumpet, founding the triumph of our glorious
Conqueror, and faying, yVho is this that comet h from E-
dom, with dyed garments from Bozrah f "This that is
glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatv.cfs of his
firength f I that f peak in righieoufnefs, mighty to fave f
Ifa. Ixiii. I.
4. It is a great trumpet, in refpe6t of the great con-
fequence of the founding and blovv'ing of it :, for, as the
gofpel is called the everlafling gofpel ; '^o everlafiing
life, or everlafling death will be the confeqcence of your
hearing thereof : Tofome we are the favour cf death
unto death, and to others the favour of life unto life,
1 Cor. ii. 16. Not that the gofpel brings t found of
death and damnation to any of itfelf ; no, by no means,
it is a word of falvation to finners ; but ^vhcn this joy<-
. fu!
jjS ^^^ Great Trumpet of 8h:&.CI,
ful found U flighted by final unbelief and imperitfp.cy,
then it brings the greatefl ruin and perditio-. Sec
and read to this purpofe, Heb. x. 28, 29. and _-ii. 25.
To flight the found of this great trumpet, then, brings
the greatefl damnation, the hottefl hell ; but \: itfelf
it is a merciful found. Therefore,
ydly^ I am here to confider what fort of ?. 'nwad
this great trumpet brings, and what fort of & pro^
clamation is made by it. In general. When this r^eat
trumpet is blown, it gives a found of grace and er*
cy to poor outcafl flnners ready to perilh. Ir is z? 1,
Titus ii. II. The grace of God^ that hringeth fah >.\on
to all men^ as you may read in the margin. More par-
ticularly,
1. The found of this great trumpet is a found of
life to dead fmners ; John x. 10. / am come that they
Plight have life^ and that they might have it more ahmu
dantly. John v. 25. The hour comet h^ when the dead
pall hear the voice of the Son of God ; and they that hear
Jhall live. John xi. 25. J am the refurreclion and the
life : he that believeih on me^ though he were dead^ yet
fhall he live. This trumpet is for rouzing and awaken-
ing the dead ; and bleffed are they that are awakenc^d
and quickened with the found of it ; for the voice of
it is. Awake ^ thou thatfleepeji^ and arife from the dead,
and Chrijl Jhall give thee lights Eph. v. 4. No trum-
pet but that of the hving and life-giving God can found
after this manner : and it is like himfelf ; for he is the
God thaf quickens the dead^ and calls things that be noty
as though they were^ Rom. iv. 17.
2. The found of this great trumpet is a found of
liberty to captive fmners ; The Spirit of the Lord God is
upon me^ for he hath anointed me to preach good tidings
to the meek ; he hath fent me to bi?2d up the broken-heart-
ed ; to proclaim liberty to the captives ; and the opening
of the prifon to them that are bound ; to proclaim the ac-
ceptable year of the Lord^ and the day of vengeance of our-
God ; to comfort all that mourn^ Ifa. Ixi. 1,2. O cap-
tive fmner, lying in the chains of fm and Satan, and.
in the chains of unbelief and enmity, would you have
your chains loofed^ and your foul fet at liberty ? Hea^r
the
Ser. CI. ty Everlasting Gospel, 3^9
the voice of the trumpet ; The Lord loofeth the prifuners^
Pfal. cxlvi. 7. Turn ye to the Jirong hold^ ye -pr if oners
of h'jpe, Zech. ix. 12. By the blood of thy covenant
have J fent forth thy prifoners out of the pit wherein is no
water ^ ver. 1 1 .
3. The found of this great trumpet is a found of
pardoning grace to the condemned fmner ; it proclaims
indemnity to all the guilty rebels againft heaveq that
hear and welcome the found of it ; Be^ it known unto
yoUy men and brethren^ that through this man is pregch-^
ed unto you the forgivenefs of fin. And by him all that
believe^ are jujiifed from all things^ from which ye could
not be juflified by the law of Mofes^ Adts xiii. 38, 39,
It is free indemnity through Chrift, to the praife of
his glorious grace, that is proclaimed ; In whom we
have redemption through his bloody the forgivenefs vffins^
according to the riches of his grace ^ Eph. i. 7. O ! will
any condemned fmner accept of pardon and indemni-
ty upon thefe gracious terms ? The condition is al-
ready fulfilled ; the blood of Jefus Chrift hath bought
remifTion. This bleffing of his blood comes therefore
to you freely, that you may accept of it freely, and
you have it. Not for your fake^ not for your fake doth ha
give it y but for his own name'' s fake ; Ifa. xliii. 25. /,
even i, am he that blotteth out your tranfgreffiom for
mine own fake ; for no other reafon but that- you may
have the good of it, and I may have the glory of
it.
4. The found of this great trumpet is a found of
purifying grace to tho: filthy fianer ; In that day there
fnall be a fountain opened to the houfe of David^ and to
the inhabitants of Jerufalem^forfin^ and for uncleannefsy
Zech. xiii. i. The trumpet proclaims to you, O fil-
thy, polluted fmner, going quick with vermine, all
overfpread with the ugly vermine of fm and corrupti-
on : it proclaims, faying, Behold, the God of hea-
ven, hath provided a fountain of purification, both
for fm, and for uncleannefs ; both for taking away
the guilt of fm, and the filth of fm : yea, behold, he
hath provided both a Red-fea, and a cryftal river ; a
Red-
■j^j^6 f7je GREAt Tkuu^et of Ser'. Ct
Red-fca of blood, T/je blood of Chr'ijl ckanftng from all
Jln^ I John i. 7. ; and the cryftai river that proceedeth
out of ths throne of God and of the Lamb : and this is to
te in you as a well of water fpringing up to everlafling
life^ in his quickening, purifying, and land^ifying pre-
fence and operation, John iv. 14. You cannot fancti-
fy and purify yourfelf, no more than you can create a
world; but here am I that can create a ckan heart
within you ; Behold the Lamb of God^ who takeih a^
way the fin of the world; therefore, take with you words ^
ndfay^ Take axvay all iniquity^ thou whofe work it is,
and whofe proraife thus founds in mine ears, / will
ffr inkle clean water on you., and you f hall be clean r from
all your filthinefs, aiidfrom all your idols zvill I cleanfs
you^ Ezek. xxxvi. 25. This great trnmpet then, hath
a found of life and hberty, pardon and purity ; Hfe to
the dead, hberty to the boland, pardon to the guilty,
and purity to the filthy. Thefe comprehend ail that
you need, both in time and for eternity ; for the ever-
lading ^ofpel proclaims everlafting bleffings, everlail-
ing life, everlafting liberty, everlafiing pardon, ever-
iailing purity and holinefs ; all to be had in Chrift, the
everlafting Lord and Saviour, who was dead, and is a-
Uve^ and lives for eiermore ; and all to be had, partly
and gracioully here \ and fully, and gloriouily here-
after,
5, In a word, the found of this great trumpet is a
found of complete fahation^ in all the refpefls wherein
poor fmners that hear the joyful found need to be
laved. It is a found of inllrudion to the ignorant,
faying, They jhall he all taught of God. A found of di-
redion to the bewildered, faying, like a voice behind
them, This is the way^ walk ye in it. The trumpet
proclaims, faying , Here is reft, for the weary foul ;
comfort, for the drooping foul; ftrength, for the v/eak ;
riches, for the poor ; raiment, for the naked ; fight,
for the blind ; fupply, for the needy foul ; here is fal-
vation for the loft foul, grace, glory, and every good
thing for thefe that have nothing. Here, in fhort thrn,
is the matter of the proclamation by found of trumpet
from heaven. You have a fiimv of the joyful found of
this
Ser. Cr. the Everlasting Gospel. '941
this trumpet. Ifa XXV. 6, In ihu jnountain jhall the Lord
of hojls make unto all people a feaj'i cf fat things^ a feajl
cf ivines on the lees ^ ^ffa^ things full of marrow^ of wines
en the lees vjell refined. Ifa. Iv. i. llo^ every one that
thirfteth^ come ye to the waters ; and he that hath no mo*
ncy^ come ye^ buy and eat ; yea^ come buy wine and milk^
w-ithcut money ^ and without price. Ho, every ore that
pieafeth, come and match with the Son of God : All
things are ready^ come to the marriage^ and fo com.e to
the marriage-fcall.-^ — —So much fhall fuffice for this
particular.
J^ihly^ I propofed here to fpeak a little of the quality
of this found of the great gofpel-trumpet, when it is
blown in Zicn. And,
1. It is 2, joyful and a charming found, Pfalm Ixxxix.
15, 16. Blcffed is the people thai know the joy fid found ;
they Jlmll walk^ 0 Lord, in the light of thy countenance •
Jn thy name /ball they rejoice all the day long : and in thy
right eoufnefs Jhall they be exalted. The voice of the
trumpet is. Behold , I bring you good tidings of great joy,
which Jhall be unto all people : For unto you is born this
day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Chrijl the
Lord, Luke ii. 10. Some that were once dehvered
by a conqueror, from outVv'ard bondage, made the e-
lements ring, and the birds fall out of the air with
their voice, crying out, Soter, Soter, a Saviour,
a Saviour. O how much more fliould the glad news
of a Saviour, to fave from fm and everlafting wrath,
be received -with joy! It is a joyful and charming
found ; fhall the voice of the Cliariner be rejeded and
defpifed by the deaf adders here ?
2. It is a divine, auful found ; it is the voice of
the Son of man ; yea, the voice of the Son of God :
it is the voice of the great God that is to be heard thro'
tliis trumpet, that voice thai fhakcs the heaven and the
earth, Heb. sii. 16. — It is a loft'^ found, from the high
and lofty One, that inhabits eternity : a majejtic found ;
for, 'The voice of the Lord is full cf rvajefy. Though
it be a fllli fmall voice, like that Elijah lieard, i Kings
xix. 12. ; yet, the Lord is in it : and happy they that,
through the voice of a man, hear the voice of God^
V 0 L, VI. U u bv
342 The Great Trumpet of Ser. CI.
by receiving it not as the word of man., but, as it is in
truth, the word of God, which ivorketh effectually in you
that believe, i TheiT. ii. 13. Hence,
3. It is an internal 2ind fpiritual, as well as aa c^^fer-
nal found ; // is the Spirit that quickeneth ; the fl(.Jh
projiieth nothing ; the words that I /peak unto ycu, they
are fpirit, and they are life, John vi. ^^i' Hence it is
a found that both wounds and heals the foul ; that firll
kills, and then quickens the foul: and fo it appears to
be the voice of the living God, who fays, / kill, and I
make alive ; J wound, and I heaL It is external, in the
publication to the ear ; and faith comes by this hear-
ing ; and then it is internal znAfpiritual, in the ope-
ration of it upon the heart : and, O may it be a living
and life-giving, and foul-quickening foiind to many
here ; for, it is the voice of the Son of God, that makes
the dead to hear and live.
4. It is a lon^ and lajiing found. The found of com-
mon trumpets, when they are blown, is but a dying
found ; but the -great trumpet of the everlafling gof-
pel is not fo : it is the word of God that lives and abides
for ever, i Pet. i. 23. The echo of this joyful found
will be heard for ever, both in heaven and in hell.
The joyful echo among the redeemed, and the dread-
ful tormenting echo among the damned, will be ever-
lafling : it will not found for ever as now it doth ; but
the echo thereof will be heard londer and louder to all
eternity, when all things elfe will wither and fade :
this you fee clear from i Pet. i. 24, 25. compared with
Ifa. xl. 6. The voice f aid. Cry, And If aid, Whatjhalll
cry f All flejhis grafs, and all the glory of man as the
flower of the grafs, The grafs wither eth, and the flower
thereof filleth away ; but the vjord of the Lord endureth
for ever ; and this is the word which by the gofpel is
preached unto you. And as to the prefent external dif-
penfation of the gofpel, God keeps the count of the
time how long the trumpet founds in your ears ; All
day long have If retched out my hand to q, difobedient and
gain faying people, Rom. x. 21.
5. It is a near found, not at a didance, like news
from a foreign country, but near at hand, and bring-
ing
Ser. CI. the Everlasting Gospel. 343
ing heavenly things near to us ; Hearken wito me, ye
ftout'hearted^ that are far from right eon fuefs ; / bring
near my righteoufnefs ; itjhall not be far off' ; and my faU
vat ion Jh a II not tarry* Yic placet h this fahat son in Zion^
for Ifraei his glory y Ifa. xl. 12, — 13, The word -is
nigh thee^ even in thy mouthy and in thy heart ; that is
the word of faith which we preachy Rom. x. 8. The
word is nigh to your heart : for the Lord is dealing
with your heart by it : O may he not only deal, but
prevail. For,
6. It is a powerful^ conquering found : it will over-
come and prevail, fo as to reach the end of it one way
or another : It jhall not return unto me void ; but it jhail
accompUj}} that which I pleafe, and it /hall profper in the
thing whereto I fent it, Ifaiah Iv. 11. God will not
blow his trumpet in vain ; all rejeders and defpif-
ers fliall be rendered inexcufeable by it ; and all his
ek£l Ihail be mercifully conquered ; for the trumpet
hath a furmounting found ; it founds over the tops of
all the hills and mountains of fm and guilt, and of un-
belief and enmity ; The voice of my Beloved! behold ,
he Cometh, leaping upon the mountains, and flipping upon
the hills. Song ii. 8. Tli£ voice of the Lord is pow-
erful, melting down mountains in his way. The voice of
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon, This leads,
IV. To iht fourth general head propofed. To touch
at the efficacy of this means ; and vvhy it is promifed,
that a \^^^mhtr o{ ouicqfl finners, ready to perifn, by the
blowing of the great trumpet, fball come, . Arminian
doctrine, that aboundeth in our day, makes tlie effi-
cacy of the gofpel depend upon man's free-will : but,
we have not fo learned Chriji : he hath made furer
work ; and all the efficacy to depend upon his free
grace ; and this is fecured by hhjkall be : The great
trumpet shall be blown ^ and they shall come. The
Father's promife to the Son fecures it ; Thy people /hull
he willing in the day of thy power, Pfal. ex. 3. He /hall
fee his feed. He /hall fee the travail of his foul ^ and be
fatisfed. The Father's promife to the Son is fecured
and coafiriiied by his oath upon this head, Pfal Ixxxix.
U u 2 35,
544 ^^^^ Great Trumpet of Ser. CI.
35. Once have Jfworn by viy hoUnefs^ that I will noi lye
zi.'iio David, his feed Jhall endure fir ever ; his feed
amor.p; Jews and Gentiles, and among the nations a-
far off ; / will give thee the heathen for thine inheri-
tance^ and ike utmofi ends of the 'earth for thy pojfeffion^
He foall bring forth judgment to the Ge?2fi/es^ and the
ifles foafl wait for his law, Amidft all tlie difcourage«
ments that men may give us iu our preaching the
gofpel, here is the encouragement that God gives us
in blowing the great trumpet in the cars o{ outcafts^ rea-
dy to perijh. There is a number among them that
fnall come ; Other peeb I have ^ that are not of this fold;
iheiii alfo 1 miifc brings and they fhall hear my voice ^ John
X. 16. i mufi bring them, and they mu/2 come. The
fweet neceffity he is under of bringing them, produces
in the day of power, a fweet neceffity in them, faying,
O we mud come to Chrift ; we perifli without him :
V7e hear the found of his trumpet ; and therefore we
fay. Behold^ we come unto ihee^ for thou art the Lord
our God,
Q^u EST. V/hy is it promifed^ that a number of cutcafls,
ready to perifh fhall come-i %vhen the go fp el -trumpet fhall
le blown f
Ans^'^. !. Becaufe none would Yiclyc encourage?nenf
to come, if there were not a promife that they fiall
come. Here is encouragement to all that hear the found
of this trumpet. It is true, may a foul fay, I know
not if I be intended, but I fee the promife refpects the
like of me : the promife of drawing grace, refpe61:s the
like of me, tliat cannct come of myfelf ; the promife
o^ pardon rcfpecls thcfe that are guilty ; the promife of
cleanfing, refpeds thefe that are filthy ; the promife of
taking away thejlony hearty refpeQs thefe that have a
hard, flupid heart. Now, this is my cafe ; and there-
fore, here is a door of hope ; here is fome encourage^
ment for me to come to him, and wait upon him. —
And as none would have encouragement if it were not
fo : fo all niay have encouragement here : the door of
hope is open.
2. He hath promifed they foall come, becaufe as none
would have encouragemeut to come, fo xione would
have
Ser. CI. the Everlasting Gospel. 345
have grace to come, if it were not promifed ; and if it
"were not by virtue of the proinife made in Jefas Chrift,
for, it is grace coining out of the promife, that is turn-
ed to grace in the heart. Then, indeed, the foul comes
when the grace that hes in the promife is turned to
grace in the heart, and wrought there by the means
of the promife. it is by virtue of the great and pre*
ciom proinife we are xi\^A^ partakers of the dhme nature^
and of the Spirit of faith ; the promifes being pleas
and arguments for faith, and for the prayer of faith,
faying. Lord, hail thou not fo and fo faid to fuch as I
am; and will thou not do as thou hajl faid : Haft thou
not faid, That Solomon Jha'l reign^ that grace (hall
reign ? and wilt thou fuffer fm to reign ? And the
promife being the pipe and channel for the communi-
cation of grace, the conduit from Chrill to us. All the
promifes being Tea and Amen in Chrijl^ and the conduit-
pipe reaching from the heart of Chrlil to the mouth
of faith, we fuck in his fulnefs. K% the law begets
terror, fo the promife begets falrh ; both by ^:.z free-
nefs of it to the moil unworthy, and &.t fulnefs of it,
being a plajiler as big as the fore, and exactly anfwer-
ing to its want ; and by the ejjicacy of it, through the
fecret working of the Spirit, difcovering this fulnefs
and freenefs of divine grace, and drawing the heart
tov/ards this promifmg God.
3. He hath promifed tkey fhall come^ that thus he
may fecure his own glory, which he def gns to fliew
forth in his way. His great defign, in laving any poor
perifliing hnner. Is the glory of his name, and the ho-
nour of all his perfe6lions : Sing^ 0 heavens ; for the
Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified him fv If in If
racl, Ifa. xliv. 23. lie dtfigns, by redeeming them,
to glorify himfelf ; and that he may lire v.' forth his.
ptrfedions, and they may (liew forth his praife ; This
people have 1 formed for inxfelf they f:all Ihew forth ?r.y
praife, Ifa. xlii. 21. He tluis fnews forth the glory of
his wifdom, power, holinefs, juilice, m.ercy, and truth;
and therefore he hath promifed they (hall come : and
4his, with all the other pron:iifes of God, are Tea and
AmeninChr'iJl^ to the glory of God ^ 2 Cor. i, sc.
4. Ik
34^ "The Great Trumpet of Ser. CI.
4. He bath promifed /^^y/^^/Z^o;/?^ by faith to him,
that \ki€\x falvation may be fure ; Therefore it is of faith ^
that it might be by grace ; to the end the promife might be
fure to all the feedy Rom. iv. 16. As God's word, Let
it be^ brought the world into a being ; fo his fhall be^
is the caufe of what comes to pafs in the new creation.
His faying, Theyfball come^ is the caufe of their coming,
otherwife they would never com.e. He hath declared
his will in this w^orld, concerning their cc-; ing to him
for life and falvation ; and by his will they are fanclf'cdy
and faved through the offering of the body of Jefus Chrl/l
once for alU Hcb. x. 10. And what can be furer than
the will of God, and that God will have his will r He
ivorketh all things after the counfel of his own willy Eph«.
i. IK
V. The ffth head I propofed was. To fpeak a little
of the end for which they Hiall come, namely, To wor-
fhlp the Lord in the holy raount at JerufaUnu To fpeak
now of divine worfliip at any length, is what I cannot
propofe ; there are only four things concerning it,
that, I think, the words here lead me to, namely, here
is the nature^ the objcd^ the manner^ and the fpring of
worfliip.
T. The nature of it, imported in the nzmt worj^ip*
*' To worfhip, is to give any one the honour due unto
,*• him ; fo to worlliip God, is to render that honour
^' and homage that is due to him, Pfal. xxix. 2."
Now, the worfhip of God is twofold, internal and ex-
ternal.— Internal worfliip, is to love God^ to fear him,
to believe and truil: in him ; thefe are acts of inward
worfliip, and the fumof that honour w^e are i._quired
to give to God in the firft command. — External v./or«
fhip, is the ferving of God according to his own ordi-
nances and inflitutions, which is the fum of the fecond
command, comprehending ail the feveral ways where-
in he will be honoured and ferved, fuch as, prayer,
praife, &c. Both thefe mufl go together : internal
worfhip, pleafeth God bed : external x\'ox\h\])y honour-
eth him moOi, and fetteth forth his glory in the world.
Hence the temple was called, Ihe place where God put
hh
Ser. CI. /^^Everlasting Gospel. 347
his name^ u <?.. his ivorjhip ; by which God is known,
as a man is by his name. Ibey that worjhip God, inufi
worjhip him in Spirit and in truth : in Spirit^ that is,
with inward iove, fear, reverence, and uprightnefs ; in
truth, that is, according to the true rule of his word.
The former reipeds the inward power, and the latter
the outward rule ; the former ftrikes at hypocrify, and
the latter at idolatry ; the one oppofes loofcnefs of our
hearts in worihip, and the other oppofes the inventions
of our heads.
2. The obje^ of worfhip is the Lord ; They fJmll
worjloip the Lord, Hence we read, Matth. iv. 1 8, Thou
fhalt worjhip the Lord thy God, and him only Jlyalt thou
fcrve. To me it would feem, that by the Lord here,
in the text, we are to underiland the Lord and Saviour
Christ, becaufe I fee no difference made between the
objed oi faith here exprefled by comings and the obje^
oi homage here exprelTed by worjhip ; They Jidall come^
and fioall worjhip the Lord. However this be, it is
God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, that is the ob-
jed of religious worfliip ; and the Unity mud be wor-
shipped in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity : and,
when we dire£l our worfliip to any one perfon, we mult
include the reft in the fame worfliip ; and we are to
conceive of him as he hath manifefted himfelf to us in
his word. If we worfhip God out of a Trinity, as the
Turks ; or God out of Chrift, as the Jews \ we wor-
iiiip not the true God, but an idol.
3. The manner of worfhip, and the acceptable way
thereof, is here pointed out : They Jhall worjhip the
Lord in the holy mount at Jerufalem ; that is, to wcr-'
Jloip him in the beauty of holinefs, Pfal. xxix. 2. i. e.
In his holy temple, or, in his beautijul fanduary : in a
w^ay honourable to him, which can only be in and thro'
jefus Chrift.
Now, for the further underftanding of this, yoa
"Would confider, that Jerufalem of old was the place of
v/orfliip, Whither the tribes went up, the tribes of the
Lord to the tejlimony of Ifrael, Pfal. cxxii. 3, 4. But
now, under the New-teftament difpenfation, fuch is
the great goodnefs of God to us, he doth not now
tvc
"548 "The Great Trumpet of Ser. CI.
tye us to any place. Sec and read, Jolin iv. 20,21.
He doth not tye us to go to tlie farther part of the na-
tion to woriliip : no ; the land is every where holy :
wherever his name is recorded^ there is a Jerufaleai,
there is a Zion.
Again, confider, that the hdy mou7it at Jerufalem,
mount Zion largely taken, including mount Moriah,
Avas the place of the tertiple, which was eminently ty-
pical of our Lord Jefus Chrift. And as ail the true wor-
ihippers of God then were to worlliip at or tov/ard
the material temple (hence the exprellion of ivorjhip'
flng ai bis holy hill^ Pfal. xcix. 9. j and wor (hipping
towards his holy temple^ Pfal. v. 7. In thy fear will I
worjhip toward thy holy temple : and thus, Pf. cxxxviii,
2.) ; io, to worfliip the Lord now, in the holy mount,
is to worfliip God in Chrlft. And as to afccnd irJo
the hill of the Lord^ and ioftand in his holy place^ Pfal,
xxiv. 3. thus to worfhip God in the holy mount at Je-
rufalem, is, in the language of the New-teitament, to
worjhip God in Chrijl : in the Spirit ofChriil, for aiTif-
tance ; and m the faith of the merit and righteoufnefs
of Chrift, for acceptance ; for, IVe are accepted in the
Beloved, Eph. i. 6. It is an entrance with boldnefs into
the hollejl by the blood of Jefus, Heb. x. 1 9. It is to
Lave accefs to God in our prayers and praifes, and in
the ordinances of the word and facramcnt of his own
;ippointment and inilitution ; and accefs with boldnefs
and confidence by the faith of him, Eph. iii. 12. This is
the fame with that of David, Briiig rue to thy holy hill^
and to thy tabernacle : then will J go to the altar of God ^
io God my exceeding joy, Pfal. xliii. 3, 4.
4. Here alfo is the root ^ndfpring, or the caulks of
this worfhip, implied in thefe words, They fljall come^
and [hall worjhip : importing, that faith is the internal
principle that leads on the foul to religious duties and
, worfhip ; for firfl they Jhall come, namely, by faith ;
and then they jhall worjhip. Without faith it is impojftble
to pleafe God, and to worfnip him acceptably. And
importing alfo, that the power of the Spirit is the in-
ternal elhcient caufe of fpiritual worSiip, iVirring up
and
SeRo CI. the El^ERLASTING GoSPEL. 349
and exciting the foul to it : for here is a double pro-
miie ; firflj They Jh all come ; and then, They Jld all wor-
Jlnp ; which fays, that not only, muft the Spirit give
us faith to come, but alfo grace to worihip when we
have come. One may be a believer in Chrift that
hath come to him, and yet out of cafe to worfliip the
Lord in his holy mount, till the Spirit by his new-
breathing and influence raife up the dormant feed of
grace ; and, by his blowing upon our garden^ make the
fpiccs thereof flow out* The fame power that is firft put
forth in the mighty found of the great gofpehtrumpet,
by virtue of that promife, Theyfball come^ is necelTary
alfo to be put forth by virtue of that promife, They
jlmll wor/hipt Our coming to Chrift beiievingly this
day needs a powerful yZ?£2//Z'^, for that, They jhall come ;
our communicating worthily to-inorrow needs ano-
ther powerful Jhall be^ for that, They Jhall worjhip.-^
So much for this head, They Jhall worjhip in his holy
mount at Jerujalem* I come now,
VL To the fjxth and lad thing propofed, which
was. To draw fome inferences for the application.
And,
i//, By way of information^ If it be fo, as has been
faid, hence,
1. We may fee the infinite mercy of God toward poor
perifhing fmnerg, efpecially thefe within the pale of
the vifible church. Though they be oufcajis, by caf-
ting out themfelves ; yet he fends the great trumpet
of the gofpel to call them in. They are ready to perijh^
in their fm and mifery ; and behold, he here fliews
himfelf ready to pity, and ready to fave them, faying.
To you^ 0 men, do I call ; a?id my voice is to the fons
of men. Incline your ear unio me ; hear^ and ^'^ur foul
jhall live,
2. Hence W'e may fee what is the "z^'i;;-^ c/" w/'/z//?^/'/,
whom the Lord fends forth, namely, to blow the trum"
pet in Zion, Joel ii. i. There is a twofold trumpet
they are to blow ; the trumpet of the law^ and the
trumpet of the gofpeU
Vol VL "^ X x (i.) Some-
350 ^The Great Trumpet of Ser. CI.
(i.) Sometimes they are called to put the terrible
trumpet of the law to their mouth, to tell Jacob their
ftns^ and Ifrael their tranfgrejjions ; to cry aloud ^ and
mt fpare^ Ifa. Iviii. i. They are to fpare no pains, nor
to fpare their breath in blowing from Sinai, to ihew
fmners both their fmful and miferable flate, and how
they are upon the very brink of ruin, and ready to
perifh. But then flill they are to preach the law with a
view to the gofpel, and as difchoolmajicr to lead them ta
Chrijl.
(2 ) Again, they are called to blow the great gofpel-
inimpet to thefe perilhing fmners, proclaiming life, li-
berty, and falvation to them in a way of coming to
Jefus,. as the end of the law for right eoufnefs^ that the
curfe of the law may be put to an end with refped: to
them ; not that from henceforth they may be lawlefs,
but that they may be conform to the law, as a rule;
for, in coming to him, they come to worjhip the Lord in
his holy mount. Thus, indeed, the true gofpel-minifter
preaches always Chrift, whether it be the law or the
gofpel that is in his mouth : and he brings in more ho-
nour to the law than all the legal preachers in the world
with their moral harangues, and high encomiums upon
moral virtue : for the gofpel-minifler preaches the law
and its curfe, to bring the foul to Chrift, in whom the
law gets full fatisfaciion and complete paym.ent, as it
IS, a covenant of works ; and the fmner coming to
him gets redemption from all the curfes of it : and
then he preaches the gofpel of the grace of God in
Chrifl, fo as the fmner, being come to Chrift, may
come to his duty of right worfl:iip toward God, accord-
ing to the diredion of the law as a rule. He fhews
their perilhing itate, that they may come to Chrifl, and
he calls them to come to Chrift, that they may come
to God in him, and worfhip the Lord in his holy
mount.
Great fldll then is requifite in blowing this great
trumpet. It is true, fome are qualified of the Lord
for blowing more loud and awfully, like Boanerges,
as fens of thunder : others for blowing more foftly and
fwcctly, like Ba&naeas, as fom of confolation ; and,
indeed;,
Ser. CI. the Everlasting Gospel. 351
indeed, TJjere are dlverfitles of gifts ^ but the fame Spirit^
I Cor. xii. 4. Some are qualified and fet apart for one
piece of the tabernacle-work, and foine for another :
fome to be founders, and fome to be, as it were, bar-
row-men in the work of the fpiritual temple : fome for
this pod and (lation, and fome for the other. Let the
great God be reverenced in all this ; for it is he that
qualifies and feparates every one for his own proper
work. If he call one and the fame perfcn, at diiFerent
times, to different work ; or, if he call out one to go
forth and blow an alarm^ with a terrible found, and a-
nother to trumpet forth grace, and make the people
knoiv the joyful found ; there is need for each of them :
let infinite w^ifdom be adored.
3. Hence we may fee the duty of people, with refe-
rence to the mlnifers'dind tht'ir me/Tage, when blowing a
great gofpel-trumpet ; it is furely peoples duty, both
to pray for them, and to receive tlieir melTage, by
hearkening to the found of the trumpet.
On the one hand, it is their duty to pray for poor mi*
nifersy that they may blow the great trumpet with the
breath of the Spirit ; and preach the gofpel in the de-
Tiionjh'ation of the Spirit, and with power, i Cor. ii. 4.
Brethren, pray for us, fays the apoflle ; pray that a
door of utterance may be opened. Never was there a time
wherein God's people had more need to pray for mini-
flers : it is a day wherein it is much for them to hold
their feet. There are grievous defeclions among the
ni oft part in Scotland, and thefe breaking out in judi-
catories, which we fhouid lament over, and give our
teftimony againft, as fometimes wx eiTay to do : yea,
there are finful defects in teftifying among thefe that
defire to do fo ; and yet fin in not doing fo much as
they ought. But I fay again, minifters had much need
to be prayed for : and I have a word to fay to you u-
pon this head, not to offend you, but to deal plainly
with you in the fight of the great God, whofe trum-
pet I am honoured to put in my mouth. I fee fome
offence is taken at fome worthy minifters, whom you
and I both, perhaps, reckon fo ; I mean, thefe that,
upon the main, are luiown, to be faithful^ fg far as their
2- 2i a light
$5^ 57'^ Great Trumpet of Ser. CL
light and ability goes, and that have the feal of their
ininiHry upon many fouls, and whofe minifhry the Lord
is ftill owning and bleffing ; when thefe do any thing
that is amifs in your eyes, whether it be feemingly or
really, I aflv you. Whether you be more taken up in
judging them or in praying for them? As to rq/h judg*
ment, there is nothing you are more cautioned againft
in God's word : and as to praying for miniflers parti-
cularly, there is nothing more exprefly commanded.
Now, I afk you again, before God and confcience.
Whether you are more taken up in judging them, or
in praying for them ? I ftall fuppofe they are really
left to fome wrong ilep ; but, if you have been ne-
gle£ling to pray for them, perhaps that is the caufe
why God hath left them, and thereupon you turn your
back upon them alfo and revile them ; and fo the poor
men fuffer both the rebukes of God, and the reproach-
es of men, for your fm in neglecling to pray for them :
;and, therefore, hereupon I a& you again. Whether
or not, before ever you be offended with them before
the'^ world, you are hrft difplea^ed with yourfeif before
God, and humble yourfeif before him, for your fm-
ful negle^l in praying and wreftling wi^h God for
them ? If this be not your way, but, on the contrary,
you be ralhly dlfobliged at the poor honeft minifters
for the evil which your fin hath brought upon them ;
then I mud tell you, in God^s name, though you were
as the fignet of his right-hand, God v/ill take his
own time ^nd way of relloring them, and rebuking
you.
But again, as it is your duty to pray hr minifters, fo
?iiro to recei've their meffage, and hearken to the foun4
of the trumpet in their mouth 5 and, indeed, if it be
God's great trumpet that they blow, then furely not
to liften to it, is iojhp your ears at the voice of the char^
vier^ like the deaf adder, and to refufe hrni that fpeak^
fth from heaven^ which is a fm \ ho\y deep it runs,
you may fee, Heb. xii. 25. See that ye refufe not him
ihat fpeaketh : for if they efcg,ped not who refufed him
ihat [pake on earthy much more Jh all 7iot we cfcape^ if we
^urn avjayfrom him that fpeaketh ^roni heaven ^
4, Hencq
S^R. CI. the Everlasting Gospel. 353
4. Hence we may fee, from this dodr/nc, what it
is that makes the preaching of the gofpel cffeBual to
the falvation of perifliing fmners, when the great gof-
pel-trumpet is blown. It is not any virtue of this or
that preacher ; no ; it is the power of God exerted ac-
cording to the promife, that then they Jh all come and
they Jhall worjhip. What is it that will make the dead,
fmner to believe favingly ? It is the efficacy of this
word. They Jhall come. What is it that will make the
behever a worthy receiver at the Lord's table ? It is
the efficacy of this word, They Jhall worjhip the Lord
in his holy mounts It is a day of power that is here
promifed to accompany the blowing of the great trum-
pet, which he makes the rod of his Jirength^ and fends
it out ofZion» The gofpel is the minijlration of the
Spirit^ which is received by the hearing of faiths-^
This leads me to the next ufe we intend from the doc-
trine.
The fecond ufe, v/e make is for examination. You
may try both your (late and frame from this doftrine,
in thefe following particulars, whether or not you be of
thefe who, by the blowing of the great trumpet, have
been made to come to Chrifl, and to tvorjhip the Lord
in his holy mount. Examine by thefe two particulars,
I. If you have been made to hear the voice of God in
the great trumpet of the gofpel. 2. If thereupon you
have been made, to live^ fo as to come and worihip,
Thefe two are the fum of God's faving work compre-
hending all ; The hour cometh^ when the dead Jhall hear
the voice of the Son of God ; and they that hearflmll Hvey
John V. 25.
I. Have you heard the voice of God in this great
gofpel-trumpet ? I afk not if you have heard this or
that 7nan fpeaking to you ; but if you have heard God
fpeaking by the word to you, and heard it, not as the
word of man ^ but as the zvord of God, More particular-
ly, have you heard,
(i.) So as to be convinced of your Egyptian thraU
dom and AHyrian bondage ; and found yourfelf to be
m outc^ft wretchj a fmner ready to perifh;, whereas
beiorq
554 ^^- Great Trumpet of Ser. CL
before you was Deeping in your chains ? Hath God's
trumpet alafined you, fo as you h-^.vc feen yourfelf ly-
ing under the curie of the law, and p'jtting you in fear
of everlading wrath and damnation, as one lying on
the very brink of hell, imd made you to cry. Oh \
Whaijlall I do to be faved ?
(2.) Have you heard fo as to be awakened^ ?.s it were,
from among the dead, to fee that life and falvati^on is
to be had in the glorious Immanuel, Jefus Chrift,
who is proclaimed a Saviour and Redeemer by the
found of the gofpel-trumpet ? There is ?. feeing of the
Son., by a fpiritual difcernii'g, before there can be a
believing on hi?n, John vi. 40. Hath the great trum-
pet then fo far rouzed and wakened you up, that you
have got your eyes opened, not only to fee the rtiaify
chain of fpiritual captivity you were under to iin, Sa-
tan, and wrath ; but alfo to fee the Ptedeerner and De-
liverer that is come out of Zion^ to turn away ungodlinefs
from Jacob., and that there is falvation in none other ?
Hath ChriO:, revealed to you by the word, been thus
revealed in you, fo as you have feen and perceived
him to be the glorious and only Saviour ?
2. Have you not only been made to hear the found
of the trumpet, thus wakening you out of your dead
ficep, to a fenfe of fm and fight of the remedy ; but,
have you thereupon been made to live f The deadjhall
bear his voice^ and they that hear/hall live. Now, how
may this life be tried ? Why, the text mentions alfo
two parts of this life ; firfl:, they fliall come ; and next,
they fliall worjhip in his holy mount,
(1.) Then, have you been made to cowe ; that is,
to believe in Jefus, to fly for refuge to hirn, and to fly
out of yourfelf, as having nothing but fm and guilt,
hell and mifery about you ; to him, as having all for
ivifdom., righteoufnefs., fanclif cation^ and redemption ?
Have you been brought under a fweet neceifity of
coming to Chrifl;, and refolutely to throw yourfelf
into his faving arms, faying. If I perifli, let me perifli
there, where never one did ? Have you found fomc
fecret drawing cord about your heart, making you
reftlefs
Ser. CI. f^e Everlasting Gospel. 355
reftlefs till you came to Chrift for reft to your heart
and confcience ? Faith is an entering into this reji^ Heb,
iv. 3.
(2.) Have you hereupon been made to come and
*worflyip in the holy mount ; to woriliip God in Chrift
with holy fear and reverence, coming with humble
boldnefs to the throne of grace ? Hath your faith
wrought by love, and the love of Chrift conftrained
you to feek and ferve him in his temple, and ordinan-
ces of his appointment. And, is this holy place the
place of your abode, defiring ftill to afcend to the hill
of the Lord^ and to ft and in his holy place f The fum of
this mark is, Are you brought to David's one thing ?
One thing have I defired of the Lord^ and thai will I
feek after ^ that I may dwell in the houfe of the Lord all
the days of my life^ to behold the beauty of the Lord^ and
to enquire into his temple^ Pfal. xxvii. 4.
Now, examine yourfelf by thefe plain marks ; for
if you know nothing lefs or more thereof, whatever
be your good difpofition at the time, you are a ftr an-
ger in Ifrael, and have no right to a communion-ta-
ble ; but, if you have the experience of thefe marks-,
then, whatever be the alterations of your frame, you
may conclude you are in a fafe ftate, as well as Ibme-
times in a fpiritual frame \ and fo have a right to
the great gofpel-feaft of the Lord's fupper in the holy
mount, and may venture to it in his name and ftrength.
The third ufe, with which I fliall clofe, may be in
a word of exhortation^ efpecially to all the (inners here
that are yet in a lofl ftate and condition ready toperifh^
and like outcafts in the land of Egypt ; and we v/ould
blow the great trumpet in your hearing, and he that
hath ears to hear^ let him hear. Our preaching the
gofpel to you, is the accomplifhment of one promife ;
It Jhall come to pafs in that day^ that the great trumpet
fhall be blown : and we are encouraged to this work,
by the promifes annexed to it, concerning outcaft fin-
ners, ready to perilh, 'Ihey JJoall conie^ and fh all wor^
fhip. Why then, in the name of the great King, whofe
unworthy herald I am, 1 do, as it were, by found of
truni-
35S T}j€ Great Trumpet of Ser. Ct
trumpet, proclaim life, to dtad. rmners here ; and li-
berty, to you captive nnners ; pardon and indemnity,
to guilty rebellious fmners ; and purifying grace, to
filthy polluted fmners ; and all to be had freely : Who^
focver wlll^ let him coiiie and take of ihefe waters of Ife
freely. Will you give a hearing to our gr^at Lord,
whofe treafure is put into earthen velfels, and whofe
voice founds through earthen trumpets : for God's
fake, look over the poor unworthy inllrument : little
matter who blow the trumpet, if the breath of the Spi-
rit convey the found into your heart. Look over the
head of the poor fervant ; The Majler calls you, even
you that are afar oif, and farer from God than Egypt
and Alfyria are from you ; yet the found of the trum-
pet reaches to you.
What is your name, man, woman ? Surely your
name is in this text, if you be ^iftnner, ready to perifh.
*' Alas ! may fome fay, I am fo ready to perifh, that
I am ready to give over all duties of religion, and rea-
dy to doubt of all revealed religion, and of the very
being of God, and truth of the fcriptures ; I am rea-
dy to blafpheme, and to fay, God is a liar. Oh ! fays
another, I am ready to raze the foundation of all that
•ver was done in me, and ready to conclude, that
now it is impoffible I can be faved." Say on, foul ;
and tell me more in v/hat refpects you are ready to pe-
rifh. " Oh ! fay you, I am ready to pine away in my
iniquity, and live in rebellion all my days, fuch is the
power of my corruption ; yea, I am ready through
fear and dread, and terrible temptations, to kill, deflroy,
and put away myfelf ; and. While I fiiffer the terrors of
God, 1 am dijiraded : I am ready to think, that the day
of grace is pafl:, and that 1 am a caft-away." Are you
an outcaft, ready to perifh in the wildernefs of dark-
nefs, ignorance, and confufion ? Are you an outcaft,
ready to perifli in a prifon of unbelief, atheifm, cnmi-
ty, and hard bound with all the chains of hell about
you ? Well, whatever prifon you be into, whatever
outcad flate you be into, and in whatever refpe^ you
are ready to perifh, yet, O hear the found of the great
trumpet, faying. Come, ye that are outcail fmners ;
come
Ser. Cf. ihe Everlasting Gospel.' ^^
come all ye that are ready to perifli ; come to tlie great
King, whofe heralds we are ; come to the great ^avi^
our and Redeemer : you will never worjhip acceptably.
in his holy mounts till firfl you come ; you will never
communicate worthily, till firfl you come to Chrift. O.
come while the trumpet founds, come and take his
iielping^band, who comes to fee k and [live yovL thai are
loft. He offers to fave you fully, to fare you freely,
to fave you everlaftingly. Since you cannot fave your-
felf, will you welcome a Saviour ? O what difobhges
you at him$ who is as ready to fave, as you are rea-
dy to perifli : and v/ho fays, Welcome to the word of
you all ; Young fmner, old finner, great fmner, chief
of fmner55 come while the trumpet founds.
The fecond coming of Chrift to judgment is hailing
on, and then the trumpet jh all founds and the dead Jhidl
arifet dead bodies will then rife and come to the Judge
at the found of the lad trumpet. But now the great
gofpei-trumpet calls dead fouls to rife and come to the
Saviour ; The dead jJmll hear the voice cftbe Son of jnan^
and they that hear Jhall lives Whenever dead bodies
hear the lafl trumpet, they fnaillive; and whenever
dead fouls now hear the voice of the Son of God, in
the great gofpel-trumpet, they fhall live alfo.
" Alas 1 fay you, I do not find a quickening powcf
accompanying the word, and raifmg my foul to life.**
Why, what is the reafon of that ? Surely, lahere ihe
voice of a king is, there is po%ver^ Ecclef. viii. 4. Ar\d
where the wi^rd, the voice of King Jefus is heard, there
is power. Perhaps, you are hearing the word deliver-
ed by us as the word of a man, and not as it is indeed
the word of God, which would work eiFedually. A^
long as you hear but the voice of a man fpeaking to
you, there is no power, virtue, or efficacy ; but, O tell
me, do you hear the voice of the Son of God through
this trumpet of man's voice ? For we fpeak to you ia
his name, whofe name is the God that quickens the dead^
and calls things thai be not^ as though they were, O theu
tell me, do you hear his voice, a voice that goes net
into your ear only, but into your heart ? Is the found
of God's trumpet going lin-through and out-through
Vol. VI. y y your
'358 The Great Trumpet, &c. Ser. CI.
your heart ? Then, hope, there is fome power ; and
if you be hearing his powerful voice, then rife, the Maf-
ter calls you* Rife, dead Lazarus ; rife, ftupid foul, ye
that are as ilupid as the earth beneath your feet» 0
earthy earthy earthy hear the word of the Lord* The
lad trumpet will not be more powerful, to make the
earth and fea give up their dead bodies, than this great
gofpel-trumpet is powerful to raife dead fouls, if the
Lord by the breathing of his Spirit be blowing it, and
if you be hearing his voice; They that hear JJoall live.
I have no more to fay ; and I have faid nothing that
will be heard, unlefs he fay the word. Rife and live ;
rife and come to Jefus, and in this way comeayid worjhip
in his holy mount* May the Lord himfelf fpeak pow-
erfully to you.
SERMOH
C 359 ]
SERMON CII.*
The aS//;;^ of the Gospel; or, God la
Christ.
Matthew iii. 17.
This is my beloved Son^ in whom I am well -pk a fed*
THIS chapter fliews us two things principally,
I. The rifmg of the morning-flar, John the Bap*
iijl^ to prepare the way for Chrift's appearing. 2. The
more glorious rifing and iliining of the Sun of right eon f"
nefs himfelf, particularly in Chrift's baptifm. Here is
an objedion John makes againft baptizing Jefus, when
he came to him to be baptized, ver 13, 14. But John
forbad him^ faying^ I have need to be baptized of thee,
and comeji thou to me f Here is Chrift's over -ruling ob-
jeftion, infifting upon the being baptized of him, and
giving the reafon of it, ver. 15. And Jefus anfwering,
faid unto him^ Suffer it to be fo nozu : for thus it becometb
us io fulfil all righteoufnef. We have here iht folenmity
of the baptifm ; and here is from heaven a fpecial dif-
play of heavenly glory, both to encourage Chrift in his
undertaking, now when entering upon his work, his
public miniftry, and to encourage us to receive him,
in and through whom the heavens are opened to us.
And hereupon we have,
1/?, A ineffenger from heaven, and then a voice ; He
faw the Spirit defcending like a dove^ ver. 16. If there
muftbea bodily appearance, it muft not be that oi^iman ;
* This fermcn was preached immediately before the celebration
of the f^crarricnt of the Lord's fupper, at Dunfermline, July *i » »
1737. With fonie at;idiUQnal enlargement. It hath undergone ii\e
-imprclTions,
Y y a for
360 TheSvu of the Gospel; or^ Ser. CII,
for, the being feen in fafnion as a man^ was peculiar to
the fecond perfon ; none, therefore, more fit than the
fhape of one of the/^zt'/j of heaven^ and of all fowls,
none fo fignincant as the dove. Why ? The Spirit of
Chiifl is a dove-like Spirit ; not a^//^ dove^, wtibout
heart ; but an innocent dove, without gall, and harm-
lefs, inofienfive. The dove was the fov/l offered in
iacriiice ; and Chrift, by the eternal Spirit^ offered him-
felf without fpot unto God. The tidings of the falling of
"the fiood was brought by the dove, with an olive-branch
in her mouth : fitly, therefore, is the glad tidings of
peace with God brought by the Spirit as a dove, by
the voice of the turtJs heard in our land ; by v^hich, th-
Chaldee Paraphrafe, iinderdand the voice of the holy
Spirit.
zdly^ We have a voice from heaven^ As the Holy
Ghoji manifsfls himfelf in the likenefs of a dove ; fo
God the Father., by a voice ; and it is a voice that
brings the beft nev^s that ever was heard, and that e-
ver came from God to earth : for it fpeaks plainly
forth God's favour to Chrifl:, and then to us in him,
I. It fpeaks forth GQ6.h favour to Chrift jefus our
Lord ; This is my Belovecl, Son, This exprefleth both
his relation and ajfccfion.
(i.) It expreileth the relation he frands in to him ;
he is my Son. Chrift is his Father's Son by eternal ge-
neration ; thus, as God^ he is co-equal with the Fa-
ther, begotten of him before ail worlds, Col. \. 15. Wha
is the image of the invifible God^ the firft-born of every
creature : as raati^ he is the Son of God, by fupernatu-
ral conception, being conceived by the power cf the Holy
GhoJi, Alfo, \\t,\% xh^ Son of God^ by fpecial (i^/?V72<2//«
on to the work and office of Redeemer ; he is fanftifi-
ed, fealed and fent upon this errand, brought up with
the Father for it, and appointed to it.
(2.) It expreiTeth the affection the Father hath for
him, 'This is iny beloved Son ; he is his dear 6>/?, the
Son of his love, Col. i. 13. He had lain in his bofo?n
from eternity, John i. 1 8 ; v/as always his delight, Prov.
viii. 30. But particularly, as Mediator, and in un-
dertaking th^ 'WPVk cf mau'§ v?4?Ji^f tion^ lie v/as his
Ser. CII. Gop in Christ. 35^
beloved Sm ; His Eled^ in who?n his foul delighfeilj, Ifa,
xlii. 1. Therefore doih my Father love ?ne, becaiife I lay
down my life^ that J may take it again ^ John x. 17. The
Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his
handj John iii. t^^. Surely thus we may know and ad-
mire how he loved us, and the like of us, that he bath
not wit held his Son, his only Son, his Ifaac whom he lov-
ed^ but gave him up a facrifice for our fms ; and that
therefore he loved him becaufe he laid down bis life for
VIS. Therefore,
2. Obferve God's favour to us in him. He is my be*
loved Son, not only with whom, but in whom I am well-
pleafed. Not only well-pleafed with all that are in him,
and unite to him by faith ; but, being in him, I am
well-pleafed, and declare myfelf well-pleafed, and fa-?
tisfied.
The word fignifies fomewhat elfe than that love, af*
feBion, and delight in Chrill, in the former claufe. The
word here ^MKwtL, though it be a Greek word im-
porting approbation and affefiion ; yet it hath its figni-
fication, not from the Greek, but from the Hebrew 5
for this verfe is taken from Ifa. xlii. i. Mine Elect, in
whom my foul delighteth ; which, though it be render-
ed, as here, by the feventy Interpreters, yet properly
it fignifies to be appeafed, pacified, reconciled ; and fo
it is not only, in whom I delight, and a?n well-pleafed
forthyfelf ; but alfo, in whom I am quieted, a?id fitisfied
with all the fe that belong to thee. This is the Sum of ths
Gofpel, as it is expreiledj t Cor. v. 19. God was in
Chrijl reconciling the world to himfelf Out of Chrifl
he is a confuming fire ; but in Chrifl, he is a reconcil-
ed God ; he offering himfelf a facrifice to fatisfy divine
juftice, and reconcile us unto God.
From the words we obfcrved two doftrinal propofiti-
ons. The firft was. That Chrifl Jcfus, the Son oj God^
is the beloved of the Father, the ohjed of his highefl kvc,
delight, and efleenu This doctrine being formerly -j-
f This firft doarine wa$ handled in feyeral ftated difcourfes before
|he facramept,
362 T^f Sum of the Gospel; or, Ser. CIL
fpoken to, at confiderable lengthy I proceed now to the
fccond, "oiz.
D o c T. That God is i?i Chrijl^ and in him alone a
ivell'pleafed and pacified God.
For proving and illuflratlng of this dodrine, fee
tliefe parallel texts, Ifa. xlii. 1. Behold ?ny Servant^ %vhoni
I uphold ; mine EhB^ in whom v.iy foul delight el h : com-
pared with Mat. xii. 18. Behold my Servant^ whom I
bavechofen ; my Beloved^ in whom my foul is well-pleaf-
ed Ifa, xlix. 3. "ihou art my Servant^ 0 If^aely in
whom I will be glorified, John xiii. 3 1 - Nozu is ths
Sen cf man glorified^ and God is glorified in him. Mat.
xvii. 5, This is my beloved Son, in whom lam well-pleaf"
ed ; hear ye him. i Cor. v. 15. God was in Chrifi re*
conciling the world to himfelf
The method we lay down, for the further profecut-
ing of this fubjectj through divine alliftance, fhali be
as follows,
I. We ill all fpeak of God's being in Chrifi.
II. Enquire how God is in Chriit-
ill. Shew that in Chrift he is zvell-pleafed,
IV. Make appiica ion of the whole fubjed.
I. We are to fpeak of God's being in Chrifi. For
underftanding this, we may confider, i. What God
is out of Chriil. 2. What God is in Chriii:.
i/?^ What God is out of Chrifi to the fmner. Why,
he is an offended, a threatening, a diihonoured, and a
diflant God
I. God out of Chrifi is to a finner an angry God ;
PCliL vii. II. God judgeth the rigbieciis ; God is angry
with the wicked every day: or, it may be read, God
is the RIGHTEOUS Judge; God is angry with the
tuicked every day ; becaufe he is a righteous Judge,
therefore he cannot but be difpieafed, often ded, and
angry with them , and, oh 1 but the wrath and anger
of God is a terrible matter. Who knovjs the power, ^f
his "xvrath f When // begins to burUj it burns to the lozv*
efi helL
2. God
Ser. CII- God in Christ. jGj
2. God out of Chrifl is a threatening God ; liis an-
ger manifefts itfclf in threatenings and curfes ; Pfal,
vii. 12, 13. If he turn not^ he will whet his J word ; he
hath bent his bow^ and made it ready. He hath alfo pre-
pared for him the injlruments of death ; he hath ordain^
ed his arroius for taking vengeance ; and his threaten-
ings are not bare words ; but as God, in Cl^irifl, gives
a being to his words of grace ; fo God, out of Chrift,
gives a being to his words of wrath, faying, as it Is,
Deut. xxxii. 39, 40,41. See now that /, even lam he^
and there is no God with me : I kill, and I make alive ;
I wound, and I heal : neither is there afiy that can deliver
cut of my hand. For I lift up my hand to heaven, and
fay, 1 live for ever. Ifl zohet my glittering fword, and
mine hand take hold of judgment, I will render vengeance
to mine enemies, and a reward to them that hate me. I
will make mine arrows drunk with blood, he, God, out
of Chrifl, is a God whofe mouth is full of curfes and
threatenings, and whofe hand is full of terrible ven-
geance for executing the threatening ; Cur fed is every
one that continueth not in all things written in the hook of
the law, to do them. Gal. iii. 10.
3. A God out of Chrifl is a diftjonoured God; and this
is the reafon why he is an angry God and a threatening
God, becaufe he is a difhonoured God j {ox fin bein^
a tranfgrcjfion of 'God's law, i John iii, 4. ; his authori-
ty is contemned, his wifdom flighted, his power vili-
pended, his holinefs bafHed, his juflice enraged, and
all his glorious attributes abufed and affronted.
4. God out of Chrift is a diflant God : fm having
fet God and man at variance, and at a diflance from
one another ; therefore men are faid to be afar of, Ads
ii. 39. Eph. ii. 13, — 17. Not in refpeft o^ Tiuy local
diftance : for God is every where ; but in point of ;;?(?-
ral diflance. We are far from the image of God, far
from the favour of God, far from the knowledge of
God, far from the love of God, far from the life ol
God, bei?7g alienate therefrom, through the ignorance that is
in us, Eph. iv. 18 ; and from any relation to God, ex-
ceptthat of a vindidlive Judge, and an avenger of fm,
a. confummg fire, ready to break out every moment in
ever-
'454 ^^ S*^^ ^f^^^^ 6d§PJEt 5 bi\ SeK. Clf*
cvcrlafiing flames ; between which, and the Chridlefs
finner, there is nothing but ySit weak tender thread of
life, which the leaft fpark of that fire of God's Wrath can
burn and break,, and then he falls into the depth of
endlefs and irremedilefs torment.— — -Thus you have a
fhort account what God out of Chrifl is*
idly^ We may confider what God is in Chrifl i
Why ?
1. God in Chrifl is a reconciled God, whofe anger
IS appeafed, and quenched by the blood of his eternal
Son, offering lip himfelf a facrifice of a fweet f fuelling fa*
vour unto God ; upon which account he proclaims here,
ms is ray beloved Son^ in whom I am well-plea fed. And
fends miniflers to proclaim the word of reconciliation^
"Sfx.* That God tvas in Chrijl reconciling the ivorld to him*
felf and not imputing their trefpajjh unto them^ i Cor*
V. 19.
2. Asa God out of Chrifl is a threatening God, fo
a God in Chrifl is -xpromijlng God. The covenant of
promife being fealed and confirmed by the death and
blood of Chrifl, which covenant, is therefore called the
New-iejiament in his blood, 1 Cor. xi. 25. And the
condition of ail the promifes being fo well fulfilled^
the price of them being fo well paid, they come to us
in the difpenfation of the gofpel freely and abfolutely,
to be received without money, and without price, becaufe
the money and price is already paid down to the full,
in the liquid gold of the blood of the God-man ; that
being freely received, we may wait with affured hope
till they be fully accomplifhed, becaufe all the promifes
of God are in Chrijl Tea^ and in him, Amen^ to the glory
(fGod, I Cor. i. 10.
3. A God in Chrift is a glorified God : as God out
of Chrifl to a fmner is a God abufed and diihonoured;
fo God in Chrifl is a God glorified and honoured ;
Chrifl having fulfilled, yea, magnified the law, Ifaiah
xlii. 21.; he hath brought in everlafiing right eoufnefs ;
made reflitution of all that honour to God and his per-
fedions, that fm took away ; Then Ireftored that which
I took not Q,way, Pfal. Ixix. 4. And Chrifl teflifics this ;
/ have
Ser. CIL God in Christ. 3^^
J have glorified ihse on earth, even on earth, where thou
waft difnonoured : why ? 1 have jinljhed the ijuork ihou
gavefi rae id do^ John xvii. 4. God in Chrid is a God
not only whofe mercy is magnified, but alio whofe truth
is vindicated, v^hofe hohnefs is celebrated, Vv'hofe juf*
tice is fatisfied, v/hcfe wifdom and pov/cr^ and other
attributes, are made more copfpicuous in redemption
work, than ever they were in making heaven and
earth ; and a God in whom we may look for falvation
through Chrift to the honour, the higheft honour and
glory of all his excellencies*
4. A God in Chrifl is a nearly afproaching God, a
nearly related God.- — In Chrilfj becomes t\C2cc graciouf-
ly, faying, I bring near my righieotifnefs ; it /bail not be
far cjf\ and my falvaiion jhall not tarry : and I will place
falvation in Zionfor Ifrael my glory, Ifa. xlvi. 13.— And
he comes near relatively, fayiiig, / ivill be thy God^
and thou Jhalt be my people : and that upon account
of Chriil's approaching to God in our room, as our
Surety ; Who is this that engaged his heart to approach
unto me, faith the Lord? Jer. xxx. 21. Hence the
near relation is promifed ; Andyefhall be my people, and
Izvill be your God, ver. 22. And this near approach
and relation of God to us in Chrift, is an everlailing
nearnefs ; and hence we have him faying, I 'will never
leave thee, nor forfake thee, Heb. xiii. 5. ; and the
church, faying. This God is our God for ever and ever ;
and he vuillbe our guide even unto death, Pfal. xlviii. 14,
Thus much for what God is in Chrifl.
II. The fecond thing propofed, was, To fliew how
God is in Chrift. For clearing thi.s v/e may confider,
1. What it is ^God, that is in Chrift. 2. How, and
in what manner God was and is in Chrift. 3. \Vhat
£/' Chrift God is in.
if. What it is af God that is in Chrift. I fhall con-
fine myfelf to thefe two compreheniive things, namely,
I. All iht perfons of the God-head are in Chrift. 2.
All thcfulnefs of the God- head is in Chrift. And, here
is a fubje£t for deep momentuous thoughts and confi-.
deration s-
VoL. Vl. Z z [i.] AU
^65 The Sum ofiheQo^vzh\ or^ Ser. CIL
[i.] All the ferfons of the Godhead are in Chrift ;
I mean, God the Father is in Chrift ; God the Son is
in Chrift ; God the Holy Ghoft is in Chrift j ^one
God, in three perfons is in Chrift.
1 . God the Father is in Chrift ; Believejl thou not
that I am in the Father, and the Father in m^, John xiv. i o.
And ver. ii. Believe me, that lam in the Father, and
the Father in me. And hence he is called the way to
the Father, ver. 6. And there is no cojning to the Fa-
ther but in him^ becaufe the Father is in him ; that is,
even the firft perfon of the glorious Trinity : and yet
not excluding his being the way to the other perfons of
the glorious Trinity ; Therefore,
2. God the Son is in Chrift : as God the Son is
Chrift ; fo God the Son is in Chrift : that is to fay,
God the Son, confidered as the fecond perfon of the
glorious Trinity, is in Chrift, confidered as Mediator
between God and man. The divine perfon of the Son
is as innacceflible to us, as the divine perfon of the
Father ; and we need a Mediator between him and us
as he is God, as well as between the Father and us :
for, as there is an eiTential Onenefs between him and
the Father ; / and my Father are one, John x. 30. :
fo there is a perfonal Equality ; Being in the form of
God, he thought it no robbery to be equal with God, Phil,
n. 6. Therefore his infinite holinefs and juftice muft
be fatisfied, as well as the Father*s, by the doing and
dying of Chrift, as Mediator, otherwife we could ne-
ver have accefs to God ; Chrift the Son, being God
co-equal and co-eflential with the Father : and hence,
Chrift, as Mediator, is the way to himfelf, as God, as
"Well as he is the way to the Father ; becaufe he is the
way to God : Chriji having once fuffered for fin, the juft
for the unjufi, that he might briftg us to God, 1 Peter
iii/18. By hi?n we believe in God, who raifed him from
the dead^ and gave him glory, that our faith and hope
might be^ in God, i Pet. i. 21. And hence, as Savi-
our, God-man ; and Mediator, between God and
man, he calls us to come to himfelf, as God ; Lookta
ve, and be faved, all the ends of the earth ; for I am
Godf and there is none elfe^ Ifa, xlv. 22. As Mediator^
he
Ser. CII. God in Christ. 3^7
he is the means ^y whom; and as God^ he is the end^ to
whom we come. Here you fee it is neceffary we un-
derftand and diftinguifh between Chrift confidered ef-
fentially^ as to his divine nature, and as he is one with
the Father ; and perfonally^ as to his divine perfon,
and as he is equal with the Father ; and ceconomkally^
as to his divine office of Mediator, and as he is God's
Servant in the work of our redemption : Servant to
himfelf, as well as to the Father, while he came to
fulfil his own law, and fatisfy his own jullice, being
in this fervice confidered as a middle perfon between
God and man, and that contradiftincl from his being
the middle perfon between the Father and the Holy
Ghoil : Therefore,
3. God the Holy Ghojl is in Chrift. The third per-
fon of the glorious Trinity, proceeding from the Fa-
ther and the Son, he alfo is in Chrift reconci!i?ig the
world to himfelf^ 2 Cor. v. 20 ; for he is one God with
the Father and the Son : There are three that bear re-
cord in heaven^ the Father^ the Word^ aiid the Holy
Ghoji ; and the fe three are one ^ i John v. 7. When I
fay the Holy GhoJi is in Chrifl ; I mean not here the
fupereminent un6lion of the Spirit, that is fo much
fpoken of in fcripture, his being anointed with the Spi-
rit above meafure^ to qualify him for his mediatorial of-
fice ; but I mean, that the Holy Ghoft, who is one
God with theFather and tlie Son, isinChrift, reconciled
in Chrift, fatisfied in Chrift, appeafed in Chrift, as
well as the Father and the Son ; for, God is one : and
it is GoD, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, th4t was of-
fended by fm ; and it is this Gor>, Father, Son, and
Holy Ghoft, that is reconciled, through the mediation
and fatisfaQion of Chrift ; fo that if this reconciliation
liad not been made, we could have approached to
none of the perfons of the glorious Trinity with accep-
tance ; but now accefs is made to all alike, becaufe
accefs is made to God, or to the divine nature, which
is the fame in all the three perfons.
Well, when you confider what of God is in Chrift,
remember that all the perfons of the Godhead are in
Chrift^ and let this re(^ify their mirapprehenlions, who
Z z 2 have
363 7bc Sum of the Gospel*, or, Ser, CII.
have dreamed, that Cbrifl is Mediator between God
and nt : whereas God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghofl, is,
that' ONE God between whom and us Chrifl is Media-
tor. When we addrefs ourfelves to Godj through ChrlR,
for example, in prayer^ moil ufually we do, and fliould
pitch upon the ^Father by name, being the firfl: perfon in
order of fubfifience ; but we are to beware of think-
ing, that he alone is prayed unto, and none of the reft
of die perfons : or whatever of the three perfons wcj
have occafion to name ; think not that he alone, and}
none ether, is prayed unto, excluding the reft: for;
this would not be a worihipplng the true God, whO;
is one as to efTence, and three as to perfons, or per-
fonal fubfiftence. We cannot look aright to one per-
fon, wit])out eyeing the others; for, he ibat fees the
Sou, feelb the Father ; and he that fees the Father and.
tile Son, fees the Holy Ghoft ; for the Father is in the.
Son, and the Son is in the Father, and the Holy Ghofl
in both. The objed of worfhip is one, viz. Father,.
Son, and Holy Glioft, one God ; and the objecl of
/^.'■//j is ONE, namely^ God, Father, Son and Holy
Ghofl:, in and through Chrift. It is a mental error to,
wo rfhip firfl one perfon and then another, as thePo.^
])i{h and Prelatical forms Teem to lead unto ; Lord ha-vs
mercy on us ; Chrift have mercy on us^ &c. ; as it there
were divers objcds of worihip. We are to beware of
worfhipping Chrift, and then worfhipping God, as if
they were diftin^l objects of worfnip, orherwife we
worftiip not the true God. The proper object is not
God and Chrifl as two, but God in Chrift and fo the
obje^l is one.
jj2.] As all the perfons of the Godhead are in Chrift,
io allihe fidnefs of the Godhead is in him; In him dzvel-
leth all the fulnefs of the Godhead bodily^ Col. ii. 9. I
fhall hear mention a threefold fulnefs, vi^, A ful-
nefs oi divinity, a fulnefs ol fufficiency, a fulnefs of efl*
ciency,
J. A fulnefs of divinity, or of the Godhead ; and
all the fulnefs of the Godhead. God's gifts and gra-
ces are found in others ; but the Godhead itfelf is to
be found in CH^rift ; m^, not ?i pOTial, but ^U the ful
mi%
Ser* GU. God in Christ. 369
nefsof tlie Godhead, and that bodily ; that is, really,
fubllantrally, or perfonally. The Son is the fame indi-
vidual nature with the Father : and Arians mud an-
fwer {'or their blafphemy, who would rob Ghrifl of the
honour of his Deity, feeing there is but one Deity, one
Divinity, one Eifence, between the Father, Son, and
l-Ioly Ghoft.
2, He hr.th a fulnefs o{ fyfficiencj^ befides his natu-
ral fulaefs as. God. Jt plea fed the Father^ that in bi??i,
as Mediator, all fulnefs fhould dwells Col. i. 19, As
Jofeph filled the granaries of Egypt with corn : why ?
becaufe not only Egypt, but a'l the nations round a-
bout were to be fuppiied with corn in time of famine ;
fo it pleafcd God that in Chrift fhould all fulnefs dwells
that all Jews and Gentiles might come to him for
grace ; ail mufl: go through the hand of Jofeph to the
people.. The fea is full of water ; becaufe it is to con-
vey water to all the rivers. The fun is full of light ;
becaufe it conveys light to all the world : fo Chrifi: is
full of grace ; becaufe he is to be the conveyer of
grace : he is anointed %vith the oil of gladnefs above his
fellows. And there is, therefore, this fulnefs of fu(Fi-
ciency in Chriil ; becaufe there is in him a fulnefs of
divinity. The human nature, being perfonally united
with the Godhead, mud partake of all grace ; and it is
neceffary he fhould have a fulnefs of futiiciency, becaufe
of his threefold office ; hence, as a Prophet, he hath
a- fulnefs of wifdom ; as a Pried, a fulnefs of righteouf-
nefs ; and as a King, a fulnefs of power. There-
fore,
3. He hath a fulnefs o^ efficiency ; fuch a filling ful-
nefs, wherev/ith all believers are filled, Eph. i. 21,,.
which is his righteoufnefs ; The fulnefs of hitn that fl-
leth all in alL In all believers, Clirid fills all the fa-
culties of their fouls ; the underdanding, with light ;
the will, vi\\\\ liberty ; the heart, with life ; and every
member of Chrid's body is filled according to its mea-
fure ; The meafure ofiheflature cfthe fidnefs cf Chrift
Eph. iv. 13. AH have not alike meafure; one is full
as an arm, another is full as a finger ; yet every one
bath the fulnefs of ^ member ; uad all put together,
make
i^o The Sum of the GosvEL ; or, Ser. CII.
make up the fulnefs of Chrid-myftical.— *— In a word,
all God*s bleflings are in Chrift, all his confolations,
attributes, and promifes are in him ; of which more
afterwards.
zdly. We may confider how and in what manner God
was and is in Chrift.
I. God was in Chrift in the counfel of peace, fcsde^
rally ; rmking d. covenant with his chofen : preparing a
reniedy from all eternity againil that ruin he forefaw
man would run into, Pfal. Ixxxix 3. Hencr. the grace
of the new covenant is faid to be given before the world
began ^ 2 Tim. i. 9.
z. God was in Chrifl: in the promife reDrefentaiiojely^
Qtn. iii. 15. The feed of the woman fhol briiife the head
of the ferpent. As he was reprei-fnted by the feed of the
woman^ fo by the feed of Abraham in the promife ; I^
ihy feed fjall all the naiions oj the earth he bleffed^ Gen,
xxii. 18. l>^oWj to Abraham and his feed we-^e the -pro-
mifes made. He faith not^ and to feeds as of many ^ but
as of one ; and thy feed, which is Chrifi, Galatians
11! . 16.
3. God was in Chrift, in the ceremonial law, typi-
cally : the pafchal lamb, typified the Lamb of God thai
takes away the fin of the worlds John i. 29 1l\\q ark
of the covenant, typified Jefus the Mediator of the new
covenant* The blood of the ftn-offering, typified the blood
ef Chrift^ that cleanfeih from all fn.
4. God was in Chriff, in his incarnation, aBuallf
and perfectly, according to both natures of God and
man, in one perfon ; then the promife was performed
when it was faid, Unto you is born in the city of David a
Saviour^ which is Chrijl the Lord, Luke ii 11.
5. God was in Chrifl, in his mediaiorial ofHce, obe^
dicniially ; and tha^ both in the adiv c obedience of his
life, and pailive obedience at his death : for, he came
io do the will of him that fent him ; and became obedient
unto death, even the death of the crofs, Phil. ii. 10
6. God was in Chrift, is his refurredion, vicloriouf-
ly ; for then he aboUfhed deaths and brought life and
immortality to light^ 2 Tim. i, lo. Through death he def-
in^yed
Ser. CII. God in Christ. 371
troyed Imnihat had the ^ower of deaths that is ^ the de
'vUy Heb. ii. 14.
7, God was in Chrift, In his afceofion, iriuinphantlj ;
for. When he afcended up on h'lgh^ he led captivity captiie^
and received gifts for men^ even for the rebellious^ that
the Lord God might dwell among them^ Pfal. Ixviii. iS.
And, having received gifts for men^ he gave gifts uni^
7nen^ for the work of the minijiry^ and for the edifying th€
body ofChriJ}^ Eph. iv. 12.
8. God is in Chrilt, in his kingdom, glorioujly ; he
being x\o^ crowned with glory and honour^ Heb. ih lo.
Becaufe he humbled himfelf, and became obedient unl^
deaths even the death of the crofs ; there] ore God fjatb
highly ei<alted him, and given him a name above £V€ry
name, &c. Phih ii. 9, 10, 11.— Thus you may under-
ftand in what refped God is in Chrift.
3^/^, It may be enquired, what of Chrift God is
in*
1. God is in the human nature of Chrift ; Tfj^ Word
zvas made fejh ; and God is manifejled in the flejh^
John i. 3. I Timothy iii. 16. This is the fpecial way
wherein God Is in Chrift by a hypoftatical union, he
being God man in one perfon. His human nature is
God's temple, where he dwells ; his mercy-feat, where
he abides ; his throne, where he reigns graciouily and
glorioully : and, O i what good news is it, God is in
our nature i God is in our flelh !
2. God is in the mediaforial offices of Chrift ; every
office of Chrift is an habitation of God ; the wifdom of
God, is in his prophetical office ; the righteoufnefs of
God, is in his prieftly office ; the power of God, is in
his kingly office : therefore he is called. The power of
God, and the wifdom of God, and the righteoufnefs of
God, Hence,
3. God is in the name of Chrift ; and there is not a
name that Chrift hath, but if we could believingly view
it, we would find God in it. Is his name Inmanuel f
God is there, as a God with us. Is his name Jefus f
God is there, as a Saviour for us. Is his name Chrifi ?
God \% there, anointing him tofavefmners. And be.
caufe
37^ K't' Sum offheGosT'ELi or^ Ser. CIL
caufe God is his namcj therefore his name is as oint"
vieni poured forth ^ Song i. 3.
4. God is in the church of Chrifl ; therefore her
name is called Jehovah-Shammah, the Lord isihcre^
Ezek. xlviii. 35. In the invifible church, God is in e-
very member of Chriit ; in every friend and follower
of Chrifl J and the more they follow the fteps ofChrift,
the more of God is to be feen in and about them.-—
And when they have much of Chrift in them, then it
is fometimes obfervable by on-lookers, thcit God is in
them of a truth, i Cor. xiv. 25.
5. God is in the ireafure of Chrift ; In him are hid alt
the treafures of wifdom and knowledge^ Col. ii. 3. All
the treafures of grace and glory, all the treafures of
light and life, and fpiritual bieaings which he hath pur-
chafed, God is in them all ; yea, God himfelf is the
fum total of the treafure that is in him.
6. God is in the crofs of Chrifl, in the worft as well
as the befl of Chrifi : and hence the apoflle glories in
the crofs ofChrijl, Gal. vi. 14. ; and his people glory in
irihulaiion, Rom. v. 3. When he orders a rod, a crofs,
a trial to his people, God is in it : hence theyfrry tricil
doth but purge away their drofs. A reconciled God is
in the crofs of Chriil ; and hence it is made fo light and
eafy, fo fweet and portable, fo beneficial and profitable,
that it comes to be among the befl of their blefhngs :
It zuas good for me that I was afflided, Ble/fed is the
man whom thou chafiencj}^ and teacheft out of thy Iaw»
The cup may be bitter to flefli and blood, but there is
no death in the cup ; nay, God is in it, his blefTmg
is in it, and his Spirit is in it, if it be the crofs of
Chrifl.
7. God is in the work of Chrifl , not only in his
work of creation and providence, whereof Chrift is the
author and upholder, is God to be feen in his infinite
power and wifdom, but efpecially in his works of grace
and redemption. God is in his work that he worksyZ;r
us. As God was in all his miracles ; fo in his doing
and dying on earth, and in his pleading and interced-
ing in heaven. God is in thefe works of his ; They
0>re the doings cf the Lord^ and wondrous in our eyes.
God
Seh. CIJ. God /;2 Christ* 27^
God is in his work that he works in us, when he comes
to convince and convert finners, and draw them to
himfelf , O Sirs, the finger of God is in it ; then is
t be a tvn of God revealed, Ifa. hii. i.
8. God is in the ivord o^ the gofpel of Chrift.-—
When Chrift is offered in this gofpel, God is oifered
in him ; when Chrifl: is revealed, God is revealed in
him. And, O 1 when the gofpel-revelation is effeG*
tual, then it is the \txj power of God iofahaiion, Rom*
i. i6. Thus there are fome outward vifible things,
wherein you may fee and difcern the invifible God ;
if they be the things of Chrid, fuch as the gofpel of
Chrifl, the preached word, the outward diipenfation
of the gofpel, and the written word ; fay not, God is
far off\ if the word be nigh you, eve?i in your heart and
mouth, Rom. x. iS.
9. God is in the heart of Chrifl : why, the love of
God is in his heart, and the law of God is in his heart;
/ delight to do thy will, 0 my God : yea, thy law is within
my heart ; or, as it is in the Hebrew, It is in the midst
OF MY BOWELS, Pfal. xl, 8. As Chrifl lies in the Fa-
ther's bofom \ fo the Father hes, as it were, in his bo-
fom, in the midfl of his bowels. If you could look
into the heart of Chrifl, you would fee nothing but
God, the love of the law of God there, the glory of
God.
TO. God is in the hand of Chrifl : as God is in the
heart of Chrifl, infomuch, that he is the greatefl lover
of God ; fo God is in the hand of Chrifl, infomuch,
that he is the only giver of God. What is the great
gift of the new covenant ? Why, God himfelf is the
great gift, according to that promife, I will be thy God.
Who is the giver of fuch a great gift ? Who but Chrifl,
into whofe hand all things are given, and all the new
covenant goods and bleflings, even he whom God hath
given to be the covenant of the people. It is flrange, and
yet true, Chrifl is the great gift of God, and God is
the great gift of Chrifl : God gives Chrifl to us, and
then Chrifl gives God to us. He gives God, and he
gives himfeif, and he gives his Spirit ; and he comes
with all thefe gifts in his hand, and. prefents and pro
Vol, VL A a a fcrs
374 TheSuu of the Gospel; ct^ Ses. CIL
fers them to us freely, under the notion of living wa-
ters ; Whofocver ivill^ let him come^ and take cf the iva-
iers of life freely^ Rev. xxii. 17. Thus you may
have feme view how God is in Chril!:.
III. The third thing propofed was. To fliew, that
in Chrifi alone God is a well-pleafed God* This will ap-
pear, if you confider, i. What God hath done with
refpefl to Chrifi himfelf. 2* What he doth for hisz-^^?-
-fh\ in him,
ifiy We may confider what he hath done with refped
to Chrifi himfelf
T. He hath folemnly proclaimed his approbation of
his perfon and undertaking from heaven, three feveral
times, with an audible voice, namely, at his baptifm,
transfiguration, and paiiion ; This is ?7iy beloved Son in
ivhom I am well-pleafed. Agreeable to which is that o-
pen proclamation, Ifa. xlii. i. Behold, ?fiy Servant^
whom I uphold ; mine Eled, in whom ?ny foul delight eih^
2. He hath releafed him from the prifon of the grave^
m which, as our Surety, he was detained for a time ;
He was taken from prifon and from judgment, fays the
prophet Ifaiah, chap. liii. 8. He Vvas taken from thence
by a public fentence ; which was an undoubted argu-
ment, that the debt, for which he was thrown in pri-
fon, was fully paid ; and the Lord was well-pleafed
with the ranfbm* Hence it is vety obfervable, that the
refurreftion of Chriit is afcribed unto God, as recon-
ciled ; The God of peace x"^ faid to bring again from the
dead the Lord Jefus Chrifi, the great foepherd ofthejheep^
Heb.xiii. 20r
• 3 . The authority, and pozver^ and honour where-
with our Surety rs in veiled, as a reward of his hard
work, is an evidence, that God is weil-pleafed in
him.
QjJFST. What reward hath he conferred on him ?
Answ. (i.) He hath fethim at his own right-hand
in the highefi heavens ; Heb. xii. 2. Looking unto Jefus,
who for the joy that wasfet before bim endured the crofs,
defpifed the fjame, and is fet dozu7i at the right-hand of
the throne of God» The martyr Stephen, in his dying
words.
Ser.CII. God ;« Christ. 375
words, A£ls vil. ^6, fays, that he /aw Leave u opened,
and the Son of man Jlanding on the right hand of God.
Had he been fliut out of his Father's prefence, it had
been a fign that anger ftill lodged in his bread, both
againfl the Cautioner and the principal ; but his being
re-admitted into that glory which he had with the Fa-
ther before the world began, is an evidence, that he is
well-pleafed in him.
(2.) He honours him with a complete vlclory over all
his enemies. He makes all the powers of hell to be
proftrate at his feet ; Pfal. ex, i. Sit thou at my right-
hand until 1 make thine enemies thy fool/ool, Phil. ii.
9, 10. At the name of J e fits every knee JhaU bow, of things
in heaven, and things in earth, and things imder the
earth, &c. "When man finned, God delivered the
power of death unto the devil, as his executioner ; but
he found fuch a fweet favour in the righteoufnefs of
the Surety, that he wrefts the keys of death out of the
devil's hand, and delivers them into the hand of our
Redeemer. Hence Chrifh proclaims it as good news
to all his fnends. Rev. i. 17. / am he that livcth and
was dead ; and behold I a?n alive for evermore, and have
the keys of heli mid of death,
(3.) He not only makes him victorious over all the
powers of hell, but, as Mediator, invefts him with a
precedency over all the angels in heaven ; And every
name that can, be named, either in this worhi, or the
world that is to come. Heb. i. 4. Being made fo much
better than the angels, as by inheritance he hath obtained
a more excellent name than they. And in the fixth verfe.
When he brings in his fir fi begotten into the world, he fays.
Let all the angels of God zuorjhip him. Doth not this fay,
that God is well-pleafed in liim ?
(4.) He hath clothed him with 2i\\ judicative authori-
ty, and conftitute him the fole Judge of the v^'orld ;
The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judg-
7nent to the Son. He hath appointed a day wherein he
will judge the world, by that ?nan vjhom. he bath ordained,
Acls xvii. 31.
%dly. We may confider what he doth for his peo-
A a a 2 pit;
37^ T/;,? Sum of //j^ Gospel; or^ Ser. CII.
pie, tbefe for whom Chrift is Surety ; and from thence
it will appear, that God is well-pleafed in him.
1. In him, and for his fake, he pardons all their
fms ; IV bom God baib fet forth to be a propitiation thro*
faith in his bloody to declare his righteoufnefs^for the re-
nufion offinsy Rom. iii. 25.
2. In him, and for his fake, he hears their prayers ;
B,ev. viii. 3, 4. And another angel came and flood at the
altar ^ having a golden cenfer^ and there was given U7ito
him much incenfe^ that he Jhould offer it vjith the prayers
of all the faints upon the golden altar ^ which was before
the throne. And the fmoke of the incenfe which came
with the prayers of the faints afcended up before God, out
of the anger s hand. This is the incenfe that renders
them acceptable unto God, and without which they
would be an abomination.
3. In him, and for his fake, he admits them into
conununion zvAfellowjhip with himfelf ; By the blood of
Jefus we have accefs to the holy of holies , &c. Heb. x.
19, — 22.
4. In him, and for his fake, they have adoption,
with all the privileges that attend it ; In the fulnefs of
iime^ God fent forth his Son, made of a woman, made un^
dcr the law, that we might receive the adoption of fonsj
Gal. iv. 4, 5.
5. In him, and for his fake, they have accefs to glo-
ry at laft. The righteoufnefs of Chrift, removes the
bar that bolts heavens gates againft us, which w^as fm,
Heb. ii. 10. and v. 9. ; there fays the apoftle, Chrift
was made perfect through fuffering, in bringing many fons
and daughters to glory. Now, from thefe things it is
clear, that God is well-pleafed in Chrift.
IV. The fourth thing propofed v/as, To make appli'
cation, and it may be applied,
I/?, Byway oi information. Is God in Chrift ? Then
let us fee God here ; for here is the glafs wdierein we
may fee all the divine glory : in Chrift we may fee God
in all his attributes and fulnefs ; in all his faving offices
and relations to us ^ in all his graces, and in all his
bkiTings.
I. In
Ser. CII. God in Christ^ 377
I. In Chrift we may fee God in all his attributes and
fulnefs ; there is nothing that the Father hath, except
his perfonaUty, but the Son, as Mediator hath ; All
things that the Father hath^ are mine^ John vi. 15.;
all things that God hath, they belong to the Mediator,
alfo the God-man. Here then is an ocean where yoa
and I may dive for ever, and never reach to the bot-
tom. In him we may fee the iv'ifdom of God ; In luhvm
are hid all the ireafures of ^uclfdom and knowledge^ Col.
ii. 3. Poor foolilh fmner, who Iraft no wifdom, know-
ledge, or underftanding, here is a treafure for you,
Chrift, the wifdom of God^ i Cor. i. 30.— In him we
may fee all the power of God ; We preach Chri/i criui^
fied, unto the Jezvs a fiimibUng-block, and to the Greeks
fooiifhnefs ; but unto them that are called^ Chrifi the pow-
er of God^ and the wifdom of God, i Cor. i. 24. Poor
weakling, that can do nothing, here is a bargain for
you to lay hold upon ; // is he that can work in you, both-
to will and to do ; and make his people willing in the da^
of his power, Pfal. ex. 3. You are not called to corae
to Chriil, but by the power of Chrilt, which is the
power of God ; you are to receive him, who can give
you power to receive him; and as an abfolute weakling
to take hold of his ftrength, and look to his power^ to
whom is given all power in heaven and in earth,~ln
him we may fee all the holinefs of God ; he is faid to
be made of God to us fandif cation : and furely, here
is an immenfe fountain of fandity, the infinite holinefs
of God. O poor, vile polluted fnmer, that haft lofl
the image of God by the fall of the firfl Adam, and
the deficiency of his holinefs ; here is a better Head
and Hulband for you, in whom is all the fuhiefs of di-
vine holinefs, that ye may be complete in him.' — In
him. we may fee all the jufiice of God, and all the righ-
feoufnefs of God ; we may fee juftice faiisfied in him,
by his mediatorial righteoufnefs ; for, the Lord is well-
pleafedfor his righteoufnefs fake ; yea, he that is the
righteoufnefs of God is inade unto us righteoufnefs, i-Oor.
i. 30. ; And, O wonderful word! 2 Cor. v. 21. Hs was
made sin for us, who knew no Jin, that we might be made
the righteoufnefs of God in hlnu O guilty, guilty finner,
here
37^ 7he Sum of the Gospi^l ; er^ Ser. CIT.
here is a joyful found in your ears ; He thai bath ears
U bear let him hear : you may, in Chrift, be more righ-
teous in God's fight than ever you was guilty in his
iigh.t ; yea, you uray be the very righteonfnefs of God in
him ; you may not only be jujiified^ but find God to
be juji in jujlffing you ; becaufe the juflice of God is
in him, and it is fatisfied in him, m.agnified in him,
glorified in him.— In him we may fee all the 7nercy of
God I all the infinite love, pity, and compafTion of God
is in him, in his heart : what is Chrift, but the love
of God wrapt up in the garments of ^^{h. and blood ?
In this was manifejied the love of God towards us^ becaufe
that God fent his only begotten Son into the world, that we
7ni'^bt live through him. Herein is love, ?iot that we lov-
ed God, but that he loved us, and fent his Son to be the
pKopitiation for our fins, John iv. 9, 1 o. And Jude,
verfe2i. Keep yourfelves in the love of God* How?
lacking for the mercy of our Lord Jefus Chriji unto eternal
Ife, O poor miferable fmner, would you wifli to find
mercy in the moment of death, and mercy at the great
day 1 Know there is no mercy to be expected from
God out of Chrift ; and unlefs you look to his mercy
as in Chrift ; for he will never lliew mercy to the pre-
judice of his juftice : and it is only in Chrift that nier^
cy and truth meet together, and embrace each other.
In him we may fee all iXitfaithfulnefs and truth of God ;
My 7nercy and my faith fulnefsfh all be with him, Pfahii
Ixxxix. 24. I have obferved, (as I formerly noticed,
upon another difcourfe,) between thirty and forty pla-
ces of fcripture, where mercy and truth, mercy and
faithfulneis are joined together ; and here you fee
they are joined together in Chrift. In him the mercy
and love of God vents to the honour of divine truth
pledged, even in all the threatenings of the law, as
well as divine truth pledged in all the promifes of the
gofpel ; becaufe in him all the threatenings and curfes
of the lav/ have fpent their force. Gal. iii. 13. And iyi
him are all the promifes Tea and Amen, to the glory of
God, 2 Cor. i. 20. He is the way and the truth ; truth
itielf, the God of truth, the truth of God. O perfidi-
ous, faithlels, unfaithful, and treacherous finner, that
hatji
Ser. CII. ' God in Christ. ^yt^
hath many times lied to the God of truth, would you
have yourfallhood all done away, and fwallowed up ia
the truth and veracity of God, and your falvation fe-
cured, notv^ithftanding of your falthood, fickknefs, and
inftability ? Here is a pillar on which you may (land
firm and fixed amidfl all changes, whether in your out-
ward lot or inward frame ; For allflej}) is grq/}, but fhs
word of the Lord endurctb for ever. The truth of God
(lands unalterably the fame. Again, in him we may
fee all the authority of God ; My name is in him^ Exod,
xxiii. 21. O ! poor loll finner, when Chrift in his
gofpel, comes to fcek andfave that ivhich was hji ; fay
not. By what authority doth he ihefe things f He is the
Sent and Sealed of God ; and he hath all the autiiority
that God can give him : and if you afk, By what au-
thority we, poor finful mortal worms like yourfelves,
do ofter him, and all his riches to yoii? Indeed we
could have no authority, if he had not faid, Go preach
the gofpel to every creature : And lo I am with you is
the end of the world. In a word, in him we may fee
all the fulnefs of God ; // pleafed the Father^ that in Fwi
Jhoidd all fuhefs dzvell^ Col. i. 19. In him dwells all
the fulnefs of the Godhead bodily : not -only all the attrl*
butes of God, but all the fulnefs of all the divine at-
tributes ; not only the wifdoni of God, but all the ful-
nefs of divine wifdom ; not only the power of God,- but
all the fulnefs of divine power ; not only the holinefs of
God, but all the fulnefs of divine holinefs ; not only
\\\t jujlice and righteoufnefs of God, but all the fulnei's
of divine righteoufnefs ; not only the mercy of God,
but all the fulnefs of divine mercy ; not only the trnlb
and faithfulnefs of God, but all the fulnefs of divine
faithfulnefs ; not only the authority of God, but all the
fulnefs of divine authority : not only is God in him,
but all the fulnefs of the Godhead. O poor, empty
finner, here /V unfearchahle riches, a bottondefs well of
everlafling falvation and confolation for you.-
2. In Chriil we fee God in all his faving offices. You
know the Father hath anointed him to the office of Pro-
phet, Priefl, and King : O Sirs, what employment will
you put in his hand ? It is he, as a Prophet, who Hivs,
7hcv
jSo ThSvm of the Gospel; ot^ Ser. CIL
^hey jhall he all taught of God ; loak to him for the
proniifcd teaching. It is he, as a Frieft, who fays, u-
pon the ground of the facrifice he hath offered, /, even
/, am he that pardoneth thine iniquity for my own name's
fake ; look to him for reniiifion in his blood. It is he,
as a King, who fays, 7 will fubdue your iniquities ; fin
jhall not have dominion over you. O ignorant fuiner,
will you find in your heart to refufe fuch a Prophet as
-Chriit is ? Who teacheth like him f O guilty fmner, will
you refufe fuch a High Priefl as this ? fuch a facrifice
as this is ? O inflaved (inner, will you refufe the help
of fuch a King and Conqueror as this ? If there be
none of thefe offices to be difpenfed with, then take
hold of him in them all.
3. In Chrifh we may fee God as he is clothed with
all relations that can contribute to the happinefs of a
fmner. What friend or relation do you want, O fm-
ner ? — Want you a Father to pity you ? Behold here
.you have an everlajiing Father ; for that is his name,
Ifa. ix. 6. ; and in him the fatherlefs find mercy. — Want
you a mother to be tender to you ? Behold, here mo-
therlefs children may have their lofles made up ; When
father and mother for fake you^ here is one to take you upy
Pfahn xxvii. 10. He is one that can be a thoufand
times better to you than father or mother ; and mani-
fefts more love than the tendereft mother that ever
was ; Can a woman forget her fucking child f Tea^ they
way forget ; yet will I not forget thee^ Ifaiah xlix. 15.—
Want you a hufhand / O ! what would you think to
be married with the Heir of all things ? Why, if the
ear of faith be opened, you may hear him faying, Thy
maker is thy hi f band ^ Ifaiah liv. 5. And again, Hofea
ii. 19. 1 will betroth thee unto me for ever. If you fay,
Oh 1 how will it be confident with the juftice of God,
for him to marry fuch a black bride ? Why, he fays,
Iwill betroth thee imlo me in righteoufnefs. If you fay.
How will it be confii\ent with the wifdom, mercy, truth
and faithfulnefs of God, to betroth the like of me ?
He fays, I will betroth thee unto 7ne in judgment.^ ayid in
loving-kindnefs^ and in ?nercies ; I will even betroth thee
unto
Ser. Gil God in Christ. n^^i
Unto: me in faithfidnefs^ and thou /halt know the Lord*
Thou lliait know God in Chrift, wlio can betroth thte
to h'nnielf, and yet be infinitely jull, and wife, and
mefclTiil,' and faithful in doing fo ; becaufe 7nercy and
truth have met together in Chrifl:, the glorious Bride-
groom ; they flrike up a match together, and embrace
each other ^ that there, might be nothing to hinder the
match between Chrifl: and yon. — Want you a proper
match then, O Huner, or a meet help^ poor bankrupt,
run in fuch are.ars to, the law and juftice of God ? Is
not he that hath unfearehahle riches^ a fit match for you ?
Poor, dyiiig creature, that will be food for worms in
a little, here is a living Head for you, that can make
you live for ever, O mortal worm, here is an immor-
tal Hufband for you. Poor, changeable creature, liere
is an unchangeable Match for you, Chriif, The fame
yejlerday^ to-day^ and for e^--c*(fr.-— Want you a lover ?
Are you an outcad, that reckons yourfelf defpifed by
ail the world, infomuch that none cares for you, nor
loves you ? Behold an infinitely loving and lovely Je-
fus tendering his love to you, faying, / "will heal your
backfidings^ and love you freely^ Hofea xiv. 4. And he
is feeking your conjugal love, faying, My fen give me
ihy heart, — Want you a leader through the dark and
difficult (leps of your way ; a guide, a diredor, and
counfellor,- in whatfoever affair you have upon your
hand, wherein you need to be direded ? O Sirs, here
is the wonderful Counfellor ^^ who fays, Ifaiah xlii. iC.
/ will lead the blind in a way they know not, and in paths
thai they have not known, I will malie darkn'efs light
before them, and crooked things Jlraight.- — Want you ..a
f}:iepherd to feed you ? or a captain to fight your battles
for you ? — Want you a phyficlan^ when in ficknefs, to
heal you ? — Want you a refaer 2l\\^ purifier^ when you
are in the furnace, to purge away your drofs ? Behold
a God in Chrift hath all the happy relations you can
defire.
4. In Chrifl we fee God in all his graces. This is a
great part of the glory cf the only begotten of the Father^
thai he is fidl of grace and truth. "Ichn i. ij.. And out
Vol, VI. B b b " ^
382 The SuxM of tbs Gosvi.h \ or, Ser.CII.
cf his f nine fs have we all received^ a7id grace for grace ^
verfc 16. Grace is poured into his lips, Pfalm xl. 2. ;
and, 1 hope, he is pouring grace from his hps by his
word among fome ofyou this day. The Spirit of the
l.ord^ is upon him ; for he hath anointed him ; he is
anointed with the oil of gladnefs ahove his fellows ; anoint-
ed with the Spirit ot all grace. — Want you grace to
believe f Behold it is in him, as he is the Author of
faith* — Want you grace to repent f* Behold it is in hiin
as a Prince and Saviour^ exalted to give repejjtance, —
Do you want grace to pray f It is he that hath the 5//-
rit of prayer to give, Zech. xii. 10. — Do you want
grace to communicate aright ; grace to mortify (in ; grace
to bear the crofs ;. grace to reftjl temptation ; grace to do
^nd fuffer f It is he that hath all grace to give, and
who fays, My grace fhall he fufficient for you. Hence his
people are called to bejirongin the grace that is in Chrijl
5. In Chrifl: we may fee God in all his blejfings which
he hath to give. He is the Lord-Difpenfer of temporal
bleffings ; for, The earth is his^ and the fulnefs thereof:
the Lord-Difpenfer of y^/nV«^/ bl^mgs ; for heaven is
his and:' the fulnefs thereof: the Lord-Difpenfer of e-
' ternal h\tKmg^ ; for eternal life is in him, and he is
^he true God^ and eternal life. It was promifed of him,
that men fhould he hleffed in him ; and accordingly he
hfentto hlefs us^ A6:s iii. 26. God having raifed up his
Son Jefusy fent him to hlefs you^ in turning away every
^ one of you from his iniquities. I might here enumerate
many particular bleiTmgs. The bleffmg of ilhanination
is in him, for,' he is the light to lighten the Gentiles :
■ the bleffing of converfion is in him ; for he fays. When
1 am lifted up^ I will drazv alt men to me : the blefling
Oi jufiification is in him ; for. We are juflified freely by
his grace : the blefling of reconciliation with God is in
him ; for, it is he that makes peace by the blood of his
' crofs : the blelnng oi fandification is in him ; for. He is
made of God to us fandif cation : the blefling oi accepta-
tion with God is in him ; for. We are accepted in the
Beloved : the blefling of accefs to God is in him j for.
By him we have boldnefs and accefs^ zvith conjideme thro*
faiib
Ser. CIL God in Christ. 383
faith of him : the bleffing of confclation k in him ; for.
He is the confolation of Ifrael : the blefling of a happy
death is in him ; for, Bleffed are the dead that die in
the Lord : the blefling of a happy refurredion is in him ;
for. He is the refurredion and the life : the blefling of a
happy fentence at the great day is in him, and at his dil-
pofal ; ,for, All judgment is committed unto him ; and it
is he that will fay to the wicked. Depart from ?ne^ y^
cur fed ; and to the righteous. Come yc bleffed of my Fa-
ther : the blefling of eternal ghrifcation is in him \ for,
as he is the glory of the higher houfe, fo he fays, Fa^
iher^ I will that thefe whom thou haji given me^ be with
7ne where I am, that they may behold 7ny glory ; and fo
fhall they ever be with the Lord. Cau you tell me any
fpiritual blefling that is not in hrm ? No ; Eph. i. 3.
We are blefffed with all fpiritual bleffings in heavenly places^
only in Chrijh And now, after all, what think you
of him ? Have you no heart to join hand with fuch a
well furniflied Saviour, hi w^jom dwells all the fidncfs
of the Godhead bodily f if you have no heart to fuch a
good bargain, this is very fad : but, becaufe it is a
day of glad tidings, I will tell you, among all other
things, that all hearts are in his hand, and it is his pre-
rogative to open the locked heart. It is eafy with hini
to create a clean heart, to melt the hard heart, to fix
the wandering heart, to cleanfe the filthy heart, to ele-
vate the drooping heart, to conquer the ftubborn heart,
to quicken the dead heart, to drav/ the backward heart,
as we formerly obferved, in another difcourfe ; and if
any thing draw your heart to him, it will be the reve-
lation of his grace and fulnefs ; and of God's being ill
him, and in him a well-pleafed God §.
FURTHER, in the light of this truth, particu-
larly that God is in Chrifl^ wx may fee,
I. How little of God is in the prefcnt generation ; for,
if God be in Chrift, and only in Chrifl, then a genera-
tion that is without Chrifl, is without God. A Chrifl:-
^ Here the afllon-fermon ended, in order to give place to comnr>u-
pleating, the proper work of the day. What fulio.Vf was delivered
afterwards,
B b b 2 ' lefs
384 The Sum cfthe Gospel; ci\ Ser. CII.
lefs p^eneration is a Godlefs generr.tion ; . God is not to
be tpund where Chrift is not to be found. If Clirift be
not in a fami'ly, God is not there : if Chrift be not in
the heart, God is not there : if Chrift be hot in a fer-
Hion, God is not there. Where Chrift is owned, God
is owned : where Chrift is diihonoured, God is dif-
}]onor,red : where Chrifl: is away, God is away ; for,
God is 'm Chrl/L And, Oh ! is it not too evident that
God is away from cur nobility, when Chrift is difow^n-
cd, and diihonoured, and difrcgarded among them ?
That God is away from the commonalty and generality
of people, wdien Chrift is fo little known and loved?
God is not to be found among Arians ; why ? They
rob Chrift of his fupreme Deity, and eternal Godhead.
God is not to be found among Arviiniaiis ; why r They
fpoil Chrift of the freedom and power of his grace.
You need not feek God ^.movig Fapijis ; why? Becaufe
Chrift is dethroned there, and the merit of works fet
up ill his room. You need not feek. God among Le-
gal'i/is and erroneous preachers ; w^hy ? If Chrift be not
in their preaching, God is not there; though they
make mention of Chrift's name, yet while they preach
not the true Chrift^ they preach not the true Goib—^
It is as evident as the fun-beams, that God is far away
from the prefent generation ; becaufe when Chrift is
not there, God is not there. God is not among the
ignorant and erronef^us ; becaufe Chrift, as a Prophet,
is not there. God is not among the felf- righteous ; be-
caufe Chrift, as a Prieftj is not there, God is not a-
mong the wicked and profane ; becaufe Chrift, as a
King, is not there, God is not among thefe that are
drowned in fenfualily and ^ivorldly-nnndednefs ; becaufe
Chrift and his Spirit is not there, God is not among
thefe that deny there is any divine impulfe leading a man
to fuch and fuch a duty, and leading him on therein ;
becaufe it is contrary to Chrift, who, as tlie Way and
Leader by his Holy Spirit, promifed to lead the blind
in a way they know 7wt ; and to 2?mke darkjiefs light be'
fore them ; and to be cf voice behind them, faying. This
is the way^ walk you in it. This Spirit is promifed to
bewivU bis ferv^nts ^nd people in all generations 5 Lo
J am
Ser. CII. God in Christ. 38^
/ am iciih you always, even to the end of the world : I
will never leave ibee nor forfake thee. But,
2. In the light of this truth, we may fee who are
fifife and prejumptuous dealers with God ; even thefe
'that adventure to deal with a God out of Chrifl. Who
deals with God cut of Chrifl ? even thefe that live in
unbelief and impenitency ; for it is in a way of faith
and repentance that all who deal with God in Chrift
do walk. Thefe that hope all is well, and will be well
with them, thougli yet they have never fled to Chrift
for refuge, nor know what it is to live upon him by
faith : Thefe that hope to atone God by their repent-
ing and reforming, by their future pains and prayers,
and never receive the atonement ; Thefe that hope in
God's mercy, and yet were never afraid of his juilice,
nor concerned how to have an infinite fatisfadion given
to infinite juflice, by betaking themfelves under the
covert of the blood of the God-man : thefe, and ma-
ny fuch there are who are prefemptuous dealers with
God out of Chrift, to whom he will be a confuming
fire, if they remain there.
3. Hence we may fee, who are the fair and hone/i
dealers with God, even thefe that fo take up God in
Chrift, and all things in Chrift, that they dare not ap-
proach to Gud, but in Chrift ; they dare not pray to
God, but in Chrift ; they dare not hope in God's mer-
cy, but through Chrift ; they dare not hope in the
promife, but as it is dipped in the blood of Chrift ;
they dare expedl nothing, but in Chrift : but in and
through him and his blood, they come boldly, and
hope confidently ; We have boldnefs to enter into the
hoUeJi by the blood of Jefus, Ileb. x. 19. If they joy
in God, it is through Jefus Chrift; if they deal with
God for pardon, it is through the blood of Clirift ; if
they deal with God for juftification, it is through Ciiriit
as the Lord their righteoulhefs ; if they deal with God
for fanditication, it is through Chrift as their ftrength ;
if ihey deal with God for grace, it is through Chrift as
the ftorehoufe of ail grace.
4. 11^4^0 v/e may fee what are the marh by v/hich
you
3^6 TheS\3yi of the Gospel; or^ Ser. CII»
YOU may know if ever you have got a difcovery of
God in Chrift.
(i.) What fight have you got of God out of Chriil ?
They that have feen him in the gofpel-glafs, have feen
him firft in the glafs of the lav^. The faith of the lav/
ordinarily goes before the faith of the gofpeh Have
you got apprehenfion of him as an angry God, becaufe
of your fm ; a threatening God, a diflionoured God,
a diilant God, and fo apprehend yourfelf to be with-
out God. and without Chrift in the world f Have you
got an afflicting fenfe hereof ?
(2.) What apprehenfion have you got of God for
relieving you from this mifery ? If you viewed God in
Chrift, then you have feen him a reconciled God, a
promihng God, a glorified God, and a nearly approach-
ing God, coming towards you, flying on wings of
grace and mercy, and fo with healing imder his wings^
and v/ith balm perfumed with Chrift's righteoufnefs,
Matth. iv. 2.
(3.) What of God have 3^ou feen in Chrift? Have
you feen the greateft glory of God, and all the glory
of God in him? Have you feen all the perfons of the
Godhead glorified, reconciled, fatisfied, and well-pleaf-
ed in him ? Have you feen all the fulnefs of the God-
head dwelling and refiding in him ? Have you feea
more of the glory of God in him, than ever you faw in
the fun, moon, and ftars ? Have you feen the method
of falvation through him to be worthy of God, as con-
tributing to the illuftration of all the divine attributes,
in fo much that God, in redeeming Jacob, doth glorify
himfelf in Ifrael.
(4) What ^Chrift have you feen God in? Have
you feen the glory of God in his face? 2 Cor. iv. 16. ;
jn his perfon ; in his human nature, in his being God
maniffied in the fejh f Have you feen God and his
glory in the undertaking of Chrift ; in the incarnation
of Chrift ; in his doing, dying, rifmg, afcending, and
exaltation to the right-hand of God ? Have you feen
God and his glory in the intercelfion of Chrift, in his
ofEces, in his iVcimes. in his fulnefs, in his righteouf-
jiefsj in his gofpel and proiuifcs i
(5.) What
SfiR. CII. God m Christ* .3^^
(5.) What way do you deal with God for hlejfmgs ?
Is it only in him, becaufe it is faid, -M^n floall be blejfed
in him ? — What way do you deal with God for pro-
mifed privileges ? Is it only in him, in whom the pro^
inifes are Tea and Amen ? — What way do you deal with
him for pardon ? Is it only in Chrift, whofe blood dean-
feth from all fin ? — What way do you deal with him for
purification ? Is it only in Chrift, who is made of G&d
to us fan^lif cation^ and has promiied the Spirit to tahe
of the things of Chrifi and fhew them unto us ?~What
way do you deal with God in prayer l Is it only in the
name ofChriftt — What way do you deal with him in
praife ? Is it only in Chrift you offer praife as well as
prayers ? — What way do you deal with God in h^llev^
ing ? Is it by him you believe in God ?— What way do
you deal with God in rejoicing I Do you joy in God,
through Jefus Chrijl^ by whom we have received th^ a-
ioncment ? — What way deal you with God in apprmdd'
ing to him in any duty ? Know you what it is to have
holdnefs to enter into the hoUefi by the blood of Jefus^ by
this new and llvdng way^ which he hath con fe crated thro*
the vail ofhisfiejh, — What way do you deal with God
in the tenor of your converfafion ? Is it fuch as becometh
the gofpel of Chrifi ? Is it your defu-e and endeavour to
fpread the favour of his name, that the Father may be
glorified in the Son.
(6.) What hope and expeaation have you in God
with refpect to future things ? — What hope hai^e you
in God with reference to days of trouble, trial, and ca-
lamity ? Is it only in Chrifi the Refuge? — What hope
liave you in God with reference to death ? Is it onlv
through Chrid's taking away the fling of death ? — What
hope in view ofjudg?nent I Is it in Chrift, the Lord your
righteoufnefs ?— What hope of a happy eternity ? Is it
only in Chrifi ? The gift of God is eternal life through Je-
fus Chrifi our Lord, — Do you take up Chrifi himfelf to
be the true God and eternal life, and that everlafting
glory lies in the everlafling vifion of the glory of God
in Chrifi, and fruition of this God ? Again,
5. Since God is in Chrifi, and in him well-pleafed,
then
jSS The'Su^i of the Qcv^zi. ; cr^ Seji. Cl'I.
then hence we may fee, and try whether he be well-
pleafed with you in bim,
(i.) If he be well-pleafed with you in him, then
you have fometime feen and found God to be a dip-
fkafed God, and difpleafed with you, as it is faid, Ffah
Ix. I. 0 God^ thou kajl caji us off^ thou haji fcatiered us,
thou haji been difpleafed ; 0 turn thyfelf to us agaim
They that have the faith of God's being weli-pleafed,
have feh his difpleafure ; and have been put in fear of
his wrath becaufe of fm.
(2.) You have feen there v/as no pleafmg of God,
ror pacifying of him by thwy fur if ce or fer-vice of yours*
Wherezvith fhall I come before the Lord^ and bow niyflf
before the High Cod ? Shall I come before him with burnt-
offerings^ with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be
f leafed with i hot funds of rams^ or with ten thou funds of
rivers of oil 1 Shall J give 7ny firjl-born for my tranfgref"
ftonj the fruit of my body^ for the fin of my fouP. Micah
vi. 6, 8. Sacrifice and offering thou wouldft not^ then faid
/, Lo J come : in the volume of thy book it is written of
me ; I delight to do thy willy O my God, Pfalm xL 6, 7.
Heb. X. 5. Nothing could fatisfy you but what fatif-
fies God ; you couW find no reft but in him in whom
God refts.
(3.) You will be well-pleafed w^ith Chrif, well-pleaf-
cd with the way of fa hat ion through him and his righ^
teotfnefy even as God is well-pleafed for his righieoufnefs*
fake^ beeaufe, as it magnifies the law^ and 7nakes it ho*
nourable ; fo grace reigns through that righteoufnefs * /<?
eternal life. You will be well-pleafed to be in him, fay-
ing, ^his is my refl, here will fflay^ for I like it welL
Well-pleafed to be like hi?n, faying, O to be conform
to his image ! Well-pleafed to he for hi?n, and upon
his fide, for his caufe, truth, and intereft, though all
the world fhould be againft him. Well-pleafed to be
with him ; to be v/ith him on earthy and have fellowfliip
and communion with him ; to be with him in heaven,
-and reckon it your chief happinefs to be for ever with
the Lord. And if you be well-pleafed with Chrift, you
will be ill pleafed with yourfelf, with your own righte-
oufnefs, your bed duties and performances, &c.
(4.) You
Ser. Gii. Goi5 /;; CtiRtsT. 389
(4.) You wiii be wcll-pleafed with God in bim : if
God be well-pleafed with yoii in Chrill, then you will
be well-pleafed with God in Chrift ; that is, you will
be reconciled to God in him \ the good plcafure and
love of God in Chriil will, according to the meafure
of your faith of it, kill your difpleafure and enmity a-
gainfl God ; for, Faith workeih by love^ even as unbe-
lief worketh by enmity : And you that were fometime
alienated^ and enemies in ycitt' )nind by zuicked works, yet
now hath he reconciled. Col. i. 21. 2 Cor. v. 18, 19.
Having abolijloed in his flejh the enmity, even the law of
tommandments contained in ordinances, for to make in him-
felf, of twain, one new fnan^fo making peace. And that
he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the crofs,
having JIain the enmity thereby^ Eph. ii. 15, 16. Not
only the enmity between Jews and Gentiles, but be-
tween God and man* You Will be well-pleafed with
God's choice of him ; you will be ready to fay as the
queen of Sheba concerning Solomon, 2 Chron. ix. 8..
Well-pleafed with God's perfections, ss they are in
Chrift ; Well-pleafed with God's accepting of Chrifi:
and his WorkSj and advancing him to the throne ;
well-pleafed with God's anointing himj and putting ail
our ftock in his hand*
6» Hence we may feetvhat God is to the unbelieving
Chrifilefs foul * as God in Chrift is a well-pleafed God ;
fo God out of Chrift, is all things that are terrible and
dreadfuL He is infinite wrath and anger, fire and
brimftone, and Vengeance ; God is the very hell of
hell : Who a-mcng us fyall dwell with the devouring fire f
fVho among us /hall dwell with everlqfting burnings : Ifa,
xxxiii. 14. He is a God preparing flames df indigna-
tion, to burn and deftroy the foul that remains in that
Chriftlefs ft ate ; For Tophci is ordained of old, yea, for
the king it is prepared, he hath made it deep and large :
the pile thereof is fire and much wood, the breath of the
Lord, like a fir earn of bhmjlone^ d'.th kindle it, Tfaiah
XXX. 33. Seethe defcription of hell, Revel, xxi. 14.
it is called the lake which bur neth wUh fire and brimjlonc,
which is the fecond deaih* Again,
Vol, VL C c c 7. Since
^9^ The Sum of the Gospel; or, Ser. CIT.
7. Since God is in Chrifl, and in him a welUpleafcd
God ; then hence v/e may fee, that Chrifl: is the great
theme^ that gofpel minift:ers ihould preach upon. It is
true, works and duties ought to be preached in their
place : but one great difference between the goipcl
and the legal way of preaching is not, that the one
preacheth duties, and the other not ; but the legal way
makes duties the foundation of gofpel privileges ; where-
as the gofpel-way makes gofpel privileges the foundation
of duty, or Chrifl: and his graces the foundation of all
holy obedience : the one is for the order of the cov-e-
nant of works, Do^ and then live ; the other for the
order of the new covenent, Live^ and then do. You
mufl: have fpiritual life in Chrill before you can do any
duty *. When we do not preach Chrifl:, we do not
preach the true God, nor true obedience unto him,
God out of Chrifl: is not a well-pleafed God, but a re-
venging God : therefore, obedience to God, out of
Chrifl:, is but rebellion ; faith in God, out of Chrifl:, is
but infidelity; love to God, out of Chrifl, is but en-
mity, even as the mercy of God out of Chrifl: is but
fury : He thai honours not the Son, honours not the Fa*
iher^'hyz Chrifl:; We are to confefs that Jefus is the
Lord, to the glory of God the Father, fays the apofi:le.
To negled Chrifl:, therefore, is to negled the Father :
and what makes gofpel minifl:er3 harp mofl: upon this
llrain ? Even, becaufe, if we could once get people
into Chrifl, they could not mifs holinefs. Why ? be-
caufe they could not mifs God himfelf ; they would in
him find the favour of God, the grace of God, the 1-
mage of God, which is all in Chrill, and no where elfe.
People may preach the law, and yet mifs the law, and
all true obedience to it : but one cannot preach Chrifl:,
and mifs the law ; becaufe, as God is in Chrifl:, fo the
law of God is in him, who is the end of the law for
right eoufnefs, Rom. x. 4. ; and in whom, as our ark,
the law is kept : the law, as a covenant, is in him, as
the Lord our j-ighteoufnefs, for juflification ; the law, as
a ruk^ is in him, as the Lord ourfirength, for fan^li-
* The Author handles this point 7ery coploufly, Vol. II. SeTin.
XX.|H,— XX VII. page 245.
fication z
Sek. CIL God In Christ. 391
Jication : therefore, if we could get people into Chrifl,
then we would get them both juflified and fandified.
If, therefore, any thuik, why do you not preach up
works and duties more ? I will only fay, if you be of-
fended at the preaching of Chrifl, 1 fear you are igno-
rant of works and duties both j yea, and ignorant of
God to whom you pretend homage and obedience j
for, as God is in Chrifl, fo he is in none of your works
and duties that you perform, while you are out of
Chrifl 5 and you mufl be where God is, that is, in
Chrifl, before ever you can perform a duty that God
will have any regard unto ; Abide in me^ n?id I in you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit of itfelf, except it abide
in the vine : no inore can ye^ except ye abide in me, I am
the vinCy ye are the branches : he that abideth in me^ and
J in hiniy the fame bringeth forth much fruit : for zi^ith-
out me ye can do nothings John xv. 4, 5. He hath made
us accepted in the Beloved^ Eph. i. 6. Wo to thefe to
whom Chrifl is a flumbling-block ; bul blefTed arc all
they that fhall not be ofiended in him.
8. Hence we may fee, where God^ and all things
we need, are now to be found ; The Father loveth the
Son, a?2d hath given all things into his hand, John lii. 35,
Where God goes, all things go with him : God is
gone into Chrifl ; therefore, all things follow him :
and fmce God is in Chrifl, and all things with him,
then where fliould we go but where God goes ? Where
flioiild the fifli go, but where the water goes ? God,
the iountain of living waters, is gone into Chrifl, and
let us then follow him there : where he loves to dwell,
let us love to dwell : where he flays, let us flay; where
he refts, let us refl : let us take pleafure in him, in
whom God is well-pleafed ; To %vhom Jhall wegof fays
Peter, thou haft the words cf eternal Ife. O Sirs, to
whom fliould we go, but to Iiim, in whom God is
well-pleafed ? To whom fhould we go, but to him,
that hath the eternal God in him, eternal life in him,
eternal bleiTmgs in him ; and all things that concern
eternal happinefs in him.
My friends, though you had never heard a word
of the gofpel before, there is more in this truth thar. a
C c c z \s\\o\'z
'392 7he Sum of ihe Gospel, &c. Ser. CII»
whole v/orld is v/orth, namely. That God is in Chrifl:,
in him well-pleafed ; This is my beloved Son, in whom
I am zvell-pleafed : and he, and all things in him, is
offered in this gofpel unto you. And, O Sirs, if your
lieart were open to receive him, happy would you be
to eternity. I know not what the joyful found of the
gofpel is, if it be not the news of God^s being in Chrift,
and in him well-pleafed ; and blejjed are ihe people thai
know it^ and embrace it ; and curfed are the people
that defpife and undervalue it ; and all the people of
God mud fay Amen : How Jhcdl they efcape ivdq ne^
glecl fo great falvaiion ? Happinefs and mifery in life,
in death, and for ever, is now before you, O hearer
of this gofpel. If God be in Chrid, and in him welU
pleafed ; and if this be the gofpel of Chrift, then God
is in it dealing with you, man, woman ; with you and
each of you, of whatever (lation or denomination ; high
or low, rich or poor, young or old. As it is faid,
when God appeared to Elijah at Horeb, i Kings xix,
ji,— ?T3. theft was 2iJ}rong wind ^ then there was an
earthquake, but God was not there ; but after that, there
was ajiill fmall voice^ and God was there : fo we may
fay, at this day, there are ftrong winds of temptation,
whereby many are made to turn with the wind ; but
God is not there : there are great earthquakes of con?
fufion and commotion; but God is not there 2 and
there are fires of divifion, wrath, and contention ; but
God is not there. O ! where is God then ? Why,
there is zjiill fmall voice of the gofpel founding in your
ears ; and if the name of Chrift be recorded herein,
God is there ; My na7ne is in him^ Exod. xx. 24.
May he give proofs of his powerful prefence, by
drawing out your heart to him, of whom the Father
here proclaims, This is my kkv^cf SqU) in whom I am
%juetl-p!eafed^
SERMOKl
i 393 1
S E R M O N ciir.
Prcfent Duty before approaching Dark-
ness,
Jer. xiii. 1 6.
Ch^ glory to the Lord your Cod ^before he caufe dark*
Tiffs,
THESE words are part of a weeping prophecy,
wherein the prophet is attempting to awaken
this fecure and flubborn people to refeniance^ from
the confideration of the judgments of God that were
coming upon them, of which we read in the preceding
part of the chapter ; and now he comes to give them
good and feafonable counfel^ verfe 15. Hear ye ^ and
give ear^ he not -proud ; for the Lord hath fpoken. God
^as pad his word, and the decree is gone forth: and
then he calls them to repent, ^nd give glory to God, be"
fore he caitfe darknefs.
From the connexion we may obferve thefe few
things.
1. That God, in his mofl: fevere threatenings, and
moft awful providences, aims at mens repentance^ and
returning to him,
2, Thefe who dcfpife the threatenings of divine
wrath, fliouldy?^yy?/7/and hear what the Lord fays to
them ; as you may fee, Prov. i. 25, 26, 27. But ye
have fet at nought all my counfeU and would none of my
* This Sermon was preached at Cambufnethen, on Wednefday,
Auguft 3d, 1737.; being a Fast-day, appointed by \\\fi /Jjfociate
Prejhyteryy at the earnclt defire of the SgCiETiES in thofe bounds.
1% hatk undergone five imprglTiwiS,
teprcof ;
394 Prefent D t? T Y he/ore Ser. CIIL
reproof: I alfo will laugh at your calamity^ and mock
'when your fear Cometh ; when your fear cometh as a >^ fold'
tkn^ and your deJlruElion cometh as a whirlwind ; juhen
difirsfs and angmfJo cometh upon you. See alfo ver. 33.
They ibat hearken unto me fhall dwell fafely^ and fhall be
quiet from fear of evil ; whereas thefe that hearken not,
he will laugh at tbdr calamity. Be not proud ; for the
Lord bath fpoken,
3. What hinders people's hearing, when God fpeaks
cither by word or rod ? What but pride ? Be not proud;
diO not think yourfelf too good to be taught. Be not
fcornful, be not wilful, be not fecure when God threa-
tens ; be not impatient when God ftrikes : for prid<:
is at the bottom of both.
4. We ought to confider who fpeaks to us by the
word and rod : The Lord hath fpoken ; he whofe au-
thority and power is irrefiftible : therefore, bow your
ilifF necks and flout flomachs, which proceeds from
hardnefs of heart, and a cuftom of fmning. Confider,
might he fay, it is not with Jeremiah you have to do ;
it is not with the minifter you have to do ; it is with
the great God ; Be not proud ; fir the Lord hath fpo-
ken. When you harden yourfelf againft the word and
the rod, you harden yourfelf againft God himfelf.
Another counfel is in the words of my text. Give glo-
ry to the Lord your God^ before he caufe darknefs*
Where obferve two things ; hrft, an exhortation :
and then a motive* The exhortation is, Give glory to
ihe Lord your God. Here is a merciful cou?2fel God gives
them, faying, Give glory to the Lord ; opening up yet
a door of hope to them : and here is a merciful co??i'
pel'aiion he takes to himfelf, The Lord your God. Here
we may obferve, that God, amidft his threatenings*,
does not forget that they art his people, and he their
God ; fee Jer. ill. 12, 13, 14. He calls hinifelf the
Lord their God^ that he may fname them for forfaking
him, and that he me.y invite them to return. Give glo-
ry to the Lord your God ; not to your idols, not to o-
ther gods. , Give him glory by confefTion -of fin, by
repentance and reformation. This is a comprehenfive
(ivity, containing all other duties hi the bofom of it.
We
Sex. cm. Apprdaching Dark n e s s. ^i^^
' We have here the ??iotive to this duty, before he caufi
darknefs ; before he bring fuch judgments upon you
ais you fhall fee no way of efcaping. Darknefs and dif-
trefs will be the portion of thefe that repent not, to
give God glory. When thefe who, by the fourth vi-
al, were [cor ched with heat^ repented not, to give glo-
ry to God, the next vial filled them with darknefs^
Rev. xvi, 9, lo.
The doctrinal obfervation we incline to profecute
from thefe words, is the following.
DocT. lihat it is the duty of a finfut people to give
glory to God, before he caufe darknefs : to re^eizty
before he bring judg??ients upon thenu
We ought to give glory to God aBively^ in away of
duty, before he glorify \i\mk\i pajfively, upon us in a
way of wrath. This is the great call of God ia his
word, Ifa. Iv. 6, 7. Seek ye the Lord, 'while he viay be
found ; call ye upon him while he is near* Let the wic-
ked for fake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
and let him return to the Lord, and he will have vuircj
upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly p-ar don*
I Chron. xvi. 29, 30. Give unto the Lord the glory due
unici his name : bri7ig an offering, and come before him ;
worfljip the Lord in the beauty of hoUnefs, Fear before
him all the earth, ' Mai. ii. 2. If ye will not hear, and if
ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my natne, fahh
the Lord of hojis, I will even fend a curfe upon you, and
1 will curfe your bleffmgs. Rev. xiv. 7. Fear God, and
give him glory, for the hour of his judgments is ccme-.
Rev. xvi. 9, 10. And men were fcorched with heat, and
blafphemed the name of God, which hath power over thefe
plagues ; and they repented not to give him glory* And
the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the feat of the beaft^
and his kingdom was full of darknefs, and they gnawed
their tongues for pain. Pfal. xcvi. 7, 8, 9. Give unto the
Lord, 0 ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lordglo"
ry and firength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unts
his name ; bring an offering and come into his courts, 0
uwrj})ij}
JgS Trefent Duty before Ser, Cttf?
nvorjhip the Lord in the beauty of holinefs : fear before him
all the earth.
The method we propofe for the further illuftration
of this fubjedj through divine afliftance, fhall be as fol*
lows.
I. Wc would fpeak a little of this glory that is t6
be given to God, and what it is to glorify him.
II. Enquire how we are to give him glory, or by
what fTieans we are to glorify him. ^
III. What is imported in the expreflion. Give glory
unto the Lord your God,
IV. Speak fomewhat of the inoiivc hers affigned. Be*
fore he caufe darkneft,
V. Deduce fome inferences for the application of the
whole,
1. We would fpeak a little of this gk^y that i3 to b^
given to the Lord, and what it is to glorify him. "'
God's glory is either eifential or declarative. His ef-
fential glory is the incomprehenfible majefty of his
Deity. This is incapable of addition or diminution 5
for, our heavenly Father is perfed^ and our goodnefs ex*
lendeth not unto him^ Pfal. xvi. 2, His declarative glo«
ry is, when either he himfelf, by his word-» work, or
Spirit, manifefts his glory to men or angels ; or when
they endeavour to declare how glorious he is, by know-
ing, loving, fearing, ferving, obeying, praifmg, and
commending him ; by worfhipping him, by believing
in him ; by trufling in him, and depending upon him,
and advancing his glory, by their thoughts, words,
and aftions.
We cannot glorify God, by adding any glory to
him. It is his prerogative thus to glorify us ; and thus
he did in the firft creation, when he crowned man with
glory and honour^ Pfalm viii. 5. : and thus he does in
the fecond creation and reftitution of our lapfed ftate^
vhen he gives the beginning of glory in regeneration ;
for grace is glory in the feed ; and glory is but grace
in the flower : therefore, w.e are.faid to be changed in^
to the fame image frQm glory to glory ^ 2 Corinth, iii. 18.
And
Ser. CIIL Approaching Darkness. 397"
And thus he does in the confummation of our holinef^
and happinefs in heaven; as Chrift faid, John xvii. 1.
^he hour is come ; Father^ Z^^^'^fj ^^^J ^^^^ - fo Vv'hen the
believer's hour is come, the hour of death, God will
then glorify him with himfelf, as verfe 5. Glorify me
wih ihyfclf, iviih ihe glory which I had with thee before
the world was. So will believers be glorified in that
glory which he prepared for them before the founda-
tion of the world. It iSj I (liy, God's prerogative to
glorify us; but in that fenfe we cannot glorify Godj no
more than we can create a new Godhead ; but our
glorifying him is a declaring him glorious. We give
him glory, when we a fcrib e g\orj to him. Brute crea-
tures glorify him pajji-vely^ but rational creatures ought
to do it actively. Wicked men eclipfe his declarative
glory by fin, which yet is the greater wrong done to
themftlves than to him * for, as the fun is ilill full of
light in itfelf, when you fee it under an eclipfe, by the
moon's interpofition between us and it, which, indeed,
is not fo properly an eclipfe of the fun and wickednefs
of men ; not by depriving God of any perfc6lion, but
tliey deprive themfelvesj whofe higheft end and perfec-
tion is to glorify God, and to be made conformable
to him — — Thusto glorify God, is to iliew forth his
glory ; and to afcribe glory unto him.
II. The fecond thing I propofed was. To fliew, Ho"o
we are to glorify God ; or, by what mea?is to give him
glory?
In general, we are to glorify God with our whole
inan^ foul and body ; i Cor. vi. 20. Te are hoii'/htwiih
a price ; therefore glorify God i?? your body and infpirit^
which are his ; that is, both with the inward and out-
ward man : with the inward man, by loving him with
the greatefl love, fludying acquaintance with him, long-
ing after him, delighting in him, fearing his name, and
following hard after him : with the outward m?.n, and
that both with our lips, and with our lives ; with our
lips we ought to pray and praife God, fpeaking to him,
and of him, and for him ; cur tongues (hould be pencils,
to delineate and exprefs the glory of Gcd : many there
Vol. VI. ID d a aije
598 Trefent Duty before Ser. CIII.
are whofe tongues are but fpunges, to wipe out and
deface his glory, who feldom fpeak of God but in an
oath, or make mention of his name but when they
curfe or fvvear by it. How Hke are they to hell already,
who have no other ufe of God but to blafpheme him !
and blafphemy will be their work for ever, if they re-
pent not to give him glory. Alas ! how few fpeak
honourably of God in the fociety they converfe with,
though he be dill intimately prefent with them, and
one of the company ? Nay, idle tales and raillery is
the bufinefs of th^ir tongues ; They fpeak vanity every
ene with his neighbour^ Pfal. xii. 2. / hearkened and
beardy hut they /poke not aright,
Again, With our //I'^j and aSlions we are to glorify
God : Hence, Mat. v. 16. Lei your light fo Jhine before
vien thai they may fee your good works, and glorify your
Father which is in heaven. John xv, 7. Herein is my
Father glorified^ thai ye bear much fruit. There may be
many empty talkative profeflbrs, who would gladly pafs
for trees of righteoifnefs : yet bear nothing but leaves,
an external ihew and flourifliing outfide ; thefe tliey
wear for their own glory, but are wholly deficient in
that which is mod conducive to the glory of God,
the fruits of the Spirit, and tht fruits of righteoufnefs,
which are byChriJl, toihe praife and glory of God , Phil.
i. II. We are to glorify the divine perfedions, by
feeking conformity to them, fo as to be holy as he is
holy. And by performing thefe duties which his attri-
butes oblige us unto ; for his incommunicable per-
fections, fuch as, infinity, eternity, immutability,
^c, are inimitable, yet oblige us to duties towards
him.
Q^E ST. What are the fpecial duties by which we are
called, in the text, to give glory to God f
Answ. The context clears they are faith and repen-
tance. I. Faith, verfe 15. Hear afid give ear ; for the
Lord hath fpoken, 2. Repentance, and hu7nbHng our-
felves under his mighty hand ; Be not proud ; for the
Lord hath fpoken. Thus we are called this day to give
glory to God*
Ifhall
Ser. CIIL Approaching Darkness. 399
♦ I fhall therefore enquire, i. What this fait b is;
and how it gives glory to God. 2. What this repen^
tance is ; and how it gives glory to God.
I/?, What this faith is ; and how it gives glory to
God. What this faith is we mayguefs from the con*
text ; Hear, and give ear ; for the Lord hath fpoken.
It is a hearing and a giving ear to what God fpeaks in
his word. Unbelief flops our ears, like that of the
deaf adder, that zaili not hear the voice of the charmer ;
but faith is an opening the ear to hear God himfelf
fpeaking. By unbelief we hear only what man fpeaks
to us, but by faith we hear and give ear to God,
and believe what he fays in his threatenings and pro-
mifes. We give no glory to God till we hear him.
and give ear to him by faith. When we hear God
fpeaking in the/^w, then we have the faith of the law^
and are awakened : and when we hear God fpeaking
in the ^^^^/, then we have tht faith of the gofpel, and
are quickened. When we truly hear a threatening
God, then we believe and fear : and when we truly
hear a promifmg God, then we believe and hope in the
mercy of God through Chrifl. And this is the faith
we are called to this day, that we may give glory to
God.
Q^u EST. Hozv doth faith give gi.ory to him r*
Answ. In general, becauie it anfwers God's faith-
fulnefs. It is faid of Abraham, He ivas Jhong in the
jaith, giving glory to God*
More particularly, faving faith gives glory to God^
1. Becaufe it brings nothing to him but poverty ^
want, and emptinefa. Other graces bring fomething to
him, but faith brings nothing ; love brings fire to
him; repentance brings tears to him; obedience brings
works : but poor faith brings nothing but a bare hand
and an empty vellel. Indeed, when we bring any
thing to God, we are apt to carry away fomething of
the glory that belongs to him ; but faith brings no-
thing to commend the foul to God ; and the poorer a-
ny come to God, the more they glorify hirn.
2. Faith glorifies God ; becaufe it feeks all in him^
zxidfrom him. As it brings nothing to him, fo it ex-
D d d 2 pects
400 Trefent Duty before Ser, CIII.
\itdi% every thing from him, faying. All my expedafion
i^ from thee ; I have no hope but in theej all my wants
be upon thee.
3, Faith glorifies God, by venturing all upon his
QuorJ, If that word fail me, fays faith, I am gone ;
but, ?ny hope is in thy word. Faith hings by the girdle
of his loins ; his faith fulnefs pledged in his word y and
his word as Yea and Amen in Chrift ; and this brings
more glory to God than all things elfe : The promifes
Mre lea and Mien in Qhriji^ to the glor^j ef God^ 2 Cor,
i. 20.
4. Faith glorifies God, becaufe all other a6l^ of g^o^
rifying are only fo, in fo far as there is faith in them,
and as they fpring from faith ; for. Without faith it is
impojfible to plea fe God, Heb. xi. 6. No work can pleafe
God without faith. Take away faith from your pray^
ers, and God gets no glory, nor you any comfort by
them, James i. 5, 6, 7. If any of you lack wifdom, let him
afi of God^ he ; but let him afk in faith, nothing wa^
Bering : for^ he that leaver eth is like a wave of the
fea, driven zvith the wind, and tofjed. For, let not thai
man think that he Jhall receive any thing of the Lord.
Let faith be feparated from your hearing, and God
gets no glory by it ; yea, whatfoever is r\ot of faith i$
J"-
idly, "Whr.t is this repentance f And how does it give
glory to God F What this repentance is, may be taught
us in the context. Be not proud, for the Lord hath fpo-
ken : the proud foul is the impenitent foul ; the proud
man flights and difdains the word of God, and will not
hear nor regard what God fays ; the proud man is the
rebellious man, faying with Pharaoh, Who is the Lord
that ] Jhould obey him f \1 his repentance then is the
ilirci^l oppofite of pride 1 to be truly humble under the
mighty hand of God? and thereupon fubjed to God.
So that there are two branches of this repentance ;
Humiliation and Reformation, and both thefe wp are
called unto this day j and by both thefe we are to give
glory to God.
Quest. Hqw doth iJu'JMi4.iATio>T give glory ta
Codi ' ^
Ser. cm. Approaching Darkness. 401'
Answ. I. By a humble confeflion of fin, we give
him the glory of his hoHnefs^ owning he is a holy God,
and we are unholy fmners, and that he is of purer eyes
them that he can behold iniquity^ Hab. i. 13.
2. By humiliation, we give him the glory of his
dominion zndfovereigirty^ while we teftifyour reverence
and fubjettion to his laws, as holy^ juji, and good : ac-
knowledging his authority. While we (land out a-
gaind God, we deny his domin-ion, but when v/e
{loop to him, we acknowledge his fovereignty over
us, and our fubjeftion to him,
3. By humiliation, we give him the glory of his
jujiice and righteoiifnefs^ acknowledging he is righteous
in what he dofs againil us, Dan. ix. 14. Neh. ix. 33.
Pfal. xxii. 3.
4. By humiliation, we give him the glory of his
pQ%ver^ that he can punilh us for our fms, that he has
authority and ability fo to do, Dan. iv. 34, i^^. We
own he has ability to crulh us under bis feet;, and dare
not harden ourfelves againft him,
5. By humiliation, we give him the glory of his
truth and 'veracity in his threatening ; thus old Nine-
veh, Jonah iii. 5. They believed God, and proclaimed a
fajl ; they believed, that, unlefs they humbled them-
felves, the word of the prophet would come to pafs,
that threatened their ruin ; thus did Jofiah, 2 Kings
xxii. 19.
6. By humiliation, we give him the glory of his
patience T^xi^forbearanee towards us. When a catalogue
of our fms is prefented to us, and brought forth before
our eyes, then we Hand aftoniihed at God's forbear-
ance. Lam. iii. 22. Oh ! it is of the Lord's mercy that
we are fiot confiimed, andbecaufe his compajj tons fail not t
f — And thus we fee this part of repentance gives glory
to God, and his perfedions. .
QjLJEST, How doth REFORMATION gr^e glory ia
Godf
By Reformation I underfland, not only that departing
from evil, but that doing of good, which flows from that
faith and humiliation already fpoken of. It is a bring,
?ng forth fryits of iioliuef§ $ind righteoulnefs, to the
4oi Frefent Duty before Ser. CIII.
glory of God. And this Reformation gives him glory
ieveral ways.
1. it is an owning it our principal honour and hap-
pinefs to be employed in ]\\^ fervice^ and fo a proclaim-
ing, that he is a good and bountiful Mafter. Men are
thereby induced to believe, when we are painful and
diligent in his fervice, that there is a great pleafure in
it, and a great reward for it.
2. Holinefs and reformation glorifies the power of
lazgrace^ becaufe it is the eifect of his grace. Our
hearts being naturally rebellious and difobedient, there-
fore the power of grace is making them fubmiffive,
willing, and obedient : and hence all believers will fay,
with Paul, By grace I am what I a??u It is tbro* Cbri/i*s
Jirengthening me lean do all things,
3. By holinefs and reformation we glorify and mag-
nify the efficacy of Chrift's death and intercejjton ; the
virtue of hh blood, and the power of his death, who
died for us, thai we might not live to our [elves hut to him,
"We thus glorify his fulnefs : for, if fo much grace be
imparted to us, as to enable us to bring forth fruit to
his glory, what mud be in him who is the ocean? The
continual fupplies of grace tend to raife high thoughts
of him.
4. By reformation and holinefs we glorify \\\z faith-
fulnefoi Qodi in making good his promife. God hath
promifed, / will put my Spirit within them, and caufe
them to walk in my fiatutes : w^hen therefore we walk
therein, then the faithfulnefs of God, ih making good
his promife, is manifeiled.
5. By reformation and holinefs of walk we glorify
God, by expreiling his perfeclions in our converfation :
having the very image of God upon us, and (lamped
in our life ; Te are a holy nation, a peculiar people, that
ye jhould fl:ew forth the praifes, ( or the vi r t ues J of him
who hath called you out of darknefs into his marvellous
light, 1 Pet. ii. 9.
6. By reformation and holinefs of walk we glorify
God, by inducing other people ta glorify him ; Let
your light fo fhine before men, that they feeing your good
works ^ viay glorify ycur Father which is in heaven, Mjjt.
Y. 16,
S E R. cm* Approaching Darkness -403
V. 1 6. Having your converfation honejl among the Gcn^
tiles y ihat^ whereas they [peak againjh you as evil doers,
they fiiay^ by your good works, which they jh all bshcld^
glorify God in the day of vifiiatlon^ i Pet. ii. 12. While
others by their evil works, draw people from God, we,
by our converfation, fnould <jraw them to him,
III. The third thing propofed was, To (hew the
import of the expreffion. Give glory to the Lord your God*
And here you may obferve the import of it, i. With
relation to the acl^ giving God glory. 2. With rela-
tion to the objecl to whom it is to be given, to the Lord
your God.
i/^. With relation to the aSl^ Give glory to God.
And,
1. It is ^giving, not prof ej/ing ox promifmg only, but
giving glory to God. This giving glory to God doth
not ly in refolution only, for the time to come, or
hereafter I will do fo and fo ; but it is prefent humilia-
tion he calls us to : Now is the accepted iiinCy before the
decree break forth ; before darknefs come on,- give glo-
ry to the Lord.
2. It is giving, not extorting ; for, as it fhould be a
prefent humiliation, fo a voluntary one. Pharaoh was
at length humbled, Exod. ix. 16. faying, I have finned
againji the Lord your God and againjt you : but it was
extorted. Sparks come naturally from a fire, but not
from a flint, unlcfs it be fmitten : then is our humilia-
tion right, when it is natural and voluntary ; Give glo-
ry to God.
3. It is givijig, and not conunanditig others to do fo,
but cur fclves giving glory to God : intimating, that it is
not only prefent and voluntary, but proper and perfo-
nal humiliation, Zechariah xii. 10. Every family apart ^
and their wives apart ; every perfon apart, every man
and woman apart. This is the call of God to us. Give
glory to God,
4. It h giving, and not lendifig for a time, importing
an upright, ingenuous, and honed humiliation : not
bowing dozvn the head like a bulrufl^ for a day, Ifa, Iviii,
5. 3 but it is fare work, like that mentioned, Neh.
ix.
.4d4 Trefeni Duty before S e r. Cllt
ix. 38. Becaufe of all this ive make a fare covenant^
and write it ; and our -princes^ Levites^ and priefts^ jeal
unto it*
5. It is a giving^ not a felling ; importing, that it is
a free, not a mercenary humiliation, that the Lord
calls for. Some people would give fome glory to God^
providing they might thereby gain fome glory to them^
felves, like that of Saul, i Sam. xv. 13. I haije finned ;
but now honour me before the people. But v^e are to give
glory to God ; and take Ihame to ourfelves, and ac*
knowledge as it is, Dan. ix. 8, 9. that to us belongs con-
fiifion of face ^ becaufe we have finned : but to the Lord
our God belongs niercy and forgivenefs : to him belongs
all the glory4
6. Plence it is giving and not parting flakes, if wc
may be allowed the expreffion, with God ; importing^
it mufl be full and entire humiliation. Men will con-
fefs their moral and not their intelleftual fins ; the e-
vils that relate to their morals, their drinking and
whoredom, and other grofs evils ; but as to the evils
that relate to their principles, they are Ihy to make
acknowledgement of their errors and ignorance. They
will hardly own they are fools ; but they that give glo-
ry to God, and none but thefe, will confcfs their total
corruption of heart, as well as way. Thus we fee
what is imported in thefe words, as it concerns the adj
Give glory to God*
idly^ We may confider the import of the words, as
it relates to the objed ; Give glory to the Lord your Qqdi^
It imports,
I. A glorifying him in his fovereignty : give glory
to the Lord, as he is the Lord of heaven and earth ;
the Lord of lords ; the Lord of angels ; the Lord of
men and devils ; the Lord of our life ; the Lord of our
breath ; the Lordof our time and talents ; the Lord of
our health and wealth, and enjoyments ; the Lord of
aU that we have and are ; the Lord of our houfe, and
land, and children ; the Lord difpofer of all things, to
whofc government we ought to fubmit. We do not
give him glory if we not praftically acknowledge his
Lordfhip, and own him as csiir Lord and Sovereign.
2. It
'Bski Gllr. Approaching Darkness, 405
2. It is a glorifying him \\\ \'\^ propriety \x\ us, as
the Lord our God. This is what we are called and
commanded to do in the vetyfirft command of the law,
'Thoujhalt have no other ^och before' me ; wliich requires
•Us to "know and acknowledge God to be the Lord
" ouf God and Redeemer, and to worfliip and glorify
*' him accordingly." Never will we be truly humbkd,
nor give him the glOry due to h'im^ unleis we come to
him as the Lord our God, laying hold on his covenant,
that fays, I will be thy God i The faith of this relation
in Chrift, is prefuppofed to our coming ; Return^ ye
backjliding children*, and I i&'ill hen! your backjlidings^
•Jer. iii. 12. O the faith^'of this mercy of God in Chnft
Voiild make us return to him as our own merciful
God, faying, Behold^ lije miie to thee ; for thou art the
Lord our God. ■ —Thus much for the import of the
expreffion, Give glorydhe Lord your Godi 1 come now,
IV. To thtfoicrth thing pi^opofed, viz. To fpeak a
little of the motive^ tjamely, Before he caife darknefu
1 fh all fpeak to this head, i. By confidering the l"e-
veral7/^?2^'fr>^//o?iJ of darknefs in fcrif>tiire. 2. By of-
fering fome rff;2^rj^j, concerning the darknefs here fpo-
ken of.
ly?, I fliall ■ confider the {tvtxzl fgnificailons of dark^
nefs in fcriptu-re*
I. Sometimes d/^ry^/zf/} is put ^ov fin in general, and
for Satan's kingdom ; He bath delivered lis from the
power of darknefs^ andiranjlatcd us to the kingdom of his
dear Son, Col. i* 13. The gofpel is defigned to open
7nen^s eyes and to bring xhtmfrom darknefs unto light,
and from the power of Satan unto God, Ads xxvi. i8.
Now, when we under'ftand it in this fenfe, to give glo-
ry to God before he caufe darknefs, may have this im-
port, viz, before he give up to the power of 7//2 and
iSatan, by leaving us altogether under the dominion of
Jin, It is true, God is not, and cannot be the author
oifm, nor can he be properly tli6 caufe of it, no more
than the /w;2 can be the caufe of darknefs ; but as when
tlie/z^^ withdraws, darknefs^ {}ic^cdi% \ fo when Cod
departs, y?;? and <S<:z/^?;2 mufthave the fway.
Vol. VL L e e 2. Some^
4o5 Frefent Duty before Ser. CIIL
1^ Som^iwi^t^ darknefs is put {or ignorance znd blind*
fiefs of ;7///Z(i, incredulity and unbelief ; John i. 5. T/^^
//^/j/ y^/w<f/ />2 darknefsy and the darknefs co7nprehendeth
it not. Matth. iv. 1 6. The people that fat in darknefs,
fdw great light. Then the meaning is, in this fenfe,
Give glory to God, before he give you up to judicial
blindnefs of mind, and to final unbeliefs according to that
threatening, Ifa. vi. 10. Go tell this people , Hear ye in-'
deed^ but underjiand not ; fee ye indeed, but perceive not :
make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears he a-
vy, and fhut their eyes ; lefi they fee with their eyes, and
hear with their ears, and underfiand with their hearty
and co7ivert, and be healed. Oh ! dreadful judgment !
3. It is put fonietimes for error and impiety, in op-
poiition to truth and hohnefs ; i John i. 5, 6. God is
light, and in him is no darknefs at all ; that is, no un-
truth or unhohnefs : and again. If we fay we have feU
lowfloip with him, and walk in darknefs, we lye, and do
not the truth. Now, in this fenfe, the meaning of it
is. Give glory to God, before he give you up to the er'
rors of the times, and to a fpirit of delufion, hke that
threatened, 2 TheiT. ii. 10, 11,12. Becaufe they recciv'
ed not the love of the truth, that they ?night befaved; for
this caufe God f hall fend them ftrong delufion, to believe a
lye, that they all might be damned who believe not the
truth, but have pleafure in unrighteoufnefs.
4. Sometimes darknefs is put for forrow, grief, and
heavinefs ; Micah vii. 16. Though I fit in darknefs, the
Lord will be a light unto me ; that is, when I am over-
whelmed with heavinefs and grief, the Lord will be *
my comfort ; as it is faid, Light is fown for the righte-
ous, and gladnefs to the upright in heart ; where light
and gladnefs fignify the fame things, even as darknefs
and heavinefs fignify the fame : hence the meaning of
the word in this verfe is, Give glory to God, before he
caufe grief and forrow to come upon you, as travail
upon a woman.
5. Darknefs is fomctimes put, in fcripture, for the
lofs of Chrijl 2ind the gofpel, and the blind miferabley?^/^
that follows thereupon ; thus John xii. 35.. 2''et a little
while ^ fays Chi ill, and the light is wilhycu; walk while
Ser. CIIL Approaching Darkness. 407
ye have the light., left darknefs come upon you^ verfe 36»
While ye Lave the lights believe in the light : then the
meaning is. Give glory to God, by believing and walking
in the light, before he caufe fuch dreadful darknefs y
as that of taking away the candleftick, or removing the
gofpel, the means o^ grace ^nd falvaiion. This is one
of the greatefl plagues and judgments : but fpiritual
judgments, though heavieft, are generally leall felt and
underftood. Therefore,
6. Darknefs is, in fcripture, fometimes put for great
affli^ions, and heavy calamities ; Ezek. xxxii. 8, 9, 10.
I ivill fet darknefs upon thy land, faith the Lord, &c.
Joel ii. 2. 'The day of the Lord cometh, a day of darknefs
and of gloominefs , a day of clouds and of thick darknefs ;
as the morning fpread upon the mountains : a great people
and aftrong, there hath not been ever the like, neither
Jhall be any more after it, even to the years of many gene^
rations : a fire devour cth before them, Zeph. i. 14, — 17,
The great day of the Lord is near : the mighty man fid a II
cry there bitterly, That day is a day of ivrath, a day of
trouble and diflrefs^ a day of waftenefs and deflation, a
day of darknefs and of gloominefs, a day of clouds and of
thick darknefs, a day of the trumpet and alarm againft the
fenced cities. And I will bring diftrcfs upon men, thai
they Jhall vjalk like blind men, becaufe they have finned
againft the Lord ; and their blood Jhall be poured out as
duft, and their fiejh as the dung. Lam. ii. i, 2. lam
the man that hath fecn affliction by the rod of his ivrath.
He hath led me and brought me into darknefs, but not in^
to light. And it is in this fenle efpecially, that feme
take the words of the text ; and fo the meaning h.
Give glory to God, before he fend more heavy difpenjli-
iions, grievous affliclions, and terrible calamities ; perfo-
nal, congregational, and national.
7. Darknefs is, in fcripture, fometimes put for death
and the grave ; Job x. 31. Before I go whence 1 Jhall
not return, even to the land of darknefs, and the Jhadovj
of death. Alio ver. 22. A land of darknefs, as darknefs
itfelf, and the jhadow 0} death, without any order, and
where the Light is as darknefs. Then, Give glory to
Cod^ before he caufc darknefs ; that is, before his mei-
Jl e c 2 fen fjfr.
4c8 Frefent Duty before Ser. CIII,
ienger, death ^ be fent to rend foul and body aifiinder ;
for if you die before you give glory to God, by faith,
repentancej humiliation, and renovation of heart and
life, ye perifl:^ for ever. Therefore,
8. Darknefs is fometlmes alfo put ^qx hell ; Jude,
vcrfe 3. To zvhom is referved i be blackjiefs of darknefs for
ever. Mktth." xxv. ^^o, Caji fe the unprofitable jervani
into utter'' darknefs ; there jhall be weeping and gnafoing,
of teeth, Matth. xxii. 13. Bind him hand and foot ^ and
tcift him into utter darknefs ; there fiHill be weeping and
loadings and gnajhing of teeth. Why then. Give glcry
to the Lord your Gad^ bef re he caufe darknefs^ or befors
xhc fl^adow of the everlafling evening be ftrctched over
you, when he will get glory upon you pailively, thro/
eternity, if yoii do not give him glory adively, now in
time. Here, in the text, it feem.s to be efpecially
r.:ieant of the darknefs of defolating judgments and calu't
viiiies., not excluding any of the reil mentioned.
idly^ The next thing I propofed, on this fourth ge-
neral head of method, was, to oiTer fome remarks u*?
pon the darknefs here fpoken of.
Remark i. '° That by darknefs here we are efpecir
*' ally, as I have faid, to under ftand af^idion andjudgr
'' mentP God was to judge ^nd afflid Ifrael, and
bring them under a fcventy years captivity.- And
judgments are feveral times expreiTedby darknefs, thus
in fcriptui-e, Pfalm cvii. 10. Joel ii. 2.
Remark 2. " AfBiclions are, on feveral accounts ^
*'- compared to darknefs :" partly, becaufe of their
dreadfulnefs ; they arc frightfal, as men are afraid in
the dark: and partly becaufe of their dangeroufnefs j
there is great danger of {tumbling in the dark, as in the
following part of the verfe, where the text hes ; Be'
fore your feet fitim hie upon the dark mountains ;■ and while
ye look for lights he turn ii into the jhadow of deaths and
:nahe it grofs darknefs.
Remark 3. " That there Tixcftgns of darknefs before
''■ it come, or when it is a-coming ; fuch as heavinefs
^^ and dro-joflnefs^ which feize people wdien the dark
" night approaches." Alas ! what a fign of darknefs
is-
Ser. cm. Approaching D' A R k N ES s. jfag^
is the ^xt{tx\t fecurity of our day f Men crying, Peace,
feace^ it h^^fudden deJlruB'ton.is at the door* Coldnefs
feizes people in the dark night : and fo coldnefs of af*
fed;ion tov/ards God and Chrift, is an evidence of the
darknefs of our day ; the fun down, and the.flars ap-
pearing. Oh ! when the Sun of. rigbteoufnefs is hid,
and only the liars appear, only minifters heard, only
their gifts feen and difcerned ; what a darknefs is this i
When the wild beads come abroad, it betokens dark^
nefs : thus, when the church is infeffed with foxes and
wolves; fee to this purpofe. Ads x. 29, 30. I kmiQ
thisy that after my departure, fJoall grievous wolves enter
in among y^ou^ not f paring the flock ^ &c» Song ii. 15*
^ake us the foxes, the little foxes, that fpoil the vinas-.^
See alfo, 2 Peter ii. i, 2, 3.
Re?^iark 4. " That darknefs of trouble and wrath
^' come riot upon a church Wiihont dL caufe," GivQ
him glory before he cause darknefs. AffliBlcns fprings.
not out of the dufi : God owns hinifelf the author ; Is
there evil in the city, and 1 have not done ii f There is
a concatenation ^nd chain of caufes, but God is at the
top of the chain ; he caufes darknefs.
Remark 5. " Th^lfn provokes God to caufe dark-!
*' nefs. Give glory to God before he caufe it ; intimat*
ing. That the diihonouring of God hyfin, is the pro^
curing caufe of trouble and darknefs, though God be
the efficient caufe. The darknefs of fin is ours, but
the darknefs of judgment for fm is the Lord's ; WhQ
gave Jacob to the fpoil ^ and Ifrael to the robbers f Hafl
7iot thouy 0 God, againfl whom we have funned f Ifaiah
xlii. 24.
Remark 6. '• That God is not willing that darknefs.
*' come U7iawares upon a church and people, but be-.
*^ fore he caufe darknefs he warns them ; Give glory
'' to the Lord, before he caufe darknefs J' He is not
willing to deftroy ; As I live, I have not pleafure in the-
death of finners : Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die f
QjLTEST. But when darknefs is determined, why doth
God call finners to turn to him, to repent, to give glory to
him f What good fer vice will that do^ zuhen to them the-
(iarkriefs and judgment is determined f
' Ans^y,
41 o Trefeiit Duty before Ser. CIII.
A N s w. If we give glory to God, then either,
1. \tw\\\ prevent the darknefs of judgment threaten-
ed, as in the cafe of Nineveh, and make the Lord to
turn his hand, though he doth not turn his mind.
2. It may delay the darknefs, fo as there may be
peace and truth in our days : or,
3. It may miiigaie the darknefs, and make it eafy,
and not fo terrible : or,
4. It n\2:Y Jhorten the dark night of judgment, as
it is faid, For the eled's faketbeje days foall bejhortened :
or,
5. It may contribute to Jirengthen 2^x1^ fortify us for
the trial, when it comes, and makes us able to bear
it.
6. It will turn the judgment into a mercy ^ and the
darknefs to light : for, All things jh all work together for
good to them that love God^ and are the called according
to his purpofe^ and to them that give glory to God. Thefe
are the upright ones, of whom it is faid, To the upright
there arifes light in darknefs,
V. T\\t fifth thing propofed was, To make applicatU
on ; which may be in an ufe of information^ trials and
exhortation*
I/?, We may improve this do6lrine for information.
And if it be fo, that we are to give glory to God, parti-
cularly by faith ^ repentance, and humiliation , before he
caufe darknefs^ then we may hence fee,
I. The excellency of Christ, in whom all the glo-
ry of God Ihines, and by whom God hath got all the
glory that he requires. Hence the fong of the angels
before the incarnation, Ifa. vi. 18. T^he whole earth is
full of thy glory. Heaven, the whole heaven was full
of it before, but now the whole earth. And hence
the fong of the angels after his incarnation. Glory to
God in the higheji ! on earth peace ^ and good'will towards
men !
cj. Hence fee the excellency of the ChriJ}ian religion^
in that it tends to give glory to the great God, and the
excellency of the gofpel, that Ihews the way how God
may get glory. — Ou this fcore the Fofijlj religion is to
be
S E R. cm. Apptoaching DarknEss. 411
be rejeded, tbat rob^ God of his pardoning mercy, af-
cribing it to the Pope, as if he had power to pardon ;
it robs Chrift of the glory of his righteoufnefs, afciibing
fo much to the merit of works ; and of the glory of his
interceliion, afcribing it to angels and faints. — On this
head the Arminimi dear me is to be rejeded, as robbing
Chrift of the glory of his free grace, in electing froiu
eternity, and effedually calling in time, afcribing fo
much to man's free-will. — Socinians and Avians rob
Chrift of the glory of his divine nature, and of the me-
rit and value of his blood, as a facrifice fatisfactory to
divine juftice.
3. Hence fee the infinite evil of fin that robs God of
his glory. Every fmner is a robber, and every fm a
robbery committed upon God. It is a robbing him of
his omnifcience and omniprefence, as if he did not fee
and was not prefent obferving ; of his juftice as if
he did not regard ; of his power, as if he could not
puniih ; the language of the fmner is, God is altoge^
iherfuch an one as myfelf.
4. See whence it is, that the great end of the gofpel
is to level and bring down fef^ viz, becaufe this is
the great idol that ftands oppofite to God : I/a?iy man
will be my difciple^ let him deny himfelf. Self is the
greateft enemy in the world to the glory of God. —
We may bring the two oppofite poles of heaven to-
gether, fooner than make a man fervc himfelf, and
yet aim at God's glory ; No man canfer've two majiers,
5. Darluiefs is to be the portion of thefe who give
♦not glory to God. The darknefs of death and deftruc-
tion will come upon fuch ufelefs perfons, as bring in
no revenue of glory to the exchequer of heaven. The
unprofitable fervant that hid his talent, was to be bound
hand and foot, and caft into utter darknefs.
6. Hence, how reproveable thefe, and fuch like
perfons, are,
(i.) Who bring 710 glory to God at all, being quite
ufelefs in the earth. It is not enough for a fervant to
fay, I did no evil : he is an unprofitable fervant that
does no good. Negative holinefs will do you no good ;
you muft not only be able to fay, I was no drunkard nor
fvvearer :
'4tt Frefent t) u T Y before Se r. CiIL
fwearer : you mult be pofitively holy^ otherwife God
"gets no glory.
(2.) Thefe are reproveable that I'ob God of his glo-
ry ; Will a man rob God f yet ye have robbed me^ MaL
iii. 8. Thus hypocrites fob him of his omnifciencej
as if God did not fearch the heart ; unbelief robs him
of his faithfulnefs, as if he were a liar \ epicuresj glut-
tons, and drunkards rob him of his glory, for they
make their belly their god ; covetous people rob him^
by making gold their god ; hence covetoufnefs is cal-
led idolatty. Oh ! how is he robbed by the Arians,
Socmians, and Deifts of our day !
(3.) Thefe that arrogate his glory to ihemfetvesy in*
{lead of giving glory to God, they take the glory to
themfelves* Thus fome afcribe the honour of their
fuccefs in the world to themfelves^ whereaSj Deuter,
viii. 1 8. // is God thtit giveth power to get wealth. Some
afcribe to themfeives the honour of their duties when
aififted ; they do all to be feen of men ; feeking to
themfeives the applaufe of men, and the praife of men
more than the praife of God. The oil of vain-glory
feeds the lamp of many profeflbrs ; Come fee my %eal for
iheLordofhofts. The wind of vain-glory hath blown
many to hell. Thus the ambitious Hamans and He-
tods of the earth feek, that men (hould give them di^
vine honour, and take God's glory to themfeives, while
they would lord it over the confciences of men, and
would have themfeives more obeyed than God* Thus-
many aflume to be lords of God'' s heritage^ and to have
the difpofing of their fpiritual rights and privileges, fuch
as the election of minijlers "^^ which is a privilege be-
longing to a Chriflian congregation, and not to any
patron v/hatfoever ; God only is Lord of the confcience*
idly^ The next ufe we fhall make of the da«£lrine is
of examination. Well then, you may try if you give
God the glory by thefe two things, i. There are
^* The evil of patronage is laid open, ard the Chriflian people's
right to chufe their own pailors clearly aiilried, Vol. V. p. 304, 316,
%i1i 398» 4a4> 425.
fome
Ser. cut. Approaching Darkness. 413
fome things will be burdenfometo you. 2. There are
fome things you will defire and long for.
[i.'l There are fome things will be hiirdenfome to
you 5 fuch as thefc following,
1. Sin^ Becaufe it brings dijhomitr to God : the fm
of your nature^ heart, and life 5 Againji thec^ ihce only
have I finned^ Pfalm li. 6.
2. Self ; you will be bfotight to abhory?//", becaufe
it competes with God : Oh ! to have the iingle eye I
Oh ! wretched man that I am I
3. That you cannot glorify God as yOu ought, and
that you come fo far fhort of glorifying him 5 this
will be your burden i wo is me that I honour him fo
little !
4. Th^ dijhonour done fo God in the world will be
your burden and grief; I beheld tranfgrejfors and was
grievedi When you fee God affronted, his name pro-
faned, this will touch yoii : The reproaches of them that
reproached thee have fallen upon me.
[2,.] There are fome things you will defire and long
for, if you be giving glory to God ; fuch as ;
1. You will long to have his kingdojn eftabliflied in
the world: you will have fome concern for Zion and
for God's honour ; If I forget thee, 0 jerufalem, ki
my right-hand forget her cunning,
2. You will long to have his kingdom within you,
and his throne ere^ed in your heart ; every thought
brought into captivity to his obedience.
3. You will long to have the w^ork of holincfs car-
ried on, without refting in any degree of attainment ;
Frejpjig towards the mark for the prize of the high calling
of God in Cbriji : The righteous holds on his way.
4. You will long to be with him, to behold his glo-
ry ; O 1 w^hen ikail the day break, and the Jloadows fee
away I O for the day when I (hall be like him, and
fee him as he is ; and glorify him to purpofe !
3 J/V, The third ufe we make of the doctrine, 1,^- for
exhortation. O Sirs, be exhorted then to give glory to
God, before he caufe darknefs. For motives to perfuade
you hereto.
Vol. YI, F f f i. Coniider
414 Frefent Duty before Ser. CIII.
1 . Confider that the glory of God hath been much
darkened by our fms, and the fins of this generation ;
darkened to fuch a degree, as may juftly provoke him
to caufe darknefs. How hath he been diflionoured
by our forefathers and us ! How is he diihonoured by
the grofs infidelity, error, ignorance, and irreligion of
the day 1 by the great contempt and neglect of precious
Chrift, and his glorious gofpel 1 the woful barrennefs
and unfruitfuhiefs of ordinances 1 lukewarmnefs and
indiflerency in the matters of God ! lamentable back-
iliding and defection from his ways and truth 1 hypocri-
fy, carnality, and earthly mindednefs 1 all feeking their
own things, and not the things of Chrift Jefus ! grofs
immorality, curfing, fwearing, whoredom, drunken-
nefs, profanation of Go4's name and Sabbath ! treach-
erous dealing with God, and contempt of our folemn
Covenants, National and Perfonal! and departure from
covenanted zeal, principles, and practices ! How is
he diflionoured by our finning againft fo much, and fa
many mercies and warnings 1
2. Confider, how the darknefs o^ ftn^ in diflionour-
ing God, is attended with the darknefs of jiidgmeniy
portending yet greater darknefs. How many Ihadows
<)f the evening are flretched over us !— The fhadow of
fpirltual judgments and plagues ; fuch as blindnefs of
mind, hardnefs of heart, itupidity, fecurity, and dead-
nefs ; and the giving up of men to the lulls of their
own hearts, in the righteous judgment of God [—-The
fliadow of defertion ; the Lord viObly withdrawing his
gracious prefence from his ordinances, and the alTem-
blies of his fervants and people ! — The fhadow o^ diffeti"
iions and divifions among miniflers and people : God
dividing us in his anger ! — The fhadow of heavy grie*
vances upon his church, notwithflanding of endeavours
ufcd for her relief, when he goes not forth with our
armies ! — The vifible glory of the church, her dodrine,
wcrfhip, difcipline and government, fadly corrupted
with carnal pokey, framing the tabernacle of God o-
therwife than according to the pattern feen in the
mount 1 — The invifibie glory is much withdrawn, that
few tokens appear of God's powerful prefence in the
fane-
S E R. cm. Approaching Darkness. 415
fanduary, and a great famine of fplritual influence ! —
What a lliadow of darknefs is the reduction of the rem-
r,ant 1 Ifa. i. 9. When the good ??ien perijh, znd few faith-
ful paftors and found profeifors are left ! Help, Lord,
fays the 'p^d.lmi^i^ for the godly Jiian ceafeih ; few to bear
witnefs for God ; and when candidates for the minif-
try are lax and latitudinarian in their principles, affec-
ting nothing but new modes of flourifliing and ha-
ranguing, without ftudying the life, power, and myf-
teries of the gofpel !
3. Confider, how much it concerns us to give glory
to God : glorifying of God is the great end of our crea-
tion and being ; The Lord made all things for himfelf :
and if all things, then man efpecially, the mafter-piece
of the vifible creation. It is for this end God hath giv-
en us rational fouls and noble faculties, and the means
of grace ; and all left this end be not obtained. The
glorifying of God is the chief end of all his works, vi%,
creation, providence, and redemption. All the other
creatures, fun, moon, and ftars ; yea, and brute
beafts, they all glorify God according to their nature
and capacities \ and, what are we doing ? We de-
pend upon him abiblutely for life and breath, and be-
ing every moment : In him we live, move^ and have oitr
bei?ig : and is it not highly rcafonable that we live to
him ? The glory of God k- moft excellent, his glory is
above heaven and. earth. His glory furpalTeth the
thoughts of men and angels. It is more worth than
heaven ; more worth than the falvation of all men.
His glory is dear to him. Re hath given many excel-
lent gifts to his children, but his glory will he not give
to another. And, if his glory be fo dear to him, fhould
it not be dear to us ? And ought we not to promote
it ? Our not glorifying of God will come to a fad ac-
count : for the fum of the grand account we are to be
called to, is this, What revenue of glory have you
brought in to me ? And, if God have no glory by us,
he will have glory upon us. If you glorify him not
a£l:ively, you Ihall glorify him pafTively : and, alas !
how fad will their cafe be, who fiiall ferve for no other
end, but to fct forth the glory of his viudi'^lve juftice
Fff2 - to
41 5 Trefent Duty before Ser. ClU.
to all eternity ! In a word, it will be our unfpeakablc
advantage to glorify him, for we Ihall be glorified by
him ; l^befc that honour me^ I will honour. How fweet
will it be in a dying hour, if you could fay, Pather^ I
have glorified thee on earth ; glorify thou me with thyftlf^
•rind with the glory thou haft prepared for me from all
eternity.
4. Confider whom it concerns to glorify God ; put
it not off from you.— Doth it not concern magiflrates
to give glory to him, by enafting good laws, and exe-
cuting them faithfully ? See Jer. xiii. 18.— -?Doth it not
coxiccrn minifiers and church-officers to give glory to Godj
by aiierting and maintaining the true doctrine, worfliip,
d'ifciplinc, and government of God^s houfe ; to buy
truth and mi to fell ii^ though it (liQuld cod us our life,
as it hath done many worthy miniilers and martyrs. — 5
Doth it not conctxu people ^ in their private (lations, to
give glory to God, and advance the kingdom of Chrift
jcfus, and to contribute their aiite, though they were
never fo poor and mean, for the building of the taber-
nacle ? As, when it was reared in the wildernefs, fome
that were able gave gold, fiiver, precious flones, fcarl^t,
and fine linnen ; fome that were poorer, and unable
to give great things, they gave badgers ikins and goats
hair : fo, according to your ability, you are to give
glory to Go^, and to pray for the coming of his king-
dom, when you can dp no more.
Q^UEST. How Jb all I give him glory before be caitfe
darknefs.
If the qued ion be about the meam^ I have alicady
fpoken of this in the doctrinal part : but if the queftion
be about iht power and ability^ indeed you cannot give
himgloryifhe do not give you grace ; you cannot
glorify and fan£lify his name, unlefs he fan8:ify your
heart ; you cannot humble yourfeif for your fin, unlefs
he accomplilh his promife to you, fee Ezekiel xxxvi.
25, — -3 I. / will fprinkle you with clean water ^ &c. A
new heart will 1 give you, and a new fpirit will I put
within you^ &c. 7 Will put my Spirit within you ;-^^.
(in4 i'^^^f^^^M ye rsmsmbjr your ow^ ^'^i( '^^^)'^> and your
Ser, CIIL Approaching Darkness. 417
doings that were not good^ and Jh all loath your/elves in
your own fight ^ for your iniquities and your abotninationsi
O Sirs, therefore feek to have the promifed bleffings
and graces of the new covenant, the promifed Spirit
poured out upon you, that you may humbly confeft
your fms, aud give glory to God ; without this, your
confeflion and humiliation will be defedive : and there
are four refpeds wherein ordinary confejfions are defec-
tive. Either we come not/jr enough in^ to ni^k^perfo^
«^/ confeiTion 5 whereas every family 7m^ perfon (hould
mourn apart : or, we go noi far enough downy to our
heart-fms, but (top in outward and general fins : or^
we go not far enough back^ as David, conielHng ih^ftns
of his youth, yea, of his nature : or, we go not far e^
nough my but confefs, and then run away to our fins
.again, v/ithout having any itamp pr imprefs of confef-
fion upon our walk or converfation, and without con-
tinuing under a fenfe ofy?;/, as David, My ftn is ever
before me ; and without walking foftly all our days, as
Hezekiah : therefore, that our confeiTion may be of a
right flamp, O let us fupplicate the Spirit of all grace,
that we may be in cafe to give glory to God,
And, in order to our having the Spirit, and having
grace to glorify God, O let us, through grace, come
to Chrift, who hath the Spirit above vieafure^ and v;ho
is the ftore-houfe of all grace. By faith and believing
in Chrift, w^e give more glory to God, than we can do
any otherwife. By hzmgjlrong in the faith ^ we give
glory to God in all his attributes, becaufe, in the way
idi falvation^ through Chrift, all the perfections of God
fhine gloriouily : and therefore, when we believe ia
Jefus, and clofe with this way o^ fahailon^ we give him
febe glory of them all.— Why, thus we glorify the ijuif-^
dom of God, in laying fuch a plan of our falvation, as
tends to difplay the manifold ivlfdom of God, in uniting
the moft diftant extremes, and making a God-man the
centre in whom God and man meet together. — We
glorify his power^ in executing and finiftiing what Wif^
dom did fo marvelloufly contrive, and deftroying prin-
cipalities and powers, andfaving us, notwithftanding all
th? mighty oppofitions th^t ft'aftd in Uie way.— Thus
" ■ Vf«
41 S Prefcni Duty before Ser. CIIL
we glorify the hoUnefs of God, fmce in Chrift, God hath
iliewcd his purity, and hatred of fm, to be fo great,
that he /pared not his own Son, when he only knew Jin
by imputation, — Thus we glorify the jujiice of God, in
that a fatisfaclion of infinite value^ hath been yielded
by an almighty Redeemer, fo as thereupon God be-
comes 72^ in jufiifying them that believe injefus, and de^
daring his right eoufnefs in the remijjion of fin. — Thus we
glorify the truth of God, whofe faithfulnefs is fully ef-
tablifhed, and the truth of all the law-threatenings, in
that he hath exacted the punifhment threatened : and
thus Chrift alfo, at the fame time, hath fealed all the
promifes of the covenant of grace, in fo much that they
are all Tea and Amen in him. — Thus we glorify ih^ good"
nefs and mercy of God. Goodnefs appears in its glory,
in providing a Redeemer for fuch as have deftroyedthem^
fdn^el ; and the greatefl: bleffings are beftowed freely
upon the mod unworthy. Mercy appears to the utm-ofl:,
.while provifion is made for bringing finners to partake
of the happinefs they had forfeited, and grace reigns
through righteoufnefs : and thus a way is laid out -in
which juftice and holinefs fliould not be injured, and
yet grace and mercy eminently exalted.^ Here is the
mod rational fcheme in the world, which contributes
to advance, and exalts all the perfedtions of the great
God.
O then, as we would give glory to God, let us come
to Chrift by faith : for, as this way is moft for God's
glory, fo it is beft for our behoof. Tell me, O Tin-
ner, have you nofns to be faved from ? Since you
have, O whither fhould you go but to him, who is the
Lamb of God, that takes away the fins of the world f —
Have you not fouls to be faved ? Why then, Vihither
{liould you go, but to the Saviour of fouls ? Is there
not a rife to come ? O then, whither Ihould you go but
to him who hath the words of eternal life f Is there not
a zvrath to come ? O then, where fliould you go but
to him that can only deliver ycu from the zvrath to come?
Do you think he is unwilling to receive you ? O Tin-
ner, how can that be .^ If he yielded himfelf into the
hands of them that fought his life, will he with-hold
himfelt
Ser. cm. Appr caching Darkness. 41 a
himfelf from the hearts of them that feek his mercy ?
Was he willing to be taken by the hands of violence t
And is he not much more willing to be taken by :he
hand of faith ? Are you deflitute of faith ? O Sirs,
look to him as the Author cf faith. Though you can-
not come to him, make that errand, faying, "- Lord,
" I cannot come ; but I come to thee for grace to
" come : O draw me, draw me." Say not, I am un-
worthy ; for if you would have nothing but what you
are worthy of, you mud have nothing but hell.
If you fay you have a proud heart, a hard heart, a
dead heart, a wicked heart. O put thefe among the
reft of your fms, and come to him to be faved from
them all. None ever came to him for a cure, an-d
•went away without it. You would find fomething in
yourfelf ; but it is beft you find nothing, but what you
have reafon to be afliamed of, that you may come to
Chrift for all, fo as to glory only in him. Let thy emp-
tinefs further thy coming to him for all, inftead of hin-
dering thee. Come as thou art ; come poor, come
needy, come naked, come empty, come wretched 5 it
is his joy and crown to receive thee.
Oh ! there is a neceffity for thy coming, there is
no other Saviour but he, and thou perifheft : come
then, and give glory to God before he caiife darknefs ; give
glory to God before he caufe judgments to fall upon
thee. Give glory to God before he take away the can-
dleftick of the gofpel. Give glory to him before he
take away minillers and fermons. Give glory to him
before he lay you on a fick-bcd, or a death-bed. Give
glory to him before he pronounce tiiat fearful fentence
on you, A/)' fprit fhall no more fi rive with man. He
that is jilt hy^ let him he filthy f] ill ; he that is unjujl^
let him be iinjufi flilL Ephraim is JQined to his idols ^ let
him alone. Give glory to him before he pronounce that
final fentence. Depart from me^ye curfed^ into everlafling
fire^ prepared for the devil and his angels I Give glory to
him before he caufe darknefs.
5. Confider, that darknefs is threatened. There are
figns of darknefs and of judgment a-coming.
(i.) Abound-
41d Trefeni Duty hefor^ SeH. Cllt
(i.) Abounding of all manner of /«. See Hof. iv^
t, 2, 3. //^<3r tbe-word of the Lord^ ye children of If.
rael ifor the Lord hath a controverfy with the inhabit
tants of the land^ becaufe there is no tntth^ mercy nor
knowledge of Cod in the land. By fwearing, tind lyings
and killings and fieaiingy and committing adultery, they
break outl and blood toucheth blood. Therefore fiall the
land mourn^ and every one that dwelleth therein fball
langmfhy %vith the beafts of the feld^ and -'^ith the fowls
of heaven ; yea^ thefifhes of thefea, fhall alfo be taken
away,
(■2.) Thefe aggravated fo much, being againfl lights
love^ and mercy ; fo that the patience of God is abufed j
Rom. ii. 4, 5. Defpifefl thou the richnefs of his forbear-
ance^ and long'ftifferingy not knowing that the goodnefs of
God Icadeth thee to repentance ; but after thy hardnefs
and impenitent hearty treafureft up unto thyfelf wrath a*
gainft the day of wrath f Rom. ii. 4, 5.
(3.) When God's patience is not only abufed, but
affronted^ and ridiculed^ and laughed at ; Knowing this
Jirfiy that there fhall come in the lajl days^ fcofers^ walk-
ing after their own lufls^ andfayingy Where is the pro*
viife of his coming f For fince the fathers fell ajleep^ all
things continue as they were from the beginning of the crea^
florid — ne Lord is not flack concerning his promife^ but is
long'fuffering to us-wardy not willing that afiy fhould pe-
rijly but that all fhould come to repentance. But the day
of the Lord will come as a thief in the nighty &c* 2 Pet.
iii» 3» 4^9' I ^•
(4.) When there are/^w to Hand in the gap ; Audi
fought for a man among them^ that fhould make up the
hedge and fl and in the gap before me for the land^ that I
fhould not deflroy it : but I found none^ Ezekiel xxii. 30.
(5.) When the righteous are removed ♦, l^he righteous
perifhethy and no man layeth it to heart ; ayid merciful
men are taken away^ none confidering that the righteous
is taken away from the evil tocome^ Ifa. Ivii. 4.
(6.) When the gofpel is defpifed^ and Chrifl is rejec*
ted by the generality, it bodes darknefs ;^ The Jlone
which the builders rejededy the fame is become the head
of the corner : this is the hordes doings and is^ wonderful
in
fe E Ft. Cill. Approaching Darkness. 42 r
^n mir eye^s, Therepre I fay unto you ^ The kingdom of God
pall be taken from ycu, and given to a niftion brinpjp.g
forth the fruits 'thereof Mat. xxi. 42, 43. O then, Give
glory to God, before he cavfe darknefs.
And \ve \vould advife you to give him glory paticular-
ly in the fix following refpeds;
1. By ccnfejfion of fih \ Give glory to the Lord God cf
Ifrasl^ and make co-nfejfion to him, J oft* vii. 19. Con-
fefs fecret fms in fecret i and. when charged in an ec-
clefiaftical way, do not Cover fm.
2. By thankfgiving ; Pfalm Ixix. 30. t will praife the
rarne oj God with afcng : and will magnify him %viih
thankfgiving. Pfalm 1. 23. Whofo offer eth praife^ glori*
fieth me. When we pray, \ve aft like men \ when we
praife^ like angels;
3i By calling upon God ; Call on me in the day of
trouble; 1 will hear thee ^ and thou pall glorify me, Pful.
4. By /Iffering^ tvhetl ne calls you to it ; Glorify ye
the Lord in thefres^ Ifa. xxiv. 15. Diilionour not God
■then, by complaining : Why Jhould a living man com*
fhin, a man for thepimfhmentofhis iniquity f Remem-
ber thou art man, and tnan is born to trouble. Thou
art a living man, and that is a mercy ; yet in the land
of hope. Tiiou art a fmful man that deierveft hell ;
and a man but fuffering punifliment for his fin : and
Jet all thefe be arguments againft murmuring.
5. Glorify him by living to tis praife, living a fruit-
ful life ; Hereby ii my Father glorified, that ye bear much
fruit. Living a holy life ; fludying to be holy by a-
voiding fm, and hating it v.herever you fee it, efpe-
cially in yourfelf* You will hate a toad, or fcrpcnt
wherever you fee it ; but much more if it be crawling
in your own bofom : fa here, fm has its refidence in
the heart ; Out of the heart proceedeth evils : therefore,
abhor that abominable thing which God's holy foul
hates. Glorify him by a zealous life, Contending for
the faith ; and by being confcientious in the difch.arge
of relative duties, that the name of God be Jiot blafphcm-
ed, but that the diclrine cfGodbe adorned.
Vol. \T. ^^ S § ^' ^'^^'^
422 Prefent Duty before Ser. CIU,
6. Give him glory by living by faith upon the Son
of God ; you cannot glorify God, if you do not glo
rify Christ j He that homureth not the Son, honouretJy
not the Feather which hath fent him, John v. 23. O
then, Sirs, give Chriil the glory of his name and offi-
ces.
[r.] Give Chrift the glory of his name, by making
his name your flrong tower. Give him the glory of
his name Jesus, by Icfoking to him for falvation. Give
him the glory of his name Christ, The anointed, by
looking to him for the Spirit , the anointing* Give him
the glory of his name, The Sun of righteoufnefs , by pray-
ing him to arife on you with healing in his wings, —
Give him the glory of his name, The Refurreclicn and
the Life, by looking to him for life to your dead foul.
[2.] Give him the glory of all his offices. A man
in his office reckons it his honour to be employed,
much employed. O then. Sirs, give Chrift the glory
of his Prophetical office, by employing him to teach
you, and to difpcl the darknefs of your mind. — Give
him glory as a Prieft, by employing him to pardon
you, and wafli you in his blood. — Give him glory as a
King^ by employing him to fubdue all your iniquities,
mortify all your corruptions, and deftroy all your fpiri-
tual enemies. — Give him glory as a Phyftcian, by em-
ploying him to heal all your difeafes. — Give him glory
as a Captain, by employing him to fight all your bat-
tles.— Give him glory as a Treafurer, by employing him
to fupply 2\\your wants out of his fulnefs ,—Qi\mz him glo-
ry as an Agent, by employing him to do all your works
in you and for you, faying with the Pfalmift, Do thou for
me, for thy name's fake : and again, Pfal. Ivii. 2. / will
cry unto God mojl high, unto God that performeth all
things for me. If you cannot believe, nor employ him,
O will you give him glory as the Author of faith ^ by
pleading, that he may come and take employment, and
work faith in you — Give him the glory of his drawing
grace^ faying. Lord draw me, and I will run ; turn me,
and I will be turned. Remember you are called to
give him glory before he caufe darknefs. Darknefs
will come whether you will or not, the darknefs of di-
ftrefs,
Ser. cm. Approaching Darkness. 423
flrefs, the darknefs of a fick-bcd, or a death-bed, the
darknefs of death itfelf, the darknefs of a judgment-
day. If you woukl have darknefs to be light before
you, O Sirs, give him glory before he can fe darknefs , O
feek to be regenerate ; for you cannot pleafc God while
you are in the fiefli : Who can gather grapes of thorns 5*
Seek acquaintance with Chrifl and union to him ; you
cannot glorify God but in Chrifl : be acquainted with
the rule whereby we glorify God and enjoy him. Seek
to have the word hid in your heart, and particularly to
be well acquainted with the gofpel-covenant : plead
the promifes thereof ; For the -promifes are Tea^ and A-
men^ in Chrifl, to the glory of God ^ 2 Cor. i. 20,
Ggg2 SERMON
[ 4?4 ]
SERMON CIV.
Ihe GREAT RUIN, and the GREAT REXrEFj
' f3!r. Help from JIeaven to SE,LE-PESTi^OT£.g.-s.^Q9
Eai^th "^.
H o s E A xiii." 9,
0 Ifrael! ihou hqjl dejhoycd thyfelf ; hut in ?ne is tkjf
help,
HOWEVER UFieafy it is for men to hear of
their fm and danger, from the word of God,
yet it is necefiary they hear of both, as long as fm
may be repented of, and danger may be prevented,
Here in this chapter, the children of Ifrael are,
1. Reproved and threatened for their idolatry , not-
withftanding the provinon that God made to prevent
their falling into it, verf. i,---4.
2. They are reproved and threatened for their ivan-
ionnefi^ pride^ and luxury^ and other abufes of their
wealth and profperity, veff. 55—8,. And though the
"wrath that is threatened as a-coming upon them, for
thefe and other fms, is very terrible, yet, in the inidjl
of wrath, he remerahsrs mercy ; and therefore, in the
midfi: of words of wrath, he forgets not to intermix
words of mercy ; 0 J/rqel -' thou haft dejiroyed thyfelj i
t)iit in me is thy help.
There are two fprings of gofpel-repentance ; one is,
a true fen fe of fin ; ^nd iinothcr, the apprehenj^n of the
* Tl 13 fubje<5^ was bandied in tv/o fermons. The firfl: was preach-
ed a': BraM Cra'gs, on Wednefday, March azd, 1738 ; being a day
appointed for fohmn Fafting and Humiiiatlon, by the Associate
Presbytery, it the earneft defire of the So.cieties for Prayer, ia
and about Edmburgb. The fecond was deh'vered on the Sabbath
thereatier at liiQicn. \\ hath heen fix times |>rinied%
Ser.CIV, Vjb Great Ruin, &e. ^^
ntercy. of God in Chriji : both thefe we are led to in
thefe words. That we may have a true fenfe of fin, we
ate here tauglit how we have dcfiroyed ourf elves by it ;
that we may have an apprehenfon of mercy in Chrlfi^ we
are taught, that in him is our help*
In thefe words you may obferve two things.
1. The perjons or people to whom God fpeaks, and
.bow he fpeaks to them^, 0 IfraeL It is with affedio-
pate concern 5 that God deals with finners for their
conviclion and converfion.
2. The ;i?/;/?2ghe_ fpeaks to them, 7hQU hafl. dejiroyed
thy f elf j hid in me is thy help^ Here is,
(i.)- The y/>m^ of their ruin, it is of the^nfelves ;
OJfrael! Tno\j hq/idejhoyed thyfelff or, it hath de^
flroyed ;THEE, 0 Ifrael ! that is, thy fm and folly,
thy own wickednefs hath, : deftroyed thee, Wilful fm^
iieEs are felf-deftroyers. Obftinate impenitence is the
groflefl felf-murder 5 thy blood is upon thine own
head. .
(2.) They^m;^ of the^i.i^ relief, But in me is thy
help. Here is a plank thrown out after foipwreck.-^
There is help everi for.|efedeftrey&F&;ia me the Savi^
^ur 2Lni Salvation, ■;::' r" I \- -l ;• ■'. jr.:
The. words may be read, 0 Ifrael! thou hafi deflroy-^
ed tbyfelf^ for in me is, thy help : q. d. Say not, that I-,
who thus threaten wrath againd thee, have deftroyed
thee ; thy fin hath-done it. It is the rebel that de-
flroys himfelf, though he fall by the fword of his pro^
-yoked fovereign. Thou airt the caufe and author of
thy own ruin ; For in ?ne is thy help, I was always able
and ready to help thee, and would have certainly faved
thee, but thy fms and wickednefs carried thee to other
helps, which \yere but lies and vain confidences. I
would: have helped thee, and heajed thee, but thou
wouldft fiot. Thus it is a proof of their deftroying
themfelves. Thou art thy own defli^oyer ; for 1 api
thy helper, that have beenofFering thee my help, whicti
thou haft put away from thee, and; fb: deftroyed thyfelf
by refufmg my help, and rebelling againft me thy help.
In God alone, and not in us, is. our help ; and thercr
fore^ in Qurfelves ^lone^ d^wd nqt in Goc} i? the caufe
4^6 T)^^ Great Ruin, and Ser. CIV,
of our ruin. In our reading, But in ?ne is thy help,
it feems not to run argimentaiively^ but adverfatively,
as the oppofite of the former claufe of the verfe : yet
it hath the fame import with the other reading, and
magnifies not only the power of God, that can help,
when things are at the word, and help thefe that can-
hot help themfelves ; but alfo the mercy and grace of
God that will help thefe, that have deftroyed them-
felves, and have no will to be helped, but have long
refufed his help. And, indeed, our cafe were mifera-
ble for ever, if God were not better to us tban we are
to ourielves.
From the words there are thefe fix general obferva-
tions we may make.
1, That, as fm is a ruining thing, fo it brings w/x
not only upon perfons, but upon nations and churches
that are guilty j 0 Ifrael ! thou haji destroyed, thy*
2, God's dealing with men for their conviction is
very home and clofe ; 0 Ifrael ! thou hajl defiroyed
ihyfelf: and as God, when he makes convidion par-
ticular, and perfons make clofe application, thou man^
thou woman haft done fo and fo, and deftroyed thyfelf
by thy fm ; fo he wills nations^ and churches^ and cities
to be convinced and humbled for their particular fin
and guilt ; 0 Is s. ae l ! thou hajl dejiroyed thyfelf,
3, God*s method of grace toward felf-deftroying
finners, having once difcovered their fm, is next to re-
veal his thougnts of love : his words are a proper fence
againft two ruining extremes, prcfumption and defpair.
To prevent prefumptions, he fays, 0 Ifrael ! thou hafi
D^ ST KOY ED thyfelf : to prevent defpair, he adds,
Bui in me is thy h e l p. "With the fame breath he
tells us of the ruin and of the remedy ; and^ with the
fame hand, reaches the blow and the blelfing j or,
gives the wound and the cure. ''
■ 4. Such is the unfpeakable mercy of God, that he
hath more pity and kindnefs for us than we have for
ourfehes. Our unnatural cruelty to ourfelves is as the
foil to fet fortb the riches of God's mercy : When tlb
g^R. CIV. the Great Relief. 42^
eye piticth thee; no, not thine own eyes, I fend unto
thee, when thou waft in thy blood. Live, Ezek. xvi. 5, 6.
When thou waft in thy blood, wallowing in thy own
blood, and hadft brought thy blood upon thy own
head, then I pitied thee. Men uiually fay, if a man
will be wilful, let him be fo, but God fays', I will pity
him.
5. Nothing ruins fmners fo much as their Jlighting
the mercy of God, their oppofmg his offer, and refufing
his help. As God offers his help, which he hath laid
upon One that is mighty, infomucb, that the caufe of
our deftrudion is not in God, but in ourfelves ; fo
the chief thing, by which we ruin and deftroy our.
felves, is our refuftng God's help, rejeding his Chriil,
in feeldng help and happinefs elfewhere than in him ;
O Jfrael ! thou haft deftroy ed thyfelf; hut in me is thy
help. And thou haft rejeded me, and run away to
creature-helps, and creature-fupports, and creature-
comforts, and forfaken me the fountain of living wa-
ters.
6. The fixth obferyation we make from the words,
is, what we ftiall fpeak to, and it is this ; That as mans
ruin and deftrudion is 07ily of himfelf and his cwn fin ;
fo his relief and deliverance is only owing to God, and his
fovereign grace and mercy. — 0 Ifrael 1 thou haft deftroy^
ed thyfelf ; but in me is thy help.
This text and dodrine is a tree which hath two
branches. I lliall endeavour therefore, Fitfi, To con-
fider the former branch, viz. That man's ruin and de-
f ruction is only of himfelf , and his own finfulncfs ; and
what fruit may be gathered from this branch of truth
for our ufe and improvement fuitable to the defign of
the day. Secondly, I fhali go on to the other branch of
the text and doctrine, namely. That our relief and deli-
verance is owing only to God, and his fovereign mercy ;
and conhder what fruitful leffons may be gathered
thence for our ufe and improvement thereof.
Firft, tiicn, That man's ruin and dfftru^ion is only of
htmff and his own finjulncfs. This is plain from fcrip-
lure; Jcr. ii. 17, lo. Haft thou not frocured this unU
thyfelf.
4i8 The Great Ruik, and Ser. -fit^f*
thyfeify in that thou haft forfaken the Lord thy God, ti'heH
he led thee by the way f Thine own wkkednefs Jhall cor^
ted thee^ and thy backjiidings Jhall reprove thee : know
therefore andfee^ that it is an €vil thing and bitter^ that
thou ha ft forfaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is
not in thee, faith the Lord God ofhofls, Ezek. xxxiii. 1 1*
Say unto them. As I live, faith the Lord God, 1 have no
fleafure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked
turn from his way and live : turn ye, turn ye, from your
evil ways, for why will ye die^ 0 houfe of Ifraelf Again^
Mat. xxiii. 37* 0 Jerufalem, Jerufalem, thou that kih
left the prophets^ and flonefl them vjhtch are fent unto thee ^
hoiv often would I have gathered thy children together,
even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and
ye would not. Behold your houfe is left unto you defolate,,
For further clearing of this, I oiler thefe following pro-
pofitions.
The/r/? propofition IS, *^ That fm is a killing ^nd
^' dejiroying thing." Death and deflru^lion came in
by this door ; The wages of fin is death, Rom. vi. 23^
By one manfm entered into the vjorld, and death by Jin /
and/o death pajjed upon all men, for that all have finned^
Rom. V. 12. It wounded and flew our firft parents
in paradife : it deflroyed them, firfl^ as to the peace of
their confcience : for it made them hide themfehes from
the prcfence of the Lord God amongjl the trees of the gar*
den. Gen. iii. 8. It deflroyed them, nerd^ as to the
fl ate of their fouls ; for it made them both legally dead,
under the law-fentence, and fo liable to eternal death 5
landfpiritually dead, under the power of fin, Eph. ii. i,
according to that threatening, Genefis ii. 17. In the
day that)hou eafe/I thereof , thou (halt furely die. And
lajlly, it deflroyed them as to the life of their body :
for prefently became mortal, fubjed to all outward mi-
feries, which are a temporal death, and to the diffolu-
tion of foul and body, which is natural death : and,
at lafl, dropped their body into the dufl, according ta
that, Gen. iii. 19. Dujl thou art, and unto dufl thoufbalt
return. As their fm deflroyed themfelves, fo it did
their poflerity ; and their linning poflerity deflroy
themfelves by their own fin. Thus every particular
fmncr
Ser. GIV. the Gp.eat Relief* 429
, finner is 2i felf-dejiroyer .^^-Tht /lothful man is fa id to be
his own murderer ; Proverbs vi. 32. The define of the
Jlothful k'llltth him. -The adulterer is his own mur-
derer ; Prov. vi. 32. Whofo commltteth adultery with a
woman lacketh underflanding ; he that doth itj de/Iroy-
eth his GwnfcuL' — The drunkard n his own murderer ;
Prov. xxiii. 29, 30. Who hath wo f who hath jorrow ?
who hath contentions f who hath bakiiriq: ? who hath
wounds without caufe f and, who hath rednefs of eyes ?
They that tarry long at the wi?2e^ they that go to fcek wixt
wine. How Iweetiy foever it go down, at lad, // bites
like a ferpent^ and jlings like an adder.-— The extortioner
is his own murderer : he heaps up treafures of vengeance
for himfelf^ Jam. v, 3, 4*— The voluptuous ^ the wanton de^
bauchee is his own murderer ; Jam, v* 5. Te have lived
in pie a fur e 5 on the earthy and been wanton; then it fol-
lows, TV have noUrifbed your hearts^ as in a day of flaugh^
ter. They that make provifonfor the fleftj^ to fulfil the lufts.
thereof^ they but nouriflithemfelvesfor the day of ilaugh-
ttx.— The falfe prophet and \\\q falfe teacher murders his
own foulj as well as the fouls of others. Hence fuch
are fald to bring upon themfehes fzvift dejlruElion ; many
following their pernicious ways ; their judgment, now of a
long time, lingereth not, and their damnation flumberetb
not^ 2 Pet. ii. 1, 2, 3. In a word^ all imperii tent finner s
are faid to treafure up wrath to themfelves againfi the
day of wrath, and the revelation of the righteous Judg-
ment of God, Rom. ii. ^.^ All this fays, that fm is a
killing thing, and fmncrs are felf murderers and felf-
deflroyers : and it cannot be otherv/ife, becaufey/A? is a
tranfgrejfton cf the laiv, and the tranfgreffors of the law
are liable to temporal judgments here, and eternal here-
after ; 5/77, ii)hen it is fmljledy bringeth forth deaths
James i. 15.
The y^^^?z J proportion is, " That as fm is a hurtful
*' and deftructive thing, fo the deflruction it makes is
*' very e^tcnfive.^' Sin deflroys and abufes every thing;
it makes an univerfal abufe : no wonder, for it is an
abufmg of God ; and, if it could, would dcflroy him :
therefore we call it Daade. It would pull G o d cut
. of his throne -, it abufcs hi? 'cUithoiity, intcrpoled in i-is
V 0 L. Vi. . II h h ' \a\^^ >
43<5 ^<? Great Rt^w, and Ser. CIV.
law ; it abafes his juftlcc, as if he would not punifli ;
and abufes his power, as if he could not : it is an a-
bufe of his wifdom, as if his law were not right and
reafonable ; an abufe of his knowledge and omnifci-
ence, as if he did not fee and obferve : it is an abufe
of his long-fufFering, patience, and forbearance ; an
abufe of his fparing mercy and kindnefs : and when it
abufes God, the chief good, it mud abufe every thing.
It is an abufe of his threatenings, as if they were not to
be feared ; and an abufe of his promifes, as if they
were not to be regarded : it is an abufe of his holi-
nefs ; a direct contrariety to his nature and will : it
is an attempt upon his being ; The fool hath /aid in bis
hearty there is no God : he wiflies there were none. —
Sin is an abufe of Christ ; it is a refufing and Rejec-
ting of him ; an abufe of his perfon, natures, and of-
fices : it is an abufe of his death, his blood, his righ-
teoufnefs : a negleding of the great Saviour^ and the
great Sahatio7i. — Sin is an abufe of the Spirit : it is
a reJijTmg of the Spirit ; a quenching of the Spirit ; a
vexing of the Spirit ; a doing defpite unto the Spirit ef
God. It is fuch anuniverfal abufe of GOD, Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost, that, no wonder, they that
fee fm with the Pfalmift, cry out with him, faying,
Againji thee^ thee only have I finned ^ and done this evil
in thyfighty &c. Pfalm li. 4.
When fm thus abufes the God of heaven, no won-
der, that it abufe man upon earth. Your iin, man,
woman, is an abufe of your rational foul, which is ca-
pable of glorious enjoy?7ient in heaven : but by fm it gro-
vels on earth among the duft, wallows in a filthy ken-
nel; Sin is an abufe of the body^ which iliould be the
ie?nple of the Holy Ghojly it becomes thereby the temple
of the devil.' — Sin deftroys the very body : it.is an abufe
and de(tru6lionof time, that precious time that fhould be
fpent in preparing for eternity. It is an abufe and def-
truiStion of health and (Irength ; God lends you health
and (Irength, and you employ them againft God ; yea,
firangers^ as the prophet fays, Hofea vii. 9. or fi range
gods have devoured their (Irength : it may be, Jlrange
%y omen yjl range lufls^ftrange lovers^ devour your /Irength.
r— Sin
Ser. CIV. the Great Relief. 431
—Sin is an abufe and deflrudion of wealth, riches,
and worldly profperity. God, as it were, hires the
wealthy to be dutiful to him ; but Jefliurun-like, they
kick againji him, when they wax fat ; Deut. xxxii. 15.
Jer. V. 7, 9. When I fed them to the full, they then coiji"
?mtted adultery, and qffembled ihe?nf elves by troops in the
harlots hoifes, kc. Shall 1 not viftt for ihefe things, faith
the Lordf Jhall not my foul he avenged on fuch a nation
as this f Thus it was an aggravation of Ifraei's fm ;
they gave all to Baal, all to their lufts : She did not know,
that I gave her corn, and wi7ie, and oil, and multiplied
her filver and gold, which they prepared for Baal, Hofca
ii. 8. Some give all the filver and gold that God hatlx
given them, yea, more than they can well fpare, to
their profane diverfions, idle, vain, and vi'anton amufe-
ments, lewd and wicked practices. — Again, fm is an
abufe of warnings, afflictions, and judgments. It is an
abufe of light and knowledge : it is a crofling of the
light of nature and of fcripture both. Men cannot fm
at fo cheap a rate, as in the days of popifh darknefs,
when the fcriptures were locked up in an unknown
tongue ; If 1 had not come and fpoken to them, they had
not had fin ; hut now, they have no cloak for their fin, —
In a word, fm is an abufe of the word, the preached
word, the written word : it makes men wrefl the fcrip-
tures to their own deltruclion : to impugn the necef-
fity of divine revelation, and turn Deifts, Arians, A-
theifts, and incarnate devils. It is an abufe and de-
ftrudlions of wit, reafon, talents, fermons. Sabbaths,
and every thing.
The third propofition is, " That this certain and
/' univerfal deftruclion that fm works, is graduaW —
Sin deftroys them like a confumption by degrees ;
though it brings fudden 2Xidi furprifmg deflruBion at laft,
I Theff. v. 3. yet it brings the heavieft dcflruclion by
feveral jfteps ; He that being often reproved, hardeneih
his neck, fhall fuddenly be deflroyed, and that without re-
medy, Prov. xxix. 1. We ufe to fay, Nemo repent e fit
iurpijfimus ; " None inftantly become mod flagitious:"
men come not to the utmolt of vilenefs, but by degrees.
B h h a James
^3^ "The Great Ruin, and ' Seu, CIV,
James i. 15. When lujl hath coyiceived^ it hringeth forth
Jln^ and Jin ^ when it is finifbed^ hringeth forth death,.
la nature corrupted, there remains iome fparkles of
divine light, fome bridles to reftraiu black and bloody,
i'ouland abominable fins, viz. fear and//?aw^, the fpies
of the natur(il confcience ; thefe mud be abated by little
2nd little, before a man grow impudent in fin, declar-
ing it as Sodom. Tlie perfon tl)at bath got fome Ghrif
iian education^ he firji, perhaps grows out of conceit
with religious duties, and negleQs to perform them :
then he begins to wiih there were no precept or injunc-
tion to fuch duties ; next^ he falls a queftioning, whcr
ther there be fuch a heiuen or hell, as preachers hold
out to him ? Then he begins to pick up all the argu-
ments that can mdkt {'or Heafhenifm, and agairifl C^ri/C
iianiiy, or divine revelation ; then he hearkens to no-
thing that will make againfl him, and chufes to deal
with them that are too weak for him ; for he hates the
light, and is afraid of it : after this, he takes loofe
reigns, and joins himfeif with the companies that pr^c-
tife wickednefs, and agree with hin^ in his folljr;. and
then, finally, he laughs and fcorns at all the minifters
of the word ; and now he is com. e to his A>:jua, his
height in wickednefs. Now, he follows his lufts with
greedinefs, refolving, if he fliall be damned, he fliall
be damned for fomething : like thefe, Jerem. xviii. 12.
faying, There is no hope ; but we will walk after our
own devices, and we will every one do. the imagination of
bis evil heart.
Thus there are feveral fleps of Satan's ladder. The
man comes hrd: to walk in the counfel of the ungodly ;
then hejiands in the way of /inner s ; and ladly, he fit -
ieth in the feat of the fcornful, Pfalm i. i. Satan leads
men up the fteps of his ladder, fill they fall down and
break their neck. After temptation is offered, hrft
comes approbation in the underilanding ; after that,
confent in the will ; after that, comes praftice in the
affedion ; after that, cuftom in the repeated acl ; then
follows, delight in that hnful way ; after this, comes the
defence of it, w^ith all the rhetoric hell can invent ; af-
ter that, comes bold^efs, ir\ filling with a whore's fore-
• bead )
Ser. CIV. f/;i? Great Relief. 435-
h^ad ; . and^ lafl of all,, comes fcorning, and a drawing
iniquity with cords of vanity^ Ifaiah ^. 18. Boafting in
wickednefs, and glorying in their jh a me.
Satan ads lirft like a creeping ferpent,- and then like
a flying dragon. His firft requelt ieems mannerly and
modeft, as Semiramis defired of Ninus to reign but
oae day, and that day to do what fke pleafed ; and in
that day fhe cut off h^js head. Sin deceives men till
they be hardened through its deceitfulncfs. It appears,.
at firft, but little in the fountain, in the heart and
thought ; then it bubbles out into a llream in evil
words ; then it increafes into a river in evil adions ;
next, it fwells into a torrent, and overflows all in along
cuftoni, till it drown men in perdition, and thus it gra-
dually deilroys them,
Thcfoitrth propofition is, ^' That this deflroying evil
" is oioiirfehes^ and our o\yncbJiinate will.'* Men are
apt to charge God fooliihly, as if he were the author
of thcixfin and ridn, though yet he folemnly clears him-
felf, by oath, from having the lead hand in it, Ezek.
xxxiii. II. As I live, faith the Lord God. I have noplea*'
fure in the death of the wicked ; but that the wicked turn
from his way and live : turn ye, turn ye from your evil
ways ; for why zvill ye die, 0 houfe of Ifraelf 2 Pettr
iii. 9. He is not willing that any fhould fcrijh, hut that
all jhould come to repentance. V/hen God's fury breaks
forth hke fire againfl impenitent fmners, it is their ovi'-ri
hand that kindles it ; Te have kindled a fite in mine an-
ger, which flmll burn for ever, Jer» xvii. 4, It was the
cry of Sodom's fms, that brought down the Almighty in
flames of fire upon them, God doth not deftroy the lin^
ner, till the fmner hath w^earied God out of all pati-
ence, as it were : and hence he fays, Jer. xv. 6. lam
weary with repenting ; thou hajl jorjakeii me, faith the
Lord ; thou art gone backward ; therefore will I fire ch
forth mine hand againfl thee, arid deftroy thee. I am weary
with repenting : God bears with fmners, till he can bear
no longer ; The Lord could no longer bear ; why ? be-
caufe of the evil of your doings, and becaufe of the abomina-
tions which ye have committed ; therefore is your land a
lefo^
434- 7/^^ Great Ruin, and Ser. CIV.
defolatioYiy and aftmiflmient^ and a curfe^ without an in*
habitant y as at this day^ Jer. xliv. 22.
And as our deflru6lion is not of God, far lefs is our
Jm ; it is wholly o{ oiirf elves, James i. 13, 14- Let no
man fay i when he is teinpted, lam tempted of Gcd : for
Gcd cannot he tempted with evil ; neither tempieth he any
man : but every man is tempted, when he is drawn a-
%my of his own liijl, and enticed^ When men break
out into lying, ftealing, killings fwearing, whoring, and
the like, it proceeds from the liifts that war in their
members, James iv. i, ; and from the motions of fin that
%VQrk there, Rom. vii. 5. : it proceeds from the corrupt
fountain of the heart, Matth. xv. 18, 19, Chrift fays.
Qui of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries^
fornication^ theft, falfe witnefs, blafphemies. Thus Ifa.
lix. 17. neir feet run to evil : why ? whence is that ?
It follows, their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity ; and
hence, as it is faid, vcrfe 6. Their works are works of
iniquity,
it was faid of the old world what may be faid of
this, God faw thai the wickednefs of man was great on the
earth : Why ? whence was this ? Every imagination of
the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Gen.
vi. 5, There were evil motions continually working in
their minds ; ' and hence they became fo monftruoufly
wicked.
Man's fin is of himfelf, by reafon of imbred corruption^
which gives matter, life, and being to every fin; info-
much, that were it not for this, neither the ill cuftoms
of the world, nor yet the tem.ptations of Satan could
faflen upon us. Hence you fee our Lord Jefus, though
he lived and converfed in the world with all forts of
people, yet no allurements thereof could provoke him
to fin. Satan alfo, in vain attacked him with all his
temptations, but he had not tinder in him to give fire
to thefe matches ; according as he faith himfelf, ne
prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me, John
xiv. 30. He hath no corrupt matter to work upon :
he may fnoot his darts, but they return to his own
hurt. Were it not then for the corruption of our fin-
ful nature, neither the devil nor the world could draw
us
Ser. CIV. ^/j(? Great Relief; "4j^
us to fin : and Satan knows this well enough ; hence
he fuits his temptations to our natural inclinations.
Now as man's fm is of htmfelf^ and his ruin of hlnu
felf, fo efpecially it is of his obftinats will ; John v. 4,
Te will not come to me that ye might have life^ fays Ghrift.
Nothing from without or within, is fo much the caufe
of man's ruin as the wilU As for the body^ it is but a
lump of duj}^ that cannot act without the will ; the
eye cannot look ; the feet cannot v/alk ; the tongue
cannot fpeak without the confent of the will : and as
for the other faculties of the foul, all of them are in-
fluenced according to the motion of the wilL — I find
the ignorafice of the mind, attributed to the Gbjilnai^
of the zvill, 2 Pet. iil. 5. This they willingly are igns-
rant of^ that by the word of God the hea^oens wt re of old*
Men hate the lights and will not come to it, left thek
deeds be reproved ; Light is cojiie into the worlds hut
7J}en love darknefs rather than light. — Again, the affez'
iions are under the command of the will ; fear^ kve,
joyy delight, defire are, as it were, lackies unto th?s
coifvnanding faculty, — The ?nemory is regulated by the
will ; it remembers only thefe things beft, that the
will is moft delighted with ; and what the will dotli
not affedl, the memory doth not retain. Ail the
thoughts are under the power of the will : all the ima-
ginations of the foul fix themfelves on this or the other
objed, as the will is pleafed and delighted therewith
or not. — Thus, nothing without or within is the caufe
of man's ruin and dcftrudion fo much, as the wilL
— It is the will that rejefls the word of God ; Pro-
verbs i. 30, 31. They would have none of my ccunfcl •;
they defpifed my reproofs therefore they fJj all eat of the fruit
of their ozvn way. It is faid, Prov. xi. 5. The wicked
Jhallfall by their own wickednefs. Pfalm Ixxxi. 11. My
people would not hearken to my voice, and Ifrael would
none of me. Mat. xxiii. 37. I would have gathered ydu^
but ye would not, Ifa. xxx. 15. For thus faith the Lord
God, the Holy One of Jfrael, in returning and reft fh all
ye befaved^ in quielncfs and in confidence fhall be your
flrength ; and ye would not, Jer. vi. 16, 17. Thus faith
ike Lord, Stand ye in the ways and fee y and ajkfor the
ijld
•43^ ^^^ Great Ruin, a7id Ser.CIV*
old paths y where is the' good way ^ and walk therein^ and
ye jhall find reft for y our fouls j hut ibeyfaid^ We will
not walk therein. Alfo I Jet watchmen over you^ f^yi^^gt
Hearken to the found of the trumpet : but they faid^ We
will not hearken* So perverfe is the will-, and fo bent
are men upon eternal ruin, that they will do more
to efcape temporal than eternal danger ; more to efcape
a temporal than eternal fire : yea, they will do more
to be damned, than to be faved ; and chufe to do any
thing, rather than come to Chrift the Saviour ; and
here is the chief ruining fin, a wilful reje&ing the mercy
of Gody the Chrift of God, Kence men are laid to love
death ; All that hate me^ love deaths Pro v. viii. 36.^—
Hence the quefi:ion. Why will ye die f Ezekiel xviii. 31.
Men's unwillingnefs to come to Chrift for ialvation
appears by thefe two things, among many others.
ly?, They are naturally unwilling to come to the
outward means of grace 5 Thou hat eft inftruBion^ and
caft eft my words behind thee ^ Pfalm 1. 17* This hatred
of the outward means, faying in effect to the Almigh-
ty, Depart from us ; for we defire not the knowledge of thy
ways^ Job xxi. 14. ; and refufing with the prodigal,
to return to our Father, till compelled ; this natural
hatred^ I fay, even of the outward means, is evident
from the choice they make of outward things; for ex-*
ample, man, tell me, what place do you chufe ? Is it
not natural to you that are ungodly^ to chufe to be in
any place, rather than where the gofpel is powerfully
difpenfed ; You chufe the tavern^ rather than the tem-
pie ; the place of vanity and foolry, rather than the place
of ordinances and divine worfliip, unlefs it be, wheft
you come to hear a fermon for your diverfion ; and fo
for feeding fome luft or other, not for food and edifi-
cation to your foul. — Teil me alfo, wh^t family do you
chufe ? Such as have the difpofing of themfclves had
rather be in a family, where there is nothing but pro-
fanenefs and wantonnefs, than in fuch where the fear
of God is taught, and where God is duly worfhipped,
morning and evening — Again, what fervice do you
chufe ? Some had rather undergo any drudgery, than
be employed in fpiritual worfnip. " Nay, you may
" take
Ser.CIVo the Gre^t Relief. 437
*' take the carr.al nvdn^/ays one^ and tie Mm to a (lake,
*' and kill him with praying and preaching/*~What
delight do you chufe ? Are they not rather any vain,
carnal delights, than in divine and Spiritual things?—
What books do you chufe ? Would you not^ many
times, rather read any wild romance, than fit down
and fearch the fcriptures ? Any book rather than tlie
book of God.-^ — And, in a word, what company do you
chufe ? Is it not any carnal company, rather than the
company of the godly ? Any diverting or dedauched
company, rather than fpiritual and edifying company ?
He that is upriglit in the way, is an abomination to the
"Wicked* Any converfation, or communication is cho-
fen, rather than fuch as is inflruclive in religion, if
any would attempt this in fome cotiipanies, they would
but expofe themfelves to be flouted as unpolite and
unfafliionable, in this profane age.-— If confcience an-
fwer to thefe, and the like queflions, it will bear wit-
nefs to this truth, that men are naturally unwilling to
fubmit to the outward means of grace*
zdly. It appears from this, that when men are un-
der the means, they are unwilling to be wrought upon
by thefe means ; both unwilling to be enlightened, and
unwilling to be drawn,
(i.) They are unwillitig to be enUghteneds and hate
ihejighi^ Jciin iii. 20. Thus doth the prefcnt gene-
ration hate the lights of a teftimony for truth, and a-
gainft their defedions, as Aniazlah, the prieft of Be-
thel, hated the piainnels of Amos, faying. The land is
not able to bear with all his words, Amos vii. 1 o.
This unwillingnefs to be enlightened is plain,
1. Becaufe they /hut thctr eyes, againii the light,
and will tlfink well of themfelves. wliatevcr wickednefs
be charged upon theni^ or whatever fin be fliewed
them.
2. If they cannot keep out the light ; yet they let it
in by halves, ufmg all arts to diminifli their guilt, to
iefl'en their fm, that fo they may have the iuorc iavour-
able opinion of themfelves ; they will put tlie blame
upon fome other, if it be pofiible, ai Adam \icon Kve,
and file upon the frrpent.
Vol. Vi. Iii 3. If
43^ The Great Ruin, and Ser. CIV.
3. If the light hath fo far entered, that the man fees
liimfelf a miferable creature, then he does what he can
to dcHver himfelf from the power of convi^ion, and the
fenfe of Jin : nay, if he get his corrupt will, it fhall nei-
ther ftay fo long with him, nor work fo powerfully on
him, as to oblige him to come to Chrift.
4. When conviction hath fo far prevailed with him,
as that he hath fome thoughts of coming to Chrifl, yet
then he delays, and puts it off, through the power of
remaining averfion and emnity ; it is not yet time ; and
thus fome delay to their eternal ruin.
5. If light come yet a further ftep, to make him
judge he is in danger of perifhing for ever, if he come
not to Chrift prefently ; yet, if God fufFer his prefent
fear to abate, then his refolution abates alfo, and he
returns to bis folly.
6. If his fear return more flrongly upon him, fo that
he hath no reft nor quiet, yet how unwilling is he to
come to Chrift wholly ? If he get not a farther touch
of divine power, he remains but half willing. He v/ould
have Chrift for his Saviour to deliver him from hell,
not for his Lord to reign over bim, and deliver him from
fin. Thus men are unwilling to be enlightened,
and averfe from letting in all the light.
(2.) Though enlightened, yet they may be unwil-
ling to be drawn to Chrift : and hence refift many
flroaks, and common motions of God's Spirit. Thus
a man may have much, and long experience of the dit^
iernefs of Jin ; and yet be unwiUing to come to Chrift,
and be faved from it. — He may not only know that fm
hath done him much jnifchief^ but that it will do him
much more ; and yet be unwilling to come to Chrift.
— He may have in his eye the precious promifes of glo-
rious things to be obtained in a way of coming to Chrift,
and have fome comfortable feeling of thefe things, even
a tajle of the powers of the world to come^ and receive the
word with Joy ; and yet be unwilling to come to Chrift,
— Further, God may fet before him the dreadful
ihreaienings of eternal death and wrath, yea, and he
may have fome foretafte of the wrath to come^ like
Cain and Judas j and yet, if God leave him there,
he
Ser. CIV. the Great Relief. 439
he remains unwilling to come to Chrifl:, and perillies
for ever.
People may be converted to fome general regard for
religion, and yet be heart-enemies to the power of god-
linefs^ having a dired: enmity againfl religion, in the
height^ and depths and lengthy and breadth of it. — Ene-
mies to the height of it, or to a high profeflion, efpecial-
ly in a time wherein it may be dangerous to confefs
Chrifl: openly before the world. They reckon this
w^ere but to expofe themfelves. — Enemies to the depth
of religion, and to the myflery thereof : they are not
for wading into the depth of it, but only for fl:epping
about the fkirt, the hem, the outfide of it. — Enemies
to the length of it. The hypocrite will not always call
upon God. What 1 to be always watching, confl:antly
praying J this is intolerabla. — Enemies to the Zr^^J/^
of it, as it extends to their thoughts, words, and
actions, to all times, places, and companies : this is in-
tolerable alfo. -Thus men difcover their hatred of re-
ligion, who yet have no will to be thought irreligious ;
and fo men wilfully defl:roy themfelves.
I propofed to apply or gather fome fruits from this
branch of the text. Many leflbns may be hence learn-
ed : I fhall therefore, from what I have faid, deduce a
few things for information^ and biuniliaiion,
ifly For information. Hence w^e may learn the fol-
lowing fix particulars.
I. What a forlorn condition the fall of Adam hath
brought us into 1 We have run away froni God, and
will not be called back to him. Men are become fo
mad and diltracted, as to chufe death, and to be in
in love with fm, our mortal enemy ; ''Ibis is the c(mde?n-
nation^ that light is come into the ivorld, and men love
darknefs. None are greater enemies to fumers than
themfelves ; they are their own murderers, butchers,
and executioners. They will be away to the devil,
to their fms, to their lulls ; their own feet carry them
to hell 'y the Bible calls them dogs and fwine^ becaufe
they run as dogs to the vomit, and as fwine to the
puddle,
I i i 2 2. Hence
'440 ne Great Ruin, and Ser. CIV*
2. Hence fee, that it is no eafy matter to convert a
fmner. True converts had good rcafon to give God
the glory of their converfion; for. He thai loath wrought
them to the f elf -fame thmg is God. No thanks to free-
will. Let the Arininians try vi^hat hand they can makq
of it; Man had once free-v/ill to good and evil both,
in a flate of innocence ; but now, in his corrupt (tate,
he hath no free-will but to evil. He hath a heart fulj
of enmity agahfl God, and againil all the means of his
own falvation.
3. Hence learn, whom fmners have to blame for
their ruin, and how vain their fliifts and excufes for
their fin are, fmce it is fuch a dangerous and deftruc-
tive thing. Call no fin little, when the zvages of the
\td.?ifin is death and deftru<^ion. You may put what
name you will upon fin, and call drunkennefs, good:
fellowihip ;' and pride, gallantry ; and covetoufnefs,
good hufbandry, or frugality ; but fo many fins, fa
many v^^ounds you give your poor foul. What plea-
i'ure or profit can be in that v/hich will be bitternefs ia
the end ; that is honey in the mouth and poifon in the
belly? .
4. Hence fee how inexcufahle fmner s are, when God
arlfes to judgment* Since they wilfully dedray thf m-
felves, every vicuth jhall hejiopped, God offers them
falvation ; they will not have it. God will be juft when
be judges; for finners reap the 'ze^j^^j of their own zvorks;
and the finner's confcience wiii eternally torment him.
If now they are their own murderers, is it a wonder
they fiiall afterwards be their own tormentors ? Tho.
iiow they do their befl to lull confcience afleep ; yet it
will waken upon them, and charge them for ever with
their own ruin. This will be a never-dying worm in,
their bread. How much are they to be pitied, when,
inflead of pitying themfelves, they are putting hands to
themfelves,' by their own defperate wickednefs.
5. See how little reafon finners have to ht jocund
imd merry ^ in a courfip of fin. Do you fee the wicked
mockers of God and religion, how they are dancing
towards the chambers 6f death? Alas ! does feli-murder
deferye a fong of triumph? Frov, xxvi. 48, 19. As a
Ser. CIV. fZ^f Great Relief. 441
7nad 7nan zvho cajleth fLre-hrands^ arrows and death ; fo
is the ?nan that deceives his neighbour^ andfaith^ Am not
1 in [port ? Ah ! what mad men are thefe that are de-
ceiving and deftroying themfelvcs, and faying. Am not
1 in [port f It is a ftrange counfel that Solomon, after
the fad experience he had of his own folly, gave to the
young nian, Eccl. xi. 9. Rejoice^ 0 young ?imn^ in thy
youths and let thy heart chear thee in the days of thy youth,
arid walk in the ways of thy hearty and in the fight of
thine eyes ; but know thoUy that for all thcfe things God
will bring thee into judgment. Here is a comedy in the firll
part of the verfe ; but a tragedy in the lalt part of it.
When iniquity hath played her part, vengeance leaps
upon the ftage ; Rejoice ^ 0 young man ! Why ? this is
a brave allov;ance. Vv^ell, but remember the judgment
to come ; q. d. take thy pleafure, but confider thy
doom; fm on, if thou dareft. The comedy is ihort,
but the tragedy is long. Put the rejoice and the remenu
her together, and chufe, whether you will rejoice or re-
member f Whether you will take your fliort heaven
now, or your long hell hereafter ? Whether you will
chufe the pleafures of fm now, which cannot look deatU
and judgment in the, face without being damped ; or
the pleafures of religion with all the tribulation that may
attend it ; that can look upon death and judgment with
joy? Ah! poor pleafures ! that cannot iland a ferious
thought of death and judgment. Remember, that/(?r
all thefe things ;. why ? the Judge fets down all upon
the table of remembrance; iie?n^ for your drunkeut
nefs ; i/c/??, for your whoredom ; itcm^ for fwearing ;
item^ for Sabbath-breaking ; item^ for mocking, and h
thou land things ; For all thefe things God will bring thee,
into judgjuent. V7hat a fair thread have you fpun, that
mud anfv^er for all \ Who yet are not able to anfv/cr
for one. Rejoice^ but remember ; oh ! here is a fad
huty that fpoils all the fport. A guilty confcience can*
not abide to hear of judgm^enti becaufe then the fm-
ner hears his own condemnation.
Therefore, fmner, laugh at lelfure, lefl God laugh:
next at you and your de/lrutJion, according to Prov. i,
^4, 25, 26. Some laugh at the word^ v/hich is yet fuU
' ^ ^ filling
44J ' '^^s Great Ruin, and Ser.CIV.
fxliing upon them ; for It fays, "There fhatl he in the lajl
days /coffers^ walking after their own lujis^ f^yi^g^ Where
is )he promife of his cojuing ? They efleem no more of
his threatenings denounced in the preached word^ than
of flafhes ,of lightening in a theatre, or thunder in a
ftage-play. But death and an awful tribunal will be
found no matter of fport \ and the more any fear the
threatened wrath of God, the lefs (hall they feel ; To
this man zvill Ilook^ even to hi?n that trembles at my word :
but the lefs you fear, the more fhall y ou feel ; Pfalm
xc. 1 1. Who knoweth the power i?/' thine anger ? eve7i ac-
cording to his fear, fo is his wrath,
6. Hence we may learn, what it is that ruins famous
churches ; O Ifraelt then hajl dejlroyed thyfelf What
brought deflation upon them, but their own fin f And
particularly, their wilful departure from God, and re-
fufing help J his offered falvation, Pfalm Ixxxi. ii, 12.
My people would not hearken to my voice, Ifrael would
none of me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts
lufl ; and they walked in their own counfels. Matthew
xxiii. 37,. 38. O Jerufalem, Jerufalem, thou that killefl
the prophets, and flonefl them- which are fent unto thee^
how often would I have gathered thy children together,
even as a hen gather eth her chickens under her wings , and
ye would not. Behold, your hcufe is left unto you defolate.
O Jerufalem, Jerufalem, how often would 1 have done
it ? but ye would not^ Behold, your houfe is left to you
defolate / It is left empty ; empty of all its multitude,
that ufe to come to folemn feafts. Lam. i. 4. ; empty
oi pure ordinances, though once the city of o\yc folem-
nities ; empty of powerful influences of my Spirit, and
wo to you, when I depart \ empty of diligent labour-
ers and faithful preachers, having, inflead of miniflers^
feducers ; initead oi paflors, impoflors j inflead oi la-
bourers, loiterers ; Beheld, your houfe is left to you defo^
late: it is left to you, being left of God, it is yielded
up to you. Churches and cities left and deferted of
God, are yielded up to the worfl of fmners ; and what
will they do with holy things, or ho/y places, and holy
ordinances, and holy iSabbaths^ when left to them, and
God
Ser. CIV. the Great Relief* 443
God himfelf is gone ? How will they profane his Sab^
baths^ pollute his ordinances^ deftroy the do6lrine^ wvr^
Jhip^ difcipline, and government of his hoiifcy break down
the carved work ; and turn the houfe of prayer to a den
of thieves f Behold^ your houfe is. left unto you defeats,
2dlyy This fubje^l may be improven for convidion
and humiliation. Ought we not this day to be hmibkd
before God, and convinced^ that this is the cafe with us.
— And that God is faying to us, as he did to Ifrael,
O Scotland, thou haji dejlroyed thyfelf! O Edinburgh,
thou hajl deftroyed thyfelf! O finner, thou haJi dejlroyed
thyfelf! Oh! let minillers and people take with the
charge, If^ou hajl dejlroyed thyfelf : here, let us Imnent^
and be Immbled before God.
How many ways might we mention, hath Scotland
been dejlroying itfelf^ fmce our glorious Keformation from
Fopery f Particularly, by breaking our National Covv-
nant with God : we gave our hands folemnly to God,
and then departed from him ; and gave our hands to
the men of the worlds by public Refolutions, to join with
them : yea, we diflionoured him by burning our Cove^
nant with the King of kings, and giving facrilegious b^^
mage to the kings of the earth, as if they had been fu-
preine over all perfons, and in all caufes^ civil or ecck^
fiajlic ; by defiling ourfelves with many oaths ^ contrary
to the oath of God, and accepting Indulgences founded
upon that wicked Supremacy ^ affumed over the houfe of
God * : by involving ourfelves in the guilt of their
hlood^ that fulFered for the teflimony of Jefus, in wit-
nelling for hiin as King in Zion, in oppofition to fuch
as robbed him of his crown; by neglcfting, at the mer-
ciful Revolution, the f aire 0: opportunity of reviving a
covenanted Reformation^ and rebuilding his houfe upon
the right foundation : but, inftead of that, we may fay.
We and our forefathers have finned ; %ve underjtood not
his wonders^ nor remembered ths midtitiide of his 7nercies ;
but provoked him at the fea^ even at the Redfea^ Pfahu
* The reader will find the above tranfadions more fully laid opta.
Vol. IV. pag. 3S3, Vol. V. pag. iij, 317.
cvi.
444 ^^^ Gp.eat ilum, and S'er* CiV.
cvi. 63 7. ; at the very time and place of deliverance
from tyranny and arbitrary power.
But, in later times, how have we deftroyed ourfehei
more and more ? I Ihall mention fome fms that ruin
and dejlroy churches and nations ; and we may confider,
■whether or not we have been and are dejhoying oiirfehei
therewith.
1. Lukewarmnefs and indifference in religion is a def-
lating and dellroying fm ; Becatife thou art lukewarm^
and neither cold nor hot^ J ivill fpue thee out of my mouthy
Revel, iii. 15. This made God cafl off that church of
Laodicea ; and is not this the fin of this generarion I
Interpendent, as it wxre, and hanging between hea-
ven and hell, between God and Baal ; zeal for the
kingdom, and caui'e, and honour of Chrill v/earing
gradually out.
2. Apojlafy from God \i a defolating and deflroying
fm to churches and nations ; Thou hajl left thy fir ft
love : Remejnber therefore^ from whence thou hafl fallen^
and repent y and do thy fir ft works ^ or elf I will come unto
thee quickly, and will remove thy candlejhck out of his
place ^ Revel, iii. 4, 5. The candleftick is the church ;
\kit fin that removes the candleftick is apoftafy. And
are we not chargable in this land with apoftafy mjudg-
menty leaving the ancient truth of God for new errors ;
new godsy but old devils^ Deut. xxxii. 17^ 18. : new
lights, but damnable errors^ and d'jclrines cf devils ;
many of thefe tolerated, untouched and uncenfured by
xSxt judicatories of the church -)- ; chargeable with apof-
tafy in cffedionj having left owx firft love, Jer. ii. 2. The
love of our efpoufals^ vviien our land was married to God
hy fole?nn Covenant ? With apoftafy m practice andro«-
verfation, as many of Chrifl's difciples left hiai, when
he was apprehended ; yea, many who feem to run well
for a time, they fit up \ they begin in the Spirit, and
end in thefiefb,
3. Barrennefs under the means of grace, that God
hath been fome time giving a plentiful allowance of,
\ Some of thefe errors, which our Author probably here alludes So,
are condefcended upon. Vol. 1. psg. i^Z* Vol. il' pag 304^ 446. Vol.
IV. V<^Z' I4S«
is
Ser.CIV. the Great Relief. 445-
bf, is another fm that brings defolatlon and dedrinflicn ;
this is reprefented by the curfe denounced upon th.c-
barren Jig tree, Luke xiii. 7. Cut it dc^uriy why cumber^
efh it the ground. The aiK is laid to the root of the trees :
therefore every tree^ "which Iringeth not forth good fruity
is hezvn dvzvn, and cafl irdo the fire ^ Mattlii iii. 10. If
tinder Zioii*s bicffings v/e bring forth Sodom's bloi-
fomSj fee v/hat God will Ao ; 1 "joiil break up the hedge^
and drefs it no w:re^ the clouds f hall rain no more raiH
upon it, &c. likiah v. jj 6.
4. Union And communion with a wicked world h church^
deflroying TLVt'l foul^deftroying / for the companion of fools
fh all be defrayed* lliere are {imwl unions 2.nd ajjocta-
tions, whereby churches and nations may be deftroyed ;
fuch was our incorporating union with England, upon
terms oppofite to our Covenant ir/iion formerly with
them ; to which may be applied, Ffal. cvi. 28, 2>S-i 40*
They joined tbenfehes unto Baal- peor ; they ivere mingled
among the heathen, and learned their works. Many a
fad lelTon have we learned from our neighbours, and
many difmal confequences -have followed this incorpo-
ration.^^— I defignedly enlarge not upon any of thefe
things that are more fully reprefented in a publilned
Teflunmy among your hands, adopted by you, that
have invited us to this day's work here |.
5. Fride ok privileges and confidence in tbe church and
ieniple^WX^c i\\^. J'sws, that cried, The temple of the Lord,
the temple of the Lord, the fcivple of the Lord are thefe,
Jer. vii, 4. As if an eflablillied church could be their
Security ; but, what is the name of the ch-urch, when
the glory is departed ? 1$ it not their confidence, that
the Lord is with tliem becaufc tlicy are a cliurch, that
will fecure them : fee Mic. iii. 10, 11, 12, They build
i4p Zion with blood, and Jcrrfalcm with ' iniquity. The
beads thereof judge for reward, and the fric/ls therctf
teach for hire, and the prophets tJ^eref divine for mcnr.y :
yet zvill they lean upon the Lord, and fay ^ h not the Lord
t The direful cbnfeq lences that h2ve arte n.'jfd ,\\'t .uivion oT tl:e
ruo kingd,<n,s are Jaid uptn in >Ke A«5t a-.d TnWrni^uV; i'd'^. [j/uot)
46 — 49.
Vol. VI. K k k among
44^ The Great Ruin, and Ser. CIV^
among us? none evil can come upon us, Therefore jhall
Zion for your fake be plozved as a fields and Jerifaleni
/ball become heaps^ and the inountain of the houfe^ as the
high places of the forefi, Therefore lakh the Lord,
Zeph. iii. 1 1. Thou fhalt 7io more be haughty^ becaufe of
wy holy mountain,
6. Grofs and curfed hypocrify is another deftructive
and defolating fin ; we lee Matth. xxiii. 13, — 29. no
lefs than eight ivoes arc denounced again ft hypocrites.
Hypocrites mock God, and deftroy themfelves : they
profefs one thing, and are really fome thing elfe ; like
the blafphemy of thefe who faid, they were Je%vs^ and
were noty but were the fynagogue of Satan, Revel, ii. 9.
They profeffed to be a true church, and yet were but
a church mahgnant ; as if fome fliould profefs to be
a true Prefbyterian church , and yet be really Antichrif-
tian, or Erajiian : 0 Ifrael ! thou hajl deflroyed thy-
pf, kc.
{ 7. Stubbornnefs and incorrigiblenefs is a defolating
and deftructive fm : when neither word nor rod pre-
vail with a people to leave their fm, and return to him,
this brings temple'defolation, and prefages ftill heavier
and heavier judgment : If, by thefe things, ye will not
be reformed, then will Ipunifh you f even times more ; and
yet feven times more; and I will walk contrary to you.
Lev. xxvi. 23. 1 have foand fo puniflied you, and ye
have not returtjcd unto 7?ie ; therefore prepare to meet tJjy
God, 0 Ifrael / Amos vi. 1 2.
8. Covenant-breaking with God is another defolating
and deftrudive fm ; in that fame chap. Lev. xxvi. 254
/ will bring afword upon you that jh all avenge thcquar*
rel of my covenant. Such an avenging fword is yet
hanging over Britain and Ireland, for breaking, burning^,
and burying out of m/md the covenant made between
God and our fathers ; though many fay. What have
wc to do with what our fathers did this time hundred
year ? Well, but fee, what God hath a-mind to do,
Deut. xxix, 24, 25. after an account of God's cove-
nant with them, 2 Kings xvii. 13, 14, 15, 18.
9. Ignorance of Goi>, and profanity of life, which go
toge-
Ser. CIV. /i&^ Great Relief. 447
together, is a defolating and deftrudive fin, Hofea iv.
I, 2, 3, 6. Hear the word of the Lord^ ye children of
Ifrael ; the Lord hath a controverfy with the inhabitants
of the land^ becaufe there is no truths nor mercy ^ nor know-
ledge of God in the land ; by f wearing^ and lyings and
killings and Jiealing^ and conunitting adultery^ they break
out ; and blood touches blood. See what a catalogue of
profane courfes accompanies ignorance of God ; and-
what follows, Therefore Jh all the land mourn ; and my
-people are dcftroyed for lack of knozvledge* Here we fee,
that profane people^ though they fiiould be never fuch
great wits^ and have never fo much head-knowledge^
yet they are igyiorant of God, and their ignorance dcf-
troys them.
lo. Another defolating, church-ruining and deflroy-
ing fm is, the rejecling of Chrifl from being their Lord
and Kir.g. Chrifl will be a fole King, and will have
none upon his throne but himfelf ; and when'a church
rejects him as a King, then he rejefts them as a church.
This was fearfully exemplified in the Jews, where they
faid. We will, net have this man to reign ever us ; and
we have no kiiig but Ci^far : thus, out of their own
mouth, they verified Jacob's old prophecy, Ihat the
fceptre zvas departed from Jiidah^ and the I aw- giver from
between his feet ; and therefore Shiloh was now comc^
the true Meffiah was come ; and him they rejeded from
being king, and therefore he rejected them from being
his church. What for a body is that, which wants the
head ? And what for a church is that, of which the
apoflle fpeaks, Coloflians ii. 19. Not holding the head?
Chrifl is the head of the body, the church ; but will
Chrill hold that church as his body, that does not hold
him, nor hold only as a church of him as tlieir head
and king.
Here it will be expected, I fliould fpeak of fome
late practices by the generality of miniilers in Scot-
land, that were, wb.atever the profefiion to the con-
trary be, a pradical difclaiming of the fole headlhip
and fupremacy of our Lord Jefus Chrift over his
church. I fliall only fay. That the general courle at
K k k ?. iaJ'
448 ne Great Ruin, and Ser, CIV,
falling in with this Erailian ad * is fuch an affront done
to our glorious King Jejus, that tho' judicatories fliould
confpire to bury it in the grave of oblivion, and cover
it with the fair niafk oi mutual forbearance -^.Vidi brotherly.
love ; yet, I doubt not, but as it v/ill be remarked to
polterity, as a crowning piece to Scotland's defedion
•at this day, fo the Lord v/iii relent it among other in-
juries done to him, when he comes to plei.\d his con-
troveriy.
The judicatories have been of late refufmg to adopt
a teftimony olfered to them, and now publifhed for
God and hig truth ; and therefore, little v/onder, that
God hath left them to fall in with thcfe open indigni?
ties done to the (.vqivu royal of King Jefus. And this
hath contributed to confirm fome in the courfe they
were \tA to of tellifying, in a way of feceliion for them,
who had, fo long time, and by fo many acts, baen fup-f
prefTing the truths of God, and oppreffing the people
ot God, obtruding liiREr.iJiJGS upon reclaiming con-
gregations, and fo fcattering the liock of Chrifr, as
iheep without a fnepherd ; and alTuming a power and
authority, contrary to the warrant of the ivord f . If
thefe and the like are the circu';n{lances of the judica-
tories, none need think itrange, that fome have taken
the method of teflifying againi^ the defections of the
day that now they are upon ; nor ought any to reckon
* Our Author her? undoubredly alludes to the affiar of one John
PoRTEOus, capuin of the t;)-,vn j-^uard of Kdinburgh> who had been
legally condemned lo die, for fevers! 'nurders, c.>mrnirted by him on
tr.e popuiace, at a public eyemtion, where he had the conimjind ; but
Viio alteraards, by the intiutnct of (ome i^reat men, obtained a re-
prive ; which fo incenT^d the people, thnt they rofe up notwithfland-
ing, and executed Mt; at Fdin'urgh, Sepr. 7th, 1736. The king and
parii- mcnt reTented this ahVont verv higiily ; and accordingly framed
.a mofl firar ge and ejjtraordinriry a^^ to difcover the ai5lGrs : and or-
dered .sij tl>e minlihrs of Scotland to read the faid act, in the tima
of divine fervice in their churches, every firit Sabbath of the month,
for a whole ytar, under ceriain penalties. Though this was a grofs
and public profanation of the Lord's day, a proftitufing the pulpit,
and a practical iy giving ufi with the alone headThip and fovereignty
of Chriil: over his churcii ; yet the irtoft part of the minilters read this
act, to the no f-na'l grief of many cf the godly.
f If the reader inclines to {ee a more ample account of thefe parti-
culars, he m,iv confp.U, Vol. I. pag. 238- Vol.11, pag.149, 466, Vol.,
IV. p. ii,%. Vol. V. p.2g. 3-4, 317, 357, 395> 396^ 42J.
1%
Ser. CIV. the Great Relief. 44^
it a fchlfmaticalzowxit. Though none can juftlfy tbem^
felves from being guilty of dilhonour done to their glo-
rious Lord, yet let them bear mod the charge o{ fchifm
and divifion^ that divide mofl from the head Jefus Chriil:,
and from the truths as it is in him. Let none think
thefe are the dividersy who are but the finallcfl: number,
taking a different courfe from the reft +. When the
whole ehureh turned Arian^ departed from Chrift the
head, except Athayiafim^ I have no difficulty in faying,
they were all Schifmatics but himfelf. Let the true na-
ture oi fch'ifm be confidercd, and we may then either
defy reproach ; or, as long as the Lord is with us, we
may eafily bear it. We are not good foldiers of Chrift,
nor followers of him, if we cannot endure a hifs for
Chrift, who $ndured the crofs^ and defpifed the jloame for
us ; and now \% fet down at the right-hand of the throne
of God as the glorious King of Zion,
Thefe are fome of the fins that deftroy ?:aiions and
churches ; 1 might mention many more : but if we re-
flect upon thefe, and the deep iliare w^e have in them
all; may we not receive the convidion offered here,
Olfrael! Q Scotland ! thou hafi deftroyedthyftlff Ma-
giftrates, minifters, and people have dejlroy^d theinfel-
njes : fuch a charge you read of in many places of fcrip-
ture, fuch as Micah iii. i, 2, 5, 6, 7. Ezckiel xxii.
But fmce, I fuppofe, the moft here pr^fent are from
the adjacent city, w^e have occafion aifo to fay more
particularly, O Edinburgh ! thou hcfl deflroyed thyfclf:
are not all the deiolating and dcftroying fins, that I
liave mentioned already, to be found in t h e f., by
which thou haft been, and art deftroying ihyfe^fl And
to thefe may be added fome other fins, which I judge
they are chargeable with, and ought to be humbled
for this day.
Is not pride^ idlencfs^ and fuhicfs of breads that was
the iniquity of her fifter Sodom, alfo to be found with
her ? Ezek. xvi. 49. Cities are dcftroyed by luxury
^nd wanfonnefs^ when God is calling for mour Ing,
X Oor Authoi's fentiments on this point, are mere fully expreffed,
Vci. V. pag, 3^3-
45^ ^^^ Great Ruin, and Ssr.CIV.
Ifa. xxii. 12, 13, 14. Enquire before the Lord, if this
t>e not the fin of the city ? Cities are deftroyed by their
epprejjlon of the/>!?^r, their racking of rents^ their injuf-
tke, and fraudulent dealings between man and man ;
Run ye to and fro thraugh the Jireets of Jerufalem^ and
fee if ye can find a man^ if there be any that executes judg-
ment^ that feeks the truths Jer. v. i.; Intimating, how
hard it v/as to fmd a truly honed and righteous man,
?ind how expofed the city therefore was unto wrath.
Cities are deftroyed by negle£l of family -worfhip^ in
reading the word of God, hnging the praifes of God,
and calling on the name of God. If this negleft be the
lin of the city, it will be the ruin of it ; four out thy
fury upon the heathen^ and the fwiilies that call not on
ihy name, Jer. x. 25. Cities are deftroyed by the fin
of flighting the warnings of the word, defpifmg faithful
meifengers they have had among them, that gave them
fair and faithful warning. Edinburgh hath been pri-
vileged with fome fuch from time to time ; but the
more plain and faithful fome of them have been, per-
haps, they were the more defpifcd and difparaged. — >
Jonah preached but one fermon to Nineveh, and they
repented ; but many a faithful fermon hath Edinburgh
heard, and never repented ; and, perhaps, they who have
dealt with them mofi faithfully have been treated moil
contemptuoufly, even as Paul was called a peftilent feU
law. The tov^rn of Northampton in New England hath
not had a long tack of the gofpel ; yet, as we hear, the
gofpel there hath done wonders, thro' the out-pouring
of the Spirit of God with it. But, what fhall we fay? We
have had the Bible in our own language, and the doc-
trines of the gofpel difpenfed for near two hundred
years ; but with how little effe6l ? How grofs our ignof
ranee 1 how depraved our manners 1 how httle of Chrif-
tianity in a Chriilian nation ! And what if God be nov/
faying, My Spirit JJjall no ?norefirive with man ; it fliall
no more ftrive with Edinburgh ; it iliall no more ftrive
with Scotland ? The kingdoin of heaven floall be taken
from you, and given to a nation bringing forth thefruA
thereof
Ser. civ, the Great Re lief* 4^i
Again, Cities have been deftroyed by murder and
hloodjhed ; for, Blood hath ajirong cry to heaven for ven^
geance^ Gen. iv. lo. No doubt, the city liath rcafon
to mourn, on this account for much bloodfhed com-
mitted therein, and never mourned over ; I mean, not
only the blood o{ infants^ murdered in fecret ; nor do
I mean only the blood of innocents, not long ago fud-
denly flaughtered at the execution oiWilfo7i *, for v/hicli
the Lord may plead a controverfy with the city, if \t
hath not been duly purged by public juftice ; far lefs
need I here proclaim, what hath been too much pro-
claimed already to the proflituting of the pulpit, ami
the profaning of many a Sabbath-day ; but 1 mean ef-
pecially, the yet unpurged blood of martyrs fhcd at the
Crofs^ and in the Grafs-market^ in the late times of
tyranny. This blood hath never yet been duly mourn-
ed over by piihlic humiliation on that account : and
therefore it cries againfl the city for vengeance, and a*
gainft the land. And, what if God hath ordered, that
the pulpits of Scotland ihould ring fo many days with
the noife of the blood of a murderer^ as a righteous
judgment upon them, for negleding to mention and
mourn over the guilt of the blood of martyrs^ that was
filed about the fame place. But,
Again, Cities have deflroyed tbemfeives with mon*
ftrous whoredom and adultery^ of which the Lord favs
Jer. v. 8, 9. Shall I not vifit for thefe things f andfhak
not my foul he avenged on fuch a nation us this ^ If peo-
ple, at this day, are declaring their fm as Sodom ; if
ftews are tolerated, and works of darknefs covered and
if church-cenfures and difcipline be bought away with
money j , how provoking to God muft it be, ^nd how
like the popifJj pradlice in their book o{ rates f So much
for ivhoredoniy \o much for adultery, fo much for mur-
der ; and declaring, that no fuch acts of favour can be
granted to the poor ; enough to invite men to fin, that
* The perfon's name who was executed between LeLh and Edm-
burgh, where captain Porteous ordered the foldiers to H re upon the
populace, and killed feveral of them. See abo?ep. 448.
t It was alledged, that thefe heinous evils and cori-jpt pra^Ices
ivcne prevailina too muchi^^ihe-njeiropoiis.
know
45^ the Great Ruin, and Ser.CIV^
know the price; before4iand, at which they may be ab-
folved, or iVee of all church -cenjure ,- if any thing, like:
this, hath, at any time, taken place among us. Shall
not the Lord v'lfit for thcfe things ?
Again, Cities haye deftroyecl themfelves by Sabbath*
breaking ; as you may fee, Amos viii. 5, 7, 8. When
/hall the Sabbath be gone, fay they, that tve may felt
corny and fet out wheat f &c. Shall not the land trem*
ble for thts^ and every one mourii that dwells therein ?
Thefe that take their own pleafures on the Lord's day,
kindle his difpleafure againft themfelves, Who ordered
the man that gathered flicks to be floncd to death.
In a word, Cities have deftroyed themfelves by their
Ghufe o^ plenty^ as here in the context ; Hcf. xliL 6, 7.
They werefUedy and their heart was exalted ; therefor^
they have forgotten me : therefore I will be to them as a
lion^ &c. like Jefhurun, that zv axed fat and kicLd,-^
When the body was ftuffed up with plenty, the foul
was pufled up witli pride, forgetting God, and abufmg
his goodnefs to lafcivioufnefs and wantonnefs, confum-
ing their time and fubllance ^viihvain (hows^ idle affem-'
blies^ flays ^ balls^ and I know not what a mukitude of
mad amufements to gratify the fiefli ; till ihtiv pknty
be turned into poverty ; their wantonnefs^ into tuo and
fiiifery ; and their time fwallowed up in eternity* O
Jfrael ! thou haft deftroyed thyfelf
Again, Let every one Vdk.z home the charge ; O firif
fief / thou haft deftroyed thyfelf : as by \kit\<tfins I have
mentioned ; fo particularly by thy wilful rejeding of
Chrift, and unwillingnefs to come to Iiim, which may
be proven againfl you, partly by your unwillingnffs to
fubmit to the outward means, and partly by your un-
wiliingnefs to be wrought upon by them, as I hav€
file wed already : fo ftrong is your natural enmity, that
if left to yourfelf, you are undone.
Again, let the godly, themfelves, take home the
charge, and be humbled before God ; becaufe, as you
areas great felf-murderers by nature, as thereil ol the
world, fo even, fmce grace took a dealing with you,
fuch are the remains of that felf-difpofition, in innume-
rable iaflancesj that it may be faid, even to you that
are
Ser. CIV, i/je, Great Relief. 453
are the true Ifrael of Goc], O Jfrael ! thcu haft defiroyed
thyfflf. And though God had no other controveriy
againil Scotland, than even tlie iniquities cf fcrs and
daughters^ it is enough ; their unwatchfulnefs, their
uatendernefs, their neglcd of a gofpel-converfat on,
negled: of relative duties ; their detefiable neutrality-
in the matters of God ; their grievous infenfibiiity of
the difhonours done to Chrift ; their little love to and
fympathy v^'ith one another ; their bitternefs and preju-
dice againil one another ; their felf-feeking, and felf-
pleafing, and preparing their own houfes, building to
themfelves ceiled houfes^ zvbi/e the kcufc cfthe Lord liss
*wafte ; their carnal eafcjwhen they lliould be fighting
the Lord's battles, and foliowing htm witbcut the camp.
When David would perfuade Uriah, 2 Sam. xh 12,
to go to his houfe, and enjoy the lawful pleafures of
his bed, lie refufed it, faying, T^he ark^ and Ifrael^ and
Judahy abide in tents y and my Lord Joab^ and the fer-
"cants of my Lordy encamp in the open fields^ and jh all I
go home and eat and drink^ a?id ly in my bed of eafe and
pleafure ? As the Lcrd Uvetby I will -do no fucb thing,
X his looked hke a man truly concerned for the ark and
Ifrael of God. Many of us do not fo much as forbear
our unlawful pleafures of pride and v*^antonnefs. Tho*
the ark of the Lord abide in tents y and though the church
be going to the wildernefs, or encamp in the open fields^
yet many remain loitering in their beds of eafe, and
pleafure, and lioth : but God loves not jollity, when
he calls for mourning ; nor fioth, when he calls lor
vi'atching, and appearing for him.
Again, The godly fometlmes have dellroyed them-
felves by their drcifiuns amo;:g themfelves. May i not
fay vvith the apoule, i Cor. xi iS. / hear that there ore
divifions among you^ and I partly believe it f and we
know fome evident efTcds of it. But, O my dear
friends, what a reproach is it to your Cbriflian p^ofijjiony
to hear of praying focieties divided againil praying fo-
cietiesf It was obferved bv cnem.ies themiclvc*^-, to trie
commendiition of the primitive Chri/liin^y *' Beliold 1
*' how they love one another J"* A:a^i I liow reproach-
lui is it, if the conirarv be faiu of you, Ei'hold, how
V o L. Vl. ' L 1 1 they
454 ^^^^ Great Ruin, and Se.r. CIV.
they hate one another ; how they bite and devour one
another. What a miferable thing it is, if in matters
that either might be accommodated, or born with,
Chriftians fliould deftroy themfelves, and deflroy one
another ? How is our God thus diflionoured, the gof-
pel difcredited, rehgion wounded, and the hands of
"witnelTes for reformxation weakened I
In a word, The children of God themfelves have, at
this day, deftroyed themfelves, by leaving \h€\r Jirjl
love, by their carnahty in their work and walk, and
their evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living
God : by thefe things they deftroy themfelves, deflroy
their peace, deflroy their comfort, deflroy their afiur-
ance, deilroy their freedom in coming to God, deflroy
their name and credit. They deflroy their beauty and
livelinefs, and provoke God to uurite hitter things ^-
gainji them. Yea, the children of grace may, by their
vmcircumfpecl walk, provoke their heavenly Father to
break them with breach upon breach, and to bring hea-
vy flroaks both temporal and fpiritual, upon them,
Deut. xxviii. 58, 59. Let none of God's people there-
fore fay, fuch and fuch inflruments have deflroyed us,
minifters and judicatories have deflroyed our church-
privileges and liberties, and robbed us of our fpiritual
rights. Whatever truth be in this, that way of fpeak-
ing looks not like due humiliation before God, for thefe
are but the fruits of God's anger againfl us for our
fm ; Behold thou art wroth, for we have finned^ ifa.
Ixiv. 5. It is an angry God that leaves a generation
of fmners that are felf-deftroyers, to be alfo deflroyers
of one another ; and therefore let us blame ourfelves,
becaufe we have fmned, and brought on all this def-
trudion upon ourfelves. It would look like kindly hu*
miliation, if every one were faying, I am the Achan
t\\2ith?ii\\ troubled the ca?np of Jfrael ; I am the Jonah
that hath raifed thi^ florm of wrath ; I am the fmner
that hath provoked God to leave mini{ter.s and judica-
tories to themfelves ; and to leave his houfe defolate ;
it is 1 that have provoked him to fend the loofe, lax,
and corrupt miniftry here and there through the land ;
it is I that have provoked him to le^vc fome good mi-
jiiflers
Ser. civ. the Great Relief. 455
niilers to make fad defeclion ; for it is pofTible IfraeFs
fins may provoke God to leave a minifter, as good as
Aaron the faint of God^ to fet vp a golden calf in Horeb^
Let every one of us not only bear the charge, 0 Ifrael !
thou hafl deflroyed thyflf; but let us take with the
charge, faying, I am i\\Qperfon that hath deftroyed my-
felf, and deftroyed the generation, and ray fm may .
jaftly provoke him to fend more heavy deftrudion yet,
and terrible defolation : for if every fin deferves God's
heavy wrath, what may my aggravated fins provoke
him to ? We never ly open to mercy, or to gofpel-
grace, fo much as when we take with the law-charge,
and anfwer to the voice of God, O Ifrael ! thou hajl
deflroyed thyfelf ; Truth, Lcrd^ I have deilroyed my-
felf. And if brought to this, then hear and confider
The y^rc^i branch of the text. In me is thy help : im-
porting, that our relief and deliverance is only owing
to God, and his fovereign m.ercy ; To the Lord our God
belongs 7nercy andforgivejiefs, though we have rebelled a-
gainfthim^ Dan. ix. 9. And fmce all have deftroyed
themfelves, none can be favedbut in a way of free mer-
cy, as God fays to Mofes, Exod. xxxiii. 19. 1 zvill be
gracious to luhojn I will be gracious^ and foe w mercy to
whom I vjill foew mercy* He might juftly futfer all to
go on in ruining themfelves eternally ; but as be pro-'
claims mercy in the gofpel, fo to whomfoever he ex-
tends mercy, he muft do it by an a6t of fovereign grace,
delivering them out of their own murdering and def-
troying hands,
Now, Sirs, here is another root of true repentance
and humiliation ; the former is a true fen fe of fin, as a
deftroyer ; the next is an apprehenfion of the mercy cf
God in Chrift, as a Saviour, and the only help ? In me
is thy help. The root o^true religion lies in a right view
of ourfelves, and our own frnfulnels ; and next in a
right view of God and his grace : for clearing this mat-
ter I offer a few remarks.
Firfl, I remark, from the fcope of God's words here,
*' That he takes occafion from oxxxfms, to fet out his
^' grace.'' Man is unmerciful to himfelf ^ but God is
L 1 1 2 merci'ul
^5^ ^^^^ Great Ruin, and Ser. CIV,
merciful to hnn. So cruel is man, that he deflroys
himiclf ; ib kind is God, that he offers his help, and
hath laid help upon One that is mighty^ upon his eternal
Son, whom he hath given to be the Helper and Savi-
our, to ^^"^^ his mercy. And by this inilancej we may
lee, that God will do a thoufand times more to (liew
his mercy towards iinners, than to fnew his wrath a-
galnft them. He hath fet forth Chriji to bc^ the propitia'
iion^ to make his fliewing mercy confident with the ho-
nour of juilice, Rom. iii. 25, 26. It is true, fome may
think, how comes it then, that there are more damned
than faved ; for Chrift fays, Strait is the gate of life,
and few there are that find it : But here, concerning
tlie paucity of the faved, it is to be coniidered, that,
:is it is not improbable there ihall be more glory among
the few that fhali be faved, than w^rath among the ma-
ny that fball be damned ; fo there is miore n:iercy (liew-
cd, in fdvihg a fev/, when he might have condemnc4
all, than there is juflice (liewed, in condemning many,
when he m/ight have damned all.
i^gain, mercy is ahfolute^ having refped to nothing
in us ; but judice hath a refpe^l to the demerit of fm,
the tvQges wh^^rcof is death. God, in fliewing mercy,
is himfelf at the whole cofl : but we make way for his
juftice, by provoking him. Damnation is an act of juf-
tice, that our fin obliges him to do ; but fahation is
an a£t of mercy, which he is under no obligation to
pafs : yet, notwithftanding all our fmfulnefs, he pro-
claims his wiillngnefs and readinefs to fave and help.
Hence, 1 think, it is remarkable, that, after the great-
ed fins that ever were committed, there have been in-
fbntly thegreateil difplays of mercy : thus the firfl fm,
by which ail mankind were ruined, was foon followed
with the promife, wherein mercy was proclaimed.—- —
Here was the greateft fm, the root of all hn among
men ; and yet the greateft difplay of mercy.
Again, that fm of the Jews, in crucifying the Lord
€f glorj^ will be owned to be the greateft fm : and yet
it is followed with the greateft difplay and proclama-
tion o( mercy : therefore Chrift injoins his difciples to
go and preach repentance and rmijfiun offin,s in his name^
to
Ser. CIV. iU Great Relief. 457
io all nations^ beginning at Jerufalem^ Luke xxiv. 27.
Why, begin at Jerulalem, who had jail now embrucd
their hands in his blood ! Why, they have moil need
of merey ; and the ofl^T of it to them will manifeil the
fovereignty of it. O who would not then put in for u
fliare of mercy in the blood of Chrifl ? Why fliould we
refufe our own mercy ? Here is ivater^ what hinders
but we are baptized f Here is blood, what hinders but
we are waflied ? Nothing hinders but our own wilful
refufing, and continuing to deflroy ourfelves. Men
will hot welcome this offer of grace ; they continue
obiiinate till God create a will^ and make them willing
in the day of his power : and hence ail that are helped,
and faved out of their own murdering hands, muii be
faved by an act of fovereign mercy j //? 7ne is thy helpn
Again,
The fecohd remark I oiFer is, ^' That the nature of
*^ God requires, that in helping and faring of fmners,
^' his mercy h^ free 2.ndi fovereign ;" becaule he is a fo-
vereign God, infinitely happy in himfeif without us ;
and it is at his option to manifeft mercy or not, to fave
or not, as much as it was his option to make men or
not. He does what he will among the armies of heaven.
Hence he exercifes fovereignty in the caufe why he
fhews mercy, even becaufe he will Jhew mercy ; fove-»
reignty in the perfon w^hom he faves ; in the time when
he faves them, in the inllruments by whom ; and the
means by which he faves them, I might fnew, at large,
how he does all this according to his own will and plea-*
fure ; Of his own will begat he us by the word of iruihy
James i. 18,
Thirdly^ I remark, " That the nature o{ man requires
^' this, that if he be faved, it be by th^frcc, fovereign
^' grace, and mercy of God.'* What is man? He is
a defpicahle creature, a worm ; Fear r-s/, worm Jacobs
If lirael, that were fuch a vail multitude, like thejlars
of heaven y the numerous ol^spring of Jacob, be but a
worm in God's fight, then what is one man ? Yca^ be-
fore God all the nations of the earth are as nothings yca^
lefs than nothing and vanity^ Ifa. xl. 15. What a little
piece of that nothing are we, that God fnould pity iis 1
Maa
458 The Great Ruin, and Ser. CIV»
Bian is a deformed creature, over-run with the loathfome
leprofy of fin ; if there be any hope for fuch, it mud
be of the free grace of God. Yea, man is a rebellious
creature, as I have formerly fliewed ; he is neither able
x)or willing to help himfelf, but adive and wilful in de-
flroying himfelf. He defpifes and oppofes all the lov-
ing arguments and invitations to be reconciled with God,
-2 Cor. V. 20. And becaufe we cannot win at God
hinifelf, we crucify the Son of God , as the Jews did when
he came upon the errand of falvation. Here is the tem-
per of tlie fons of Adam, till grace fubdue their en-
mity. Is there any thing here to move God to fave ?
O 1 if free grace did not move itfelf, we would perfifl
far ever in our enmity. The falvation that he brings
Tis to, is neither deferved nor defired by us. Defevocd
it cannot be, where there is fuch a defert of hell and
wrath : defired it is not, unlefs God create that defire
of falvation, through Chrift, in thefe who by nature
wilfully reject him. Hence,
fourthly^ I remark, *' That the nature of the help
^' that he gives and offers, is fuch as declares it to be
*' only in himfelf that our help lies/' I fliall inflance
in the powerful help we need, both as to juftifying and
fandifying mercy. There are two great attributes of
fin, guilt and power. .
I. Who can help the guilt of fin, but a God of in-
finite power ? It requires greater power to pardon Jin,
than to work a miracle upon the body ; Whether is it
ea/ier to fay, Thy fins be forgiven thee, cr to fay, Arife
and walk f Bui that ye may know, that the Son of ?nan
hath power on earth to forgive fins, &c. Matth. ix. 5.
The Pharifees made the objeclion. Who can forgive fins
but God f Chrifl takes their own argument, and ufes
it againlt thcmfelves, fl:icwing that he was God, becaufe
he could forgive fm. Why, can God only help from
the guilt of iin ? Why, the guilt of fin hath the whole
ilrength of God's law to back it, and take part with it;
and God's law hath the whole flrength of infinite juf-
tice to maintain it : therefore there mufl: be an infinite
power to take away the guilt of fin, even that fame
power that can fatisfy iofinite juftige.
2. Who
Ser. civ, the Great Uelie?. 4^^'
1* Who can help away with Xht pozuer of fm ? 'Sm
is not only an enerny but enmity ; and to kill enmity and
refiftance againil God, is more than to create a world
out of nofhing^ where there is nothing to refift. To
take away fni, and bring in grace, that are fuch dircti:
oppofites, requires infinite power to cfle£l it. There is
in the underftanding an incapacity to underjiaiid the
things of God ; for, The natural man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God ; they are foolijhnefs to hi?n.
Hence the weapons oftht gofpel warfare are powerful
through God^ to pull down Jirong holds ^ and caft dozen
vain i?naginations^ that exalt the?nfelves againft the knozu^
ledge of Chrjfl^ and raife millions of objeclions againfi:
him : and when God helps th-e foul, he has all thefe
mountains to level ; Thy people fl?all be willing in the day
cf thy power. Hence alfo the fame power that raifed
Chrift from the dead, is requifite for raihng a fmner
out of the grave of fm. Let men talk of the power of
nature as they will ; let me fee any of them that can
raife themfelves, Ephef. i. 19, 20. The change that
God works when he takes away the power of fin, m
from darknefs to lights from death to life ; and, as it
were, from iDeing beads to be men ; The hcafl of the
field fh all honour me^ the dragons^ and tJye owls^ Ifaiah
xliii. 20. Thele beafts are men, who elfe where arc
compared to the wild afs's-colt : This people have 1 form-
ed for myfelf^ they fhall jhew forth my pralfe^ verfe 25,
To make a fmner a faint, is as much as to make a beall
a faint, or to turn a flone to a child of Abraham.—
Therefore in God only is our help.
And now to apply this branch of the text. Hence,
I . We may fee where the help of a ruined church
lies Scotland hath deitroyed herfelf, but where lies
her help ? Vain is the help of man ; vain is the help of
princes and parliaments ; vain is the help of church-
judicatories. The poor fcattered flocks of Scotland,
epprelTed with the violent obtrufion of hirelings upon
them, have been crying to judicatories for help, but
in vain ; their tender mercies have been cruelties ""'. Yea,
* This affair was fcrmerly laid openj H^\, V. pag. 5:4. 3i5, 357»
39?* 424» 4^5. *
vain
4^0 The Great Ruin, and Ser.CIV.
vain is the help of all creatures, even of thefe to whom
feme are now looking for help ; I mean, a handful of
Ministers affociated together for tiie relief of the
poor oppreffed people of God, and forteftifying againft
the corruptions and defedmis of the day ; vain, I fay,
is their help, unlefs the Lord put to his hand ; for,
Jfthe Lord do not build the city^ the bidlders bidld in vain.
It is the Man whofe name is the Branch, that mufl
build the temple of the Lord^ and bear the glory : your
help lies in the name of the Lord^ thai made heaven and
earth. Yet hence fee,
^, That it is the Lord only that can raife up helpers^
^nd Saviours in mount Zion ;. and therefore to him alcne
ought w^e to look, that he would put a blelling in any
means and endeavours towards Reformation, Our help
being only in the Lord does not exclude the ufe of
means, but obliges us thereunto, with an eye to his
helping hand* And furely, the Lord is calling us to
Lome other thing, than the prefent judicatories are do-
ing. Is it not duty at this day to go out, and do fome
things that the judicatories in Scotland will not do ? —
Is it not duty before God at this day, to ajprt and vin-
dicate openly, thefe truths of God that judl<;atories
•have been burying ; and to attempt, in his (Irength, to
lift up that crown of our royal King Jefus, which is
profaned on the ground ?— Is it not duty from the word
of God to confefs that uue and our fathers have finned^
and to difcover and lay open thefe fms and defed:ions
for which the wrath of God is coming on fuch a gene-
tion as we are ; and which yet the judicatories will not
do, but rather cover ?.nd hide, declaring, that they
will not return to God this way, by confeiling all their
particular defedlons ? And becaufe judicatories will
not do it, Ihall it be done by none ? When God fays,
1 will go and return to my place ^ till they acknoivledge their
iniquity y and feek my face ; ought we not to go away
when God goes away, and leave them whom God
leaves ? At leall till God's term- day, till they acknoiv-
ledge their fm., and feek his face ; and, at leafl:, fo far
as to take a contrary courfe, namely, o^ fajiing^ humi"
liation^
Ser. CIV; f/;^ Great Relief. 46't
liaiion^ 2.x\6.fokmn acknoivledgeJiient of fin. When judi-
catories are faying they will not appoint any fafts ; tiiey
fee no occafion for it ; is it not duty from the word of
God 'io feed Chri(Ps lafnbs, which the judicatories are
ftarving \ or to gather his flock, whom they are fcat-
tering and opprefiing^ by their violent meaiiires in ob-
truding hirelings upon them, and ojocning the door to
grievous Vv'olves to enter in f Andj is it not duty, not
only to pray the Lord of the Larveji to fend forth faithful
labourers to it, but alfo to join hand with thefe that are
\viUing to be a^live in this matter ; and to give help in
this work, wherein the glory of God, and the good of
fouls is mucli concerned ?-^— Is it not your duty to fejU-
fy for Chrift, as folemnly and judicially as providence
gives occafion, \vhen judicatories are unwiiling to bear
ivitnefs for Chrift 5 yea, and have thrown faithful' ttf-
timonies, offered to them, over the bar ; befides their
refuling InjlriiSfiGns^ Petitions, and a multitude of Re-
monfirances thefe many years by-gone f-^Is it not duty
from the word of God, for thefe tliat bear a good-will
to the caufe of Chrift, be they never fo few in number,
to do their duty, and to obey the command of their
higheft Lord, when the greater part are combining to
difobey him ?*— Is k not evident, as with a fun-beam,
that it is warrantable from the word, for the leiler part
of the church, w^ere it but two or three to whom the
promife is made, (yea, were it but two or three in the
whole catholic church) to do the work of (^od whicli
the reft will not do, be the confeqnence what it will ;
and let men call their practice feparaticn, or what they
pleafe ?
3. Here is a door of hope caft open for poor, perifb'
ing^^ felfdefiroying fmners, even for the greateft of fm-
ners, for publicans, and perfecuting Sauls, for Manaf-
fchs,"lnd Mary Magdalenes. God can make ufe of
knotty tiiaber, for building his temple : he can tahe
brands md tf the fire, that Iiave the fnioak of liell about
them : 0 Ifracl ! thou hafi dcfiroyed thyfelf ; but in'iftC
is thine help. Here is nc room left either for dcfpair or
presumption.
Vol. VI, Mmm (v) 3e-
462 7hc Great Kutn, and Ser. CIV.
(i.) Beware of prefiimptioru Some prefumptuoufly
may fay, If our help lies only in God, then we need
do nothing in the ufe of means ; as if one Ihould fay,
the wind only can make the fliip to fail, therefore wc
need not ly at the fliore and wait for it. Say not, If
my works cannot fave me, I may go on in my fm ; for
though good works cannot fave you, yet your ill works
can damn you : though you cannot fave yourfelf, yet
you can dedroy yourfelf more and more : therefore
beware of prefumption. And likewife,
(2.) Beware o{ defpair^ when fuch a door of hope is
call open. Though you be nothing but dead and dry
bones, yet God can make thefe dry bones live. Yea, not
only, notwithflanding your fm, can God fave and help
you, but becaufe of the greatnefs of your fm, he can
iliew the greatnefs of his grace. Hence faid the Pfal-
mift. Far don mine i7iiquity, for it is great. God waits
to be gracious, Ifa. xxx. 18. He can take occafion from
your fmfulnefs, to magnify his mercy, faying, I have
feen his ways, and will heal him. He can make your
fm, though it be a good reafon why he jQiould damn
you, yet he can make it a reafon why he will fave you,
and pity you, Hofea ii. 13, 14. Therefore,
Oftnner! that /;j/7 dcjiroyed thyfelf, come and ac'
cepi of the offer of mercy, the offer of God's help ; for
in him only lies your help. Accept of the offer of
Chrifl: the mighty helper, on whom God hath laid all
your help ; all difcouragements are out of the way ; all
hinderances on God's part are actually removed ; the
law is fulfilled, juftice fatisfied, evcrlajling righteoufnefs
is brought in : all bars and impediments on your part
are virtually removed, in the purchafe made by the
blood of Chrift. It will aggravate your mifery for ever,
if you refufe mercy ; yea, this is a treating God worfe
than the word of men will treat the vilefl of men : they
will do good to thefe that do good to them : but will
you fpit in the face of mercy, and do ill to God, bsf
caufe he does good to you ?
God commands you to come to his Chrifl:, and ac-
cept of his mercy, and take his help; This is his com*
mandment^ that je believe in /^is Son, and his command
is
Ser. civ. the Great Relief. 4C3
\s powerful to effed it ; faith comes hy beating his word,
his command. Thus it fhall be to fome whom lie hath
a mind to help. Nor does he deceive others, by com-
manding and calling of them, becaufe thus he touches
their confcience, and difcovers their enmity^ while by
the word they are convinced, and yet not conquered ;
which (hews the more that their ruin is of themfelves.
0 finner ! thou haft deftroyed thyfelf ; yea, thy unbe-
lief is the fm that would deftroy God, if it could. It
deftroys his truth, and makes him a liar ; it dellroys
his mercy, and fays he is cruel, notwitliilanding all his
offers of grace. By unbelief refufmg God's help, you,
in an eminent manner, darken and oppofe the glorv
of God ; his glorious perfedions, that Ihine only moil
bright in the face of Jefus, on whom your help is laid ;
and oppofe his higheil defign for glorifying thefe pcr-
feclions, Ephef. i. 11, — 14. Your unbelief is dircd
murder, by which, more than all your other fms, you
deflroy yourfelf. Why, it is a fm that rejed's the only
remedy. There is 729 balm in Gilead^ no phyjician there ^
but Chrift, Acls iv. 12. and him you undervalue. It
is a fm that binds all your other fms upon you. Tho*
all fm be damning and killing, yet no fm fhall danni
you, if you a^id not thereto the fm of negleding and
refufmg God's help and mercy, that he oifers in Cb.rifl.
"Why are not thefe condemned that believe in Chrifl ?
Is it becaufe they have no fm to condemn them ? No ;
but becaufe, believing in Jefus, all their fin's are done
avv^ay : but he thai helieveth not^ is condemned already.
Why t Is it becaufe he is a finner in general ? Or be-
caufe his fms are many and great ? No ; but becaufe
he hath not believed on the name of the only bc'iotien Son
of God, Hence fee, that the immediate caufe of dam-
nation is not this or that fm, but the refufmg of Chrilt
by unbelief. The man refufes a whole eternity of glo-
rious and unfpeakable happinefs, and chufcs rather fin
and death. Unbelief leaves you without all excuie, or
the ieaft fliadow and colour of excufe, John xv. 22.
You mufl be fpeechlefs in the great day. You cannot
fay pardon and falvation was not offered to you ; you
Ivl m ui z cannot
4^4 Ti'i? Great Ruik, and Ser, ClV
-cannot fay the offer was not full and free ; you cannot
fs.y you had to do with a hard mafter. And as it will
leave you without excufe, fo without appeaL Here
we may fay, as in i Sam. ii. 25. Jf a man fin again/! a-
nothet., the judge /ball judge him ; but if a man fin againfi
the Lord ^ who jl all intreat for him f IF a man fin a-
gainfl the law, he may appeal to the gofpel, ?nd thd
grace of God in Chrili ; but if he reje6: Chrift, and
tiie grace of the gofpel, where then Ihall he appeal ?
IVuly there is np relief to be found for him, A fin*,
ner may appeal from jufticeto the mercy-feat : but if
lie ilight the offer of mercy, he hath notliing to appeal
to, that may adminiller relief to him. Nay, thus he, ii)
died, pulls dov/n the mercy-feat.
Let m.e e:;hort ycu, then, to come to Jefus for help
and falvaiton^ O n^lf-deftroying fmner, that you may
not be eternally deflroyed. Is it hke a reafonable foul,
to live in that miferable cafe, to (land tottering upon
the brink of ^fophety and dancing merrily away to ever-^
Idjling defaufliGu f To be living at the mercy of death,
or of every difeafe tending thereto, which, if it will but
fall upon thee, will fend thee into the burning pit ?
Suppofe you faw a condemned v/retch, hanging over
Nebuchadnezzar's fiery furnace, by nothing but a twin-
ed threed, ready to break every moment, would not
your heart tremble for fuch an one : Why, but thou
art the man, infinitely more miferable man or woman ;
this is the very cafe, thou waft never yet drawn to
Chrift by all the preaching ever you beard. What if
tlie thread of thy life fnould break ^ You know not
but it may, the next night, the next day, the next mo-
ment; andv^/herewouidftthouthen be? Whither wouldfi
thou then drop ? Behold, upon the crack of this thread
oi life, thou 1 ailed into the lake that burns with. fire and
brijnfiont\ where ti.ou fhalt ly, and die, and roar for ever,
even as long as God hath a being, if thou diefi: in thy
prefent cafe 5 and yet does not thy foul tremble nor hz-
g'm io finite upon thyhreaji^ and bethink thyfelf, what
need thou hail of this Jefus that is offered to thee, and
who reo^uires thee to come to him ? Oh ! what is thy
heart
Ser> CIV. ihe Great Relief. 465
heart made of, that thou haft not only loft all regard to
God, but all love and pity to thyfelf ? Alas ! if you
knew your mifery, you would cry out for Chrift more
than ever a wounded man did for a chirurgeon, or <t
drowning man for a boat. If there be any point of wif-*
dom or reafon in • the world, it is that you return to
God, and come in to Jefus, for life and falvation from
fm and wrath. If there be any thing that can be caU
led madncfs and folly in the world, any thing brutifli,
abfurd, and unreafonable, it is that you live in your fin,
and remain in a Chriillefs flate.
But if harih arguments will not doj and indeed no-
thing but a day offower^ will do the bufmefs ; tell me,
is there no power and virtue in a day of grace and mer»
cy, or an offer of grace ? I tell you therefore, you arc
welcome to come to Jefus, whatever you have done,
pr whatever you have been hitherto ; Whofoever wi/ly
let h'un cojne ; and him that cometh^ I zv'ill in no wife
cajl out* The day of wrath i^ not yet come ; the day
of grace is yet continued, notwithftanding all the offers
of grace you have ilighted heretofore. Sometimes God
makes them very gracious who have been very grace,
lefs, fuch as Paul, Manaffeh, and Mary Magdalene ;
whatever, therefore, be your fmfulnefs and filthinefs,
there is 2. fountain opened to the houfc cf David^ and ths
inhabitants oj Jerufalem^ for fin and for uncle annefs. — »
Though you had crucified the Son of God ; here is his
blood that cleanfes from all fm. Though your heart be
made of flint and ftone, yet God can of ft one i raifi
tip children to Ahrahanu,
O young fmner, come to Jefus. He welcomes young
feekers of him, faying, "^Lhey that feek me early fhan
find me. Old fmner, that haft long been dead in fin,
and rotting in the grave of corruption, and buried a-
mong the ftufF of this world. Oh ! wilt thou arife, and
come out of thy grave ? The Mafter calls upon you.
Come, come, and feek to him, that he may glorify his
name in your falvation. What think you is his reafon
in calling fuch wretched fmners as you are ? I: is juft
upon a defign of glorifying himfelf in your falvation.
It is, 1. Toinagnify the grace of Gc.d^ that where fn
hath
465 7he Great Ruin, and Ser.CIW
bath abounded, grace may much more abound* 2. It is
to magnify the blood of Chrift, that can waih away fuch
fcarkt-coloured fins as yours are. 3. It is to magni-
ly the power of the Spirit, that can convert and draw
to himfelf fuch a flubborn finner as thou art. O then
wilt thou fall in with this defign of God, praying, that
God may glorify himfelf ; that Father, Son, and Ho-
ly Ghoft may be magnified in your falvation. Alas !
wretched fmner 1 wilt thou neither let God have the
Iionour he craves, nor your foul the happinefs it wants ?
Let none objed, faying O this help is far off, when
God fays. It is in me ; in me is thy help. God fpeaks
here in the prefent time ; and God is a prefent help,
Chrift the helper is not at a diftance. He is Imma-
KUEL, God with us ; and you need not fay. Who will
ofcend to bring him down f* and defcend to bring him up f
He is neary in this word, and you are called to take
him at his word, and to take his help offered in this
word ; In me is thine help.
Neither let any objed, faying, ^' O this help is not
for me ; may be it is not defigned for me : perhaps he
hath not a mind to give help to me." Why, man, wo-
man, how fliall you know God's mind, but by his
word ? And will you contradid the truth of God liatly,
faying, It is not for me, v/hen he is faying, In me is thy
help ; thy help, n:an, thy help, woman, thy help, O
iHf-deftroying fmner ? Do not, through unbelief,
make God a liar, faying, In him is not my help, when
he is faying fo expreily. In me is thy help. How will
this aggravate thy condemnation, if thou neglede/I this
great falvation, vrhen to thee is the word of this falvati-
on feni f To thee is this help fent : O poor foul, put it
not away from thee.
Let none fiiy, How is it poflible that I can be faved ?
when you fee it is God that undertakes this work, fay-
ing, In me is thy help. Look to 7ne and be faved : for I
dm God, aud there is none elfe f Is there any thing too
hard for me to do^? And let none fay, Alas! I am with-
out ftrength, I can do nothing but ruin myfelf. It is
true ; and therefore God fays not in thee is thy help, ,
but in me. Never look for a ground of faith or hcpe
in
Ser. CIV. ihe Great Relief. 467
in thyfelf ; for thou ilialt never find it any where, but
in me : in my name, in my blood, in my promifc!, ia
my power, in my free mercy and fovereign grace,
reigning through jufticc-fatisfying righteoufnefs to €-
iernal life / In me is thy help. Come and take what
belongs to thee through my fovereign grant in this
word of grace ; and take it by believing upon my di-
vine teflimony, and believing with particular applicati-
on to thyfelf, that in me is thy help : he tliat thus belie-u-
ethjhall hefaved.
May the Lord himfelf perfuade you to come to hira
for help, who fays, 0 Ifrael ! thou hajl dejlroyed thy^
felf; but in me is thine help.
SERMON
t 4^^ 1
SERMON CV.
CHAMBERS of SAFETY in T I M E S
of D A N G E R. ^
Isaiah xxvL ^io, 21 i
Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and Jirai
ihy doors about thee .* hide thyfelf, as it were^ for a
Utile monmit, until the indignation be overpaj}, For^
beheld, the Loi'd cometh out cf his place to punijh the
inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity : the earth
nlfojhall difchfe her blood, and JJ^ all no more cover her
/lain.
MY friends, it is a very hard riiattef for peopfe
to be made fenfible of ihcwftn, zx\di danger by
xeafon of fin, fo as to flock in to Chrift, before he come
and apprehend them in their fm by his judgments ; and
therefore before he comes this way to us, he again and
again requires us to come to him, and take fhelter in
himfelf as the only hiding-place. O what a mercy
"were it, if, when we hear of the Lord's coming to
judgment, we were fearing 2X\di flyirig from the wrath
to come / At the voice of the Lord the birds will cry,
the beads will roar, the binds v/ill calve, the cedars
■will fhake, the mountains will tremble, Pfal. xxix. ;
but, behold, men and women, though endued with
rational fouls, and heraing his threatening voice in his
word, yet neither fear his voice, nor tremble at his
word, nor flee from his wrath to his mercy, nor from
their fm to the Saviour, to fave them from fm and
* This fermon w?,s preached on a Fa«5t day, ?-t Evandale, Sep-
tember 19. 1759. it Iriaiii now undergone Tix impreflions.
wrath :
Ser. CV. C h a m b e rs ^Safety, 6y. 46^
tvrath : the moft part will not hear on that fide of the
head. The wicked defire to be let alone in their wic-
kcdnefs, that they may live at peace therein ; while
yet thete is no peace faith my Gcdy to the vjicked, Wc
are all, by reafon of fin, under God's anger^ and yet
know it not } and therefore are not feeking to go out
of the way wherein God*s anger burns, nor to be
friends with him ; but here the merciful God .is open-
ing the door of metcy, and all the chamber-doors of
the city of refuge, faying, Before the (lorm of wrath
come on, turn in there* O may v/e hearken to his
call? . . •
This text is a call upon the back of a fong in the for-
mer part of the chapter* After fmging, the church
may prepare for fuflering. It is faid of the difciplc?,
after their laii communion \vith Chrifl, V/hen. they had
fung an hymn^ tkey tvent out into the mount 0/ Olives^ the
place of fuffering and triah The fongs of the temple
do not ex:clude fufferings ; but may be preparatory for
them. The iafl part of the fong here was with refe-
rence to 'a.fpiritiCal refurrePiion, pointing out alfo the |^^-
fieral refurreflio?t, ver. 1 9. Thy dead menJJmll live^ to-
geiher with my dead body Jhall they ar'ife ; awake cr[d
Jing\, ye that dwell in 'dujl / for thy dew is as the de*iu
cf herbs ^ and the earth fhall cafl out the dead. It feeris
to be a prophecy of the fpiritual refurrc£iion of (inners,
and particularly of the Gentiles, v/htch was to taRe
place upon the back of Ghrift's reforre^lion. Together
with viy dead body foal! they live ; . they lliall be. called
after Chrifl's refurreftlon, and fhall rife- with hhti^ aijd
fit with hirfi in heavenly places ; yea, as it is in the 'dfi-
ginai here, where the words to^rether with T^rthut^ 3.
f upplem^ent, ill)' ^.?^^ body fhall they arife,. They fhall
become the myfiical body of Chri{l,.and rife as part
of him : and this will ufher in the laii glorious refvir-
re61ion of the faints, of whom Chrifl isthefrji'frttits^
1 Cor. V. 20. ■ \'^''^
Now, how and by what means, fll'allffi^ fptriti|al
rcfurredibn be acccmpiiihed ? Why, 'e veil by the c^ll
of God, and the voice of X'hriO: in the eVer'Ufth-ig gx:>^'
pel, whereof here you h'd-ve one in my te^vt, Corfie^ my
V 0 L. VI. N n a people^
470 Chambers c/ Safety Ser. CV,
fecple^ enter thou into thy chambers^ and Jhut thy doors
about thee : hide thy/elf, as it zvere^ for a little moment ^
until the indignation be over-pajl.
In which words you have thefe four thmgs more ge-
nerally.
1. The duty to which they are called and exhorted ;
that is, to co7ne and enter into their chambers^ -^xi^Jhut
their doors^about them, and hide themfehes. Thefe are meta-
phorical exprefTions, drawn from the pradice of peoples
taking flicker before a (lorm ; and importing, that they
would fpeedily come in to Chrifl for refuge, and make
ufe of all thefe ways and means God hath appointed in
bis word ; particularly, by faith and repentance, turn-
ing from hn to God, through Jefus Chriif. This is
the duty.
2. The ^;r/<?/2f of the duty, For a little moment,
,//// tjye indignation be overpafl ; importing, that they
are to continue in the exercife of thefe duties till the ef-
fects of God*s anger be over. And it is but a mo-
ment; though it be all your life-time, it is but a moment
in *comparifon of eternity. All their afflictions here,
however tedious they may feem, are but fliort and mo-
mentary, when compared Vvith the happinefs referved
, for them. The (lorm may blov/ very hard, but it will
over, and come to a period.
3. You have the perfons to whom this exhortation Is
given, my people ; that is, not only thefe that are mine
by profefiion, and common federal relation ; but ef-
pecially mine by fpecial covenant-relation, by fpecial a-
• doption and participation of my Spirit, that know my
will, and do it : for thefe feem here to be fet in oppofi-
tion to the reft of the world, that are called the inhabi-
tants of the earthy in the next verfe.
4. You have the kindly arguments 2X\d. familiar way
wherein this duty is preiTed. The kindly way is,
Come^ my people. It is not. Go in thithery where I am
not to be with you ; but, CG?ne in here^ where I am ;
r came to me-, come with me : and fo, while he propo-
rTJes the duty, hepropofes himfelf to be the Leada* and
Helper in the duty. It Is not, Go yourfclf alone ;
biu. Come / come with me from Lcbanoju
The
S ER CV. in T I M E S c/ D A N G E R, 47f
. The argument and reafon is, there Is 2.fIorm coining ;
flay not without doors, led the (torin be upon you ;
why. Behold the Lord co?iicth out of his place to punijh
the i?2habitants of the earth for their iniquity : the earth
alfo Jhall difclofe her blood, and jlmll no more cover her
(lain, ^^'here alfo you may obferve four things.
(i.) The certainty of the thing, it is with a Behold ;
Behold, he cometh : it Ihall certainly be; and you
fliall fee God executing vengeance. It is certain,
therefore behold it,
(2.) T\iQfoleninity of the thing ; The Lord cometh -
out of his place y to puniJJ:}, It is fpoken after the man-
ner of man, like one rifmg in fury out of his place, to
reach a Ifroke to his enemy; as it is faid, Ifa. xxviii.
12. The Lord f}) all rife up as in fnountFerafim^he fhall be
ivroth as in the valley of Gib con ^ that he ?naf do his worky
his flrange work ; and bring to pafs his aB^ his flrange
a6l. It is with a fpecial folemnity he threatens to pu-
nifh ; Behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punipj^
(3.) The jiifiice of it : God comes to afilid and
plague them that are the inhabitants of the earth, but
it fhall be in righteous and/'z//^ punifliment of their irii-
quity ; the cry of their hns brings God cut of his place,
to punifh them. Befides the everlafting punifliment
which the wicked (hall undergo hereafter, there are in-
flances of remarkable punifhments of fmful nations and
churches, when their fm has come to a height.
(4.) The ncceffity of it : The earth (Imll difclofe her
blood, and no more cover her flain : that is, the very
earth cries for vengeance on the fmners that live upon
the earth , the earth fliall vomit up the blood that hath
been unjuftly flied, as the voice of Abel's blood cried
for the earth. Gen. ^v. 10, 11. See Job xx. 27. The
heaven f^all reveal his iniquity, and the earth Jhall rife
up againft him. Theie bloody fins that feemed to have
been buried in oblivion, will be called to mind ; and
the earth itfelf that feemed to cover and hide them,
will difcover and reveal them, and v/itnefs agairul the
finner. Omitting many dodrines take this one.
.. N n n :i OBS£f.v-
47^ Chambers ^Safety Ser, CV.
Ob3ERv. That in Jhaklng times ^ when wrath is threat"
^ned upon a finful people^ fuch is the care that God
hath J or thefafety and fecurity of his own^ that hQ
iL'ills them to come into their chambers and not ft a j
%viihoui doors ^ to be expofed to the violence of the
form that is (^-coming.
For proof and iUuilration of this dodiine, we fliall
confirm both the branches of it.
1. That God hath a care of his ozun, \hx\x fafety and;
fecurity^ is plain here from his direclion given to them,
what they are to do, before he bring on a ftorm. And
you may notice the refpe(Sl he hath to their fecurity, v. i,
of this chapter ; In that day fliall ihisfong be fun g in the
land cf Judahy We ha^ue a f hong city-, falvation will God
iippoint for walk and bulwarks. Sec, to this purpofe,
Mai. iii. i(^, 17. in evil times he will w^/^^ 2//> Z^/iyVifc^/j",
2.v^Afpare them as a man fpareth his fon that fcrveth him.
Read alfo, Amos ix. 8, 9. Behold^ the eyes of the Lord
God are tipon the Jlnful kingdom^ and I zvill defiroy it
from off the face of the earth ; faving that I will not utter-
^ ly deftroy the houfe cf Jacobs faith the Lord^ For lo^ 1
will command^ a^id Iwillfft the houfe of Ifrael^ among all
paticns^ like as corn isffted in a fieve^ yet (hall not the
leaft grain fall upon the earth. It is faid, Matthew
xxiv. 24. lL\\2Xfafe Chri/ls and falfe prophets fh all ar if e^
and jh all deceive^ if it vjere ? o s 3 1 b t. e, the 'very eled :
but it is not po//ib!^ they can be either cleceived or de*
firoyed,
2. That God wills them to come into their chambers he^^
fore thejhrm of wrath come en, as here and elfewhere.
See Zeph. i. i, 2, 3. Gather yoiirf elves together^ yea^
gather together^ 0 nation not deftred^ before the decree
bring forth ^ before the day pafs as the chaffs before the
ferce anger of the Lord come upon you^ before the day of
the Lord's anger come upon you. Seek ye the Lord, all
ye meek of the earth, feek righteoufnefs^ feek meeknefs ; it
^Tnay be ye fjall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger ^
To this purpcfe you may read, Joel ii. 12, 13, 14.
therefore alfo now-, faith the Lord, Turn ye even to ne
^^itlj all your hearty and wi'h fajiing^ and with zveeping^
* GV4
Ser. CVt in Times of Danger. a^^
and with 7noiirnhg. And rent your heart and not your
garments^ and turn unto the Lord your God ; for he is
gracious and inercihUflow to anger and of great kind nefs^
and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he %vill
return and repent^ and leave a hlcffing behind hhn^ even
a meat-offerings and a drink -offering unto the Lord your
God f See fomc promifes alio to this purpofc ; For in
the. time of trcubbe he fhall hide me in his pavilion ; in the
fecret qf his tabernacle Jhall he hide me ; he fhall fet me up
Upon a rocks Pfalm xxvii. 5. Thou jlmlt hide me in the
fecret of thy prefence from the pride of man : thou ffmlt
keep them fecretly in a pavilion frmn the flrife of tongues ^
Pfalm XXX. 20. See his name ; The Lord alfo will be a
refuge for the oppreffed^ a refuge in times of trouble. And
they that know thy name will put their trufi in thee : for
thou, Lordy haft not forfaken them that feck thee^ Pfalm
ix, 9, 10. ; ancj alfo his peoples practice ^ I fee to thee
to hide me^ Pfal. cxliii. 9.
The method we would obferve, for the farther profe-
cution of this fubje6lj> thro' divine affillancej fliali bp
the following,
I. Enquire when may the time be faid to be a threats
ening time, fo as a dorm is evidently approaching?
II. Why the Lord will take care of his people's fafc^
iy and fecurity in fuch times ?
JII. What chambers he \Yills them to come into, ia
order to their fafety ?
IV. Make application of the whole fubjeft.
I. When is It evident that Tiftorm of wrath is coming
upon a land, and that the Lord is about to come ouv
of his place to punifli the inhabitants of the earth ? Tq
this we reply in the following particulars.
1 . When all manner of fins abound^ and thefe become
national ; fuch as thefe mentioned, Hof. iv. i, 2, 3,
There is no truths nor mercy ^ nor knowledge cf God in the
land : by fwearing^ and lyings and killings and ftcallngy
mi fQmmitti?!^ adulter^', tb^^ brfak cut:, and blood touch-,
(th
474 Chambers ^Safety Ser. CV.
etb bhcd. Therefore Jhall the land mourn^ and every
one therein Jh all I anguijh, kc. Together with backflid-
tug from God's covenant, hypocrify, and lukewarni-
iiefs ; Ha. x. 5, 6, Iviii. i, — 8. xxix. 13, 14. When
people are lukewarm, God will fpue them out of his
mouthy Rev. iii 16. Incorrigiblenefs, Deut. xxviii. 20.
When they perfecute the fervants of God, 2 Chron.
xxxvi. iS. When univerfal fecurity prevails, as it did
over the old world, Jer. v. ii, 12. Falling from their
iirft love. Rev. ii. 4, 5. Obflinacy in fm. Numb. xiv.
41, — 44. Oppreffion of the poor and fatherlefs, Exod.
xxi. 2 2, 23, 24. Covenant-breaking, Deut. xxix. 24,
^5. Lothing of the heavenly manna, and defpifing the
gofpel, the word of God, Jer. xxvi. 4, 5, 6. Scoffing
at religion and good men, Pfal. xxxvii. 13, 14. Jer.
xviii. 20, 21. When error abounds, 2 Theff. ii. 11,
12. Unbelief, the mother-fm, Plal. Ixxviii. 20, 21,
22, — 33. cvi. 24. Pride, 2 Chron. xxxii. 25, i6*
Corrupting the worfliip of God, 1 Kings xi. 5, — 9.
Difobedience to the call of God, upon whatever pre-
tence, and following falfe light, i Kings xiii. 17, — 26.
2. It is evident that a ftorm of wrath is coming upon
aland, when people's fins are aggravated. When they
are the fins of Jerufalem, of a profeffing people, then
fix angels wxre fent to deftroy them, while only two
were fent to Sodom ; as you fee, Ezek. ix. 2. And be-
holdy fix men came from the way of the higher gate ^ which
lieth tozvard the norths and every man a faughtcring
weapon in his hand. — When fins are committed againit
much light, againfl many checks of confcience, many
beams of light, many means of grace, many calls of pro-
vidence, many inftances of mercy and divine good*
iiefs ; and againfl the patience and forbearance of God,
as you fee, Rom. ii. 4, 5.
3. When \}i\t patience of God is not only abufed^ but
laicihed at, and ridiculed by a profane age, that begin
to fay, as it is laid, 2 Pet. iii. 4. Where is the prowife
of his coming f Where is the threatening of his coming
tp judgment ? 1 hen is the Lord angry, and will let
men know that he is not flack concerning his promife, as
fome men countflacknefs^ though he is hng-fifffcring to us-
%vard ;
Ser. CV, . /« Times (7/Dangeir. 475
^ard ; and that he is not flack concerning his threat-
ening, but wili render vengeance to his enemies^ Deut*
xxxii. 41.
4. It is an evidence that the Lord is about to punidi
the inhabitants of the earth, when there 2:c<tfew or none
iojland in the gap, and keep out the wrath that is coin-
ing in ; And I fought for a man among them, that Jhould
make up the hedge, and jl and in the gap before ?ne for ihs
land, that I Jhould not dejiroy it ; but I found Jione^
Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them,
1 have confumed them with the fire of my wrath : their
oivn way have I recompenfed upon their heads, faith the
Lord Gody Ezek. xxii. 30, 31. Then it is the tim.e for
the birds to fly into their nefl:s y the fl:orm is ap'proacb-
ing. — When good men are taken away^ and there is great
fcarcity of them ; The righteous periJI^eth^ and no man
layeth it to heart ; and mereiful men are taken away^
7iQne confidering that the righteous is taken away from the
evil to come* Ifa. Iviii. i. It is on this account th*e pro-
phet Micah cries out, Wo is mc^ fsr i]>e good man Is pe^
rifhed out of the earthy and there is none upright anwng
men, Micah vii, i, 2. In a word foinetimes the af-
ped of providence prophefies this to all that have eyes ia
their head.
II. We come now to fpeak a little of the refpeci the
Lord hath to the fafety and fecuriiy of his own people
when a fl:orm is coming. And here we may confider,
I. The reafons why j 2, The 7nanncr hew he fecures
them.
\J}^ He will do {o^ as apj^ars from thefc reafons fol-
lowing, among others.
I. Becaufe he ^^'^:J them w^ith a peculiar love. Hence
the Pfalmifl:, Pfal. cvi. 5. prays that the Lord would
Jet him fee the good of his chofen^ that^ fays he, I may
rejoice in the gladnefs of thy nation, and that J may rejoice
with thine inheritance. The love of God is above all
love ; and it is a tender and a compafllonate love. He
loves his people, and therefore can protecl them in
time of danger; As a father pitieth his children ^ fo the
Lord pitietb them that love and fear him, Pfal. ciii. 13.
Though
475 Chambers /?/ Sa^etv Ser. CV*
Though he vifit their iniquities with rods^ yet his lov-*
ing-kindnefs will he not utterly take from ihem^ Ffahii
Ixxxix. 32,
"2. He will take care of their fafety, becaufe of his
Relation to them 5 he being their God, and they
his people ; he then* King, and they his fubjeds*
He is indeed Lord and King of all the earth, but theirs
in a fpecial fenfe.— He is their Shepherd^ and they the
ilieep of his paflure ; and, becaufe he is their Shep-
herdj they Ihall not want proteftion or provifion in.
Uraits. — He is their Father ^zw^S. they his fons and
daus^hters : Will he not: take care of 'his children'?—^
He is their Hup and ; atid will he not take care of his
■fpoufe ? No man hateth his ozvnflefi>^ but nourijheth it^
even as the Lord the churchy ^Y^\i. V 29.
3. The Lord will provide for the fecurity of his peo-
ple, becaufe of the conftant interceffion of Chriil fot
them in heaven ; for he is their Advocate^ appearing
in the prefence of God for them. There are fome who
have been given to Ghrifl by the Father, whom he will
take care of and pfoteQ: by his prayers ^ I pray not for
ihe worlds hut for them that thou haft given me ^ John
xvii. 9. The prefervation of the remnant is owing to
Chrifl^s prayer and interceilion. See this clear from
Zech. i. 12, 13. Then the angel of the Lord anfwered a?id
faid^ 0 Lord of hofis^ how long wilt thou not have mercy
on Jerufalem^ and on the citia ofjudah^ agairi/i whom
thou haft had indignation thefe thrccfcore and ten years*
And the Lord anfwered the angel^ that talked with mc^
with good wordi'y and comfortable words*
4. The Lord will take care of his own, becaufe of
his promife eng^Lged for their fecurity ; Pfal. xxvii. 5,
For in the time of trouble he flmll hide me in his pavilion :
in the fecret of his tabernacle pall he hide me ; hejhallfet
me up upon a rock, L'a. xxxiii. 16. He pall dwell on
high ; his place of defence pall he the munition of rocks ;
bread pall be given him^ his water pall be fur e. Ghap.
xxxii. 2. A manfoall be a hiding place from the zvinxl,
and a covert from the tempeft, Mai. iii. 17. And they
fhall be mine^ faith the Lord of hofs^ in that day when I
make up my jewels^ and^ I will /pare them as a man
fparetb
Ser. CV» /« Times ^ D ANG ER,' 47^
Spareih his ^xvn fon thai fcr%)eih h'lnu lie U'ill fet a mark
Upon them, Ezek. ix. 4. Go through the midjl of the
city% through the iiudft of Jerufakm^ and fet a mark on
the foreheads of the men that figh and ay for all the abo-
minations that he done in the midfl thereof,
7dly^ How, and in ^\\2Xmanner will he fecure them,
when they fcem as much cxpofed as the red of the
world ? Do not good men fall in common calamities
as well as others ? True, indeed j fometimes it is fo :
but then it is,
1. For their compliance with the fmsof the time, and
not coming into their chambers, but fiaying without
doors, when the ftorm comes on. When they par-
take of the fins of the wicked, they partake of their
plagues : when they are too much conform to the
world, they fuffer with the world. Good men may
be careleis in fan^lifying the Lordy and making him
their fear and dread ; but, when they do fo, then he
is for 2i fanduary, Ifa. viii. 13, 14.
2. God fometimes fuffers his own to fall in the com-
mon calamity, becaufe there is ancihcr world,, there is
a reft remaining for the?n^ a better happincfs than this
life.
Yet after allj there is a vaft difference betwixt the
righteous falling in the common calamity, and the
ivicked, I. The godly man may fufi'er afPiidion, and
yet have il^z fupport of divine grace^ while the wicked
know nothing of it. 2 The fuflerings of the one
furge\\\m^ the fufFerings of the other pofon him. 3.
They are for a chaftifement to the one, but for a /«-
nifljment to the other. 4. Yea, death itfelf to the one
but kills his body,, but to the other it is the deftruttioa
oi foul and body both *.
But, as to the manner how God fecures his people
jn common danger.
1. He fometimes fecures them by fi-V^f/^ itfelf, that
tliry may not fee the evil and farther calamity that is
* The dlffererce bctveen the sfflit^'ors of the rl^^htpous and \\ q
w'ckeH, is more copiouriy hanvilr-(<, itbove Serm XCI. p. 112.-125 ;
and q\ the chaftifen.enis uf ihe Lord's peoplt Thi-wn to be conflitent
wiih love.
V 0 h. VI. Goo , coming
^yS C H A IvI B E R S <?/ S A E E T Y S £ R. CV'^
.coming upon the earth. Thus it is Taid of Abijah, i
Kings xiv. 13. Hejhall die : for be only of Jeroboam Jb all
csme to the grave ; becaiife in htm there is faund fo?ne good
thing iozvards the Lard God of IfroeL None in Jero-
boam's family had any good thing in them but this
.child. Thus fee what is faid of good Jofiah, 2 Kings
xxii. 20. Behold therefoj-e^ 1 zvill gather thee unto thy
fathers^ mid thoufhalt be gathered into thy grave in
peace y and thine eyes fhall not fcs all the evil that 1 will
bring upon this place,
2. God fecures his people rn the {iorm^ by fuppcrt^
ing and comforting them in their trouble ; Who comfort-
eth ta in aft our tribulation^ that we jiiay be able to com*
fort them which are in trouble, by the comfort wb:rewith
ive ourfelves are comforted of God, 1 Cor. i. 4. Who
would not drink of that cup that h fweetened with the
confolatien of the Holy Gholl, fometimes making them
fay. This trouble is no trouble ; this pain is no pain ;
this rack is like a bed of rofes, for the fenfe of God's
love fwallows up all ?
3. In a word, he hath wonderful ways of fecuring
them by liis pre fence and providence. Thus Paul wa?
lecured by the merciful providence of God, when for-
"^ty perfons and perfecutors had vowed his ruin, and that
they fhculd neither eat nor drink til! they had killed him*
Both fcripture and ecclef adicMl hiR'ory are full of in-
fiances of his merciful protecting providence. Infinite
Wifdom hath many ways to fecu^e his own.
III. The third head propofed was. To (hew what
ihambers he wills them to come into, that they may ef-
capethe florm when a-coming.
In general, when we fpeak oi charnhers^ it fuppofe^
a houfey where the chambers are. Now, as God him-
fclf, a God in Chrill, Is the houfe, Pfalm xxxi. 2. Be
thou myflrong rock, for an houfe of defence to fare me :
and there are as many chambers in this houfe as
there are attributes and perfc«ftions in God, to which
we are called to fly by faith : fo the church of God is
called a houfe; the church invifible 2ifpi ritual houfe :
Te alfo^ as lively flxmes^ are built up a fplritual houfe ^
1 Peter
.Ser. CV. f?2 Ti ME s / D A NG E r; '4^5
I Peter ii, 5. ; a habitation of God through the Spirit,
Eph. ii. -2 2. And here there are chambers that be-
long to the houfe, and to which all the houihold of faitli
will betake themrelves.
More particularly, I fliall name four forts of cham-
bers we are invited to come into, that are the cham-
bers of the houfe of God, as belonging to every one
that hath come into the houfe. Come^ wy people^ entetr
ihou into thy chambers,
1. There arc chambers of dijzindion \vc are invited
to come into, even to our own apartments, fj as not
to be united v/itli or conform to the world ; Co?ne out
from among them^ and he ye feparate^ 2 Cor. vi. 17.
Come out of Babylon ; Qome quI of her ^ my people^ that
ye b€ not partakers of her fins^ and fo partake cf her
plagues^ Rev. xviii. 4. How ai"^ we to come out of
the w^orld ? it is by not partaking with the world in
their fins; Be not ye therefore partakers with them, Eph.
V. 7. ; and by being not conform to the world ; Be not
conform to the world, but be ye transformed^ Rom. xii. 2.
And thus we are to come out of Babylon, or out of
the corrupt part of a church, by not partaking with
them, or being conform to them, but rather ief]f)inga-
galnjl them in the name of Chrift, This is the way
hov/ the faints in fcripture have overcome their ene-
mies ; They overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and by the
*word of their iefii?nony. Rev. xii. 11. This is the way
we are to diftinguifli ourfelves for the Lord, in threa-
tening times, by coming into the chambers of didinc-
tion, or apartment of the houfe, that it may appear we
are on the Lord*s fide. If God hath fet the godly apart
for himfclf, they ought to fet themfelvcs apart from
this w^orld.
2. There are chambers of defence w^e are called to
come into, where we may be fafe in the woril of times.
The name of God is a firong tower, a ftrong chamber,
a chamber of ftrength, Prov. xviii. 10. into which we
are to run for Ihelter. They that know thy name will
fut their trufi in thee, Pfalm ix. 10. — Every perfection
of God is a chamber \ Trujl ye in the Lord for ever^
O Q 0 z jQr
'4So Ch A M B E RS (?/ S AFET Y SeR.CV,
for in the Lord Jehovah is everlaftingjirength, Thefe
are the fecrets of his tabernacle, Plahn xxvii. 5. He
that dwelletb in the fecret place of the moji Higb^ JJoail
abide under the Jhadozu of the AInughty, — ^Every office of
Chriil is a chamber 5 and he invites us to come into
him, and reft fafely ; Come to me, all ye that labour and
are heavy laden^ and I iv ill give yoitreji. Mat. xi. 28.
. — Every promife of the covenant is a chamber ; and
they are very fure, firm, and durable rooms and apart-
ments, being all Tea and Amen in Chri/i. The word of
the Lord endureth for ever ; and we are to come in
there by faith in his word, and holy confidence in a
promiling God "By faith, every believer finds a
way to thefe chambers, and there he hides himfeif
with pleafiue, and triumphs, when he finds himfeif
brought there ; The King hath brought tne into his ehanu
bers^ zee will rejoice and be glad in thee^ Song i. 4.
3. There are chambers of devotion that we are cal-
led to come into ; Enter thou into thy clofet^ and fiut
thy door^ and pray to thy Father which is in fecret^
and feeth in fecret. Mat. vi 6. Recourfe to thefe cham-
bers of devotion, for feeking God in private and fe-
cret, as well as public, is always our duty, efpecially
in times of danger, and of threatened wrath ; there-
fore y^<?i right coufnefs^ feck meeknefs ; it may be ye /hall
be hid in the day of the Lord's anger. And thus we
may hide ourfclves in the evil day, when we put our-
felves in God's hand to hide us y I flee to thee to hide
7?:^, Pfalm xliii, 9. And their hearts jhall live that feck
him. All that call upon him in truth ihall be fafe, and
fliall be hid, either under heaven, or in heaven \ The
prudent man fore fees the evU^ and hides himfeif O come
into the chambers of devotion.
^, There are chambers of acVion and bufinefs that we
are called to come into. God's houfe is not only a
houfe of prayer, but a work-houfe, wherein we are to
do fomething for God in our day and generation ;
Why Ji and ye here all the day idle? Matth. xx. 6. And
chap. xxi. 28. Go work to-day in my vineyard* God calls
his people, not only to cry and pray to him, but alfo
to action and diligence. When Ifrael were in great
danger
Ser. CV, /;2 Times ^/^Daitger: 4S1
danger at the fide of the Red-fea, and their enemies
behind purfuing them, God lays to Mofes, Wherefore
critjl tbcu unto me f Speak to the people that they go for-
wardy Exod. xv. 15. We are not only to cry but to
go forward \n our work and lervice, in our feveral pla-
ces and ilations, as magiftrates, miniflers, or people,
in all the duties incumbent upon us, when judgments
are threatened.
IV. The fourth and lafl head propofed was. To make
application. Is it fo. That in flaking iiines^ when wrath
is threatened upon a finfid people^ fuch is the care that
God hath for the fafety and fecurity of his own^ that hs
wills them to come into their chambers and notjlay with-
out doors y to he expo fed tQ the violence of ihejiorm thai is
Q'Corningf Then hence fee,
I. What good reafon there is to apprehend that a
Jlorm of vjrath is a-coming^ and that the Lord is about
to punifli the inhabitants of Britain and Ireland for
their iniquity.-^ -Scotland, England, and Ireland arc
gujlty of breaking a Solemn League and Covenant they
made with God for lieformation. And our bloody fins
cry from the earth for vengeance to come down from
heaven : our perjury cries for vengeance ; the fins of
civil and ecclefiaftic courts, the hns of princes, pallors,
and people, cry for vengeance ; our bloodfhed cries ior
vengeance'; our unbelief and defpihng of Chrid, cry
for vengeance ; our long contempt of the means of
grace cries for vengeance > our defedion and apoftaly
cry for vengeance ; all the catalogue of fms, formerly
mentioned, cry for vengeance. Before Jerufalem was
deilroyed, a terrible fword hang over the temple. My
friends, the fword of the Lord hangs over us in thefe
lands. Though there want not figns in the very hea-
vens and earth portending fad days, yet we need no
other figns than what the word of God declares to us,
that national fms muft be punidied with national defo-
iation. Many fpecial judgments are we under already ;
and the glory of the Lord is far removed from the
fanftuary, and the llanghter-wcapons are ready : even
through
4B1 .Chamb-ers ^'Safety Sek. CV.
though France and Spain * were not fo ready as they
ieem to be, yet Cod, who hath many arrows in his
f|uiyer, is ready, faying, Joel ii. 13, 14. Put ye in the
jickle^ for the harveft is ripe ; come^ get yc down ^ for the
prefs is full-, the fits overflow^ for their wi eke cine fs is
great. Multitudes^ multitudes in the 'valley of deafion ;
for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of deci/ion,
2» Heace fee who they are that alone fliall be fafe
and happy in the day of public calamities and common
jdeltru^jtion, namely, the Lord's people^ who ihelter
themlelves in the chambers of (afety and protection
\)i'h!ch God calls them to come into : his poor hum-
bled people, whcfTigh and mourn for ail the abomina-
tions done in the midft of Jerufalem,
But, leaving ail other ufcs and inferences, I come to
offer the exhortation in the text ; Coine^ my people, enter
ihoii into thy chambers, andjhiit thy doors about thee ; hide
ihyfelfj as it were, for a little moment, until the indigna*
ilon be overpafi. Come, as Noah into the ark, and Ihut
tlie doors about you, when God threatens a flood.-—
frael mull keep within doors when the defiroying an-
gel is flaying the firft-born of Egypt, elfe the blood u-
pon the door-pofts will not fecure them ; fo muii: Ra-
hab and her family when Jericho was deifroyed.
I fhail offer a few directions, and then lay down fome
coffide rations out of the text,
if}. We are to tender fome direclions to you. Well
then, Sirs, O be peri'uaded to come in,
1. To your chanibers o^ di/iindion, and fide your-
felves for God. If Baal be God, then follow him j but
if the Lord be God, then follow him.
2. Come into your chambers oi defence. There is
m ether name given under heaven, whereby to be faved^
but the name cf the Lord Jefus Qhrifl, ihe name of tha
\ Britain, for a confiden,ble time, before this, Iiad bc^n on the
fo:nt of an open rnpaue with Spain : feveral acls of boftilities has
alre^idy coaimencel by the Spaniards ; and this year war was openly
declared by Britain againft Spain, on the i^Vci day of Oftob. France,
ever watchful to embrace an opportunity to appear agiinft the Britifli
jiAiion, foon djrew herfsH into the fcaje; at Hrd, by making cap-
tures of many of our ihips, under Spanifh colours ; and, at la (I", by a
dt^iaratica of war, in favcurs oi the Spanilh court.
Lord
Ser. CVo- in Times of Danger. ^'gj
Lord is a Jlrong towers to which th^ righteous run and
are fafe,
3. Come into your chambers of devotion ; arid, O
pray, pray, pray. Let your, carnal, formal, twice-a;-
day prayers be turned into David's feven times a-day :
let your hypocritical howling be turned into praying 5
and your praying be turned into wreftling and violence;.
The kingdom of heaven fiiffers violence y and the violent take'
it by force,
4. Come into yotir chambers of aclioriy ivork^ and
buflnefs^ in your fcveral (Lations :
(l.) As Magistrates, by therr ctuihoriiy., whether
fupreme or fubordinatc. See hov/ the king of Nineveh
behaved when judgments were threatened, Jonah iii,-
6, 7, 9. For word came to the king of Nineveh^ and b^
arofe from his throne^ and he laid his robe from him^ and
covered himfelf with fackclotb^ and fat in afJ^s : and
caufed it to be proclaimed and publi/ped thorough lUne"-
veh^ by ibe decree of the king and his 7iobles^ J^J^^Z^ ^^
neitlnr man nor beafl^ herd nor flock, tafle any thing ; Ls
them mt feed nor drink water : who can teli if God will
turn snd repent,, and turn rnvc^ front his feres' anger ^
that we perifh not f So- did Jehofhaphat, 2 Chron.-
XX. 3. And Jehofmphat feared^ and fet hlnfelf to feek
the Lordy and proclaimed a fafl. Magiftrates iliouUI
folemnly e:>secute judgment and jujlice\ |er. v. r. chap,
xxi. ^. ; yea, they fliould folemnly reform themfelvesy
and fludy the reformatioiT of the land and places of
their concern, fo did Afa, Jouah,, and Jehofliaphat.
(2.) Ministers are to do their duty ; partly b^'
preaching boldly againil all manner of fin, for the Con-
vincing and humbling of liiiners ; Cry aloud^ /pare not^
lift up thy voice like a trumpet^ and fJxezv my people their
iranfgrefjions^ and the hcufe ef Jacob their fins^ Ifaiali^
I'viii^ I. : partly hj praying and interceeding in behaif
of the Lord's people ; Te that ?nake fncnfion cf the Lord^
keep not ftlence^ and give him no refl till he ejlablifh and
make Jerifaltm a praife in the earthy Ifaiah Ixii. 6, 7.
L.et the pr lefts, the nnnifters cf the Ln^^d, weep bvf'Cvcert
the porch and the altar, and let them fay^ Spare thy peo-
flc^ 0 Lord^ and givs net thine inheritance to reproach^
~ Jovi
4&4 Chambers 9^ Safety Ser. CV*'
Joel il. 17. : and partly by ufmg that authority God
has given them for the edification of the body of Chrifli.
(3.) People are to do their duty, by humhhng them-
felves for all their own fms, and the fms of the land,
fprinkling themfelves by faith in the blood of the Lamb,
Exod. xii. 13. ; Ceafing to do ev'il^ and learning to do
good ; and fghing and crying for all the abominations
done in Jerufakm^ that a mark may be fet upon them.
We fliaii now offer the following direftions to all in
general.
1. O ! agree with thine adveffary while thou art yet
in the way» If God be your enemy, wo will be to you
"when you are in the midfl of the Itorm, and have no
friend's houfe nor chamber to go into. — — O feek to
have peace made up with God, by the mediation of
your friend Jefus Chirfl, who is the friend of fmners,
2. See that thy faith a?id repentance be evangelicals
In fummer, a houfe with many holes and chinks may
ferve a man's turn to dwell in ; but, in time of win-
ter, men dehre a houfe that is tenable, and will keep
out the violence of the cold : fo, in the days of peace,
any fort of a faith ferves the ttfrn with many ; but, in
time of danger, diftrefs, or affliction, faving faith will
only (land in ftead.
3. Endeavour to gttflrength of judgment ^ zndi found'
ncfs in the faith of gofpel- truths, that in time of trial yoa
may be able to give a reafon of your faith ; and that
might be an antidote, if popery were coming in, a-
gainU: your kneeling to the mafs. Poor ignorant crea-
tures have no antidote againil any error in the world.
4. Seek not only to have 7\,fIrong head^ but a coura-
geous hearty to fland the trial. Your caufe is good, if
it be the truth; your mailer is great, if he be Chrift.
The captain hath gone before you.
5. Wean thyfelf from all things in the world, look-
ing upon thy hufband, thy child, thy goods and ho-
nour, as created things that muft away ; and '[ci your
ftyes upon what is permanent : and be ready to ex-
prefs the love you think you have to Chrift, and* to
cxprefs it even in the mod perilous tiuKS.
6* Beware
jSerCV". Z;^ Time s ^t/" Danger; 4^5^
6. Beware of thejtns cf ibe times^ and bewail them ;
and feek to be affe6:ed with all the diflionours done
God*s namCj both in former and prefent times ; that^
being purged from the fms of the times, you may be:
prefer ved from the judgments of the times. Live a
life of dependence upon Jefus : keep within your
chambers : go not abroad to the world, left the ftornx
be upon you before you be houfed again.
idly^ We fhall next lay down feme ccnfideratlons^
drawn out of the text.
Confid. I, " That there are fome, who, in a pecu-
** liar manner, are the people of God* My People^ fays
*' God here, in contradiilinftion from the inhabitants
" of the earth, in the following verfe." And, indeed,
when God is about to bring judgments upon the wic-
ked, he would have his people out from amongft thenu
They will not hearken to his voice ; but come you,
who are ?7iy people. But probably you may alk, JVha
are his peculiar people f Why, his people are called
the fkeep of his pajiure. But, it may be flill enquired.
Who are ihefheep of his pajiure f They are defcribed to
be fuch who know and follow him ; My Jheep J^ar my
voice, and follovj me, fays Chrift, John x. 27. They
are always bleating, fo to fpeak, after him, and crying
to him, faying. Lord, let nie fee thy face. They are
not content with any thing in the world till they get a
fight of him. They hear his voice, and regard it. —
But when Chrift fpeaks to others ; for example, to the
drunkard, faying. Will you come to me, and quit
your drunkehnefs ? No ; he will not hear on this fids
of the head. If he fay to the whoremonger. Will you
come to me, and quit your whoredom ? No ; he re-
jects the propofal ; he does not regard his voice ; he
goes on in his lufts. Such cannot be his ftieep, cannot
furely be his people. But when Chrift fpeaks to hi?
own fheep, and requires them to quit their lufts, and
come to him ; their anfwer is, " Lord, 1 cannot get
" it done ; though it be long fmce I began to do it,
'' yet I think I am never the nearer my purpofe than
*^ 1 was many years ago -, but. Lord, do it for me :
" Lord, make me come to thee ; and, O make me
<' quit all my lufts and idols." This argues they are
VoJu. VL Ppp l^i3
486 Chambers g^SAFExr Ser. CV/
his people, and evidence they are his fhecp. They aim
at obeying his voice, in his name and ftrength : and the
day comes wherein he will fave them completely.
ConficU 2. '' That his people are ^faje people : they
" have the chambers that belong to them, for their
'' fafety in days of trouble : Come thou into thy chani'
" bers.'* Befides the protection of their God, his
name and arms, where they are, as in a caflle, fafe
and fure indeed ; for, as the mouniains are about Jeru-
falem^ fo the Lord is round about his people : they have
inward peace, and the teftimony of a good confcience,
which is a heartfome chamber, like a dry houfe in a
rainy-day : And the peace of God, thai pqpth all under-
Jianding, JJmll keep your hearts and minds through Chrift
Jefusy Phil. iv. 7. : even keep them as in a garrijon^
as the original word fignifies.
Confid, 3. " That their fafety from the ftorm lies in
*' keeping zvithin their chambers, and keeping their
" chamber-doors flout.'^ Whenever they go out of
their chambers, they are expofed ; for, in that cafey
when God ftrikes the wicked, they fhall not be fpared
any more than the reft. They mud not only enter in-
to their chambers, but abide within doors ; and not
only fo, h\Mjhut the doors, left the purfaer, the devil,
come into them : they are to bar him out, as it were.
This points out the necelTity, not only of having faith,
but of living by faith, and living a life of clofs depen-
dence upon a God in Chrift.
Confid, 4. " That the troubles and trials of the
'^ church and children of God are but for 2i Jhort time^
*' but for a inoment ; yea, as it were, but a little ?no*
«' ?ncnt, and the indignation jhall overpafs : the indig-
*' nation of man againft them, and the indignation of
'' God ; his fatherly anger, and the effeds thereof:
<« and then you fliall be fet at liberty." The longeft
period of time here is but a moment, when compared
with everlafting life. And what the worfe will he be
who hath fuffered longer, than they who have fuffered
a (horter time ? he that hath fuffered feven years, than
he that hath iuifered feven days ? Nay, the gold glan-
ces the finer, the longer it hath been in the fire. —
Therefore, this lliould make you not at all to grudge
or
Ser. CV. in Times ^ D a n g*e rI 4S7
or repine. You are not to think that it is good for
you to be quit of afflidion ; for then you would think
yourfelf well, and would not defire another heaven ;
but he orders affliction, that you may long for the place
where there is no more affliclion. But they who get
all their pleafure, let them not look for another heaven
hsreafter ; for it will be told them, they have got their
heaven here on earth ; Thou enjoyedft thy good things.
But happy they who bear aillidions dutifully ! It is
good reafon you be ufed as your malfer was before
you, yet your afflidion will not laft long : though you
get many a ftormy day, yet a fair one is coming, that
will make you think little of all you fuffered. When
once you come to the upper chambers of God'^s houfe,
it will be no grief of heart to you in heaven, that you
fuffered fo long upon earth ; it will appear but a mo-
ment when the indignation is overpaft.
Conftd, 5. " That the fear of the Lord's coming to
*' punilh the earth, the world, for their iniquity, is a
** good motive even to God's people to fly into their cham-
^* bers, and hide themfelvcs. Do it, fays the text ;
*^ jF(?r, behold the Lord comet h out of his placed Becaufc
if they fly not out of the way, they may get a part of
the fliower and florm. When the Lord rained down
the great hailflones upon the Egyptians, all that were
out of their houfes were deifroyed ; and they that left
their beads in the field v/ent not thither to bring them
ofi', all was deflroyed : fo, if you be out of your cham-
bers, God will not fpare you ; therefore this ihould
be a motive to fly. The fear of that hell that is com-
ing upon the wicked, both in this life and the life to
come, will be a motive to his people, who, though
they be fecured from hell, aud ought not to have the
flavifli fear of that, yet are to fear that God 'ivho can
dejiroy both foul and bodw
ConfJ, 6. "That it is a ierrihle thing when Gad
" comes out of his place to puniOi men : Bthold the
*^ Lord Cometh out of his place '^ It is obferved by one,
" That God's place is the mercy-feat ; there he de-
lights to fit and dwell between the cherubims, an^d
there he is all mercy ; but, when he comes out of h s
place, and, as it were, leaves the mercy-feat, and be-
P £ p. 2^ Ut»-
8-8 Gha MB E R s ^f Safety Ser. C^T.
lakes himfelf to the judgment-feat, there he appears as
an abfolute God, a terrible God ; there he takes no
pleafure to be ; Js I live^ I have no pleafiire in the death
of the zuickedj Ezek, xxxiii. ii. But, when he is pro-
voked thus to come out of his place, then he is all
\^Tath, and nothing but a con fuming fire ^ And, alas !
what a terrible thing is it, to fee God out of his place,
puniiliing and dcflroying fmners, raining the firft drops
of hell upon them here, to prefage the evcrlafting
ilorm of wrath that is to blow upon them ! Confider,
O fmner, what cafe thou wilt be in, when cqft into th^
lake which hums with Jire and hrimjlone ! It is a bot-
tomlefs pit ; and, when thou art eafl: into it, thou wilt
conftantly be falling down, and never find a bottom ;
snd always the farther thou goeft down, the more hot,
and the more unable wilt thou be to endure it. And,
as long as God lives, thou art to live In that cafe, who
live and die out of Chrift. Alas ! // is a fearful thing
to fall into the hands of the living Cod S and to behold
Jiim coming out of his place !
Confid. 7. " That few, very few^ will efcape when
<* the Lord arifes to punifh 5 for, he is to punifh the
^^ inhabitants of the earth J^ Now^, who are the inhabi-
tants of the earth \ and, who are there amongfl: us
that are not the inhabitants of the earth ? What, fay
you ! are none to efcape ? To this w^e reply : A man
is faid to dwell where his heart dwells, and to be not
where he is, but where he loves, and where his heart
is, Thefe are properly the inhabitants of the earth,
xvhofe hearts inhabit and chvell fixedly upon the earth ;
and fo they only efcape that have their hearts in hea-
ven, their ccnverfation in heaven^ their burgefsllnp in
lieaven, Philip, iii. 10 ; where thefe who have their
converfation and burgefsfliip in heaven, are fet in op-
pofition to thefe who wind earthly things^ and whofe end
is dejirudion. They then who Ihall efcape the punifh-
ment here threatened, are not burgefles in this world ;
their heart is not here below. But they who have their
heart fet upon earth, they will perifli together with
the perifliing things their heart is fet upon : they ne-
ver defire to have their hearts elfewhere than upon the
world ) nor are they upeafy becaufe they want hea-
venly
Ser. CV. in Times ^/Danger: %i^
venly hearts. I fuppofe this may be a trying thing to
mod part here. Perhaps, when you fend your heart;
once to heaven, you fend it twenty times to the world;
if you fend your heart heavenward on the Sabbath-day,
it may be you fcarce do fo till Sabbath come again : and
therefore 1 mightily fear you be of the whabitanis of the
earth here fpokcn of, that are to be punidied. A child
of God may have much of a worldly heart, but then it is
a burden to him, and a fore trouble ; a difeafe he fecks
unto Jefus for healing of. However, thofe inhabitants
of the earth here fpoken of, are oppofed to the people
of God fpoken of in the former verfe ; Come^ my people,
Confid, 8. " That God \\'^\\\ juft cauje iQpiiniJJj when
*' he arifes out of his place to do fo. He comes to pu-
<^ nifh the inhabitants of the earth for their i?iiquityJ*
Wherefore is it ? For their iniquity. He will not pu-
nifli without jud caufe. Shall not the Judge of all ib^
earth do right f He will declare their faults to them,
and let them fee it is for iniquity ; that it is for] their
iniquity, their own v/ickednefs ; Thine own zvickednefs
fhall correct thee^ and thy baclflidings Jhall reprove thcCy
Jer. ii. 19. Obferve then, that God's judgments are
juft, and finners fliall be obliged to confefs it ; and
none fliall be able to fay at the day of judgment, I have
got wrong, I have got injullice : for that court is noi;
like the courts among us, whether civil or ecclefiafticj
from which feme will come, faying, I have got a ihame-
ful wrong done me this day, But none fnall have tha'c
to fay here. As there is no appeal from God's courts
fo nonefliall have caufe of complaint that injuftice hath
been done to them : nay, rather fliall they have it to
fay, Ah ! it was highly equitable, and a righteous,
fentence upon me ; for how often have I been warned
of this doleful day by the minifters ofChriil, and told
of all that is now come upon me ; but I thought no-
thing of it, and delayed and (liifted the grand concern !
Their confcience fnall condemn them ; Ivery mouth
Jhalt be flopped^ and all the inhabitants of the world he-'
come guilty before Gody and be forced to fubfcribe to the
equity of their doom, and the juflice of the fentence.
He puniflies for their iniquity.
Conjid. g. " That heaven and earth will join together
4s^ Chamb'srs ^Safety bEK, CV.
** in condemning the wicked and ungodly, when God
*^ comes out of his place to punilh them ; For the
*' EARTH Jhall difclofe her bloody and Jh all no more co-
*^ ver bcrjlain>" All the wrongs and bloody fins that
have been committed on the earth, from age to age,
fhall be difclofed by the earth itfelf bearing witnefs to
tliC wickednefs done in it, as it is faid, Jofhua xxiv.
17. Behold^ ikis ftone fiall be a iJi^itnefs unto us : for it
hath heard all the words of the Lord which he fpake unto
lis ; it /Jhill be a wit fiefs to you^ lejl ye deny your God*
So it may be faid, the earth hath feen and heard all
the v/ickednefs done upon it : and by the recognition
of confcience it fhall witnefs and teftify againft the fin-
xier. As the Lord^ the omnifcient God, will reveal
the whole matter, even the faults that men thought
were quite out of mind, their twenty, thirty, forty, or
fifty years old wickednefs laid as fair and frefh before
them as it was the hour wherein it was committed ; fo
the earth (liall bear witnefs and difclofe all the fms that
feemed to be buried in it ; for, with the refurredion
of the bodies of the wicked, there will be a refurrecli-
on of fins. In a manner, the earth will vomit up what
it fwallowed down, and behoved to bear fo long in its
breaft. God will tell you the place where you commit-
ted your whoredom. The wall and timber of the
houfe will bear witnefs againft you. Take heed, drunks
ard^ the day will come when God will make the table
you fit at fland up, as it were, in your view, and bear
witnefs againft you. Take heed adulterer^ God will make
the bed to rife and witnefs againft you. None but they
that have a good Advocate and a good confcience fliall
cfcape. The earth will difclofe the blood that hath been
ilied in Scotland ; the bloody fliamblcs will rife and
witnefs againft the perfecutors. The earth Jhall no more
cover herflain, when the Lord comes out of his place.
Confid. 10. " That the time of the Lord's coming
*' to judgment is not \\qxq. fpecified ; not only to fliew
*' that we knew not how near hand the avenging ftroak
*' is, but alfo to fnew that the Lord is not yet avv'ay
^' out of his place ; he is not yet rifen up in his wrath,
** but as yet upon his mercy-feat." His judgments
jnay be very uear indeed ; for mugh barrennefs is a-
mongft
Ser. CV. in Times ^ D a n g e k* 49^
mongfl us ; and he fays, Behold^ the ax is laid io the
root of the tree* And there are few watery eyes for fin a-^
niong us ; few fighers and mourners, that have the mark
of prefervation when the defiroyingangei comes about.
But as yet the chamber-doors of mercy arc open,
and the Lord is faying. Come, come ; enter into you?'
chambers: therefore, To-day, while it is called to-day^
harden not your hearts as in the provocation. O Sirs,
come to Jefus for fafety.
(1.) You who are without, and have never come in
to thefe chambers, let me tell you, that yet a httls
while, and the calamity here threatened will be upoii
you : ficknefs or forrow may be upon you in a httle ;
yea, death and judgment will be upon you in a little*
Sword, famine, and peftilcnce may be hading upon
the land : many fpiritual and temporal judgments are
already furrounding us ; and, if by thefe we will not
be reformed, we may cxped that God will punilh us
feven times more, and j^/ [even times more for our ini^
quities. And fmce Reformation amongft the pjenera-
lity is going back, inflead of going forward, either in
church or (late ; days of dreadful calamity, and florms,
wrath and indignation are haftening on, O then, why
(lay you without doors, where it is impoffible you cati
cfcape the indignation of God, and the damnation of
hell ? O fiy, fly for refuge, to lay hold on the hope fit
before you. Chrift is the city of refuge, the chamber
of fafety, and all the doors of the chamber are yet o-
pen to you ; Whofoever will, let him come. Chriil, as
a Frophet, is an open door of hope for ignorant fin-
ners ; O come in here, and be taught. Chrift as a
Friejl, is an open door of hope for guilty hnners ;
O come in here, and get remiiTion of fin in his blood.
Chrift, as a King, is an open door of hope to captive
fmners, under the power and flavery of fm and Satan ;
O let fuch come in here, and Hiare of the victory of
Chrifl, who came in the flelh to dej^roy the works of the
devil, and who comes in the Spirit by a preached gof-
pel for the fame end. O come into him by faith and
believing in him : and, if you cannot come, pray,
pray that he may draw you in ; for he ftands ready to
take you by the hand : he fays not, Go ia without
mc \ but J come iu and take my help.
JIgi Chambers ^/ Safety Ser. CV.
(2.) You who are within^ and who have entered
into thefe chambers, let me tell you for your comfort)
that as you are in a place of fafety, where you do.
well to flay and abide by faith 5 fo yet a little while,
and the indignation will be oVerpaft, and all cala-
mity will be over your head ; yet a little w^hile, and
death itfelf will be a door of hope to you, fo as you
tiiay fnig there^ and fay, Farewel death j and welcome
life : Death Pall be fwalloived ttp in vldory. Farewel
faith and hope, and welcome vifion and fruition. Fare*
"Wel fighting and war, and welcome vidory, vidory for
evermore, Farewel fin and ficknefs, and welcome per-
fecl holinefs and perfect health y for, the inhabitant of
that land Jhall not fay^ I amjuk*, Farewel vain world
and ill neighbours, and welcome the innumerable com-
pany of angels, Farev/el trouble, and welcome refl,
the refl that remains for the peofle of God. Farewel
fighing and fobbing, and welcome the fong of Mofes
and of the Lamb^ everlafting praifes and hallelujahs,
Farewel jars and contentions, and welcome peace, plea*
fure, and love. Farewel church militant, and falfe
brethren, welcome church triumphant, iht general af"
fembly and church of the firfl-born that are written in
heaven, Farewel fwect promifes, and welcome full
and glorious performance \ Not one good thing hath fail"
ed of all that he promifed, Farewel partial enjoyments,
fcanty, fleeting, and little taltes ; welcome full meal,
and the table that fliall never be drawn. Farewel
wants, and welcome fulnefs. Farewel darknefs and
doubts, and fears, and dangers ; and welcome light,
ailurance, eternity, fecurity, and everlafting embraces
of my glorious Lord. Farewel bafe lufls and corrup-
tions, you and 1 have kept too long company together,
and, bleffed be God, we will never meet again ; but
welcome grace in perfedion, which is everlafting glo-
ry. Yet a little while, and you may fmg thefe fweet
notes upon the banks of the Jordan of death ; for he
that fays, Come^ my people^ eJiter into your chambers^ and
flout your doors about you^ &c. fays alfo, In a little mo"
vient the indignation jhall be overpajly and all clouds and
ftorms Ihall evanilh.
The End of Volume Sixth.
I
•'«t>
^
^^'■■■-
X
•^^'r':'^pl^%',
^y^^jh'^-.
b' /
.••^ :*^/
i^£&
^^■Vt^
'^i
Live Music Archive
Librivox Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Internet Arcade
Console Living Room
Books to Borrow
Open Library
TV News
Understanding 9/11