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a^  5^  O^  O^  .^^  I^  ^^ 

OK   THK 

PRINCETON,   N.  J. 
SAMUEL    AONEW, 

OF     P  II  I  L  A  U  K  r,  r  H  I  A  .     PA. 

c^z^i^ez...     /^t-  /^ 


BX  8915  .B67  18A8  v. 5 
Boston,  Thomas,  1677-1732. 
The  whole  works  of  the  late 
Reverend  Thomas  Boston,  of 


^t.      ;«wv>.,  .;>•.  V  />i  v^ 


THE 


WHOLE   WOEKS 


LATE    REVEREND  THOMAS  BOSTON 
OF    ETTEICK; 


NOW  FIRST  COLLECTED,  AND  REPRINTED  WITHOUT 
ABRIDGMENT; 


INCLUDING 


HIS  MEMOIES,  WRITTEN  BY  HIMSELF 


EDITED  BY  THE 

REV.  SAMUEL  M'MILLAN. 


VOL.  V. 


ABERDEEN : 

GEORGE  AND  ROBERT  KING,  ST.  NICHOLAS  STREET. 


M.DCCC.XLIX. 


A   SOLILOQUY 


ART   OF  MAN-FISHING; 


DISTINGUISHING    CHARACTERS 


TRUE    BELIEVERS; 


VIEW  OF  THIS  AND  THE  OTHER  WORLD ; 


TOGETHER  WITH 


SUNDRY    IMPORTANT    SERMONS. 


REV.  THOMAS  BOSTON, 

OF  ETTRICK. 


ABERDEEN: 

GEORGE  AND  ROBERT  KING,  28,  ST.  NICHOLAS  STREET. 

1849. 


THSO. 
CONTENTS  OF  VOL.  V. 


Page. 

A  SOLILOQUY  ON  THE  ART  OF  MAN-FISHINa,        ...      5 


THE  DISTINGUISHINa  CHARACTERS  OF  TRUE 
BELIEVERS. 

I.    IN  RELATION    TO    GOD    IN    CHRIST,    AS  THEIR  REFUGE 
AND  PORTION. 

PsAi..  cxlii.  5. — I  cried  unto  thee,  O  Lord,  I  said,  Thou   art  my  refuge  and   my 

portion  in  the  land  of  the  living,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  44 

FAITH'S    RECOGNITION    OF    TAKING    GOD    FOR    A    REFUGE 
AND  PORTION  ILLUSTRATED. 

PsAL.  cxlii.  5 I  cried  unto  thee,  O  Lord,  1  said.  Thou  art  my  refuge,  and  my 

portion,  in  the  land  of  the  living,  ...  ...  ...  ..  ...  55 

GOD  IN  CHRIST  THE   BELIEVER'S  PORTION. 

PsAL.  cxlii.  5. — I  cried  unto  thee,  O  Lord,  I  said,  Thou  art  my  refuge,  and  my 

portion  in  the  land  of  the  living,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  6S 


II.  IN    RELATION   TO   THEIR    DISPOSITION    AND    PRACTICE 
AS  CITIZENS  OF  ZION. 

THE  CITIZEN   OF  ZION   DESCRIBED. 

PsAi..  XV.  1, — Lord,  who  shall   abide   in   thy  tahernacle  ?    who  shall  dwell   in  thy 

holy  hill?  »2 


THE  CITIZEN  OF  ZION  AN  UPRIGHT  WALKER. 
PsAL.  XV.  2 — He  that  walketh  uprightly,  1<>1 


'^^'  CONTENTS. 

Pagr. 
THE  CITIZEN  OF  ZION   A  WORKER  OF  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

PsAi..  XV.  2. — .\nd  worketh  righteousness,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...      110 

THE    CITIZEN    OF    ZION    A    SPEAKER    OF    TRUTH    IN    HIS 
HEART. 

PsAL.  XV.  2. — And  speaketh  the  truth  in  his  heart,  ...  ..  ...  120 


III.   IN  RELATION  TO  THEIR   SPEECH,  AND   REVERENCE  OF 
GOD'S  NAME. 

A  CAVEAT   AGAINST  PROFANE  SWEARING,  AND  A  PERSUASIVE 
TO  PLAIN  SPEAKING,  WITHOUT  UNHALLOWED  ADDITIONS. 

James  v.  12. — But  ahove  all  things,  my  hrethren,  swear  not,  neither  by  heaven, 
neither  by  the  earth,  neither  by  any  other  oath:  but  let  your  yea,  be  yea, 
and  your  nay,  nay  ;  lest  ye  fall  into  condemnation.  ...  ...  ...  1.32 

IV.  IN  RELATION  TO  THEIR  MEEKNESS,  AS  AN  EVIDENCE  OF 
GREAT    UNDERSTANDING,   AND    THE    FOLLY    OF    PASSION- 

ATENESS. 

Prov.  xiv.  29. — He  that  is  slow  to  wrath  is  of  great  understanding:   but  he  that 

is  hasty  of  spirit  exalteth  folly,      ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  150 

V.     IN  RELATION  TO  THEIR  FORGIVING  INJURIES,  IN  OPPO- 
SITION TO  REVENGE. 

Rotn.  xii.   19  — Dearly  beloved,  avenge  not  yourselves,  but  rather  give  place  unto 

wrath;   for  it  is  written.  Vengeance  is  mine  ;    1  will  repay,  saith  the  Lord,        171 

VI.    IN  RELATION  TO  LOVING  THEIR  ENEMIES. 

A  PERSUASIVE  TO  LOVE  OUR  ENEMIES. 

Matth.  v.  44,  45. —  Love  your  enemies,  bless  them  that  curse  you,  do  good  to 
them  that  hate  you,  and  pray  for  them  which  despitefuUy  use  you,  and  per- 
secute ycu  :  that  ye  may  be  the  children  of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven, 
for  he  maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,  and  sendeth  rain 
on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust,  ...  ...  ...  .  .  .  ...        181 


VII.    IN  RELATION   TO  THEIR  CARRIAGE  IN  A  TIME  OF  ABOUND- 
ING  SIN,    AND  THEIR  SAFETY  IN   A    SUFFERING  TIME. 

THE  CHARACTER   OF  ZION'S  MOURNERS. 
EzEK.  ix.  4. — And  the    Lord    said  unto  him,  Go    through  the  midst  of   the  city. 


CONTJBNTS.  Vil. 

Page. 
through  the  midst  of  Jerusalem,  and  set  a  mark   upon   the   foreheads  of  the 
men  that  sigh,  and   that   cry  for  all  the  abominations  that   be  done  in  the 
midst  thereof,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  201 


ADVICE  TO  ZION'S  MOURNERS. 

£zEK.  ix.  4. — And  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Go  through  the  midst  of  the  city, 
through  the  midst  of  Jerusalem,  and  set  a  mark  upon  the  foieheads  of  the 
men  that  sigh,  and  that  cry  for  all  the  abominations  that  be  done  in  the 
midst  thereof,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...     210 


VIII.  IN  RELATION  TO  THEIR  FRIENDSHIP  TO  CHRIST,  AND 
EVIDENCING  IT,  BY  DOING  WHATSOEVER  HE  COMMANDS 
THEM. 

BELIEVERS  THE  FRIENDS  OF  CHRIST. 
John  XV.  14. — Ye  are  my  friends,  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  command  you,  ...       221 


IX.   IN  RELATION  TO  THEIR  WORK  IN  THIS  LIFE,  AND  THEIR 
JOURNEY  TO  THE  OTHER  WORLD. 

THE    NATURE    AND    NECESSITY    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN'S 
WORK. 

EccL.  ix.  10. — Whatsoever  thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do  it  with  thy  might  ;  for 
there  is  no  work,  nor  device,  nor  knowledge,  nor  wisdom  in  the  grave 
whither  thou  goest,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  248 

X.  IN  RELATION    TO    THE    HAPPY   EFFECT    OF    CHRIST'S 

GOOD-WILL  IN  THE   WORD  OF  GRACE. 

Like  xix.  5. — Zaccheus,  make  haste,  and  come  down  :   for  to-d;iy  I  must  abide 

at  thy  bouse,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  .  .  ...  272 

XI.  IN    RELATION    TO    THEIR    ENTERING    INTO    REST    IN 

CHRIST. 

Hfb.  iv.  .3 For  we  which  have  believed  do  enter  into  rest,  ...  ..  281 


THE  STATE  AND  CHARACTER  OF  BELIEVERS. 

1  John  v.  19.  —  And  we  know  that  we  are  of  God,  and  the  whole  world  lieth  in 

wickednei>!>,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ..  3lil 


Vlll.  COKTBNTS. 

Page. 
THE  DIVINE  CALL  TO  SINNERS    TO    COME    OUT    FROM  AMONG 
THE   WORLD    LYING    IN    WICKEDNESS,    EXPLAINED    AND 
URGED. 

1  John  v.  19. — The  world  lieth  in  wickedness. 

2  Cor.  vi.  17. — Wherefore  come  out  from  among  them,  and  be  ye  separate,  saith 

the  Lord,  and  touch  not  the  unclean  thing  ;  and  I  will  receive  you,  ...      349 

THE  BELIEVER'S  HUNDREDFOLD  IN  THIS  LIFE  CONSIDERED; 
AND  A  VIEW  OF  THE  REALITY,  PARTS,  INHABITANTS, 
PASSAGE  INTO,  AND  STATE  OF  MEN  IN  THE  WORLD  TO 
COME. 

Mark  x.  .30. — He  shall  receive  an  hundredfold  now  in  this  time,  houses,  and 
brethren,  and  sisters,  and  mothers,  and  children,  and  lands,  with  persecu- 
tions ;  and  in  the  world  to  come,  eternal  life,  ...  ...  ...  ..      374 

THE  GREAT  CARE  AND  CONCERN  NOW,  THAT  OUR  SOULS  BE 
NOT  GATHERED  WITH  SINNERS  IN  THE  OTHER  WORLD, 
CONSIDERED  AND  IMPROVED. 

PsAL.  xxvi.  19. — Gather  not  my  soul  with  sinners.  ...  ...  ...  443 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  OF  LIFE  IN  THIS  WORLD  TO  THE  RAISING 
A  GOOD  NAME,  THE  BEST  BALANCE  FOR  THE  PRESENT, 
FOR  THE  VANIIYAND  MISERY  OF  HUMAN  LIFE:  AND  THE 
GOOD  MAN'S  DYING-DAY  BETTER  THAN   HIS  BIRTH-DAY. 

EccL.  vii.  1. — A  good  name  is  bptter  than  precion=  ointment;    and  the  day  of 

death,  than  the  day  of  one's  birth,  .,.  ...  ...  ...  ...  461 

CHRIST'S  SPECIAL  ORDER  FOR  GATHERING  HIS  SAINTS  TO 
HIM  AT  THE  LAST  DAY;  WITH  THEIR  DISTINGUISHING 
CHARACTER,  AS  ENTERING  INTO  HIS  COVENANT  NOW, 
CONSIDERED. 

PsAr,.  1.  5 Gather  my  saints  together  unto  me  ;  those  that  have  made  a  cove- 
nant with  me  by  sacrifice.  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  501 

THE  SAINTS'  LIFETIME  IN  THIS  WORLD  A  NIGHT-TIME;  THEIR 
EXPECTATION  OF  THE  DAY'S  BREAKING  IN  THE  OTHER 
WORLD,  AND  THE  SHADOWS  FLEEING  AWAY;  AND  THEIR 
GREAT  CONCERN  FOR  CHRIST'S  PRESENCE  TILL  THAT 
HAPPY  SEASON  COME. 

Song  ii.  17. — Until  the  day  break,  and  the  shadows  flee  away;  turn,  my  Be- 
loved, and  be  thou  like  a  roe,  or  a  young  hart  on  the  mountains  of 
Bether,  526 


CONTENTS.  IX. 

Pa(;k. 
READINESS  FOR  OUR  REMOVAL   INTO  THE  OTHER   WORLD 
OPENED  UP,   URGED  AND  ENFORCED. 

LiiKF.  xii.  40. — Be   ye   therefore  ready  also  :  for  the   Son  of  man   cometh   at  an 

hour  when  ye  think  not,  ..  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  656 

THE    PECULIAR    ADVANTAGE    AND    BUSINESS  OF    LIFE 
OPENED  UP,   AND  APPLIED. 

IsA.  xxsviii.  19, — The  living,  the  living,  he  shall  praise  thee,   as  I  do  this  day  : 

the  father  to  the  children  shall  make  known  thy  truth,  ..  ...  586 


HSOJuU 
A  SOLILOQUY 

OK  THE 

ART   OF   MAN-FISHING. 

Written  in  1699. 

[For  a  pattern  to  every  preacher  of  the  Gospel.~\ 

Ah  !  Lord,  who  hath  believed  our  report?  and  to  whom  is  the  arm 
of  the  Lord  revealed  ?  This  day  seems  to  be  a  day  of  darkness  and 
gloominess ;  the  glory  is  departed  even  to  the  threshold  of  the  tem- 
ple. We  may  call  ordinances  Ichabod ;  and  name  the  faithful 
preachers  of  Scotland  no  more  Naomi,  but  Marah,  for  the  Lord 
deals  bitterly  with  them,  in  so  much  forsaking  his  ordinances  as  at 
this  day.  The  Lord  hath  forsaken  them  in  a  great  measure,  as  to 
success  attending  their  labours.  They  toil  all  tlie  night;  but  little 
or  nothing  is  caught :  few  or  none  can  they  find  to  come  into  the 
net.  So  that  Jeremiah's  exercise  may  be  theirs,  chap.  xiii.  17.  "  If 
ye  will  not  hear  it,  ray  soul  shall  weep  in  secret  places  for  your 
pride ;  and  mine  eye  shall  weep  sore,  and  run  down  with  tears." 

And  thou,  0  my  soul,  mayst  make  this  thy  exercise,  if  thou  hadst 
a  heart  that  could  mourn  either  for  thyself  or  others.  Though  in- 
deed it  is  no  great  wonder  that  God  does  not  countenance  with 
much  success  the  like  of  me,  who  (if  I  may  or  dare  class  myself 
among  those  that  are  faithful)  am  the  meanest,  the  most  unworthy 
of  them  all,  not  worthy  to  take  his  covenant  in  my  mouth,  who  am 
a  child  in  piety  and  the  mystery  of  godliness,  though  not  in  years ; 
who  am  a  poor  fool,  having  a  weak  heart  and  a  shallow  head;  who 
might  rather  be  learning  of  others  than  teaching  them ;  who  can  but 
wade  about  the  outer  parts  of  that  depth,  into  which  others  can  en- 
ter far ;  who  have  so  little  love  to  Christ,  and  so  little  pure  zeal  for 
his  glory ;  can  say  so  little  for  the  truth,  and  so  little  against  er- 
ror ;  who  am  altogether  unworthy  and  insufficient  for  these  things : 
no  wonder,  I  say,  God  does  not  countenance  me,  when  others,  that 
are  as  tall  cedars  in  the  Lord's  vineyard,  do  so  little  good,  even 

YoL.  V.  B 


G  A  SOLILOQUY  ON  THE 

others  tli.at  arc  great  men  in  the  cliurcli   for  piety  and  learning. 
But  yet  seeing  I  am  called  out  to  preach  this  everlasting  gospel,  it 
is  my  duty  to  endeavour,  and  it  is  my  desire  to  he  (Lord,  thou 
knowest)  a  fisher  of  men.     But,  alas !  I  may  come  in  with  my  com- 
plaints to  my  Lord,  that  I  have  toiled  in  some  measure,  but  caught 
nothing,  for  any  thing  I  know,  as  to  the  conversion  of  any  one  soul, 
I  fear  I  may  say,  I  have  almost  spent  my  strength  in  vain,  and  my 
labour  for  nought,  for  Israel  is  not  gathered.     0  my  soul,  what  may 
be  the  cause  of  this,  why  does  my  preaching  so  little  good  ?     No 
doubt  part  of  the  blame  lies  on  myself,  and  a  great  part  of  it  too. 
But  who  can  give  help  in  this  case  but  the  Lord  himself?  and  how 
can  I  expect  it  from  him  but  by  prayer,  and  faith  in  the  promises, 
and  by  consulting  his  word,  where  I  may,  by  his  Spirit  shining  on 
my  heart,  (shine,  0  Sun  of  righteousness),  learn  how  to  carry,  and 
what  to  do,  to  the  end  the  gospel  preached  by  me  may  not  be  unsuc- 
cessful ?     Therefore  did  my  heart  cry  out  after  Christ  this  day,  and 
my  soul  was  moved,  when  I  read  that  sweet  promise  of  Christ, 
Matth.  iv.  19.  Follow  me,  and  J  ivill  make  you  Jishers  of  men,  directed 
to  those  that  would  follow  him.     0  how  fain  would  ray  soul  follow 
him,  as  on  other  accounts,  so  on  this,  that  I  might  be  honoured  to  be 
a  fisher  of  men ;     Therefore  my  soul  would  fain  know  what  sort  of 
following  Christ  this  is,  to  which  this  sweet  promise  is  annexed. 
I  would  know  it,  (Lord,  thou  knowest),  that  I  might  do  it,  and  so 
catch  poor  souls  by  the  gospel,  and  that  I  might  know  whether  I 
have  a  right  to  this  promise  or  not.     0  let  thy  light  and  thy  truth 
shine  forth,  that  they  may  be  guides  to  me  in  this  matter;  and  let 
the  meditations  of  my  heart  be  according  to  thy  mind,  and  directed 
by  thy  unerring  Spirit.     Grant  light  and  life,  0  Lord  my  God ! 

Folloiv  me,  and  I  tvill  make  you  fishers  of  men. 

In  these  words  there  are  two  things  to  be  considered. 

1.  There  is  a  duty,  Folloiu  me.  Wherein  consider,  (1.)  The  ob- 
ject, me,  even  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  chief  fisher  of  men,  who 
was  sent  by  the  Father  to  gather  in  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of 
Israel,  who  was  and  is  the  infinitely-wise  God,  and  so  knew  the  best 
way  to  catch  men,  and  can  instruct  men  how  to  be  fishers  of  others. 
(2.)  The  act,  Folloiu  (Gr.  come  after)  mc:  Leave  your  employment, 
and  come  after  me.  Though  no  doubt  there  is  a  direction  here  to 
all  the  ministers  of  the  gospel,  that  have  left  their  other  employ- 
ments, and  betaken  themselves  to  the  preaching  of  the  word,  viz. 
that  if  they  would  do  good  to  souls,  and  gain  them  by  their  minis- 
try, then  they  are  to  imitate  Christ,  in  their  carriage  and  preaching 
to  make  him  their  pattern,  to  write  after  his  copy,  as  a  fit  mean  for 
gaining  of  souls. 


AUT  OF  MAN-FISIIING.  7 

2.  There  is  a  promise  annexed  to  the  duty.  Wherein  we  may 
consider,  (1.)  The  benefit  promised ;  that  is,  to  he  made  fishers  of 
men  ;  which  I  take  to  be  not  only  an  investing  of  them  with  autho- 
rity, and  a  calling  of  them  to  the  office,  but  also  a  promise  of  the 
success  they  should  have,  that  fishing  of  men  should  be  their  em- 
j)loymeut,  and  they  should  not  be  employed  in  vain,  but  following 
Christ,  they  should  indeed  catch  men  by  the  gospel.  (2.)  The  foun- 
tain-cause of  this,  I,  I  will  make  you ;  none  other  can  make  you 
fishers  of  men  but  me. 

Thou  raayest  observe,  1.  Then,  0  my  soul,  that  it  is  the  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ  that  makes  men  fishers  of  men. 

Here  I  shall  shew, 

I.  How  Christ  makes  men  fishers  of  men. 

II.  Why  unconverted  men  are  compared  to  fish  in  the  water. 

III.  That  ministers  are  fishers  by  office. 

I.  How  does  Christ  make  men  fishers  of  men  ? 

In  answer  to  this  question,  consider  spiritual  fishing  two  ways. 
1.  As  to  the  office  and  work  itself:  and,  2.  As  to  the  success  of  it. 

First,  He  makes  them  fishers  as  to  their  oflice,  by  his  call,  which 
is  twofold,  outward  and  inward,  by  setting  them  apart  to  the  office 
of  the  ministry;  and  it  is  thy  business,  0  my  soul,  to  know  whether 
thou  hast  it  or  not.     But  of  this  more  afterwards. 

Secondly,  He  makes  them  fishers  as  to  success;  that  is,  he  makes 
them  catch  men  to  himself  by  the  power  of  his  Spirit  accompanying 
the  word  they  preach,  and  the  discipline  they  administer,  1  Cor.  i. 
18.  "  The  preaching  of  the  cross — unto  us  which  are  saved,  is  the 
power  of  God.  1  Thess.  i.  5.  "  Our  gospel  came  not  unto  you  in 
word  only,  but  also  in  power,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  in  much 
assurance."  He  it  is  that  brings  sinners  into  the  net  which  minis- 
ters spread ;  and  if  he  be  not  with  them  to  drive  the  fish  into  the 
net,  they  may  toil  all  the  night  and  day  too,  and  catch  nothing. 

1.  0  my  soul,  then  see  that  gifts  will  not  do  the  business.  A 
man  may  preach  as  an  angel,  and  yet  be  useless.  If  Christ  with- 
draw his  presence,  all  will  be  to  no  purpose.  If  the  Master  of  the 
house  be  away,  the  household  will  loath  their  food,  though  it  be 
dropping  down  about  their  tent-doors. 

2.  Why  sbouldst  thou  then  on  the  one  hand,  as  sometimes  thou 
art,  be  lifted  up  when  thou  preachest  a  good  and  solid  discourse, 
wherein  gifts  do  appear,  and  thou  gettest  the  applause  of  men  ? 
Why,  thou  niayst  do  all  this,  and  yet  be  no  fisher  of  men.  The  fish 
may  see  the  bait,  and  play  about  it  as  pleasant,  but  this  is  not 
enough  to  catch  them.  On  tlie  other  hand,  why  shouldst  thou  be  so 
much  discouraged^  (as  many  times  is  the  case),  because  thy  gifts  are 

b2 


8  A  SOLILOQUY  OK  THE 

SO  small,  and  thou  art  but  as  a  child  in  comparison  of  others? 
Why,  if  Christ  will,  he  can  make  thee  a  fisher  of  men,  as  well  a& 
the  most  learned  rabbi  in  the  church,  Psal.  viii.  2.  Out  of  the  mouths 
of  babes  and  sucklinrjs  hast  thou  ordained  strength.  Yea,  hast  thou 
not  observed  how  God  owned  a  man  very  weak  in  gifts,  [Mr.  J.  E.] 
and  made  him  more  successful  than  others  that  were  far  beyond  him 
in  parts  ?  Has  not  God  put  this  treasure  in  earthen  vessels,  that 
the  power  might  be  seen  to  be  of  him  ?  Lift  uj?  thyself  then,  0  my 
soul,  Christ  cau  make  thee  a  fisher  of  men,  however  weak  thou  art. 
Follow  thou  him.  My  soul  desires  to  follow  hard  after  thee,  0 
God! 

3.  Be  concerned  then,  in  the  first  place,  0  my  soul,  for  the  pre- 
sence of  God  in  ordinances,  and  for  his  power  that  will  make  a 
change  among  people,  Psal.  ex.  3.  When  thy  discourse,  though 
ever  so  elaborate,  shall  be  but  as  a  lovely  song,  0  set  thyself  most 
for  this.  When  thou  studiest,  send  up  ejaculations  to  thy  Lord  for 
it.  When  thou  writest  a  sermon,  or  dost  ruminate  on  it,  then  say  to 
God,  Lord,  this  will  be  altogether  weak  without  thy  power  accom- 
panying it.  0,  power  and  life  from  God  in  ordinances  is  sweet. 
Seek  it  for  thyself,  and  seek  it  for  thy  hearers.  Acknowledge  thine 
own  weakness  and  uselessness  without  it,  and  so  cry  incessantly  for  it, 
that  the  Lord  may  drive  the  fish  into  the  net,  when  thou  art  spread- 
ing it  out.  Have  an  eye  to  this  power,  when  thou  art  prea-ching ; 
and  think  not  thou  to  convert  men  by  the  force  of  reason  :  If  thou 
do,  thou  wilt  be  beguiled. 

4.  What  an  honourable  thing  is  it  to  be  fishers  of  men !  How 
great  an  honour  shouldst  thou  esteem  it,  to  be  a  catcher  of  souls  ! 
We  are  workers  together  luith  God,  says  the  apostle.  If  God  has 
ever  so  honoured  thee,  0  that  thou  knewest  it,  that  thou  mightst 
bless  his  holy  name,  that  ever  made  such  a  poor  fool  as  thee  to  be  a 
co-worker  with  him.  God  has  owned  thee  to  do  good  to  those  Avho 
were  before  caught.  0  my  soul,  bless  thou  the  Lord.  Lord,  what 
am  I,  or  what  is  my  father's  house,  that  thou  hast  brought  me  to 
this  ? 

5.  Then  seest  thou  not  here  what  is  the  reason  thou  toilest  so 
long,  and  catchest  nothing  ?  The  power  comes  not  along.  Men  are 
like  Samuel,  who,  when  God  was  calling  him,  thought  it  had  been 
Eli.  So  when  thou  speakest  many  times,  they  do  not  discern  God's 
voice,  but  thine ;  and  therefore  the  word  goes  out  as  it  comes  in. 

6.  Then,  0  my  soul,  despair  not  of  the  conversion  of  any,  be  they 
ever  so  profligate.  For  it  is  the  power  of  the  Spirit  that  drives  any 
person  into  the  net ;  and  this  cannot  be  resisted.  Mockers  of  reli- 
gion, yea,  blasphemers  may  be  brought  into  the  net;   and  many 


ART  OP  MAN-FISIIINO.  y 

times  the  wind  of  God's  Spirit  in  the  word  lays  the  tall  cedars  in 
sin  down  upon  the  ground,  when  they  that  seem  to  be  as  low  shrubs 
in  respect  of  them,  stand  fast  upon  their  root.  Publicans  and  harlots 
shall  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven  before  self-righteous  Pharisees. 

7.  "What  thiukest  thou,  0  my  soul,  of  that  doctrine  that  lays 
aside  this  power  of  the  Spirit,  and  makes  moral  suasion  all  that  is 
requisite  to  the  fishing  of  men  ?  That  doctrine  is  hateful  to  thee. 
My  soul  loaths  it,  as  attributing  too  much  to  the  preacher,  and  too 
much  to  corrupt  nature,  in  taking  away  its  natural  impotency  to 
good,  and  as  against  the  work  of  God's  Spirit,  contrary  to  experi- 
ence ;  and  is  to  me  a  sign  of  the  rottenness  of  the  heart  that  embra- 
ces it.  Alas !  that  it  should  be  owned  by  any  among  us,  where  so 
much  of  the  Spirit's  power  has  been  felt, 

II.  But  Avhy  are  unconverted  men  compared  to  fish  in  the  water  ? 
Among  other  reasons,  they  are  so, 

1.  Because  as  the  water  is  the  natural  element  of  fish,  so  sin  is 
the  proper  and  natural  element  for  an  unconverted  soul.  Take  the 
fish  out  of  the  water,  it  cannot  live ;  and  take  from  a  natural  man 
his  idols,  he  is  ready  to  say  with  Micah,  Ye  have  taken  away  my 
gods,  and  luhat  have  I  more  ?  The  young  man  in  the  gospel  could 
not  be  persuaded  to  seek  after  treasure  in  heaven,  and  lay  by  the 
world.  It  is  in  sin  that  the  only  delight  of  natural  men  is  ;  but  in 
holiness  they  have  no  more  delight  than  a  fish  upon  the  earth,  or  a 
sow  in  a  palace.  Oh  the  woful  case  of  a  natural  man !  Bless  the 
Lord,  0  my  soul,  that  when  that  was  thy  element  as  well  as  that  of 
others,  yet  Christ  took  thee  in  his  net,  held  thee,  and  would  not  let 
thee  go,  and  put  another  principle  in  thee,  so  that  now  it  is  heavy 
for  thee  to  wade,  far  more  to  swim  in  these  waters. 

2.  The  fish  in  a  sunny  day  are  seen  to  play  themselves  in  the  wa- 
ter. So  the  unregenerate,  whatever  grief  they  may  seem  to  have 
upon  their  spirits,  when  a  storm  arises  either  without,  by  outward 
troubles,  or  within  by  conscience  gnawing  convictions,  yet  when 
these  are  over,  and  they  are  in  a  prosperous  state,  they  play  them- 
selves in  the  way  of  sin,  and  take  their  pleasure  in  it,  not  consider- 
ing what  it  may  cost  them  at  the  last.  Oh  !  how  does  prosperity  in 
the  world  ruin  many  a  soul !  The  prosperity  of  fools  shall  destroy 
them.  And  0  how  destructive  would  prosperity  have  been  to  thee, 
0  my  soul,  if  God  had  given  it  to  thee  many  times  when  thou 
wouldst  have  had  it !  Bless  the  Lord,  that  ever  he  was  pleased  to 
cross  thee  in  a  sinful  course. 

3.  As  the  fish  greedily  look  after  and  snatch  at  the  bait,  not 
minding  the  hook ;  even  so  natural  men  drink  in  sin  greedily,  as 
the  ox  drinketh  in  the  water.     They  look  on  sin  as  a  sweet  morsel ; 

n3 


10  A  SOLILOQUY  ON  THE 

and  it  is  to  tliera  sweet  in  the  moutli,  tliough  bitter  in  the  belly 
Tliey  play  with  it,  as  the  fish  with  the  bait :  but,  Oh  !  alas,  when 
they  take  the  serpent  in  their  bosom,  they  mind  not  the  sting,  Prov. 
ix.  17,  18.  The  devil  knows  well  how  to  dress  his  hooks  ;  but, 
alas!  men  know  not  by  nature  how  to  discern  them.  Pity  then,  0 
my  soul,  the  wicked  of  the  world,  whom  thou  seest  greedily  satisfy- 
ing their  lusts.  Alas !  they  are  poor  blinded  souls ;  they  see  the 
bait,  but  not  the  hook ;  and  therefore  it  is  that  they  are  even  seen 
as  it  were  dancing  about  the  mouth  of  the  pit ;  therefore  rush  they 
on  to  sin  as  a  horse  to  the  battle,  not  knowing  the  hazard.  0  pity 
the  poor  drunkard,  the  swearer,  the  unclean  person,  &c.  that  is  wal- 
lowing in  his  sin.  Bless  thou  the  Lord  also,  0  my  soul,  that  when 
thou  wast  playing  with  the  bait,  and  as  little  minding  the  hook  as 
others,  God  opened  thine  eyes,  and  let  thee  see  thy  madness  and 
danger,  that  thou  mightst  flee  from  it.  And  0  be  now  careful  that 
thou  snatch  at  none  of  the  devil's  baits,  lest  he  catch  thee  with  his 
hook :  for  though  thou  mayst  be  restored  again  by  grace,  yet  it 
shall  not  be  without  a  wound ;  as  the  fish  sometimes  slip  the  hook, 
but  go  away  wounded ;  which  wound  may  be  sad  to  thee,  and  long 
a-healing.     And  this  thou  hast  experienced. 

4.  As  fish  in  the  water  love  deep  places  and  avcIIs,  and  are  most 
frequently  found  there ;  so  wicked  men  have  a  great  love  to  carnal 
security,  and  have  no  will  to  strive  against  the  stream.  Fish  love 
deep  ijlaces  best,  where  there  is  least  noise.  0  how  careful  are  na- 
tural men  to  keep  all  quiet,  that  there  may  be  nothing  to  disturb 
them  in  their  rest  in  sin  !  they  loA^e  to  be  secure,  which  is  their  de- 
struction. 0  my  soul,  beware  of  carnal  security,  of  being  secure, 
though  plunged  over  head  and  ears  in  sin. 

5.  As  fish  are  altogether  unprofitable  as  long  as  they  are  in  the 
water,  so  are  wicked  men  in  their  natural  estate,  they  can  do  no- 
thing that  is  really  good  :  they  are  unprofitable  to  themselves,  and 
nnprofitable  to  others  :  what  good  they  do  to  others,  is  more  2^&r  ac- 
cidens  than  per  se,  Rom.  iii.  12.  How  far  must  they  then  be  mista- 
ken, who  think  the  wicked  of  the  world  the  most  useful  in  the  place 
where  they  live  !  They  may  indeed  be  ixseful  for  carrying  on  de- 
signs for  Satan's  interest,  or  their  own  vain  glory;  but  really  to  lay 
out  themselves  for  God,  they  cannot. 

III.  Ministers  are  fishers  by  office;  they  are  catchers  of  the  souls 
of  men,  sent  "  to  open  the  eyes  of  the  blind,  and  to  turn  them  from 
darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God,"  Acts 
xxvi.  18.  Preachers  of  the  gospel  are  fishers;  and  their  work,  and 
that  of  fishers,  agree  in  several  things. 

1,  The  design  and  work  of  fishers  is  to  catch  fish.     This  is  the 


AKT  OK  JIAN-FISIIING.  II 

work  that  preachers  of  the  gospel  have  taken  iu  hand,  even  to  en- 
deavour to  bring  souls  to  Christ.  Their  design  in  their  work  should 
be  the  same.  Tell  me,  0  my  soul,  what  is  thy  design  in  preaching? 
for  what  end  dost  thou  lay  the  net  in  the  water  ?  is  it  to  shew  thy 
gifts,  and  to  gain  the  applause  of  men  ?  Oh !  no.  Lord,  thou 
knowest  my  gifts  are  very  small ;  and  had  I  not  some  other  thing 
than  them  to  lean  to,  I  had  never  gone  to  a  pulpit.  I  confess,  that, 
for  as  small  as  they  are,  the  devil  and  my  corruptions  do  sometimes 
present  them  to  me  in  a  magnifying  glass,  and  so  would  blow  me  up 
with  wind.  But,  Lord,  thou  knowest  it  is  ray  work  to  repel  these 
motions.  An  instance  of  this  see  in  my  Diary,  Jan.  1.  1G99.  But 
of  this  see  afterwards. 

2.  Their  work  is  hard  work ;  they  are  exposed  to  much  cold  iu 
the  water.     So  is  the  minister's  work. 

3.  A  storm  that  will  affright  others,  they  will  venture  on,  that 
they  may  not  lose  their  fish.     So  should  preachers  of  the  gospel  do. 

4.  Fishers  catch  fish  with  a  net.  So  preachers  have  a  net  to 
catch  souls  with.  This  is  the  everlasting  gospel,  the  word  of  peace 
and  reconciliation,  wherewith  sinners  are  caught.  It  is  compared 
to  a  net  wherewith  fishers  catch  fish, 

(1.)  Because  it  is  spread  out,  ready  to  catch  all  that  will  come 
into  it.  Is.  Iv.  1.  "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  wa- 
ters ;  and  he  that  hath  no  money,  come  ye,  buy  and  eat ;  yea,  come, 
buy  wine  and  milk,  without  money,  and  without  price."  God  excludes 
none  from  the  benefits  of  the  gospel  that  will  not  exclude  them- 
selves ;  it  is  free  to  all. 

(2.)  Because  as  fish  are  taken  unexpectedly  by  the  net,  so  are 
sinners  by  the  gospel.  Zaccheus  was  little  thinking  on  salvation 
from  Christ,  when  he  went  to  the  tree.  Paul  was  not  thinking  on  a 
sweet  meeting  with  Christ,  whom  he  persecuted,  when  he  was  going 
post-haste  on  the  devil's  errand;  but  the  man  is  caught  unexpec- 
tedly. Little  wast  thou  thinking,  0  my  soul,  on  Christ,  heaven,  or 
thyself,  when  thou  went  to  the  Newton  of  "Whitsome*,  to  hear  a 

*  Whitsome  Is  a  parish  in  the  presbytery  of  Chirkside,  at  a  place  in  which,  called 
Newton,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Henry  Erskine,  who,  in  August  \662,  had  been  ejected 
from  CoRNHiLL  in  Northumberland,  began  to  exercise  his  ministry  in  a  meeting- 
house, upon  the  coming  out  of  King  James's  toleration,  in  1687,  and  where  he  con- 
tinued till  the  revolution,  when  he  was  settled  at  Chirnside.  It  was  probably  in  the 
year  1687,  that  Mr.  Boston,  then  a  boy  only  ten  years  of  age,  went  from  Dunsk, 
where  his  parents  lived,  to  hear  Mr.  Erskine,  by  whose  ministry  he  was  converted. 
He  spealis  of  this  worthy  minister  as  his  spiritual  father,  afterwards  in  this  soliloquy. 
This  Blr.  Henry  Erskine  was  father  to  the  late  excellent  Messrs  Ebenezar  and 
Ralph  Erskine,  whose  praise  is  in  all  the  churches. 


12  A  SOLILOQUY  ON  THE 

preaching,  when  Christ  first  dealt  with  thee ;  there  thou  got  an  un- 
expected cast. 

(3.)  As  fish  sometimes  come  near  and  touch  the  net,  and  yet  draw 
hack ;  so  many  souls  are  somewhat  aff'ected  at  the  hearing  of  the 
gospel,  and  yet  remain  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  the  bond  of  ini- 
quity. So  Ilerod  heard  John  the  Bai)tist  gladly ;  but  yet  the  poor 
man  was  not  caught.  Wonder  not  then,  0  ray  soul,  that  thou  seest 
some  aifected  in  the  time  of  preaching ;  and  yet  when  they  are  away 
again,  all  is  worn  off. 

(4.)  Some  fish  that  have  not  been  taken  fast  hold  enough  by  the 
net,  struggle  and  get  out  again.  So  some  souls  have  their  convic- 
tions, and  may  seem  to  be  caught ;  but  yet,  alas  !  they  stifle  all 
their  convictions,  stay  in  the  place  of  the  breaking  forth ;  their 
goodness  is  like  the  morning  cloud,  and  as  the  early  dew  that  soon 
passeth  away.  "Wherefore,  0  my  soul,  if  ever  thou  be  taken  up 
with  exercised  consciences,  have  a  care  that  thou  do  not  apply  the 
cure  before  the  wound  be  deep  enough.  Take  all  means  to  under- 
stand whether  the  soul  be  content  to  take  Christ  on  his  own  terms 
or  not.  Alas !  many  this  way,  by  having  the  wound  scurfed  over, 
are  rather  killed  than  cured. 

(5.)  All  that  are  taken  in  the  net  do  make  some  struggling  to  get 
free.  Even  so  every  one  whom  the  Lord  deals  with  by  his  word 
and  Spirit,  make  some  kind  of  resistance,  before  they  are  thoroughly 
caught.  Cras,  Domine,  says  Augustine ;  et  modo,  Domine,  donee, 
modo  non  haheret  modum.  And  this  thou  also  knowest,  0  my  soul, 
how  thou  wouldst  have  been  content  to  have  been  out  of  the  net. 
Oh !  the  wickedness  of  the  heart  of  man  by  nature  !  opposite  is  it, 
and  an  enemy  to  all  that  may  be  for  its  eternal  welfare.  There  is 
indeed  a  power  in  our  will  to  resist,  yea,  and  such  a  power  as  can- 
not but  be  exercised  by  the  will  of  man,  which  can  do  nothing  but 
resist,  till  the  overcoming  power  of  God,  the  gratia  victriv,  come  and 
make  the  unwilling  heart  willing,  Phil.  ii.  13. 

(6.)  Yet  this  struggling  will  not  do  with  those  which  the  net  has 
fast  enough.  So  neither  will  the  resistance  do  that  is  made  by  an 
elect  soul,  whom  God  intends  to  catch,  John  vi.  37.  ^U  that  the  Fa- 
ther hath  given  me,  shall  come  to  me.  Indeed  God  does  not  convert 
men  to  himself  against  their  will,  he  does  not  force  the  soul  to  re- 
ceive Christ ;  but  he  conquers  the  will,  and  it  becomes  obedient. 
He  that  was  unwilling  before,  is  then  willing.  0  the  power  of 
grace  !  "When  God  speaks,  then  men  shall  hear ;  then  is  it  that 
the  dead  hear  the  voice  of  the  Sou  of  man,  and  they  that  hear  do 
live. 

(7.)  In  a  net  arc  many  meshes  in  which  the  fish  are  caught.    Such 


ART  OF  lIAN-FISHINCf.  13 

are  the  invitations  made  to  sinners  in  the  gospel,  the  sweet  i>romises 
made  to  them  that  will  come  to  Christ ;  these  are  the  meshes  where- 
with the  soul  is  catched.  This  then  is  gospel-preaching,  thus  to 
spread  out  the  net  of  the  gospel,  wherein  are  so  many  meshes  of  va- 
rious invitations  and  promises,  to  which  if  the  fish  do  come,  they 
are  caught. — But  yet, 

(8.)  Lest  the  net  be  lifted  up  with  the  water,  and  so  not  fit  for 
taking  fish,  and  the  fish  slight  it,  and  pass  under  it ;  there  are 
some  pieces  of  lead  put  to  it,  to  hold  it  right  in  the  water,  that  it 
may  be  before  them  as  they  come.  So  lest  invitations  and  promises 
of  the  gospel  be  slighted,  there  must  be  used  some  legal  terrors  and 
law-threatenings  to  drive  the  fish  into  the  net.  Thou  seest  then 
that  both  law  and  gospel  are  to  be  preached,  the  law  as  a  pendicle 
of  the  gospel-net,  which  makes  it  effectual ;  the  law  being  a  school- 
master to  bring  us  to  Christ. 

(9.)  The  meshes  must  not  be  over-wide,  lest  the  fish  run  through. 
So  neither  must  thy  doctriae  be  general,  without  particular  applica- 
tion, lest  thou  be  no  fisher  of  men.  Indeed  men  may  be  the  better 
pleased,  when  thou  preachest  doctrine  so  as  wicked  men  may  run 
out-through  and  in-through  it,  than  when  thou  raakest  it  so  as  to 
take  hold  of  them  :  but  be  not  a  servant  of  men. 

(10.)  Neither  must  they  be  too  neat  and  fine,  and  curiously 
wrought,  lest  they  hold  out  the  fish.  So  have  a  care,  0  my  soul, 
of  striving  to  make  by  wit  any  fine  and  curious  discourse,  which  thy 
hearers  cannot  understand.     Of  this  more  afterwards. 

5.  Fishers  observe  in  what  places  they  should  cast  their  nets,  and 
where  they  may  expect  fish.  So  do  thou,  0  my  soul,  observe  where 
thou  mayst  catch  souls.  There  are  two  pools  wherein  the  net 
should  be  set. 

(1.)  In  the  public  assemblies  of  the  Lord's  people.  There  it  was 
that  Lydia's  heart  was  opened.  The  pool  of  ordinances  sometimes 
is  made  healing  water  to  souls  pining  away  in  their  iniquity. 

(2.)  In  private  conference.  Many  times  the  Lord  is  pleased  to 
bless  this  for  the  good  of  souls.  Some  have  found  it  so.  But  more 
of  these  things  afterwards,  when  I  come  to  following  Christ. 

6.  Lastly,  Fishers  may  toil  long,  and  yet  catch  nothing ;  but  they 
do  not  therefore  lay  aside  their  work.  So  may  preachers  preach 
long,  and  yet  not  catch  any  soul,  Isa.  xlix.  4.  and  liii.  1 ;  but  they 
are  not  to  give  over  for  all  that.  0  my  soul,  here  thou  art  checked 
for  thy  behaviour  at  some  times  under  the  absence  of  Christ  from 
ordinances,  when  thou  hast  been  ready  to  wish  thou  hadst  never  ta- 
ken it  in  hand.  This  was  my  sin  :  the  good  Lord  pardon  it.  It  be- 
comes mo  better  to  lie  low  under  God's  hand,  and  to  inquire  into 


14  A  SOLILOQUY  ON  THE 

the  causes  of  liis  withdrawing  his  presence  from  me  and  from  ordi- 
nances, and  yet  to  hold  on  in  duty  till  he  be  pleased  to  lay  me  by. 
Have  a  care  of  that,  0  my  soul,  and  let  not  such  thoughts  and 
wishes  possess  thee  again.  Forget  not  how  God  made  thee  to  read 
this  thy  sin,  in  thy  punishment,  Diary,  Nov.  13,  1698.  Hold  on,  0 
my  soul,  and  give  not  Avay  to  these  discouragements.  Thou  know- 
est  not  but  Christ  may  come  and  teach  thee  to  let  down  the  net  at 
the  right  side  of  the  ship,  and  thou  raayst  yet  be  a  fisher  of  men. 
Trust  God  thou  shalt  yet  praise  him  for  the  help  of  his  countenance 
as  thou  hast  done,  and  perhaps  for  some  souls  that  thou  mayst  bo 
yet  honoured  to  catch. 

And  thus  I  have  briefly  considered  these  things.  But  the  main 
question  that  I  would  have  resolved  is.  How  may  I  come  by  this 
art?  what  way  I  shall  take  to  be  a  fisher  of  men?  how  I  may  order 
and  set  the  net,  that  it  may  bring  in  souls  to  God  ?  this  the  great 
Master  of  assemblies  sets  down  in  the  first  part  of  the  verse. 
Whence, 

Observe,  2.  0  my  soul,  that  the  way  for  me  to  be  a  fisher  of  men, 
is  to  follow  Christ.  What  it  is  to  follow  thee,  0  Lord,  shew  me ; 
and,  Lord,  help  me  to  do  it. 

Here  two  things  are  to  be  considered. 

I.  What  following  Christ  supposes  and  implies. 

II.  Wherein  Christ  is  tp  be  followed. 

I.  What  following  Christ  supposes  and  implies. 

First,  It  presupposes  life.  A  dead  man  cannot  follow  any  per- 
son; a  dead  preacher  cannot  follow  Christ;  there  must  be  a  princi- 
ple of  life,  spiritual  life  in  him,  or  else  he  is  nought.  Therefore 
have  I  said  and  maintained,  that  a  man  cannot  be  a  minister  inforo 
Dei,  though  he  may  in  foro  ecclesice,  without  grace  in  his  heart. 
This  is  a  sj)iritual  following  of  Christ ;  and  therefore  presupposes  a 
spiritual  and  heavenly  principle.  Tell  me  then,  0  my  soul,  what 
state  art  thou  in?  Thou  wast  once  dead,  that  is  sure,  Eph.  ii.  1. 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.  Art  thou  raised  out  of  thy  grave  ?  hast 
thou  got  a  part  in  the  first  resurrection  ?  has  Christ  breathed  on  thy 
dead  and  dry  bones  ?  or  art  thou  yet  void  of  spiritual  life  ?  art  thou 
Totting  away  in  thine  iniquity?  What  sayest  thou  to  this?  If 
thou  be  yet  dead,  thy  case  is  lamentable ;  but  if  thou  be  alive,  what 
signs  of  life  are  there  to  be  seen  in  thee  ?  I  have  my  own  doubts  of 
this,  because  of  the  prevailing  of  corruption :  therefore  I  will  see 
what  I  can  say  to  this. 

1.  A  man  that  hath  the  Spirit  hath  life,  Rom.  viii.  2,  9;  but  I 
think  I  have  the  Spirit :  ergo,  1  have  life.  That  I  have  the  Spirit, 
I  conclude  from  these  grounds  following. 


ART  OF  iAIAN-FISIIIKO.  15 

(1.)  I  licavc  light  that  sometimes  I  had  not.  See  John  xiv.  26. 
"  The  Comforter — shall  teach  you  all  things,  and  bring  all  things  to 
your  remembrance  Avhatsoever  I  have  said  unto  you."  I  see  now 
otherwise  than  sometimes  I  saw.  Once  was  I  blind,  but  now  I  see, 
though  I  see  but  men  as  trees.  Once  was  I  darkness,  but  now  am  I 
light  (though  weak)  in  the  Lord.     This  light  makes  me  see, 

[1.]  My  former  darkness,  the  sad  and  miserable  state  that  once  I 
was  in,  ignorant  of  God,  Christ,  and  religion,  save  going  to  the 
church,  and  keeping  from  banning  and  swearing,  &c.  which  I  was 
restrained  fi'om,  from  a  child.  This  makes  me  see  my  present  dark- 
ness, 1  Cor.  xiii.  12.  IIow  little  a  portion  do  I  know  of  thee,  O 
God  ?     My  knowledge  is  but  as  the  twilight. 

[2.]  It  lets  mo  see  my  heart-sins,  my  imperfections  and  shortcom- 
ings in  the  best  of  my  duties  ;  so  that  God  might  damn  me  for  them. 
The  hypocrites  say,  TVht/  have  we  fasted,  and  thou  seest  not?  &c.  Isa. 
Iviii.  3.  It  lets  me  see  the  wanderings  of  my  heart  in  duty  and  out 
of  duty,  yea,  the  sinfulness  of  the  first  risings  of  lust  in  mine 
heart,  Rom.  vii.  and  is  still  discovering  the  baseness  of  my  heart 
unto  me,  so  that  I  am  forced  to  think  and  say,  that  at  the  best  I  am 
unclean,  unclean. 

[3.]  It  makes  me  to  see  Christ  precious,  (1  Pet.  ii.  7,)  altogether 
lovely,  the  chief  among  ten  thousand,  preferable  to  all  the  Avorld; 
for  whom,  if  my  heart  deceive  me  not,  (Lord,  thou  knowest,)  I 
would  undergo  the  loss  of  that  which  I  most  esteem  in  the  world. 
"  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee  ?  and  there  is  none  on  earth 
that  I  desire  besides  thee."  For  indeed,  "  my  heai't  and  flesh  faints 
and  fails ;  but  thou  art  the  strength  of  my  heart,  0  Lord,"  Psal. 
Ixxiii.  25,  26. 

[4.]  It  lets  me  see  my  need  of  hira;  so  that  nothing  else  but 
Christ,  I  am  persuaded,  can  help  me.  When  I  have  done  what  I 
can,  I  am  but  an  unprofitable  servant.  If  I  should  do  a  thousand 
times  more  than  I  do,  I  count  all  but  loss  and  dung  for  the  excel- 
lency of  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ  my  Lord.  My  soul  cries  out 
for  thee,  0  God,  and  follows  hard  after  thee. 

[5.]  The  knowledge  that  I  have  of  Christ,  makes  me  trust  in  him 
in  some  measure,  Psal.  ix.  10 ;  though  alas !  my  evil  heart  of  unbe- 
lief creates  a  great  deal  of  diftlculty  in  that  to  me.  I  find  him  a 
present  help  in  the  time  of  trouble ;  therefore  I  endeavour  to  cast 
my  burden  upon  him.  I  knoAV  him  to  be  a  good  Master;  and  there- 
fore I  lean  on  him  for  help  for  his  own  work.  I  know  his  grace  is 
sufficient  for  me ;  therefore,  in  temptation  and  trials,  I  endeavour 
to  lift  up  my  soul  to  hira. 

(2.)    I  feel  help  in  duty  from  the   Spirit.     I  know  not  what  I 


16  A   SOLILOQUY  OK  TUB 

should  pray  for;  but  the  Spirit  hclpeth  my  iufirraities,  Rora.  vlii. 
26,  Mauy  times  I  have  gone  to  prayer  very  dead,  and  have  come 
away  with  life ;  I  have  gone  with  a  drooping  and  fainting  heart, 
and  come  away  rejoicing;  with  an  heart  closed,  and  have  come 
away  with  an  heart  enlarged,  and  have  felt  enlargement  both  as  to 
words  and  affections ;  and  this  hath  made  me  both  thankful  and 
more  vile  in  mine  own  eyes,  that  God  should  have  done  so  with  the 
like  of  me,  1  Chron.  xxix.  14. 

2.  He  that  hath  sense  and  feeling  hath  life ;  but  I  have  sense  and 
feeling :  ergo,  I  have  life,  Eph.  iv.  19.  My  sins  are  a  burden  to  me, 
(Matth.  xi.  28.)  Lord,  thou  knowest,  my  omissions  and  commissions, 
the  sins  of  my  thoughts  and  of  my  life,  the  sins  of  my  youth,  &c. 
and  above  all,  that  which  is  my  daily  trouble,  is  an  evil,  backslid- 
ing, and  base  heart,  which  I  find  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  des- 
perately wicked,  Jcr.  xvii.  9.  This  body  of  sin  and  death  makes  me 
to  groan,  and  long  to  be  rid  of  it,  Rom.  vii.  24.  And  what  a  load  it 
was  to  me  this  day,  God  knows.  I  feel  God's  jircsence,  which 
makes  me  to  rejoice  sometimes ;  at  other  times  again  I  feel  his  ab- 
sence. Thou,  0  Lord,  hidest  thy  face,  and  I  am  troubled,  Psal.  xxx. 
7.  His  smiles  are  sweet  as  honey  from  the  comb,  and  his  frowns  are 
bitter  as  death  to  my  soul. 

3.  He  iu  whom  there  is  heat  hath  life ;  but  I  have  a  heat  in  my 
soul:  ergo,  I  have  life.  I  find  a  threefold  flame,  though  weak,  in 
my  heart. 

(1.)  A  flame  of  love  to  Christ,  Rom.  v.  5.  My  soul  loves  him 
above  all;  and  I  have  felt  my  love  to  Christ  more  vigorous  within 
this  short  while,  than  for  a  considerable  time  before.  Lord,  put 
fuel  to  this  flame.  I  have  a  love  to  his  truths  that  I  know,  what 
God  reveals  to  me  of  his  word,  Psal.  cxix.  19.  I  find  sometimes  his 
word  sweeter  to  me  than  honey  from  the  comb,  Psal.  xix.  10.  It 
comforts  and  supports  me.  I  cannot  but  love  it;  it  stirs  me  up, 
and  quickens  my  soul  when  dead.  I  love  his  commands,  though 
striking  against  my  corruptions,  Rom.  vii.  22.  I  love  the  promises, 
as  sweet  cordials  to  a  fainting  soul,  as  life  from  the  dead  to  one 
trodden  under  foot  by  the  apprehensions  of  wrath,  oj*  the  prevailing 
of  corruption.  I  love  his  threatenings  as  most  just;  my  soul  hear- 
tily approves  them.  If  any  man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus,  let  him  be 
anathema,  ma^-anatha.  The  least  part  of  truth,  that  God  makes 
known  to  me,  I  love ;  and,  by  grace,  would  endeavour  to  adhere  to. 
I  love  those  in  whom  the  image  of  God  does  appear;  though  other- 
wise mean  and  contemptible,  my  heart  warms  towards  them,  1  John 
iii.  14.  I  love  his  work,  and  am  glad  when  it  thrives,  (Rom.  i  8.) 
though  alas !  there  is  little  ground  for  such  gladness  now.     I  love 


ART  or  MAN-FISIIING.  17 

his  ordiniauccs,  (Psal.  Ixxxiv.  1.)  and  what  bears  his  stamp;  though 
all  this  be  but  weak  I  love  his  glory,  that  he  should  be  glorified, 
come  of  me  what  will. 

(2.)  I  fiud  in  my  heart  a  flame  of  desires,  Matth.  v.  6.  [1.]  Af- 
ter the  righteousness  of  Christ.  My  soul  earnestly  desires  to  be 
stript  naked  of  my  own  righteonsness,  which  is  as  rags,  and  to  be 
clothed  and  adorned  with  the  robe  of  his  righteousness.  This  wed- 
ding garment  my  soul  aflects;  so  shall  I  be  found  without  spot, 
when  the  Master  of  the  feast  comes  in  to  see  the  guests.  My  soul  is 
satisfied,  and  aquiesces  in  justification  by  an  imputed  righteousness, 
though,  alas  !  my  base  heart  would  fain  have  a  home-spun  garment 
of  its  own  sometimes.  [2.]  After  communion  with  him,  Psal.  xlii.  1. 
When  I  Avant  it,  my  soul  though  sometimes  careless,  yet,  at  other 
times,  cries  out,  0  that  I  hneiv  where  I  rnhjld  find  him!  I  have 
found  much  sweetness,  in  communion  with  God,  especially  at  the  sa- 
crament of  the  Lord's  supper,  in  prayer  and  meditation,  hearing 
the  word,  faithfully  and  seriously  preached,  and  in  preaching  it  my- 
self, when  the  candle  of  the  Lord  shines  on  my  tabernacle ;  then 
Avas  it  a  sweet  exei-cise  to  my  soul.  I  endeavour  to  keep  it  up  when 
I  have  it,  by  watching  over  my  heart,  and  sending  up  ejaculations 
to  God.  "When  I  want  it,  I  cry  to  him  for  it,  though,  alas !  I  have 
been  a  long  time  very  careless.  Sometimes  my  soul  longs  for  the 
day,  wlien  my  minority  shall  be  over-past,  and  I  be  entered  heir  to 
tlie  inhentance  incorruptible,  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away  ;  to 
be  quit  of  this  evil  world ;  to  be  dissolved,  and  to  be  with  Christ, 
which  is  best  of  all;  especially  at  three  times.  (1.)  When  I  get 
more  than  ordinarily  near  God,  when  my  soul  is  satisfied  as  with 
marrow  and  fat,  when  my  heart  is  nobilitated,  and  tramples  on  the 
world.  (2.)  When  I  am  wrestling  and  groaning  under  the  body  of 
sin  and  death,  the  evil  heart :  then  fain  would  I  be  there,  where 
Satan  cannot  tempt,  and  sin  cannot  enter ;  yea,  when  I  have  been 
much  forsaken,  at  least  as  to  comfort,  Diary,  Aug.  2.  1696,  where  is 
the  most  eminent  instance  of  it.  (3.)  When  I  preach,  and  see  that 
the  gospel  hath  not  success,  but  people  are  unconcerned,  and  go  on 
in  their  abominations. 

(3.)  I  find  in  my  heart  some  heat  of  zeal  for  God,  which  vents  it- 
self, [1.]  By  endeavouring  to  be  actiA'c  for  God  in  my  station.  So 
when  I  was  at  K.  I  endeavoured  to  do  something  for  God,  though, 
alas !  it  did  some  of  them  no  good.  Before  I  entered  on  trials,  one 
main  motive  was  to  have  opportunity  to  give  a  testimony  against 
sin,  and  to  see  if  I  could  be  an  instrument  to  reclaim  any  soul  from 
their  wicked  way.  This  I  have,  as  the  Lord  enabled  me,  done, 
since  I  was  a  preacher,  testifying  against  sin  freely  and  plainly. 


18  A  SOLILOQUY  ON  THE 

and  as  earnestly  as  I  could,  by  grace  assisting  me,  though  in  weak- 
ness. And,  Lord,  thou  knowest  that  my  great  desire  is  to  catch 
men,  and  to  get  for  that  end  my  Avhole  furniture  from  thee,  laying 
aside  my  own  wisdom.  And  if  I  could  do  this,  how  satisfying  would 
it  be  to  my  soul,  that  desires  to  do  good  to  others,  though  I  myself 
should  perish  ?  Therefore  do  I  not  spare  this  weak  body,  and 
therefore  have  I  desired  never  to  be  idle,  but  to  go  unsent  for  some- 
times. Yet  my  conscience  tells  me  of  much  slackness  in  this  point, 
when  I  have  been  in  private  with  people,  and  have  not  reproved 
them  as  I  ought,  when  they  offended,  being  much  plagued  with  want 
of  freedom  in  private  converse.  This  I  have  in  the  Lord's  strength 
resolved  against,  and  have  somewhat  now  amended  it.  [2.]  It 
vents  itself  in  indignation  against  sin  in  myself  and  others.  Many 
times  have  I  thought  on  that  of  the  apostle.  Yea,  ivhat  revenge! 
when  I  have  been  overcome  by  a  temptation,  being  content  as  it 
were  to  be  revenged  on  myself,  and  as  it  were  content  to  subscribe 
a  sentence  of  damnation  against  myself,  and  so  to  justify  the  Lord 
in  his  just  proceedings  against  me.  AnA,  Lord,  do  not  I  hate  those 
that  hate  thee !  am  I  not  grieved  ivith  those  that  rise  up  against  thee  ? 
The  reproaches  cast  on  thee,  have  fallen  on  me,  Psal.  Ixix.  9.  And  my 
heart  rises  and  is  grieved,  when  I  see  transgressors,  that  they  keep 
not  thy  law.  [8.]  It  vents  itself  in  grieving  for  those  things  that  I 
cannot  help.  Lord,  thou  knowest  how  weighty  the  sins  of  this  land 
have  been  unto  me,  how  they  have  lien  and  do  lie  somewhat  heavy 
on  me ;  and  at  this  time  in  particular,  the  laxness  of  many  in  join- 
ing with  the  people  of  these  abominations,  the  unfaithfulness  of 
some  professors,  the  lack  of  zeal  for  God  in  not  making  a  more  nar- 
row search  for  the  accursed  thing  in  our  camp,  now  when  God's 
wrath  is  going  out  violently  against  us,  and  not  making  an  acknow- 
ledgement of  sins  and  renewing  our  national  vows,  according  as  our 
progenitors  did,  many  as  it  were  thinking  shame  of  the  covenant, 
of  whom  the  church  of  Scotland  may  be  ashamed. 

4.  Growth  and  motion  is  an  evidence  of  life ;  (Psal.  scii.  12,  13, 
14.)  I  move  forward  towards  heaven,  my  affections  are  going  out  af- 
ter Christ,  and  endeavouring  to  make  progress  in  a  Christian  walk. 
I  think  I  discern  a  growth  of  these  graces  in  me.  (1.)  Of  know- 
ledge and  acquaintance  with  Christ,  2  Pet.  iii.  18.  I  am  more  ac- 
quainted with  Christ  and  his  ways  than  before.  Though  I  have  not 
such  uptakings  of  Christ  as  I  ought  to  have,  yet  I  have  more  than 
I  have  had  in  this  respect  sometimes  before.  (2.)  A  growth  of  love. 
If  my  heart  deceive  me  not,  I  have  found  love  to  Christ  within  this 
month  more  lively  and  vigorous  than  before,  my  soul  more  affected 
with  his  absence  from  ordinances  than  ever.     (3.)  Of  faith.     I  can,  I 


ART  OF  MAN-FISniNO.  19 

think,  trust  God  more  now  than  before.  I  have  had  more  experi- 
ence of  his  goodness  and  knowledge  of  his  name ;  and  therefore 
think  I  can  cast  my  burden  on  the  Lord  better  than  before.  But  it 
is  easy  swimming  when  the  head  is  lield  up.  Lord,  increase  ray 
faith.  I  believe,  Lord,  help  mine  unbelief.  (4.)  Of  watchfulness. 
I  have  felt  the  sad  eftccts  of  unwatchfulness  over  my  heart  in  times 
past.  I  feel  the  good  of  watchfulness  now ;  my  soul  is  habitually 
more  watchful  than  before ;  neither  dare  I  give  such  liberty  to  ray 
heart  as  sometimes  I  gave.  Yet  for  all  this  the  Lord  may  well 
complain  of  me,  that  he  is  broken  with  ray  whorish  heart.  But, 
Lord,  thou  knowest,  it  is  also  breaking  to  myself  that  it  is  so.  The 
Lord  seal  these  things  to  me.  (5.)  Of  contempt  of  the  world,  which, 
blessed  be  God,  is  on  the  increase  with  me. 

Secondli/,  Following  Christ  implies  a  knowledge  of  the  way 
that  Christ  took.  No  man  can  follow  the  example  of  another  as 
such,  unless  he  know  what  way  he  lived.  So  neither  can  any  man 
follow  Christ  with  respect  to  the  catching  of  men  in  particular,  un- 
less he  know  Christ's  way  of  catching  souls,  that  is,  so  far  as  it  may 
be  followed  by  us.  Acquaint  then  thyself,  0  my  soul,  with  the  his- 
tory of  the  gospel,  wherein  this  appears,  and  take  special  notice  of 
these  things,  that  thou  mayest  follow  Christ.  What  a  sad  case 
must  they  be  in  that  are  not  acquainted  with  this ! 

Thirdly,  It  supposes  sense  of  weakness,  and  the  need  of  a  guide. 
A  man  that  knows  a  way,  and  can  do  well  enough  without  a  guide, 
needs  not  follow  another.  And  surely  the  want  of  this  is  the  rea- 
son why  many  run  before  Christ,  and  go  farther  than  his  example 
ever  called  them ;  and  others  take  a  way  altogether  different  from 
Christ's  way,  which  is  the  product  of  their  own  conceited  hearts  and 
airy  heads.  But  thou,  0  my  soul,  acknowledge  tliyself  as  a  child  in 
these  matters,  that  cannot  go  unless  it  be  led ;  as  a  stranger  in  a 
desert  place,  that  cannot  keep  the  right  way  without  a  guide.  Ac- 
knowledge and  be  affected  with  thine  own  weakness  and  emptiness, 
which  thou  mayst  well  be  persuaded  of.  And  for  this  end  reflect 
seriously,  1.  On  that  word,  2  Cor.  ii.  16.  Wlio  is  sufficient  for  these 
things  ?  No  man  is  of  himself  sufficient ;  even  the  greatest  of  men 
come  short  of  sufficiency.  This  may  make  thee  then  to  be  affected 
with  insufficiency,  who  are  so  far  below  these  men,  as  shi'ubs  are 
below  the  tall  cedars ;  and  yet  they  cannot  teach  it  of  themselves. 
2.  Consider  the  weight  of  the  work,  even  of  preaching,  which  is  all 
that  thou  hast  to  do  now.  It  is  the  concern  of  souls.  By  the  fool- 
ishness of  preaching  it  pleases  the  Lord  to  save  them  that  believe, 
and  as  thou  thoughtest  yesterday,  [Jan.  22,  1699,]  before  thou  went 
to  the  pulpit,  it  may  seal  the  salvation  of  some,  and  the  damnation 


20  A  SOLILOQUY  ON  THE 

of  others.  To  preach  in  the  Spirit,  in  the  power  and  demonstration 
thereof,  is  no  easy  matter.  Thy  pitiful  gifts  will  not  fit  thee  for 
this.  3.  Reflect  on  what  thou  art  when  God  is  pleased  to  desert 
thee ;  how  then  thou  tuggest  and  rowest,  hut  it  will  not  do,  either 
in  studying  or  delivering  sermons.  I  think  thou  hast  had  as  much 
of  this  as  may  teach  thee  to  beware  of  taking  thy  burden  on  thy 
own  sonl,  but  to  cast  it  on  the  Lord.  [See  Diary,  June  3,  July  3, 
Dec.  31,  1698.  Jan.  6,  1699,  &c.]  4.  Consider  what  a  small  por- 
tion thou  knowest  of  God.  When  thou  art  at  the  best,  and  when 
thou  art  in  thy  meridian,  yet  how  low  art  thou  ?  and  how  far  short 
thou  comest  of  what  thou  shouldst  be  at.  Lastly,  consider,  that 
though  thou  hadst  gifts  like  an  angel,  yet  thou  canst  not  convert  a 
soul,  unless  Christ  be  with  thee  to  do  the  work.  Therefore  acknow- 
ledge thyself  a  weak  creature,  insufficient  for  the  work ;  and  go  not 
out  in  thy  own  strength,  but  in  the  name  of  the  Lord ;  and  so  al- 
though thou  be  but  as  a  stripling,  thou  mayst  be  helped  to  cast 
down  the  great  Goliaths  that  defy  the  armies  of  the  living  God. 

Fourthly,  It  implies  a  renouncing  of  our  own  wisdom.  It  must 
not  be  the  guide  that  we  must  follow,  Matth.  xvi.  24.  Paul  would 
not  preach  with  wisdom  of  words,  1  Cor.  i.  17 ;  he  did  not  follow 
the  rules  of  carnal  wisdom.  Therefore,  0  my  soul,  renounce  thine 
own  wisdom.  Seek  the  wisdom  that  is  from  above ;  seek  to  preach 
the  words  of  the  living  God,  and  not  thine  own.  Since  thou  wast 
most  set  to  take  this  way,  and  prayed  most  that  thou  mightst  not 
preach  that  which  might  be  the  product  of  thy  own  wisdom  and  na- 
tural reason,  but  that  which  might  be  given  thee  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
thou  hast  found  that  God  hath  signally  countenanced  thee.  Take 
not  the  way  of  natural  wisdom,  follow  not  the  rules  of  carnal  wis- 
dom. Its  language  will  always  be.  Master,  spare  thyself ;  have  a 
care  of  thy  credit  and  reputation  among  men.  If  thou  speak  freely, 
they  will  call  thee  a  railer,  and  thy  preaching  reflections;  every 
parish  will  scare  at  thee  as  a  monster  of  men,  and  one  that  would 
preach  them  all  to  hell ;  and  so  thou  shalt  not  be  settled.  Such 
and  such  a  man,  that  has  a  great  influence  in  a  parish,  will  never 
like  thee.  That  way  of  preaching  is  not  the  way  to  gain  people ; 
that  startles  them  at  the  very  first.  You  may  bring  them  on  by 
little  and  little,  by  being  somewhat  smooth,  at  least  at  the  first :  for 
this  generation  is  not  able  to  abide  such  doctrine  as  that  thou 
preachest.  But  hear  thou  and  follow  the  rules  of  the  wisdom  that 
is  from  above  :  for  the  wisdom  of  the  world  is  foolishness  with  God ; 
that  which  is  in  high  esteem  among  men,  is  nought  in  the  sight  of 
God.  The  wisdom  that  is  from  above  will  tell  thee,  that  thou  must 
be  denied  to  thy  credit  and  reputation,  &c.  Matth.  xvi.  24;   Luke 


ART  OF  MAN-PISHINCt. 


21 


xiv.  26.  It  will  tell  thee,  Let  tliem  call  thee  what  they  will,  that 
thou  must  cry  aloud,  and  spare  not  ;  lift  up  thy  voice  like  a  trumpet,  ^c. 
Is.  Iviii.  1.  It  will  tell  thee,  that  God  has  appointed  the  bounds  of 
men\9  habitation,  Acts  xvii.  26.  It  will  tell  thee,  that  not  many  wise, 
not  many  mighty,  not  many  noble  are  called,  8^c.  1  Cor.  i.  29.  Whe- 
ther they  luill  hear,  or  whether  they  ivill  forbear,  thou  shalt  speak  God's 
xuords  xmta  them,  Ezek.  ii.  7.  It  will  shew  thee  rules  quite  contrary 
to  those  of  carnal  wisdom.  Let  me  consider  then  what  carnal  wis- 
dom says  to  me,  and  Avhat  the  wisdom  from  above  says. 


CARNAL  WISDOM. 


Thy  body  is  weak,  spare  it,  and 
weary  it  not ;  it  cannot  abide  toil,  la- 
bour, and  weariness ;  spare  thyself 
then. 


Labour  to  get  neat  and  fine  expres- 
sions ;  for  these  do  very  much  com- 
mend a  preaching  to  the  learned  ; 
and  without  these  they  think  nothing 
of  it. 


Endeavour  to  be  somewhat  smooth 
in  preaching,  and  calm ;  and  do  not 
go  out  upon  the  particular  sins  of  the 
land,  or  of  the  persons  to  whom  thou 
preachest. 


If  thou  wilt  not  do  so,  they  will  be 
irritated  against  thee,  and  may  cre- 
ate thee  trouble  ;  and  what  a  foolish 
thing  would  it  be  for  thee  to  speak 
boldly  to  such  a  generation  as  this, 
whose  very  looks  are  terrible  ? 


It  is  a  dangerous  way  to  speak 
freely,  and  condescend  on  particu- 
lars :  there  may  be  more  hazard  in  it 
than  thou  art  aware  of. 

Thou  wilt  be  looked  on  as  a  fo(d, 
as  a  monster  of  men  ;  thou  wilt  be 
called  a  railer  ;  and  so  lose  thy  repu- 
tation and  credit,  and  thou  hadst  need 
to  preserve  that.  Men  will  hate  and 
abhor  thee  ;  and  why  shouldst  thou 
expose  thyself  to  these  things  ? 

Vol.  Y. 


SPIRITDAL  WISD03I. 

Your  body  is  God's  as  well  as  your 
spirit ;  spare  it  not  for  glorifying 
God,  1  Cor.  vi.  20.  "  In  weariness 
and  painfulness,"  2  Cor.  xi.  27. 
"  He  giveth  power  to  the  faint,  and 
to  them  that  have  no  might  he  in- 
creaseth  strength,"  Is.  xl.  29.  This 
thou  hast  experienced. 

Christ  sent  thee  to  "  preach  the 
gospel  not  with  wisdom  of  words, 
1  Cor.  i.  17.  Go  not  to  them  with 
"excellency  of  speech,  or  of  wisdom," 

1  Cor.  ii.  I.  Let  not  thy  speech  and 
preaching  be  with  "the  enticing 
words  of  man's  wisdom,"  ver.  4. 

"  Cry  aloud,  and  spare  not,  lift 
up   thy  voice   like  a  trumpet:    shew 

my  people  their  sins,"   Is.  Iviii.    1 

"  Open  rebuke  is  better  than  secret 
love,"  Prov.  xxvii.  5.  "  Study  to 
shew  thyself  approved  unto  God, 
rightly  dividing  the  word  of  truth," 

2  Tim.  ii.  15. 

"  He  that  rebuketh  a  man,  after- 
wards shall  find  more  favour  than  he 
that  flattereth  with  the  tongue,"  Prov. 
xxviii.  2,3.  I  have  experience  of  this. 
"  Fear  them  not,  neither  be  afraid  at 
their  looks,  though  they  be  a  rebel- 
lious house,  I  have  made  thy  face 
strong  against  their  faces,"  Ezek.  iii. 
8,  9.     Experience  confirms  this. 

"  He  that  walketh  uprightly,  walk- 
eth  surely,"  Prov.  x.  9.  "  Whoso 
walketh  uprightly  shall  be  saved," 
chap,  xxviii.  18. 

"  Thou  must  become  a  fool,  that 
thou  mayest  be  wise,"  1  Cor.  iii.  18. 
"  We  are  made  a  spectacle  to  the 
world,"  chap.  iv.  9.  see  ver.  10. 
"  The  servant  is  not  greater  than  his 
lord,"  John  v.  20.  compared  with 
chap.  X.  20.     "  He  hath  a  devil,  and 

0 


22 


A  SOLILOQUY  ON  THE 


Great  people  especially  will  be  of- 
fended at  you,  if  you  speak  not  fair 
to  them  and  court  and  caress  them. 
And  if  you  be  looked  down  upon  by 
great  people,  who  are  wise  and 
mighty,  what  will  you  think  of  your 
preaching  ? 


Our  people  are  new  come  out  from 
under  Prelacy,  and  they  would  not 
desire  to  have  sins  told  particularly, 
and  especially  old  sores  to  be  ripped 
up.  They  cannot  abide  that  doc- 
trine. Other  doctrine  would  take 
better  with  them.  Hold  off  such 
things;  for  it  may  well  do  them  ill, 
it  will  do  them  no  good. 

If  you  will  preach  such  things,  yet 
prudence  requires  that  you  speak  of 
them  very  warily.  Though  consci- 
ence says  you  must,  yet  speak  them 
somewhat  covertly,  that  you  may  not 
offend  them  sore,  and  especially  with 
respect  to  them  that  are  but  coming 
in  yet,  and  do  not  fill  them  with  pre- 
judices at  first ;  you  may  get  occasion 
afterwards. 


Be  but  fair  especially  to  them  that 
have  the  stroke  in  parishes,  till  you 
be  settled  in  a  parish  to  get  stipend. 
If  you  will  not  do  so,  you  may  look 
for  toiling  up  and  down  then  ;  for 
parishes  will  scare  at  you,  and  will 
not  call  you,  and  how  will  you  live? 
And  so  such  a  way  of  preaching  will 
be  to  your  loss,  whereas  otherwise  it 
might  be  better  with  you. 


is  mad,  why  hear  ye  him?"  If  ihou 
wilt  be  Christ's  disciple,  "thou  must 
deny  thyself,"  Matth.  xvi.  24,  "  If 
the  world  liate  you,  ye  know  it  hated 
me  before  it  hated  you,"  John  xv.  18. 
says  our  Lord. 

"  Accept  no  man's  person,  neither 
give  flattering  titles  to  man  :  for,  in 
so  doing,  thy  Maker  will  soon  take 
thee  away,"  Job  xxxii.  2 1 ,  22.  "  Few 
of  the  rulers  liclieve  on  Christ,"  John 
vii.  48.  "  Not  many  wise  men  after 
the  flesh,  not  many  mighty,  not  many 
noble  are  called,"  1  Cor.  i.  26. 
"  Speak  thou  God's  word  to  kings, 
and  be  not  ashamed,"  Psal.  cxix.  4G. 

"  Thou  shalt  speak  my  words  unto 
them,  whether  they  will  hear,  or 
whether  they  will  forbear,  for  they 
are  most  rebellious,"  Ezek.  ii.  7. 
"  Give  them  warning  from  me.  If 
thou  do  it  not,  they  shall  die  in  their 
sins,  but  their  blood  will  I  require  at 
thy  hand,"  chap.  iii.  17,  18.  "  What 
the  Lord  saith  to  thee,  that  do  thou 
speak,"  1  Kings  xxii.  14. 

"  Cry  aloud,  and  spare  not,"  Is. 
Iviii.  1.  "  Cursed  be  he  that  doth 
the  work  of  the  Lord  deceitfully," 
Jer.  xlviii.  10.  "  Handle  not  the 
word  of  the  Lord  deceitfully."  Pe- 
ter, at  the  first,  told  the  Jews  that 
were  but  coming  in  to  hear,  "  Him 
(Christ)  ye  have  taken,  and  by  wicked 
hands  have  crucified  and  slain,"  Acts 
ii.  23.  "  Work  while  it  is  called  to- 
day ;  the  night  cometh  wherein  thou 
canst  not  work,"  John  ix.  4. 

"  To  have  respect  of  persons  is  not 
good  ;  for,  for  a  piece  of  bread  that 
man  will  transgress,"  Prov.  xxviii. 
21.  "  The  will  of  the  Lord  be  done," 
Acts  sxi.  14.  "  God  hath  determin- 
ed your  time,  before  appointed,  and 
the  bounds  of  your  habitation,"  Acts 
xvii.  26.  "  And  his  counsel  shall  stand, 
oppose  it  who  will,"  Is.  xlvi.  10.  "  It 
is  God  that  sets  the  solitary  in  fami- 
lies," Psal.  Ixviii.  6.  "  If  thou  be 
faithful,  thou  shalt  abound  with  bles- 
sings ;  but  if  thou  makest  haste  to  be 
rich,  thou  shalt  not  be  innocent," 
Prov.  xxviii.  20. 


Thus  thou  seest,  0  my  soul,  hovr  that  carnal  wisdom,  notwith- 
standing it  speaks  fair  and  with  a  good  deal  of  seeming  reason,  is 
quite  contrary  to  the  wisdom  that  is  from  above.     It  promiseth  fair, 


AKT  OF  MAX-FISniNO.  23 

but  its  promises  are  not  always  pei*formcd ;  it  threatens  sore,  Lut 
neither  do  its  threateuiugs  always  come  to  pass ;  it  makes  molehills 
mountains,  and  mountains  molehills :  therefore  reject  the  wisdom  of 
the  world,  for  it  is  foolishness  with  God.  Carnal  policy  would  make 
thee  fear  him  that  can  but  kill  the  body,  yea  that  cannot  do  so 
much  now,  and  to  cast  off  the  true  fear  of  God.  0  my  soul,  remem- 
ber that  word,  and  make  use  of  it  for  strengthening  thee,  Prov. 
xxix.  25.  The  fear  of  man  hringcth  a  snare ;  but  luJioso  putteth  his 
trust  in  the  Lord,  shall  be  safe.  Never  go  to  seek  temporal  profit,  by 
putting  thy  soul  in  hazard ;  but  wait  thou  on  the  Lord,  and  keep  his 
way,  and  he  shall  exalt  thee  to  inherit  the  land  ;  Psal.  xxxvii.  34.  for 
his  way  is  the  safest  way,  however  carual  wisdom  may  speak  other- 
wise of  it,  and  may  account  the  following  of  it  mere  folly;  but  re- 
member thou,  that  the  foolishness  of  God  is  iviser  than  men,  1  Cor.  i. 
27. 

Fifthly,  It  supposes,  that  we  must  not  make  men  our  rule,  to  fol- 
low them  any  farther  than  they  follow  Christ.  Be  ye  followers  of 
me,  says  the  apostle,  as  L  can  of  Christ,  1  Cor.  xi.  1.  Wherein  they 
follow  Christ  I  may  follow  them,  but  in  nothing  else.  All  men  are 
fallible ;  the  greatest  of  men  have  had  their  own  spots.  Luther's 
opinion  of  Christ's  corporal  presence  in  the  sacrament  aftbrds  a  not- 
able instance  of  this.  Therefore,  0  my  soul,  let  not  man's  authority 
prevail  with  thee  to  go  off  the  road  at  all.  If  Christ  himself  tell 
thee  not,  0  my  soul,  where  he  feedeth,  thou  mayst  be  left  to  turn 
aside  to  the  flocks  of  his  companions.  Have  a  care  of  putting  the 
servants  of  the  Lord  in  his  own  room  :  but  follow  thou  him. 

II.  Wherein  is  Christ  to  be  followed?  what  are  those  things  in 
him  that  I  must  imitate  him  in?  what  was  the  copy  that  he  did  cast, 
which  I  must  write  after,  in  order  to  my  being  a  fisher  of  men  ? 
What  he  did  by  divine  power  Is  inimitable  ;  I  am  not  called  to  fol- 
low him,  in  converting  sinners  by  my  own  power;  to  work  miracles 
for  the  confirmation  of  the  doctrine  that  I  preach,  &c.  But  there 
are  some  things  wherein  he  is  imitable,  and  must  be  followed  by 
preachers,  if  they  would  expect  to  be  made  fishers  of  men. 

First,  Christ  took  not  on  him  the  Avork  of  preaching  the  gospel 
without  a  call.  Is.  Ixi.  1.  "  For,  (says  he)  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  God 
is  upon  me,  because  the  Lord  hath  anointed  me  to  i>reach  good  tid- 
ings unto  the  meek,  he  hath  sent  me  to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted, 
to  proclaim  liberty  to  tlie  captives,  and  the  opening  of  the  prison  to 
them  that  are  bound."  In  this  he  must  be  followed  by  those  that 
would  be  catchers  of  men.  He  was  sent  by  the  Father  to  preach 
the  gospel ;  he  went  not  to  the  work  without  his  Father's  commis- 
sion.    Men  must  have  a  call  to  this  work,  Heb.  v.  4.     They  that 

c  2 


24  A  SOIiTLOQUY  0^  THE 

run  unsent,  that  take  on  tlic  work  without  a  call  from  God,  cannot 
expect  to  do  good  to  a  people,  Rom.  x.  14.  Jer.  xxiii.  /  sent  them 
not,  therefore  they  shall  not  profit  this  people.  Tell  me  then,  0  my 
soul,  whether  thou  hast  thus  followed  Christ  or  not  ?  Iladst  thou  a 
call  from  God  to  this  work  of  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  ?  or  hast 
thou  run  unsent  ? 

In  answer  to  this,  I  must  consider  that  there  is  a  twofold  call,  an 
extraordinary  and  an  ordinary  call.  Tlie  fust  of  these  I  was  not 
to  seek,  nor  may  I  pretend  to  it.  The  question  then  is.  Whether  I 
had  an  ordinary  call  from  God  or  not  to  preach  the  gospel  ? 

There  are  these  four  things  in  an  ordinary  call,  which  do  make  it 
up. 

1.  Knowledge  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Christian  religion  above  that 
of  ordinary  professors,  2  Tim.  iii.  16,  17.  This  I  endeavoured  to 
get  by  study,  and  prayer  unto  the  Lord ;  and  did  attain  to  it  in 
some  measure,  though  far  below  the  j^itch  that  I  would  be  at.  My 
knowledge  was  lawfully  tried  by  the  church,  and  they  were  satisfied. 

2.  Aptness  to  teach,  some  dexterity  of  communicating  unto  otliers 
that  knowledge,  1  Tim.  iii.  2.  2  Tim.  ii.  2.  This  was  also  tried  by 
the  church,  and  they  were  satisfied.  This  hath  been  acknowledged 
by  others  whom  I  have  taught ;  and  God  has  given  me  some  mea- 
sure of  it,  however  small. 

3.  A  will  some  way  ready  to  take  on  the  work  of  preaching  the 
gospel,  1  Pet.  v.  2.  This  I  had,  for  any  thing  I  know,  since  ever 
the  Lord  dealt  with  my  soul,  unless  it  was  in  a  time  of  distress. 
And  though  I  did  a  long  time  sit  the  call  of  the  church,  in  not  en- 
tering on  trials,  when  they  would  have  had  me,  yet  this  was  not  for 
want  of  will,  but  ability  for  the  work,  and  want  of  clearness  for  en- 
tering on  such  a  great  AFork  at  that  time.  I  had  notwithstanding 
some  desire  to  that  work,  which  desire  my  conscience  bears  me  wit- 
ness, did  not  arise  from  the  desire  of  worldly  gain ;  for  I  would 
have  desired  that  then,  and  would  go  on  in  the  work  now,  though 
there  were  no  such  thing  to  be  had  by  it,  yea  through  grace,  though 
I  should  meet  with  trouble  for  it.  Neither  was  it  the  love  of  vain- 
glory. Lord,  thou  knowest,  but  that  I  might  be  capable  to  do  some- 
thing for  God.  I  remember,  that  when  I  was  a  boy  at  tlie  school, 
I  desired  to  be  a  preacher  of  the  gospel,  because  of  all  men  mini- 
sters were  most  taken  up  about  spiritual  things.  This  my  desire  to 
the  work  did  then  run  upon. 

4.  The  call  of  the  church,  which  I  had  without  any  motion  from 
myself,  not  only  to  enter  on  trials,  but,  being  approved,  to  preach 
the  gospel  as  a  probationer  for  the  ministry ;  which  does  say,  that 
what  I  have  done  in  this  work,  I  have  not  done  without  a  call  from 


ART  OF  MAN-FISHING.  25 

God  ia  an  ordinary  way,  and  tliat  I  have  not  run  unsent.  For  con- 
firmation of  this  my  call,  I  refer  to  my  Diary,  some  things  to  this 
purpose  being  noted  there,  all  which  I  cannot  here  set  down.  Per- 
haps, if  leisnre  permit,  I  shall  extract  them  by  themselves  in  order. 
Blessed  be  the  Lord  that  made  my  darkness  as  noon-day. 

Secondly,  Christ  designed  his  Father's  glory  in  the  work.  It  was 
not  honour,  applause,  and  credit  from  men  that  he  sought,  but 
purely  the  Father's  glory.  Men  that  design  not  this,  cannot  be  use- 
ful to  the  church,  if  it  be  not  per  aecklens.  This  all  actions  are  to 
level  at ;  it  is  that  which  in  all  things  should  be  designed  as  the  ul- 
timate end.  Whether  therefore  ye  cat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  ye  do, 
do  all  to  the  glory  of  God.  Thou  seest  then  that  thou,  0  my  soul, 
must  follow  Christ  in  this,  if  thou  wouldst  be  a  fisher  of  men.  Lift 
up  thy  heart  to  this  noble  end,  and  in  all,  especially  in  thy  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel,  keep  this  before  thine  eyes.  Beware  of  seeking 
thy  own  glory  by  preaching.  Look  not  after  popular  applause ;  if 
thou  do,  thou  hast  thy  reward ;  (Matth.  vi.  2.)  look  for  no  more.  0 
my  soul,  invert  not  the  order,  Cant.  viii.  12.  "  Thou,  0  Solomon, 
must  have  a  thousand,  and  those  that  keep  the  fruit  thereof  two 
hundred."  Have  a  care  of  taking  a  thousand  to  thyself,  and  giving 
God  only  two  hundred.  Let  his  honour  be  before  thine  eyes;  tram- 
ple on  thy  own  credit  and  reputation,  and  sacrifice  it,  if  need  be,  to 
God's  honour.     And  to  help  thee  to  this,  consider, 

1.  That  all  thou  hast  is  given  thee  of  God.  What  hast  thou  that 
thou  hast  not  received  ?  What  an  unreasonable  thing  is  it  then  not 
to  use  for  his  glory  what  he  gives  thee ;  yea,  what  ingratitude  is  it  ? 
and  dost  thou  not  hate  the  character  of  an  ungrateful  person  ?  In- 
gratum  si  dixeris,  omnia  dixeris. 

2.  Consider  that  what  thou  hast  is  a  talent  given  thee  by  thy 
great  Master  to  improve  till  he  comes  again.  If  thou  improve  it  for 
him,  then  thou  shalt  get  thy  reward.  If  thou  wilt  make  thy  own 
gain  thereby,  and  what  thou  shouldst  improve  for  him,  thou  improve 
for  thyself,  what  canst  thou  look  for  then,  but  that  God  shall  take 
thy  talent  from  thee,  and  command  to  cast  thee  as  an  unprofitable 
and  unfaithful  servant  into  utter  darkness,  where  shall  be  weeping 
and  gnashing  of  teeth  ?  God  has  given  some  great  talents  ;  if  they 
improve  them  for  vain-glory  to  themselves  to  gain  the  popular  ap- 
plause, or  the  Hosannas  of  the  learned,  and  so  sacrifice  all  to  their 
own  net ;  what  a  sad  mcetinp;  will  such  have  at  the  great  day  with 
Christ  ?  What  master  would  endure  that  servant,  to  whom  he  has 
given  money  wherewith  to  buy  a  suit  of  good  clothes  to  his  master, 
if  he  should  take  that  money,  and  buy  therewith  a  suit  to  liimseK, 
which  his  master  should  have  had?     How  can  it  be  thought  that 

c3 


2G  A  SOLItOQUY  ON  Tllfi 

God  will  suffer  to  go  nnpunislietl  such  a  preaclier  as  lie  lias  given  ft 
talent  of  gifts  to,  if  he  shall  use  these  merely  to  gain  a  stipend  or 
applause  to  himself  therewith,  not  respecting  the  glory  of  his  Mas- 
ter? Wo  to  thee,  0  my  soul,  if  thou  take  this  path  wherein  de- 
stroyers of  men's  souls  and  of  their  own,  go. 

3.  Consider  that  the  applause  of  the  world  is  nothing  worth.  It 
is  hard  to  he  gotten;  for  readily  the  applause  of  the  unlearned  is 
given  to  him  whom  the  learned  despise,  and  the  learned  applaud 
him  whom  the  common  people  care  not  for.  And  when  it  is  got, 
what  have  you  ?  A  vain  empty  puff  of  wind.  They  think  much  of 
thee,  thou  thinkest  much  of  thyself,  and  in  the  mean  time  God 
thinks  nothing  of  thee.  Remember,  0  my  soul,  what  Christ  said  to 
the  Pharisees,  Luke  xvi.  15.  "  Ye  are  they  which  justify  yourselves 
before  men,  bnt  God  knoweth  your  hearts.  For  that  which  is 
highly  esteemed  among  men,  is  an  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God." 
Let  this  scare  thee  from  seeking  thyself. 

4.  Consider,  that  seeking  thy  own  glory  is  a  dreadful  and  abomi- 
nable thing.  (1.)  In  that  thou  then  puttest  thyself  in  God's  room. 
His  glory  should  be  that  which  thou  shouldst  aim  at,  but  then  thy 
base  self  must  be  sacrificed  too.  0  tremble  at  this,  0  my  soul,  and 
split  not  on  this  rock,  otherwise  thou  shalt  be  dashed  in  pieces. 
(2.)  In  that  it  is  the  most  gross  dissembling  with  God  that  can  be. 
Thou  pretendest  to  preach  Christ  to  a  people;  but  seeking  thy  own 
glory,  thou  preachest  thyself,  and  not  him.  Thou  pretendest  to  be 
commending  Christ  and  the  ways  of  God  to  souls,  and  yet  in  the 
mean  time  thou  coramendest  thyself.  Will  Christ  sit  with  such  a 
mocking  of  him  ?  0  my  soul,  beware  of  it ;  look  not  for  it,  but  for 
his  glory.  Who  would  not  take  it  for  a  base  affront,  to  send  a  ser- 
Tant  or  a  friend  to  court  a  woman  for  him,  if  he  should  court  her 
for  himself?  And  will  not  Christ  be  avenged  on  self-preaching  mi- 
nisters much  more  ?  (3.)  In  that  it  is  base  treachery  and  cruelty  to 
the  souls  of  hearers,  when  a  man  seeks  to  please  their  fancy  more 
than  to  gain  their  souls,  to  get  people  to  approve  him  mere  than  to 
get  them  to  approve  themselves  to  God.  This  is  a  soul-murdering 
way,  and  it  is  dear-bouglit  applause  that  is  won  by  the  blood  of 
souls.  0  my  soul,  beware  of  this.  Let  them  call  thee  v/hat  they 
will;  but  seek  thou  God's  glory  and  their  good. 

5.  Consider  that  so  to  do  is  a  shi-ewd  sign  of  a  graceless,  Christ- 
less,  and  faithless  heart,  John  v.  44.  How  can  ye  believe,  that  receive 
honour  one  of  another,  and  seek  not  the  honour  that  cometh  from  God 
only  ?  A  grain  of  faith  will  cure  this  lightness  of  the  head  and 
Jieart. 

6.  Consider,  0  my  soul,  thy  own  vileuess  ?     What  art  thou  but  a 


ART  OP  MAy-PISIIIKG.  -27 

poor  lump  of  clay,  as  to  tliy  body,  that  will  soon  return  to  the  dust, 
and  be  a  sweet  morsel  for  the  worms  that  now  thou  tramplest  upon  ! 
Hast  thou  not  seen  how  loathsome  the  body  is  many  times  in  life,  by 
filthy  boils  and  other  noisome  diseases,  and  after  death  what  an  ugly 
aspect  it  has  ?  Forget  not  the  sight  that  thou  sawest  once  in  the 
churchyard  of  Dunse,  how  a  body,  perhaps  sometime  beautiful,  was 
like  thin  mortar,  but  much  more  vile  and  abominable.  The  time 
will  come  that  thou  wilt  be  such  thyself.  But  what  art  thou  as  to 
thy  heart,  but  a  vile,  base,  and  ugly  thing,  so  many  filthy  idols  to 
be  found  there,  like  a  swarm  of  the  worst  of  vermine  ?  Art  thou 
not  as  a  cage  full  of  unclean  birds !  "What  thoughtest  thou  of  thy- 
self on  Monday  night,  Jan.  16,  1699?  What  unbelief  sawest  thou 
there,  what  baseness  of  erery  kind  ?  And  what  day  goes  over  thee, 
but  thou  seest  still  something  in  thee  to  humble  thee  ?  And  what 
wast  thou  that  God  has  employed  in  this  work  ?  Those  that  were 
sometime  thy  fellows  are  mean  and  despised ;  and  wilt  thou  for  all 
this  seek  thy  own  glory  ?     Wo  unto  thee  if  thou  dost  so. 

7.  Consider,  That  "  Him  that  honoureth  God,  God  will  honour ; 
but  he  that  despiseth  him,  shall  be  lightly  esteemed."  Have  respect, 
0  mj'  soul,  with  Moses,  to  the  recompense  of  reward,  and  beware  of 
preferring  thy  own  to  the  interest  of  Christ,  lest  thou  be  classed 
among  those  that  seek  their  own,  and  not  the  things  of  Christ. 

8.  Lastly,  Consider  Avhat  Christ  has  done  for  thee.  Forget  not 
his  goodness,  his  undeserved  goodness  to  such  a  base  wretch  as  thou 
art.  Remember  hira  from  the  land  of  the  Hermonites,  and  from 
Mizar-hill ;  and  let  love  to  him  predominate  in  thee,  and  thou  shalt 
then  be  helped  to  sacrifice  all  to  his  glory. 

Third!//,  Christ  had  the  good  of  souls  in  his  eye.  He  came  to 
seek  and  save  that  which  was  lost ;  he  came  to  seek  the  lost  sheep 
of  the  house  of  Israel.  So  he  sent  out  the  apostle  to  open  the  eyes  of 
the  blind,  to  turn  them  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of 
Satan  unto  God.  Follow  Christ  in  this,  0  my  soul,  that  thou  mayst 
be  a  fisher  of  men.  When  thou  studiest  thy  sermons,  let  the  good 
of  souls  be  before  thee ;  when  thou  preachest,  let  this  be  thy  design, 
to  endeavour  to  recover  lost  sheep,  to  get  some  brands  plucked  out 
of  the  btirning ;  to  get  some  converted,  and  brought  in  to  thy  Mas- 
ter. Let  that  be  much  in  tliy  mind,  and  be  concerned  for  that, 
whatever  doctrine  thou  preachest.  Consider,  0  ray  soul,  for  this 
efi"ect, 

1.  What  the  design  of  the  gospel  is.  What  is  it  but  this  ?  This 
is  the  finis  operis  ;  and  if  it  be  not  the  fnis  operantis,  it  is  very  la- 
mentable. It  is  the  everlasting  gospel  that  Christ  has  made  mani- 
fest, declaring  the  will  of  God  concerning  the  salvation  of  n;aa. 


28  A  SOLILOQUY  ON  THE 

2.  Consider  wlierefore  God  did  send  tliee  out.  Was  it  to  win  a 
livelihood  to  thyself?  Wo  to  them  that  count  gain  godliness;  that 
will  make  the  gospel  merely  subservient  to  their  temporal  wants. 
Rather  would  I  perish  for  want  than  win  bread  that  way.  Well 
then,  was  it  not  to  the  effect  thou  mightst  labour  to  gain  souls  to 
Christ?  Yea,  it  was.  Have  a  care  than  that  thou  be  not  like 
some  that  go  to  a  place,  being  sent  thither  by  their  master,  but  for- 
get their  errand,  when  they  come  there,  and  trifle  away  their  time 
in  vanity  and  fooleries. 

3.  Consider  the  worth  of  souls.  If  thou  remember  that,  thou 
canst  not  but  have  an  eye  to  their  good.  The  soul  is  a  precious 
thing:  which  appears  if  thou  consider,  (1.)  Its  noble  endowments, 
adorned  with  understanding,  capable  to  know  the  highest  object ; 
will  to  choose  the  same ;  affections  to  pursue  after  it,  to  love  God, 
hate  sin,  in  a  word,  to  glorify  God  here,  and  to  enjoy  him  here  and 
hereafter.  (2.)  It  must  live  or  die  for  ever.  It  shall  either  enjoy 
God  through  all  the  ages  of  eternity,  or  remain  in  endless  torments 
for  evermore.  (3.)  No  worldly  gain  can  counterbalance  the  loss  of 
it.  "  What  shall  it  profit  a  man,  if  he  should  gain  the  whole  world, 
and  lose  his  own  soul  ?  or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his 
soul  ?"  (4.)  It  cost  Christ  his  precious  blood  ere  it  could  be  re- 
deemed. It  behoved  him  to  bear  the  Father's  wrath,  that  the  elect 
should  have  borne  through  all  eternity ;  and  no  less  would  redeem  it. 
So  that  the  redemption  of  the  soul  is  indeed  precious.  (5.)  Christ 
courts  the  soul.  He  stands  at  the  door,  and  knocks,  to  get  in.  The 
devil  courts  it  with  his  baits  and  allurements.  And  wilt  thou,  0  my 
soul,  be  unconcerned  for  the  good  of  that  which  is  so  much  courted 
by  Christ  and  the  devil  both  ?  Be  ashamed  to  stand  as  an  uncon- 
cerned spectator,  lest  thou  show  thyself  none  of  the  Bridegroom's 
friends. 

4.  Consider  the  hazard  that  souls  are  in.  Oh  !  alas,  the  most 
part  are  going  on  in  the  high  way  to  destruction,  and  that  blind- 
folded. Endeavour  then  to  draw  off  the  vail.  They  are  as  brands 
in  the  fire  :  wilt  thou  then  be  so  cruel  as  not  to  be  concerned  to 
pluck  them  out?  If  so,  thou  shalt  burn  with  them,  world  without 
end,  in  the  fire  of  God's  vengeance,  and  the  furnace  of  his  wrath, 
that  shall  be  seven  times  more  hot  for  unconcerned  preachers  than 
others. 

5.  Consider  what  a  sad  case  thou  thyself  wast  in,  when  Christ 
concerned  himself  for  thy  good.  Thou  wast  going  on  in  the  way  to 
hell  as  blind  as  a  mole ;  at  last  Christ  opened  thine  eyes,  and  let 
thee  see  thy  hazard,  by  a  preacher  (worthy  Mr.  H.  Erskiue)  *  that 

•  See  the  foot-note  above,  page  II.      Several  remailiable  auectlotes  of  tliis  eminent 


ART  OF  MAN-FISIIING.  29 

was  none  of  the  uuconcenied  Gallios,  who  si>ared  neither  his  body, 
his  credit,  nor  reputation,  to  gain  thee,  and  the  like  of  thee.  And 
wilt  thou  preach  unconcerned  for  others  ?  I  should  abhor  myself  as 
the  vilest  monster,  in  so  doing.  Lord,  my  soul  rises  at  it  when  I 
think  on  it.  My  soul  hates,  and  loathes  that  way  of  preaching : 
but  without  thee,  I  can  do  nothing.  Lord,  rather  strike  me  dumb, 
than  suffer  me  to  i>reach  unconcerned  for  the  good  of  souls  ;  for  so 
I  should  murder  neither  my  own  soul,  nor  those  of  others. 

6.  Consider  that  unconcernedness  for  the  good  of  souls  in  preach- 
ing, argues,  (1.)  A  dead  lifeless  heart,  a  loveless  soul,  with  respect 
to  Christ.  If  thou  hast  any  life  or  love  to  Christ,  darest  thou  be 
unconcerned  in  this  matter  ?  Nay,  sure,  he  that  has  life  will  move ; 
and  he  that  hath  love,  will  be  concerned  for  the  i^ropagating  of 
Christ's  kingdom.  (2.)  Unbelief  of  the  threatenings  of  God  espe- 
cially. For  if  thou  believe  that  the  wicked  shall  be  turned  into 
hell,  and  all  the  nations  that  forget  God,  thou  canst  not  j>reach  to 
them  as  if  thou  wert  telling  a  tale.  If  thou  believe  that  they  must 
depart  into  everlasting  fire,  thy  heart  will  not  be  so  frozen  as  to  be 
unconcerned  for  them.  The  sight  of  it  by  faith  will  thaw  thy  frozen 
heart.  (3.)  A  stupid  heart,  and  so  a  hateful  frame.  "Who  would 
not  abhor  a  watchman  that  saw  the  enemy  coming  on,  if  he  should 
bid  them  only  in  the  general  i>rovide  to  resist  their  enemies,  or 
should  tell  them  that  the  enemy  were  coming  on,  so  unconcernedly 
as  they  might  see  he  cared  not  whether  they  should  live  or  perish  ? 
And  what  a  hateful  stupidity  is  it  in  a  preacher  of  the  gospel  to  be 
unconcerned  for  souls,  when  they  are  in  such  hazard  ? 

7.  The  devil  shames  such  preachers.  He  goes  about  like  a  roar- 
ing lion,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour;  and  they,  set  to  keep  souls, 
creep  about  like  a  snail.  He  is  in  earnest  when  he  tempts ;  but 
such  are  unconcerned  whether  people  hear,  or  forbear  to  hear  their 
invitations,  reproofs,  &;c.  Yea,  how  concerned  are  the  devil's  minis- 
ters that  agent  his  business  for  him  ?  They  will  compass  sea  and 
land  to  gain  one  proselyte.  And  shall  the  preachers  of  the  gospel 
be  unconcerned  ? 

8.  If  it  be  so  that  thou  be  unconcerned  for  the  good  of  souls,  it 
seems  thou  earnest  not  in  by  the  door,  but  hast  broken  over  the  wall, 
and  art  but  a  thief  and  a  robber,  Jolin  x.  1,  comiiared  with  verse  12. 
"  lie  that  is  an  hireling,  seeth  the  wolf  coming,  fleeth,  and  leaveth 
the  sheep,  and  the  wolf  catcheth  them."     Ver.  15,  "  The  hireling 

minister  may  be  seen  in  Wodrow's  History  of  the  Sufferings  of  the  Church  of  Scotland, 
vol.  ii.  page  256,  and  in  Cai.asiy's  continuation  of  the  account  of  the  ejected  ministers, 
vol.  ii.  page  678  et  SHCi.  Mr.  Boiton  gives  a  particular  account  of  his  conversion  in 
his  Diary  and  Memoirs, 


30  A  SOLILOQUY  ON  THE 

fleetli,  because  he  is  an  liireling,  and  carctli  not  for  the  sheep."  0 
my  soul,  if  at  any  time  thou  fnidest  thy  heart  unconcerned  then,  not 
having  the  good  of  souls  before  thee,  remember  this. 

9.  Lastly,  thou  canst  not  expect  God's  help,  if  thou  forgettcst  thy 
errand.  ITast  thou  not  known  and  experienced,  that  these  two, 
God's  help  in  preaching,  and  a  concernedness  for  the  good  of  souls, 
have  gone  with  thee  2:)ari  jymsu  ?  0  my  soul,  then  endeavour  to  be 
much  in  following  of  Clirist  this  way,  setting  the  good  of  souls  before 
thine  eyes ;  and  if  thou  dost  so,  thou  niayst  be  a  fisher  of  men, 
though  thou  knowest  it  not. 

Fourthly,  Christ  had  not  only  the  good  of  souls  before  his  eyes, 
but  he  was  much  affected  with  their  case ;  it  lay  heavy  on  his  spirit. 
There  are  these  four  things  wherein  this  appeared,  that  occur  to  me, 
■with  which  he  was  much  affected. 

1.  He  had  compassion  on  the  multitude,  because  they  were  as 
sheep  without  a  shepherd,  Matth.  ix.  36.  That  the  people  wanted 
true  pastors,  was  affecting  to  him ;  he  had  compassion  on  them. 
Follow  Christ  in  this,  0  my  soul ;  pity  them  that  wander  as  sheep 
without  a  shepherd.  And  let  this  consideration  move  thee,  when 
thou  goest  to  preach  in  planted  congregations,  where  thou  wilt  even 
see  many  that  are  wandering,  though  they  have  faithful  pastors.* 
Look  on  them  as  sheep  not  better  for  them  than  if  they  wanted  a 
shepherd.  But  especially  when  thou  goest  to  vacant  congregations, 
pity  them,  commiserate  their  case,  as  sheep  wanting  a  shepherd  ; 
which  no  doubt  will  be  a  notable  means  to  make  thee  improve  well 
the  little  time  allowed  thee  for  gathering  them  in.  Be  affected  with 
their  case ;  and,  for  this  end,  consider, 

(1.)  That  such  are  in  a  perishing  condition :  Wliere  fio  vision  is,  the 
people  perish.  They  are  ignorant,  no  wonder,  they  have  none  to  in- 
struct them  ;  they  have  lean  souls,  no  wonder,  they  have  none  to 
break  the  bread  of  life  to  them ;  they  wander  from  God's  way,  they 
have  none  to  watch  over  them,  and  so  the  devil  takes  his  opportunity. 

(2.)  Consider  that  for  the  most  j)art  here  at  least,  [This  was  writ- 
ten while  I  i)reached  in  the  presbytery  of  Stirling]  people  are  de- 
prived of  watchmen,  in  regard  of  the  malignancy  and  ticklishness  of 
their  superiors ;  so  that  though  the  people  would  ever  so  gladly  re- 
ceive one  to  break  the  bread  of  life  to  them,  yet  they  cannot  get 

*  The  author  probably  speaks  here  of  people  in  different  parishes,  who,  though  pri- 
vileged with  faithful  niiaisters,  yet,  through  attachment  to  Prelacy,  would  not  hear 
them  ;  or  of  some  people  called  Cameronians  or  Old  Dissenters,  who  refused  fo  coun- 
tenance the  revolution  church,  because  she  had  not  renewed  the  covenants.  ]Mr. 
Boston  met  with  no  little  trouble  from  these  last  after  his  settlement  at  Ettrick.  How 
far  will  misguided  zeal  lead  some  otherwise  well-meaning  people! 


ART  OF  MAJT-FISniKCi.  31 

iheir  will,  by  reason  of  these  keeping  it  from  tliem.  *  It  would 
make  thy  heart  to  relent,  if  thou  sawest  a  child  that  would  be  con- 
tent to  have  a  pedagogue  to  guide  him,  seeing  he  acknowledges  he 
cannot  do  it  himself,  if  notwithstanding  his  tutor  should  not  allow 
him  one,  but  stand  in  the  way  of  it,  and  so  the  child  be  lost  for  want 
of  a  pedagogue.  So,  0  my  soul,  commiserate  thou  the  case  of  those 
who  would  fain  have  one  to  Avatch  over  their  souls,  but  yet  they 
that  should  employ  their  authority,  power,  wit,  &c.  to  find  out  one 
for  them,  either  lie  by  or  oppose  the  same. 

(3.)  Consider  the  many  souls  that  go  out  of  time  into  eternity, 
during  the  time  that  they  want  a  shc];)herd.  They  have  none  to 
instruct  them,  none  to  let  them  see  their  hazard,  none  to  comfort 
them,  when  death  comes,  but  they  slip  away,  many  of  them  at  least, 
as  the  brutes  that  perish.  Thou  hast  found  this  to  have  been  a 
cause  of  thy  commiserating  such  before  now,  when  thou  hast  spoken 
to  such  being  a  dying.  If  this  be  well  considered,  and  laid  to  heart, 
thou  canst  not  but  pity  them  on  that  very  account,  which  will  stir 
thee  up  to  employ  the  little  time  thou  hast  among  them,  so  as  they 
may  be  fitted  for  death. 

2.  Christ  wept,  because  people  in  their  day  did  not  know,  i.  e.  do, 
the  things  that  belonged  to  their  peace,  Luke  xix.  41,  42.  When 
he  thought  upon  this  their  stupidity,  it  made  the  tears  trinkle  down 
liis  precious  cheeks.  0  my  soul,  thou  hast  this  ground  of  mourning, 
this  day,  wherever  thou  goest.  Who  are  they* that  are  concerned  to 
do  what  is  necessary  to  be  done  in  order  to  their  peace  with  God  ? 
Few  or  none  are  brought  in  to  Christ.  It  is  rare  to  hear  now  ot  a 
soul  converted;  but  most  part  are  sleeping  on  in  their  sins  in  this 
their  day,  like  to  sit  the  day  of  God's  patience  with  them,  till  pa- 
tience be  turned  into  fury.  Many  heart-melting  considerations  to 
this  purpose  may  be  found.  I  shall  only  say  this  in  cumulo,  that 
such  a  case  is  most  dej)lorable,  in  the  noon-tide  of  the  day  that  peo- 
ple should  venture  on  the  feud  of  such  a  dreadful  enemy  as  God  is, 
and  should  sit  as  quiet  even  when  the  sword  of  vengeance  is  hanging 
by  a  hair  over  their  heads,  and  notwithstanding  that  every  day  may 
be,  for  ought  I  know,  their  last  day,  every  sermon  the  last  that  ever 
they  shall  hear,  and  that  ere  the  next  day  these  enemies  shall  be 
made  to  rencounter  with  the  terrible  and  dreadful  Majesty,  who 
shall  go  through  them  as  thorns  and  briers,  and  burn  them  up  to- 
gether, by  the  fire  of  his  wrath,  world  without  end.     0  my  soul,  how 

Some  of  the  curates,  tliroujh  the  favour  of  the  great,  continueil  in  their  churches 
for  many  years  after  the  revolution,  in  several  paits  of  the  kingdom,  and  particularly 
in  some  parishes  belonging  to  the  synod  of  Perth  and  Stirling,  as  well  as  the  north. 


32  A  .SOLILOQUY  ON  THE 

canst  tliou  think  of  tliis,  and  not  be  more  affected  with  the  case  of 
people  as  they  are  now-a-days  ?  Sure,  if  thou  couldst  Treep,  here  is 
ground  enough  for  tears  of  blood. 

3.  He  was  grieved  for  the  hardness  of  people's  hearts,  Mark  iii. 
5.  It  was  ground  of  grief  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  people  were  so 
hardened,  that  no  means  used  for  their  amendment  would  do  them 
good.  Follow  Christ  in  this,  0  ray  soul ;  be  grieved  and  affected 
with  the  hardness  of  the  hearts  of  this  generation.  0  what  hardness 
of  heart  niayst  thou  see  in  every  corner,  whither  thou  goest,  and 
Avhere  thou  preachest,  most  part  being  as  unconcerned  as  the  very 
stones  of  the  wall ;  and  say  what  thou  wilt,  either  by  setting  before 
them  alluring  promises,  or  dreadful  threatenings,  yet  jjeople  are 
hardened  against  both,  none  relenting  for  what  they  have  done,  or 
concerned  about  it,  though  thou  wouldst  preach  till  thy  eyes  leap 
out.  0  happy  they  whose  time  God  has  brought  to  a  period,  and 
taken  to  himself!  Happy  servants  whom  God  has  called  out  of 
the  vineyard,  before  the  ground  grow  so  hard  that  almost  all  labour 
was  in  vain  !  This  is  a  time  of  mourning  for  the  preachers  of  the 
gospel,  for  people  are  strangely  hardened.  Which  is  the  more  la- 
mentable, 0  my  soul,  if  thou  consider,  (1.)  What  God  has  done  even 
for  this  generation.  He  has  taken  off  from  our  necks  the  yoke  of 
tyranny  and  arbitrary  power,  and  has  given  deliverance  from  Pre- 
latic  bondage  ;  and  yet  for  all  this  the  generation  is  hardened. 
(2.)  If  thou  consider  fiow  the  Lord  has  been  dealing  with  us  by  rods. 
For  some  time  there  was  great  dearth  of  fodder  for  beasts ;  yet  that 
stirred  us  not  up.  Afterwards  was  death  of  cattle  ;  yet  we  have 
not  returned  to  the  Lord.  Then  followed  death  of  men,  women,  and 
children.  He  has  sent  blasting  among  our  corns.  This  is  now,  I 
suppose,  the  fourth  year  of  our  dearth.*  And  for  all  these  things 
we  remain  hardened.  0  Lord,  thou  hast  stricken  them,  hut  they  have 
not  grieved  ;  thou  hast  consumed  them,  but  they  refuse  to  receive  correc- 
tion ;  they  make  their  faces  harder  than  a  rock,  they  refuse  to  return. 
What  shall  be  the  end  of  such  hardness  as  this  ?  (3.)  It  is  yet 
more  lamentable,  in  regard  the  i>lague  of  hardness  seems  to  be  uni- 

*  The  author  here  mentions  the  great  dearth  and  famine  that  prevailed  in  Scotland 
for  several  years  before  the  1700,  chiefly  owing  to  unfavourable  harvests.  Of  this 
melancholy  accounts  may  be  seen  in  several  pamphlets  published  at  that  time.  At 
this  day  it  is  too  evident  the  Lord  is  exercising  us  in  some  measure  with  the  same 
judgment,  while  still  greater  hardness  of  heart  and  inipenitency  prevails  among  all 
ranks,  accompanied  with  monstrous  luxury  and  abuse  of  mercies,  greater  than  ever 
was  known  in  this  poor  kingdom.  God  grant  we  may  not  again  experience  this  judg- 
ment, of  the  breaking  of  the  staff  of  bread,  in  the  same  dreadful  nianner  as  our  ances- 
tors felt  it.      "  Prepare  to  meet  thy  God,  O  Israel." 


ART  OF  MAN-FISIIINO.  33 

versal.  It  is  not  only  the  wicked,  or  openly  profane,  or  those  that 
have  no  religion,  bnt  the  professors  of  religion  that  are  hardened  in 
part.  Oh  my  soul,  this  is  a  day  wherein  Scotland's  pillars  are  like 
to  fail,  a  day  wherein  the  hands  of  our  Moseses  are  like  to  fall,  and 
Amalek  is  like  to  prevail.  Many  professors  desire  to  hear  the 
causes  of  God's  wrath  searched  into,  bnt  they  are  not  mourning  over 
them  ;  and  truly  it  is  most  lamentable,  that  those  among  us  who  as,* 
so  many  Joshuas  should  be  discovering  the  Achans  in  our  camp,  that 
are  the  troublers  of  Israel,  by  a  strange  kind  of  dealing  are  very 
wary  in  meddling  therewith,  or  to  show  them  unto  people.  *  And  it 
is  much  to  be  feared,  that  there  are  among  us  some  accursed  things 
that  are  not  yet  found  out.  0  that  God  would  put  it  in  the  hearts 
of  Zion's  watchmen  to  discover  what  these  Achans  are,  and  that 
preachers  were  obliged  even  by  the  church  to  speak  more  freely  of 
the  sins  of  the  land.  But,  alas  !  0  Lord,  why  hast  thou  hardened 
all  of  us  from  thy  fear  ?  (4.)  If  thou  consider,  that  this  hardness 
of  heart  is  a  token  of  sad  things  yet  to  come.  W/io  hath  hardened 
himself  against  God,  and  prospered  ?  Job  x.  4.  Alas  !  it  is  a  sad 
prognostic  of  a  further  stroke,  that  seeing  we  will  not  be  softened 
either  by  word  or  rod,  therefore  the  Lord  will  thus  do  to  ns ;  and 
seeing  he  will  do  thus,  we  may  prepare  to  meet  the  Lord  coming  in 
a  way  of  more  severe  judgment  against  us.  Sad  it  is  already; 
many  families  are  in  a  deplorable  condition,  and  yet  nothing  bet- 
tered by  the  stroke ;  and  what  a  sad  face  will  this  land  have,  if  it 
be  continued  ?  Spare,  0  Lord,  thine  inheritance,  thy  covenanted 
people,  and  make  us  rather  fall  on  such  methods  as  may  procure  the 
removal  of  the  stroke.  These,  and  many  other  things,  0  my  soul, 
may  indeed  make  thee  grieved  for  the  hardness  of  this  generation: 

Fifthly,  Christ  was  much  in  prayer;  and  that,  1.  Before  he 
preached,  as  Luke  ix.  18.  Follow  him  in  this,  0  my  soul.  Thou 
hast  much  need  to  pray  before  thou  preachest.  Be  busy  with  God 
in  prayer,  when  thou  art  thinking  on  dealing  with  the  souls  of  men. 
Let  thy  sermons  be  sei'uions  of  many  prayers.     Well  doth  prayer 

The  author  probably  means  some  people  who  had  fult  the  rigour  of  the  persecution 
in  the  infamous  reigns  before  the  revolution,  or  were  attached  to  the  testimony  of  these 
sufferers,  and  were  grieved  that  a  more  particular  and  full  enumeration  of  the  grounds 
of  the  Lord's  controversy  was  not  made  in  acts  for  fasts  emitted  by  the  church  after 
the  revolution;  who,  however,  were  not  suitably  employed  in  mourning  over  them. 
And  he  also  insinuates  the  policy  of  some  leaders  in  the  church,  by  whose  means 
chiefly  a  thorough  scrutiny  into  the  grounds  of  the  Lord's  contending  with  the  church 
and  land  at  this  time,  was  in  a  great  measure  impeded.  But  if  there  was  ground  of 
complaint  for  this,  at  that  time,  how  sad  is  our  present  case,  when  there  has  not  been 
a  national  fast  for  several  years,  and  not  one  appointed  by  the  church  for  more  than 
forty  ! 


34  A  SOLILOQUY  ON  THE 

become  every  Christian,  but  much  more  a  preacher  of  the  gospel. 
Three  things,  said  Luther,  make  a  divine,  tentatlo,  mcditatio,  et  -pre- 
catio.  Be  stirred  up,  0  my  soul,  to  this  necessary  work  ;  and  for 
this  end  consider, 

1.  That  thou  canst  not  otherwise  say  of  tliy  preacliing,  Thus  saith 
the  Lord.  How  wilt  thou  get  a  word  from  God,  if  thou  do  not  seek 
it;  and  bow  canst  thou  seek  it  but  by  earnest  prayer?  If  other- 
wise, thou  mayst  get  something  that  is  the  product  of  thy  empty 
head  to  mumble  over  before  the  pcoi>le,  and  spend  a  little  time  with 
them  in  the  church.  But  0  it  is  a  miserable  preaching  where  the 
preacher  can  say,  Thus  say  I  to  i/ou,  but  no  more ;  and  cannot  say, 
Thus  saith  the  Lord. 

2.  Consider  thy  own  insufficiency  and  weakness,  together  with  the 
weight  of  the  work,  Who  is  sii^cicnt for  these  things?  which  if  thou 
do,  thou  wilt  not  dare  study  without  prayer,  nor  yet  pray  without 
study,  when  God  allows  thee  time  for  both.  It  is  a  weighty  work  to 
bring  sinners  in  to  Christ,  to  pluck  the  brands  out  of  the  fire.  Hast 
thou  not  great  need  then  to  be  serious  with  God  before  thou  preach  ? 

3.  Consider  that  word,  Jer.  xxiii.  22.  "  But  if  they  had  stood  in 
my  counsel,  and  had  caused  my  people  to  hear  my  words,  then  they 
should  have  turned  them  from  their  evil  way."  There  is  no  doubt 
but  preachers  not  standing  in  God's  counsel  this  day,  and  not  mak- 
ing men  to  hear  God's  woi'ds,  is  one  great  reason  of  the  unsuccess- 
fulness  of  the  gospel.  Now  this  way,  to  wit,  prayer  in  faith,  is  the 
most  proper  expedient  for  acquaintance  with  the  counsel  of  God. 
Neglect  it  not  then.     0  my  soul,  but  be  much  in  the  duty. 

Lastly,  Remember,  that  thou  hast  found  much  good  of  such  a 
practice,  and  hast  found  much  of  the  Lord's  help  both  in  studying 
and  preaching,  by  so  doing.  For  which  cause  thou  allottest  the 
Sabbath  morning  entirely  to  that  exercise,  and  meditation,  if  thou 
canst  get  it  done.  Wherefore  let  this  be  thy  work.  And  there  are 
these  things  which  thou  wouldst  specially  mind  to  pray  for  with  re- 
spect to  this. 

(1.)  That  thou  mayst  have  a  word  from  the  Lord  to  deliver  unto 
them ;  that  thou  mayst  not  preach  to  them  the  product  of  thy  own 
wisdom,  and  that  which  merely  flows  from  thy  reason ;  for  this  is 
poor  heartless  preaching. 

(2.)  That  thy  soul  may  be  alFected  with  the  case  of  the  people  to 
whom  thou  preachest.  If  that  be  wanting,  it  will  be  tongue  preach- 
ing, but  not  heart-preaching. 

(3.)  That  thy  heart  may  be  inflamed  with  zeal  for  the  glory  of 
thy  Master;  that  out  of  love  to  God,  and  love  to  souls  thy  preach- 
ing may  flow. 


AP.T  OF  MAN-FISUIXG.  35 

(4.)  Tluat  tlic  Lord  may  preach  it  into  tliy  owu  heart,  both  when 
thou  studiest  and  deliverest  it.  For  if  this  be  not,  thou  shalt  be 
like  one  that  feeds  others,  but  starves  himself  for  hunger;  or  like 
a  way-mark,  that  shews  the  way  to  men,  but  never  moves  a  foot 
itself. 

(5.)  Tliat  thou  niayst  be  helped  to  deliver  it;  and  that,  (1.)  With 
a  suitable  frame,  thy  heart  being-  affected  with  what  thou  speakest; 
(2.)  Faithfully,  keeping  up  nothing  that  the  Lord  gives  thee ;  and, 
(3.)  Without  confusion  of  mind,  or  fear  of  man. 

(6.)  That  thou  mayst  have  bodily  strength  allowed  for  the  work, 
that  thy  indisposition  disturb  thee  not. 

Lastly,  That  God  would  countenance  thee  in  the  work  with  his 
presence  and  power  in  ordinances,  to  make  the  word  spoken  a  con- 
vincing and  converting  word  to  them  that  are  out  of  Christ ;  a  heal- 
ing word  to  the  broken ;  confirming  to  the  weak,  doubting  and  stag- 
gering ones,  &c. ;  that  God  himself  avouM  drive  the  fish  into  the  net, 
when  thou  spreadest  it  out.  In  a  word,  that  thou  mayst  be  helped 
to  approve  thyself  to  God,  as  a  workman  that  ncedeth  not  to  be 
ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the  word  of  truth. 

2.  After  preaching,  Christ  was  taken  up  in  this  work,  Mark  vi. 
46.  Matth.  xiv.  23.  And  ivhen  he  had  sent  the  mtdtitudes  away,  he 
ivent  up  into  a  mountain  apart  to  pray.  Follow  Christ  in  this,  0  my 
soul.  It  is  better  to  do  this,  than  go  away  with  the  great  people  in 
the  afternoon ;  which  I'  shun  as  much  as  I  can ;  and  when  at  any 
time  I  do  it,  it  is  a  kind  of  torment  to  me ;  which  I  have  shunned, 
and  do  resolve  to  shun  more ;  and  if  at  any  time  I  be  necessitated 
to  go,  that  I  shall  spend  more  time  alone  through  grace.  Pray  to 
God,  0  my  soul,  that  thy  labours  be  not  unsuccessful ;  that  what 
thou  hast  delivered,  may  not  be  as  water  spilt  on  the  ground.  Pray 
for  pardon  of  thy  failings  in  public  duties ;  and  that  God  may  ac- 
cept of  thy  mite  which  thou  givcst  with  a  willing  mind;  that  he 
would  not  withdraw  his  blessing  because  of  thy  failings ;  but  that 
he  Avould  be  pleased  to  water  with  the  dew  of  heaven  the  ground 
wherein  thou  didst  sow  the  seed,  that  it  may  spring  up  in  due  time ; 
that  the  word  preached  may  be  as  a  nail  fastened  by  the  Master  of 
assemblies,  so  as  the  devil  may  not  be  able  to  draw  it  out.  Think 
not,  0  ray  soul,  that  thy  work  is  over,  and  thou  hast  no  more  to  do, 
when  the  people  are  dismissed.  Xo,  no ;  it  is  not  so.  Think  with 
thyself,  that  the  devil  was  as  busy  as  thou  wast,  when  thou  wast 
preaching;  and  that  afterwards  he  is  not  idle.  And  shall  he  be 
working  to  undo  thy  work,  and  thou  unconcerned  to  hold  it  toge- 
ther ?  0  no,  it  must  not  be  so ;  God  will  not  be  pleased  with  this. 
And  alas!  I  have  been  too  slack  iu  this  point  before  this:  Lord, 


36  A  SOLILOQUY  OX  THE 

help  me  to  amend.  If  a  man  had  a  servant  tliat  would  go  out  and 
sow  his  seed  A'ery  diligently  and  faithfully;  but  would  come  in,  and 
sit  down  idle  when  it  is  sown,  and  forget  to  harrow  it,  and  hide  it 
with  the  earth  ;  would  the  master  be  well  pleased  with  him  ?  yea, 
would  he  not  be  highly  displeased,  because  the  fowls  would  come 
and  pick  it  up  ?  So,  0  my  soul,  if  thou  shouldst  be  never  so  much 
concerned  to  get  good  seed,  and  never  so  faithful  and  diligent  in 
sowing  it;  yet  if  after  tliou  turn  careless,  and  take  not  the  way 
to  cover  it,  by  serious  seeking  to  the  Lord,  that  he  may  keep  it  in 
the  hearts  of  people,  and  make  it  to  prosper,  the  devil  may  pick  it 
all  up;  and  where  is  thy  labour  then;  and  how  will  the  Lord  be 
pleased  with  thee  !  Therefore  pray  more  frequently,  cry  more  fer- 
vently to  God,  when  the  public  work  is  over,  than  thou  hast  done ; 
and  endeavour  to  be  as  much  concerned  when  it  is  over,  as  when 
thou  wast  going  to  it.  I  do  not  doubt,  but  many  times,  when  thou 
preachest,  some  get  checks  and  convictions  of  guilt ;  some  j)crhap3 
are  strengthened;  but  both  impressions  wear  off  very  soon.  I  fear 
thou  must  confess,  and  take  with  a  sinful  hand  in  this,  in  that  thou 
dost  not  enough  labour  to  get  the  seed  covered  when  it  is  sown,  and 
the  nail  driven  farther  in  when  it  is  entered.  Though  many  times 
thy  body  is  wearied  after  the  public  work,  yet  sure  thou  mayst  do 
more  than  thou  dost ;  and  if  thy  soul  were  more  deeply  affected,  the 
weariness  of  body  would  not  be  so  much  in  thy  mind ;  but  thou 
wouldst  trample  on  it,  that  thou  might  get  good  done  by  thy  work^ 
and  souls  might  not  always  thus  be  robbed  by  that  greedy  vulture 
and  roaring  lion,  the  enemy  of  thy  own  salvation,  and  the  salvation 
of  others.  Although  he  has  been  as  busy  to  do  harm  all  the  day  to 
souls  as  thou  hast  been  to  do  good,  yet  he  will  not  complain  of  wea- 
riness at  night.  Take  courage  then,  0  ray  soul,  and  be  strong  in 
the  Lord ;  and  do  not  give  it  over  to  this  enemy ;  endeavour  to  hold 
him  at  the  staff's  end.  Thou  hast  a  good  second ;  Christ  is  con- 
cerned for  his  own  seed  as  well  as  thou.  Go  on  then,  and  be  strong 
in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might,  and  let  that  ravenous 
fowl  never  get  a  grain  away  as  long  as  thou  canst  get  it  kept  from 
him.  Thus  then,  0  my  soul,  follow  Christ,  in  being  taking  up  in 
this  so  necessary  an  exercise.  Tliy  Lord  and  Master  had  no  wants 
to  get  made  up,  there  was  no  fear  of  his  failing  in  this  work  of  the 
gosi)el ;  yet  he  prayed,  to  give  all,  and  especially  preachers  of  his 
word,  an  example.  Lay  not  aside  the  pattern  then,  but  write  after 
his  copy  even  in  this. 

Swthfy,  Christ  contemned  the  world ;  he  slighted  it  as  not  meet 
for  any  of  his  followers.  He  became  poor,  that  we  might  become 
rich,  Matth,  viii.  20.     He  gave  himself  entirely,  at  least  after  his 


ART  OF  MAN'-FISHIXG.  37 

inauguration,  to  matters  that  concerned  the  calling  he  had  to  the 
work  of  the  gospel,  John  ix.  4.     AII7  especially  preachers,  are  to 
follow  Christ  in  the  contempt  of  the  world.     Yet  we  must  beware 
of  imitating  him  in  those  things  which  we  are  not  commanded  to 
follow,  as  voluntary  poverty,  this  being  a  part  of  his  satisfaction  for 
the  sins  of  the  elect.     Neither  doth  this  exempt  the  preachers  of  the 
gospel  from  a  lawful  provision  of  things  necessary  for  themselves, 
or  others  they  are  concerned  in ;  for  the  apostle  tells  us,  that  he  is 
worse  than  an  infidel,  who  doth  not  provide  for  his  family,  1  Tim.  v. 
8.  wliere  church-men  are  not  excepted.     Yea,  it  is  clear  that  the 
ministers  of  the  gospel  may  sometimes  work  with  their  hands  for 
their  maintenance,  either  when  the   iniquity  of  the  times  wherein 
they  live  does  not  allow  them  what  may  be  for  their  maintenance, 
or  when  the  taking  of  it  will  hinder  the  propagation  of  the  gospel, 
as  is  clear  by  the  practice  of  the  apostle  Paul.     So  that  that  in 
which,  with  respect  to  this,  thou  art  to  follow  Christ,  0  my  soul,  is, 
that  thou  do  not  needlessly  involve  thyself  in  worldly  matters,  to 
the  hindrance  of  the  duties  of  thy  calling  and  station.     As  thou  art 
a  preacher  of  the  gospel,  other  things  must  cede  and  give  place  to 
that.     This  is  that  which  our  Lord  teaches  us,  Matth.  viii.  22.  Fol- 
low thou  Trie;    and  let   the  dead  hury  their  dead:   and   the   apostle, 
2  Tim.  ii.  4.  No  man  that  warreth  entangleth  himself  ivith  the  affairs  of 
this  life.     Which  was  a  thing  not  observed  by  some,  especially  our 
bishops,  who  acted  as  magistrates,  as  well  as  ministers;   a  thing 
which  our  Lord  absolutely  refused ;     Who  made  me  a  judge  or  a 
ruler  ?  says  he ;  yet  digested  by  them,  being  an  infallible  sign  of 
their  ignorance  of  the  weight  of  that  work.     And  in  my  opinion  it 
is  not  observed  either  by  some  ministers  now-a-days,  who  when  they 
have  their  glebes  and  stipends  sufficient  for  their  maintenance,  do 
notwithstanding  take  more  land  a-farming.     For  my  part,  I  see  not 
how  such  can  be  said  not  to  entangle  themselves  with  the  affairs  of 
this  life,  and  go  beyond  what  doth  become  them  as  ministers  of  the 
gospel.     Neither  of  these  are  my  temptation  now,  being  a  proba- 
tioner.    But  seeing  I  am  unsettled,  a  corrupt  heart  and  a  subtile 
devil  may  take  advantage  of  me,  if  I  be  not  wary,  and  by  their  ar- 
guments from  my  present  state  may  cast  me  off  my  feet,  if  I  take 
not  heed.     Therefore,  0  my  soul, 

1.  Beware  of  preaching  smoothly  upon  the  account  of  getting  a 
call  from  any  parish.  Have  a  care,  that  the  want  of  that,  viz.  a 
call,  do  not  put  thee  upon  men-pleasing.  No,  no ;  that  must  not  be 
thy  business.  Remember,  God  provides  for  thee  even  now  liberally, 
as  he  sees  fit.  Thou  dost  not  want  even  so  much  of  the  world  as  is 
very  necessary;  and  he  that  has  provided  for  thee  hitherto,  yea. 
Vol.  Y.  d 


38  A  SOLILOQUY  ON  THE 

took  thee,  and  kept  thee  from  tlie  womb,  will  not  forsake  thee  as 
long  as  thou  dost  not  forsake* him,  hut  remainest  faithful.     Remem- 
ber, God  hath  set  the  bounds  of  thy  habitation,  and  determined  the 
time.     Though  men  and  devils  should  oppose  it,  they  shall  not  be 
able  to  hinder  it.     It  is  God  himself  that  sets  the  solitary  in  fami- 
lies ;  and  why  shouldst  thou  go  out  of  God's  way  to  procure  such  a 
thing  to  thyself,  or  to  antedate  the  time  Avhich  is  appointed  of  God ; 
Go  on  in  faithfulness,  fear  not ;    God  can  make,  yea  will  make  a 
man's  enemies  to  be  his  friends,  when  his  ways  please  the  Lord. 
And  though  their  corruptions  disapprove  of  thy  doctrine,  and  thy- 
self for  it,  yet  their  consciences  may  be  made  to  approve  it,  and 
God  may  bind  them  up,  that  they  shall  not  appear  against  thee. 
Remember  what  J.  B.  thy  known  enemy,  said  and  how  he  carried. 
See  more  to  this   purpose   before,  in   the  comparison   of  spiritual 
and  carnal  wisdom,  p.  21,   22.      And  what  though  thou  shouldst 
never   be   settled  in  any  charge  at  all  ?    Christ  and  his   apostles 
were  itinerants.      If  the  Lord    see   it   fit,  why    shouldst   thou  be 
against  it?     If  the  Lord  have  something  to  do  with  thee  in  diverse 
corners  of  his  vineyard,  calling  thee  sometimes  to  one  place,  some- 
times to  another,  thou  art  not  to  quarrel  that.     Perhaps  thou  may- 
est  do  more  good  that  way  than  otherwise.     If  thou  hadst  been 
settled  at  home,  then  some  souls  here,  which  perhaps  have  got  good 
of  thy  preaching,  would  have  been  deprived  of  it  at  least  as  from 
thee ;  and  God  will  always  give  thee  meat  as  long  as  he  gives  thee 
work  ;    and  go  where  thou  wilt,  thou  canst  not  go  out  of  thy  Fa- 
ther's ground.     Further,  if  thou  shouldst  take  that  way,  and  trans- 
gress for  a  piece  of  bread,  thou  mayst  come  short  of  thy  expectation 
for  all  that,  and  lose  both  the  world  and  a  good  conscience.     But 
suppose  thou  shouldst  by  that  means  gain  a  call  and  a  good  stipend, 
thou  losest  a  good  conscience,  Avhich  is  a  continual  feast.     For  how 
can  such  a  practice  be  excused  from  simony,  seeing  it  is  munus  a  lin- 
gua ;  and  it  is  a  certain  symptom  that  a  preacher  seeks  not  them, 
but  theirs ;  and  so  thou  gettest  it,  and  the  curse  of  God  with  it. 
No ;  Lord,  in  thy  strength,  I  resolve  never  to  buy  ease  and  wealth 
at  such  a  dear  rate. 

2.  Beware  that  thou  close  Avith  no  call  upon  the  account  of  sti- 
pend. Lay  that  by  when  thou  considerest  the  matter.  See  what 
clearness  thou  canst  get  from  the  Lord,  when  any  call  may  be  given 
thee,  and  walk  according  to  his  mind,  and  the  mind  of  the  church. 
"Wo  is  me  if  a  stipend  should  be  that  which  should  engage  me  to  a 
place.  I  would  shew  myself  a  wretched  creature.  Consider  mat- 
ters then  abstracting  from  that.     For  surely, 

(1.)    This  is  direct  simony;   selling  the  gift  of  God  for  money. 


ART  OF  MAN-PISHING.  39 

Let  their  money  perish  with  themselves,  that  will  adventure  to  do 
so.  Such  are  buyers  and  sellers,  that  God  will  put  out  of  his  tem- 
ple. Such  are  mere  hirelings,  working  for  wages ;  and  too  much  of 
Balaam's  temper  is  to  be  found  there. 

(2.)  That  will  provoke  God  to  curse  your  blessings,  and  to  send  a 
moth  among  that  which  thou  raayst  get ;  and  it  surely  will  provoke 
God  to  send  leanness  to  thy  soul,  as  he  did  with  the  Israelites  in 
the  wilderness,  when  he  gave  them  what  they  wei'c  seeking. 

(3.)  Thou  canst  not  expect  God's  blessing  on  thy  labours,  but  ra- 
ther that  thou  shouldst  be  a  plague  to  a  people  whom  you  so  join 
with.  In  a  word,  thou  wouldst  go  in  the  wrong  way,  and  be  dis- 
countenanced of  God,  when  you  have  xmdertaken  the  charge. 

There  is  yet  a  third  case  wherein  this  contempt  or  slighting  of  the 
world  should  appear  in  one  sent  to  preach  the  gospel ;  that  is,  when 
a  man  is  settled,  and  has  encouragement  or  stipend  coming  in  to 
him,  and  so  must  needs  have  worldly  business  done,  especially  if  he 
be  not  single,  whereby  he  is  involved  in  more  trouble  thereabouts, 
than  any  in  my  circumstances  for  the  time  are.  In  such  a  case  a 
minister  would  endeavour  to  meddle  as  little  as  he  can  with  these 
things,  but  shun  them  as  much  as  lies  in  him,  especially  if  he  have 
any  to  whom  he  can  well  trust  the  management  of  his  affairs.  For 
surely  the  making  of  bargains  or  pursuing  them  are  not  the  fit  ob- 
ject of  a  minister's  employment.  Not  that  I  mean  simply  a  man 
may  not  do  that,  and  yet  be  a  fisher  of  men ;  but  that  many  times 
the  man  that  takes  such  trouble  in  the  things  of  the  world  to  catch 
them,  indisposes  himself  for  the  art  of  man-fishing.  But  this  not 
being  my  case,  I  pass  it,  referring  any  rules  in  this  case  how  to 
walk  till  the  Lord  be  pleased  so  to  tryst  me,  if  ever.  Only  do  thou, 
0  my  soul,  follow  Christ  in  the  contempt  of  the  world.  Do  not  re- 
gard it.  Thou  mayst  use  it  as  a  staff  in  thine  hand,  but  not  as  a 
burden  on  thy  back,  otherwise  the  care  of  souls  will  not  be  much  in 
thy  heart.  And  to  help  thee  to  this  contempt  of  the  world,  consi- 
der, 

(1.)  The  vanity  of  the  world.  Solomon  knew  well  what  it  was  to 
have  abundance,  yet  he  calls  all  vanitii  of  vanities,  all  is  but  vanity. 
The  world  is  a  very  empty  thing,  it  cannot  comfort  the  soul  under 
distress.  No ;  the  body  it  can  do  no  good  to  when  sore  diseases  do 
afflict  it.  The  world  cannot  profit  a  man  in  the  day  of  wrath. 
"When  God  arises  to  plead  with  a  person,  his  riches  avail  nothing. 
When  he  lies  down  on  a  death-bed,  they  can  give  him  no  comfort, 
though  all  bis  coffers  were  full.  "When  he  stands  before  the  tribu- 
nal of  God,  they  profit  him  nothing.  Why  then  should  such  an 
useless  and  vain  thing  be  esteemed  ? 

d2 


40  A  SOXILOQUY  ON  THE 

(2.)  Consider  that  the  love  of  the  world  where  it  predominates,  is 
a  sign  of  want  of  love  to  God :  If  any  man  love  the  ivorld,  the  love  of 
the  Father  is  not  in  him.  Yea,  even  in  a  gracious  soul,  in  so  far  as 
the  love  of  the  world  sways  the  heart,  in  so  far  doth  the  love  of  God 
decay.  They  are  as  the  scales  of  the  balance,  as  the  one  goes  up, 
the  other  goes  down. 

(3.)  Consider  the  uncertainty  of  worldly  things.  They  are  as  a 
bird  that  takes  the  wings  of  the  morning,  and  flees  away.  Set  not 
thy  heart  then  on  that  which  is  not.  How  many  and  various  chan- 
ges as  to  the  outward  state  are  in  a  man's  life  !  The  beggar  may 
well  say,  Hodie  mihi,  eras  tibi  Men  sometimes  vile  are  exalted,  ho- 
nourable men  are  depressed ;  and  the  world  is  indeed  volubilis  rota  ; 
that  part  which  is  now  up,  shall  ere  long  be  down.  Seest  thou  not 
that  there  is  no  constancy  to  be  observed  in  the  world,  save  a  con- 
stant  inconstancy  ?  All  things  go  on  in  a  constant  course  of  vicissi- 
tude. Nebuchadnezzar  in  one  hour  is  walking  with  an  uplifted 
heart  in  his  palace,  saying.  Is  not  this  great  Bahglon  that  I  have  built, 
8fc.  ?  and  the  nest  driven  from  men,  and  made  to  eat  grass  as  an  ox. 
Herod  in  great  pomp  makes  an  oration,  the  people  cry  out.  It  is  the 
voice  of  a  God,  and  not  of  a  man,  and  he  is  immediately  eaten  up  of 
worms.  The  rich  man  to-day  fares  sumptuously  on  earth,  and  to- 
morrow cannot  get  a  drop  of  water  to  cool  his  tongue. 

(4.)  Consider  the  danger  that  people  are  in  by  worldly  things, 
when  they  have  more  than  daily  bread.  The  rich  man  in  Luke  xii. 
felt  this  to  be  a  stumbling-block  on  which  he  broke  his  neck.  The 
young  man  in  the  gospel,  for  love  of  what  he  had  of  the  world, 
parted  with  Christ,  heaven  and  glory,  and  so  made  a  sad  exchange. 
Prosperity  in  the  world  is  a  dangerous  thing ;  it  is  that  which  de- 
stroys fools,  Prov.  i.  32.  When  Jeshuruu  waxed  fat,  he  kicked 
against  God,  and  forgat  the  Lord  that  fed  him,  Deut.  xxxii.  15.  It 
was  better  for  David  when  he  was  on  the  one  side  of  the  hill,  and 
his  enemies  on  the  other,  and  so  in  great  danger,  than  when  he  was 
walking  at  ease  on  his  house-top,  when  he  espied  Bathsheba  washing 
herself.  And  of  this,  0  my  soul,  thou  hast  had  the  experience. 
Our  Lord  tells  us,  that  it  is  very  hard  for  a  rich  man  to  be  saved ; 
and  teaches  us,  that  it  is  hard  to  have  riches,  and  not  set  the  heart 
on  them.  What  care  and  toil  do  men  take  to  themselves  to  get 
them !  what  anxiety  are  they  exercised  with,  and  how  do  they  tor- 
ment themselves  to  keep  them  !  and  when  they  are  got  and  kept,  all 
is  not  opera}  pretium  to  them.  Many  by  riches  and  honour,  &c.  have 
lost  their  bodies,  and  more  have  lost  their  souls.  It  exposes  men  to 
be  the  object  of  others,  as  Naboth  was  even  for  his  vineyard  ;  and 
iuho  can  stand  before  envy  ?   Prov.  xxvii.  4.     See  1  Tim.  vi.  9,  10. 


ART  OF  MAN-FISHING.  41 

This  ruined  Nabotli,  1  Kings  xxi.  Da  eholum  Bdisano,  quern  virtus 
eatulit,  invldia  deprcssit.  So  that  he  that  handles  the  world,  can  very 
hardly  come  away  with  clean  fingers.  It  is  a  snake  in  the  bosom, 
that,  if  God  prevent  it  not  by  his  grace,  may  sting  thy  soul  to  death. 

5.  Remember  the  shortness  and  the  uncertainty  of  thy  time. 
Thou  art  a  tenant  at  will,  and  knowest  not  how  soon  thou  mayst  re- 
move ;  and  thou  canst  carry  nothing  with  thee.  Therefore  having 
food  and  raiment,  (which  the  Lord  does  not  let  thee  want),  be  there- 
with content,  1  Tim.  vi.  7,  8.  Thou  art  a  stranger  in  this  earth, 
going  home  to  thy  Father's  house,  where  there  will  be  no  need  of 
such  things  as  the  world  aflfords.  Why  shouldst  thou  then,  0  my 
soul,  desire  any  more  than  will  carry  thee  to  thy  journey's  end? 
Art  thou  going  to  set  uj)  thy  tent  on  this  side  Jordan  to  dwell  here  ? 
Art  thou  saying.  It  is  good  for  me  to  be  here  ?  Art  thou  so  well 
entertained  abroad,  that  thou  desirest  not  to  go  home  ?  No,  no. 
Well  then,  0  my  soul,  gird  up  the  loins  of  thy  mind.  Thou  art 
making  homeward,  and  thy  Father  bids  thee  run  and  make  haste : 
go  then,  and  take  no  burden  on  thy  back ;  lest  it  make  thee  halt 
by  the  way,  and  the  doors  be  shut  ere  thou  reachest  home,  and  so 
thou  lie  without  through  the  long  night  of  eternity. 

And  to  shut  up  all,  remember  that  there  are  other  things  for  thee 
to  set  thy  affections  on  than  the  things  of  this  world.  There  are 
things  above  tliat  merit  thy  affections.  Where  is  Christ,  heaven 
and  glory,  when  thou  lookest  upon  the  world,  highly  esteeming  it? 
Seest  thou  no  beauty  in  it  to  ravish  thy  heart  ?  Surely  the  more 
thou  seest  in  him,  the  less  thou  wilt  see  in  the  world.  And  hath 
not  experience  confirmo^  this  to  thee  ?  Alas,  when  the  beauty  of 
the  upper  house  is  in  my  offer,  that  ever  I  should  have  any  kindness 
for  the  world,  that  vile  dwarf  and  monster,  that  shall  at  the  last  be 
seen  by  me  all  in  a  fire.  Sursum  cor,  0  my  soul !  thou  lookest  too 
low.  Behold  the  King  in  his  glory ;  look  to  him  that  died  for  thee, 
to  save  thee  from  this  present  evil  world.  See  him  sitting  at  the 
right  hand  of  the  throne  of  the  Majesty  in  heaven.  Behold  the 
crown  in  his  hand  to  give  thee,  when  thou  hast  overcome  the  world. 
Behold  the  recompense  of  reward  bought  to  thee  with  his  precious 
blood,  if  thou  overcome.  Ah !  art  thou  looking  after  toys,  and  go- 
ing off  thy  way  to  gather  the  stones  of  the  brook,  when  thou  art 
running  for  a  crown  of  gold,  yea  more  than  the  finest  gold  ?  Does 
this  become  a  man  in  his  right  wits  ?  Yea,  does  it  not  rather  argue 
madness,  and  a  more  than  brutish  stupidity  ?  The  brutes  look 
down,  but  men  are  to  look  up.  They  have  a  soul  capable  of  higher 
things  than  what  the  world  aftbrds :  therefore, 

d3 


42  A  SOLILOQUY  ON  THE 

Pronaque  cum  spectent  animalia  ccetera  terram, 
Os  homini  sublime  dedit,  cadumque  tueri 
Jussit,  et  ereetos  ad  sidera  toUere  vultus. 

Be  then  of  a  more  noble  spirit  than  the  earth-worms.  Let  the 
swine  feed  on  husks.  Be  thou  of  a  more  sublime  spirit :  trample  ou 
those  things  that  are  below.  Art  thou  clothed  with  the  sun  ?  get 
the  moon  under  thy  feet  then;  despise  it,  look  not  on  it  with  love, 
turn  from  it,  and  pass  away.  Let  it  not  move  thee  if  thou  be  poor, 
Christ  had  not  where  to  lay  his  head.  Let  not  the  prospect  of  fu- 
ture troublesome  times  make  thee  solicitous  how  to  be  carried 
through ;  for  "  thou  shalt  not  be  ashamed  in  the  evil  days,  and  in 
the  days  of  famine  thou  shalt  be  satisfied."  God  hath  said  it,  Psal. 
sxxvi.  19.  therefore  do  thou  believe  it.  Be  not  anxious  about  thy 
provision  for  old  age,  for  by  all  appearance  thou  wilt  never  see  it. 
It  is  more  than  probable  thou  wilt  be  sooner  at  thy  journey's  end. 
Thy  body  is  weak  ;  it  is  even  stepping  down  to  salute  corruption  as 
its  mother,  ere  it  has  well  entered  the  hall  of  the  world :  thy  taber- 
nacle pins  seem  to  be  drawing  out  by  little  and  little  already. 
Courage  then,  0  my  soul ;  ere  long  the  devil,  and  the  world,  and  the 
flesh  shall  be  bruised  under  thy  feet ;  and  thou  shalt  be  received 
into  eternal  mansions.  But  though  the  Lord  should  lengthen  out 
thy  days  to  old  age,  he  that  brought  thee  out  of  thy  mother's  belly, 
will  not  forsake  thee  then  either.  If  he  give  thee  life,  he  will  give 
thee  meat.  Keep  a  loose  hold  of  the  world  then;  contemn  it  if 
thou  wouldst  be  a  fisher  of  men. 

Sevcuthli/,  Christ  was  useful  to  souls  in  his  private  converse,  tak- 
ing occasion  to  instruct,  rebuke,  &c.  from  such  things  as  oflPered, 
Thus  he  dealt  with  this  woman  of  Samaria ;  he  took  occasion  from 
the  water  she  was  drawing,  to  tell  her  of  the  living  water,  &c. 
Thus  being  at  a  feast,  he  rebuked  the  Pharisees  that  chose  the  up- 
permost seats,  and  instructed  them  in  the  right  way  of  behaviour  at 
feasts.  0  my  soul,  follow  Christ  in  this.  Be  edifying  in  thy  pri- 
vate converse.  When  thou  ai't  at  any  time  in  company,  let  some- 
thing that  smells  of  heaven  drop  from  thy  lips.  Where  any  are 
faulty,  reprove  them  as  prudently  as  thou  canst ;  where  they  appear 
ignorant,  instruct  them  when  need  requires,  &c.  And  learn  that 
heavenly  chymistry  of  extracting  some  spiritual  thing  out  of  earthly 
things.  To  this  purpose  and  for  this  end  endeavour  after  a  hea- 
venly frame,  which  will,  as  is  storied  of  the  philosopher's  stone,  turn 
every  raelal  into  gold.  When  the  soul  is  heavenly,  it  will  even 
scrape  jewels  out  of  a  dunghill ;  whatever  the  discourse  be,  it  will 
afford  some  one  useful  thing  or  another.     Alas!  my  sonl,  that  thou 


AUT  OF  MAN-FISniNG.  43 

dost  follow  this  example  so  little.  0  what  a  shame  is  it  for  thee  to 
sit  down  iu  company,  and  rise  again,  and  part  with  them,  and  never 
a  word  of  Christ  to  be  heard  where  thou  art?  Be  ashamed  of  this, 
and  remember  what  Christ  says,  Matth.  x.  32,  33.  "  Yv^hosoever 
shall  confess  me  before  men,  him  will  I  confess  also  before  my  Fa- 
ther,— but  whosoever  shall  deny  me  before  men,  him  will  I  also 
deny  before  my  Father,  which  is  in  heaven."  How  many  times  hast 
thou  been  somewhat  exact  iu  thy  conversation  when  alone ;  but 
"when  in  company,  by  the  neglect  of  this  duty,  especially  of  rebuk- 
ing, thou  hast  come  away  with  loss  and  a  troubled  mind,  because  of 
thy  faint-heartedness  this  way.  Amend  in  this,  and  make  thy  con- 
verse more  edifying,  and  take  courage  to  reprove,  exhort,  &c.  Thou 
knowest  not  what  a  seasonable  admonition  may  do ;  the  Lord  may 
be  pleased  to  back  it  with  life  and  power. 

Eighthly,  Christ  laid  hold  upon  opportunities  of  public  preaching 
when  they  offered,  as  is  clear  from  the  whole  history  of  the  gospel. 
He  gave  a  pattern  to  ministers  to  be  instant  in  season  and  out  of 
season.  0  my  soul,  follow  Christ  iu  this :  refuse  not  any  occasion 
of  preaching,  when  God  calls  thee  to  it.  It  is  very  unlike  Christ's 
practice  for  preachers  of  the  gospel  to  be  lazy,  and  slight  the  oppor- 
tunities of  doing  good  to  a  people,  when  the  Lord  puts  opportunities 
in  their  hand.     For  this  end  consider, 

1.  Besides  Christ's  example,  that  thou  art  nothing  worth  in  the 
world,  in  so  far  as  thou  art  lazy.  What  for  serve  wc,  if  we  are  not 
serviceable  for  God  ? 

2.  It  may  provoke  God  to  take  away  thy  talent  and  give  it  to 
another,  if  thou  be  not  active.  Whatever  talent  the  Lord  hath 
given  thee,  it  must  bo  employed  in  his  service.  He  gaA^e  it  not  thee 
to  hide  it  in  a  napkin.  Remember  what  became  of  the  unprofitable 
servant  that  hid  his  Lord's  money. 

3.  Thou  knoAvest  not  when  thy  Master  shall  come.  And  blessed 
is  that  servant  Avhom,  when  his  Lord  shall  come,  he  shall  find  so  do- 
ing. If  Christ  should  come  and  find  thee  idle,  when  he  is  calling 
thee  to  work,  how  wilt  thou  be  able  to  look  him  in  the  face  ?  They 
are  well  that  die  at  Christ's  work.  ***** 


ENK  OF  THE  SOLILOIJUY. 


THE 

DISTINGUISHING     CHARACTERS 

OF 

TRUE    BELIEVERS. 

I.  Ijr  KELATION  TO  GOD  IN  CHRIST,  AS  THEIR  KErUCIE  AND  PORTION. 

Psalm  cxlii.  5. 

I  cried  unto  thee,  0  Lord,  I  said,  Thou  art  my  refuge,  and  my  'portion, 
in  the  land  of  the  living* 

¥hat  is  a  pertinent  question  to  put  to  each  of  you,  which  was  pro- 
posed to  Elijah  in  the  cave,  TFhat  dost  thoni  here,  Elijah  ?  1  Kings 
xix.  9.  Sure  I  am,  you  have  weighty  business  to  do  here,  whether 
you  lay  it  to  heart  or  not.  Ye  are  in  this  world  as  in  a  weary 
land,  a  wilderness,  a  place  of  great  danger,  and  of  great  wants  :  and 
if  you  have  felt  it  so,  ye  are  come  with  a  design  to  seek  a  refuge, 
where  ye  may  be  in  safety ;  and  a  portion  for  your  souls,  whence 
your  wants  may  be  supplied.  Our  text  discovers  where  ye  may  find 
both :  I  cried  unto  thee,  O  Lord,  I  said,  Thou  art  my  refuge,  and 
my  poHion  in  the  land  of  the  living. 

These  words  shew  us  the  course  David  took  for  relief  in  most 
straitening  circumstances.  He  was  hiding  himself  in  a  cave,  that  of 
Adullam  or  Engedi,  for  fear  of  Saul,  by  whom  he  was  in  hazard 
of  his  life.  His  spirit  was  like  to  sink  under  the  burden  of  perplex- 
ing fears  and  griefs ;  he  was  in  the  utmost  perplexity,  ver.  3.  My 
spirit  was  ovenvhelmed  ivithin  me,  says  he.  He  was  deserted  by  all, 
and  as  an  outcast  that  nobody  cared  for,  ver.  4.  I  looked  on  mi/  right 
hand,  and  beheld,  but  there  was  no  man  that  tvonld  know  me  ;  refuge 
failed  me  ;  no  man  cared  for  my  soul.  In  this  case  he  betakes  himself 
to  the  Lord  by  prayer.     And  here, 

1.  We  may  notice  his  praying  in  that  case,  I  cried  unto  thee,  0 

"  The  first  sermon  on  this  text  was  preached  at  Ettrick,  August  19,  1722,  imme- 
diately before  the  administration  of  the  Lord's  supper. 


GOD  IN  CHRIST,  ETC.  45 

Lord.  Though  his  case  was  extremely  heavy,  yet  it  did  not  render 
him  incapable  of  praying,  but  quickened  him  to  that  delightful  exer- 
cise, and  caused  him  to  cry  to  heaven  out  of  the  belly  of  the  earth. 
Fears,  sorrows,  and  perplexities  on  any  account  whatsoever,  are 
gone  too  far,  when  they  restrain  prayer  to  the  Lord  :  yet  it  may  be 
the  case  of  a  saint,  as  of  Asaph  when  he  said,  I  am  so  troubled  that 
I  cannot  speak,  Psal.  Ixxvii.  4.  Such  would  do  well  to  hearken' to 
that  word.  Cant.  ii.  14.  0  my  dove, — let  me  see  thy  countenance,  let  me 
hear  thy  voice :  for  sweet  is  thy  voice,  and  thy  countenance  is  comely. 
The  best  ease  for  a  heart  full  of  trouble  and  grief,  is  to  give  it  a 
vent  into  the  bosom  of  a  gracious  God,  as  appears  from  the  title  of 
Psal.  cii.  A  prayer  of  the  ajlicted,  luhen  he  is  oveituhelmed,  and 
poureth  out  his  complaint  before  the  Lord.  Hannah  found  it  so  in  her 
comfortable  experience,  1  Sam.  i.  18.  who  having  poured  out  her  soid 
before  the  Lord,  luent  her  luay,  and  her  countenance  tvas  no  more  sad. 

2.  His  faith  in  prayer,  I  said,  Thou  art  my  refuge,  and  my  portion. 
He  said  it  not  only  with  the  mouth,  but  also  and  chiefly  in  and  with 
his  heart  (as  the  word  is  often  used.)  His  heart  and  soul  said  it, 
upon  the  discovering  of  the  Lord's  holding  forth  himself  in  his 
word,  the  ground  of  faith,  for  a  refuge  and  portion  to  the  sous  of 
men.     And  here  three  things  are  to  be  observed. 

\st,  Faith's  discerning  the  Lord  Jehovah's  fulness  for  and  suitable- 
ness to  the  soul's  case  :  and  this  must  be  by  the  perspective  of  the 
word,  illuminated  by  the  Spirit.  The  psalmist  saw  the  Lord  by 
faith,  perfectly  suited  to  his  case,  in  the  several  exigencies  thereof. 

(1.)  He  was  compassed  about  with  evils  threatening  to  swallow 
him  up,  and  in  all  the  creation  he  could  find  no  place  to  flee  to  where 
he  might  be  safe  :  Refuge  failed  me,  says  he,  or,  A  place  to  jlee  to  is 
perished  from  me.  But  by  faith  he  discerns  a  refuge  above  him, 
though  there  was  none  in  all  the  world.  Above  me  thou  art  a  re- 
fuge ;  and  if  I  can  get  there,  I  would  be  safe. 

(2.)  He  was  under  many  wants,  and  there  was  none  to  supply 
them.  Though  he  could  have  got  a  place  to  flee  to  in  the  earth, 
where  he  might  have  been  safe  ;  yet  how  could  he  live  in  it  ?  for  no 
man  cared  for  his  soul  or  life,  ver.  4.  But  faith  discernes  Jehovah 
to  be  a  portion,  that  one  may  live  on,  when  the  world  will  afford 
him  nothing.  Thou  art  a  portion  ;  and  if  I  can  get  that,  I  will 
have  enough. 

2dly,  Faith's  discerning  the  soul's  liberty  of  access  to  the  Lord  as 
a  refuge  and  a  portion.  This  also  must  be  by  the  perspective  of  the 
word,  illuminated  by  the  Spirit.  The  gospel-oft'er  casts  open  the 
.door  of  the  refuge,  and  proclaims  the  portion  to  be  free  to  every 
man  that  will  take  it,  Rev.  xxii.  17-  which  general  offer  is  equiva- 


46  GOD  IX  CHRIST 

lent  to  a  particular  one;  as  if  the  Lord  sljould  say,  The  refuge  is 
open  for  you  and  you,  every  one  of  you,  so  that  you  may  flee  to  it 
without  fear ;  and  the  portion  is  free  for  you  and  you,  and  every 
one  of  you,  and  you  may  take  and  use  it  as  yonr  own, 'without 
fear  of  vitious  intromission.  Hence  our  Lord  says.  He  that  helicveth 
shall  be  saved,  Mark  xvi.  16  ;  and  the  apostle,  Believe  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved,  Acts  xvi.  31.  And  this  offer 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  carries  home  on  the  soul,  that  the  man  be- 
lieves the  offer  is  to  him  in  particular,  the  refuge  is  open  to  him,  the 
portion  free  to  him,  according  to  the  word,  1  John  y.  11.  This  is  the 
record,  that  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life. 

'6dly,  Faith's  appropriating  of  the  Lord  as  a  refuge  and  portion, 
to  itself.  Thou  art  my  refuge,  and  my  portion.  The  Lord  speaks  by 
his  Spirit  in  his  word,  and  says  to  the  soul,  "  I  am  a  safe  refuge  and 
a  full  portion,  and  I  am  willing  and  offer  myself  freely  to  be  thy  re- 
fuge and  thy  portion."  The  soul  believes  God,  and  says,  "  Then, 
Lord,  thou  art  my  refuge  and  my  portion ;  even  so  I  take  thee." 
And  thus  the  bargain  is  closed,  and  the  soul  takes  possession  of  the 
refuge  and  i)ortion  which  was  offered.  This  is  that  direct  acting  of 
faith,  in  the  cave,  which  the  i)salmist  reflects  upon  with  pleasure 
afterwards.     I  said  it  then. 

And  it  shines  bright  in  sincerity  as  faith  unfeigned.  "  Away  with 
all  other  refuges,  as  refuges  of  lies.  Lord,  I  take  thee  for  my  re- 
fuge, and  thou  art  my  refuse,  where  I  shall  be  in  safety,  as  despe- 
rate as  my  case  appears  to  be.  And  I  take  thee  not  only  as  my 
refuge,  but  my  portion  ;  and  my  portion  from  this  moment,  as  well 
as  my  refuge.  I  design  not  to  take  the  crown  of  Israel  for  my 
portion  on  earth,  and  thee  for  my  portion  in  heaven,  when  that  is 
gone  from  me  ;  but  thou  art  my  portion  now  even  in  the  land  of 
the  living,  for  my  heart  to  live  upon  while  in  this  world,  as  well  as 
in  the  next." 

As  this  text  affords  a  large  field  of  discourse,  I  shall  only  at  pre- 
sent take  notice  of  one  doctrine  from  it,  viz. 

DocT.  The  soul  that  would  have  safety  and  satisfaction,  must  take 
the  Lord  Jehovah  foi;  a  refuge  and  portion  to  itself,  saying  what- 
ever others  say,  that  he  is  its  refuge  and  portion. 

In  discoursing  from  this  doctrine,  I  shall  a  little  at  present  con- 
sider the  nature  of  this  refuge  and  portion.  And  here  I  will  ofler  a 
few  things, 

1.  Concerning  the  refuge. 

2.  Concerning  the  portion. 

First,  Concerning  the  refuge,  I  offer  the  following  particulars, 


THE  believer's  refuge  and  portion.  47 

!■  The  Lord  Christ,  or  God  in  Christ,  is  the  refuge  itself:  Is.  iv. 
6.  There  shall  he  a  tabo'nacle — for  a  place  of  refuge.  The  Branch  of 
the  Lord,  ver.  2.  vi.~.  the  Man  whose  name  is  the  Branch,  Zech.  iii.  8. 
and  vi.  12.  is  the  tabernacle  here  spoken  of,  which  is  for  a  place  of  re- 
fuge, as  appears  by  comparing  John  i.  14.  The  Word  was  made  fiesh, 
and  dwelt  (Gr.  tabernacled)  among  us  ;  and  Is.  sxxii.  2.  A  man  shall 
he  as  an  hiding-place  from  the  ivind,  and  a  covert  from  the  tempest, — 
as  the  shadow  of  a  great  rock  in  a  weary  land.  A  man,  who  is  also 
Jehovah,  The  Lord  our  Righteousness,  Jer.  xxiii.  6,  None  less 
than  a  God,  the  eternal  God,  is  or  could  be  a  sufficient  refuge  for 
guilty  creatures ;  no  arras  less  strong  than  the  everlasting  arms 
could  bear  the  weight,  Deut.  xxxiii.  27.  Yet  sinners  could  never 
have  taken  refuge  in  an  absolute  God,  more  than  dry  stubble  could 
be  safe  in  a  consuming  fire,  Heb.  xii.  ult.  For  our  God  'is  a  consum- 
ing fire.  "Wherefore,  that  God  might  be  a  refuge  for  sinners,  he  put 
himself  in  our  nature,  he  took  upon  him  our  flesh.  The  fulness  of 
the  Godhead  dwelt  bodily  in  Christ,  Col.  ii.  9.  Thus  he  became  our 
refuge,  which  we  might  safely  flee  to.  But  a  God  out  of  Clirist  no 
sinful  creature  can  deal  with  to  its  salvation,  but  to  its  certain  de- 
struction. For  thus  saith  Jehovah  himself.  Is.  xxvii.  4,  5.  Who 
ivoidd  set  the  briers  and  thorns  against  me  in  battle  ?  I  would  go  through 
them,  I  rvould  burn  them  together.  Or  let  him  take  hold  of  my  strength, 
that  he  may  make  peace  with  me,  and  he  shall  make  peace  with  me. 
None  that  know  God  will  dare  to  approach  him  out  of  Christ. 

2.  This  refuge  is  by  a  legal  destination  a  refuge  for  lost  mankind, 
for  sinners  of  Adam's  race :  2  Cor.  v.  19.  God  xuas  in  Christ,  recon- 
ciling the  world  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them. 
John  iii.  14,  15,  16.  As  Moses  lifted  up  the  sei'pcnt  in  the  wildei^ness, 
even  so  must  the  Son  of  man  he  lifted  up :  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him 
should  not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life.  For  God  so  loved  the  world, 
that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him,  shoidd 
not  perish,  hut  have  everlasting  life.  This  destination  gives  men  a 
right  to  flee  thither  for  safety,  which  sinners  of  the  angelic  tribe 
have  not ;  for  as  to  sinners  there  is  a  man-love,  though  no  angel- 
love,  called  the  kindness  and  love  of  God  our  Saviour  toward  man,  Tit. 
iii.  4.  Hence  the  call  to  the  refuge  is  directed  to  men,  Prov.  viii.  4. 
Unto  you,  0  men,  I  call,  and  my  voice  is  to  the  sons  of  men  ;  and  to 
the  people,  Psal.  Ixii.  8.  Trust  in  him  at  all  times  ;  ye  people,  pour  out 
your  heart  before  him.  And  this  call  is  their  warrant,  God  is  a  re- 
fuge for  us,  ibid.  Wherefore,  be  what  ye  will,  if  ye  be  men  or  wo- 
men, if  of  the  lost  family  of  Adam,  stand  not  disputing  whether  ye 
may  enter  this  refuge,  and  take  possession  of  it  for  yourselves  or 
not :  your  warrant  to  enter  it  is  clear,  and  your  safety  upon  your 
entering  it  infallibly  sure. 


48  OOl)  IN  CHRIST 

God  knows  who  arc  his,  and  for  v/hom  tlio  IJigli  Priest  died,  and 
for  whom  tlie  refuge  was  designed  in  the  eternal  decree  of  election. 
These  are  secrets,  on  the  knowledge  of  which  your  warrant  to  enter 
the  refuge  does  not  depend.  You  must  first  enter,  upon  the  war- 
rant of  the  legal  destination  of  the  refuge  registered  in  the  word, 
whereby  it  is  appointed  for  sinful  men ;  and  then  ye  will  know  what 
concerns  you  in  these  secrets.  Remember,  the  cities  of  refuge  were 
appointed  not  for  Israel  only,  but  for  the  stranger  and  sojourner 
among  them.  Numb.  xxxv.  15.  If  a  stranger  and  a  sojourner  would 
not  believe  that  he  might  have  access  to  the  cities  of  refuge,  because 
he  was  not  an  Israelite,  and  therefore  would  flee  for  refuge  to  his 
own  country,  no  wonder  he  fell  by  the  hand  of  the  avenger  of  blood. 

More  particularly,  I  will  tell  you  of  four  sorts  of  men,  whom  God 
in  Christ  is  a  refuge  for;  and  I  am  sure  each  of  us  may  find  our 
name  among  them..    He  is  a  refuge, 

(1.)  For  the  oppressed:  Psal.  ix.  9.  God  ivill  be  a  refnge for  the 
oppressed.  Are  ye  oppressed  by  sin  ?  Do  ye  find  it  holding  you 
down  as  a  giant  doth  a  weak  man,  so  that  your  souls  are  saying,  0 
wretched  man  that  I  am  !  ivho  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this 
death  ?  Rom.  vii.  24.  Are  ye  oppressed  by  Satan  ?  Do  ye  find  the 
strong  and  subtile  adversary  an  overmatch  for  you  ?  Are  ye  op- 
pressed by  the  world  ?  by  the  men  of  the  world,  in  your  goods,  in 
your  name  and  reputation,  or  on  any  other  account  are  you  crying 
out  of  violence  and  wrong  ?  are  ye  oppressed  by  the  things  of  the 
world,  the  cares,  business,  or  frowns  of  the  world  ?  Here  is  a  re- 
fuge for  you ;  come  in  hither  unto  a  God  in  Christ,  saying,  0  Lord, 
thou  art  my  refuge:  and,  0  Lord,,  L  am  oppressed,  imdertake  for  me, 
Is.  xxxviii.  14.  And  there  is  a  promise  for  your  safety,  Psal.  Ixxii. 
4.  He  shall  break  in  pieces  the  oppressor.  This  promise  is  branched 
out  to  your  several  cases ; — As  to  the  oppression  by  sin,  Micah  vii. 
19.  He  ivill  subdue  our  hiiquities  ;  and  thou  ivilt  cast  all  their  sins  into 
the  depths  of  the  sea. — As  to  Satan,  Rom.  xvi.  20.  The  God  of  peace 
shall  bruise  Satan  under  your  feet  shortly.- — And  as  to  the  world,  John 
xvi.  ult.  In  the  world  ye  shall  have  tribulation:  but  be  of  good  cheer,  I 
have  overcome  the  world. 

(2.)  For  outcasts,  Psal.  cxlii.  4,  5.  the  text  and  context.  Are 
there  any  among  us  to  whom  the  world's  face  is  quite  changed,  and 
the  brooks  of  comfort  in  it  are  dried  up,  and  they  are  so  tossed, 
chased,  and  harassed  in  it,  that  they  have  forgotten  their  resting- 
place  ?  are  any  of  you  become  a  stranger  unto  your  brethren  and  an 
alien  unto  your  mother's  children  ?  Psal.  Ixix.  8.  Is  it  grown  such  a 
strange  world,  that  even  "  your  own  familiar  friend,  in  whom  you 
trusted,  which  did  eat  of  your  bread,  hath  lifted  up  his  heel  against 


THE  believer's  REFUGE  AJfD  TORTIOK.  49 

you  ?"  Psal.  xli.  9.  and  that  wherever  ye  turn  yourselves  in  it,  to 
find  rest  and  refuge,  the  door  is  cast  on  your  face  ?  Here  is  a  re- 
fuge for  you  ;  here  is  one  open  door ;  come  in  thou  blessed  of  the 
Lord :  Psal.  cxlvii.  2.  The  Lord  gathercth  the  outcasts  of  Israel.  It 
seems  the  Lord  minds  to  have  you  in  :  he  is  doing  with  you  as  a  fa- 
ther with  a  stubborn  son  run  away  from  out  of  his  father's  house, 
thinking  to  shift  for  himself  among  his  friends,  and  not  come  back : 
the  father  sends  peremptory  word  through  them  all,  saying,  "  In 
whosesoever  house  my  son  is  skulking,  presently  turn  him  out  of 
doors,  and  let  none  of  you  take  him  in ;  and  if  he  come  in,  give  him 
not  one  night's  lodging,  nay,  let  him  not  heat  in  your  house." 
Wherefore  is  all  this,  but  just  to  get  him  back  again  to  his  father's 
house  ? 

(3.)  For  debtors,  broken  men,  unable  to  pay  their  debts,  Is.  xxv. 
4.  '*  Thou  hast  been  a  strength  to  the  i>oor,  a  strength  to  the  needy 
in  his  distress,  a  refuge  from  the  storm."  Herein  David  was  a  type 
of  Christ ;  for  "  every  one  that  was  in  distress,  and  every  one  that 
was  in  debt,  gathered  themselves  unto  him,"  1  Sam.  xxii.  2.  All 
Adam's  family  is  drowned  in  debt.  Our  father  Adam  made  a  bond, 
wherein  he  bound  himself  and  his  heirs  to  perfect  obedience  to  the 
law,  as  the  condition  of  life  to  him  and  all  his,  and  that  under  the 
penalty  of  death  in  its  utmost  extent.  This  bond  is  the  covenant  of 
works.  And  when  he  subscribed  it,  he  had  enough  to  pay  the  round 
sura,  and  so  to  secure  heaven  and  glory  for  him  and  his.  But  alas ! 
by  his  own  mismanagement  he  broke,  and  could  never  more  pay  it  : 
so  the  bond  lies  upon  the  head  of  all  his  heirs,  till  getting  into  the 
refuge,  they  are  discharged  of  it  upon  their  pleading  the  Cautioner's 
payment,  Rom.  vi.  14.  Ye  are  not  under  the  law,  hut  under  grace. 
Whence  it  is  evident,  that  those  who  are  under  grace  in  this  refuge, 
are  not  any  more  under  the  law,  or  under  that  bond,  and  that  they 
who  are  not  in  the  refuge,  under  grace,  are  still  under  the  bond,  the 
law  as  the  covenant  of  works.  And  know,  O  sinner,  that  thou  art 
liable  in  payment  both  of  the  penalty  and  principal  sum  contained 
in  the  bond :  "  For  it  is  written,  Cursed  is  every  one  that  continu- 
eth  not  in  all  things  which  are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do 
them,"  Gal.  iii.  10.  And  either  of  these  are  farther  out  of  your 
reach  to  pay,  than  the  buying  of  the  richest  inheritance  in  the  world 
is  out  of  the  reach  of  a  beggar  in  rags.  And  though  perhaps  ye 
know  it  not,  there  is  a  caption  out  against  you,  and  ye  know  not 
what  moment  ye  may  be  laid  up  in  prison  upon  it,  from  whence  ye 
can  never  come  forth,  Matth.  v.  25,  26.  But  here  is  a  refuge  for 
you,  into  which  as  soon  as  ye  enter,  your  debt  is  paid,  Rom.  vii.  4. 
"  Ye  are  become  dead  to  the  law  by  the  body  of  Christ. 


50  GOD  IN-  CHRIST 

(4.)  For  criminals  liable  to  death  by  the  law,  ITeb.  vi.  18.  Sin- 
ners, ye  liave  by  your  crimes  against  the  King  of  licaA'cn,  forfeited 
your  life,  and  laid  yourselves  open  to  the  stroke  of  justice :  the 
avenger  of  blood  is  at  your  heels ;  and  if  you  be  seized  by  justice, 
and  fall  into  the  bauds  of  an  absolute  God,  you  perish  for  ever. 
But  here  is  a  refuge  for  you,  which  will  afford  a  rest  to  your  weary 
souls,  Matth,  xi.  28.  a  biding  place,  where  ye  shall  be  safe,  Isa. 
xxxii.  2. 

3.  The  gate  of  this  refuge,  through  which  sinners  enter,  is  the 
vail  of  the  flesh  of  Christ,  rent,  torn,  and  opened  to  let  in  the  guilty 
creature  unto  Jehovah  as  a  refuge,  Ueb.  x.  19,  20,  It  is  only  by  a 
crucified  Christ  the  sinner  can  come  unto  God  comfortably,  John  x. 
9.  Tlie  sinner  fleeing  for  refuge,  must  fix  his  eyes  in  the  first  place 
on  the  wounds  of  our  glorious  Redeemer,  and  come  by  the  altar  unto 
the  sanctuary,  Rom.  iii.  25.  "When  Jacob  had  seen  the  ladder  set 
on  the  earth,  whose  top  reached  heaven,  representing  Christ  not  only 
as  God,  but  as  man  descending  into  the  lower  parts  of  the  earth  by 
his  death  and  burial,  he  saith,  "  This  is  none  other  but  the  house  of 
God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven,"  Gen.  xxviii.  17-  Without 
such  a  costly  gate  sinners  had  never  had  access  to  God  as  a  refuge. 

4.  The  covert  in  this  refuge  is  the  righteousness  of  Christ. 
Hence  Christ  is  called,  "The  Lord  our  righteousness,"  Jer.  xxiii,  6; 
and  the  apostle  glories  in  that  righteousness  "  which  is  through  the 
faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith,"  Phil, 
iii.  9.  The  sinner  getting  in  under  this  covert  is  safe  from  the  reach 
of  revenging  justice,  the  curse  of  the  law,  and  the  hurt  of  any  thing, 
Lxike  X,  19.  Isa.  xxvii.  3.  This  covert,  which  is  ever  over  the  head 
of  the  sinner  from  the  moment  he  enters  the  refuge,  is  threefold 
plies. 

(1.)  The  satisfaction  of  Christ's  death  and  sufferings,  1  John  ii.  2. 
He  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins.  Thus  they  are  under  the  covert  of 
the  Mediator's  blood,  through  which  no  revenging  wrath  can  make 
its  way.  Cant.  iii.  10.  with  Rom.  viii.  1.  This  is  imputed  to  the  be- 
liever, who  is  reckoned  to  have  suftered  in  Christ,  even  as  he  sinned 
in  Adam.  Hence  the  apostle  says,  I  am  crucified  with  Christ,  Gal. 
ii.  20. 

(2.)  The  righteousness  of  Christ's  life  and  conversation,  who 
obeyed  the  commands  of  the  law  as  a  public  person,  as  well  as  he 
suffered  the  penalty  of  it  in  that  capacity,  Rom.  v.  19.  "  As  by  one 
man's  disobedience  many  were  made  sinners ;  so  by  the  obedience  of 
one  shall  many  be  made  righteous."  So  that  his  obedience  is  theirs 
too,  and  all  the  good  works  that  he  did,  for  the  space  of  thirty-three 
years  that  he  lived  in  the  world  :  the  believer  has  them  all  in  order. 


THE  BELIEVEU's  KEPUGE  AND  PORTION.  51 

to  found  his  i^lea  for  heaven  upon,  Rom.  viii.  4.  That  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  law  'might  he  fulfilled  in  us. 

(3.)  The  holiness  of  his  birth  and  nature,  Heb.  vii.  26.  "  For  such 
an  High  Priest  became  us,  who  is  holy,  harmless,  undefilcd,  separa- 
ted from  sinners."  This  also  is  theirs  and  upon  them  :  John  xvii. 
19.  "  For  their  sakes  I  sanctify  myself,  that  they  also  might  be 
sanctified  through  the  truth."  Not  as  it  were  imputed  to  them  in 
the  point  of  gospel  sanctification,  as  Antinomians  say ;  but  in  point 
of  justification,  as  a  part  of  the  law-demand  of  righteousness  for 
life ;  which  law  requires  for  that  end,  not  only  satisfaction  for  sin, 
but  also  good  works,  and  not  only  good  works,  but  a  good  and  holy 
nature,  haying  no  bias  to  evil,  Exod.  xx.  17-  all  of  them  perfect  in 
their  kind.  And  as  Christ's  satisfaction  for  sin  is  the  only  solid 
plea  against  the  first,  and  the  righteousness  of  his  life  the  only  solid 
plea  against  the  second  ;  so  the  holiness  of  his  birth  and  nature,  is 
the  only  solid  plea  against  the  last :  lloni.  iv.  5,  8.  "  To  him  that 
worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him  that  justifieth  the  ungodly,  his 
faith  is  counted  for  righteousness. — Blessed  is  the  man  to  whom  the 
Lord  will  not  impute  sin."  Hence  Christ  says  of  the  spouse,  Thou 
art  all  fair,  my  love,' there  is  no  spot  in  thee.  Cant.  iv.  7- 

5.  The  several  apartments  in  this  refuge  for  the  various  cases  of 
the  refugees,  are  all  the  attributes  and  perfections  of  God  the  Lord 
Jehovah,  Prov.  xviii.  10.  "  The  name  of  the  Lord  is  a  strong  tower: 
the  righteous  runneth  into  it,  and  is  safe."  And  hence  the  sinner's 
refuge  is  said  to  be  in  God,  Psal.  Ixii.  7.  Every  thing  in  God  is  a 
refuge  to  the  man  who  is  once  under  the  covert.  Is  he  in  perplex- 
ing difficulties  that  he  knows  not  how  to  be  rid  of?  let  him  flee  into 
the  room  or  chamber  of  the  divine  wisdom.  Is  he  under  any  thing 
quite  above  his  ability  ?  let  him  flee  into  the  chamber  of  the  divine 
power.  Is  he  under  guilt  ?  let  him  flee  into  the  chamber  of  divine 
mercy.  Does  the  law  bend  up  a  process  against  him  for  debt  al- 
ready paid  by  his  Cautioner,  take  him  by  the  throat,  saying,  Pay 
what  thou  owest,  or  I  will  cast  thee  into  the  prison  of  hell  ?  let  him 
flee  into  the  chamber  of  divine  justice,  1  John  i.  9.  He  is  faithful  and 
just  to  forgive  us  our  sins.     And  so  in  other  cases. 

6.  The  boundaries  of  the  refuge  are  the  everlasting  covenant, 
Psal.  xlvi.  7.  The  God  of  Jacob  is  our  refuge.  It  is  God's  covenant 
title.  The  borders  of  the  cities  of  refuge  were  to  be  nicely  marked : 
for  upon  the  outside  of  the  line  was  death  to  the  criminal,  on  the 
inside  life,  for  death  could  not  come  over  the  line,  Numb.  xxxv.  26, 
27.  Sinners  without  the  covenant,  there  is  no  refuge  for  you ;  but 
come  within,  and  none  can  touch  you  there. 

7.  Lastly,  The  sinner's  entering  into  the  refuge  is  by  faith,  as  in 


52  GOD  IN  CHRIST 

the  text,  I  said,  Thou  art  mi/  refuge.     Of  which  more  afterwards. 
Secondly,  Concerning  the  portion,  I  offer  only  two  things. 

1.  The  same  Grod  in  Christ  who  is  the  refuge  for  poor  sinners,  is 
also  the  portion  for  them  to  live  on  :  Thou  art  my  portion  in  the  land 
of  the  living.  Tliey  are  but  silly  refuges  that  men  can  find  in  the 
world;  they  may  be  starved  out  of  them,  and  forced  by  want  to 
abandon  them.  But  God  in  Christ  is  a  refuge  for  us :  and  he  is  a 
portion  in  the  refuge  ;  and  those  who  take  refuge  in  him,  need  never 
go  abroad  without  the  border  of  their  refuge  to  bring  in  provision 
for  themselves. 

2.  God  in  Christ  is  what  one  may  live  on,  Psal.  xvi.  5,  6.  "The 
Lord  is  the  portion  of  mine  inheritance,  and  of  my  cup :  thou  main- 
tainest  my  lot.  The  lines  are  fallen  unto  me  in  pleasant  places ; 
yea,  I  have  a  goodly  heritage."  The  men  of  the  world  cannot  un- 
derstand this :  but  the  experience  of  the  saints  in  glory  puts  it  be- 
yond question ;  and  so  does  the  experience  of  the  saints  on  earth  : 
witness  David,  Psal.  Ixxii.  25.  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee  ? 
and  there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee :"  and  fla- 
bakkuk,  chap.  iii.  17,  18.  "Although  the  fig-tree  shall  not  blossom, 
neither  shall  fruit  be  in  the  vines ;  the  labour  of  the  olive  shall  fail, 
and  the  fields  shall  yield  no  meat;  the  flock  shall  be  cut  oft'  from 
the  fold,  and  there  shall  be  no  herd  in  the  stalls ;  yet  I  will  rejoice 
in  the  Lord,  I  will  joy  in  the  God  of  my  salvation."  One  may  live 
upon  that  happily,  which  is  commensurable  to  all  his  desires,  for 
the  perfecting  of  his  nature,  and  maintaining  it  in  its  perfection. 
And  this,  no  creature  can  be  to  a  man,  but  God  is  and  will  be  to  all 
who  take  hini  for  their  portion. 

In  him  the  man  has  a  dwelling-place,  Psal.  xc.  1.  raiment,  Pev. 
iii.  18.  meat  and  drink,  John  vi.  55.  and  all  in  a  word,  Phil.  iv.  18. 
2  Cor.  vi.  10.  And  hereto  belongs  the  sanctification  of  the  soul, 
in  the  beginning,  progress,  and  consummation  of  it,  as  that  which  is 
for  the  perfecting  of  the  soul,  1  Cor.  i.  30.  So  that  as  sure  as  the 
soul  is  made  safe  in  Christ,  it  is  sanctified  in  Christ,  Isa.  xlv.  24, 
"  Surely,  shall  one  say.  In  the  Lord  have  I  righteousness  and 
strength." 

I  shall  now  make  some  practical  improvement  of  this  subject ; 
which  I  shall  discuss  briefly  in  a  twofold  use. 

Use  I.  Of  trial.  Hereby  ye  may  know  whether  ye  be  believers 
or  not,  and  will  be  welcome  guests  at  the  Lord's  table. 

1.  What  is  your  refuge?  where  take  ye  shelter,  or  what  is  your 
refuge  from  avenging  justice,  the  curse  of  the  law,  and  the  wrath  of 
God  for  your  sins  ?  If  ye  flee  for  refuge  to  your  own  Avorking,  do- 
ing, and  suft'eriug,  your  repentance  and  reformation,  your  case  is  bad, 


THE  BELTEYEr's  REFUGE  AND  PORTIUN.  53 

But  is  the  covert  of  Christ's  righteousness  your  only  refuge,  and, 
renouncing  all  other  pleas,  do  you  hold  by  that  ?  then  God  is  your 
refuge,  Psal.  Ixii.  6.  Do  you  make  him  your  refuge,  and  flee  to 
him,  when  pursued  by  sin,  Satan,  and  an  evil  ^yorld  ?  Alas !  most 
men  either  seek  no  refuge  from  sin,  or  they  make  themselves,  their 
own  strength,  wisdom,  or  resolution,  their  refuge.  But  the  believer 
makes  God  his  refuge  for  all. 

2.  What  is  your  portion  ?  Many  pretend  to  make  God  their  re- 
fuge, but  the  world  and  their  lusts  are  their  heart's  choice  for  a  por- 
tion. But  the  believer  takes  God  in  Christ  for  a  refuge  and  portion 
too,  not  only  for  a  defence  from  evil,  but  for  a  treasure  of  provision 
to  live  upon  even  in  the  world.  The  world's  good  things  they  may 
take  for  comforts,  but  God  alone  for  the  portion  of  their  souls.  And 
therefore  whatever  fondness  they  may  sometimes  fall  into,  through 
temptation,  for  other  things,  they  will  shew  God  is  their  por- 
tion in  the  case  of  competition.  Like  the  child,  who  may  be  fond  of 
others  that  caress  it,  yet  prefers  its  mother  to  all  others. 

Use  II.  I  exhort  you  to  take  God  in  Christ  this  day  for  your  re- 
fuge and  portion. 

First,  0  flee  into  this  refuge.     For  motives,  consider, 

1.  Ye  need  a  refuge  :  for  your  souls  are  in  the  greatest  hazard ; 
the  avenger  of  blood  is  pursuing  you :  and  ye  are  in  an  evil  world, 
and  judgment  is  fast  approaching  on  the  laud  wherein  ye  live.  It 
is  high  time  for  you  to  look  out  a  place  of  safety. 

2.  There  is  no  other  safe  refuge  for  you.  Have  ye  not  already 
fouud  other  refuges,  where  ye  expected  safety,  fail  you  ?  and  so  will 
ye  find  it  unto  the  end.  Death  will  cast  you  out  of  them  all.  But  if 
ye  flee  by  faith  into  this  refuge,  it  will  never  fail  nor  disappoint  you. 

This  refuge  is  open  to  you.  God  in  Christ  is  ready  to  embrace 
you  with  open  arms,  and  afford  you  all  manner  of  safety,  from  re- 
venging justice,  the  fiery  law,  hell,  wrath,  an  evil  world,  and  sin,  the 
worst  of  all  enemies. 

Secondly,  Take  God  in  Christ  for  your  portion  this  day.  For 
motives,  consider, 

1.  The  Lord  is  willing  to  take  you  for  his  portion.  When  all  the 
world  is  divided  into  two  parts,  such  as  will  believe  in  Clirist,  and 
such  as  will  not ;  though  the  latter  may  be  great  and  wise  men  in 
comparison  of  you,  and  ye  never  so  little  worth,  he  says.  They  shall 
be  my  portion,  Deut.  xxxii.  9.  For  the  Lord's  portion  is  his  people: 
and  will  not  you  say,  Thou  art  my  portion  ? 

2.  Thei'e  is  no  shadow  of  just  competition  betwixt  the  Lord  and 
all  other  portions.  Ye  will  get  the  double  portion,  a  first-born,  by 
taking  him  for  your  portion.     He  is  a  full,  complete,  satisfying  por- 

YOL.  Y.  E 


54  OOD  IN  CHRIST,  &c. 

tion,  and  a  lasting  portion  that  will  never  decay.  Now  the  all  is 
divided  into  two  parts,  God  himself,  and  the  world  and  all  that  is 
in  it,  chnse  you  this  day  Avhich  shall  be  your  portion.  And  remem- 
ber that  upon  this  choice  your  everlasting  happiness  or  misery  de- 
pends. 

But  one  may  say,  How  shall  I  take  the  Lord  for  my  refuge  and 
my  portion  ?  how  shall  I  say,  Thou  art  imj  refuge,  and  my  portion  ? 

1.  Be  sensible  of  thy  need  of  a  refuge  and  a  portion  to  thy  soul, 
which  it  cannot  find  among  the  creatures,  as  the  prodigal  deeply 
felt,  Luke  xv.  14.  Till  the  vanity  of  created  refuges  and  portions 
be  discovered,  and  they  appear  refuges  of  lies,  the  soul  will  never 
take  God  in  Christ  for  its  refuge  and  portion,  Jer.  xvi.  19,  "  0  Lord, 
ray  strength  and  my  fortress,  and  my  refuge  in  the  day  of  affliction, 
the  Gentiles  shall  come  unto  thee  from  the  ends  of  the  earth,  and 
shall  say,  Surely  our  fathers  have  inherited  lies,  vanity,  and  things 
wherein  there  is  no  profit." 

2.  Believe  God  in  Christ  to  be  a  safe  refuge  and  a  full  portion. 
The  soul  will  never  come  to  Christ,  till  it  be  persuaded  that  that 
safety  and  satisfaction  is  to  be  found  in  him,  which  is  to  be  found 
no  where  else,  Luke  xv.  17. 

3.  Believe  the  gospel-offer  with  particular  application  to  thyself, 
namely.  That  the  Lord  is  offered  for  a  refuge  and  portion  to  thee. 
This  is  the  report  of  the  gospel ;  and  he  who  does  not  believe  it, 
makes  God  a  liar,  1  John  v.  10. 

4.  From  a  steadfast  resolution  of  spirit  to  take  God  in  Christ  for 
thy  refuge  and  portion,  to  venture  to  flee  into  the  refuge  and  lay 
hold  on  him  as  thy  portion,  upon  the  warrant  of  the  gospel-offer,  as 
the  prodigal  did,  I  will  arise  and  go  to  my  father,  &c.  Luke  xv.  18. 

5.  Renounce  all  other  refuges  and  portions,  and  lay  the  whole 
stress  of  thy  safety  and  provision,  for  time  and  eternity,  upon  God 
in  Christ,  saying,  "  Truly  in  vain  is  salvation  hoped  for  from  the 
hills,  and  from  the  multitude  of  mountains  :  truly  in  the  Lord  our 
God  is  the  salvation  of  Israel,"  Jer.  iii.  23.  ''  God  is  a  refuge  for  us," 
Psal.  Ixii.  8.  Bid  farewell  to  the  refuges  of  lies,  lift  thy  confidence 
and  dependance  from  off  all  others,  and  fix  it  upon  God  in  Christ, 
upon  the  warrant  of  the  word,  saying  as  Psal.  Ixii.  5.  "  My  soul, 
wait  thou  only  upon  God :  for  my  expectation  is  from  him." 

6.  Lastly,  Resolutely  cleave  to  the  Lord  as  thy  refuge  and  por- 
tion, saying  with  Job,  chap.  xiii.  15,  Though  he  slay  me,  yet  luill  I 
trust  in  him :  Thou  art  my  refuge  and  portion,  I  will  seek  no  other, 
I  can  take  no  other,  for  time  and  for  eternity. 


faith's  recoonitiok,  &c.  55 

FAITH'S  RECOGNITION  OF  TAKINO  GOD  FOR  A  REFUGE  AND 
PORTION,   ILLUSTRATED.' 

PsALir  cxlii.  5. 

/  cned  unto  thee,  0  Lord,  I  said,  Thou  art  my  refuge,  and  mi/  portion, 

in  the  land  of  the  living. 

Last  Lord's  day  I  opened  the  nature  of  the  refuge  for  poor  sinners, 
pressed  you  to  flee  into  it,  and  to  say  each  of  you  for  yourselves. 
Thou  art  my  refuge,  and  shewed  how  ye  should  say  it.  I  now  pro- 
pose another  doctrine,  viz. 

DocT.  That  those  who  have  said  to  God  in  Christ,  Thou  art  my 
refuge  and  portion,  should  recognize,  reflect  upon,  and  call  to  mind 
their  so  saying.  Or,  Those  who  have  taken  God  in  Christ  for  their 
refuge  and  portion,  should  recognize  their  so  doing.  /  said,  Thou 
art  mij  refuge  and  my  portion.  David  said  this  in  the  cave,  and  after- 
wards he  comes  over  it  again. 

In  handling  this  doctrine,  I  shall  proceed  as  follows, 

I.  I  shall  shew  what  is  imported  in  this  recognisance  of  that  deed 
or  saying  of  the  soul. 

II.  Why  they  should  recognise  it. 

III.  Apply. 

1.  I  am  to  shew  what  is  imported  in  this  recognisance  of  that 
deed  or  saying  of  the  soul ;  I  said  it.     It  imports, 

1.  A  remembrance  of  the  solemn  tranisaction,  Psal.  ciii.  18.  This 
is  a  deed  never  to  be  forgotten,  but  always  to  be  kept  in  remem- 
brance. It  was  God's  quarrel  with  Tyre,  that  they  remembered  not 
the  brotherly  covenant  with  Edom,  Amos  i.  9.  How  much  more  if 
we  remember  not  the  covenant  with  God  himself?  But  it  fiires 
with  many  in  eftect,  as  with  men  in  other  cases,  they  say  the  word, 
l)ut  afterwards  they  never  mind  they  said  it :  for  alas !  they  remem- 
ber it  as  waters  that  pass  away,  which  is  in  eftect,  it  slips  out  of  their 
mind.  Job  vi.  16.     But,  0  ye  who  have  said  this,  remember, 

(1.)  What  you  said.  You  said  that  God  in  Christ  should  be  your 
refuge,  that  under  the  shade  of  his  wings  you  hid  yourselves,  and 
that,  renouncing  all  other  refuges,  as  refuges  of  lies,  you  did  betake 
yourselves  to  the  covert  of  Christ's  righteousness,  and  that  there  yo 
would  abide  for  your  portion  ;  which  was  a  formal  acceptance  of 
and  laying  hold  on  the  covenant. 

(2.)  To  whom  you  said  it.  To  God  in  Christ  speaking  to  you 
in  the  gospel-ofter,  and  inviting  you  into  the  refuge.     What  meu 

'  This  second  sernioa  was. preached  at  Ettrick,  August  26,  1721. 
E  2 


56  faith's  recoonitiois" 

say  to  their  superiors,  thoy  tliiuk  themselves  specially  concerned 
to  mind.  And  surely  what  ye  have  said  to  God,  ye  ought  in  a  pe- 
culiar manner  to  reracmher,  and  awe  your  hearts  with  the  considera- 
tion of  the  majesty  of  the  party  to  whom  ye  said  it,  Psal.  xvi.  2.  "  0 
ray  soul,  thou  hast  said  unto  the  Lord,  TIiou  art  my  Lord."  For  he 
is  not  one  with  Avhom  Ave  may  deal  falcely. 

(3.)  How  ye  said  it.  Did  ye  not  say  it  in  your  hearts,  while  God 
in  Christ  was  held  out  as  a  refuge  for  you  ?  And  the  language  of 
the  heart  is  i)lain  language  with  a  heart-searching  God.  Did  not 
some  of  yon  say  it  with  your  mouths  .^  and  did  not  all  communicants 
say  it  solemnly  before  the  world,  angels,  and  men,  by  their  receiving 
the  elements  of  bread  and  wine  ? 

(4.)  Upon  what  grounds  you  said  it.  Did  you  not  see  a  necessity 
of  a  refuge  for  you,  and  a  necessity  of  taking  God  in  Christ  for  your 
refuge  ?  Ye  had  rational  grounds  for  it,  and  lasting  grounds  that 
can  never  fail ;  so  that  ye  can  never  have  ground  to  retract,  nor 
shift  about  for  another  refuge,  Jer.  ii.  3L 

(5.)  Where  ye  said  it.  Remember  the  spot  of  ground,  where  ye 
said  it  in  prayer,  where  ye  said  it  at  the  communion-table,  Psal.  xlii. 
6,  The  stones  of  the  place  will  be  witnesses  of  your  saying  it, 
Joshua  xxiv.  27. 

2.  A  standing  to  it,  without  regretting  that  we  said  it,  remember- 
ing what  is  sai^,  John  vi.  66 — 69.  "  From  that  time  many  of  his 
disciples  went  back,  and  walked  no  more  with  him.  Then  said 
Jesus  unto  the  twelve,  will  ye  also  go  away  ?  Then  Simon  Peter 
answered  him.  Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go  ?  thou  hast  the  words  of 
eternal  life.  And  we  believe,  and  are  sure  that  thou  art  that  Christ, 
the  Sou  of  the  living  God."  Men  often  repent  what  they  have  said 
and  therefore  will  not  own  they  have  said  it.  But  gracious  souls 
will  not  repent  their  saying  this,  but  will  abide  by  it.  If  they  were 
to  make  their  choice  a  thousand  times,  having  chosen  God  in  Christ 
for  their  refuge  and  portion,  they  would  not  alter,  but  their  first 
choice  would  be  their  last  choice,  Jer.  iii.  19.  "  I  said,  thou  shalt 
call  me,  my  Father,  and  shalt  not  turn  away  from  me."  Many 
alterations  raay  be  in  men's  circumstances  in  the  world,  but 
there  can  never  be  one  that  will  afford  ground  for  retracting  tliis 
saying. 

3.  An  owning  of  the  obligation  of  it,  /  said,  and  am  obliged  there- 
by to  stand  to  it :  For  I  have  opened  imf  mouth  unto  the  Lord,  and  I 
cannot  go  back,  Jud.  xi.  35.  God  in  Christ  is  yours,  and  ye  are  his 
by  your  own  consent ;  ye  are  no  more  your  own  ;  ye  have  said  the 
word,  and  must  own  that  it  is  binding  on  you ;  and  ye  must  beware 
that  after  vows  ye  make  not  inquiry.     "Whoever  may  pretend  they 


OF  TAKINa  aOD  FOR  A  REFtTGE  AND  PORTIOX.  57 

iiave  their  choice  yet  to  make  of  a  refuge  and  portion  to  themselves 
ye  cannot :  ye  are  engaged  already,  and  yet  ye  are  not  in  safety  to 
hearken  to  any  other  proposals,  more  than  a  woman  who  has  already 
signed  her  contract  with  one  man. 

4.  A  professing  of  it  confidently  without  being  ashamed  of  it :  q.  d. 
"  I  own  it  before  all  men,  and  am  not  ashamed  of  my  choice."  Anti- 
christ allows  some  of  his  vassals  to  carry  his  mark  in  their  right 
hand,  Rev.  xiii.  10.  But  all  the  followers  of, the  Lamb  have  their 
mark  on  their  forehead,  where  it  will  not  hide,  Rev.  xiv.  1.  The 
world  would  put  the  people  of  God  to  shame  on  the  head  of  their  re- 
fuge and  portion,  as  if  they  had  made  a  foolish  bargain  of  it,  Psal. 
xiv.  6.  "  You  have  shamed  the  counsel  of  the  poor,  because  the 
Lord  is  his  refuge."  But  sincerity  will  make  men  despise  that 
shame,  as  David  said,  "  And  I  will  yet  be  more  vile  than  thus,  and 
will  be  base  in  mine  own  sight." 

5.  A  satisfaction  of  heart  in  it :  q.  d.  "  I  said  it,  and  0  but  I  am 
well  pleased  that  ever  I  said  it ;  it  was  the  best  saying  I  could  ever 
say,"  Psal.  xvi.  2,  5,  6,  7-  And  this  is  in  effect  to  say  it  over  again. 
And  good  reason  there  is  for  them  who  have  sincerely  said  it,  to  be 
well  satisfied  in  their  refuge,  and  to  rejoice  in  their  portion.  The 
reflecting  upon  it  may  afford  solid  delight  and  content  of  heart.  Ye 
who  have  taken  the  Lord  for  your  refuge,  may  with  much  satisfaction 
reflect  on  it ;  for  ye  have, 

(1.)  A  safe  refuge,  Prov.  xviii.  10.  *'  The  name  of  the  Lord  is  a 
strong  tower :  the  righteous  runneth  into  it,  and  is  safe.  Chap.  xxix. 
25.  Whoso  putteth  his  trust  in  the  Lord,  shall  be  safe."  Ye  may 
sing  the  91st  psalm  as  your  own  charter  for  safety.  Whatever 
storms  blow,  no  plague  shall  come  near  thy  dwelling  while  thou 
dwellest  there.  Revenging  justice  can  do  nothing  against  you  there  : 
the  fiery  law  cannot  throw  the  flre-balls  of  its  curses  within  the 
border  of  your  refuge :  Rom.  viii.  1,  "  There  is  now  no  condemnation 
to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus."  Gal.  iii.  13,  "  Christ  hath  re- 
deemed us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  being  made  a  curse  for  us." 
God,  who  without  the  refuge  is  a  consuming  fire  to  sinners,  within 
it  is  refreshing,  warming,  enlightening  fire  to  them.  However  heavy 
days  of  common  calamity  ye  may  sec,  ye  may  be  very  easy  in  your 
refuge,  having  such  a  covert  above  your  head,  Job  v.  22.  "  At  des- 
truction and  famine  thou  shalt  laugh,"  like  the  child  in  the  ship- 
wreck, smiling  at  the  motions  of  the  broken  board. 

(2.)  A  well  furnished  refuge  :  Thou  art  my  refuge  and  my  portion^ 
says  David  in  the  text.  There  will  never  be  any  need  to  leave  it 
for  want  of  provision,  and  to  shift  elsewhere.  God  in  Christ  is  a 
full  portion  in  the   refuge,  of  which  we  may  afterwards  speak  more 

E  3 


58  faith's  uecognition 

particularly.  Tlicre  is  notliiiig  tlie  man  wants  and  is  really  in  need 
of,  but  lie  shall  liave  it  there,  Psal.  Ixxxiv.  11.  "  For  the  Lord  God 
is  a  sun  and  shield  :  The  Lord  will  give  grace  and  glory  :  no  good 
thing  will  he  withhold  from  them  that  Avalk  uprightly."  "What  is  in 
the  refuge?  There  is  a  fulness"  there,  yea,  all  fulness,  Col.  i.  19, 
For  it  pleased  the  Father  that  in  hhn  sJiould  all  fulnesH  dwell.  And 
where  all  fulness  is,  [1.]  There  is  not  any  thing  wanting  to  make 
the  sinner  happy  ;  there  is  a  variety  of  provision,  yea,  all  manner 
of  provision,  Cant.  vii.  ult.  "  At  our  gates  are  all  manner  of  j)leasant 
fruits,  new  and  old."  Rev.  xxi.  7-  "  He  that  overcometh  shall  in- 
herit all  things."  [2.]  There  is  plenty  of  every  thing;  no  exhaust- 
ing of  any  part  of  the  provision  ;  nothing  will  ever  run  short  there, 
Eev.  xxii.  2,  "  In  the  midst  of  the  street  of  it,  and  of  either  side  of 
the  river,  was  there  the  tree  of  life,  which  bare  twelve  manner  of 
fruits  and  yielded  her  fruit  every  month  ;  and  the  leaves  of  the  tree 
were  for  the  healing  of  the  nations." 

(3.)  The  only  refuge  where  men  can  be  safe,  Psal.  xviii.  31,  "  For 
who  is  God  save  the  Lord  ?  or  who  is  a  rock  save  our  God  ?  There  are 
other  refuges  indeed,  but  then  they  are  all  refuges  of  lies,  and  they 
Avill  be  all  swc^it  away,  and  those  who  lodge  in  them  left  naked,  and 
open  to  all  ruin,  Isa.  xxviii.  17.  "  The  hail  shall  sweep  away  the  re- 
fuge of  lies,  and  the  waters  shall  overflow  the  hiding-place."  All 
must  come  to  your  refuge  or  perish.  Acts  iv.  12.  "  Neither  is  there 
salvation  in  any  other :  for  there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven 
given  among  men  whereby  we  must  be  saved."  So  that  your  duty 
and  interest  both  say  to  you  in  this  case,  Let  them  return  unto  you, 
but  return  not  ye  unto  them. 

(4.)  A  near-hand  refuge,  Jer.  sxiii.  23.  Am  I  a  God  at  hand,  saith 
the  Lord,  and  not  a  God  afar  oj/"?  God  in  Christ  is  every- where 
present ;  so  be  where  ye  will,  ye  are  always  within  a  step  of  your 
refuge,  to  be  made  by  faith,  Rom.  x.  6,  7,  8.  "  But  the  righteousness 
which  is  of  faith  speaketh  on  this  wise,  Say  not  in  thine  heart.  Who 
shall  ascend  into  heaven  ?  (that  is,  to  bring  Christ  down  from 
above) ;  or  Who  shall  descend  into  the  deep  ?  (that  is,  to  bring  up 
Christ  from  the  dead) ;  but  what  saith  it  ?  The  word  is  nigh  thee, 
even  in  thy  mouth,  and  in  thy  heart :  that  is  the  word  of  faith  which 
we  pi'each."  Hence  the  people  of  God  have  had  the  benefit  of  their 
refuge,  when  they  wei*e  cast  into  prisons,  duugeons,  banished  to  re- 
mote parts  of  the  world.  The  cities  of  refuge  Avere  so  situated,  that 
some  of  them  Avere  on  this  side  Jordan,  and  some  on  that  side,  that 
they  might  be  near  to  flee  to.  In  a  moment  thou  mayst  flee  into  thy 
refuge  by  faith.  Hence  faith  is  called  a  looking,  Isa.  xlv.  22.  Look 
unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  earth. 


OP  TAKING  GOB  FOR  A  REFUGK  AND  PORTION.  69 

(5.)  A  refuge  none  can  stop  your  way  to.  However  the  child 
of  God  be  blocked  up,  like  David  in  the  cave,  however  he  may  be 
hampered,  none  in  the  world  can  stop  his  way  thither  :  I  said,  Thou 
art  mi/  refuge.  God  himself  has  prepared  the  way;  and  there  is  no 
stop  in  it  for  any  that  mind  it.  Hence  Christ  says  to  the  spouse, 
<'  Rise  up,  my  love,  my  fair  one,  and  come  away.  For  lo,  the  winter 
is  past;  the  rain  is  over  and  gone,"  &c.  Cant.  ii.  10,  11.  Enemies, 
may  stand  betwixt  you  and  all  created  refuges,  but  nothing  can  hold 
you  out  of  this  refuge,  who  by  faith  go  thither.  "  For,  says  the 
apostle,  T  am  persuaded  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor 
principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come, 
nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  sepa- 
rate us  from  the  love  of  God  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord, 
Rom.  viii.  38,  39. 

(6.)  A  ready  refuge.  The  gates  stand  open  night  and  day  to  re- 
ceive the  refugees,  Zech.  xiii.  1.  "  In  that  day  there  shall  be  a  foun- 
tain opened  to  the  house  of  David,  and  to  the  inhabitants  of  Je- 
rusalem, for  sin  and  for  uncleanness."  None  who  flee  thither  are 
refused,  or  denied  access  ;  John  vi.  37-  Hhn  that  comcth  unto  me,  I 
luill  in  no  wise  cast  out.  The  father  meets  the  prodigal  son  while  he 
was  yet  a  great  way  off ;  and  no  man  can  be  more  ready  to  enter 
the  refuge,  than  the  Refuge  is  to  receive  him. 

(7.)  A  lasting  refuge  ;  a  refuge  for  time,  for  all  times,  be  they 
never  so  bad,  Psal.  Ixii.  8.  Truest  in  him  at  all  times : — God  is  a  refuge 
for  us.  From  the  beginning  to  this  day,  throughout  all  generations, 
this  refuge  has  lasted,  Psal.  xc.  1.  and  will  last  a  refuge  for  sinners 
to  the  end.  And  it  is  a  refuge  for  eternity  too,  when  all  other  re- 
fuges shall  be  razed,  Isa.  xxv.  4.  "  Thou  hast  been  a  refuge  to  the 
poor,  a  strength  to  the  needy  in  his  distress,  a  refuge  from  the 
storm,  &c.  Heb.  vii.  25.  Wherefore  he  is  able  also  to  save  tliera  to 
the  uttermost,  that  come  unto  God  by  him,  seeing  he  ever  liveth  to 
make  intercession  for  them." 

G.  A  pleading  the  benefit  of  it ;  q.  d.  "  I  have  said  it,  and  plead 
the  benefit  of  God's  refugees,  safety  and  sanctification  ;  Lam.  iii.  24. 
"  The  Lord  is  my  portion,  saith  my  soul ;  therefore  will  I  hope  in 
him."  God  loves  to  have  his  people  pleading  their  interest  in  him, 
Jer.  iii.  4,  "  Wilt  thou  not  from  this  time  cry  unto  me.  My  Father, 
thou  art  the  guide  of  my  youth  ?"  The  saints  are  very  pointed  and 
peremptory  in  it,  Psal.  cxvi.  6,  "  Oh  Lord,  truly  I  arii  thy  servant, 
I  am  thy  servant,  and  the  son  of  thine  handmaid :  thou  hast  loosed 
my  bonds."  And  this  they  do  over  the  belly  of  discouragements, 
Isa.  Ixiii.  16,  "  Doubtless  thou  art  our  Father,  though  Abraham  be 
ignorant  of  us,  and   Israel  acknowledge  us  not :  tliou,  0  Lord,  art 


60  faith's  recoonitiox 

our  Father,  our  Redeemer,  thy  name  is  from  everlasting."  We 
should  hold  by  it,  and  by  no  means  quit  it,  as  the  guilty  did  by  the 
horns  of  the  altar.  Therefore  saith  the  apostle,  Heb.  x.  25,  "  Cast 
not  away  your  confidence,  which  hath  great  recompense  of  reward." 
II.  The  next  head  is  to  shew  why  they  who  have  taken  God  in 
Christ  for  their  refuge  and  portion,  should  recognise  their  so  doing. 
They  should  do  it, 

1.  For  the  honour  of  God  in  Christ.  It  tends  to  the  Lord's  hon- 
our for  his  people  to  be  often  recognising  and  re-acknowledging 
their  subjection  to  him,  and  their  consent  to  the  covenant,  Jer.  iii.  4, 
forecited.  For  it  says,  they  remember  it,  stand  to  it,  own  it,  profess 
it  consistently,  are  satisfied  in  it,  and  plead  the  benefit  of  it.  For 
this  cause  the  sacrament  of  the  supper  was  instituted,  and  is  often 
to  be  celebrated,  that  so  the  covenant  may  be  confirmed  and  recog- 
nised again  and  again. 

2.  To  revive  the  impressions  of  it  on  their  own  souls,  Psal.  xvi.  2. 
0  my  soul,  thou  hast  said  unto  the  Lord,  Thou  art  my  Lord.  We  are 
apt  to  forget  what  we  have  most  solemnly  said  unto  the  Lord  in  the 
covenant.  Hence  Moses  says  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  Deut.  iv. 
23,  "  Take  heed  unto  yourselves,  lest  ye  forget  the  covenant  of  the  Lord 
your  God  which  he  made  with  you.  How  soon  did  Peter  and  the  rest 
of  the  disciples  forget,  after  the  first  communion,  what  they  had  said 
unto  the  Lord  ?  The  hearts  of  the  best  are  fickle  ;  impressions  of 
good  are  easily  worn  oft'  them,  and  very  soon  too  do  they  begin  to 
grow  weak.  We  have  much  need  therefore  to  be  putting  ourselves 
in  mind  of  what  passed  in  that  case,  lest  the  heart  be  like  the  adul- 
teress, wJiich  forsaketh  the  guide  of  her  youth,  and  forgetteth  the  co- 
venant of  her  God,  Prov.  ii.  17- 

3.  Because  there  is  a  competition  in  our  case  betwixt  the  Lord, 
and  the  world  with  the  lusts  thereof :  and  after  we  have  said  to  the 
Lord,  Thou  art  my  refuge  and  my  poHion,  these  will  set  upon  us  to 
take  them  for  a  refuge  and  a  portion.  Wherefore  this  is  necessary 
in  that  case  to  make  a  decision  of  the  case  still,  and  to  silence  the 
Lord's  competitors,  and  cut  off  their  pretences  to  us  :  even  as  a  wo- 
man already  espoused  would  recognise  her  espousals,  to  silence  one 
continuing  to  make  suit  to  her.  Tit.  ii.  12. 

4.  To  excite  ourselves  to  the  duty  of  the  relation  constituted  by 
that  saying.  If  we  have  taken  refuge  under  the  shadow  of  the 
Lord's  wings,  we  must  be  as  obedient  children,  walking  according  to 
the  law  of  our  God,  our  Husband,  elder  Brother,  and  King.  If  we 
have  taken  him  for  our  portion,  we  must  live  to  and  for  him,  as  we 
live  by  him,  Psal.  ciii.  IB.  But  we  will  bo  ready  to  neglect  our 
duty,  if  wc  call  not  to  mind  the  engagements  to  it,  taken  upon  us. 


OP  TAKMG  aOD  FOR  A  REFUaE  AKD  PORTION".  61 

5.  Lastly,  To  strengthen  us  in  the  faith  of  the  privileges  of  the 
relation.  It  will  serve  to  confirm  our  trust  in  hira  for  safety  and 
satisfaction,  when  we  remember  that  we  have  said  unto  the  Lord, 
Tlioit  art  my  rcfiuje  and  mi/  portion.  It  will  be  a  means  to  cause  us 
to  adhere  to  him  as  such.  Job  xiii.  15.  Though  he  slay  me,  yet  will  I 
trust  in  him. 

I  come  now  to  apply  this  doctrine  to  them  that  have  said  the 
Lord  is  their  refuge  and  their  portion,  and  to  those  who  cannot  be 
brought  to  say  it. 

First,  Let  me  address  myself  to  you  who  have  said  unto  the 
Lord,  Thou  art  my  refuge  and  my  portion,  at  a  communion-table  or 
otherwise. 

First,  Since  ye  have  said  it,  recognise,  reflect  upon,  and  call  to 
mind  your  saying  it. 

1.  Do  it  often  ;  often  call  to  mind  your  saying  it.  We  find  Da- 
vid often  upon  it,  Psal.  xvi.  2,  forecited.  Psal.  xxxi.  14,  "  I  said, 
Thou  art  my  God."  cxix.  57,  "  Thou  art  my  portion,  0  Lord  :  I  have 
said  that  I  would  keep  thy  words."  cxl.  6,  "  I  have  said  unto  the 
Lord,  thou  art  my  God."  Ye  cannot  remember  it  too  often  ;  for  it 
is  a  thought  that  is  always  seasonable.  It  must  be  habitually  in 
your  mind  :  it  must  never  be  out  of  it,  either  virtually  or  expressly. 
For  your  hearts  are  apt  to  forget  the  Lord  :  and,  forgetting  him, 
and  your  relation  and  engagement  to  him,  ye  go  astray. 

2.  Do  it  occasionally  at  some  times  in  an  explicit  manner.  Re- 
new this  your  transaction  with  God,  and  set  it  again  before  your 
eyes  expressly,  and  that  on  these  four  occasions  especially. 

(1.)  When  a  temptation  is  before  you  to  sin,  in  thought,  word,  or 
deed;  as  Joseph  did.  Gen.  xxxix.  9.  How  can  I  do  this  great  wicked- 
ness, and  sin  against  God  ?  Many  think  they  are  to  be  excused  in 
the  woful  out-breakings  of  their  corruption,  because  forsooth  they 
are  provoked  and  tempted  :  as  if  a  soldier  should  say,  he  did  not 
yield  to  the  enemy  until  he  attacked  him.  But  ye  are  called  to  re- 
sist temptation,  that  ye  may  resist  it,  to  remember  that  ye  have  said 
unto  the  Lord,  Thou  art  my  refuge  and  portion.  Let  that  thought 
pass  through  your  heart  before  ye  yield,  and  it  will  help  you  to 
stand. 

(2.)  When  ye  find  yourselves  unfit  or  backward  to  duty,  take  this 
into  your  thoughts  in  a  believing  manner  :  so  will  ye  see  both  what 
may  excite  you  to  duty,  and  what  may  encourage,  strengthen,  and 
oil  the  wheels  of  your  soul :  as  Paul  experienced,  Rom.  vii.  24,  25, 
"  0  wretched  man  that  I  am  !  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body 
of  this  death  ^  I  thank  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  Here 
is  your  relation  to  God,  and  your  privilege. 


G2  FAITU'S  RECOGNITION 

(3.)  When  yc  are  in  danger  or  dilficulties  that  ye  know  not  how 
to  get  through ;  then  reinerabcr,  that  ye  have  said  to  tlie  Lord,  Thou 
art  my  refuge.  This  is  the  way  to  compose  your  souls  in  a  patient 
waiting  for  God,  and  comfortable  expectation  of  relief  from  him ; 
whether  they  be  dangers  of  your  soul,  body,  outward  estate,  reputa- 
tion, &c. 

(4.)  When  ye  are  under  the  world's  frowns,  things  going  wrong 
with  you  there,  when  the  persons  or  things  of  the  world  disappoint 
you  in  your  expectations  from  them  :  then  remember  ye  have  said. 
Thou  art  my  iMrtion.  This  will  be  of  use  to  compose  your  heart 
under  all  these,  since  these  are  not,  but  God  is  your  portion. 

3.  Do  it  sometimes  in  a  solemn  stated  manner,  taking  some  time 
by  yourself  alone  to  review  what  passed  betwixt  God  and  your  soul 
in  the  day  you  said.  Thou  art  my  refuge  and  portion.  Self-examina- 
tion is  necessary  after  as  well  as  before  a  communion  :  and  I  must 
say,  it  is  a  very  bad  sign,  when  people  are  at  no  pains  that  way 
after  a  communion.  If  ye  have  not  done  it  as  yet,  see  that  ye  do  it 
this  night ;  retire  yourselves  by  yourselves  a  while,  and  review  what 
you  said  to  the  Lord  this  day  eight-days ;  to  whom,  how,  upon  what 
grounds,  and  where  ye  said  it.  And  particularly  examine  your- 
selves, whether  ye  said  it  sincerely  or  not.  Thou  art  my  refuge.  If 
you  have  made  God  in  Christ  your  refuge  then, 

(1.)  Ye  will  have  a  superlative  esteem  of  him  above  all  persons 
and  things,  1  Pet.  ii.  7-  Tlnto  you  that  believe  he  is  precious.  The  city 
of  refuge  was  better  to  the  refugee  than  all  the  land  of  Canaan  be- 
sides, for  there  only  could  he  be  in  safety  of  his  life.  And  God  in 
Christ  will  be  better  to  the  sincere  soul  than  all  persons  or  things 
else,  Psal.  Ixxiii.  25,  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee  ?  and  there 
is  none  upon  earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee."  Luke  xiv.  26,  "  If 
any  man  come  after  me,  and  hate  not  his  father  and  mother,  &c.  he 
cannot  be  ray  disciple." 

(2.)  Ye  will  have  fled  to  him  for  safety  from  sin,  as  well  as  from 
wrath,  Matth.  i.  21,  "  Thou  shalt  call  his  name  Jesus :  for  he  shall 
save  his  people  from  their  sins."  Ye  will  have  made  his  sanctifying 
Spirit,  as  well  as  his  justifying  blood,  your  refuge.  And  because 
the  sincere  refugee  flees  from  sin  as  sin,  your  souls  will  be  longing 
to  be  rid  of  all  sin,  counting  it  as  your  enemy  and  the  pursuing 
avenger ;  and  the  remains  of  sin  in  you,  will  be  your  soul's  burden, 
Rom.  vii.  24,  forecited. 

(3.)  Ye  will  look  for  safety  from  God  in  Christ  alone,  and  not 
from  the  law  or  your  own  Avorks  :  For  by  the  works  of  the  law  shall 
no  flesh  be  justified,  Gal.  ii.  16.  From  thence  will  be  the  support  of 
your  souls.     When  a  man  is  without  the  city  of  I'efuge,  if  the  aven- 


OF  TAKIICG  GOD  FOE  A  REFUGE  AHIT)  PORTION".  63 

ger  of  blood  pursue  hot,  then  he  quickens  his  pace  ;  if  he  halts,  then 
he  halts,  all  his  motions  and  comforts  depending  on  his  motions  or 
haltings.  But  when  he  has  got  within  the  city,  it  is  not  so  with 
him.  Thus  as  to  men  out  of  Christ,  the  great  motives  to  obedience 
are  fear  of  punishment  and  hope  of  reward  by  their  works,  which 
are  the  great  grounds  of  their  comfort :  but  the  soul  which  has 
made  God  in  Christ  its  refuge,  looks  for  its  safety  only  in  Christ's 
works  and  suffering,  Phil.  iii.  3.  rejoicing  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  having 
no  confdence  in  the  flesh  ;  and  so  its  labour  is  turned  into  a  labour  of- 
love,  Heb.  vi.  10. 

SeconcUi/.  Since  ye  have  said,  That  God  in  Christ  is  your  refuge, 
hold  by  it,  and  carry  yourselves  accordingly, 

I.  Abide  in  your  refuge,  John  xv.  4.  Cleave  to  God  in  Christ  as 
your  refuge  for  ever,  Acts  xi.  23.  Your  continuance  there  is  ne- 
cessary to  evidence  your  sincerity,  John  viii.  31.  "  If  ye  continue  in 
my  love,  then  are  ye  my  disciples  indeed."  Drawing  back  is  danger- 
ous, Heb.  X.  38,  "  If  any  man  draw  back,  my  soul  shall  have  no 
pleasure  in  hira."  It  speaks  hypocrisy,  1  John  i.  19,  "  They  went 
out  from  us,  but  they  were  not  of  us  :  for  if  they  had  been  of  us, 
they  would  no  doubt  have  continued  with  us  :  but  they  went  out, 
that  they  might  be  made  manifest,  that  they  were  not  all  of  us."   And, 

(1.)  Venture  not  out  without  the  borders  of  your  refuge,  Heb.  iii. 
12,  Take  heed  lest  there  be  in  any  of  you  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief, 
in  departing  from  the  living  God."  A  man  is  no  longer  in  safety 
than  he  is  within  the  refuge,  Num.  xxxv.  25,  27.  For  without  it 
death  reigns,  without  it  is  nothing  but  the  laud  of  darkness  and 
shadow  of  death. 

(2.)  Beware  of  betaking  yourselves  to  any  other  refuges,  for  their 
is  no  safety  in  them.  Acts  iv.  12.  forecited.  Every  man  is  sensible 
he  needs  a  defence,  something  to  trust  to  for  safety  in  his  straits  : 
but  all  things  else  beside  God  in  Christ  will  be  found  lying  refuges 
which  will  not  secure  you,  Isa.  xxviii.  17-     And, 

[1.]  Make  not  men  your  refuge.  For,  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord, 
Cursed  be  the  man  that  trustcth  in  man,  and  raaketh  flesh  his  arm, 
and  whose  heart  departeth  from  the  Lord.  For  he  shall  be  like  the 
heath  in  the  desart,  and  shall  not  see  when  good  cometh,  but  shall 
inhabit  the  parched  places  in  the  wilderness,  in  a  salt  land  and  not 
inhabited,"  Jer.  xvii.  5,  6.  David  was  not  one  that  had  much  ex- 
perience of  men's  falsehood,  and  disappointing  the  expectations  of 
those  that  trusted  in  them,  Psal.  cxlii.  4,  "  I  looked  on  my  right 
hand,  and  beheld,  but  there  was  no  man  that  would  know  me  ;  re- 
fuge failed  me  ;  no  man  cared  for  my  soul.  Therefore  saith  he,  It 
is  better  to  trust  in  the  Lord,  than  to  put  confidence  in  man.     It  is 


64  faith's  recognition. 

better  to  trust  in  tlie  Lord  tluaii  to  i>ut  trust  in  princes,  Psal.  cxviii. 
8,  9.  Put  not  your  trust  in  princes,  nor  in  tlie  son  of  man,  in  whom 
there  is  no  help.  His  breath  goeth  forth,  he  returneth  to  his  earth  : 
in  that  very  day  his  thoughts  perish.  ITappy  is  he  that  hath  the 
God  of  Jacob  for  his  help,  whose  hope  is  in  the  Lord  his  God,"  Psal. 
cxlvi.  3,  4,  5.  Wherefore  in  all  cases  where  ye  may  be  in  hazard 
this  way  of  placing  confidence  in  men,  beware  of  it,  and  place  your 
confidence  in  God. 

[2.]  Nor  make  world's  wealth  your  refuge,  Prov.  xviii.  11.  "The 
rich  man's  wealth  is  his  strong  city,  and  as  an  high  wall  in  his  own 
conceit."  0  what  safety  are  men  apt  to  promise  to  themselves  from 
their  abundance  !  and  yet  after  all  it  proves  but  a  refuge  of  lies : 
Psal.  lii.  6,  7,  "  The  righteous  also  shall  see,  and  fear,  and  shall 
laugh  at  him.  Lo,  this  is  the  man  that  made  not  God  his  strength  ; 
but  ti'usted  in  the  abundance  of  his  riches,  aud  strengthened  himself 
in  his  wickedness."  Much  need  is  there  then  to  take  heed  to  the 
advice,  Psal.  Ixii.  10,  If  riches  increase,  set  not  your  heart  upon  them. 

[3.]  Nor  make  your  own  works  and  duties  your  refuge.  Paul 
could  not  trust  himself  under  that  covert,  but  desired  to  be  "  found 
in  Christ,  not  having  his  own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law,  but 
that  which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is 
of  God  by  faith,"  Phil.  iii.  9.  It  is  natural  to  men,  when  conscience 
is  raised  on  them,  and  begins  to  pursue  them,  to  flee  to  their  own 
works  and  doings,  and  to  seek  refuge  about  mount  Sinai  for  their 
guilty  souls,  as  the  Jews  did,  who  sought  after  righteousness,  not  by 
faith,  but  as  it  were  by  the  works  of  the  law,  Rom.  ix.  33.  Your 
only  safety  is  under  the  covert  of  blood. 

[4.]  Nor  uncovenanted  mercy,  mercy  for  mere  mercy's  sake,  as 
many  do,  who,  not  careful  to  be  savingly  interested  in  Christ,  be- 
take themselves  to  mercy,  without  betaking  themselves  to  Christ  by 
faith.  These,  justice  will  draw  from  the  horns  of  the  altar ;  for 
without  shedding  of  blood  is  no  remission,  Heb.  ix.  22.  It  is  mercy 
through  a  propitiation,  that  is  the  only  safe  refuge  for  a  guilty 
creature  ;  for,  said  the  publican,  God  he  merciful  \j[>ro'pitious  Gr.]  to 
7ne  a  sinner,  Luke  xviii.  11. 

2.  Improve  your  refuge  for  safety,  comfort  and  establishment  in 
all  cases.  This  is  the  life  of  faith  which  all  believers  are  called  to 
as  that  wherein  their  duty  and  interest  jointly  lie.  Gal.  ii.  20,  "  I 
live  ;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me  :  and  the  life  which  I  now 
live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved 
me,  and  gave  himself  for  me."     And, 

(1.)  With  respect  to  sin,  improve  your  refuge.  When  ye  are 
assaulted  with  temptation  from  the  devil,  the  world,  and  the  flesh. 


OF  TAKING  GOD  FOR  A  REFUGE  AND  PORTION.  65 

betake  yourselves  to  God  in  Clirist  for  safety  aiid  preservation,  as 
Paul  did,  Horn.  vii.  24,  25,  forecited.  Ye  are  in  this  world  as  in  a 
wilderness,  where  your  souls'  enemies  are  ready  to  attack  you,  and 
cause  you  to  violate  your  fidelity  to  your  Lord  and  Husband ;  ye 
should  then  cry  out  to  him,  that  ye  suffer  violence,  and  flee  into  the 
arms  of  his  grace,  where  ye  may  be  safe.  Thus  did  Paul,  2  Cor.  xii. 
9,  who  being  harassed  with  a  thorn  in  the  flesh,  a  messenger  of 
Satan,  besought  the  Lord,  that  it  might  depart  from  him  ;  and  re- 
ceived this  answer,  "  My  grace  is  sufficient  Tor  thee  ;  for  my  strength 
is  made  perfect  in  weakness."  Mens'  grappling  with  temptation  in 
their  own  strength,  is  the  cause  why  so  often  they  come  foul  olf, 
Prov.  xxviii.  26,  //*;  tliat  trustcth  in  his  own  heart,  is  a  fool. 

(2.)  With  respect  to  the  law  as  a  covenant  of  works.  There  is 
no  standing  before  it,  but  under  this  covert.  Sometimes  it  invades 
the  believer,  and  makes  high  demands  of  him  for  his  salvation. 
[1.]  Thou  art  a  sinner,  and  justice  must  be  satisfied  for  thy  sin : 
then  flee  thou  into  thy  refuge,  and  hide  thyself  in  the  wounds  of  the 
Redeemer;  plead  the  satisfaction  of  his  death  and  sufterings,  and 
hold  them  betwixt  you  and  the  fiery  law  :  so  shall  ye  stop  its  mouth, 
Job  xxxiii.  23,  24,  "  If  there  be  a  messenger  with  him,  an  interpreter, 
one  among  a  thousand,  to  show  unto  man  his  uprightness  ;  then  he 
is  gracious  unto  him,  and  saith,  Deliver  him  from  going  down  to  the 
pit,  I  have  found  a  ransom."  [2.]  Thou  canst  not  have  a  right  to 
heaven  without  working  for  it  works  perfectly  good,  and  exactly 
agreeable  to  the  law.  For  it  is  written,  "  Cursed  is  every  one  that 
continueth  not  in  all  things  which  are  written  in  the  book  of  the 
law  to  do  them,"  Gal.iii.  10.  Then  improve  your  refuge,  and  by 
faith  laying  hold  on  Christ's  perfect  obedience  to  all  the  ten  com- 
mands, plead  that  as  your  security,  and  so  you  shall  be  safe,  Rom. 
V.  5,  "  To  him  that  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him  that  justifieth 
the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  for  righteousness."  [3.]  If  the  law 
yet  insist  and  say,  But  thy  nature  is  corrupt  and  stained ;  flee  to 
thy  refuge,  and  plead  the  holiness  of  Christ's  birth  and  nature,  by 
virtue  of  which  imputed  to  thee,  thou  art  without  spot  before  the 
throne  of  God,  Cant.  iv.  7 ;  Rom.  iv.  8,  both  formerly  cited.  Here 
is  your  only  safety  in  this  case. 

(3.)  With  respect  to  the  evil  day,  Jer.  xvii.  17.  We  have  just 
ground  to  expect  a  day  of  trial,  a  day  of  common  calamity,  and  this 
church  and  laud,  as  well  as  each  of  us  may  lay  our  account  with 
personal  trials  and  afllictions.  And  we  should  improve  our  refuge 
in  that  case  for  our  comfort  and  establishment. 

[1.]  Before  it  come.  The  prospect  of  trials  is  often  very  heavy, 
and  unbelief  taking  a  view  of  them,  is  ready  to  rack  and  torture  the 


GG  VATTIl's  KEC'OGNITIOK 

heart  with  that,  how  one  shall  be  carried  through.  But  the  man 
who  has  taken  God  for  his  refuge,  sliould  improve  it,  so  as  to  estab- 
lish his  heart  in  the  faith  of  through-bearing,  come  what  will  come, 
llab.  iii.  17,  18,  "  Although  the  fig-tree  shall  not  blossom,  neither 
shall  fruit  be  in  the  vines  ;  the  labour  of  the  olive  shall  fail,  and 
the  fields  shall  yield  no  meat ;  the  flock  shall  be  cut  off  from  the 
fold,  and  there  shall  be  no  herd  in  the  stalls  ;  yet  I  Avill  rejoice  in 
the  Lord,  I  will  joy  in  the  God  of  my  salvation."  There  is  good 
reason  for  it :  for  however  great  the  trial  be,  our  refuge  is  suflicieut 
both  against  sin  and  danger :  therefore  says  Paul,  Phil.  iv.  13,  "  I 
can  do  all  things  through  Christ  which  streugtheueth  me."  Jer.  xv. 
11.  "  Verily  it  shall  be  well  with  thy  remnant,  verily  I  will  cause 
the  enemy  to  entreat  thee  well  in  the  time  of  evil,  and  in  the  time 
of  affliction." 

[2.]  "When  it  is  come.  Whatever  storms  blow,  believers  have 
such  a  cover  over  their  heads,  as  may  afford  safety,  comfort,  and 
establishment :  for  if  God  he  for  us,  who  can  he  against  us  T  Rom. 
viii.  31.  There  is  a  kindly  invitation  given  to  all  God's  people, 
with  respect  to  the  evil  day,  Isa.  xxvi.  20.  "  Come,  my  people,  enter 
thou  into  thy  chambers,  and  shut  thy  doors  about  thee  :  hide  thyself 
as  it  were  for  a  little  moment,  until  the  indignation  be  overpast." 
And  the  voice  of  faith  in  answer  thereto  is,  "  My  soul  trusteth  in 
thee  :  yea,  in  the  shadow  of  thy  wings  will  I  make  my  refuge,  until 
these  calamities  be  overpast,"  Psal.  Ivii.  1.  It  is  good  news,  that 
Zion's  God  reigneth,  whatever  the  time  brings  forth. 

(4.)  With  respect  to  death.  Death  is  of  all  terribles  the  most 
terrible,  and  is  therefore  called  the  king  of  terrors.  But  those  who 
have  taken  God  in  Christ  for  their  refuge,  have  what  may  comfort 
and  establish  them,  even  in  that  case.  Even  from  the  last  enemy 
God  it  a  refuge.     So  that, 

[1.]  The  fear  of  death  ought  not  to  perplex  and  terrify  them. 
David  could  say,  "  Yea,  though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the 
shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil :  for  thou  art  with  me,  thy  rod 
and  thy  staff  they  comfort  me,"  Psal.  xxiii.  4.  Death  can  do  no 
harm  to  those  whose  refuge  the  Lord  is.     For, 

[2.]  The  sting  of  death  cannot  reach  them.  They  may  sit  Avithin 
their  refuge  and  sing,  "  0  death,  where  is  thy  sting  ?  0  grave,  where 
is  thy  victory  ?  The  sting  of  death  is  sin  ;  and  the  strength  of  sin 
is  the  law.  But  thanks  be  to  God,  which  giveth  us  the  victory 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  1  Cor.  xv.  55,  56,  57-  The  refuge 
was  provided  against  sin  and  death  in  a  peculiar  manner,  and  they 
may  expect  all  safety  in  it,  under  the  covert  of  the  wings  of  a  cruci- 
fied Redeemer.  And  it  is  the  weakness  of  faith  that  makes  them 
so  fearful  about  it. 


OF  TAKING  OOD  FOR  A  REFUGE  AND  PORTION.  67 

Secondly.  Ye  wlio  cannot  be  brought  to  say  unto  God  in  Christ 
TJwu  art  my  refuge  and  my  j^ortion,  to  take  God  in  Christ  for  your 
refuge  ;  I  would  have  you, 

1.  To  reflect  on  the  folly  of  this  your  course.  And  you  may  see 
it,  if  you  consider,  that, 

(1.)  There  is  no  safety  for  you  without  this  refuge.  Ye  are  guilty 
and  the  avenger  is  the  justice  of  God,  by  which  ye  will  undoubtedly 
fall,  if  ye  get  not  within  this  refuge.  Ye  must  either  be  in  Christ, 
or  God  will  pursue  you  as  an  enemy.  And,  [1.]  He  is  a  just  God, 
and  ye  cannot  escajje  by  flattering  him,  Gen.  xviii.  25.  Shall  not  the 
Judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right  ?  [2.]  lie  is  every  where  present  and 
ye  cannot  flee  from  him,  Psal.  cxxxix.  7-  [3.]  He  is  omnipotent ; 
and  so  ye  cannot  resist  him  and  make  head  against  him.  "  Who 
hath  hardened  himself  against  him  and  hath  prospered?"  Job  ix.  4. 
[4.]  He  is  eternal,  and  ye  cannot  outlive  him.     See  2  Thess.  i.  6 — 9. 

(2.)  That  however  long  ye  delay,  ye  must  draw  to  it  at  last,  or 
perish.     And  who  knows  but  ye  may  come  too  late  ? 

2.  I  would  have  you  instantly  to  repent,  and  turn  to  this  refuge, 
Zech.  ix.  12.  "  Turn  ye  to  the  stronghold,  ye  prisoners  of  hope." 
Though  ye  have  sit  many  calls,  and  given  Christ  many  refusals,  yet 
there  is  room  for  your  saying  unto  him.  Thou  art  my  rcfugef  and 
my  portion  ;  he  allows  you  to  take  your  word  again,  and  rue  upon 
him.  Jer.  xiii.  27.  0  Jerusalem,  xvilt  thou  not  he  im.ide  clean  ?  tvhen 
shall  it  once  be  ?  How  peremptory  were  the  people  in  their  refusal, 
Jer.  ii.  25.  "  Thou  saidst,  There  is  no  hope.  No,  for  I  have  loved 
strangers,  and  after  them  will  I  go."  Yet  see  chap.  iii.  1.  "But 
thou  hast  played  the  harlot  with  many  lovers  ;  yet  return  again  to 
me,  saith  the  Lord."  Christ  insists  upon  your  saying  to  him,  Thou 
art  my  refuge,  and  my  portion;  gives  you  one  off"er  of  himself  after 
another  :  why  so,  but  because  he  would  have  you  yet  to  be  wise,  and 
turn  to  him.     Come,  then,  sinners,  while  yet  there  is  room. 


68  GOD  IN  CHRIST  THE  BELIEVRU's  PORTION. 


GOD  IN  CHRIST  THE   BELIEVER'S  PORTION.' 

Psalm  cxlii.  5. 

/  cried  unto  thee,  0  Lord,  I  said,  thou  art  tny  refuge,  and  my  portion, 

in  the  land  of  the  living. 

Having  considered  the  nature  of  the  refuge  and  portion  mentioned 
in  the  text,  especially  that  of  the  refuge,  and  shewn  that  those  who 
have  taken  God  in  Christ  for  their  refuge  and  portion,  should  recog- 
nise their  so  doing,  I  now  proceed  to  another  doctrine  from  the 
words,  viz. 

DocT.  To  those  who  have  sincerely  made  God  in  Christ  their  re- 
fuge, the  same  God  in  Christ  is  their  portion  to  live  on  in  that 
refuge. 

In  discoursing  from  this  doctrine,  I  shall, 

I.  Consider  God  in  Christ  as  a  portion  to  live  on. 

II.  Shew  in  what  respects  he  is  the  believer's  portion,  or  the  por- 
tion of  those  who  have  taken  him  for  their  refuge. 

IH.  Confirm  the  doctrine, 

lY.  Make  some  practical  improvement. 

I.  I  am  to  consider  God  in  Christ  as  a  portion  to  live  on.  For 
understanding  this,  consider. 

First,  Man  needed  and  doth  need  a  portion.  Portions  are  given 
to  supply  wants,  and  answer  the  needs  of  those  who  get  them.  The 
need  is  twofold. 

1.  By  necessity  of  nature,  from  the  moment  of  his  being,  he 
needed  a  portion,  something  without  himself  to  live  upon.  Innocent 
Adam  did  not  need  a  refuge  to  flee  to,  guilt  brought  on  that  neces- 
sity. While  he  kept  free  from  sin,  none  could  do  him  harm.  But 
he  needed  a  portion  as  he  was  a  creature,  and  therefore  was  not 
self-sufficient,  which  is  an  incommunicable  property  of  God,  Gen. 
xvii.  1.  I  am  God  all-sujident.  God  was  infinitely  happy  in  himself 
before  there  was  any  creature  ;  but  no  creature  can  be  hapj^y  in  it- 
self, having  desires  to  be  satisfied,  that  must  be  satisfied  from  ano- 
ther quarter. 

2.  By  necessity  of  loss.  God  himself,  without  the  intervention  of 
a  mediator,  was  man's  portion  at  first,  and  the  well-furnished  world 
was  but  an  addition  to  the  bargain.  Gen.  i.  26,  27.      It  was  never 

*  This  discourse,  consisting  of  more  sermons  than  one,  was  delivered  in  Septem- 
ber, 1722. 


GOD  IN  CHRIST  THE  BELIEVER's  PORTION.  69 

given  him  for  his  portion ;  for  it  was  what  his  innocent  soul  could 
never  have  subsisted  on.  But  when  he  gave  him  every  herb  for  the 
support  of  his  earthly  part,  he  gave  him  himself  as  his  God  for  the 
support  of  his  heavenly  part.  But  man  by  sin  lost  his  portion,  God 
turning  his  enemy,  and  all  access  to  the  enjoyment  of  God  being 
stopt.     Thus  mankind  was  left  in  a  starving  condition. 

Secondli/,  The  same  way  that  God  became  a  refuge  to  which  guilty 
sinners  might  have  access,  he  became  a  portion  to  which  starving 
sinners  might  have  access,  namely,  in  Christ.  The  former  drew  with 
it  the  latter. 

1.  None  less  than  a  God  could  ever  be  a  sufficient  portion  to 
man.  Indeed  if  a  man  had  no  nobler  part  than  the  body,  the  earth 
of  which  it  was  made,  might  be  a  sufficient  portion  to  him,  as  it  is 
to  the  beasts.  But  since  he  is  endowed  with  a  rational  soul,  which 
is  capable  of  desires  that  all  the  creation  cannot  satisfy,  and  none 
but  God  himself  can,  it  is  evident,  that  only  God  himself  can  be 
a  sufficient  portion  to  man. 

2.  But  an  absolute  God  could  never  be  enjoyed  as  a  portion  by  a 
sinful  creature.  Justice  stood  in  the  way  of  it,  which  requires  the 
sinner  to  die  the  death,  according  to  the  threatening.  Gen.  ii.  17, 
"  In  the  day  that  thou  eatest  thereof,  thou  shalt  surely  die ;"  and 
therefore  forbade  the  enjoying  of  their  portion,  by  which  the  sinner 
might  live.  What  was  the  life  promised  in  the  covenant  of  works, 
but  that  complete  happiness  flowing  from  the  full  enjoyment  of 
God  in  heaven,  and  the  happiness  flowing  from  the  full  enjoyment 
of  him  here  ?  The  covenant  then  being  broken,  the  justice  of  God 
necessarily  staved  him  off  from  this. 

4.  But  God  having  clothed  himself  with  our  nature  in  the  person 
of  the  Son,  and  so  became  a  refuge  to  the  guilty  creature,  he  be- 
came also  a  portion  for  the  starving  creature,  upon  which  it  might 
live.  As  a  refuge  we  find  in  him  a  covert  from  revenging  wrath, 
and  what  fully  answers  the  demands  of  the  law  on  our  account. 
Hence  taking  him  for  our  refuge,  and  so  sheltering  ourselves  under 
the  shade  of  a  crucified  Redeemer,  in  whom  dwells  the  fulness  of  the 
Godhead,  there  is  nothing  to  hinder  our  enjoyment  of  him  as  our 
portion,  Psal.  xvi.  5,  10. 

Thirdly,  God  in  Christ  then  is  a  portion,  legally  destined  for, 
and  offered  to  sinners  in  the  gospel.  He  is  a  portion  for  them  to 
live  on,  as  well  as  a  refuge  for  them  to  flee  unto,  John  iii.  16,  "  God 
so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only-begotten  Son,  that  whoso- 
ever believeth  in  him,  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life." 
I  take  up  this  in  these  three  things, 

1.  The  soul  of  man  may  live  on  the  enjoyment  of  God  (Lam.  iii. 

Vol.  V.  F 


70  OOD  IN  CHRIST  THE  BELIEVEr's  PORTION. 

24.)  in  Christ.     It  needs  no  more  to  malto  it  live  happily,  John  vi. 

57.  He  that  eatcth  me,  even  he  shall  live  hy  me.  The  prodigal,  when  he 
was  minded  to  return  to  his  father,  was  convinced  of  this,  Luke  xv. 
17,  "  How  many  hired  servants  of  my  father's  have  bread  enough 
and  to  spare,  and  I  perish  with  hunger !"  And  if  you  ask.  What 
is  this  bread?  our  Lord  Christ  answers,  John  vi.  51,  "I  am  the 
living  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven  :  if  any  man  eat  of  this 
bread,  he  shall  live  for  ever  :  and  the  bread  that  I  will  give,  is  my 
flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world."  And  if  ye  ask, 
Where  the  strength  of  this  bread  lies  for  nourishing  of  the  soul  ?  it 
is  answered,  John  vi.  G3,  "  It  is  the  Spirit  that  quickeneth,  the  flesh 
profiteth  nothing  :  the  words  that  I  speak  unto  you,  they  are  spirit, 
and  they  are  life.  Col.  ii.  9,  10.  For  in  him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness 
of  the  Godhead  bodily.  And  ye  are  complete  in  him,  who  is  the  head 
of  all  principality  and  power."     The  enjoyment  of  God  in  Christ, 

(1.)  Removes  the  maladies  of  the  soul,  Psal.  ciii. 

3.  Bless  the  Lord,  0  my  soul, — who  healeth  all  thy  diseases.  Sin  has 
cast  the  soul  into  extreme  disorders,  has  left  it  in  a  diseased  condi- 
tion, and  the  sickness  is  mortal,  which  the  soul  cannot  miss  to  die 
of  eternally,  if  it  be  not  cured,  John  viii.  24,  If  ye  believe  not  that  I 
am  he,  ye  shall  die  in  your  sins.  It  is  cast  into  a  fever  of  raging  lusts, 
which  cause  in  it  many  irregular  and  preternatural  desires.  And 
the  answering  of  these  desires  does  but  increase  the  distemper  of  the 
soul.  Men  whose  portion  the  world  is,  endeavour  to  satisfy  them 
from  their  portion,  but  all  in  vain,  Eccl.  i.  3,  "  The  eye  is  not  satis- 
fied with  seeing,  nor  the  ear  filled  with  hearing."  Ilab.  ii.  5.  "  He  is 
a  proud  man,  neither  keepeth  at  home,  who  enlargeth  his  desire  as 
hell,  and  is  as  death,  and  cannot  be  satisfied."  Neither  can  they  be 
satisfied  from  a  holy  God,  whose  holiness  is  perfectly  opposite  to 
their  nature.     Eut  here  lies  the  matter  : 

The  enjoyment  of  God  in  Christ  kills  these  desires,  and  frees  the 
soul  from  them,  according  to  the  measure  of  it,  John  iv.  14,  "  Who- 
soever drinketh  of  the  water  that  I  shall  give  him,  shall  never 
thirst :  but  the  water  that  I  shall  give  him,  shall  be  in  him  a  well 
of  water  springing  up  into  everlasting  life."  Like  as  the  feverish 
man's  drought  is  slaked,  according  to  the  measure  of  his  recovery 
wrought  by  some  suitable  remedy  :  so  God  in  Christ  being  enjoyed 
by  faith,  the  irregular  desires  or  lusts  of  the  soul  die  ;  and  when 
God  in  Christ  shall  be  perfectly  enjoyed  in  heaven,  they  shall  be 
perfectly  expelled  out  of  the  soul,  Heb.  xii.  23.  Thus  mortification 
is  the  elfect  of  the  enjoyment  of  God  in  Christ :  and  as  lusts  die,  the 
soul  lives,  lives  happily  and  comfortably. 

(2.)  It  satisfies  the  regular  cravings  of  the  soul,  Is.  Iv.  2.  "  Hear- 


aOTt  IN  OnRTST  TnK  r.ELIEVER':^  rCRTION.  71 

ken  diligently  unto  mo,  and  eat  yo  that  which  is  good,  and  let  yovir 
soul  delight  itself  in  fatness."  Take  away  the  lustings,  flowing  from 
the  distemper  of  the  soul  by  sin,  the  desires  of  the  heart  are  brouglit 
into  a  narrow  compass,  all  centring  in  one  thing,  viz.  what  is  really 
needful  and  useful  for  the  soul's  well-being,  Luke  x.  ult.  One  thing 
is  needful.  Psal.  xxvii.  4,  "  One  thing  have  I  desiicd  of  the  Lord, 
that  will  I  seek  after,  that  I  may  dwell  in  the  house  of  the 
Lord  all  the  days  of  my  life,  to  behold  the  beauty  of  the  Lord,  and 
to  enquire  in  his  temple."  And  that  is  to  be  found  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  God  in  Christ,  Psal.  xxvii.  4,  and  Ixxiii.  25,  forecited.  Now 
the  regular  craving  of  the  soul  may  be  comprised  in  these  two  things. 

[1.]  A  desire  of  what  may  perfect  its  nature.  Every  thing  has  a 
native  inclination  towards  its  own  perfection  :  and  the  sinful  crea- 
ture being  made  a  new  creature,  has  a  strong  inclination  to  its  own 
perfection,  and  consequently  desires  what  may  advance  that.  Hence 
we  read  of  the  lusting  of  the  Spirit,  Gal.  v.  17,  the  groanings  of  the 
gracious  soul  under  the  remains  of  corruption,  Rom.  vii.  24.  Now 
that  which  is  perfecting  to  the  renewed  soul  is  the  transformation 
of  it  into  the  image  of  God,  1  John  iii.  2.  For  this  is  it  by  which  it 
is  brought  back  into  the  happy  state  it  was  created  in  at  first.  Gen. 
i.  27.  And  without  question  every  thing  is  the  more  perfect,  the 
nearer  it  comes  to  the  likeness  of  him  who  is  the  fountain  of  all  per- 
fection. And  therefore  holiness  is  indeed  the  happiness  and  the  life 
of  the  soul.  Now  the  enjoyment  of  God  in  Christ  answers  the  de- 
sire of  the  soul,  according  to  the  measure  thereof.  And  in  Christ 
there  is  a  fulness  for  satisfying  of  it ;  for  in  him  there  is  a  fulness 
of  the  Spirit  of  sanctification,  with  light,  life,  strength,  &c.  and 
whatsoever  is  necessary  for  nourishing  up  the  new  creature  to  per- 
fection, John  i.  16.  Rev.  iii.  1.  And  through  the  enjoyment  of  God 
in  him,  the  perfection  of  the  soul  is  carried  on,  according  to  the 
degrees  of  the  enjoyment,  2  Cor.  iv.  18. 

[2.]  A  desire  of  what  may  continue  it  in  its  perfection.  This  also 
is  what  every  thing  has  a  native  inclination  to,  since  nothing  can 
desire  its  own  destruction.  And  this  the  new  creature  or  renewed 
soul  is  also  endowed  with,  namely,  a  desire  of  its  being  for  ever 
continued  in  the  state  of  perfection  once  attained  nnto.  But  what 
portion  is  sufficient  for  such  a  boundless  desire  of  the  soul  ?  Not 
this  world  surely,  which  will  not  last,  but  will  be  burnt  up  ;  but  the 
eternal  God,  the  everlasting  Father,  of  infinite  perfections,  wlio  is 
an  inexhaustible  fountain  of  perfection  for  ever.  Therefore  says  the 
psalmist,  "  My  flesh  and  my  heart  faileth  :  but  God  is  the  strength 
of  my  heart,  and  my  portion  for  ever,"  Psal.  Ixxiii.  26. 

2.  There  is  a  sullicicncy  in  God  in  Christ  for  the  wholo  man,  soul 

F  2 


72  GOD  IN  CHRIST  TUB  BELIEVEE's  PORTION. 

and  body  too,  Rom.  xi.  36,  "  For  of  him,  and  through  him,  and  to 
hira  are  all  things."  He  is  infinite  in  perfections,  therefore  there 
can  be  nothing  wanting  in  him,  which  is  necessary  for  the  good  of 
his  creature  any  manner  of  way,  Job  xi.  7,  "  Canst  thou  by  search- 
ing find  out  God  ?  canst  thou  find  out  the  Almighty  unto  perfection  ?" 
Hence  David  says,  Psal.  xxxiv.  10,  "  They  that  seek  the  Lord  shall 
not  want  any  good  thing."  So  that  he  who  would  have  a  portion 
that  might  furnish  him  with  all  he  needs,  both  for  his  soul  and  his 
body,  may  have  it  in  a  God  in  Christ.  Thus  God  in  Christ  is  a 
portion  the  whole  man  may  live  on. 
Quest.  How  can  that  be  ? 

Ans.  1.  There  is  enough  in  God  to  give  a  man  full  contentment 
of  heart  in  any  lot  whatsoever,  to  cause  him  say  from  inward  feeling 
that  he  has  enough,  whatever  be  his  wants,  Phil.  iv.  11,  /  have 
learned,  says  the  apostle,  in  whatsoever  state  I  am,  therewith  to  he 
content.  Hab.  iii.  17,  18,  formerly  quoted.  And  that  is  equivalent 
to  one's  having  all,  and  wanting  nothing,  2  Cor.  vi.  10.  Phil.  iv.  18. 
A  man  living  thus  in  a  cottage,  with  coarse  fare  and  a  small  mea- 
sure of  it,  lives  better  than  a  discontented  king  in  his  palace,  Luke 
xii.  15,  "  For  a  man's  life  consisteth  not  in  the  abundance  of  the 
things  which  he  possesseth."  God  satisfies  such  as  with  marrow  and 
fat,  of  which  a  small  quantity  fill  so  as  the  man  desires  no  more,  but 
rejoiceth  in  his  portion. 

2.  All  good  things  whatsoever,  that  are  not  formally  in  God,  are 
eminently  and  virtually  in  him  as  in  their  cause,  Matth.  xix.  17,  18. 
There  is  none  good  but  one,  that  is  God.  That  is  to  say,  As  one  get- 
ting a  great  sum  of  money  for  his  portion,  may  live  upon  it ;  be- 
cause though  it  is  not  formally  meat  nor  clothes,  he  cannot  eat  it 
nor  clothe  himself  with  the  metal  ;  yet  it  is  virtually  and  in  effect 
both  meat  and  clothes,  in  so  far  as  it  can  purchase  these  things  to 
the  man,  and  so  is  equivalent  to  all  such  things,  Eccl.  x.  19,  Money 
answereth  all  things.  Even  so  one  getting  God  in  Christ  for  his  por- 
tion may  live  upon  him  ;  because  he  can  furnish  him  with  all  good 
things  whatsoever  :  so  having  him  to  be  theirs,  they  have  all  in 
efi'ect,  since  he  has  all,  1  Cor.  iii.  21,  not  only  all  for  the  soul,  but 
all  for  the  body  too. 

These  two  grounds  being  laid,  I  say  there  is  a  sufficiency  in  a  God 
in  Christ  for  all  that  is  necessary  for  the  whole  man ;  so  that  they 
who  have  him  for  their  portion,  have  in  him  a  sufficiency  for  the 
body  as  well  as  for  the  soul.     And, 

1st,  For  their  maintenance,  in  meat  and  drink.  That  day  the 
man  takes  God  for  his  portion,  his  bread  is  baken,  his  provision  is 
secured  for  time  as  well  as  for  eternity.     That  is  a  clause  in  the 


GOD  IN  CHRIST  THE  BELIEVER's  PORTION.  73 

disposition  made  to  them  of  their  portion,  Psal.  xxxvii.  3,  Verilt/ 
thou  shalt  he  fed.  Isa.  xxxiii.  16,  Bread  shall  he  given  him,  his  waters 
shall  be  sure.  All  living  is  fed  by  him,  Psal.  cxlv.  15.  However 
poor  and  needy  they  may  be,  he  who  feeds  his  birds,  will  not  neglect 
his  babes,  Psal.  cxlvii.  9. 

Quest.  But  what  can  a  man  make  of  that  suflBciency  in  God  as  a 
portion  for  maintenance,  when  he  has  empty  pantries  to  go  to  ? 

Ans.  If  he  go  by  faith  to  his  portion  as  his  maintenance,  he  may 
make  these  four  things  of  it, 

(1.)  He  may  get  providential  provision  brought  to  him  in  the 
channel  of  the  covenant,  that  is,  as  an  accomplishment  of  the  pro- 
mise on  which  he  relies.  And  if  that  were  bare  bread  and  water,  it 
will  be  more  sweet  to  the  godly  man  than  the  most  delicious  meats 
to  one  whose  portion  God  is  not.  So  I  doubt  not  Elijah's  fare  was 
sweeter  to  him,  1  Kings  xvii.  6.  than  the  fare  of  Baal's  priests  at 
Jezebel's  table.  Godly  persons  in  straits  helped  to  live  by  faith, 
get  many  sweet  experiences,  which  they  want  when  their  lot  is  more 
plentiful.  And  sure  I  am  the  creature  never  tastes  so  sweet,  as 
when  it  comes  in  answer  to  prayer  and  faith  in  the  promise. 

(2.)  He  may  get  a  little  to  serve  far,  as  in  the  case  of  Daniel  and 
his  companions,  Dan.  i.  15,  whose  countenances,  at  the  end  of  ten 
days,  appeared  fairer,  and  fatter  in  flesh,  by  living  on  pulse  and 
water,  than  all  the  children  which  did  eat  the  portion  of  the  king's 
meat.  Nature  may  be  content  with  little,  and  grace  with  less ; 
whereas  lust  can  never  get  enough.  There  is  a  curse  that  insensi- 
bly wastes  the  provision  of  some ;  while  the  small  provision  of 
others,  by  God's  blessing  comes  to  be  like  the  widow's  barrel  of 
meal,  and  cruise  of  oil,  1  Kings  xvii.  She  never  had  much,  but  yet 
she  never  wanted  altogether.  It  is  a  certain  truth,  that  man  doth 
not  live  by  bread  alone,  Matth.  iv.  4  ;  and  that  as  men  may  eat  plen- 
tifully, and  not  have  enough,  so  they  may  be  kept  at  very  slender 
provision,  and  yet  through  grace  have  abundance. 

(3.)  When  the  streams  are  quite  dry,  he  may  get  a  draught  of  the 
fountain  that  will  be  strengthening  and  refreshful  to  his  very  body. 
Moses  being  in  the  mount  with  God,  eat  none  for  forty  days,  and 
missed  neither  meat  nor  drink.  It  is  true,  that  was  miraculous  : 
but  it  tells  us,  that  the  godly  man's  portion  is  able  to  feed  him 
without  meat  or  drink.  And  I  believe  the  experience  of  many  of 
the  saints  proves,  that  a  watering  of  grace  to  the  soul  is  even  some- 
times refreshing  and  strengthening  to  the  very  body,  agreeable  to 
these  scripture-texts,  Isa.  Ixvi.  14.  Your  heart  shall  rejoice,  and  your 
bones  shall  flourish  like  an  lierh.  Psal.  xxxv.  ix.  19.  "  My  soul  shall 
be  joyful  in  the  Lord  :  it  shall  rejoice  in  his  salvation.      All  my 

F  3 


•f4  OOD  IN  ClIKIST  THE  CELIKVElt's  PoUTIOK. 

bones  shall  say,  Lord,  who  is  like  unto  thee,  which  delivorest  the 
poor  from  him  that  is  too  strong  for  him,  yea,  the  poor  and  the 
needy  from  him  that  spoileth  him  ?" 

(4.)  He  may  quietly  and  contentedly,  in  the  faith  of  the  promise, 
hang  on  at  the  door  of  his  storehouse,  not  doubting  but  his  Father 
will  seasonably  interpose  for  his  help  and  relief,  after  he  has  tried 
him,  and  thus  feed  on  hope,  Psal.  xxxvii.  3.  Trust  in  the  Lord,  and 
do  good,  so  shalt  thou  dwell  hi,  the  land,  and  verily  thou  shalt  he  fed. 
And  this  is  one  of  those  ways  how  the  Lord's  people  are  satisfied  in 
days  of  famine,  verse  19.  Do  not  you  observe,  that  sometimes  the 
hungry  child  cries  for  bread,  and  the  mother  gives  him  a  promise  of 
it  some  time  after,  and  thereupon  he  is  easy  ?  And  may  we  not 
think  a  promise  embraced  by  faith,  will  have  a  satisfying  influence 
on  a  child  of  God  ? 

2dly,  For  their  clothing.  That  likewise  is  an  appurtenance  of 
the  saint's  portion,  Matth.  vi.  30.  "  If  God  so  clothe  the  grass  of 
the  field,  which  to-day  is,  and  to-morrow  is  cast  into  the  oven,  shall 
he  not  much  more  clothe  you,  0  ye  of  little  faith  ?"  There  is  a  lust 
for  clothing  and  attire,  for  satisfying  of  which  earth  and  seas,  and 
even  the  most  remote  countries,  Persia  and  the  Indies,  are  ransacked  : 
and  yet  that  lust  is  not  satisfied ;  still  some  new  thing  is  desired. 
But,  0  the  satisfaction  of  heart,  where  the  man  or  woman  lodges  the 
key  of  their  wardrobe  in  the  hand  of  a  God  in  Christ,  believing  that 
he  will  clothe  them  as  is  meet  in  his  sight.  This  made  the  sheep 
skins  and  goat  skins  wherein  the  worthies,  Heb.  xi.  37.  wandered 
about,  more  comfortable  to  them  than  the  most  gorgeous  apparel 
could  be  to  the  persecutors. 

Zdly,  For  their  housing  or  lodging,  Psal.  xc.  1.  Lord,  thou  hast 
been  our  dwelling-place  in  all  generations.  They  that  have  God  for 
their  portion,  though  they  were  cast  out  of  house  and  hold,  will  not 
want  a  place  where  they  may  lodge  securely  and  comfortably.  He 
who  made  a  fiery  furnace  a  comfortable  lodging  to  the  three  chil- 
dren, can  make  any  place  sweet  to  his  own.  Jacob  never  lodged  a 
night  more  comfortably,  than  when  he  durst  not  stay  at  his  father's 
house  for  Esau,  but  got  the  vault  of  the  heavens  for  the  roof  of  his 
bed-chamber,  the  bare  field  for  his  bed,  and  a  stone  for  his  bolster. 
Gen.  xxviii.  That  he  preferred,  as  the  house  of  God,  to  all  the 
houses  that  ever  his  foot  was  in,  verse  17- 

4thly,  For  their  provision  with  money.  They  that  are  lovers  of 
it,  shall  never  get  enough  of  it,  heap  up  as  they  will,  Eccl.  v.  10. 
Nay,  it  is  ruining  to  them  who  seek  it,  use  it,  and  value  themselves 
upon  it,  as  their  portion,  1  Tim.  vi.  10.  "  For  the  love  of  money  is 
the  root  of  all  evil ;    which  while  some   coveted  after,  they  have 


GOD  IN  CHRIST  THE  BELIEA'Er'S  PORTIOK.  75 

erred  from  the  faith,  and  pierced  themselves  through  with  uiauy 
sorrows,"  But  those  whose  portion  God  is,  shall  have  as  much  of 
it  as  he  sees  they  really  need ;  and  that  is  abundance,  Job  xxii.  25. 
Thou  shah  have  lAcriti/  of  silver.  If  their  portion  furnish  them  not 
money,  it  will  furnish  them  money-worth,  what  is  as  good  and 
better,  Hch.  silver  of  strenr/th,  ibid.  The  jieoplc  of  God  might  be  very 
easy  on  this  head,  if  they  could  believe  that  all  the  riches  of  the 
world  belong  to  him,  and  are  at  his  disposal,  and  that  infinite  wis- 
dom and  love  carves  out  their  portion  of  them  ;  and  that  therefore 
if  their  part  thereof  be  small,  it  is  necessary  for  them  that  it  should 
be  so,  and  that  want  is  made  up  another  way,  Hag.  ii.  8.  9.  "  The 
silver  is  mine,  and  the  gold  is  mine,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  The 
glory  of  this  latter  house  shall  be  greater  than  of  the  former,  saith 
the  Lord  of  hosts  :  and  in  this  j>lace  will  I  give  peace,  saith  the 
Lord  of  hosts." 

Lastly,  For  a  purchase  to  them.  If  men  are  for  a  heritage,  some 
possession  they  might  call  their  own,  there  is  no  such  sure  way  for 
it  as  to  take  God  in  Christ  for  their  portion.  God  gives  bits  of  the 
earth,  lairdships  and  lordships,  &c.  to  some  few  of  his  children, 
though  but  few  of  them,  1  Cor.  i.  26.  The  greatest  part  of  those 
who  are  so  well  provided  now,  are  those  who  have  no  more  to  ex- 
pect at  his  hand.     But, 

(1.)  ^Yhereas  worldly  men  have  but  bits  of  this  earth,  that  they 
can  call  theirs  ;  they  that  have  God  for  their  portion,  have  a  right 
to  the  whole  earth  as  their  Father's  ground,  Matth.  v.  5.  Blessed  are 
the  meek :  for  thei/  shall  inherit  the  earth.  It  is  not  the  carnal  world- 
lings that  fight  and  worry  one  another  for  it,  but  the  meek  and 
quiet  ones  whose  hearts  rest  in  God,  that  shall  inherit  the  earth. 
There  is  often  a  great  diff'erence  betwixt  the  saints  and  others  in 
this  earth  in  respect  of  their  possessions ;  they  whom  God  has  least 
kindness  for,  oft-times  get  the  largest  share  of  earth  :  but  betAvixt 
a  believer  and  an  unbeliever  in  that  case  there  is  just  such  a  diflfer- 
ence,  as  betwixt  the  young  heir  and  one  of  his  father's  tenants. 
The  tenant  may  be  in  possession  of  much  of  the  land,  while  the 
young  heir  possesses  not  a  furrow  of  it :  but  ho  has  a  right  to  it  all  ; 
the  tenant  has  no  more  than  what  he  must  pay  a  dear  rent  for,  and 
may  be  turned  out  of  at  the  term. 

(2.)  Whereas  worldly  men's  property  is  confined  to  this  earth, 
and  they  have  no  peculiar  interest  in  the  visible  heavens,  air,  sun, 
moon,  and  stars  ;  the  children  of  God's  property  extends  to  these 
also,  and  they  have  a  peculiar  interest  in  them,  as  the  outworks  of 
their  Father's  palace,  Psal.  viii.  3.  The  visible  heavens  arc  a  space 
of  the  universe,  which  Providence  has  kindly  put  beyond  the  reach 


76  GOD  IN  CHRIST  THE  BELIEVEe's  PORTION. 

of  men  to  impropriate  :  so  that  the  beggar  and  tlie  king  are  equally 
free  to  the  air,  sun,  moon,  &c.  If  it  had  been  otherwise,  no  doubt 
the  men  of  the  world  would  have  divided  these  among  them  too,  as 
well  as  they  have  done  the  earth,  waters,  and  seas ;  so  that  the 
meaner  sort  would  have  had  the  light  of  the  sun,  moon,  &c.  to  have 
paid  for  to  the  proprietors,  as  well  as  they  have  their  houses  and 
farms  on  the  earth,  &c.  to  pay  for.  But  blessed  be  God,  worldly 
men's  heritage  extends  not  that  far.  Yea,  but  the  portioners  of  a 
God  in  Christ  have  a  peculiar  interest  there,  1  Cor.  iii.  21,  22.  "  All 
things  are  yours;  whether  Paul,  or  Apollos,  or  Cephas,  or  the 
world,  or  life,  or  death,  or  things  present,  or  things  to  come  ;  all 
are  yours."  Each  of  them  may  look  up,  and  say.  That  is  my  sun 
and  my  moon,  my  stars,  my  air,  purchased  by  the  blood  of  my  elder 
Brother,  and  disponed  in  the  everlasting  covenant  by  his  Father  to 
me,  to  give  light  to  me,  and  for  me  to  breathe  in,  by  day  and  night, 
and  discharged  to  wrong  or  hurt  me,  Psal.  cxxi.  6.  "  The  sun  shall 
not  smite  thee  by  day ;  nor  the  moon  by  night." 

(3.)  Whereas  worldly  men  have  no  claim  at  all  to  the  highest 
heavens,  and  so  have  no  place  to  go  to  when  they  shall  be  shaken 
out  of  the  earth  at  the  resurrection,  but  the  pit  of  hell ;  the  heirs, 
the  portioners  of  God  in  Christ,  their  great  interest  lies  there. 
Heaven  is  their  own  country,  their  own  city,  kingdom,  and  mansion- 
house  :  it  is  their  own  home,  which  they  shall  never  depart  from,  if 
once  they  were  there.  It  is  disponed  to  them  with  their  portion, 
and  Christ  as  their  proxy  has  taken  possession  of  it  for  them  in 
their  name,  Heb.  vi.  10.  Whither  the  forerunner  is  for  us  entered. 
Hence  they  are  said  to  be  settled  there  already,  Eph.  ii.  6.  In  one 
word,  they  enjoy  all  in  their  head,  Col.  ii.  9.  10. 

3.  Every  man  may  have  this  God  in  Christ  secured  to  him  as  his 
portion,  in  virtue  of  the  everlasting  covenant  oifered  in  the  gospel. 
Tor  thus  the  covenant  is  proposed  to  be  believed,  embraced,  and 
appropriated  by  all  to  whom  the  gospel  comes,  Heb.  viii.  10.  "  For 
this  is  the  covenant  that  I  will  make  with  the  house  of  Israel  after 
those  days,  saith  the  Lord :  I  will  put  my  laws  into  their  mind,  and 
write  them  in  their  hearts  :  and  I  will  be  to  them  a  God,  and  they 
shall  be  to  me  a  people."  A  man's  portion  speaks  a  disposal  of  it 
to  him  by  gift  from  the  donor,  and  his  property  in  it  by  claiming  it 
as  his  own,  and  so  accepting  the  gift.  Thus  God  in  Christ  is  a  por- 
tion oifered  to  all  to  whom  the  gospel  comes,  and  a  portion  accepted 
by  believers.     I  take  up  this  in  four  things. 

1st,  The  all  which  man  is  capable  to  enjoy,  is  divided  into  two 
great  parts,  God  and  the  creature.  This  division  was  made  by  sin  ; 
for  before  it  entered,  man  enjoyed  God  and  the  creature,  the  latter 


GOD  IN  CHRIST  THE  BELIEVEr's  PORTION.  77 

as  the  incast  to  the  former  :  but  man  falling  off  from  God,  chose  the 
creature  as  a  portion  in  opposition  to  God,  Luke  xv.  12,  13.  '*  The 
younger  said  to  his  father,  Father,  give  me  the  portion  of  goods 
that  falleth  to  me.  And  he  divided  unto  them  his  living.  And 
not  many  days  after,  the  younger  son  gathered  all  together,  and 
took  his  journey,  into  a  far  country,  and  there  wasted  his  substance 
with  riotous  living."  He  left  his  father,  with  his  portion.  And 
thus  all  men  by  nature,  while  the  two  portions  are  set  before  them, 
grasp  the  creature  as  their  portion. 

2t%,  Man  by  this  choice  brought  himself  into  a  wretched  condi- 
tion. (1.)  He  betook  himself  to  a  portion  that  could  never  be  suffi- 
cient for  him,  Isa.  Iv.  22.  "  Wherefore  do  ye  spend  money  for  that 
which  is  not  bread  ?  and  your  labour  for  that  which  satisfieth  not  ?" 
(2.)  He  lost  all  right  to  God  as  a  portion  any  more.  His  name  be- 
came Lo-ammi,  Not  my  people,  Hos.  i.  9.  Therefore  men  in  their 
natural  state  are  said  to  be  withorit  God,  Eph.  ii.  12 ;  and  if  man 
had  been  ever  so  willing  to  have  returned  to  the  possession  of  God 
as  his  portion,  by  the  first  bargain,  he  could  have  had  no  access, 
more  than  the  fallen  angels.  Gen.  iii.  22,  24.  Yea  and  it  was  quite 
beyond  his  power  to  have  procured  himself  access  to  God  again  as 
his  portion. 

3dly,  God  in  Christ  hath  freely  made  over  himself  as  a  portion  to 
sinners,  in  the  gospel ;  so  that  they  all  may,  and  are  welcome  to 
take  possession  of  him  as  their  portion  again.  This  is  Heaven's 
grant  to  poor  sinners  of  the  race  of  Adam,  from  which  fallen  angels 
are  excluded,  John  iii.  16.  "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave 
his  only-begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him,  should  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  Compare  Prov.  viii.  4.  "  Unto 
you,  0  men,  I  call ;  and  my  voice  is  to  the  sons  of  men."  And 
thus  the  mercies  of  the  covenant  are  called  sinners^  own  mercies, 
John  ii.  8.  and  the  living  God  the  Saviour  of  all  men,  1  Tim.  iv.  10. 
and  salvation  the  common  salvation,  Jude  3. 

Quest.  But  how  hath  God  made  over  himself  to  lost  sinners  of 
Adam's  race,  as  a  portion  ? 

Ans.  By  way  of  free  gift  to  be  received  by  faith.  Hence  Christ 
is  called  the  gift  of  God,  John  iv.  10.  Is.  ix.  6.  John  vi.  32  ;  his 
righteousness  a  gift,  Rom.  v.  17-  yea,  and  eternal  life  is  given, 
1  John  V.  11.  This  is  the  free  gift  made  by  Heaven  to  Adam's  fa- 
mily, so  that  they  may  by  faith,  every  one  of  them,  claim  it,  and 
take  possession  thereof,  without  fear  of  vitious  intromission.  And 
this  is  indeed  the  foundation  of  faith  ;  for  no  man  can  war- 
rantably  take  what  he  has  no  manner  of  right  to,  nor  can  any  re- 
ceive what  is  not  first  given  him.  There  must  be  a  giving  on  God's 
part,  before  their  can  be  a  receiving  on  our  part,  John  iii.  27. 


78  GOD  IN  CHRIST  THE  BELIEVER'S  PORTION. 

The  purport  of  wliat  is  said  on  this  head  is,  That  there  is  a  gift  of 
this  portion  made  to  you  and  every  one  of  you.  And  by  this  gospel 
it  is  intimated  to  you,  1  John  v.  11.  so  that  notliing  remains  to 
make  it  your  own  in  a  saving  manner,  but  that  you  by  faith  claim  it 
and  take  possession  of  it.  Ye  have  a  clear  and  solid  ground  on 
which  ye  may  do  so,  whatever  be  your  case.  Rev.  xxii.  17-  "  Whoso- 
ever will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely."  And  this  brings 
me  to  the 

4dh  and  last  thing,  viz.  Faith  claims  the  gift  of  this  portion,  ap- 
propriates it,  and  takes  possession  thereof ;  so  that  it  becomes 
actually  the  believer's  own  portion  in  a  saving  manner,  John  i.  12. 
The  sinner  convinced  of  his  utter  poverty  and  want,  and  the  insuffi- 
ciency of  the  whole  creation  to  satisfy  the  soul  in  the  starving  con- 
dition that  it  is  therefore  in,  hears  and  believes  that  God  in  Christ 
hath  given  himself  as  a  portion  to  sinners,  and  therefore  to  himself 
in  particular,  in  the  word  of  the  promise  of  the  gospel ;  and  there- 
fore trusts  and  confides  in  him  as  his  portion,  for  happiness  and 
satisfaction,  upon  the  warrant  of  the  word  of  grace.  Thus  faith 
takes  possession,  and  saith  as  in  the  text,  "  Thou  art  my  portion. 
Lam.  iii.  24.  The  Lord  is  my  portion,  saith  my  soul,  therefore  will 
I  hope  in  him.  See  Psal.  ii.  ult.  Blessed  are  all  they  that  put 
their  trust  in  him.  Isa.  xxvi.  3,  4.  Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect 
peace,  whose  mind  is  stayed  on  thee ;  because  he  trusteth  in  thee. 
Trust  in  the  Lord  for  ever :  for  in  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  everlasting 
strength."  Thus  the  man  renounceth  all  other  portions,  believes  a 
sufficiency  in  God,  and  that  that  sufficiency  shall  be  made  forthcom- 
ing to  him,  according  to  the  promise,  and  so  rest  in  God  in  Christ  as 
his  portion.  This  is  saving  faith,  by  which  the  soul  takes  God  for 
its  portion. 

Even  as  if  where  a  family  is  ruined  and  reduced  to  beggary,  a 
friend  of  theirs  should  draw  up  a  disposition,  wherein  he  makes  over 
to  them  his  estate,  unknown  to  them.  And  while  they  are  going 
about  in  a  starving  condition,  he  causes  intimate  it  to  them,  that 
they  may  come  and  claim  it,  and  take  possession  of  it,  and  so  live 
on  it.  In  that  case,  those  of  that  family  that  claim  it,  enjoy  it  as 
their  own  :  but  if  any  of  them  will  not  believe  the  grant  of  the 
estate  to  be  made  to  them,  and  therefore  will  not  put  in  their  claim 
to  it,  nor  lay  their  weight  on  it ;  they  must  starve  for  all  it,  it  never 
becomes  theirs  actually  to  any  saving  purpose.  Adam's  posterity 
is  this  family ;  God  in  Christ  is  the  friend  ;  the  gospel  promise  in 
the  Bible,  is  the  disposition ;  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  is  the  inti- 
mation ;  faith  is  the  making  of  the  claim  ;  and  unbelief  is  the  not 
putting  in  a  claim. 


GOD  IK  CIIRIST  THE  BEIilEVER's  PORTIOK.  79 

Thus  have  I  sLown  you  how  God  in  Christ  is  a  portion  for  sinners 
to  live  on.     I  shall, 

Fourthly  and  lasthj,  Speak  of  the  properties  of  this  portion. 

1.  God  in  Christ  is  a  suitable  portion,  Isa.  Iv.  2.  "Eat  ye  that 
which  is  good,  and  let  your  soul  delight  itself  in  fatness."  Many 
have  little  satisfaction  in  the  portion  given  them,  because  it  is  not 
suitable  to  their  case  :  but  God  in  Christ  is  a  portion  suited  to  all 
the  necessities  of  poor  sinners,  and  therefore  they  may  rejoice  in 
him,  Isa.  Ixi.  7.  The  whole  world  cannot  make  a  suitable  portion 
for  man's  soul.  He  spake  like  a  fool  who  said,  "  Soul,  thou  hast 
ranch  goods  laid  up  for  many  years ;  take  thine  ease,  eat,  drink,  and 
be  merry,"  Luke  xii.  20.  The  soul  being  a  spiritual  substance,  car- 
nal things  can  never  be  a  suitable  portion  to  it,  as  being  quite 
unsuitable  to  its  nature.  But  God  is  a  spirit,  of  infinite  perfections, 
and  therefore  a  suitable  portion  for  the  soul. 

2.  The  double  portion.  Such  a  portion  belonged  to  the  first-born. 
Dent.  xxi.  17-  by  which  we  may  understand  that  which  Elisha 
prayed  for :  /  'pray  thee,  said  he  to  Elijah,  let  a  double  portion  of  thy 
spirit  he  upon  me.  This  seems  to  have  had  something  typical  in  it : 
for  all  believers  in  Christ,  in  the  language  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  are 
first-born,  Heb.  xii.  23.  denoting  that  to  them  belongs  the  blessing, 
the  dominion,  the  priesthood,  and  the  double  portion.  Now  God  in 
Christ  is  their  portion,  therefore  he  is  the  double  portion.  This 
world  is  but  the  single  portion,  a  portion  for  unbelievers ;  whatever 
be  theirs,  God  is  not  theirs :  But  they  that  have  God  for  their  por- 
tion, they  have  the  good  things  of  this  life  as  the  incast  to  the  bar- 
gain, Matth.  vi.  33.  1  Tim.  iv.  8.  God's  dealing  with  saints  and 
sinners,  is  like  that  of  Abraham  with  his  children,  Gen.  xxv.  5,  6. 
*'  Abraham  gave  all  that  he  had  unto  Isaac.  But  unto  the  sons  of 
the  concubines  which  Abraham  had,  Abraham  gave  gifts,  and  sent 
them  away."     All  is  the  believer's,  Rom.  viii.  17-  compare  Heb.  i.  2. 

3.  A  full  portion,  Col.  i.  19.  "  It  pleased  the  Father,  that  in  him 
should  all  fulness  dwell;"  compared  with  chap.  ii.  9.  "In  him 
dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily."  There  is  no 
worldly  portion  that  one  has  or  can  have,  but  there  is  always  some- 
thing •wanting  in  it.  There  was  a  want  even  in  paradise.  The 
treasures  and  kingdoms  of  the  greatest  monarch  on  earth  cannot 
furnish  all  things.  But  there  is  a  fulness  in  God  himself,  he  is  all- 
sufficient.  Gen.  xvii.  1.  Eph.  i.  23.  The  saints  in  heaven  are  all 
filled  by  him,  so  that  they  want  nothing;  and  sometimes  he  has 
filled  saints  on  earth,  that  they  have  been  made  to  cry.  Hold,  lest 
the  earthen  pitcher,  the  body,  should  burst  with  the  incomes  of  his 
fulness. 


80  GOD  IN  CHRIST  THE  BELIEVEU's  PORTION. 

4.  A  heart-satisfying  portion,  Psal.  Ixiii.  5,  6.  "  My  soul  shall  be 
satisfied,  says  David,  as  ■with  marrow  and  fatness ;  and  my  mouth 
shall  praise  thee  with  joyful  lips,"  &c.  Man's  heart  is  a  devouring 
depth,  into  which  if  one  should  cast  the  fulness  of  ten  thousand 
worlds,  it  would  all  be  swallowed  up ;  and  the  heart  would  still 
be  crying.  Give,  give.  For  the  whole  creation,  yea  all  possible  crea- 
tions, cannot  be  commensurable  to  the  desires  of  the  soul  of  man ; 
because  the  Creator  enlarged  its  capacity  to  the  enjoying  of  himself 
an  infinite  good,  nothing  less  can  truly  satisfy  or  still  its  desires 
and  cravings.  But  God  himself  is  a  portion  satisfying  to  the  soul : 
while  he  pours  in  of  his  goodness  to  the  soul,  it  desires  nothing  be- 
yond him,  and  nothing  besides  him,  Psal.  Ixxiii.  25.  "  "Whom  have  I 
in  heaven  but  thee  ?  and  there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I  desire  be- 
sides thee."  Here  is  a  portion,  in  which  the  restless  soul  comes  to 
rest,  like  the  hungry  infant  set  on  the  breast,  Isa.  Ixvi.  11. 

6.  A  certain  and  secure  portion,  Matth.  vi.  19,  20.  "  Lay  not  up 
for  yourselves  treasures  upon  earth,  where  moth  and  rust  doth  cor- 
rupt, and  where  thieves  break  through  and  steal.  But  lay  up  for 
yourselves  treasures  in  heaven,  where  neither  moth  nor  rust  doth 
corrupt,  and  where  thieves  do  not  break  through  nor  steal."  No 
worldly  portion  is  so ;  all  of  that  kind  is  but  moveables,  which  may 
be  lost :  but  the  saint's  portion  is  not  so,  Heb.  xii.  28,  "  a  kingdom 
which  cannot  be  moved."  How  many  have  had  riches  and  wealth 
sometime  a-day,  who  have  been  robbed  and  spoiled  of  all,  having 
nothing  left  them  ?  But  none  can  take  away  this  portion ;  for  "  the 
gifts  and  calling  of  God  are  without  repentance,"  Rom.  ix.  29. 
And  this  is  the  a<Jvantage  of  having  God  for  our  portion,  in  the 
tenor  of  the  second  covenant,  beyond  that  of  the  first,  John  x.  28, 
29.  "  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life,  and  they  shall  never  perish, 
neither  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand.  My  Father  which 
gave  them  me,  is  greater  than  all :  and  none  is  able  to  pluck  them 
out  of  my  Father's  hand." 

6.  A  durable  portion.  As  there  is  no  losing  of  it,  so  there  is  no 
wasting  of  it  neither,  John  iv.  14.  Many  have  had  great  portions 
in  the  world,  who  have  got  through  them,  having  spent  so  prodigally 
that  they  have  left  themselves  nothing.  But  this  portion  is  infinite, 
so  it  is  a  well  that  can  never  be  drawn  dry.  This  is  enough  to  bear 
the  believer's  ordinary  and  extraordinary  charges,  as  the  worthies, 
Heb.  xii.  experienced. 

7.  An  everlasting  portion,  Psal.  Ixxiii.  26.  Though  men's  por- 
tion in  the  world  neither  be  taken  from  them,  nor  wasted  by  them ; 
yet  it  will  last  no  longer  with  them  than  the  dying  hour.  When 
the  breath  is  out,  it  is  no  more  theirs ;   it  becomes  the  portion  of 


GOD  IN  CHRIST  THE  BELIEYEE's  PORTION.  81 

others  after  them.  But  death  takes  not  away  the  believer's  portion : 
therefore  is  the  phrase,  "  Lay  up  for  yourselves,"  Matth.  vi.  20.  He 
•will  be  the  believer's  portion  in  time  and  throughout  eternity.  And 
hence  it  follows,  that  he  is, 

8.  Lastly,  A  nonsuch  portion,  the  best  of  portions,  the  most  de- 
sirable portion  :  no  portion  comparable  to  him,  Jer.  x.  15,  16. 
"  They  are  vanity,  and  the  work  of  errors :  in  the  time  of  their  visi- 
tation they  shall  perish.  The  portion  of  Jacob  is  not  like  them : 
for  he  is  the  former  of  all  things,  and  Israel  is  the  rod  of  his  inheri- 
tance ;  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  his  name,"  Psal.  xvii.  14,  15.  And  so 
the  believer  reckons  all  but  loss  and  dung  in  comparison  of  a  God 
in  Christ,  Phil.  iii.  8.  So  the  world's  portion  being  put  in  competi- 
tion with  Christ  and  his  heavy  cross,  the  Lord's  people  have  rejoiced 
in  their  portion  in  the  midst  of  the  most  cruel  sufferings,  and  would 
not  have  exchanged  their  portion  with  their  persecutors'  fulness  and 
ease. 

II.  The  next  general  head  is  to  show  in  what  respects  God  in 
Christ  is  the  portion  of  his  people,  or  the  portion  of  those  who  have 
taken  him  for  their  refuge. 

1.  They  have  and  possess  him  as  their  portion  in  virtue  of  the 
covenant  of  grace,  which  is  the  disposition  they  have  to  it,  Heb.  viii. 
10.  Being  brought  within  the  covenant,  they  are  secured  in  this 
which  is  the  portion  of  God's  covenant-people,  his  children  and  heirs. 
Others  have  the  offer  and  grant  of  this  portion,  but  they  are  actually 
possessed  of  it. 

2.  They  desire  him  above  all  for  their  portion,  Psal.  Ixxiii.  25. 
often  cited.  They  have  seen  the  vanity  and  emptiness  of  created 
things  for  a  portion,  Psal.  xxvii.  14.  the  fulness  and  sufficiency  of 
God  in  Christ;  and  therefore  their  desires  terminate  in  him  for  a 
portion,  John  xiv.  8.  Psal.  xxvii.  4.  They  desire  him  only,  wholly 
and  for  ever.  And  so  he  is  called  their  desire,  Hag,  ii.  7.  all  their 
desires  of  a  portion  centring  in  him. 

3.  They  chuse  him  for  their  portion.  "When  the  two  parts  into 
which  the  all  is  divided,  are  set  before  them,  and  they  are  bid  chuse, 
their  souls  take  hold  of  a  God  in  Christ,  and  say.  Thou  art  my  por- 
tion ;  I  will  take  thee  as  my  portion  and  inheritance  before  all  the 
world,  Josh.  xsiv.  15.  They  halt  not,  as  many,  betwixt  two  opi- 
nions :  they  are  determined,  they  are  brought  to  a  point ;  he  is  their 
choice. 

4.  They  claim  him  as  their  portion.  Lam.  iii.  24.  Thou  art  my  por- 
tion, saith  my  soul.  Their  souls  say  with  Thomas,  3Iy  Lord,  and  my 
God.  It  is  the  proper  work  of  faith  to  claim  him  as  theirs.  God 
insists  on  this,  that  they  should  claim  him,  Jer.  iii.  4,  "  Wilt  thou 


82  ooD  IN  cnRiST  THE  bkltever's  pobtion. 

not  from  this  time  cry  unto  mc,  My  Patlicr,  then  art  the  guide  of  my 
youth?"  He  promises  that  tliey  shall  claim  him,  ver.  19.  I  said, 
thou  shah  call  mc,  My  Father.  And  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  them 
causes  them  to  claim  him,  Rom.  viii.  15,  "  Ye  have  received  the 
Spirit  of  adoption,  whereby  we  cry,  Abba,  Father.  Gal.  iv.  6.  God 
hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  your  hearts,  crying,  Abba, 
Father."  According  to  the  measure  of  their  faith,  so  is  their  claim, 
strong  or  weak,  clear  or  not  clear :  but  Avherevcr  faith  is,  it  doth 
claim  God  in  Christ  as  theirs.  Doubts  and  darkness  may  indeed  so 
overcloud  the  believer,  that  he  cannot  perceive  his  claiming  God  in 
Christ  as  his,  it  is  like  a  pulse  so  weak  that  it  can  hardly  be  felt : 
yea,  he  may  be  at  that,  that  he  says,  ho  has  no  claim  to  him  as  his, 
that  he  dare  not,  cannot  claim  him  as  his  God  or  portion  :  and  yet 
bid  him  in  that  case  quit  his  claim  ;  he  would  not  do  it  for  a  thou- 
sand worlds  :  which  argues  that  he  hath  a  real  claim,  though  to  him 
as  it  were  imperceptible. 

5.  Lastly,  They  rest  in  him  as  their  portion,  Heb.  iv.  3.  We 
ivhich  have  believed,  do  enter  into  rest.  Their  poor  hungry  souls 
have  been  seeking  a  portion  to  live  on.  While  they  sought  among 
the  creatures  for  it,  they  could  find  nothing  to  rest  in  as  a  portion  : 
but  a  discovery  of  God  in  Christ  being  made  to  them,  and  they  ap- 
prehending him  by  faith,  their  souls  say  within  them  now.  This  is 
my  rest.  They  are  like  the  inerchant-man,  seeking  goodly  pearls :  who 
when  he  had  found  one  -pearl  of  great  price,  xvent  and  sold  all  that  he 
had,  and  bought  it,  Matth.  xiii,  45,  46.  They  see  that  there  is  a  ful- 
ness in  him  to  satisfy  their  souls,  to  answer  all  their  needs,  and 
supply  all  their  wants  :  so  they  rest  in  him  as  their  portion. 

III.  I  proceed  now  to  confirm  the  doctrine.     It  appears  fi'om, 

1.  The  nature  of  God,  particularly  his  all-sufficiency  and  good- 
ness. There  is  enough  in  him  for  all  that  sinners  stand  in  need  of : 
so  he  needs  not  send  them  for  their  provision  to  another  quarter. 
He  is  good,  infinitely  good ;  and  therefore  ready  to  communicate  of 
his  sufficiency  to  his  own,  Psal.  cxix.  68.  Thou  art  good,  and  dost 
good  ;  and  will  not  send  them  to  another.  And  so  it  is  indeed,  Psal. 
Ixxxiv.  11.  The  Lord  God  is  a  sun  and  shield;  a  shield  for  pro- 
tection, and  a  sun  for  provision. 

2.  The  nature  of  the  covenant,  which  is  for  provision  as  well  as 
protection  of  those  who  come  into  it.  The  leading  promise  of  the 
covenant,  Heb.  viii.  10.  I  will  he  to  them  a  God,  and  they  shall  be  to 
me  a  people,  imports  the  one  as  well  as  the  other.  And  so  both  are 
promised  together,  Psal.  Ixxxiv.  11,  just  quoted.  God's  covenant  is 
not  like  the  treacherous  covenant  the  Duke  of  Alva  made  with  some, 
to  whom  he  promised  them  their  life,  but  afterwards  starved  them, 


(JOD  IN  CHRIST  THE  BELIE VER'S  PORTIOK.  83 

pretending  he  had  not  promised  them  meat  too.  No;  I  say  unto 
yon,  says  Christ,  Take  no  thought  (i.  e.  anxious  or  perplexing  thought) 
for  you  life,  what  ye  shall  eat,  or  what  yc  shall  drink  ;  nor  yet  for  your 
body,  what  ye  shall  put  on :  Is  not  the  life  more  than  meat,  and  the  body 
than  raiment  ?  Matth.  vi.  25.  It  is  a  full  covenant  -wherein  all  is 
secured  to  believers,  Rev.  xxi.  7-  lie  that  overcomcth  shall  inherit  all 
things.  It  is  a  covenant  of  service,  and  masters  give  provision  as 
well  as  protection  to  their  servants ;  a  marriage-covenant,  and  the 
husband,  if  he  be  able,  Avill  surely  maintain  his  own  wife. 

3.  The  nature  of  faith,  which  is  the  soul's  going  to  God  in  Christ 
for  rest;  and  that  not  only  for  rest  to  the  conscience,  under  the  co- 
vert of  blood  as  a  refuge ;  but  for  rest  to  the  heart,  in  an  all-suffi- 
cient God  as  a  portion,  Matth.  xi.  28.  This  last  as  well  as  the 
former  is  the  errand  faith  goes  to  God  in  Christ  upon;  and  doubt- 
less it  cannot  come  amiss,  for  it  obtains  all,  that  being  the  constant 
rule  of  the  dispensation  of  grace,  According  to  thy  faith  be  it  unto 
thee. 

4.  The  honour  of  God  requires  it,  Heb.  xi.  16.  God  is  not  ashamed 
to  be  called  their  God.  Believers  go  to  him  and  trust  in  him  for  all, 
and  it  lies  upon  the  honour  of  God  to  provide  for  them,  as  well  as 
to  protect  them.  Hath  he  said,  "  If  any  provide  not  for  his  own, 
and  specially  for  those  of  his  own  house,  he  hath  denied  the  faith, 
and  is  worse  than  an  infidel,"  1  Tim.  v.  8.  and  will  he  not  see  to  the 
protection  of  his  own  family  ?  Is  it  not  a  dishonour  to  any  man  of 
ability,  to  have  his  spouse  or  children  hanging  on  about  the  hand  of 
strangers,  for  something  to  live  on?  So  it  reflects  dishonour  on 
God,  that  his  people  hang  on  so  about  the  world's  door :  and  we 
may  be  sure  they  need  not  do  it,  John  iv.  14. 

5.  The  comfort  and  happiness  of  believers  require  it.  It  is  not 
possible  they  can  be  provided  otherwise  with  a  portion  on  which 
they  may  live,  John  vi.  68.  Lord,  said  Peter,  to  luhom  shall  we  go  ? 
thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life.  Though  while  they  lived  in  their 
natural  state,  they  could  like  the  prodigal  feed  on  husks  like  the 
swine ;  yet  their  new  nature  cannot  now  relish  such  entertainment. 
Hence  proceed  those  breathings  of  the  new  nature  in  them,  "  0  God, 
thou  art  my  God,  early  will  I  seek  thee  :  my  soul  thirsteth  for  thee, 
my  flesh  longeth  for  thee  in  a  dry  and  thirsty  land,  where  no  water 
is,"  Psal.  Ixiii.  1.  And  these  desires  are  of  the  Lord's  own  kindl- 
ing, and  therefore  he  cannot  but  satisfy  them,  by  being  a  portion  to 
them  himself.  May  not  the  whole  creation  say  to  the  soul  in  these 
breathings,  as  2  Kings  vi.  27.  If  the  Lord  do  not  help  thee,  whence 
shall  I  help  thee  ? 

6.  Lastly,  The  duty  of  believers  supposes  it.     It  is  their  duty  to 


84  GOD  IN  CHRIST  THE  BEIiIEVER's  PORTION. 

live  on  a  God  in  Christ  as  their  portion,  Isa.  Iv.  2.  Eat  ye  that  which 
is  good,  nnd  let  your  soul  delight  itself  in  fatness.  This  very  tiling  is 
the  life  of  faith,  which  is  the  great  thing  God  requires  of  his  people. 
Hence  Paul  says,  "  The  life  which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by 
the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,"  Gal.  ii.  20.  Compare  John  vi.  27,  29. 
"  Labour  not  for  the  meat  which  perisheth,  but  for  that  meat  which 
endureth  unto  everlasting  life,  which  the  Son  of  man  shall  give 
unto  you :  for  him  hath  God  the  Father  sealed.  This  is  the  work 
of  God,  that  ye  believe  in  him  whom  he  hath  sent."  It  is  their 
privilege,  ver.  57.  He  that  eateth  me,  even  he  shall  live  hy  me :  and  con- 
sequently their  duty  to  live  by  him.  They  ought  to  live  on  him, 
and  lay  all  their  wants  upon  him,  Psal.  Iv.  22.  Cast  thy  burden  upon 
the  Lord,  and  he  shall  sustain  thee.  Consequently  he  is  their  portion 
to  live  upon.  He  takes  it  ill  at  their  hands,  that  they  seek  to  any 
other  for  supply ;  this  says,  they  are  welcome  to  him. 

I  come  now  to  the  practical  improvement  of  this  comfortable  sub- 
ject, which  I  shall  discuss  in  a  threefold  use,  namely,  of  informa- 
tion, trial,  and  exhortation. 

Use  I.  Of  information.     Hence  we  may  learn, 

1.  The  happiness  of  believers.  They  have  in  a  God  in  Christ 
what  makes  them  happy  persons  indeed.  There  are  but  two  things 
necessary  to  make  a  guilty  creature  happy,  namely,  suitable  protec- 
tion and  provision.  The  first  removes  evil  from  them,  the  last  fur- 
nishes them  with  necessary  good.  In  God  the  believer  has  both  ; 
for  he  is  both  a  refuge  to  them,  and  a  portion  in  that  refuge. 
Wherefore  we  may  conclude,  as  Psal.  ii.  ult.  Blessed  are  they  that 
put  their  trust  in  him. 

2.  The  unhappiness  of  believers.  They  are  poor  portionless  crea- 
tures, whatever  they  enjoy  in  the  world  ;  for  any  portion  they  have, 
is  not  worth  the  name.  It  is  but  a  creature-portion,  and  that  will 
be  but  a  time-portion ;  it  will  neither  satisfy,  nor  will  it  last  with 
them.  And  therefore  the  Spirit  of  God  speaks  very  diminutively 
of  it,  Prov.  xxiii.  5.  "  Wilt  thou  set  thine  eyes  upon  that  which  is 
not  ?  for  riches  certainly  make  themselves  wings,  they  fly  away  as 
an  eagle  towards  heaven."  Matth.  xiii.  12.  Whosoever  hath  not,  from 
him  shall  be  taken  away,  even  that  he  hath.  God  is  not  their  portion, 
for  he  is  not  their  refuge  :  they  have  not  a  God  to  live  upon  as  their 
God,  since  they  are  not  by  faith  seated  under  his  shadow. 

3.  Justification  and  sanctification  are  inseparable  ;  for  to  whom 
God  is  a  refuge  he  is  also  a  portion.  Faith  takes  God  in  Christ  for 
a  refuge,  and  so  the  soul  is  justified,  Rom.  viii.  1.  There  is  now  no 
condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus.  It  takes  him  for  a 
portion,  and  so  the  soul  is  sanctified,  Eph.  ii.  20,  21.  "  Ye  are  built 


GOD  IN  CHRIST  THE  BELIEVEr's  PORTION".  85 

Upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ  him- 
self being  the  chief  corner-stone  ;  in  whom  all  the  building  fitly- 
framed  tog-ether,  groweth  uuto  an  holy  temple  in  the  Lord."  Think 
not  that  ye  shall  separate  what  God  has  so  closely  joined.  Ye  that 
are  unholy  in  your  lives,  may  assure  yourselves  that  your  sins  are 
not  pardoned.  The  reigning  power  of  sin  in  you  may  assure  you, 
that  it  has  yet  its  condemning  power  over  you.  If  the  guilt  of  it 
were  taken  away,  the  reigning  power  of  it  would  be  broken.  Alas  ! 
how  do  men  deceive  themselves  ?  They  will  be  called  by  Christ's 
name  ;  but  they  will  eat  their  own  bread.  They  will  pretend  to 
make  Christ  the  rest  of  their  consciences,  while  their  hearts  cannot 
rest  in  him,  but  in  their  lusts.  But  water  as  well  as  blood  came 
out  of  Christ's  pierced  side  :  and  if  ye  be  sprinkled  with  the  blood 
to  the  remission  of  your  sin,  ye  are  sprinkled  with  the  water  too, 
for  the  sanctification  of  your  hearts  and  lives. 

4.  However,  justification  in  the  order  of  nature  goes  before  sanc- 
tification. First,  God  is  the  sinner's  refuge,  and  then  he  becomes 
his  portion,  Rom.  iv.  5.  "  To  him  that  worketh  not,  but  believeth 
on  him  that  justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  for  righte- 
ousness." Whosoever  then  would  be  made  holy,  and  would  attain 
to  true  evangelical  repentance,  which  is  the  top-branch  of  true  ho- 
liness, and  the  compend  of  all  good  works,  must  seek  to  be  justified 
by  faith  in  order  thereunto.  For  till  once  the  curse  be  taken  off 
the  soul  in  justification,  how  is  it  possible  it  should  bring  forth  any 
good  fruit  ?  How  can  God  become  the  portion  of  the  sinner,  till 
once  he  is  become  his  refuge  ?  A  legal  repentance  may  and  doth 
go  before  the  remission  of  sin  as  to  the  guilt  of  eternal  wrath  ; 
but  true  gospel  repentance  follows  it,  and  that  inseparably,  Luke 
vii.  47.  Her  sins  which  are  many,  are  forgiven  ;  for  she  loved  much. 

5.  Believers  are  so  set  up  with  a  portion,  that  they  cannot  break. 
Since  God  himself  is  their  poi'tion,  they  can  never  be  poor ;  they 
will  have  enough  in  the  worst  of  times,  Psal.  xxiii.  1,  The  Lord  is 
my  shepherd,  says  David,  I  shall  not  want.  The  believer's  portion  is 
not  like  that  of  the  world,  consisting  of  moveables,  which  may  be 
taken  from  them  ;  but  it  is  a  kingdom  which  cannot  be  moved,  Heb. 
xii.  28.  The  Chaldeans  and  Sabeans  took  away  Job's  cattle,  but  not 
his  God  and  portion  ;  and  therefore  he  could  say  after  all  his  sad 
losses.  Is  not  my  heli^  in  me?  Job  vi.  13.  The  believer  is  like  the 
landed  man  ;  though  robbers  take  away  his  money,  tliey  cannot  take 
away  his  laud  too  :  though  a  fiood  sweep  away  the  crop,  yet  it  leaves 
his  ground  still ;  so  that  he  has  whereon  to  live.  Hence  an  eminent 
prophet  said,  "  Although  the  fig-tree  shall  not  blossom,  neither  shall 
fruit  be  in  the  vines ;  the  labour  of  the  olive  shall  fail,  and  the 

Vol.  v.  a 


86  GOD  IN  CHRIST  THE  BEI.IEVEU's  TORTTON. 

fields  shall  yield  no  meat ;  the  flock  shall  be  cut  off  from  the  fold, 
and  there  shall  be  no  herd  in  the  stall :  yet  I  will  rejoice  in  the  Lord, 
I  will  joy  in  the  God  of  my  salvation,"  Ilab.  iii.  17,  IB. 

6.  Lastly,  God  is  all-sufficient.  Who  but  one  all-suflicient  could 
be  a  portion  to  all  that  flee  into  the  great  refuge  ?  How  great  must 
that  portion  be,  which  all  the  saints  from  Adam  have  lived,  and 
shall  live  upon,  to  the  last  that  shall  be  in  the  world ;  and  that  not 
only  for  time,  but  for  eternity  ?  They  shall  all  be  heirs-portioners, 
and  all  shall  have  enough.  This  world  is  but  a  sorry  portion  ;  one 
generation  must  go,  that  another  may  come,  and  enjoy  it ;  for  it  can- 
not serve  all  together,  as  God  in  Christ  can  do. 

Use  II.  Of  trial.  Hereby  ye  may  try  whether  ye  be  within  the 
precincts,  bounds,  and  protection  of  the  great  Refuge,  or  not ;  that 
is,  in  eff"ect,  whether  ye  be  in  Christ,  or  out  of  Christ ;  whether  in  a 
state  of  salvation  or  of  condemnation  ?  This  is  a  point  of  great 
weight,  and  it  nearly  concerns  you  to  know,  where  you  are,  whether 
ye  are  yet  got  within  the  liberties  of  the  refuge,  or  yet  without  them. 
And  I  would  oflfer  some  motives  to  press  you  to  put  this  for  a  trial. 
Mot.  1.  Life  and  death  hang  upon  this  point,  Mark  xvi.  16.  He 
that  believeth,  shall  be  saved  ;  but  he  that  believeth  not,  shall  be  damned. 
Your  eternal  salvation  or  damnation  depend  upon  it.  All  that  are 
within  the  precincts  of  this  refuge  are  safe  ;  death  cannot  come  over 
the  line :  all  that  are  without  them  are  in  the  utmost  hazard  of 
eternal  destruction  every  moment,  Psal.  vii.  12.  If  he  turn  not,  he 
will  whet  his  sword  ;  he  hath  bent  his  boiv,  and  made  it  ready.  There 
is  no  safety  there ;  for  it  is  the  dominion  of  death,  in  which  no  man 
can  be  safe. 

Mot.  2.  There  are  several  particular  difterences  betwixt  the  state 
of  them  that  are  within,  and  of  those  that  are  without  this  refuge  ; 
and  these  difterences  are  great  and  weighty.  I  will  lay  them  before 
you  in  these  five  points, 

1.  In  the  matter  of  sin  :  there  is  no  safety  from  it  without  this  re- 
fuge, if  you  be  not  within  this  refuge,  sin  has  all  its  power  over  you. 
It  has  a  reigning  power  in  you,  so  that  do  what  ye  Avill,  ye  can  do  no- 
thing but  sin,  and  cannot  please  God,  Rom.  viii.  8.  They  that  are  in  the 
jiesh,  cannot  please  God.  John  xv.  5.  Without  me  ye  can  do  nothing. 
Ye  may  wrestle  against  it  as  ye  will,  but  ye  will  never  get  victory 
over  it,  for  that  is  got  only  within  the  refuge,  1  Cor.  xv.  57-  But 
thanks  be  to  God,  ivhich  giveth  us  the  victory,  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  Sin  has  a  condemning  power  over  you,  it  is  armed  with  its 
sting  against  you,  and  keeps  you  under  the  guilt  of  eternal  wrath, 
John  iii.  18.  He  that  believeth  not,  is  condemned  already.  So  it  preys 
on  you,  as  death  on  the  carcase. — But  if  ye  be  within  the  refuge, 


GOD  IN  CHRIST  THE  BELIEVER'S  PORTION.  87 

sin's  dominion  is  broken  unto  you,  Rom.  vi.  14.  Sin  shall  not  have  do- 
minion over  you  :  for  ye  are  not  under  the  law,  hut  under  grace.  And 
though  it  yet  dwell  iu  you,  it  shall  never  recover  the  dominion,  but, 
like  the  house  of  Saul,  grow  weaker  and  weaker.  And  it  cannot 
condemn  you,  more  than  the  fire  could  burn  the  three  children  :  for 
there  is  no  condemnation  to  them  ivhich  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  Rom.  viii.  1. 
Our  Lord  Christ  felt  the  condemning  ijower  of  sin  as  a  public  per- 
son, and  so  can  never  repeat  its  sentence  on  those  who  are  in  him. 

2.  In  the  matter  of  the  law  as  a  covenant  of  works.  It  extends 
its  dominion  over  all  to  the  very  border  of  the  refuge :  so  all  that 
are  within  the  refuge  are  free  from  it,  but  all  that  are  without  are 
under  it,  Rom.  vi.  14.  So  if  ye  be  without,  ye  are  under  the  co- 
venant of  works,  which  exacts  obedience  of  you  every  way  perfect, 
under  the  pain  of  the  curse  ;  and  whatever  comes  short  of  perfection 
in  your  obedience  is  rejected.  So  that  when  ye  have  done  all  you  can, 
and  the  best  you  can :  yet  you  and  your  works  are  all  rejected  of 
God  because  your  works  are  not  perfect.  In  the  dominion  ye  live  in, 
less  is  not  accepted.  But  if  ye  be  within  the  refuge,  ye  are  under 
the  covenant  pf  grace,  where  obedience,  yea  perfect  obedience  is  in- 
deed required,  but  not  under  pain  of  the  curse,  which  Christ  already 
has  bore  away  from  all  who  are  in  him.  But  sincere  obedience  is 
accepted,  and  God  takes  it  kindly  off  their  hands,  though  it  is  not 
perfect,  for  the  sake  of  the  Mediator's  perfect  obedience,  which  al- 
ways appears  within  the  refuge. 

3.  In  the  matter  of  the  curse.  All  Avithout  the  refuge  are  under 
the  curse,  by  the  sentence  of  the  law  bound  over  to  the  revenging 
wrath  of  God,  Gal.  iii.  10.  "  Cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth  not 
in  all  things  which  are  Avritten  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them. 
Rom.  iii.  19.  What  things  soever  the  law  saith,  it  saith  to  them 
who  are  under  the  law  :  that  every  mouth  may  be  stopped,  and  all 
the  world  may  become  guilty  before  God."  But  all  within  the  re- 
fuge are  freed  from  the  curse.  Gal.  iii.  13,  Christ  hath  redeemed  us 
from  the  curse  of  the  law,  being  made  a  curse  for  us. 

4.  In  respect  of  Satan.  All  without  the  refuge  are  under  his 
power.  Acts  xxvi.  18.  They  are  his  captives,  prisoners,  servants  or 
slaves,  and  members  of  the  kingdom  of  darkness.  But  they  that  are 
within  the  refuge,  are  set  free  from  the  power  of  that  enemy.  Col. 
i.  13,  and  reign  in  life  through  Jesus  Christ. 

5.  Lastly,  In  the  matter  of  death.  To  all  without  the  refuge 
death  is  armed  with  its  sting ;  but  to  those  that  are  within  it,  it  can 
do  them  no  harm,  1  Cor.  xv.  57,  already  quoted. 

3Iot.  3.  All  of  us  are  born  without  the  refuge,  being  children  of 
wrath,  Eph.  ii.  3.     None  enter  within  it  but  those  who  are  born 

g2 


88  GOD  IN  CIIUIST  THE  BELIEVER's  PORTION. 

again.     If  ye  be  living  then  in  the  state  ye  were  born  in,  ye  are 
•without  the  refuge,  and  so  in  the  miserable  case  ye  have  heard  of. 

Mot.  4.  Sinners  when  once  awakened  see  that  there  is  no  living 
without  the  refuge.  Hence  Peter's  hearers,  when  pricked  in  their 
heart,  cried  out,  What  shall  we  do  ?  Acts  ii.  37-  No  man  could  con- 
tentedly live  in  that  case  one  moment,  if  he  saw  his  danger. 

Mot.  last.  Many  miss  the  entry  into  the  refuge  who  seem  to  aim 
at  it,  Luke  xiii.  24,  and  so  seem  to  themselves  and  others  to  be  in, 
while  they  really  are  out. 

Now  ye  may  know  if  the  Lord  be  your  refuge  by  this :  If  the 
Lord  be  your  portion  to  live  on,  he  is  your  refuge.  If  ye  have 
taken  God  in  Christ  for  your  refuge,  ye  have  also  taken  him  for 
your  portion  to  live  on.  And  whether  God  in  Christ  be  your  por- 
tion or  not,  ye  may  know  by  these  marks, 

3Iark  1.  Ye  will  have  a  transcendent  esteem  of  and  value  for  him, 
and  love  of  him  above  all.  He  will  have  the  highest  seat  in  your 
judgment  and  practical  understanding,  in  your  heart,  and  in  your 
affections,  Luke  xiv.  26.  Propriety  in  a  thing  raises  the  value  for 
it.  A  man  will  have  a  greater  value  for,  and  liking  of  his  own  cot- 
tage, than  another  man's  castle.  Hence  the  world  is  the  chief  in  the 
minds  and  hearts  of  worldly  men  ;  they  love  the  world,  and  the 
things  that  are  in  the  world,  1  John  ii.  15.  But  God  in  Christ  is 
chief  with  the  saints.  The  great  pleasure  of  the  former  lies  in  ap- 
propriating the  things  of  the  world  :  so  the  worldly  man  has  his 
great  pleasure  in  earthly  3Ii/s  Hos.  ii.  5.  "  She  said,  I  will  go  after 
my  lovers,  that  give  me  my  bread  and  ray  water,  my  wool  and  my  flax, 
mine  oil  and  my  drink."  Dan.  iv.  30.  "  Is  not  this  great  Babylon  that 
I  have  built  for  the  house  of  the  kingdom,  by  the  might  of  my  power, 
and  for  the  honour  of  my  majesty  ?"  The  great  pleasure  of  the 
latter  lies  in  appropriating  God  in  Christ  :  so  they  have  their 
greatest  pleasure  in  spiritual  and  heavenly  Mi/s,  as  Psal.  xviii.  2, 
"  The  Lord  is  my  rock,  and  my  fortress,  and  my  deliverer :  ray  God, 
ray  strength,  in  whom  I  must  trust,  my  buckler,  and  the  horn  of  my 
salvation,  and  ray  high  tower. 

2.  Ye  will  be  so  disposed  as  to  be  satisfied  in  the  enjoyraent  of 
God  in  Christ,  even  in  the  want  of  other  things,  Hab.  iii.  17,  18, 
forecited.  This  is  the  rest  of  the  soul  in  God  as  a  portion,  Psal. 
Ixxiii.  25,  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee  ?  and  there  is  none 
upon  earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee."  Men  who  have  the  world 
for  their  portion,  are  very  easy  in  the  want  of  the  enjoyment  of  God  ; 
they  reign  as  kings  without  him,  and  rejoice  in  their  portion.  And 
the  saints  give  worldly  men  the  peel  of  that,  being  easy  in  the  en- 
joyment of  God,  under  the  want  of  tliose   things  that  worldly  men 


GOD  IN  CHRIST  THE  BELIEVER'S  PORTIOK.  89 

set  tlieir  hearts  on,  Gal.  vi.  14,  "  God  forbid,  says  the  apostle,  that 
I  should  glory  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom 
the  world  is  crucified  unto  me,  and  I  unto  the  world."  Though  alas ! 
worldly  men  being  altogether  flesh,  and  the  saints  being  spiritual 
but  in  part,  the  latter  cannot  get  up  to  the  measure  of  the  former, 
to  care  quite  as  little  for  the  world  as  they  do  for  God. 

3.  Ye  will  not  be  content  with  any  thing  without  him,  Psal.  Ixiii. 
1,  "  0  God,  thou  art  my  God,  early  will  I  seek  thee  :  ray  soul 
thirsteth  for  thee,  ray  flesh  longeth  for  thee  in  a  dry  and  thirsty 
land,  where  no  water  is."  No  less  than  a  God  can  afi'ord  a  rest  to 
the  gracious  soul  :  nothing  can  fill  up  his  room  to  those  whose  portion 
he  is.  Carnal  men  whose  portion  is  the  creature,  take  their  crea- 
ture-portion from  them,  and  they  cry  out.  What  have  I  more  ?  Jud. 
xviii.  24.  If  their  worldly  enjoyments  go,  the  pillow  is  taken  quite 
from  under  their  head,  and  they  cannot  be  content  even  with  a  God 
without  them,  Exod.  v.  7 — 9.  Esau  says.  Gen.  xxy.  32.  "  Behold,  I 
am  at  the  point  to  die  :  and  what  profit  shall  this  birth-right  do  to 
me  ?"  And  if  God  go,  the  pillow  is  taken  from  under  the  saint's 
head,  and  all  the  world  cannot  make  him  a  bed,  where  he  can  lie 
easy  :  but  still  he  cries,  3It/  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken 
me  ?  Psal.  xxii.  1, 

Object.  But  may  not  a  gracious  soul  sometimes  be  very  easy,  even 
when  the  Lord  is  departed  from  him  ? 

Ans.  It  is  true,  it  may  be  so,  when  they  are  spiritually  asleep  : 
but  yet  they  are  never  so  fast  asleep,  but  they  have  some  uneasiness 
on  that  head,  as  the  spouse  had.  Cant.  t.  2,  /  sleep,  but  my  heart 
ivakefh.  And  there  is  still  a  secret  discontent  in  the  soul  with  all 
things  while  he  is  away.  And  they  will  not  lie  always  still  in  that 
case,  but  will  awake,  and  clearly  show  that  nothing  without  a  God 
can  content  them.  Cant.  iii.  1,  &c. 

4.  He  will  be  your  chief  concern,  Matth.  vi.  21.  Where  your  trea- 
sure is,  says  our  Lord,  there  will  your  heart  be  also.  Whatever  it  be 
that  a  man  takes  for  his  portion,  he  will  be  mainly  taken  up  about 
that.  Men  that  have  their  portion  in  this  life,  the  things  of  this 
life  are  their  main  business  :  these  get  their  sleeping  and  waking 
thoughts :  all  things  else  must  yield  thereto,  and  what  concerns 
their  souls  is  dragged  at  the  heels  of  those  things :  and  is  cut  and 
carved  as  may  best  consist  with  the  advancing  of  thera.  And  men 
whose  portion  the  Lord  is,  it  is  their  main  business  to  enjoy  him  ; 
as  David  witnesscth,  "  One  thing  have  I  desired  of  the  Lord,  that 
will  I  seek  after,  that  I  may  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  all  the 
days  of  my  life,  to  behold  the  beauty  of  the  Lord,  and  to  inquire  in 
his  temple,"  Psal.  xxvii.  4.     It  is  their  greatest  care  to  obtain  his 

g3 


90  GOD  IN  CHRIST  THE  BELIEVER's  PORTION. 

favour,  for  Psal.  xxx.  5.  In  his  favour  is  life.  And  all  other  things 
must  yield  thereto,  Phil.  iii.  8.  "  Yea  doubtless,  and  I  count  all 
things  but  loss,  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus 
my  Lord  :  for  whom  I  have  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things,  and  do 
count  them  but  duug  that  I  may  wiu  Christ." 

5.  It  will  be  your  great  desire,  and  sincere  endeavour,  to  be  like 
him,  1  John  iii.  3.  Men  generally  look  like  their  portion.  It  is 
known  upon  them,  whether  they  have  a  small  and  poor  portion,  or  a 
great  and  fat  portion.  And  they  that  have  God  for  their  portion, 
will  be  like  him  in  holiness,  and  it  will  be  their  desire  and  endea- 
vour to  be  more  and  more  like  him,  in  all  his  imitable  perfections, 
2  Cor.  iii.  18.  God  was  in  Christ,  reconciliug  the  world  to  himself, 
and  gave  us  a  copy  of  holiness  and  righteousness,  love  and  benefi- 
cence to  mankind,  meekness,  patience,  &c.  and  his  people  will  follow 
these. 

6.  It  will  be  your  great  design  to  please  him  in  all  things,  by 
having  respect  unto  all  his  commandments,  Psal.  cxix.  6,  She  that  is 
married  takes  the  husband  instead  of  all  others,  leaving  father  and 
mother  for  hioi ;  and  so  labours  how  to  please  her  husband.  And 
they  that  take  God  for  their  portion  instead  of  all  others,  will  be 
careful  to  please  him,  and  walk  by  his  direction  in  all  things,  Psal. 
xlv.  10.  His  will,  will  be  not  only  the  rule,  but  the  reason  of  duty 
to  them :  and  what  is  his  pleasure  they  will  not  willingly  baulk. 
He  is  their  portion,  and  so  their  all.  And  so  their  obedience  is 
limited. 

7.  Lastly,  It  will  be  upon  his  own  that  ye  will  serve  him,  Gal. 
ii.  20.  J  live,  says  the  apostle,  yet  not  /,  hut  Christ  liveth  in  me.  Phil, 
iv.  13.  I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ  which  strengtheneth  me. 
Hypocrites  never  take  God  for  their  portion  ;  they  seem  to  them- 
selves to  have  of  their  own ;  and  upon  that  they  serve  him,  leaning 
to  their  own  abilities,  like  hired  servants.  But  the  saints,  con- 
vinced they  have  nothing  of  their  own,  live  on  him  as  their  portion, 
depending  on  him  for  strength,  throughbearing,  &c.  in  duties,  Matth. 
V.  3.  "  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit :  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of 
heaven." 

Use  III.  Of  exhortation  ;  and  that  to  those  who  have  made  God 
in  Christ  their  refuge,  and  to  those  who  are  without  a  saving 
interest  in  him. 

First,  Ye  who  profess  to  have  made  God  in  Christ  your  refuge, 
carry  as  becomes  those  who  have  in  him  a  portion  to  live  on.     And, 

1.  Hang  not  on  about  the  door  of  the  world  and  the  lusts  thereof, 
for  satisfaction,  as  those  who  have  no  other  portion  but  what  they 
can  squeeze  out  of  these  dry  and  fulsome  breasts,   John  iv.   14. 


GOD  IN"  CURIST  THE  BELIEVEIi's  rORTION.  91 

Leave  the  husks  which  the  swine  do  eat,  to  those  poor  prodigals 
that  are  not  come  to  their  Father's  house.  Te  have  bread  enough 
there.  That  contentment  which  others  seek  in  these,  ye  may  have 
in  God. 

2.  If  the  world  smile  on  you,  let  it  not  have  your  heart,  since  it 
is  not  your  portion,  Psal.  Ixii.  10.  "  If  riches  increase,  set  not  your 
heart  upon  them."  Carry  your  heart  lightly  over  time-enjoyments, 
and  let  it  not  dip  in  them.  Though  these  are  carnal  men's  good 
things,  they  are  not  thy  good  things,  Luke  xvi.  25.  Thy  portion  is 
in  thy  refuge. 

If  the  world  frown,  bear  it  with  holy  courage.  Whatever  thou 
lose,  thou  canst  not  lose  thy  portion,  which  is  in  thy  refuge.  Alas  ! 
it  is  sad  to  think  that  believers  should  appear  in  that  case  as  if  all 
were  gone,  since  they  never  want  a  portion. 

Secondly,  Ye  who  want  a  saving  interest  in  Christ  as  your  refuge, 
seek  to  get  God  in  Christ  for  your  portion.     For  motives,  consider, 

1.  Nothing  less  can  be  a  sufficient  portion  for  you.  Increase 
your  portion  in  the  world,  as  ye  will,  ye  will  still  be  in  want,  while 
God  is  not  your  portion.  But  in  him  your  souls  shall  find  complete 
satisfaction. 

2.  Any  other  portion  may  be  lost.  They  that  have  not  a  God  to 
live  ou,  may  soon  be  at  that,  they  shall  have  nothing  at  all  to  live 
on.     But  if  God  be  your  portion,  ye  shall  never  want. 

3.  What  but  a  God  in  Christ  can  be  a  portion  to  you  at  death,  at 
the  judgment-day,  and  through  eternity?  All  things  will  leave  you 
at  death,  and  you  can  carry  nothing  with  you  into  the  other  world. 
What  portion  then  can  you  have,  if  God  is  not  your  portion  now  ? 

5.  If  God  be  not  your  portion  here,  ye  will  have  a  dreadful  por- 
tion in  the  other  world.  God  will  then  cut  you  asunder,  and 
appoint  you  your  portion  with  the  hypocrites  :  there  shall  be  weep- 
ing and  gnashing  of  teeth,  Matth.  xxiv.  ult.  Remember  what  Abra- 
ham said  to  the  rich  man,  Luke  xvi.  25.  "  Son,  remember  that  thou 
in  thy  life-time  receivedst  thy  good  things,  and  likewise  Lazarus 
evil  things ;  but  now  he  is  comforted,  and  thou  art  tormented." 

5.  L((stli/,  God  in  Christ  is  now  offering  himself  as  a  portion  unto 
you  ;  and  ye  may  have  this  enriching  portion.  Your  work  now  is 
to  embrace  the  offer,  and  close  the  bargain. 

(1.)  Guilty  creatures,  take  a  God  in  Christ  for  your  refuge  ;  so 
shall  ye  be  well  provided  for  safety  against  the  law,  sin,  death,  and 
hell. 

(2.)  Poor  portionless  creatures,  take  God  in  Christ  for  your  por- 
tion. Renounce  all  other  portions,  and  take  him  for  your  portion 
for  time  and  eternity.  So  shall  you  be  provided  happily  from  this 
time  and  for  ever. 


THE 

DISTINGUISHING     CHARACTERS 

OF 

TKUE    BELIEVEKS. 


II.    IX  RELATIOIf  TO  THEIR  DISPOSITIOK  ANB  PRACTICE  AS  CITIZENS 

OF  ZION.* 


THE   CITIZEN  OF  ZION  DESCRIBED. 

Psalm  xv.  1. 

Lord,  who  shall  abide  in  thy  tabernacle  ?  who  shall  dwell  in  thy  holy 

hill  ? 

This  psalm  consists  of  a  question  and  an  answer.     The  former  we 
have,  ver.  1.  the  latter,  ver  2.  to  the  end. 
In  the  question  may  be  considered, 

1.  The  party  propounding  it ;  David,  for  it  is  a  psalm  of  his. 
He  was  a  good  man,  concerned  for  his  own  soul.  And  therefore  he 
proposes  it  for  his  own  behoof,  to  impress  his  own  soul  with  the  ne- 
cessity of  his  answering  the  character  of  a  citizen  of  Zion.  He  was 
a  prophet  concerned  for  the  souls  of  others  :  therefore  he  proposes 
it  for  their  behoof,  to  impress  men  with  the  necessity  of  their  an- 
swering that  character. 

2.  The  party  to  whom  it  is  propounded ;  it  is  to  the  Loi'd  him- 
self. He  is  the  infallible  Teacher,  and  the  sovereign  Lawgiver, 
who  has  settled  the  constitutions  of  his  own  kingdom  :  from  whom 
therefore  we  must  learn  them,  that  we  may  conform  ourselves  thereto. 

3.  The  question  itself,  propounded  in  old  Testament  terms.  The 
tabernacle  was  that  tent  which  God  set  up  among  them,  and  where 
he  met  with  his  people  before  the  building  of  the  temple.     It  was  a 

*  This  subject,  consisting  of  several  sermons,  was  delivered  at  Ettrick  in  February 
and  March,   1723. 


THE  CITIZEX  OF  ZION  DESCRIBED.  93 

moveable  place  ;  therefore  one  is  said  to  abide  or  sojourn  there. 
The  holt/  hill  is  mount  Zion,  Psal.  ii.  6.  comprehending  the  hill  on 
which  the  temple  Afas  built  afterwards  by  Solomon.  That  was  a 
fixed  habitation,  therefore  one  is  said  to  divell  there. 

There  are  two  parts  of  this  question  ;  and  in  New-testament  lan- 
guage they  are  these. 

(1.)  Who  shall  be  lodgers  in  God's  lower  house  on  earth,  whom 
he  will  own  as  members  of  his  family,  and  of  the  church  militant, 
whom  he  will  entertain  with  and  admit  to  communion  with  himself 
in  ordinances.  There  are  many  who  call  themselves  of  the  holy 
city,  and  of  his  family,  who  flock  about  his  tabernacle,  whom  he  will 
disown  as  none  of  his,  and  so  are  strangers  to  the  tabarnacle-enter- 
tainment. 

(2.)  Who  shall  be  dwellers  in  his  upper  house,  inhabitants  of 
heaven,  and  pillars  in  the  temple  of  God.  There  are  many  who 
will  never  come  there.  0,  who  are  they  who  will  be  taken  within 
the  gates  of  the  holy  city,  while  others  as  unclean  lepers  are  shut 
out  ?  Who  are  they,  as  if  he  had  said,  that  I  may  strive  to  be  one 
of  them  ? 

4.  The  order  of  the  question;  (1.)  The  sojourning  in  the  lower; 
and  then,  (2.)  The  dwelling  in  the  upper  house  :  intimating  that 
one  must  first  abide  in  the  tabernacle  below,  before  he  can  be  ad- 
mitted to  the  holy  hill  above. 

The  doctrine  natively  arising  from  the  words  is  as  follows,  viz. 

DocT.  It  challengeth  every  one's  most  serious  and  solemn  con- 
sideration, what  sort  of  persons,  sojourning  with  God  here,  shall  be 
inhabitants  of  heaven  hereafter. 

In  discoursing  from  this  doctrine,  I  shall, 

I.  Shew  what  is  implied  in  this  object  of  our  solemn  and  serious 
consideration. 

II.  Give  the  reasons  of  the  doctrine. 

III.  Make  some  practical  improvement. 

1.  I  am  to  shew  what  is  implied  in  this  object  of  our  solemn  and 
serious  consideration. 

First,  All  shall  not  be  inhabitants  of  heaven :  some  will  perish, 
and  drop  out  of  this  earth  iuto  eternal  darkness. 

1.  All  the  sons  of  men  will  not  be  saints  in  heaven.  There  will 
be  a  great  company  on  Christ's  left  hand  at  the  great  day,  doomed 
to  everlasting  fire,  Matth.  xxv.  41.  Many  of  Adam's  family  will  be 
lost  for  ever,  as  well  as  there  are  many  of  the  angelic  tribe  lost. 
There  are  vessels  of  iniquity  now,  who  will  be  vessels  of  wrath  for 
ever  fitted  for  destruction.  They  may  have  pleasant  spots  of  earth, 
and  large  portions  of  it,  who  will  have  no  place  in  heaven. 


94  THE  CITIZEN  OF  ZION"  DESCRIBED. 

2.  Many  of  those  who  are  now  about  the  tabernacle,  will  bo 
amissing  in  heaven.  Many  members  of  the  visible  church  are  dead 
and  rotten  members,  who  will  be  cut  off,  and  cast  over  the  hedge, 
Matth.  vii.  21 — 23.  "  Not  every  one  that  saith  unto  me.  Lord,  Lord, 
shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  :  but  he  that  doth  the  will 
of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven.  Many  will  say  to  me  in  that  day. 
Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not  prophesied  in  thy  name  ?  and  in  thy  name 
have  cast  out  devils  ?  and  in  thy  name  done  many  wonderful  works  ? 
And  then  will  I  profess  unto  them,  I  never  knew  you  :  depart  from 
me,  ye  that  work  iniquity."  Luke  iii.  26,  27.  "  Then  shall  ye  begin 
to  say.  We  have  eaten  and  drunk  in  thy  presence,  and  thou  hast 
taught  in  our  streets.  But  he  shall  say,  I  tell  you,  I  know  you  not 
whence  you  are  ;  depart  from  me,  all  ye  workers  of  iniquity."  To 
see  those  fall  short  of  heaven,  who  never  had  the  tabernacle  of  God 
among  them,  is  not  strange  :  but  many  who  in  external  privileges 
have  been  exalted  to  heaven,  will  be  brought  down  to  hell,  Psal. 
cxxv.  ult. 

Secoi^dly,  They  are  persons  of  a  distinguished  character  now, 
who  shall  be  inhabitants  of  heaven  hereafter. 

1.  They  are  not  of  the  common  gang  of  the  world,  "  walking  ac- 
cording to  the  course  of  this  world,  according  to  the  prince  of  the 
power  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that  now  worketh  in  the  children  of  dis- 
obedience," Eph.  ii.  2.  The  course  of  this  world  is  the  course  of 
the  multitude,  and  the  multitude  is  on  the  road  to  destruction. 
Hence  says  our  Lord,  "  Enter  ye  in  at  the  strait  gate  ;  for  wide  is 
the  gate,  and  broad  is  the  way  that  leadeth  to  destruction,  and 
many  there  be  which  go  in  thereat :  because  strait  is  the  gate,  and 
narrow  is  the  way  which  leadeth  unto  life,  and  few  there  be  that 
find  it."  Matth.  vii.  13,  14.  They  are  nonconformists  to  the  world, 
who  are  content  to  be  the  world's  wonder,  Zech.  iii.  8.  not  daring 
for  their  souls  to  venture  on  such  practices  as,  being  contrary  to  the 
Jaw  of  God,  others  make  no  bones  of,  1  Pet.  iv.  4. 

2.  Tliey  are  not  of  the  common  gang  of  professors  neither,  Matth. 
XXV.  2 — 4.  Many  professors  are  foolish  virgins,  that  will  get  hea- 
ven's door  cast  in  their  face.  They  carry  as  if  they  had  found  out 
the  secret  of  making  concord  betwixt  Christ  and  Belial,  of  reconcil- 
ing the  law  to  their  lusts,  of  a  broad  and  easy  way  to  heaven, 
wherein  men  may  carry  the  cloak  of  religion,  and  need  not  put  off 
the  old  man.  Those  who  shall  be  inhabitants  of  heaven  are  not  so, 
Psal.  xxiv.  3,  4.  "  Who  shall  ascend  into  the  hill  of  the  Lord  ?  and 
who  shall  stand  in  his  holy  place  ;  He  that  hath  clean  hands,  and 
a  pure  heart ;  who  hath  not  lift  up  his  soul  unto  vanity,  nor  sworn 
deceitfully." 


THE  CITIZEN  OF  ZION  DESCRIBED.  95 

3.  Much  less  are  they  such  as  are  of  a  distinguished  character  for 
wickedness,  worse  than  the  ordinary  gang  either  of  the  world  or  of 
professors,  Psal.  i.  1.  "  Blessed  is  the  man  that  walketh  not  in  the 
counsel  of  the  ungodly,  nor  standeth  in  the  way  of  sinners,  nor 
sitteth  in  the  seat  of  the  scornful."  There  are  many  who  distin- 
guish themselves  from  others,  by  their  loose  speaking,  lying,  swear- 
ing, &c.  their  loose  living  in  revelling,  drunkenness,  filthiness, 
injustice  in  their  dealings,  &c.  These  may  expect  a  distinguished 
place  in  hell,  but  none  in  heaven  if  they  repent  not. 

Now,  that  they  are  persons  of  a  distinguished  character  now,  who 
shall  be  inhabitants  of  heaven  hei'eafter,  appears, 

1.  None  but  such  have  a  right  or  title  to  heaven,  Matth.  xxv.  34. 
"  Then  shall  the  king  say  unto  them  on  his  right  hand,  Come,  ye 
blessed  o^  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world."  And  however  men  may  get  possessions 
on  earth,  by  force,  fraud,  and  injustice,  without  a  just  right  thereto  ; 
there  is  no  such  purchase  to  be  made  of  heaven,  or  in  it.  Hence  the 
apostle  says,  "  There  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness 
which  the  Lord  the  righteous  judge  shall  give  me  at  that  day :  and 
not  to  me  only,  but  unto  all  them  also  that  love  his  appearing," 
2  Tim.  iv,  8.  "  And  if  a  man  strive  for  masteries,  yet  he  is  not 
crowned,  except  he  strive  lawfully,"  chap.  ii.  5.  How  can  ye  think 
to  be  inhabitants  of  heaven,  that  walk  like  the  common  gang  of  the 
world  ?  Where  is  your  title  to  it  ?  Ye  will  say,  ye  have  a  title  by 
faith,  ye  believe  in  Christ.  If  it  be  so,  your  title  cannot  be  denied. 
But  it  is  a  demand  that  ye  will  not  get  refuted,  Si lew  your  faith  hy 
your  works.  A  man  may  say  he  has  faith,  who  has  not  works,  but 
he  cannot  have  faith  without  works,  James  ii.  14.  By  faith  a  man 
gets  a  right  to  heaven,  but  it  is  holiness  of  heart  and  life  that  is  the 
evidence  of  that  right.  Hence  says  our  Lord,  "  Blessed  are  they 
that  do  his  commandments,  that  they  may  have  right  to  the  tree  of 
life,  and  may  enter  in  through  the  gates  into  the  city.  Rev.  xxii.  14. 

2.  None  but  such  are  meet  for  it,  and  none  come  there,  who  are 
not  made  meet  for  it  before  they  come.  Hence  the  apostle  gives 
thanks  unto  the  Father,  which  hath  made  us  meet  to  he  partakers  of  the 
inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light,  Col.  i.  12.  Every  one  is  in  this  world 
made  meet  for  their  place  in  the  other  world.  God  makes  his  cho- 
sen ones  meet  for  heaven,  and  the  reprobates  themselves  for  hell, 
Rom.  ix.  22.     And  none  but  those  of  a  distinguished  character  are, 

(1.)  Meet  for  the  journey  to  heaven.  It  is  the  hill  of  God,  and 
it  is  not  every  one  that  is  fit  for  going  up  that  hill.  The  way  to 
heaven  lies  upward,  the  way  to  hell  is  downward  ;  therefore  the 
latter  is  easy,  and  many  chuse  it ;  the  former  is  dilBcult,  and  none 


96  THE  CITIZEN  OF  ZIOTr  DESCHIBED. 

but  those  of  a  peculiar  character  and  disposition  have  a  heart  for  it . 
Hence  the  Lord  says  of  Caleb,  Numb.  xiv.  24.  "  But  my  servant 
Caleb,  because  he  had  another  spirit  with  him,  and  hath  folloAved 
me  fully;  him  will  I  bring  into  the  land,  Avhereinto  he  went;  and 
his  seed  shall  possess  it." 

(2.)  Meet  for  heaA^en  itself.  It  is  a  holy  hill ;  and  all  is  holy 
there.  It  is  just  the  reverse  of  the  unholy  world,  and  the  unholy 
heart :  and  if  a  man  with  an  unrenewed  nature  and  heart  could 
possibly  be  let  in  there,  he  would  think  he  were  all  wrong,  and  he 
would  leave  the  holy  God,  angels,  and  saints,  pleasures,  and  the 
place,  and  down  again  to  the  beloved  world,  where  he  would  get 
company,  profits,  pleasures,  &c.  suitable  to  his  mind.  He  would 
exchange  the  rivers  of  pleasures  for  the  pleasures  of  the  flesh  and  of 
the  world.  * 

Thirdly,  In  this  world  they  sojourn  with  God  in  his  tabernacle, 
who  shall  be  inhabitants  of  heaven  in  the  world  to  come. 

Here  I  shall  show, 

1.  "What  that  sojourning  is. 

2.  "Why  those  who  sojourn  with  God  in  his  tabernacle,  shall  be 
inhabitants  of  heav€m  in  the  world  to  come. 

First,  I  am  to  shew  what  that  sojourning  with  God  in  his  taber- 
nacle is.     It  imports  the  following  things. 

1.  The  world  is  no  more  their  home  ;  they  look  on  themselves  as 
pilgrims  and  strangers  on  earth,  and  their  head  is  homeward  toward 
heaven.  Hence  the  apostle  speaking  of  some  of  the  Old  Testament 
worthies,  says,  "  These  all  died  in  faith,  not  having  received  the 
promises,  but  having  seen  them  afar  off,  and  were  persuaded  of 
them,  and  embraced  them,  and  confessed  that  they  were  strangers 
and  pilgrims  on  the  earth.  For  they  that  say  such  things,  declare 
plainly  that  they  seek  a  country.  And  truly  if  they  had  been  mind- 
ful of  that  country,  from  whence  they  came  out,  they  might  have 
had  opportunity  to  have  returned  :  but  now  they  desire  a  better 
country,  that  is  an  heavenly :  wherefore  God  is  not  ashamed  to  be 
called  their  God  :  for  he  hath  prepared  for  them  a  city,"  Heb.  xi. 
13 — 16.  They  are  brought  out  of  the  house  of  bondage,  and  are  on 
their  wilderness  journey  through  the  world.  Cant.  viii.  5;  and  the 
best  conveniency  they  have  by  the  way  is  not  the  tents  of  sin,  but 
the  tabernacle  of  God.  There  they  draw  water  out  of  the  wells  of 
salvation,  Avhile  going  through  the  valley  of  Baca. 

2.  They  are  in  a  peculiar  manner  consecrated  to  God  and  his  ser- 
vice, presenting  their  bodies  living  sacrifices,  holy,  acceptable  unto 
God,  which  is  their  reasonable  service,  Rom.  xii.  1.  All  Israel  had 
access  to  the  outer  court  of  the  tabernacle,  but  the  priests  only  to  the 


THE  CITIZEN  OF  ZION  DESCRIBEB.  97 

tabernacle  itself,  as  consecrated  to  God  in  a  peculiar  manner.  While 
others  are  externally  consecrated  to  God  in  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
supper,  they  are  all  made  priests  to  God,  Rev.  i.  6 ;  they  are  a  royal 
pnesthood,  1  Pet.  ii.  9.  who  shall  be  members  of  the  general  assembly 
of  the  first-born.     They  are  made  so  in  their  conversion. 

3.  They  are  admitted  to  communion  with  God  in  ordinances 
public,  private,  and  secret,  and  by  tabernacle-communion  with  him 
are  fitted  for  temple-communion  with  him  above.  Hence  the  Lord 
says,  "  0  thou  that  art  named  the  house  of  Jacob,  is  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  straitened  ?  are  these  his  doings  ?  do  not  my  words  do  good  to 
him  that  walketh  uprightly  ?"  Micah  vii.  J.  "  Therefore  with  joy 
shall  ye  draw  water  out  of  the  wells  of  salvation,"  Isa.  xii.  3.  "  If 
a  man  love  rae,  says  Christ,  he  will  keep  my  words  :  and  my  Father 
will  love  ?iim,  and  we  will  come  unto  him,  and  make  our  abode 
with  him,"  John  xiv.  23.  The  worshippers  in  the  outer  court 
only  will  get  their  eternal  abode  without  among  the  dogs,  sor- 
cerers, &c. :  but  they  that  shall  be  inhabitants  of  heaven,  come 
farther  in  even  into  the  tabernacle  itself:  their  souls  are  fed  at  his 
table,  they  find  the  smell  of  his  garments  as  of  myrrh,  aloes,  and 
cassia ;  and  if  they  miss  it  at  any  time,  it  is  the  grief  of  their  souls, 
and  they  are  never  at  rest  till  they  recover  it  again. 

Secondly,  I  am  to  shew,  why  it  is  that  those  who  in  this  world  so- 
journ with  God  in  his  tabernacle,  shall  be  inhabitants  of  heaven  in 
the  world  to  come. 

1.  They  are  born  from  above  there.  It  is  the  waters  of  the  sanc- 
tuary that  the  Spirit  moves  for  the  regeneration  of  those  who  are 
born  of  the  Spirit.  The  word  is  the  seed  whereof  the  new  creature 
is  formed,  1  Pet.  i.  23.  Where  God  has  a  design  of  love  to  a 
people,  he  sets  up  his  tabernacle  among  them,  and  gives  his  presence 
with  ordinances  for  their  conviction  and  conversion.  "  And  so  of 
Zion  it  shall  be  said,  This  man  and  that  man  was  born  in  her," 
Psal.  Ixxxvii.  5.  And  so  it  is  natural  for  them  to  breathe  in  that 
air. 

2.  They  are  made  meet  for  heaven  there,  Eph.  iv.  11,  12.  They 
are  nourished  there  unto  eternal  life  ;  though  those  who  remain 
dead  in  their  sins  receive  nothing  from  ordinances  but  food  to  their 
lusts,  whereby  they  grow  worse  and  worse  ;  those  that  are  born  for 
heaven,  are  nursed  up  for  it  in  ordinances.  There  the  bride  the 
Lamb's  wife  makes  herself  ready  for  the  consummation  of  the  mar- 
riage ;  there  she  gets  the  pledges  of  the  Lord's  love,  his  love-visits 
and  love-tokens,  till  she  be  brought  home  ;  and  there  the  travellers 
are  refreshed  for  their  journey.  Cant.  iv.  6. 

3.  From  thence  are  they  transported  to  heaven,  as  the  Israelites 


98  THE  CITIZEN  OF  ZION  DESCRIBED. 

from  the  wilderness  to  Canaan.  The  tabernacle  is  the  nursery  of 
grace,  whence  the  trees  of  righteousness  are  transplanted  into  the 
garden  of  glory.  It  is  the  lower  room  of  the  house  of  God,  from 
whence  at  death  they  are  brought  up  to  the  higher  rooms  and  man- 
sions. And  whoso  sojourn  not  with  God  in  the  tabernacle  below, 
shall  never  dwell  with  him  in  heaven. 

II.  The  next  general  head  is  to  assign  the  reasons  of  the  doctrine, 
or  why  every  one  should  seriously  and  solemnly  consider  what  sort 
of  persons,  sojourning  with  God  here,  shall  be  inhabitants  of  heaven 
hereafter. 

1.  Because  there  is  a  heaven  and  hell,  and  every  one  must  land 
in  the  one  or  the  other  at  length.  Sure  the  very  being  of  a  heaven 
and  hell,  being  made  known  to  us  in  the  world,  leaves  men  without 
excuse  for  the  careless  unthinking  life  they  lead.^  Our  being  con- 
cerned in  them  challenges  our  consideration,  since  we  are  not  as  the 
beasts  which  being  dead  are  done  :  and  the  weight  and  importance 
of  them  to  us  challenges  the  most  solemn  and  serious  consideration. 

2.  Because  the  laws  of  heaven  admit  only  such  and  such  persons 
as  are  so  and  so  qualified  into  it,  and  adjudge  others  to  be  excluded 
for  ever  from  it,  John  iii.  3.  "  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  can- 
not see  the  kingdom  of  God."  Heb.  xii.  14.  "  Without  holiness  no 
man  shall  see  the  Lord."  Psal.  xxiv.  3,  4.  forecited.  And  there- 
fore the  apostle  tells  us,  that  "  if  we  live  after  the  flesh,  we  shall 
die  ;  but  if  we  through  the  Spirit  do  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body, 
we  shall  live,"  Rom.  viii.  14.  See  Rev.  xxi.  ult.  "  There  shall  in  no 
wise  enter  into  it  any  thing  that  defileth,  neither  whatsoever  work- 
eth  abomination,  or  maketh  a  lie  :  but  they  which  are  written  in 
the  Lamb's  book  of  life."  This  is  a  good  reason  for  our  most  serious 
consideration  of  the  matter. 

3.  Because  none  who  are  capable  of  consideration,  will  ever  see 
heaven  without  it.  The  v/ork  of  grace  begins  there.  Lam.  iii.  40. 
"  Let  us  search  and  try  our  ways,  and  turn  again  to  the  Lord." 
People  may  go  rambling  through  the  world  at  all  adventures,  they 
may  go  dreaming  through  it  without  serious  thoughts  of  eternity, 
and  land  in  the  pit :  but  none  will  get  to  heaven  either  of  these 
ways. 

4.  Lastly,  Because  if  we  miss  of  heaven,  we  are  ruined  eternally. 
Eternal  salvation  and  damnation  lie  at  stake  :  and  if  these  cannot 
obtain  solemn  serious  thoughts  of  us,  our  case  is  very  desperate. 

I  come  now  to  the  application  of  this  subject.  And  I  exhort  all 
of  you  solemnly,  and  seriously  to  consider,  what  sort  of  persons 
shall  be  inhabitants  of  heaven.  Take  this  matter  to  heart,  and 
bestow  some  thoughts  upon  it.     And, 


THE  CITIZEN  OF  ZION  DESCRIBED.  99 

1.  Cousider  of  it  solemnly,  fixedly,  and  deliberately  :  Thus  saith 
the  Lord  of  hosts,  Consider  your  ivai/s,  Hag.  i.  5.  You  consider  of 
other  things  deliberately  and  fixedly  ;  why  will  you  allow  your 
soul-concerns  only  some  passing  thoughts  by  the  by  ? 

2.  Consider  of  it  with  application  to  yourselves,  Job  v.  ult.  "  Lo 
this,  we  have  searched  it,  so  it  is  ;  hear  it,  and  know  thou  it  for  thy 
good.  Prov.  ix.  12.  "  If  thou  be  wise,  thou  shalt  be  wise  for  thy- 
self." Do  this,  that  so  you  may  see  whether  you  yourselves  be  of 
that  sort,  that  are  in  the  road  to  heaven,  or  not. 

3.  Consider  of  it  practically,  that  you  may  set  yourselves  to  thrust 
in  among  those  that  so  run  as  they  may  obtain,  so  strive  as  they 
may  enter,  and  use  such  violence  as  they  may  take  it  by  force. 

4.  Lastly,  Consider  of  it  divinely,  as  sifting  your  souls  before  the 
Lord  to  understand  it  of  himself  by  his  word.  If  you  take  the  ver- 
dict of  the  world,  or  of  your  own  hearts  in  the  matter,  ye  will  de- 
ceive yourselves ;  for  so  many  are  thought  to  get  to  heaven,  that 
will  not  be  found  there.     For  motives  to  press  this,  consider, 

3Iot.  1.  Heaven  is  not  plenished  but  with  chosen  people,  2  Cor. 
vi.  17,  18.  "  Wherefore  come  out  from  among  them,  and  be  ye  sepa- 
rate, saith  the  Lord,  and  touch  not  the  unclean  thing;  and  I  will 
receive  you,  and  will  be  a  Father  unto  you,  and  ye  shall  be  my  sons 
and  daughters,  saith  the  Lord  Almighty."  Hell  receives  all  comers, 
but  many  are  sent  ofl^  from  the  gates  of  heaven,  and  refused  access. 
Hence  says  our  Lord,  Luke  xiii.  25.  "  When  once  the  master  of  the 
house  is  risen  up,  and  hath  shut  to  the  door,  and  ye  begin  to  stand 
without,  and  to  knock  at  the  door,  saying.  Lord,  Lord,  open  unto 
us ;  and  he  shall  answer  and  say  unto  you,  I  know  you  not  whence 
you  are."     None  can  come  to  heaven,  but, 

1.  Sealed  ones,  such  as  God  has  marked  for  himself,  2  Tim.  ii.  19. 
"  The  foundation  of  God  standeth  sure,  having  his  seal.  The  Lord 
knoweth  them  that  are  his."  They  are  sealed  in  the  hidden  man  of 
the  heart,  with  the  privy  seal  of  the  Spirit,  Eph.  i.  13. —  Ye  luere 
sealed  with  that  holy  Spirit  of  promise.  God's  own  image  is  stamped 
on  them,  in  knowledge,  righteousness  and  holiness.  In  the  day  of 
their  conversion,  the  Lord  puts  his  seal  on  them,  and  says,  "  They 
shall  be  mine  in  the  day  that  I  make  up  my  jewels."  They  are 
sealed  in  the  forehead.  Rev.  vii.  3.  and  xiv.  1.  They  look  like  him 
in  the  outward  man,  and  walk  as  he  walked,  labouring  to  follow 
him,  John  x.  27. 

2.  Separated  ones,  separated  from  the  world  lying  in  wickedness, 
2  Cor.  vi.  17.  forecited.  They  are  separated  from  among  the  rest  in 
this  life,  by  the  work  of  God  on  their  souls,  convincing,  illuminat- 
ing, and  renewing  them,  and  bringing  them  away  to  Christ.     Grace 


100  THE  CITIZEN  OF  ZION  DESCRIBED. 

selects  them  out  now  from  among  the  rest  of  mankind,  1  Cor.  vi.  11. 
"  And  such  were  some  of  you :  but  ye  are  washed,  but  ye  are  sancti- 
fied, but  ye  are  justified  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the 
Spirit  of  our  God.  Eph.  ii.  2.  In  time  past  ye  walked  according  to 
the  course  of  this  world,"  &c.  They  will  be  'separated  after  this 
life,  Matth.  xxv.  32.  "  lie  shall  separate  them  one  from  another,  as 
a  shepherd  divideth  his  sheei>  from  the  goats ;"  and  tliat  will  be  a 
cleanly  separation,  not  only  in  resj)ect  of  manner  of  life,  but  of 
place. 

Mot.  2.  The  most  part  will  be  found  refuse,  Matth.  xxii.  14. 
"  For  many  are  called,  but  few  are  chosen."  Christ's  fiock  is  but  a 
yery  little  flock,  in  comparison  of  the  devil's  drove,  Luke  xii.  32. 
The  former  are  few,  but  the  latter  many,  Matth.  vii.  13,  14.  The 
gospel-net  has  about  it,  the  bad  to  be  cast  away,  as  well  as  the  good 
to  be  gathered  into  vessels,  Matth.  xiii.  47.  And  since  the  most 
part  will  be  cast  out,  should  not  each  of  us  be  saying,  Master,  is  it  I? 

Mot.  3.  Consider  it  is  not  easy  to  get  to  heaven,  Matth.  vii.  14. 
"  Because  strait  is  the  gate,  and  narrow  is  the  way  Avhich  leadeth 
unto  life,  and  few  there  be  that  find  it.  Luke  xiii.  24.  Strive  to 
enter  in  at  the  strait  gate :  for  many  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall 
not  be  able."  It  is  a  business  of  the  greatest  difficulty  to  get  up 
the  holy  hill.  Many  have  seemed  to  have  been  set  fair  on  the  way 
to  it,  who  have  miserably  fallen  short.  The  Israelites  in  the  wil- 
derness wei'e  an  emblem  of  this,  Heb.  iv.  1.  Nay,  they  that  do  get 
there,  have  a  great  pinch  in  getting  forward,  1  Pet.  iv,  18.  The 
righteous  are  scarcely  saved.  There  is  all  reason  for  the  utmost  dili- 
gence and  circumspection,  according  to  the  apostle's  exhortation, 
Phil.  ii.  12.  Work  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling. 
Our  work  is  great,  our  strength  small,  our  enemies  are  many,  and 
their  opposition  is  great :  these  require  striving,  wrestling,  fighting, 
using  violence,  &c. 

Lastly,  It  is  not  a  matter  to  be  careless  and  indiff'erent  about, 
whether  we  shall  get  there  or  no.  There  are  two  things  about  it, 
that  may  move  us  to  the  deepest  concern.  (1.)  The  greatness  of  the 
happiness  or  misery  that  is  before  us.  No  tongue  can  express,  nay 
nor  heart  conceive,  the  happiness  of  heaven,  and  the  misery  in  hell. 
The  one  is  shadowed  out  to  us  by  the  best  things  here,  the  other  by 
the  worst;  but  as  heaven  is  better  than  the  best  here,  hell  is  worse 
than  the  worst,  (2.)  The  eternity  of  that  happiness  or  misery. 
That  is  it  that  accents  the  joys  and  praises  in  heaven,  and  the  wo 
and  shriekings  of  the  damned.  Happiness  without  end,  misery 
without  end,  are  happiness  and  misery  in  perfection. 

What  may  help  you  in  this  inquiry,  as  to  your  own  state,  is  the 


THE  CITIZEN"  OF   ZIOX  AN  UrRIGHT  WALKER.  101 

matter  of  communion  with  God  here  in  his  tabernacle  of  ordinances. 
Of  which  you  may  observe  the  three  following  things. 

1.  That  is  our  essay-piece  for  heaven  :  they  whom  God  admits  to 
communion  with  him  in  ordinances,  he  will  never  debar  from  com- 
munion with  him  in  heaven :  and  they  that  never  get  communion 
with  him  in  the  lower  house,  being  capable  of  it,  will  never  get  it  in 
heaven. 

2.  The  same  kind  of  qualifications  are  necessary  for  the  one  as 
for  the  other.     The  answer  to  both  questions  is  one. 

3.  Lastly,  Wherefore  just  as  you  were  living  in  this  world  under 
ordinances,  so  may  you  expect  your  lot  in  the  other  world. 

Let  these  things  move  you  therefore  seriously  to  think  on  this  im- 
portant matter,  and  the  Lord  give  you  understanding  in  all  things. 


THE  CITIZEN   OF  ZION  AN  UPRIGHT   WALKER. 

Psalm  xv.  2. 

He  that  ivalkcth  uprhjldly. — 

Tnis  is  the  first  character  of  one  that  shall  be  an  inhabitant  of  hea- 
ven. It  is  taken  from  his  walk,  that  is,  his  habitual  and  ordinary 
course  of  life.  Men's  walk  in  this  world  is  the  sign  oT  the  place 
and  state  they  are  making  to  in  another  world.  His  walk  is  upright ; 
he  is  upright  in  heart  and  life  ;  or  perfect  and  entire,  namely,  in  the 
way  of  gospel  perfection. 

The  text  affords  this  doctrine. 

DocT.  It  is  such  as  walk  uprightly  now,  that  shall  dwell  in  hea- 
ven hereafter. 

In  handling  this  doctrine,  I  shall, 

I.  Unfold  this  character  of  walking  uprightly. 

II.  Confirm  the  point,  that  such  as  walk  uprightly  now,  shall 
dwell  in  heaven  hereafter. 

III.  Apply  the  subject. 

I.  I  shall  unfold  this  character.  He  that  shall  dwell  in  heaven 
hereafter,  walks  uprightly  now.     And  he  that  walks  uprightly, 

1.  Is  sincere  in  the  frame  and  disposition  of  his  heart.  Hence 
prays  the  Psalmist,  "  Do  good,  0  Lord,  unto  those  that  be  good,  and 
to  them  that  are  upright  in  their  Jiearts,"  Psal.  cxxv.  4.  There 
cannot  be  uprightness  of  life  without  uprightness  of  heart.  If  the 
cripple  is  made  to  go  straight,  his  legs  must  have  a  new  set ;  and  if 
men  be  brought  to  walk  uprightly,  their  hearts  must  get  a  new  set 

Vol.  V.  n 


102  THE  CITIZEN  OF  ZIOIST  AN   UPRIGHT  WALKEK. 

by  converting  grace.  An  unsound  heart  will  certainly  make  an  un- 
holy life,  agreeable  to  that,  Psal.  Isxviii.  37,  "  Their  heart  was  not 
right  with  God,  neither  were  they  stedfast  in  his  covenant."  All 
the  religion  of  an  unregcnerate  man  is  but  hypocrisy,  hateful  to 
God,  and  unprofitable  to  himself.  God  made  man 'upright;  and  he 
lost  his  uprightness.  When  God  new-makes  him,  he  makes  him 
upright  again  ;  gives  his  heart  a  set  and  bent  towards  God  and 
holiness.  So  that  the  choice  and  desire  of  his  soul  is  conformity  to 
the  will  of  God  in  all  things. 

2.  He  walks  entirely  in  the  interests  of  religion.  This  is  the  walk 
of  the  man  that  is  within  the  covenant.  Gen.  xvii.  1.  Walk  before 
me,  and  be  thou  perfect.  It  is  the  same  word  in  the  text.  He  is 
evangelically  perfect  in  parts,  though  not  in  degrees.  The  apostle 
explains  it.  Jam.  i.  4.  "  Let  patience  have  her  perfect  work,  that  ye 
may  be  perfect  and  entire,  wanting  nothing."  His  religion  consists 
of  holiness  and  righteousness,  Luke  i.  74.  He  is  conscientious  and 
tender  in  his  duty  to  God,  and  to  his  neighbour.  Try  him  in  the 
matters  of  piety,  he  is  in  the  interests  of  religion  there  ;  try  him  in 
the  matters  of  morality,  he  is  in  the  same  interests  there  :  for  he 
walks  entirely  and  perfectly.  Vessels  fitted  for  destruction,  some 
of  them  chuse  the  one  half  of  religion,  making  painted  hypocrites  ; 
others  the  other  half,  making  mere  moralists  ;  others  cast  oif  all 
show  of  piety  and  morality  too,  making  practical  Atheists.  The 
vessels  fitted  for  glory,  chuse,  embrace,  and  walk  in  the  whole  of 
religion,  piety,  and  morality. 

3.  He  walks  uniformly,  his  walk  and  religion  is  of  a  piece.  Col. 
iv.  12. — "  that  ye  may  stand  perfect  and  complete  in  all  the  will  of 
God."  It  was  a  piece  of  the  Baptist's  character,  that  he  was  con- 
sistent with  himself,  not  here  and  there  according  to  the  blowing  of 
the  wind,  Luke  vii.  24.  Men  may  hide  and  discover  their  art  as 
they  please  :  but  nature  will  out.  They  whose  religion  is  artificial, 
are  never  uniform  in  it ;  there  are  always  some  things  wherein  they 
have  no  use  for  it,  but  lay  it  aside  as  what  would  mar  the  course  of 
their  corrupt  nature.  .  Hence  many  will  be  flaming  hot  in  some  opi- 
nion of  religion,  and  key-cold  in  the  duties  of  love  to  their  neigh- 
bour :  in  their  personal  walk  something  like  Christians,  but  in  their 
relative  duties  divested  of  conscience  towards  God ;  in  the  matters 
of  God  seeming  to  be  somewhat,  but  in  their  dealings  with  men  stark 
naught.  But  religion  is  made  natural  in  some  sort  to  the  vessel  of 
glory,  namely,  in  respect  of  their  new  nature,  and  being  natural  will 
be  of  a  piece. 

4.  He  walks  in  the  way  of  knoAvn  duty  universally,  like  Zacharias 
and  Elizabeth,  whose  character  is,  that  they  "  walked  in  all  the 


THE  CITIZEN  OF  ZIOX  AN"  UrUIGIIT  WALKER.  103 

commandments  and  ordinances  of  the  Lord  blameless,"  Luke  i.  0. 
Wheresoever  he  perceives  God  to  call  him,  he  follows,  and  so  fol- 
lows the  Lord  fully  ;  not  stickinc;  at,  or  willingly  failing  in  any 
commanded  duty.  Such  are  they  who  are  fitted  for  the  upper 
Canaan,  Numb.  xiv.  24".  It  was  David's  character  in  opposition  to 
Saul,  that  he  would  be  universal  in  his  obedience.  Acts  xiii.  22,  "  I 
have  found  David, — a  man  after  mine  own  heart,  which  shall  fulfil 
all  mine  own  will."  And  Saul  lost  the  kingdom,  but  it  was  esta- 
blished for  ever.  And  it  is  always  the  characters  of  the  vessels  fitted 
for  destruction,  Avhatever  their  attainments  be.  One  thing  thou  lackest, 
Matth.  X.  21.     Hence, 

(1.)  He  that  walketh  uprightly,  will  not  walk  on  in  gross  pollu- 
tions of  the  outward  man  :  that  cannot  be  universal  obedience  that 
has  such  a  seen  gross  defect.  Psal.  xxiv.  3,  4,  "  Who  shall  ascend 
into  the  hill  of  the  Lord?  and  who  shall  stand  in  his  holy  place? 
He  that  hath  clean  hands  and  a  pure  heart ;  who  hath  not  lift  up 
his  soul  unto  vanity,  nor  sworn  deceitfully."  Psal.  cxix.  1.  "Bles- 
sed are  the  uudeflled  in  the  way,  who  walk  in  the  law  of  the  Lord." 
The  upright  want  not  their  spots,  sins  of  daily  infirmity  :  but  a 
course  of  wallowing  in  the  mire  of  drunkenness,  sensuality,  filthi- 
ness,  swearing,  lying,  &c.  I  doubt  if  that  be  found  the  spot  of  God's 
people,  1  Cor.  vi.  11.  And  such  tuere  some  of  you,  says  Paul  to  the 
Corinthians,  that  is  fornicators,  &c.  verse  9,  10.  hut  ye  are  tvashcd, 
Sfc.  Gal.  V.  19,  "  Now  the  works  of  the  flesh  are  manifest,  which 
are  these.  Adultery,  fornication,  uncleanness,  lasciviousness,"  «S:c. 

(2.)  He  that  walketh  uprightly,  will  not  allow  himself  in  any 
known  sin  whatsoever,  seen  or  unseen  to  the  world.  Hence  David 
says,  "  I  was  upright  before  him  :  and  I  kept  myself  from  mine  ini- 
quity," Psal.  xviii.  23.  Such  a  bias  of  the  heart  and  way  as  leads 
to  the  indulgence  of  any  sin,  speaks  a  heart  parted  between  the  Lord 
and  lusts.  The  upright  man  is  at  odds  with  sin  as  sin,  and  there- 
fore with  all  that  is  known  to  be  sin. 

5.  He  walks  as  under  the  eye  of  God.  Hence  said  the  Lord  to 
Abraham,  Walk  before  me,  Gen.  xvii.  1.  And  says  David,  I  have  set 
the  Lord  always  before  me,  Psal.  xvi.  8.  Knowing  him  to  be  his  wit- 
ness in  all  things,  and  believing  his  omniscience  with  application,  he 
studies  to  approve  himself  unto  God.  "  Our  rejoicing  is  this,  says 
the  apostle,  the  testimony  of  our  conscience,  that  in  simplicity  and 
godly  sincerity,  not  with  fleshly  wisdom,  but  by  the  grace  of  God, 
we  have  had  our  conversation  in  the  world,"  2  Cor.  i.  12.  There  is 
a  spice  of  Atheism  in  hypocrisy.  The  careless  sinner  forgets  God, 
and  minds  not  that  the  eye  of  God  is  upon  him  :  the  presumptuous 
sinner,  if  he  can  carry  the  matter  securely  as  to  the  world's  part, 

n  2 


104  TIIK   CITIZEN  OF  /ION  AN  UPRIGHT  WALKER, 

stands  not  on  the  Lord's  knowledge  of  his  crime,  Psal.  xxxvi.  1. 
"  The  transgression  of  the  wicked  saith  within  my  heart,  that  there 
is  no  fear  of  God  before  his  eyes."  But  the  upright  man  deals  with 
God,  as  if  the  eyes  of  all  men  were  on  him  ;  and  with  men,  as 
knowing  that  the  eye  of  God  is  upon  him.  And  his  main  care  is  to 
approve  himself  to  God,  whether  the  world  ai)prove  or  condemn  him. 

6.  lie  walks  singly,  2  Cor.  i.  12,  above  cited.  The  upright  man 
is  opposite  to  the  double  minded  man,  who  in  the  language  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  hath  a  heart  and  a  heart,  Psal.  xii.  2,  that  is  a  double 
heart.  This  singleness  was  a  bright  part  of  the  character  of  the 
primitive  Christians,  of  whom  it  is  said.  Acts  ii.  46,  that,  "  they  did 
eat  their  meat  with  gladness  and  singleness  of  heart;"  but  it  is  a 
rare  character  with  us.     The  ui)right  man  walks  singly, 

(1.)  In  opposition  to  deceitfulness.  Col.  iii.  22.  He  dare  not  deal 
deceitfully  with  God,  like  those  who  with  the  mouth  showed  much 
love,  but  their  hearts  went  after  their  covetousness.  Hence  the  up- 
right man  is  content  that  God  would  search  and  sift  him,  as  desiring 
to  be  open  before  him  :  Psal.  cxxxix.  23,  24.  "  Search  me,  0  God, 
says  David,  and  know  my  heart :  try  me,  and  know  my  thoughts. 
And  see  if  there  be  any  wicked  way  in  me,  and  lead  me  in  the  way 
everlasting."  He  abhors  deceitful  men,  as  knowing  it  is  an  abo- 
mination to  the  Lord.  He  dares  not  use  the  by-ways  and  tricks 
that  others  stand  not  upon ;  but  deals  singly  towards  God  and  man. 

(2.)  In  opposition  to  selfishness,  Eph.  vi.  5.  They  will  labour  to 
be  single  in  their  aims  and  designs,  for  the  honour  of  God  in  the 
chief  place,  and  their  own  and  their  neighbour's  good  in  the  next. 
Selfishness  is  a  devouring  deep  that  swallows  up  all  due  concern  for 
the  honour  of  God,  and  the  good  of  others";  and  sacrifices  all  to 
one's  own  interest :  so  that  self  is  all  that  such  seek  in  their  re- 
ligious performances,  and  worldly  business.  "NYhere  it  predominates, 
there  is  no  room  for  uprightness. 

7.  Lastly,  He  walks  constantly  in  the  paths  of  uprightness,  John 
viii.  31,  "  If  ye  continue  in  my  word,  then  are  ye  my  disciples  in- 
deed." He  walketh,  which  denotes  a  continued  action  ;  he  perse- 
veres in  the  Lord's  way ;  uprightness  is  his  constant  course  in  the 
whole  of  his  life.  A  good  man  may  do  an  ill  thing,  and  an  ill  man 
may  do  a  good  thing  :  but  it  is  the  habitual  course  of  a  man's  life 
that  denominates  him  a  good  or  ill  man.  For  men  to  take  their 
religion  by  fits  and  starts,  and  now  and  then  to  make  conscience  of 
their  duty  to  God  and  to  man  :  and  anon  to  shake  all  loose  again, 
and  walk  like  men  of  Belial  Avithout  yoke  :  that  is  not  the  upright 
walking  that  is  the  character  of  those  who  shall  be  inhabitants  of 
heaven.  Remember  that  saying  of  Christ's,  "He  that  shall  endure 
unto  the  end,  the  same  shall  be  saved,"  Matth.  xxiv.  13. 


THE  CITIZEN"  OF  ZION  AN  umiOIIT  WALKER.  105 

II.  I  proceed  to  confirm  the  doctrine,  that  it  is  such  as  walk  up- 
rightly now,  who  shall  dAvell  in  heaven  hereafter.  lu  order  to  this, 
consider, 

1.  Heaven  is  the  land  of  uprightness,  Psal.  cxliii.  10.  All  are  up- 
I'ight  there,  God,  angels,  and  men.  All  liars  or  dissemblex's  with 
God  and  men,  ai"e  excluded  from  heaven,  and  declared  to  be  such  as 
shall  have  their  portion  in  hell,  Matth.  xxiv.  ult.  Rev.  xxii.  15.  It 
is  the  upright  only  that  will  dwell  in  heaven,  Psal.  cxl.  ult.  "  The 
upright  shall  dwell  in  thy  presence." 

2.  The  new  birth,  which  is  from  heaven,  and  makes  men  meet  for 
heaven,  frames  them  to  an  upright  walk.  No  person  gets  there,  but 
such  as  are  born  again :  for,  says  our  Lord,  "  Except  a  man  be  born 
again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God,"  John  iii.  3.  None  are 
born  again,  but  thereby  they  get  a  new  heart,  whereby  they  get  a 
new  set  of  heart,  whereby  they  are  made  upright  in  heart,  Psal. 
xxxvi.  10.  And  an  upright  heart  will  certainly  shew  itself  in  one's 
walk  ;  2  Cor  v.  17.  "  If  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature  : 
old  things  are  passed  away,  behold,  all  things  are  new."  Therefore 
a  pure  heart  and  clean  hands  are  joined  together,  Psal.  xxiv.  4. 

3.  An  upright  walk  is  the  saint's  walk,  in  which  they  make  for- 
ward to  the  kingdom.  Hence  Solomon  says,  "  Thou  hast  showed 
unto  thy  servant  David  my  father  great  mercy,  according  as  he 
walked  before  thee  iu  truth,  and  in  righteousness,  and  in  upright- 
ness of  heai't  with  thee,"  1  Kings  iii.  6.  And  no  man  can  expect 
on  good  grounds  to  walk  in  white  in  heaven,  but  he  who  walks 
in  uprightness  here.  Hence  Christ  says  to  the  church  of  Sardis, 
*'  Thou  hast  a  few  names  even  in  Sardis,  which  have  not  defiled  their 
garments ;  and  they  shall  walk  with  me  in  white,"  Rev.  iii.  4.  The 
contrary  way  is  the  way  of  the  wicked,  and  leads  to  darkness, 
"  "Whose  ways  are  crooked,  and  they  froward  iu  tlieir  paths,"  Prov. 
ii.  15. 

4.  Lastly,  ^he  Lord  himself  hath  plainly  determined  in  his  word, 
that  upright  walkers  and  they  only  shall  be  saved,  Prov.  xxviii.  18. 
Wlioso  walketli  uprightly,  shall  he  saved.  If  the  blood  of  Christ  hath 
touched  a  man's  conscience,  and  the  Spirit  of  Christ  sanctifieth  his 
soul,  that  man  will  walk  uprightly.  As  for  others,  they  have  no 
share  of  these;  and  however  they  may  carry  it  a  while,  they  will  be 
ruined  in  a  moment. 

I  come  now  to  the  application  of  this  subject,  which  I  shall  dis- 
cuss in  an  use  of  conviction  and  an  use  of  exhortation. 

TJsE  I.  for  conviction.  This  may  serve  to  convince  us,  that  there 
are  fcAV  of  this  generation  that  will  dwell  iu  heaven,  if  they  turn 
not  over  a  new  leaf,  and  fall  on  a  way  thoy  are  not  acquainted  with 

u  3 


106  Tiir;  ciTizEX  of  zion  an  UPnioiiT  walkek. 

yet,  vh.  tlie  way  of  uprightness.     Well  may  \rc  take-up  Micali's  la- 
racutation  over  the  men  of  these  dregs  of  time  we  live  in,  Micah  vii. 
1. — 4.  "  Wo  is  me,  for  I  am  as  when  they  have  gathered  the  sum- 
nicr-frnits,  as  the  grape-gleanings  of  the  vintage :  there  is  no  cluster 
to  eat :  my  soul  desireth  the  first  ripe  fruit.     The  good  man  is  per- 
ished out  of  the  earth :  and  there  is  none  upright  among  men  :  they 
all  lie  in  wait  for  blood :  they  hunt  every  man  his  brother  with  a 
net.     That  they  may  do  evil  with  both  hands  earnestly,  the  prince 
asketh,  and  the  judge  asketh  for  a  revrard :   and  the  great  man  he 
uttereth  his  mischievous  desire  :  so  they  wrapt  it  up.     The  best  of 
them  is  as  a  brier :  the  most  upright  is  sharper  than  a  thorn-hedge  : 
the  day  of  thy  watchmen,  and  thy  visitation  cometh ;  now  shall  be 
their  perplexity."     But  instead  of  uprightness,  there  is  much  double 
dealing  with  God   and  v/ith  men.     I  offer  a  few  of  many  glaring 
signs  and  evidences  of  want  of  uprightness. 

Sig7i  1.  Men  keeping  still  some  beloved  lust  or  other,  that  all  the 
checks  they  get  for  it,  from  the  word,  their  consciences,  or  provi- 
dence, cannot  make  them  part  with.  They  never  deal  uprightly 
with  God,  but  still  like  Ananias  and  Sapphira  keep  back  a  part ; 
quite  contrary  to  the  practice  of  the  holy  Psalmist,  who  says,  "  I 
was  upright  before  him :  and  I  kept  myself  from  mine  iniquity," 
Psal.  xviii.  23. 

Sign  2.  Having  more  regard  to  the  eye  of  men,  than  to  the  eye  of 
the  all-seeing  God.  Their  credit  has  more  weight  with  them  than 
their  conscience ;  and  if  they  can  please  men,  they  little  regard 
whether  they  please  God  or  not,  Gal.  i.  10.  Hence  if  they  can 
carry  their  wickedness  secretly  to  the  world,  they  regard  no  more 
than  if  God  were  closed  up  in  heaven. 

Sign  3.  Impatience  of  reproof,  a  sad  sign  of  a  heart  not  upright 
with  God.  As  a  man  that  desires  to  keep  a  clean  face,  will  bear 
with  one  that  tells  him  of  a  spot  upon  it ;  so  an  upright  man  will 
take  with  warnings,  admonitions,  and  reproofs,  Psal.  cxli.  5.  "  Let 
the  righteous  smite  me,  it  shall  be  a  kindness ;  and  let  him  reprove 
me,  it  shall  be  an  excellent  oil,  which  shall  not  break  my  head :  for 
yet  my  prayer  also  shall  be  in  their  calamities."  And  alas  !  there 
are  few  this  day  of  that  sort.  Men  love  their  sins,  at  least  their 
credit,  better  than  to  bear  with  having  it  told  them  that  they  have 
done  an  ill  thing. 

Sign  4.  Not  labouring  to  approve  one's  self  to  God  in  one's  deal- 
ings with  men,  in  matters  of  the  world,  Eph.  vi.  5,  6 ;  2  Cor.  i.  12. 
An  upright  man,  in  worldly  matters,  will  look  on  God  as  his  party, 
as  well  as  his  neighbour.  He  will  deal  in  these  things,  as  knowing 
that  God  is  his  witness,  and  will  be  his  judge.     But  alas  !  most  men 


THE  CITIZEjr  OF  ZION  AN  UPIUGHT  WALKER.  107 

have  no  eye  to  God  but  in  their  religious  duties,  which  shews  that 
they  are  not  upright  with  God  there  neither. 

Sign  5.  The  wearing  out  of  the  sense  of  the  binding  force  of  that 
rule  from  off  the  spirits  of  men,  Matth.  vii.  12.  "  All  things  whatso- 
ever ye  would  that  men  should  do  unto  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them." 
This  is  a  rule  of  practice,  which  the  very  light  of  nature  teacheth, 
as  the  bond  of  society,  confirmed  to  us  by  divine  revelation ;  but  so 
little  regarded  in  our  day,  as  if  men  had  renounced  their  reason,  as 
well  as  their  religion,  in  favour  of  their  own  selfish  ends.  Hence, 
when  there  is  occasion  of  advantage  oltering  to  many,  there  is  no 
more  considered  by  them,  but  if  it  be  for  their  own  profit;  no  more 
consideration  of  their  neighbours,  than  if  they  alone  were  in  the 
world,  or  at  least  that  they  may  very  well  build  up  the  interest  of 
their  dear  self  on  the  ruins  of  others. 

Sk/n  6.  The  abounding  of  fraud,  deceit,  and  violence  among  mea. 
Religion  in  the  power  of  it  is  much  worn  out  from  among  the  gene- 
ration, and  moral  honesty  is  dying  out  apace.  The  fear  of  God  is 
cast  oft'  by  the  most  part,  and  an  upright  regard  to  men  is  rare  to  be 
found.  It  was  so  with  the  Jews  before  the  Babylonish  captivity, 
Jer.  ix.  4,  5,  9.  "  Take  ye  heed  every  one  of  his  neighbour,  and 
trust  ye  not  in  any  brother :  for  every  brother  will  utterly  supplant, 
and  every  neighbour  will  walk  with  slanders.  And  they  will  de- 
ceive every  one  his  neighbour,  and  will  not  speak  the  truth :  they 
have  taught  their  tongue  to  speak  lies,  and  weary  themselves  to 
commit  iniquity.  Shall  I  not  visit  them  for  these  things  ?  saith  the 
Lord  :  shall  not  my  soul  be  avenged  on  such  a  nation  as  this  ?"  It 
was  so  with  the  old  world  before  the  deluge  came  on.  Gen.  vi.  4,  11. 
"  There  were  giants  in  the  earth  in  those  days ;  and  also  after  that, 
when  the  sons  of  God  came  in  unto  the  daughters  of  men,  and  they 
bare  children  to  them;  the  same  became  mighty  men,  which  were  of 
old,  men  of  renown.  The  earth  also  was  coi-rupt  before  God ;  and 
the  earth  was  filled  with  violence."  It  is  so  with  us  at  this  day ; 
and  there  is  no  ground  to  doubt  but  it  will  bring  a  heavy  stroke  on 
the  generation. 

Use  II.  of  exhortation.  As  ever  ye  would  dwell  in  heaven,  walk 
uprightly  on  this  earth.  I  shall  enforce  this  exhortation  with  a  few 
motives. 

Mot.  1.  They  who  walk  otherwise  declare  themselves  strangers  to 
Christ,  without  Christ,  without  hope,  and  without  God  in  the  world. 
They  have  no  saving  interest  in  Christ  who  do  not  love  him,  1  Cor. 
xvi.  22.  "  If  any  man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let  him  be  ana- 
thema, Maran-atha."  It  is  the  upright  only  that  love  him,  Cant. 
i.  4.     They  only  are  accounted  to  love  him  that  are  upright  in  their 


108  THE  CITIZEN  OF  ZION  AN  UPRIGHT  WALKER. 

walk,  John  xiv.  15.  If  ye  love  me,  keep  my  commandments.  1  John 
V.  3.  This  is  the  love  of  God,  that  ive  keep  his  commandments.  Hence 
upright  walking  is  declared  to  be  the  evidence  of  one's  right,  and 
title  to  heaven,  Rev.  xxii.  14.  "Blessed  are  they  that  do  his  com- 
mandments, that  they  may  have  right  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  may 
enter  in  through  the  gates  into  the  city." 

3Iot.  2.  Grod  hates  hypocritical  and  deceitful  men,  and  excludes 
them  from  communion  with  him  here  and  hereafter,  Psal.  v.  5,  6. 
"The  foolish  shall  not  stand  in  thy  sight:  thou  hatest  all  workers 
of  iniquity.  Thou  shalt  destroy  them  that  speak  leasing."  God  is 
light,  which  sets  every  thing  in  its  true  colours.  As  darkness  then 
is  contrary  to  light,  so  are  they  to  the  nature  and  will  of  God,  and 
darkness  Avill  he  their  jjortion,  Matth.  xxiv.  ult.  "  He  shall  cut  him 
asunder,  and  appoint  him  his  portion  with  the  hypocrites :  there 
shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth." 

3Iot.  3.  The  cheat  falls  heaviest  on  the  man  himself  who  does  not 
walk  uprightly.  Men  deal  deceitfully  with  God ;  but  can  they  de- 
ceive him,  can  they  blind  his  all-seeing  eye  ?  No :  "  Be  not  de- 
ceived ;  God  is  not  mocked :  for  whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that 
shall  he  also  reap,"  Gal.  vi.  7.  They  deal  deceitfully  with  men, 
and  they  may  deceive  them  indeed :  but  where  is  the  gain,  when 
perhaps  they  procure  a  good  opinion  of  themselves  from  others, 
Avhich  they  do  not  deserve ;  but  in  the  mean  time  they  bring  double 
guilt  on  their  own  souls,  both  doing  evil,  and  pretending  the  con- 
trary ;  and  so  expose  themselves  to  God's  wrath  both  as  evil-doers 
and  as  dissemblers. 

Mot.  4.  The  trade  of  deceitful  dealing  and  dissembling  either  with 
God  or  man,  will  not  last.  All  the  hypocrisy  and  deceit  of  the 
world  will  be  exposed  to  open  view  ere  long,  when  Christ  shall  set 
his  throne  for  judgment.  "  There  is  nothing  covered,  (says  he,)  that 
shall  not  be  revealed ;  and  hid,  that  shall  not  be  known,  Matth.  x. 
26.  For  God  shall  bring  every  work  into  judgment,  with  every  se- 
cret thing,  whether  it  be  good,  or  whether  it  be  evil,"  Eccl.  xii.  ult. 
And  there  will  be  no  place  for  deceit  any  more.  None  will  pretend 
to  be  what  he  is  not  in  hell ;  and  there  will  be  no  place  for  over- 
reaching others  there. 

Mot.  5.  There  is  nothing  in  the  world  worth  going  off  the  way  of 
npriglituess  for,  Isa.  xxxiii.  15.  For  whatever  is  to  be  had  that 
way,  is  had  with  God's  displeasure,  and  instead  of  a  rod  it  becomes 
a  serpent,  Eccl.  x.  8.  "  Ji e  that  diggeth  a  pit,  shall  fall  into  it;  and 
whoso  breaketh  an  hedge,  a  serpent  shall  bite  him."  And  however 
men  fare  according  to  their  wish  in  such  a  way,  it  is  a  dear  reckon- 
ing that  comes  in  at  the  end.     It  is  a  way  to  cut  men's  days,  Psal. 


THE  CITIZEN  OF  ZION  AN  UPRIGHT  AVALKEK.  109 

Iv.  ult.  "Bloody  and  deceitful  men  shall  not  live  out  half  their 
days:"  and  a  fair  way  to  ruin  them  for  another  world,  Jer.  xvii.  11. 
"  He  that  getteth  riches,  and  not  by  right,  shall  leave  them  in  the 
midst  of  his  days,  and  at  his  end  shall  be  a  fool." 

3Iot.  last,  Consider  the  excellency  of  uprightness  and  walking  up- 
rightly. 

1.  It  is  very  pleasing  and  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God,  Psal. 
xi.  7.  "  The  righteous  Lord  loveth  righteousness,  his  countenance 
doth  behold  the  upright."  It  is  his  own  image,  and  he  cannot  but 
love  it.  When  he  made  man  like  himself,  he  made  him  upright. 
Job  was  a  nonsuch  man  in  God's  account,  and  he  was  an  upright 
man.  Job  i.  8.  See  how  Christ  commends  Nathanael,  Behold  an  Is- 
raelite indeed,  in  whom  is  no  guile,  John  1.  47. 

2.  Though  there  be  many  weaknesses  hanging  about  a  man,  yet,  if 
what  he  does,  he  do  uprightly,  that  will  not  mar  the  acceptance  of 
his  work  with  God  through  Christ,  Cant.  v.  1.  Gold  is  precious, 
though  it  be  among  much  dross ;  and  our  gracious  God  knows  how 
to  discern  betwixt  and  separate  the  dross  from  the  gold,  1  Kings  xv. 
14,  "The  high  places  were  not  removed :  nevertheless,  Asa  his  heart 
was  perfect  with  the  Lord  all  his  days." 

3.  It  is  the  great  distinguishing  character  betwixt  good  and  bad 
men,  Christ's  sheep  and  the  devil's  goats,  whether  hypocrites  or  pro- 
fane, Psal.  cxxv.  4,  5,  "  Do  good,  0  Lord,  unto  those  that  be  good, 
and  to  them  that  are  upright  in  their  hearts.  As  for  such  as  turn 
aside  unto  their  crooked  ways,  the  Lord  shall  lead  them  forth  with 
the  workers  of  iniquity  :  but  peace  shall  be  upon  Israel." 

4.  It  is  a  great  preservative  against  apostasy,  1  John  ii.  19, 
"  They  went  out  from  us,  but  they  were  not  of  us  :  for  if  they  had 
been  of  us,  they  would  no  doubt  have  continued  with  us :  but  they 
went  out,  that  they  might  be  made  manifest,  that  they  were  not  all 
of  us.  Prov.  xiii.  6,  Righteousness  keepeth  him  that  is  upright  in 
the  way."  It  is  the  want  of  it,  that  makes  so  many  apostates,  in  an 
ensnaring  world,  wherein  they  that  will  be  led  off  the  way,  will  not 
want  suitable  temptations. 

5.  It  is  a  notable  comfort  in  the  worst  of  times,  that  will  last 
when  all  other  comforts  are  taken  from  us,  2  Cor.  i.  12,  forecited. 
Conscience  of  uprightness  is  a  feast  indeed. 

6.  They  are  entitled  to  protection  from  the  evil  day  in  a  special 
manner,  whether  God  takes  Ihem  away  ere  it  come,  Isa.  Ivii.  2,  or 
they  be  sheltered  when  it  comes,  as  Noah  was,  Gen.  vi.  9. 

7.  Lasth/,  Their  end  will  be  peace,  Psal.  xxxvii.  37,  "  Mark  the 
perfect  man,  and  behold  the  upright :  for  the  end  of  that  man  is 
peace."  A  blessing  follows  theirs  after  they  are  dead  and  gone, 
Psal.  cxii.  2,  "  The  generation  of  the  upright  shall  be  blessed." 


110  THE  CITIZEX  OF  ZION 


THE  CITIZEN  OF  ZION  A   WORKER  OF  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

Psalm  xv.  2. 
— And  luorketh  Righteousness. — 

IIeee  is  the  second  character  of  an  inhabitant  of  heaven.  He  is  a 
worker,  not  one  that  standeth  idle  in  the  market-place  ;  but  a  doer 
of  good  works  :  he  worketh  righteousness  towards  God  and  man, 
making  it  his  business  to  give  both  to  God  and  man  their  due.  For 
the  words  are  general,  taking  in  whatsoever  is  just  and  righteous, 
whether  owing  to  God  or  man. 

The  doctrine  natively  arising  from  the  text  is  as  follows,  viz. 

DocT.  It  is  he  that  worketh  righteousness  now  in  this  world,  that 
shall  dwell  in  heaven  hereafter. 

In  prosecuting  this  doctrine,  I  shall, 

I.  Unfold  this  character  of  one  that  shall  dwell  in  heaven.  He 
worketh  righteousness. 

II.  Confirm  the  doctrine. 

III.  Apply. 

I.  I  am  to  unfold  this  character  of  one  that  shall  dwell  in  heaven. 
He  luorketh  righteousness.     I  take  it  up  in  three  parts. 

First,  He  is  a  believer  in  Christ,  and  righteous  by  faith.  This  is 
a  necessary  and  chief  branch  of  this  character,  according  to  our 
Lord's  own  testimony,  John  vi.  29,  "  This  is  the  work  of  God,  that 
ye  believe  on  him  whom  he  hath  sent."  He  that  does  not  work  this 
work,  works  no  righteousness  at  all.  The  imputed  righteousness  of 
a  Redeemer  is  the  meat  abiding  unto  everlasting  life,  which  our 
Lord  calls  us  to  work,  that  is,  to  get  to  ourselves  by  faith,  ver.  27. 
Gr.  To  be  a  worker  of  righteousness  supposes  one  to  be  in  the  first 
place  a  believer,  one  laying  hold  on  and  embracing  Christ  for 
righteousness,  and  living  by  faith  in  him.     This  appears, 

1.  A  man  must  first  be  righteous,  before  he  can  work  righteous- 
ness of  life,  1  John  iii.  7,  "  He  that  doth  righteousness  is  righteous, 
even  as  he  is  righteous."  The  tree  makes  the  fruit,  not  the  fruit 
the  tree :  and  therefore  the  tree  must  be  good,  before  the  fruit  can 
be  good,  Matth.  vii.  IB.  A  righteous  man  may  make  a  righteous 
work,  but  no  work  of  an  unrighteous  man  can  make  him  righteous. 
Now  we  become  righteous  only  by  faith  through  the  righteousness  of 
Christ  imputed  to  us,  Rom.  v.  1. 

2.  A  soul  not  united  to  Jesus  Christ,  cannot  work  righteousness, 
John  XV.  5.      Without  me  ye  can  do  nothing.     All  life  and  strength 


A  WORKER  OP  RIGHTEOUSNESS.  Ill 

spiritual  for  sinners,  is  treasured  up  in  Christ,  1  John  v.  11, 12.  As 
the  pipe  laid  short  of  the  fountain,  must  be  empty  of  water ;  so  is 
the  soul  of  life  and  strength,  which  is  not  united  to  Christ.  And  it 
is  by  faith  that  souls  are  united  to  him.  So,  where  there  is  no  faith, 
there  is  no  life ;  and  where  there  is  no  life,  there  is  no  working  of 
righteousness. 

3.  While  the  conscience  is  not  purged  of  the  guilt  of  eternal 
death,  the  works  wrought  by  the  man  are  but  dead  works,  not  works 
of  righteousness,  Heb.  ix.  14.  And  it  is  only  the  blood  of  Christ 
applied  by  faith  that  can  purge  the  conscience,  remove  the  curse, 
which,  while  it  lies  on  a  man,  will  leave  him  eternally  barren. 

4.  Lastli/,  Faith  is  the  spring  of  all  good  works.  There  the  man's 
working  of  righteousness  begins,  1  Tim.  1.  5.  1  John  iii.  12.  How 
was  it  that  Abel  wrought  righteousness  ?  The  apostle  tells  us,  Heb. 
xi.  4,  "  By  faith  Abel  offered  unto  God  a  more  excellent  sacrifice 
than  Cain,  by  which  he  obtained  witness,  that  he  was  righteous." 
And  without  it  no  man  can  do  a  work  pleasing  to  God,  and  there- 
fore no  righteous  work,  ver.  6.  Whatever  unbelievers  do  is  but  a 
shadow  of  righteousness.  They  are  not  married  to  Christ,  therefore 
they  cannot  bring  forth  fruit  to  God ;  they  are  not  begotten  again, 
and  made  his  children ;  therefore  their  obedience  is  but  slavish  : 
they  are  not  partakers  of  his  life,  therefore  their  works  are  but 
dead. 

Wherefore  let  men  work  as  they  will,  if  they  be  not  true  believers 
in  Christ,  they  are  not  workers  of  righteousness ;  and,  consequently, 
they  will  not  be  dwellers  in  heaven.  Ye  must  then  close  with 
Christ  in  the  first  place,  and  by  faith  receive  the  gift  of  imputed 
righteousness,  or  ye  will  never  truly  bear  this  character  of  a  citizen 
of  Zion.  A  man  shall  as  soon  force  fruit  out  of  a  branch  broken  ofi" 
from  the  tree  and  withered,  as  work  righteousness  without  believing 
in,  and  uniting  with  Christ.  These  are  two  things  by  which  those 
that  hear  the  gospel  are  ruined. 

(1.)  One  is,  works  without  faith  ;  and  here  the  legalist  settles. 
Witness  the  Pharisee,  Luke  xviii.  11,  12,  "God,  I  thank  thee,  that 
I  am  not  as  other  men  are,  extortioners,  unjust,  adulterers,  or  even 
as  this  publican.  I  fast  twice  in  the  week,  I  give  tithes  of  all  that 
I  possess."  And  this  he  does  to  his  own  destruction.  He  aims  at 
the  duties  of  the  law,  but  neglects  the  great  duty  of  the  gospel.  He 
aims  to  do  good,  but  never  takes  the  right  way,  the  only  way  to  be 
good.  Hence  his  religion  is  no  more  but  a  parcel  of  hypocritical 
performances,  dead  works,  the  man  himself  being  still  a  stranger  to 
the  life  of  God,  because  out  of  Christ. 

In  opposition  to  this,  the  citizen  of  Zion  is  a  believer,  one  that 


112  THE  CITIZEN  OF  ZION 

has  closed  with  Christ  by  faith,  and  that  still  lives  by  faith,  Gal.  ii. 
20,  deriving  virtue  and  strength  from  Jesus,  and  -leaning  on  his 
righteousness  alone ;  who  was  taken,  and  doth  still  take  Christ  for 
righteousness  and  sanctification  too,  Isa.  xlv.  24.  Agreeable  to  this 
first  part  of  the  character, 

(2.)  The  other  is,  faith  without  works ;  which  is  but  a  dead  faith, 
that  will  never  save  the  soul.  With  this  carnal  gosj^ellers  satisfy 
themselves  to  their  own  destruction,  James  ii.  14,  11,  "  What  doth 
it  profit,  though  a  man  say  he  hath  faith,  and  have  not  works  ?  can 
faith  save  him  ?  Faith,  if  it  hath  not  works,  is  dead,  being  alone." 
They  pi'etend  to  believe  in  Christ,  but  are  not  conscientious  in  the 
performance  of  holy  duties.  They  will  take  Christ  for  their  Priest 
to  save  them  from  hell,  but  not  for  their  King  to  save  them  from 
their  sins.  And  so  in  effect  they  would  make  Christ  the  minister 
of  sin. 

In  opposition  to  this,  the  citizen  of  Zion,  being  a  true  believer,  is 
a  worker  too,  a  worker  of  righteousness.  Being  married  to  Christ, 
he  brings  forth  the  fruit  of  holy  obedience  ;  being  raised  with  Christ, 
he  lives  to  God,  and  serves  in  newness  of  the  spirit.  This  brings 
me  to  the 

Second  part,  He  worketh  righteousness  towards  God.  He  is  one 
that  labours  sincerely  to  give  God  his  due,  being  just  and  righteous 
in  his  dealings  with  his  Maker.  There  is  a  duty  that  men  owe  to 
God,  by  the  rule  of  justice :  it  is  just  that  we  perform  it,  and  it  is  a 
wrong  done  to  him,  to  withhold  it,  because  it  is  his  due  from  us, 
Matth.  xxii.  21.  Render  unto  God  the  things  that  are  God's.  And 
thus  men  are  said  to  work  righteousness,  Isa.  Ixiv.  5.  "  Thou  meet- 
est  him  that  rejoiceth  and  worketli  righteousness.  Acts  x.  35,  In 
every  nation,  he  that  feareth  God,  and  worketh  righteousness,  is  ac- 
cepted with  him."  The  true  Christian  that  shall  be  a  dweller  in 
heaven,  being  furnished  from  heaven  by  faith  for  working  righteous- 
ness, worketh  accordingly,  sincerely  endeavouring  to  give  God  his 
due.  And  this  part  of  his  character  shall  be  branched  out  in  the 
following  particulars. 

1.  He  gives  God  his  heart.  God  requires  it,  Prov.  xxiii.  26.  J/y 
son,  give  me  thine  heart.  It  is  his  due,  because  he  made  it,  and  he 
alone  is  the  fit  match  for  it,  and  only  can  satisfy  it :  and  the  be- 
liever gives  it  him,  saying,  as  Psal.  Ixxiii.  25.  "  Whom  have  I  in 
heaven  but  thee  ?  and  there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I  desire  be- 
sides thee."  He  gives  God  his  heart,  to  be  his  temple,  his  throne, 
the  holy  of  holies  consecrated  to  him.  He  lifts  his  heart  and  affec- 
tions off  the  world,  his  lusts,  yea  even  his  lawful  comforts,  and  gives 
it  back  to  the  proper  owner ;  not  daring  to  alienate  it,  knowing  that 
to  bo  sacrilegious  robbing  of  God. 


A  ^'ORKER  OF  RIGHTEOUSNESS.  113 

2.  He  gives  God  himself,  as  the  Macedonians  did,  of  wliora  it  is 
said,  that  they^ir.s'^  gave  their  oiun  selves  to  the  Lord,  2  Cor.  viii.  5. 
The  man  does  not  look  on  himself  as  proprietor  and  master  of  him- 
self. He  is  the  Lord's  by  creation,  and  the  Lord's  by  baptismal 
dedication,  by  redemption,  by  daily  conservation :  and  therefore  he 
makes  himself  the  Lord's  also  by  volnntary  resignation,  saying,  / 
am  the  Lord's,  Isa.  xliv.  5.  He  owns  himself  debtor  to  God  for  his 
being,  and  therefore  accounts  it  just  that  he  be  for  him,  Hos.  iii.  3. 
and  therefore  that  soul  and  body  be  employed  for  him,  2  Cor.  vi.  20. 

3.  He  gives  obedience  to  God,  Luke  i.  6.  Obedience  is  his  due 
from  us.  He  is  the  Lord,  our  Creator  and  Sovereign  Lord  ;  our 
Redeemer ;  and  therefore  we  are  bound  to  obey  him,  Exod.  xs.  2. 
He  is  our  King  and  Lawgiver,  our  Father  and  suiH-erae  Master, 
Mai.  i.  6.  And  the  conscience  of  duty  owing  to  him,  on  all  these 
and  other  accounts,  moves  them  that  shall  dwell  in  heaven  to  bo 
obedient  to  him,  as  his  creatures,  subjects,  children,  and  servants. 
And  they  gave  him  illimited  obedience,  as  their  absolute  Lord,  not 
disputing,  but  doing  his  commands,  as  Abraham  did.  Gen.  xxii. ; 
universal  obedience,  as  knowing  that  all  his  precepts  are  right, 
Psal.  cxix.  128 ;  the  obedience  of  the  inner  man,  resigning  their 
souls  to  the  will  of  his  commands  and  of  his  providence  :  and  of  the 
outward  man,  studying  a  blameless  life,  Luke  i.  6.  Psal.  xxiv.  3,  4 ; 
a  cheerful,  son-like  obedience,  with  heart  and  good-will,  Isa. 
Ixiv.  5;  and  constant  obedience,  Psal.  cxix.  112. 

4.  He  gives  God  his  worship,  John  ix.  31.  He  is  our  God,  and 
therefore  it  is  his  due,  Matth.  iv.  10  ;  and  they  who  will  not  wor- 
ship him,  would  ungod  him  if  they  could.  But  they  that  shall 
dwell  in  heaven,  walk  in  the  ordinances  of  his  worship,  as  well  as 
in  his  commands  of  obedience,  Luke  i.  6.  They  are  universal  in 
his  worship,  ibid. ;  they  dare  not  keep  back  a  part  of  his  known 
worship  from  him.  They  give  him  outward  worship,  in  prayer, 
praise,  &c.  They  worship  him  in  secret,  Matth.  vi.  6  ;  in  their  fa- 
milies, if  they  have  a  family,  being  awed  by  that  threatening, 
"  Pour  out  thy  fury  upon — the  families  that  call  not  on  thy  name  ;" 
and  in  the  congregation  of  his  people.  And  they  join  inward  wor- 
ship with  the  outward,  which  distinguisheth  them  from  the  hypo- 
crite, as  the  other  from  the  profane,  John  iv.  24.  Phil.  iii.  3.  The 
inward  worship  is  the  worship  of  the  heart,  in  faitli,  fear,  love,  pa- 
tience, humiliation,  &c. 

5.  He  gives  God  the  use  of  his  talents.  It  is  his  due,  for  they 
are  all  his,  given  to  men  to  improve  them  for  him.  They  that  shall 
dwell  in  heaven,  know  that  their  time  is  the  Lord's,  and  they  must 
be  acconntablo  to  him  for  it ;  therefore  they  dare  not  squander  it 


114  TUB  CITIZRK  OF  ZION 

away  idly,  doing  nothing,  far  less  wickedly  doing  mischief,  Psal. 
xc.  12.  Their  gifts  are  the  Lord's,  given  them  to  profit  withal, 
1  Cor.  xii.  7  ;  therefore  they  dare  neither  keep  them  laid  np  in  the 
napkin  of  civility,  satisfying  themselves  that  they  do  no  ill  with 
them,  as  the  slothful  servant  did,  Luke  xix.  20  ;  nor  hide  them  in 
the  earth  of  carnality,  laziness,  and  worldly-mi ndedness,  so  burying 
them,  Matth.  xxv.  25 ;  knowing  that  both  the  one  and  the  other  are 
rejected  of  God,  as  unpj-ofitable  servants ;  that  their  wealth,  honour, 
credit,  authority,  opportunities  of  doing  good,  are  the  Lord's;  that 
God  has  entrusted  them  therewith  for  his  own  service,  and  they  must 
reckon  for  the  use  of  them,  Luke  xvi.  2  ;  and  therefore  it  is  their 
care  to  honour  the  Lord  with  their  substance,  to  improve  their  ho- 
nour, &c.  for  God,  1  Sam.  ii.  30.  to  do  good  as  they  have  opportu- 
nity ;  that  their  youth,  health,  and  strength  are  the  Lord's ;  that 
these  will  not  last,  and  therefore  they  will  use  them  for  God,  while 
they  have  them  ;  knowing  that  the  best  is  his  due. 

6.  He  gives  God  the  praise  and  thankful  acknowledgment  of  all 
his  comforts  and  enjoyments,  Psal.  c.  3.  It  is  his  due,  for  they  are 
all  his  benefits.  Our  daily  bretid  we  have  at  his  table  :  he  gives  us 
our  good  things,  he  gives  us  the  good  of  them  ;  and  nothing  can  be 
more  comfortable  to  us  than  he  makes  it  to  be.  So  while  others 
sacrifice  to  their  own  net,  and  say  as  Deut.  viii.  17-  "  My  power  and 
the  might  of  my  hand  hath  gotten  me  this  wealth ;  they  remember 
the  Lord,  for  it  is  he  that  giveth  them  power  to  get  wealth," 
verse  18.     This  thankfulness  runs  out  into  a  stream  of  obedience. 

7.  He  gives  God  the  disposal  of  his  lot,  Psal.  xlvii.  4.  It  is  his 
due  ;  hence  is  that,  Matth.  xx.  15.  "  Is  it  not  lawful  for  me  to  do 
what  I  will  with  mine  own  ?"  So  they  that  shall  dwell  in  heaven 
are  self-denied  ones ;  all  they  have  in  the  world  is  at  his  disposal, 
their  health,  wealth,  liberty,  and  life  itself,  Luke  xiv.  26. 

8.  Lastly,  He  gives  God  the  chief  part  in  all  his  duty  to  man,  out 
of  conscience  towards  God  doing  his  duty  to  men  :  his  piety  is  the 
fountain  of  his  justice,  Eph.  vi.  7.  This  is  God's  due,  because  he  is 
the  best  of  beings,  therefore  to  be  loved  for  himself,  and  all  others 
for  his  sake.  Hence  he  serves  God  in  all  his  relations,  and  deal- 
ings with  men,  doing  his  duty  to  them  as  the  Aviil  of  God  :  so  his 
love  to  God  is  the  spring  of  his  duty  to  men. 

These  are  they  that  work  righteousness ;  and  without  doubt,  it 
may  be  seen,  that  there  are  few  such  in  the  world. 

Thirdly,  He  works  righteousness  towards  man.  He  that  shall 
dwell  in  heaven  hereafter,  as  he  believes  in  Christ,  and  performs  his 
duty  to  God  in  sincerity,  so  he  is  conscientious  in  the  practice  of 
his  duty  to  his  neighbour;  and  this  completes  his  character  as  a 


A  WORKER  OF  RIGHTEOUSNESS.  115 

■VTorker  of  righteousness.  Moral  honesty  is  an  essential  part  of  true 
Christianity,  without  which  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord,  1  Cor.  vi.  9. 
True  religion  makes  a  man  not  only  pious  towards  God  but  righte- 
ous towards  his  neighbour.  This  part  of  the  character  of  a  citizen 
of  Zion  we  may  take  up  in  these  three  generals. 

1.  He  is  one  that  will  wrong  no  man  to  his  knowledge.  This 
is  a  necessary  evidence  of  sonship  to  God.  Hence  believers  are  re- 
presented to  be  "  blameless  and  harmless,  the  sons  of  God,  without 
rebuke,  in  the  midst  of  a  crooked  and  perverse  nation,"  Phil.  ii.  15. 
Job  took  the  comfort  of  it  as  such,  chap.  xxxi.  7,  8.  "  If  my  step 
hath  turned  out  of  the  way,  and  mine  heart  walked  after  mine  eyes, 
and  if  any  blot  hath  cleaved  to  my  hands  :  then  let  me  sow,  and  let 
another  eat ;  yea,  let  my  offspring  be  rooted  out."  The  best  of  men 
must  no  doubt  say  in  this  case  as  in  others,  "  Who  can  understand 
his  errors  ?  cleanse  thou  me  from  secret  faults."  But  the  habitual 
practice  of  injustice,  and  wronging  our  neighbours,  is  not,  I  am  sure, 
the  spot  of  God's  children,  but  a  mark  of  the  devil's  slaves,  1  Cor. 
vi.  9.  And  he  that  pursues  his  course  that  way  through  the  world, 
will  land  in  hell  hereafter. 

2.  He  is  one  that  sincerely  studies  to  do  as  he  would  be  done  to. 
This  a  natural  conscience  dictates,  and  the  revealed  will  of  God 
confirms,  Matth.  vii.  12.  "  All  things  whatsoever  ye  would  that  men 
should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them,"  And  regenerating  grace 
writes  it  in  brighter  characters  on  the  renewed  heart,  Heb.  viii.  10. 
Where  the  love  of  God  is  planted,  the  love  of  our  neighbour  is 
planted  too.  If  we  love  God  with  a  supreme  love,  we  will  love  our 
neighbour  as  ourselves,  and,  consequently,  study  to  do  to  him  as  we 
would  have  him,  agreeable  to  the  rules  of  the  world,  do  to  us,  if  we 
were  in  his  circumstances.  When  Christ  enters  the  heart,  the  great 
idol  self  is  knocked  down.  Selfishness  makes  men  carry  towards 
their  neighbour,  as  if  their  neighbour  were  bound  in  duty  to  them, 
but  they  free.  But  grace  makes  the  man  see  that  there  is  one  Law- 
giver over,  and  one  law  to  him  and  his  neighbour  too. 

3.  He  is  one  that  makes  conscience  of  giving  every  one  their  due. 
This  also  is  the  dictate  of  natural  conscience,  confirmed  by  the  word, 
Rom.  xiii.  7.  Render  to  all  their  dues  ;  and  is  the  native  exercise  of 
that  righteousness  wherein  the  new  man  is  created,  Eph.  iv.  2-4. 
This  is  right,  that  every  one  have  their  right  of  us,  for  we  are  mem- 
bers one  of  another ;  and  if  men  be  not  conscientious  in  this,  how  do 
they  bear  the  image  of  the  righteous  God,  or  how  can  they  expect 
the  crown  of  righteousness  ?  Luke  xvi.  11. 

I  mean  not,  as  if  no  righteous  person  could  transgress  or  offend 
against  the  rules  of  justice.     No,  no ;  the  justice  of  the   saints  to- 


116  TTIK  CITIZEN  OF  ZTON" 

wards  men  is  hut  imperfect  in  this  life,  as  well  as  their  holiness  to- 
wards Grod.  Even  David  was  the  man  in  the  parable  that  took  his 
neighbour's  lamb,  and  good  Asa  oppressed  some  of  the  people,  2  Chron. 
xvi.  10.  And  the  fatlier  of  the  faithful  was  justly  reproved  by  a 
Heathen  king  for  the  wrong  he  did  him,  Gen.  xx.  9. 

But  it  is  one  thing  to  sin  of  ignorance  and  weakness,  and  another 
deliberately  and  of  set  purpose.  It  is  one  thing  to  be  hurried  into 
an  act  of  injustice,  by  a  violent  temptation,  passion,  or  fear,  as  in 
the  aforementioned  cases;  and  another  to  be  habitually  unjust,  and 
ready  to  fall  in  with  every  opportunity  of  that  nature.  The  former 
is  incident  to  saints,  the  latter  peculiar  to  sinners  :  the  one  repent 
their  folly  bitterly,  when  it  is  discovered  to  them,  and  will  be  ready 
to  their  power  to  make  reparation,  and  are  afraid  to  fall  back  into 
the  same  iniquitous  ways  again,  watch  against  them,  and  the  habi- 
tual bent  of  their  heart  is  to  do  justly  :  but  the  other  goes  on  impe- 
uitently  in  his  sin,  and  is  ready  for  the  next  temptation,  and  oppor- 
tunity of  dealing  unjustly,  because  the  proud,  covetous,  selfish  spirit 
reigns  in  him,  to  his  destruction. 

So  still  it  remains  true,  that  the  citizen  of  Zion,  though  he  is  not 
legally  and  perfectly  just,  is  just  evangelically,  in  a  gospel-sense. 
lie  is  a  sincere  worker  of  righteousness  towards  man ;  he  is  sincerely 
righteous  in  his  dealings  towards  his  neighbour.  This  shall  be 
branched  out  in  several  particulars. 

1.  He  is  righteous  in  his  particular  relations,  giving  his  relatives 
what  is  due  to  them  by  that  relation  they  stand  in  to  him,  Luke  i.  6. 
He  is  righteous  to  them, 

(1.)  In  the  special  duties  of  the  relation.  There  is  a  duty  the 
husband  owes  to  the  wife,  and  the  wife  to  the  husband  ;  children  to 
parents,  and  parents  to  children  ;  servants  to  masters,  and  masters 
to  servants,  &c.  as  such.  And  these  duties  they  owe  to  them  by  a 
natural  tie,  or  a  voluntary  compact.  And  the  citizen  of  Zion  work- 
cth  righteousness,  in  making  conscience  of  these  duties  to  their  re- 
latives, whether  they  be  husbands,  wives,  &c.  1  Cor.  vii.  33,  34. 
Eph.  vi.  1,  5,  6.  And  the  neglect  of  these  will  prove  one  to  be 
none  of  those  that  shall  dwell  in  heaven. 

(2.)  In  common  duties.  The  common  duties  of  justice  which  they 
owe  to  every  body,  they  will  not  deny  to  their  own  relations.  So 
husbands  wasting  their  substance  to  the  detriment  of  their  wives 
and  children,  are  none  of  the  citizens  of  Zion,  1  Tim.  v.  8.  Nor 
wives  embezzling,  and  putting  away  their  husbands'  goods,  to  their 
loss  and  without  their  knowledge.  Pro  v.  xiv.  1.  and  xxxi.  12.  Chil- 
dren that  embezzle  and  take  away  their  parents'  substance  without 
their  consent,  Prov.  xxviii.  24.      Servants  wronging  their  masters. 


A  WORKER  OP  RIGHTEOUSNESS.  117 

in  taking  of  their  substance  to  themselves,  or  giving  it  away  to 
others  without  their  consent,  Tit.  ii.  9,  10.  It  is  injustice  in  all 
these,  as  being  against  the  right  of  their  relatives  :  and  all  such  as 
tempt  or  encourage  them  to  such  injustice,  wrong  their  own  souls, 
Prov.  xxix.  24. 

2.  He  is  righteous  in  his  choice  of  the  manner  of  life  he  betakes 
himself  to  for  his  through-bearing.  This  is  a  piece  of  justice  he 
owes  to  mankind,  and  particularly  to  the  society  whereof  he  is  a 
member,  that  he  be  useful  in  it,  and  not  hurtful.  And  therefore  the 
citizen  of  Zion, 

(1.)  Dare  not  be  an  idle  man,  without  employment,  if  providence 
has  not  quite  disabled  him  for  any  employment.  None  can  with  a 
good  conscience  lay  the  burden  of  their  maintenance  on  others,  fur- 
ther than  what  they  cannot  really  prevent  by  their  own  utmost  ap- 
plication, 2  Thess.  ii.  10.  Idle  persons  by  that  means  are  unjust  both 
to  them  that  have,  to  whom  they  are  without  necessity  a  burden, 
and  they  are  unjust  to  those  that  are  poor  and  really  unable  to  help 
themselves,  Eph.  iv.  28. 

(2.)  He  dare  not  use  an  unlawful  employment.  Acts  xix.  19.  All 
gain  gotten  by  unlawful  means  is  stolen  or  robbed  in  the  sight  of 
God,  and  is  injustice  to  men.  And  such  is  the  gain  of  a  lawful  em- 
ployment used  unlawfully,  as  selling  of  drink  to  men  to  the  abuse 
of  themselves  and  God's  good  creature.  Ye  would  do  yonr  neigh- 
bour less  hurt,  if  ye  would  steal  the  money  out  of  his  pocket ;  for 
by  that  means  you  would  hurt  him  only  in  his  purse,  but  at  this  rate 
you  wound  his  conscience  too.  And  when  ye  have  considered  that 
passage  seriously,  Hab.  ii.  15,  "  Wo  unto  him  that  giveth  his  neigh- 
bour drink  :  that  puttest  thy  bottle  to  him,  and  makest  him  drunken 
also,  that  thou  mayst  look  on  their  nakedness :"  ye  will  see  your 
gain  that  way  is  like  the  gaining  of  a  burning  coal  into  your  own 
bosom. 

3.  He  is  righteous  in  the  management  of  his  employment,  1  Cor.  vii. 
24.  "  Let  every  man  wherein  he  is  called,  therein  abide  with  God." 
He  that  walks  with  God  at  all,  will  walk  with  him  in  his  employ- 
ment, of  whatsoever  sort  it  be  :  following  it  conscientiously,  as  under 
the  eye  of  God.  There  is  a  snare  in  all  employments,  and  a  false- 
hood incident  to  all  trades,  by  reason  of  the  corruptions  of  men's 
heart :  but  he  that  shall  dwell  in  heaven,  will  be  aware  of  it,  while 
he  is  upon  the  earth,  Hcb.  xii.  1. 

4.  He  is  righteous  in  his  commerce  and  bargains  with  men, 
1  Thess.  iv.  6.  "  That  no  man  go  beyond  and  defraud  his  brother  in 
any  matter."  It  is  God's  command  that  wo  do  justly  in  these  things, 
that  we  do  as  we  would  be  done  to.     People's  undermining  one  an- 

VoL.  Y.  I 


118  THE  CITIZEN  OF  ZION 

other  in  their  bargains,  raising  themselves  on  their  neighbour's  ruins, 
taking  their  lands  over  their  heads,  raising  and  racking  their  rents 
to  them,  taking  advantage  in  their  bargains  of  their  neighbour's  ne- 
cessities, or  ignorance,  using  false  weights  and  measures,  adulterat- 
ing their  wares,  not  keeping  condition,  but  oppressing  either  in 
buying  or  selling,  requiring  more  than  due,  or  keeping  back  part  of 
the  price,  need  no  more  to  shew  the  injustice  of  them,  but  for  men 
to  look  in  to  their  own  breasts,  and  ask  their  own  consciences,  if 
that  be  the  way  they  think  it  reasonable  others  should  do  with 
them.  Lev.  xxv.  14,  "  If  thou  sell  ought  unto  thy  neighbour,  or 
buyest  ought  of  thy  neighbour's  hand  ;  ye  shall  not  oppress  one 
another."  Consider  Avhat  is  said,  Isa.  xxxiii.  15,  16,  "  He  that 
walketh  righteously,  and  speakcth  uprightly,  he  that  despiseth  the 
gain  of  oppressions, — he  shall  dwell  on  high." 

5.  He  is  righteous  in  matters  of  neighbourhood  and  fellowship. 
That  is  an  awful  word  in  this  aftair,  Deut.  xxvii.  17-  "  Cursed  be  he 
that  removeth  his  neighbour's  land-mark."  A  good  man  will  be  as 
loath  to  do  wrong  in  neighbourhood,  as  to  receive  wrong ;  and  will 
find  himself  in  conscience  bound,  not  only  to  abstain  from  wilful 
wronging  of  them,  but  to  beware  of  culpable  negligence,  whereby 
they  may  sustain  loss,  though  undesigned.  And  as  he  is  in  partner- 
ship with  others,  he  will  beware  of  taking  more  to  himself  than  falls 
to  his  share,  or  raising  gain  to  himself  in  a  way  that  causeth  his 
neighbour's  loss.  For  all  these  are  contrary  to  the  love  we  owe  to 
others  as  to  ourselves. 

6.  He  is  righteous  in  matters  of  trust,  that  is,  in  things  committed 
to  his  care,  and  put  into  his  hand.  Treachery  under  trust  is  among 
the  worst  pieces  of  injustice  :  and  betrayers  of  their  trust  in  things 
of  this  world,  cannot  expect  the  things  of  a  better  world  to  be  com- 
mitted to  them,  Luke  xvi.  11.  Let  such  as  have  other  people's  busi- 
ness and  goods  committed  to  them  take  heed  to  this  ;  and  act  as  in  the 
sight  of  God,  and  in  the  sight  of  those  who  trust  them,  and  beware 
of  the  snare  that  is  ready  for  them  there,  as  they  would  not  ruin 
their  own  souls,  Prov.  xxviii.  20. 

7.  He  is  righteous  in  the  matter  of  loans.  Borrowing  and  lending 
is  a  necessary  bond  of  society  among  neighbours,  and  a  good  man 
will  find  himself  to  be  obliged  to  do  justly  therein ;  to  see  that  the 
thing  borrowed  by  him,  sustain  no  notable  loss  by  his  means,  or  if 
it  do,  to  repair  the  loss,  and  faithfully  to  restore  the  thing  borrowed, 
He  will  pay  his  just  debts  if  he  be  able,  and  will  conscientiously  see 
that  he  run  himself  into  no  more  than  he  is  in  a  probable  condition 
to  pay,  Psal.  xxxvii.  21.  He  will  not  stave  off  his  neighbour  from 
what  is  his  due  unnecessarily,  and  oblige  him  to  vexatious  law-suits 


A  WOHKER  OF  RIGHTEOUSNESS.  119 

for  bis  own,  Prov.  iii.  28,  30.  Nor  will  he  use  extortion  in  com- 
pensation of  loans,  imposing  upon  his  neighbour  beyond  law  and 
right,  Psal.  xv.  ult. 

8.  He  is  righteous  in  the  matter  of  lost  things  found  by  him,  and 
will  conscientiously  restore,  if  the  owner  can  be  found,  and  will  not 
dare  fraudulently  to  conceal  it,  and  much  less  dispatch  it  so  as  the 
owner  cannot  have  it  again.  For  that  fraudulent  concealment  and 
retaining  such  a  thing,  is  no  other  but  a  continued  theft  and  wronging 
our  neighbour,  Deut.  xxii.  1 — 3.  So  righteous  Jacob  determined.  Gen. 
XXX.  33.  And  to  this  may  be  added,  that  the  rigliteous  man  will 
find  himself  obliged  to  prevent  any  loss  to  his  neighbour,  which  he 
has  an  opportunity  to  prevent,  whether  his  neighbour  see  it  or  not. 

9.  He  is  righteous  in  using  this  world's  goods  to  the  honour  of 
God,  and  the  relief  of  the  needy,  Psal.  cxii.  5,  9.  Though  men  have 
the  right  of  propriety  in  their  own  substance,  yet  the  poor  have  a 
right  of  charity  in  them,  so  far  as  they  need,  and  their  neighbours 
can  spare.  And  the  truth  is,  those  to  whom  God  has  given  sub- 
stance, they  are  his  stewards,  and  have  their  orders  from  him  to 
steward  faithfully  as  they  will  be  answerable ;  and  the  poor  and 
needy  are  among  those  who  by  him  are  committed  to  their  steward- 
ship. And  the  weight  laid  on  this  piece  of  righteousness,  as  an  evi- 
dence of  imputed  righteousness,  by  our  Lord  himself,  Luke  xvi.  9, 
and  in  Matth.  xxv.  will  always  have  weight  with  a  good  man,  to  be 
a  worker  of  righteousness,  in  point  of  a  charitable  disposition. 

Lastly,  In  a  word,  he  is  conscientiously  righteous  in  all  things 
that  concern  his  neighbour,  Micah  vi.  8.  He  that  is  a  Christian  in- 
deed will  be  a  strict  observer  of  truth,  faithfulness,  and  justice,  in 
the  matters  of  this  world ;  dealing  with  men  as  under  the  all-seeing 
eye  of  God.  And  he  will  never  want  a  quick-sighted  witness  to  his 
dealings  with  men,  while  there  is  a  God  in  heaven,  whether  the 
party  he  deals  Avith  be  absent  or  present,  skilful  or  simple,  able  to 
revenge  any  wrong  done  to  hira,  or  unable. 

II.  I  proceed  to  confirm  this  doctrine.     To  this  end  consider, 

1.  God  is  a  righteous  God.  He  is  righteous  in  his  nature,  and  he 
loves  righteousness,  Psal.  xi.  ult.  He  cannot  but  do  what  is  right, 
Gen.  xviii.  25.  So  the  king  of  heaven  is  a  righteous  King:  what 
communion  can  they  have  with  him  that  are  unrighteous  ? 

2.  It  is  the  great  end  of  redemption  by  Christ,  that  his  people 
may  be  righteous,  and  so  fitted  for  heaven.  He  gave  himself  to 
purchase  the  Spirit  of  faith  and  holiness,  by  which  they  might  work, 
who  had  lost  all  power  of  working  righteousness  by  the  fall.  Tit.  ii. 
14.  He  delivers  them  from  the  bondage  of  their  spiritual  enemies, 
that  they  may  serve  him  in  righteousness,  Luke  i.  74,  75.     Accor- 

i2 


120  THE  CITIZEN  OF  ZION 

dingly  it  is  promised  to  the  Redeemer,  Isa.  Ix.  21.  Thy  people  shall 
he  all  righteous. 

3.  Lastly,  Men  will  be  judged  and  sentence  will  be  passed  upon 
tbera  before  the  tribunal  of  God,  according  to  their  works,  Rev.  xx.  12, 
13.  See  Matth.  xxv.  Works  of  righteousness  will  be  the  evidence 
of  a  title  to  heaven  ;  and  unrighteous  works  the  cause  of  damnation. 

I  shall  shut  up  this  branch  of  the  character  of  a  citizen  of  Zion, 
with  a  word  of  improvement. 

Use  I.  This  may  let  us  see  that  few  in  this  world  are  safe  for 
another  world.  Alas !  how  many  are  there,  (1.)  Who  are  not 
righteous  towards  men  ?  (2.)  Who  make  no  conscience  of  giving 
God  his  due,  and  walking  righteously  with  him  ?  And,  (3.)  Though 
they  may  seem  to  be  something  in  both  these  respects,  yet  are  not 
righteous  by  faith,  nor  solicitous  to  be  so  ? 

Use  II.  Of  exhortation.  Study  then  to  be  workers  of  righteous- 
ness, in  all  the  respects  that  have  been  declared,  and  so  evidence 
yourselves  to  be  citizens  of  Zion.* 


THE  CITIZEN  OF  ZION  A   SPEAKER  OF  TRUTH  IN   HIS  HEART. 

Psalm  xv. 

— And  speaketh  the  truth  in  his  heart. 

Here  is  the  third  character  of  the  citizen  of  Zion,  he  is  a  follower 
of  truth.  It  hath  two  parts  clearly  distinguished  in  the  original. 
(1.)  He  speaketh  truth  ;  what  he  expresses  in  words,  he  is  careful 
that  it  be  consistent  with  truth.  (2.)  He  speaketh  truth  in  his 
heart.  There  is  a  speaking  in  the  heart  without  words,  Psal.  iv.  1. 
Eccl.  ii.  15.  This  is  done  by  thoughts  and  reasonings,  and  much 
depends  on  their  being  consistent  with  truth.  And  both  these  go 
together  to  make  up  the  character  of  one  that  shall  be  an  inhabitant 
of  heaven.  The  first  part  is  but  a  negative  mark  :  it  is  the  addition 
of  the  latter  that  makes  the  positive  mark. 

Two  doctrines  are  deducible  from  the  text,  viz. 

DocT.  I.  Those  that  shall  be  inhabitants  of  heaven  hereafter,  are 
such  as  make  conscience  of  speaking  truth  while  they  are  in  this 
world. 

*  As  the  auther  has  not  extended  this  Use  in  the  IMS.  he  probably,  on  this  occa- 
sion, recapitulated  what  he  had  delivered  more  fully,  on  a  former  occasion,  in  the 
application  of  his  exposition  of  the  eighth  commandment.  There  the  reader  will 
find  it. 


A  SPEAKER  OF  TRUTH.  121 

DocT.  II.  Tliey  who  shall  be  inhabitants  of  heaven,  are  svxch  as 
not  only  speak  truth  to  others,  but  speak  truth  within  their  own 
hearts. 

I  shall  prosecute  each  doctrine  in  order. 

DocT.  I.  They  that  shall  be  inhabitants  of  heaven  hereafter,  are 
such  as  make  conscience  of  speaking  truth  while  they  are  in  this 
world. 

In  discoursing  this  doctrine,  I  shall, 

I.  Esi)lain  this  character,  or  part  of  the  character  of  a  citizen  of 
Zion. 

II.  Confirm  the  doctrine. 

III.  Make  application. 

I.  The  first  head  is  to  explain  this  part  of  the  character  of  a  citi- 
zen of  Zion,  That  he  is  one  who  speaketh  the  truth.  And  here  I 
will  show, 

1.  What  is  truth. 

2.  What  it  is  to  be  a  speaker  of  truth. 

First,  I  am  to  shew  what  is  truth.  This  question  Pilate  proposed 
to  Christ,  but  staid  not  for  an  answer,  John  xviii.  38.  Truth  is  a 
sacred  harmony  or  agreement  of  things.  Anatomists  have  observed 
that  the  tongue  in  man  is  tied  with  a  double  string  to  the  heart. 

And  so  in  truth  spoken  there  is  necessary  a  double  agreement  of 
our  words. 

1.  With  our  heart.  That  is,  to  the  speaking  of  truth,  it  is  neces- 
sary our  words  agree  with  our  mind  and  thoughts  about  the  thing. 
We  must  speak  as  we  think,  and  our  tongues  must  be  faithful  inter- 
preters of  our  mind  :  otherwise  we  lie,  not  speaking  as  we  think. 
So  what  is  truth  in  itself  may  be  spoken  by  a  man,  and  yet  he  be  a 
liar,  viz.  if  he  does  not  think  as  he  speaks. 

2.  With  the  thing  as  it  is  in  itself.  Though  we  think  a  thing  to 
be  so,  which  is  not  so,  we  lie,  when  we  affirm  it ;  because  it  is  not 
as  we  say,  though  we  really  think  it  is  so.  For  our  mistaken  no- 
tions of  things  can  never  stamp  lies  to  pass  current  for  truths, 
2  Thess.  ii.  11. 

Secondly,  I  shall  shew  what  it  is  to  be  a  speaker  of  truth,  which 
is  the  character  of  a  citizen  of  Zion.     It  lies  in  two  things. 

1.  A  citizen  of  Zion  is  one  who  makes  conscience  of  speaking  out 
the  truth  in  the  proper  time  and  season  thereof,  John  xviii.  37. 
As  the  head  was,  so  will  the  members  be  on  the  side  of  truth  in  the 
world,  3  John,  8.  It  is  for  this  end  God  has  called  his  own  people 
out  of  the  world  lying  in  wickedness  and  falsehood, 

Solomon  tolls  us,  Eccl.  iii.  7-  that,  "  There  is  a  time  to  keep 

i3 


122  THE  CITIZEN  OF  ZIOH 

silence,  and  a  time  to  speak."  People  may  sin  egregiously  by  an 
unseasonable  speaking  of  tbe  trntli,  Prov.  xxix.  11.  "A  fool  utter- 
eth  all  bis  mind."  Tbi.s  Avas  Pocg's  sin,  Psal.  lii.  Natnre  lias  put 
a  double  bar  on  our  tongues,  and  discretion,  and  much  more  tlie 
grace  of  God,  will  add  a  tbird.  Tbose  wbose  tongues  are  like  a 
loose-window  in  wind,  ever  clattering,  discover  tbemselves  to  bave 
very  little  eitber  wit  or  grace,  if  any  at  all.  Talkativeness  is,  (1.) 
A  sign  of  little  awe  or  dread  of  God  upon  tbe  beart,  Eccl.  v.  2. 
"  Be  not  rasb  witb  tby  raoutb,  and  let  not  tbine  beart  be  basty  to 
utter  anytbing  before  God  :  for  God  is  in  beaven,  and  tbou  upon 
eartb  :  tberefore  let  tby  words  be  few.  God  bas  given  men  two 
ears,  and  but  one  tongue,  wbicb  says,  tbat,  "  every  man  sbould  be 
swift  to  hear,  slow  to  speak,"  Jam.  i.  19.  (2.)  Tbe  fool's  badge, 
Eccl.  V.  3.  "  A  fool's  voice  is  known  by  multitude  of  words.  Prov. 
xiv.  33.  Wisdom  restetb  in  tbe  beart  of  bira  tbat  batb  understand- 
ing :  but  tbat  wbicb  is  in  tbe  midst  of  fools  is  made  known."  It  is 
tbe  empty  barrel  tbat  makes  most  noise ;  wbicb  made  an  orator  ask 
a  double  fee  of  a  talkative  scbolar,  one  to  teacb  bim  to  speak  well, 
anotber  to  teacb  bim  to  bold  bis  peace.  Our  words  sbould  be  few, 
true,  and  seasonable. 

Now  tbe  citizen  of  Zion  is  a  speaker  out  of  tbe  trutb  in  tbe  sea- 
son tbereof,  tbat  is,  when  be  is  called  of  God  to  speak  it.  And  a 
man  is  called  to  speak  out  tbe  trutb,  wben  tbe  glory  of  God,  or  tbe 
good  of  otbers  make  it  necessary,  or  their  own  good,  1  Cor.  x.  31 ; 
Rom.  xiii.  9.  Our  tongue  is  called  our  glory,  because  thereby  we 
must  glorify  God.  And  it  is  a  bond  of  human  society,  whereby  we 
ought  to  contribute  to  our  power  to  remove  tbose  ills  tbat  are  the 
plagues  and  pests  of  society.     This  call  is  twofold. 

(1.)  Private  and  providential,  wherein  men  bave  the  call  of  provi- 
dence to  declare  tbe  trutb,  though  there  is  no  human  authority 
obliging  them  to  it.  This  ordinarily  occurs  in  conversation  among 
men,  where  trutb  may  be  wronged,  God  dishonoured,  ourselves  or 
neighbours  injured,  if  there  is  no  body  to  speak  out  the  trutb.  A 
good  Christian  Avill  find  himself  obliged  to  speak  the  truth  upon  this 
call,  though  none  is  desiring  bim,  1  Sam.  xix.  4. 

(2.)  Public  and  authoritative,  when  people  are  called  either  by 
tbe  authority  of  the  magistrate  or  of  the  church,  judicially  to  de- 
clare tbe  trutb.  This  is  a  solemn  call  from  God  to  tbat  duty,  which 
he  gives  by  the  mouth  of  tbose  whom  he  has  put  in  authority,  eitber 
making  them  gods  by  office,  or  ambassadors  for  God.  And  there- 
fore to  decline  the  speaking  out  of  truth  in  that  case,  is  to  decline 
God's  solemn  call  to  it,  and  to  mar  the  course  of  justice,  and  tbe  ho- 
nour of  God,  Isa.  lix.  14. 


A  SPEAKER  OP  TRUTH,  123 

Now,  one  that  sliall  be  an  inhabitant  of  heaven  being  tlius  called, 
will  conscientiously  as  in  the  sight  of  God  si^eak  out  the  truth ;  and 
that, 

[1.]  Fully,  not  daring  to  conceal  the  truth,  nor  any  part  of  it 
known  to  them,  which  may  contribute  to  the  clearing  of  the  matter 
in  question.  So  did  that  prudent  woman  mentioned,  2  Sam.  xiv.  18. 
— 20.  Ananias  and  Sapphira  were  struck  dead,  for  their  doing 
otherwise  in  such  a  case.  Acts  v. 

[2.]  Freely,  not  being  hampered  in  speaking  out  the  truth  by  the 
awe  of  any  person,  or  the  dread  of  any  thing  which  may  befal  them 
for  doing  their  duty  which  God  calls  them  to,  1  Sara.  xix.  4,  5. 
The  dread  of  God  will  be  on  the  spirits  of  his  own  children,  to  carry 
them  out  in  this ;  aud  will  downweigh  respect  to  all  others,  Job 
xxxii.  idt. 

[3.]  Clearly,  not  equivocating,  shifting,  mincing,  obscuring,  and 
wrai)ping  up  the  truth ;  so  as  they  who  hear  it  know  not  what  to 
make  of  it.  Josh.  vii.  19,  20.  Awful  is  that  curse,  Jer,  xlviii.  10. 
"  Cursed  be  he  that  doth  the  work  of  the  Lord  deceitfully." 

[4.]  Sincerely,  2  Chron.  xix.  9.  without  feud  or  favour  to  any. 
The  grace  of  God  working  in  the  heart  will  make  gracious  people 
to  speak  as  in  the  sight  of  God,  2  Cor.  ii.  17. 

2.  A  citizen  of  Zion  is  one  Avho  makes  conscience  of  speaking  no- 
thing but  the  truth  at  any  time,  Isa.  Ixiii.  8.  Though  we  are  not  at 
every  time  to  be  blabbing  out  the  truth  we  do  know,  yet  we  are  at 
no  time  to  lie  against  the  truth,  2  Cor.  xiii.  8.  There  can  be  no 
call  to  lie,  but  from  the  devil,  and  men's  own  corrupt  hearts,  what- 
ever circumstances  we  be  in.  Job  xiii.  7,  8.  There  is  no  time  to 
speak  falsely.     And  we  are  to  speak  nothing  but  truth, 

(1.)  In  speaking  to  God,  in  our  professions,  confessions,  and 
prayers.  Hypocrites  lie  to  the  Lord,  Psal.  Ixxviii.  36.  Sincere 
souls  will  speak  truth. 

(2.)  In  speaking  to  men,  Eph.  iv.  25.  whether  in  private  conver- 
sation, or  in  public  appearances. 

II.  I  come  now  to  confirm  the  doctrine.  It  is  evident,  if  ye  con- 
sider, 

1.  That  in  the  saints  the  image  of  Satan  is  defaced,  and  the 
power  of  the  corruption  of  nature  broken,  Rev.  xxi.  ult.  Corrupt 
men  may  call  Satan  father,  for  he  abode  not  in  the  truth,  but  is  the 
father  of  lies,  John  viii.  44.  And  the  corruption  of  nature  quickly 
vents  itself  in  lying,  being  what  the  unrenewed  heart  as  naturally 
brings  forth,  as  the  cursed  ground  brings  forth  thorns  and  thistles, 
Psal.  Iviii.  3.  "  The  wicked  are  estranged  from  the  womb,  they  go 
astray,  as  soon  as  they  be  born,  speaking  lies."  So  that  wherever 
the  grace  of  God  comes,  it  must  give  a  new  set. 


124  ^  THE  CITIZEN  OF  ZION 

2.  Tlio  image  of  Grod  is  repaired  in  them,  wliich  has  truth  for  a 
shining  lineament  in  it,  Eph.  iy.  24.  It  was  a  notable  saying  of  a 
philosopher,  That  truth  is  so  great  a  perfection,  that  if  God  would 
render  himself  visible,  he  would  take  light  for  his  body,  and  truth 
for  his  soul.  And  the  scripture  assures  us,  that  Christ  shewing 
himself  to  the  world,  was  the  Ivjht  and  the  truth.  God  is  truth  itself, 
and  no  lie  can  have  xdace  with  him.  Tit.  i.  2;  Numb,  xxiii.  19. 
"Where  then  the  image  of  God  is  repaired,  as  it  is  in  all  the  saints, 
no  doubt  the  lying  disposition  will  be  broken  in  them. 

3.  The  Christian  life  is  a.  walking  in  truth,  3  John,  3.  There  is 
truth  of  heart  in  true  Christians,  and  that  m.akes  truth  of  conversa- 
tion. Yea,  it  is  called  a  speaking  of  truth,  Eph.  iv.  15.  the  whole 
life  of  a  Christian  being  an  expressing  of  truth  in  j)ractice.  So  that 
to  walk  in  lies  is  the  very  reverse  of  Christianity. 

4.  Lcistly,  The  Lord  has  expressly  declared,  that  liars  shall  be 
the  inhabitants  of  hell,  not  of  heaven ;  that  in  their  end  they  shall 
not  be  with  God,  who  is  the  God  of  truth,  but  with  the  devil,  the 
father  of  lies.  Rev.  xxi.  ult.  and  xxii.  15. 

I  shall  now  make  application  of  this  subject. 

Use  I.  This  writes  death  on  the  faces  of  two  sorts  of  people. 

1.  Those  who  are  concealers  of  the  truth,  which  God  calls  thera 
to  speak  out.  There  are  many  who  can  set  a  brazen  face  against 
the  truth,  and  cause  their  tongues  go  on  in  a  course  of  lying  against 
their  consciences,  and  outface  and  bear  down  what  God  and  their 
own  consciences  know  to  be  truth  :  and  though  their  confessing  the 
truth  would  honour  God,  and  be  a  mean  to  bring  their  souls  out  of 
the  snare  of  the  devil ;  yet,  because  it  may  be  to  their  own  shame 
before  men,  they  will  stifle  and  conceal  the  truth,  Jer.  ix.  3,  5. 
And  there  are  not  wanting  others,  who,  however  ready  they  may  be 
to  speak  in  other  cases,  have  never  a  mouth  to  open  in  a  good  cause, 
for  the  suppressing  of  sin  and  wickedness.  But  though  they  be 
called  of  God  to  speak  what  they  know  to  be  truth,  yet  they  will 
set  their  foot  on  it,  and  wickedly  conceal  it,  or  mince  it,  and  shift 
the  matter,  as  men  who  have  no  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes.  Do 
such  believe  there  is  a  heaven  and  a  hell  ?  If  they  do,  how  can 
they  think  that  ever  they  shall  be  inhabitants  of  heaven,  in  whom 
the  character  of  a  citizen  of  *Zion  is  not  to  be  found  ?  Let  all  such 
remember  that  awful  word,  Rom  i.  18.  "The  wrath  of  God  is  re- 
vealed from  heaven  against  all  ungodliness,  and  unrighteousness  of 
men,  who  hold  the  truth  in  unrighteousness."  God  will  charge  the 
iniquity  on  those  who  conceal  it.  Lev.  v.  1.  and  that  as  consenting 
to  it,  Deut.  xiii.  8.  Truth  is  strong,  and  will  prevail,  and  will  set 
np  its  head  at  length,  to  the  confusion  of  those  who  bear  it  down. 


A  SPEAKER  OF  TRUTH.  125 

2,  All  liars,  who  make  not  conscieuce  of  speaking  truth,  but 
speak  lies  and  falsehood.  This  sin  of  lying,  is  a  common  vice  :  but 
it  is  the  black  brand  of  one  that  shall  never  see  heaven.  And  that 
this  is  so  very  common,  notwithstanding  that  the  Scripture  is  so  ex- 
press in  assigning  liars  for  the  inhabitants  of  hell,  not  of  heaven; 
is  not  to  be  thought  strange,  while  that  stands  in  the  Bible,  Matth. 
vii.  13.  "  Wide  is  the  gate,  and  broad  is  the  way  that  leadeth  to  de- 
struction, and  many  there  be  which  go  in  thereat."  If  they  that 
shall  be  inhabitants  of  heaven  be  such  as  speak  the  truth,  what 
shall  become  of  liars  ?  Are  they  not  barred  out  of  heaven  thereby  ? 
And  I  charge  all  liars  to  take  this  home ;  and, 

(1.)  The  jesting  liars,  who  will  lie  to  make  others  merry,  he  to 
make  sport,  Hos.  vii.  3.  Those  men  are  liberal  of  the  blood  of  their 
own  souls,  who,  to  make  sport  to  others,  will  run  the  risk  of  ever- 
lasting sorrow  to  themselves.     The  Prov.  xxvi.  18,  19. 

(2.)  The  officious  liars,  who  will  lie  to  do  themselves  or  others  a 
real  good  turn.  They  are  apt  to  think,  that  since  they  do  good  by 
their  lies,  or  intend  to  do  good  by  them,  there  is  no  hazard  in  such 
lying.  But  that  is  the  doctrine  of  the  father  of  lies,  not  of  the 
scriptures  of  truth,  1  John  ii.  21.  No  lie  is  of  the  truth.  If  it  were 
possible  to  save  a  soul  by  a  lie,  or  honour  God  by  one,  it  is  unlawful. 
Hence  Job  says,  chap.  xiii.  7-  "  Will  ye  speak  wickedly  for  God  ? 
and  talk  deceitfully  for  him  ?"  The  damnation  of  such  is  as  just,  as 
it  is  sure,  Rom.  iii.  8.  who  do  so,  if  mercy  prevent  it  not. 

(3.)  The  pernicious  liars,  who  lie  to  do  a  mischief  thereby,  Prov. 
vi.  17.  These  sorts  of  liars  break  at  once  the  bonds  of  charity  and 
truth,  and  of  all  liars  are  the  likest  to  their  father  the  devil,  who  was 
at  once  a  liar  and  a  murderer.  Yet  how  many  such  are  there,  whose 
lying  tongues  are  swords  to  stab,  and  arrows  to  pierce  their  neigh- 
bours, and  a  fire  from  hell  to  set  whole  societies  in  a  flame  ? 

(4.)  The  covetous  liars,  whose  covetous  hearts  use  their  lying 
tongues  to  deceive  their  neighbour,  Prov.  xx.  14.  "  It  is  naught,  it 
is  naught,  saith  the  buyer  :  but  when  he  is  gone  his  way,  then  he 
boasteth."  0  !  what  lying  is  there  in  buying  and  selling,  and  beg- 
ging, by  this  means  ?  For  a  thing  of  naught  men  will  not  stand  to 
lie  ;  if  they  can  gain  a  very  little  thing,  they  will  not  stand  upon 
the  expense  of  truth,  not  considering  the  unspeakable  loss  of  the 
soul  thereby. 

(5.)  The  proud  boasting  liars,  who  to  raise  others'  esteem  of  them, 
and  to  be  thought  fine  people,  will  tell  of  themselves  what  has  no 
ground  in  truth,  Prov.  xxv.  14.  They  form  to  themselves  a  figure 
of  themselves  in  their  own  imagination,  and  breathe  out  lies  to  fix 
that  opinion  of  them  in  others.     Some  who  pride  themselves  in  mis- 


126  THE  CITIZEK  OF  ZIOX 

chief,  will  tell  wickedness  of  themselves  which  they  never  did  :  but 
that  is  enough  to  make  them  guilty  of  it  before  God.  Pride  of  heart 
is  a  nurse  of  lying. 

(6.)  The  flattering  liars,  who  speak  of  others  the  good  they  do 
not  think,  just  to  curry  favour  with  them,  Psal.  xii.  2,  3.  They 
fawn  like  dogs,  and  sooth  up  men  in  falsehood  and  vanity,  like  the 
devil.  Their  flattering  tongue  is  soft  as  oil,  but  in  the  mean  time  it 
is  more  ruining  than  a  sword,  Prov.  xxvi.  28.  For  by  it  two  fall  at 
once,  the  flattered  as  well  as  the  flatterer,  Prov.  xxix.  5. 

(7.)  The  fearful  liars,  who,  for  fear  of  others,  make  lies  their  re- 
fuge, as  children  ofteu  do,  bewraying  thereby  the  corruption  of  their 
nature,  Psal.  Iviii.  3  ;  and  others  too,  who  though  men  and  women 
in  years,  are  but  children  in  courage,  Prov.  xxix.  25.  The  fear  of 
man  hringeth  a  snare.  But  sad  is  the  doom  of  those  who  have  so 
little  regard  to  truth  as  to  be  frightened  into  lies.  Rev.  xxi.  8. 

(8.)  The  talkative  liars.  Solomon  observes,  Prov.  x.  19.  In  the 
multitude  of  words  there  wanteth  not  sin.  They  who  are  given  to  much 
talking,  will  hardly  be  found  regardful  of  truth.  When  their  fund 
of  truth  runs  out,  or  occurs  not,  they  will  rather  foist  in  lies  than 
hold  their  peace.  And  I  believe  a  strict  regard  to  truth  would  be 
a  notable  means  to  repress  talkativeness. 

(9.)  The  rash  liars,  who  lie  through  inadvertency  and  customary 
looseness  of  spirit  as  to  their  words,  2  Sara.  xiii.  30.  Much  sin  is 
contracted  this  way.  There  is  so  much  carelessness  as  to  what  men 
speak,  that  their  tongues  outrun  their  minds,  and  ere  they  are 
aware  they  are  mired  in  a  lie.  But  if  men  must  give  an  account  of 
their  idle  words  though  true,  much  more  of  their  lying  words, 
though  rash  and  inadvertent. 

Use  II.  I  exhort  you  to  si)eak  the  truth,  and  dehort  you  from  ly- 
ing.    For  motives,  consider, 

1.  God  is  the  God  of  truth,  Deut.  xxxii.  4.  He  is  the  author  of 
truth,  and  truth  is  so  much  of  his  nature,  that  he  who  made  the 
world  of  nothing,  can  no  more  lie  than  he  can  cease  to  be  God,  Tit. 
i.  2.  So  that  as  fire  is  contrary  to  water,  yea  hell  to  heaven ;  so  is 
the  liar  to  God. 

2.  The  devil  is  the  author  and  father  of  lies,  John  viii.  44.  He^ 
ruined  the  world  at  first  with  a  lie.  Gen.  iii.  4,  5.  He  lied  upon 
God,  he  lied  to  our  first  parents  and  deceived  them,  and  he  lied  of 
himself.  What  wonder  is  it  that  he  is  so  concerned  to  get  the  trade 
of  lying  kept  uj)  in  the  world,  since  by  it  he  succeeded  so  well  at 
first? 

3.  It  is  the  bane  of  human  society.  Truth  is  the  bond  of  society, 
which  keeps  men  together,  causing  them  to  trust  one  another.     Ly- 


A  SPEAKER  OF  TRUTH  IN  HIS  HEART.  127 

ing  cnts  tliis  bond  asunder,  and  so  subverts  the  comfort  and  advan- 
tage of  society,  Micali  vii.  5.  And  therefore  liars  deserve  to  be  ex- 
truded out  of  society  with  other  men,  for  they  are  the  plagues  and 
pests  of  it. 

4.  It  is  a  mean,  base,  and  contemptible  thing ;  so  that  no  body 
regards  a  liar.  Even  they  that  will  not  stand  to  lie,  cannot  endure 
to  be  held  and  reputed  liars ;  they  will  be  ready  to  revenge  the  af- 
front. This  says  that  there  is  something  so  base  in  lying,  that  it 
leaves  a  man  no  credit.  And  no  wonder ;  for  finding  a  man  to  lie 
sometimes,  no  body  can  trust  him  securely,  even  when  he  speaks 
truth. 

5.  Lying  is  the  native  product  of  the  corruption  of  nature,  the  ef- 
fect of  the  spawn  of  the  old  serpent  left  in  the  hearts  of  the  children 
of  men,  Psal.  Iviii.  3.  It  is  a  part  of  the  old  man  of  sin,  that  will 
be  put  off  where-ever  the  grace  of  God  comes,  Eph.  iv.  25 ;  Col.  iii. 
9.  And  there  cannot  be  a  more  certain  sign  of  one  in  the  black 
state  of  nature,  under  the  curse,  than  a  habit  of  lying. 

6.  It  is  an  abomination  to  God,  and  God  abhors  liars,  Prov.  vi. 
17,  19.  and  xii.  22.  Though  ye  think  to  please  yourselves  and 
others  by  lying,  where  is  the  gain  when  ye  thereby  make  yourselves 
3.bominable  to  God  ? 

7.  Lastly,  Eying  will  undoubtedly  ruin  your  souls  for  evermore. 
God  will  destroy  liars,  Psal.  v.  7-  They  shall  surely  perish,  Prov. 
xix.  9 ;  Rev.  xxi.  ult.  and  xxii.  15. 

Be  concerned  to  curb  it  in  young  ones,  as  ye  love  their  souls. 
Lying  and  stealing  are  akin,  IIos.  iv.  2.  And  when  once  they  get  a 
habit  of  it,  how  hard  is  it  to  get  them  off  it  ? 

Remember  that  God's  omniscient  eye  is  on  you  always,  and  mor- 
tify those  corruptions  whence  lying  arises. 

DocT.  II.  They  who  shall  be  inhabitants  of  heaven,  are  such  as 
not  only  speak  truth  to  others,  but  speak  truth  within  their  own 
hearts. 

In  discoursing  this  point,  I  shall, 

I.  Premise  some  things  for  the  right  understanding  of  it. 

II.  Shew  the  import  of  this  part  of  the  citizen  of  Zion's  character. 

III.  Confirm  the  doctrine. 

IV.  Improve  the  subject. 

1.  I  am  to  premise  some  things  for  the  right  understanding  of 
this  point. 

1.'  When  God  created  man,  he  set  up  the  light  of  truth  in  his 
soul,  that  thereby  he  might  clearly  perceive  the  way  to  true  happi- 
ness, and  might  not  by  false  colours  be  led  off  his  way,  if  he  would 


128  THE  CITIZEN  OF  ZION 

take  heed  thereto,  Gen.  iii.  21.  The  remains  of  the  natural  law  in 
the  hearts  of  the  Heathens,  do  evidence  the  knowledge  of  the  truth 
necessary  to  true  happiness,  to  have  been  perfect  in  innocent  Adam, 
Horn.  iii.  15;  Eccl.  vii.  29. 

2.  When  man  fell,  the  truth  set  np  in  his  heart  fell  down  too. 
Instead  of  his  primitive  light  which  represents  things  in  their  native 
colours,  there  came  in  darkness,  which  presents  things  in  false  co- 
lours unto  men,  Eph.  v.  8.  and  makes  them  easy  to  be  imposed  upon 
and  led  out  of  the  way.  The  father  of  lies  prevailing  with  our  first 
parents,  left  in  their  hearts  a  spawn  of  vanity,  falsehood,  and  lies. 

3.  Hence  proceed  mistaken  notions  of  the  most  weighty  things, 
false  apprehensions  of  them,  and  false  reasonings  about  them, 
whereby  men  lie  to  themselves  most  dangerously,  and  deceive  and 
cheat  themselves  thereby,  even  as  by  lying  words  they  lie  to  deceive 
and  cheat  others,  Isa.  xliv.  20.  And  upon  this  kind  of  lying  the 
scripture  often  fathers  sinners'  ruin,  Psal.  1.  21.  "These  things  hast 
thou  done,  and  I  kept  silence  :  thou  thoughtest  that  I  was  altoge- 
ther such  a  one  as  thyself:  but  I  will  reprove  thee,  and  set  them  in 
order  before  thine  eyes :"  and  therefore  it  shows  the  necessity  of 
laying  them  aside,  Isa.  Iv.  7.  "  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and 
the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts."  But  this  is  the  reigning  dispo- 
sition of  the  hearts  of  all  men  by  nature,  and  the  thoughts  of  most 
men  touching  the  state  of  their  souls  are  one  continued  web  of  lies, 
Jer.  xvii.  9. 

4.  Where  the  grace  of  God  comes,  renewing  and  changing  the 
heart,  truth  is  restoi'ed  again  within  the  heart,  Eph.  v.  8.  Men's 
notions  of  spiritual  things  ai"e  rectified,  their  thouglits  and  reason- 
ings about  them  are  quite  altered,  2  Cor.  v.  17.  We  see  it  exem- 
plified in  Paul's  case,  Phil.  iii.  7.  "  What  things  were  gain  to  me, 
(says  he),  those  I  counted  loss  for  Christ."  Hence  repentance  is,  in 
scripture  language,  a  coming  to  one's  self,  like  a  madman  restored 
to  his  right  mind ;  an  after-wit,  the  man  being  brought  to  second 
thoughts  about  his  soul-matters,  by  which  the  first  thoughts  are  dis- 
covered to  have  been  falsehood  and  lies,  quite  wide  of  the  truth. 

5.  Lastly,  From  all  this  it  necessarily  follows,  that  it  must  be  a 
distinguishing  character  of  a  saint,  to  speak  truth  within  his  own 
heart;  which  no  unregenerate  man,  while  he  is  such,  does  ever  ar- 
rive at.  Tit.  iii.  3.  Others  being  under  the  power  of  Satan,  truth 
has  not  its  efficacy  within  their  hearts. 

II.  I  shall  next  shew  the  import  of  this  part  of  the  citizen  of 
Zion's  character,  that  he  is  one  that  speaketh  the  truth  in  his  heart. 

1.  Citizens  of  Zion  are  not  deceivers  of  themselves  as  to  their 
own  spiritual  state,  Gal.  vi.  3.     It  is  very  natural  for  men  to  lie  on 


A   SPEAKER  OF  TRUTH  IK  HIS  HEART.  129 

themselves  to  themselves  in  that  matter,  looking  to  themselves  in  a 
false  glass,  which  represents  them  to  be  in  the  favour  of  God,  whilq 
they  are  in  the  gall  of  bitterness  and  the  bond  of  iniquity.  Thus 
did  Paul  lie  of  himself  to  himself,  in  his  unconverted  state,  Rom. 
vii.  9.  "  I  was  alive  without  the  law  once."  Laodicea  breathed  out 
a  heap  of  lies  of  this  sort,  Rev.  iii.  17.  "  I  am  rich,  and  increased 
with  goods,  and  have  need  of  nothing."  And  though  men  think  so  of 
themselves,  it  is  not  one  whit  the  more  true,  Isa.  xliv.  20.  The  first 
work  of  the  Spirit  in  conversion,  is  to  cause  men  speak  truth  in 
their  hearts  in  this  point,  Luke  xv.  17;  Rom.  vii.  9. 

2.  They  labour  to  approve  themselves  to  God  in  their  way ;  not 
satisfying  themselves  Avith  the  approbation  of  men,  but  endeavour- 
ing to  carry  themselves  as  in  the  sight  of  God,  Rom.  ii.  28,  29. 
Many  will  be  at  some  pains  to  maintain  truth  in  their  conversation 
with  men,  who  are  very  little  concerned  for  truth  in  the  inward 
parts,  where  they  have  to  do  with  God  alone.  But  a  true  Christian 
will  be  mainly  concerned  for  this  last,  as  the  spring  of  the  other. 
Hence  David  says,  Psal.  li.  6.  "  Behold,  thou  desirest  truth  in  the 
inward  parts  :  and  in  the  hidden  part  thou  shalt  make  me  to  knoAv 
wisdom." 

3.  Truth  is  the  prevailing  predominant  principle  in  their  hearts. 
And  therefore  the  Christian  life  is  called  a  speaker  of  truth,  Eph.  iv. 
15.  walking  in  truth,  3  John  3.  Regeneration  casts  the  heart  into 
the  very  mould  of  truth,  Rom.  vi.  17.  And  so  the  truth  taking  the 
throne  in  the  heart,  frees  them  from  the  power  of  the  deceitful  lust 
which  had  a  reigning  power  over  them  before,  John  viii.  32. 

(1.)  Law  truth  is  a  predominant  principle  in  the  man's  heart. 
And  it  serves  to  convince  the  man  of  his  sinfulness  of  nature  and 
life  ;  to  shew  him  his  natural  liableness  to  the  curse  for  sin  ;  to  dis- 
cover his  absolute  need  of  an  imputed  righteousness,  and  being  in- 
terested in  Christ,  the  absolute  need  of  universal  holiness  of  heart 
and  life,  John  xvi.  8.  Thus  he  is  made  to  speak  truth  in  his  heart 
in  those  points,  wherein  the  hearts  of  others  to  whom  the  law  is  ne- 
ver yet  come  in  power,  are  stuffed  with  lies  to  their  own  destruction, 

(2.)  Gospel-truth  is  a  predominant  principle  in  them.  And  it 
serves  to  point  the  soul  to  Jesus  Christ,  as  its  alone  righteousness, 
and  fountain  of  sanctification,  1  Cor.  i.  30 ;  to  carry  the  sinner  en- 
tirely out  of  himself  for  acceptance  and  favour  with  God ;  to  bring 
him  forward  to  all  the  beauties  of  holiness,  and  to  carry  him  off 
them  all  in  point  of  confidence,  Phil.  iii.  3.  And  thus  the  Christian 
is  made  to  speak  truth  in  his  heart  in  those  points,  wherein  hypo- 
crites, legalists,  and  formalists  go  on  in  a  course  of  soul-ruining  lies. 

4.    They  form  their  thoughts  of  soul-matters,  sin,  duty,  safety, 


130  TUB  CITIZEN  OF  ZION 

and  danger,  not  according  to  their  own  lusts,  nor  the  conrse  of  the 
ift'orld :  but  according  to  the  word  of  God,  which  is  most  firm  truth, 
Psal.  cxix.  30,  31.  Hence  those  things  which  others  see  no  ill  in, 
they  dare  not  meddle  with ;  because  they  form  their  judgment  of 
them  by  the  word,  while  others  have  no  regard  to  the  testimony  of 
the  word  there-anent.  Here  the  ungodly  go  quite  wrong,  speaking 
lies  within  their  hearts. 

They  often  herein  downright  contradict  the  word.  They  will  pro- 
mise themselves  safety  in  a  course  -wherein  God's  word  declares 
there  can  be  no  safety,  Deut.  xxix.  9.  They  will  form  to  them- 
selves thoughts  of  God  contrary  to  his  holiness,  Psal.  1.  21.  They 
will  soothe  themselves  in  thoughts  unbecoming  his  omniscience,  that 
they  may  enjoy  their  secret  wickedness,  Ezek.  viii.  12.  They  think 
to  contemn  God,  and  yet  escape,  Psal.  x.  13.  They  promise  them- 
selves continuance  of  worldly  prosperity,  notwithstanding  God  has 
declared  the  contrary,  Psal.  x.  6.  and  xlix.  11.  And  many  such 
thoughts  pass  through  the  hearts  of  men  :  and  what  are  they  all  but 
so  many  heart  lies,  which  they  make  to  themselves  to  their  own 
ruin  ? 

5.  Lastly,  They  form  their  reasonings  in  soul-matters  according 
to  the  principles  of  the  word,  and  not  their  own  corrupt  lusts  and 
affections,  2  Cor.  x.  5.  The  lusts  of  ungodly  men  bear  the  sway  in 
them,  and  their  reasonings  are  managed  by  the  power  of  their  lusts, 
so  as  they  may  be  accommodated  to  their  corrupt  affections.  The 
man  desires  that  there  were  not  a  God,  and  he  considers  how  they 
prosper  that  despise  him,  and  so  says  in  his  heart.  There  is  no  God, 
Psal.  xiv.  1.  and  concludes  it  is  vain  to  be  religious,  Mai.  iii.  14, 
15.  He  hears  God  is  merciful ;  and  thence  he  concludes,  he  may 
indulge  himself  in  his  sinful  courses,  and  yet  be  safe  in  the  end; 
thus  speaking  lies  in  his  heart. 

III.  To  confirm  this  doctrine,  consider, 

1.  They  are  all  regenerated,  savingly  changed  in  all  the  faculties 
of  their  souls,  John  iii.  3.  And  in  regeneration  the  law  of  God  is 
■written  over  again  in  their  hearts,  according  to  the  great  promise  of 
the  covenant,  Heb.  viii.  10.  "  I  will  put  my  laws  into  their  mind, 
and  write  them  in  their  hearts."  Thus  the  light  is  set  up  within 
them,  and  the  former  darkness,  under  which  the  reigning  deceit  of 
the  heart  lodged,  is  put  away.     Their  minds  are  renewed. 

2.  Sincerity  and  uprightness  of  heart,  is  that  without  which  no 
man  shall  see  the  Lord.  Matth.  v.  8.  The  foolish  virgins  were 
shut  out  notwithstanding  their  fair  outside,  because  there  was  no 
truth  in  their  hearts,  1  Sam.  xvi.  7.  Hypocrites  are  they  who  speak 
not  the  truth  in  their  hearts,  and  ruin  and  destruction  certainly 
abide  them,  Matth.  xxiv.  ult. 


A  SPEAKER  OF  TRUTH  IN  HIS  HEART.  131 

3.  If  truth  is  not  in  the  heart,  the  life  will  be  but  a  mass  of  lies, 
falsehood,  and  vanity,  Matth.  vi.  23.  Darkness  and  reigning  deceit 
in  the  heart,  will  ever  produce  an  unholy  life  :  and  they  that  live 
not  holy,  how  shall  they  die  happy  ?  Heb.  xii.  14. 

I  conclude  with  a  short  word  of  improvement. 

Use  I.  This  doctrine  writes  death  to  several  sorts  of  persons. 

1.  Those  who  have  never  yet  learned,  by  the  Spirit's  teaching, 
what  a  God  the  Lord  is,  how  greatly  he  hates  sin,  and  how  severely 
he  punishes  it.  Their  notions  of  God  are  false,  and  under  them 
they  find  shelter  to  their  lusts.  A  clear  evidence  they  have  not  yet 
known  the  Lord.  But  sooner  or  later  they  will  find  their  mistake, 
and  find  they  have  not  spoke  truth  in  their  hearts  of  God,  Psal. 
I.  21. 

2.  Those  whose  natural  notions  of  sin  have  not  yet  been  corrected, 
by  feeling  the  bitterness  of  it,  Rom.  vii.  9.  Many  are  ruined  by  not 
discerning  the  ill  of  sin  :  if  they  had  just  thoughts  of  it,  they  durst 
not  venture  on  it  so  freely  as  they  do  ;  more  than  they  would  ven- 
ture to  take  a  serpent  in  their  bosom.  But  their  hearts  lie  to 
them  about  it,  and  they  love  to  have  it  so. 

3.  Those  who  have  never  yet  felt  the  absolute  need  of  the  blood 
and  Spirit  of  Christ  Jesus  to  remove  their  guilt,  and  break  the 
power  of  sin  in  them.  There  is  no  other  way  to  get  it  removed, 
Acts  iv.  12  ;  and  those  who  look  for  it  another  way,  will  find  at 
length  to  their  cost,  that  they  have  not  spoke  truth  in  their  hearts. 

4.  Those  wlio  have  not  yet  learned  to  make  the  word  of  God  the 
rule  of  their  life  in  all  points,  Gal.  iv.  16.  Many  have  very  little 
use  for  their  Bibles,  for  regulating  of  their  conversation.  The  course 
of  this  world  serves  them  for  a  rule,  and  their  own  corrupt  inclina- 
tions serve  them  for  the  same  purpose.  They  will  find  these  to  have 
led  them  to  lie  in  their  hearts  to  themselves  to  their  own  ruin. 

Use  II.  Be  exhorted  to  take  heed  to  your  hearts,  that  ye  speak 
truth  there,  and  deceive  not  yourselves.     For  motives,  consider, 

1.  Self-deceiving  is  frequent  in  the  world,  and  there  is  a  principle 
of  self-love  in  every  one  leading  them  to  it.  Men  of  all  sorts,  pro- 
fessors and  profane  are  apt  to  fall  into  it ;  therefore  be  on  your 
guard. 

2.  Your  eternal  state  depends  ou  it.  If  men  be  not  led  into 
truth  in  their  hearts,  they  can  never  see  nor  fall  ou  the  way  to  hap- 
piness, 

3.  Lastly.  It  will  make  a  dreadful  awakening  when  the  deceitful 
dream  is  at  an  end. 

Examine  yourselves  then,  and  see  that  ye  get  your  judgment  of 
spiritual  things  formed  by  the  word. 


THE 

DISTINGUISHING     CHAR/VCTERS 

OF 

TRUE    BELIEVERS. 

III.    IN  RELATION  TO  THEIR  SPEECH,  AND  REVERENCE  OF  GOd's  NAME. 


A  CAVEAT    AGAINST    PROFANE    SWEARING,  AND    A    PERSUASIVE 
TO   PLAIN   SPEAKING,    WITHOUT  UNHALLOWED  ADDITIONS. 

James  v.  12. 
But  above  all  things,  my  brethren,  swear  not,  neither  by  heaven,  neither 
by  the  earth,  neither  by  any  other  oath  :   but  let  your  yea,  be  yea,  and 
your  nay,  nay  ;  lest  ye  fall  into  condemnation.* 

In  these  words  we  have  three  things. 

I.  A  serious  caveat  against  profane  oaths  or  swearing  :  for 
otherwise  an  oath  is  an  ordinance  of  God,  Heb.  vi.  16.  and  so  to  be 
used  upon  a  due  call  thereto,  Jer.  iv.  2.     In  this  caveat  we  have, 

(1.)  The  matter  cautioned  against.  [1.]  Swearing  by  the  crea- 
tures, as  by  heaven  or  earth,  forms  of  oaths,  it  would  seem,  then  were  in 
use  among  untender  men.  [2.]  Any  other  oath  as  well  as  these  ; 
oaths  of  the  same  kind,  namely,  by  creatures;  and  oaths  of  other 
kinds,  namely,  by  God  their  Maker.  That  the  latter  as  well  as  the 
former  profane  swearing  is  here  comprehended,  appears  from  the 
universality  of  the  expression,  and  the  direction  as  to  men's  ordinary 
converse  given  in  the  following  words,  where  the  one  as  well  as  the 
other  is  excluded. 

(2.)  The  manner  of  the  caveat.  It  is  given,  [1.]  Very  affec- 
tionately, 3Iy  brethren.  They  wei'e  so  in  respect  of  their  nation,  and 
in  respect  of  the  Christian  religion  which  they  professed,  being 
believing  Jews.  Though  heathens  and  infidels  think  nothing  of 
swearing,  yet  it  ill  becomes  the  Christian   brother-hood,  being   so 

The  sermous    on    tbis    text  were  preached  at  Ettrick  in    August    and    Septem- 
ber, 1724. 


A  CAVEAT  AGAINST  PROFANE  SWEARINa.  133 

very  contrary  to  the  laws  of  Clirist,  Mattli.  v.  34 — 37*.  [2.]  With 
a  peculiar  earnestness,  Above  all  things.  This  refers  to,  (1.)  His 
guarding  them  against  impatience,  ver.  10,  11.  When  once  men  let 
their  passion  loose,  and  lose  their  patience,  they  are  apt  to  break 
out  into  blasphemies,  horrid  oaths,  and  curses.  (2.)  To  a  corrxipt 
custom  prevailing  among  the  Jews  of  customary  swearing,  and  there- 
fore hardly  to  be  rooted  out :  which  he  would  therefore  have  them 
with  the  utmost  care  and  diligence  to  set  themselves  against. 

2.  A  plain  direction  as  to  men's  ordinary  converse.  In  opposition 
to  the  larding  of  your  conversation  with  such  profane  mixtures,  let 
your  speech  be  plain  and  simple,  consisting  of  plain  affirmations  or 
denials,  without  these  unhallowed  additions.  If  ye  intend  to  assert 
a  thing,  which  is  yea,  then  say  Yea,  or  Yes,  or.  It  is  so.  If  ye  mean 
to  deny  a  thing,  which  is  nay,  then  say,  Nat/,  or,  It  is  not  so, 

3.  A  motive  pressing  both  the  caveat  and  direction.  Lest  yc  fall 
into  condemnation  ;  Gr.  judgment^  under  judgment.  He  looks  to  the 
third  commandment,  of  God's  not  holding  guiltless  him  that  taketh  his 
Name  in  vain.  God  will  be  avenged  on  those  that  do  otherwise,  and 
ye  will  fall  under  his  judgment  on  that  score,  if  ye  purge  not  your 
language  fx'om  these  things. 

The  text  affords  three  doctrines. 

DocT.  I.  Profane  swearing  is  a  horrid  evil,  with  the  utmost  watch- 
fulness to  be  avoided  by  all  Christians. 

DocT.  II.  God  requires  men's  speech  in  their  ordinary  converse 
to  be  plain  and  simple,  as  yea  and  nay,  without  unhallowed  addi- 
tions, of  the  nature  of  oaths. 

DocT.  III.  Profane  swearing,  and  the  like  ungodly  speeches  akin 
thereto,  will  make  the  guilty  fall  under  the  fearful  judgment  of  God. 

I  shall  prosecute  each  doctrine  in  order. 

DocT.  I.  Profane  swearing  is  a  horrid  evil,  with  the  utmost  watch- 
fulness to  be  avoided  by  all  Christians. 

Profane  swearing  is  of  two  sorts  ;  swearing  by  God  or  Christ, 
and  by  creatures. 

First,  Swearing  by  God  himself,  and  by  Christ  who  is  God.  Such 
swearing  is  duty,  when  the  matter  is  of  weight,  and  men  are  called 
thereto  of  God,  Heb.  vi.  16.  Jer.  iv.  2.  But  it  is  profane  when  men 
swear  by  God  or  Christ, 

1.  Falsely,  Mai.  iii.  5.     This  is  perjury,  which  is  a  falsehood  con- 

*  The  author  has  a  set  of  Sermons  on  this  text,  preached  also  at  Ettrick  in  1707, 
but  not  yet  published. 

Vol.  V.  K 


134  A  CAVEAT  AGAINST  PROFANE  SWEARING. 

firmed  by  an  oath,  a  breach  at  once  of  the  third  and  ninth  command. 
Sometimes  people  are  called  to  swear  by  authority,  and  swearing 
falsely  in  that  case  they  are  guilty  of  perjury.  Sometimes  they  are 
not  called  to  swear,  but  of  their  own  accord,  without  any  just  call, 
they  swear,  and  swear  wh4,t  is  false.  This  is  doubtless  perjury  as 
well  as  the  other,  being  a  swearing  falsely. 

Perjury  is  an  open  affronting  of  an  omniscient  just  God,  and  is 
near  akin  to  Atheism.  It  is  a  calling  of  God  to  be  witness  to  a  lie, 
a  playing  with  revenging  justice,  a  daring  of  Heaven's  vengeance,  a 
wilful  devoting  of  one's  soul  to  destruction.  For  in  an  oath  men 
invoke  God  to  judge  them,  according  to  the  truth  or  falsehood  of 
what  they  swear.  It  looseth  the  bond  of  human  society,  and  deser- 
vedly makes  men  infamous,  and  binds  over  the  party  to  the  fearful 
judgments  of  God,  Zech.  v.  4,  "  I  will  bring  it  forth,  saith  the  Lord 
of  hosts,  and  it  shall  enter  into  the  house  of  the  thief,  and  into  the 
house  of  him  that  sweareth  falsely  by  my  name  :  and  it  shall  remain 
in  the  midst  of  his  house,  and  shall  consume  it,  with  the  timber 
thereof,  and  the  stones  thereof."  Mai.  iii.  5,  "  I  will  come  near 
to  you  to  judgment,  and  I  will  be  a  swift  witness  against — false 
swearers. 

2.  Yainly,  rashly,  and  usually,  in  common  converse,  without  any 
just  call,  whether  the  thing  sworn  be  true  or  false,  good  or  bad, 
Matth.  V.  34,  37.  This  is  that  swearing  so  frequent  among  those 
called  Christians.  Some  have  a  God  thus  to  swear  by,  though  not  a 
God  to  pray  to ;  as  if  they  would  own  no  God,  but  to  dishonour  his 
name.  Others  have  found  the  art  of  joining  Christ  and  Belial  so, 
that  one  while  they  will  be  praying  to  God,  and  another  while 
swearing  by  his  holy  name  profanely.  Jam.  iii.  10,  "  Out  of  the 
same  mouth  proceedetli  blessing  and  cursing." 

This  is  a  horrid  evil.     It  is, 

(1.)  A  flat  contradiction  to  the  letter  of  the  law,  even  as  murder 
and  adultery  is,  Thou  shah  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  in 
vain.  Many  ways  the  commands  are  broken,  though  one  do  not  di- 
rectly transgress  the  letter  of  them  :  so  is  the  third  command  by  a 
hypocritical  profession :  but  profane  swearers  cross  the  letter. 

(2.)  It  is  a  profanation  of  a  holy  thing,  which  is  very  dangerous. 
Lev.  xix.  8;  a  using  that  for  a  common,  which  God  has  set  apart 
for  a  holy  use  only.  And,  [1.]  It  is  a  profanation  of  the  holy 
name,  which  is  awful,  reverend,  and  holy.  Lev.  xxii.  32.  It  is  a 
prostituting  of  that  tremendous  name  to  serve  men's  lusts  and  pas- 
sions. [2.]  It  is  a  profanation  of  an  holy  ordinance  of  worship, 
appointed  of  God  to  be  used  holily  and  reverently,  with  hands  lifted 
up  to  heaven,  upon  just  and  weighty  causes,  and  a  due  call,  to  be  an 


A  CAVEAT  AGAINST  PROFANE  SWEARING.  135 

end  of  strife  in  matters  which  cannot  be  otherwise  cleared  than  by 
invoking  God  as  witness,  Jer.  iv.  2.  "  Thou  shalt  swear,  The  Lord 
liveth,  in  truth,  in  judgment,  and  in  righteousness." — Would  it  not 
make  one's  heart  tremble,  to  see  men  profane  the  sacraments  by  a 
common  usage  of  them?  An  oath  is  an  holy  ordinance  instituted 
by  God,  as  well  as  the  sacraments.  How  then  do  men  fearlessly* 
bring  swearing  into  common  use  in  their  common  conversation  ? 

(3.)  It  argues  a  profane  contempt  of  God,  Psal.  xxxvi.  1,  3.  An 
ordinary  measure  of  the  fear  of  God  upon  the  heart,  would  keep  a 
man  from  profane  swearing  by  his  name  ;  and  the  consciences  of 
common  swearers  may  witness  that  they  would  take  it  heinously,  if 
others  should  deal  as  freely  and  ordinarily  with  their  names,  as 
they  do  with  the  name  of  the  God  that  made  them. 

Secondly,  Swearing  by  creatures.  The  Papists  worship  creatures, 
and  consequently  think  it  lawful  to  swear  by  the  creatures  they 
worship ;  as  by  the  holy  bread  of  the  sacrament,  the  bread  of 
God ;  and  no  wonder,  for  they  worship  it ;  and  by  St.  Mary,  for 
they  worship  her  too.  But  how  many  Protestants  are  there,  who 
though  in  their  principles  they  are  against  giving  divine  worship  to 
any  creature,  yet  do  in  contradiction  thereto  swear  by  creatures,  as 
by  their  faith,  troth  or  truth,  soul,  conscience,  &c.  This  is  in  no  case 
lawful,  but  in  every  case  profane  swearing. 

1.  It  is  a  sacrilege  and  idolatry.  It  is  a  taking  away  from  God  the 
worship  due  to  him  alone,  and  giving  it  to  the  creature,  Matth.  iv. 
10.  compared  with  Dent.  vi.  13.  Swearing  is  an  invoking  of  the 
object  sworn  by  to  be  witness  of  the  truth  of  what  we  affirm  or  deny, 
to  judge  and  punish  us  in  case  we  swear  falsely,  Jer.  v.  7-  Is  your 
faith,  troth,  &;c.,  God  ?  No:  but  you  make  these  idols.  And  an 
idol  is  nothing  in  the  world.  It  is  likely  it  is  even  so  with  your 
faith,  &c.  Many  hug  their  faith,  troth,  &c.  so  in  their  mouths  by 
swearing,  till  their  consciences  are  seared,  and  neither  faith  nor 
truth  is  left  them. 

2.  These  things  having  a  relation  to  God,  the  dishonour  reaches 
to  him :  they  are  his  works,  and  being  so  profaned,  his  name  is  pro- 
faned. Heaven  is  God's  throne,  and  the  earth  his  footstool,  Matth.  v. 
34,  35.  and  therefore  are  not  to  be  sworn  by,  according  to  our  Sa- 
viour's reasoning.  So  may  we  say,  Faith  is  the  gift  of  God,  truth 
his  image,  the  soul  his  creature  in  a  special  manner,  who  is  the 
Father  of  spirits,  conscience  the  candle  of  the  Lord,  God's  deputy  in 
the  soul :  and  therefore  are  not  to  be  sworn  by. 

3.  They  are  not  so  our  own,  that  we  can  engage  them  by  an  oath, 
for  the  least  change  to  be  made  upon  them,  Matth.  v.  36.  In  these 
oaths  men  do  impawn  their  faith,  truth,  soul,  conscience,  to  lose 

K  2 


136  A  CAVEAT  AGAINST  PROFANE  SWEARING. 

them,  if  it  be  not  so  as  they  say.  And  is  this  a  small  matter? 
"Where  have  we  such  dominion  and  power  over  these  things,  as  thus 
for  every  trifle  to  lay  thcni  in  pawn  ?  Hezckiah  broke  the  brazen 
serpent  when  abused  to  idolatry.  Take  heed  God  do  not  so  break 
and  destroy  thy  soul,  while  thus  played  with  ? 

•  4.  It  is  a  horrid  abuse  of  these  precious  things.  Is  that  faith,  by 
which  thou  must  be  saved,  or  damned  without  it,  no  more  precious 
in  thine  eyes,  than  thus  to  make  a  by- word  of  it  ?  Is  that  truth, 
without  which  thou  art  lost  with  the  father  of  lies,  no  more  to  be 
regarded  ?  Is  that  soul  which  could  not  be  redeemed  but  by  the 
blood  of  Christ,  and  that  conscience  which  could  no  other  way  be 
purged,  to  be  thus  used  ? 

5.  Lastly,  Swearing  by  the  creatures  was  ordinary  among  Pagans, 
and  heretics  were  the  first  after  the  Jews  that  brought  it  in  among 
Christians ;  and  Papists,  as  has  been  said,  maintain  it  as  a  princii)le 
agreeable  to  their  idolatry.  Oh  !  that  men  professing  Christ  and 
his  truth,  would  be  ashamed  of  them  ! 

Use.  I  dehort  you  from  swearing,  either  by  God  or  Christ  vainly, 
"without  a  lawful  call,  or  by  the  creature  in  any  case.  Avoid  all 
swearing  in  common  converse.  Let  such  as  have  got  a  custom  of  it, 
leave  it  off;  and  those  who  yet  are  free,  watch  against  it.  I  offer 
the  following  motives  to  enforce  this  dehortation. 

Mot.  1.  It  is  highly  dishonouring  to  God,  and  provoking  in  his 
sight.  He  hath  said,  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy 
God  in  vain,  &c.  Whether  we  consider  him  as  our  Creator  to  whom 
we  owe  all  reverence,  or  as  our  Saviour  who  has  been  our  Helper, 
and  offers  us  again  the  forfeited  life  and  salvation,  it  is  horrible. 
To  hear  men  profaning  the  name  of  that  God,  who  made  them,  gave 
them  a  tongue,  life,  &c.  profaning  that  name  by  which  they  must  be 
saved,  or  else  perish,  is  frightful.  They  are  made  to  differ  from 
brutes,  by  a  soul  and  conscience ;  and  faith  and  truth  makes  men 
saints,  differing  for  other  men  :  how  dishonouring  is  it  to  God  to 
profane  these  ? 

Mot.  2.  It  is  scandalous  with  respect  to  our  neighbour ;  and  that 
is  no  small  aggravation  of  the  guilt,  Matth.  xviii.  7,  "  Wo  unto  the 
world  because  of  offences :  for  it  must  needs  be  that  offences  come  : 
but  wo  to  that  man  by  whom  the  offence  cometh."  Men  swear 
speaking  to  others  ordinarily.  And  if  they  that  hear  them  be 
godly,  it  wounds  them,  and  grieves  them  to  the  heart ;  and  that  is 
dangerous,  Matth.  xviii.  6.  "  Whoso  shall  offend  one  of  these  little 
ones  which  believe  in  me,  it  were  better  for  him  that  a  millstone 
were  hanged  about  his  neck,  and  that  he  were  drowned  in  the  depth 
of  the  sea."     If  they  be  ungodly  and  profane,  it  hardens  them,  and 


A  CAVEAT  AOAINST  PROPANE  SWEARIXO.  137 

is  apt  to  breed  more  contempt  of  God  in  them.  If  men  be  but 
sober,  it  is  nauseous  to  them.  Many  a  time  it  is  a  snare,  involving 
others  in  guilt,  always  giving  a  bad  example,  and  so  tending  to  ruin 
the  souls  of  others,  Rom.  xiv.  13,  15. 

Mot.  3.  It  is  devilish  in  respect  of  the  smallness  of  the  temptation 
there  is  to  it.  Profit  draws  the  thief  to  steal,  the  unjust  to  cheat, 
the  oppressor  to  oppress.  Pleasure  ensnares  men  into  gluttony, 
drunkenness,  uncleanness,  and  other  sensualities.  But  what  profit 
or  pleasure  is  to  be  found  in  swearing  ?  What  fruit  brings  it  in, 
but  the  abhorrence  of  the  sober,  and  the  fearful  judgments  of  God  ? 
"Which  of  your  senses  does  it  gratify  ?  Other  sinners  serve  the 
devil  for  pay ;  but  the  swearer  as  a  volunteer,  for  nought. 

Mot.  ktst.  It  is  ruining,  ruining  to  the  soul.  (1.)  It  makes  havoc 
of  the  soul's  case.  It  wears  oif  tenderness,  makes  a  profane  heart, 
insensible  of  duty  to  God.  A  custom  of  swearing  sears  and  stupifies 
the  conscience.  (2.)  It  will  ruin  the  soul  for  ever,  and  bring  wrath 
upon  the  guilty.  Sometimes  it  brings  visible  judgments  upon  men 
on  the  earth,  whereof  there  have  been  many  fearful  instances. 
However,  if  they  repent  not,  it  will  ruin  them  in  another  world, 
Dent,  xxviii.  58,  59.  "  If  thou  wilt  not  observe  to  do  all  the  words  of 
this  law,  that  are  written  in  this  book,  that  thou  mayst  fear  this 
glorious  and  fearful  Name,  The  Lord  thy  God  ;  then  the  Lord  will 
make  thy  plagues  wonderful,  and  the  plagues  of  thy  seed,  even  great 
plagues,  and  of  long  continuance." 

DocT.  II.  God  requires  men's  speech  in  their  ordinary  converse  to 
be  plain  and  simple,  as  yea  and  nay,  without  unhallowed  additions 
of  the  nature  of  oaths. 

This  plainness  and  simplicity  of  speech  in  ordinary  converse,  we 
may  take  a  view  of  in  these  two  particulars. 

First,  It  consists  in  men's  accustoming  themselves  to  plain  and 
simple  asserting  or  denying  of  things,  according  to  their  judgment ; 
and  not  lightly  bringing  in  sacred  things  to  confirm  what  they  say, 
or  vent  their  passion.  This  is  sufficient  to  answer  the  ends  of  com- 
mon conversation,  Jea,  Yea  indeed,  Tndy,  &c.  and  obtains  among 
tender  persons,  who  are  most  regardful  of  truth. 

Secondly,  It  excludes  out  of  speech  in  common  conversation,  all 
that  which  is  akin  to  oaths,  where  there  is  no  sufficient  call  there- 
unto. And  so  it  condemns  not  only  all  express  swearing  by  God  or 
the  creatures,  but, 

1.  All  minced  oaths,  where  the  form  of  swearing  is  not  used,  but 
suppressed.  Yet  one  may  plainly  perceive  the  words,  if  they  have 
any  sense  at  all,  or  be  of  the  nature  of  swearing ;  as.  Good  faith, 

k3 


138  A  CAVEAT  AOAINST  PROFANE  SWEAEINO. 

faith,  haith,  hai\  fat'',  d'  ye,  Mary,  &c.     Of  these  some  have  such  a 
custom,  that  they  can  speak  few  sentences  without  them. 

(1.)  Though  one  could  not  be  convinced  that  these  things  are  evil, 
yet  he  caunot  miss  the  conviction  that  they  are  evil-like.  And  you 
can  never  think  that  it  is  duty  to  God  or  your  neighbour  to  speak 
so.  On  this  very  ground  ye  ought  to  forbear  them,  1  Thess.  v.  22. 
"  Abstain  from  all  appearance  of  evil."  Jude,  23.  " — Hating  even 
the  garments  spotted  by  the  flesh."  Whoso  will  not  shun  appear- 
ances of  evil,  will  easily  venture  on  real  evils. 

(2.)  I  appeal  to  your  consciences,  whether  these  be  the  language 
of  the  most  tender  and  serious  sort  of  Christians,  or  of  profane  men 
and  rough  untender  professors;  and  whether  or  not  the  more  tender 
any  one  is  in  their  walk,  their  speech  is  purged  from  these.  Let 
that  then  have  weight  with  you,  spoken  by  the  apostle,  Phil.  iv.  9. 
"  Those  things  which  ye  have  both  learned  and  received,  and  heard 
and  seen  in  me,  do." 

(3.)  They  are  offensive  to  the  serious  godly ;  they  grate  on  their 
ears,  as  the  language  of  hell.  It  is  grievous  to  them  to  hear  men 
who  are  baptized  in  tlie  name  of  Christ,  speaking  half  the  language 
of  Canaan,  and  half  that  of  Ashdod.  And  on  this  score  they  are 
dangerous,  Matth.  xviii.  6,  7.  forecited. 

(4.)  At  best  they  are  idle  words,  and  therefore  sinful.  "What 
good  purpose  do  they  serve  for  ?  Are  they  of  any  use  for  God's  ho- 
nour, your  own  good,  or  the  good  of  those  with  whom  ye  converse  ? 
Consider  therefore  that  declaration,  Matth.  xii.  36.  "  I  say  unto 
you,  That  every  idle  word  that  men  shall  speak,  they  shall  give 
account  thereof  in  the  day  of  judgment." 

(5.)  They  are  more  than  yea  and  nay,  and  of  another  kind;  and 
so  are  condemned  in  our  text.  And  ye  must  either  make  minced 
oaths  of  them,  or  ye  cannot  make  sense  of  them.  Is  not  Good  faith 
isH,  &c.  more,  and  of  another  kind,  than  Yea  it  is  ?  Take  heed  of 
them  then,  lest  ye  fall  into  condemnation.  Is  downright  profane 
swearing  a  thing  that  it  is  such  a  pity  to  be  deprived  of  the  liberty 
of,  that  ye  must  needs  retain  some  remains  of  it  with  you  ? 

But  some  may  be  ready  to  say.  They  are  but  little  sins.  Ans. 
Every  sin  deserves  God's  wrath;  and  there  is  none  so  little,  but 
they  will  ruin  you  for  ever,  if  they  be  not  washed  away  by  the  Re- 
deemer's blood,  as  one  little  leak  will  sink  the  ship.  Gal.  iii.  10. 
"  Cursed  is  he  that  continueth  not  in  all  things  which  are  written  in 
the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them."  If  they  are  but  little,  how  wilt 
thou  do  a  great  thing  for  God,  that  wilt  not  j)lease  him  in  such  a 
small  matter  ?  Alas !  if  they  be  little,  they  are  not  few.  Many 
grains  make  a  mountain,  and  many  drops  an  ocean.     If  one  be 


A  CAVEAT  AGAINST  PROFANE  SWEARING.  139 

drowned,  it  is  all  one  to  him,  whether  it  be  in  a  little  water  or  in 
the  ocean. 

2.  All  light  or  irreverent  using  of  the  name  of  God.  His  name 
is  dreadful,  and  requires  to  be  mentioned  with  profound  reverence : 
and  it  Avill  be  found,  that  those  who  have  least  of  God  in  their 
hearts,  have  most  of  his  name  interposed  in  their  common  talk.  If 
the  Mahometans  find  a  piece  of  paper,  they  take  it  up,  and  put  it  in 
the  hole  of  a  wall ;  because  the  name  of  God  may  be  written  on  it. 
Alas!  if  paper  were  put  in  the  holes  of  walls,  at  every  time  the 
name  of  God  is  profaned  among  Christians,  the  holes  of  the  walls 
would  soon  be  full.     It  is  profaned, 

(1.)  In  exclamations,  where  the  holy  name  is  interposed  at  any 
little  thing  untender  persons  wonder  at,  are  vexed  about,  or  seem 
to  fear.  Hence  some  cry,  0  God !  0  Lord !  some,  God  bless  us, 
save  us,  guide  us,  forgive  us !  Christ  or  Lord  have  a  care  of  us ; 
God  be  wi'  you ;  which  is  an  ordinary  salutation.  What !  (may 
some  say)  may  we  not  pray  to  God  to  bless  us,  and  be  with  our 
neighbours,  Sfc.  ?  Ans.  Yes,  indeed ;  but  then  ye  should  use  them 
in  a  praying  manner,  with  holy  reverence,  answerable  aifections, 
faith  in  the  blood  of  Christ  as  praying  indeed.  Of  which  we  have 
an  example,  Ruth.  ii.  4.  "  And  behold,  Boaz  came  from  Bethlehem 
and  said  unto  the  reapers.  The  Lord  be  with  you :  and  they  an- 
swered him.  The  Lord  bless  thee."  But  to  prostitute  that  name  to 
give  a  vent  to  your  foolish  passions,  to  use  these  things  with  a  rash- 
ness and  irreverence,  is  profane.  God's  blessing,  8fc.  are  matters  of 
greatest  weight ;  and  those  who  are  most  concerned  for  them,  will 
not  seek  them  that  way. 

(2.)  In  permissions  ;  as,  Let  him  do  it  in  God's  name.  I  know  no 
face  can  be  put  on  this  as  it  is  used  in  common  talk,  but  a  profana- 
tion of  that  holy  name.  And  I  dare  say,  it  is  not  used  by  those 
who  walk  up  and  down  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  that  remember 
his  name  is  dreadful. 

(3.)  In  obsecrations  or  entreaties ;  as.  For  God's  sake.  For  God's 
love,  &c.  For  Christ's  sake,  &c.  No  doubt,  according  to  the  scrip- 
ture, these  things  may  be  used  in  weighty  matters,  so  it  be  with  due 
reverence  ;  but  in  trifles  it  is  profane.  Let  them  be  things  that  con- 
cern one's  life  and  salvation,  that  ye  will  entreat  for  that  way ;  and 
when  ye  do  it,  let  it  appear  you  have  the  awe  of  God  on  your  spi- 
rits.    But  interpose  not  the  holy  name  at  every  trifle. 

(4.)  In  appeals  to  God  in  light  matters ;  matters  of  no  serious- 
ness ;  as,  God  knoius.  The  omniscience  of  God  is  a  matter  of  great 
importance,  and  his  people  may  take  the  comfort  of  it  under  re- 
proaches, which  otherwise  they  cannot  fully  clear  themselves  of  be- 


140  A  CAVEAT  AGAINST  PROFANE  SWEARING. 

fore  the  world.  But  lightly  to  appeal  to  that  Judge,  is  the  way  to 
bring  wrath  on  the  appellant.  The  serious  thouglits  of  God's  know- 
ledge, may  make  the  best  to  tremble ;  and  strike  such  dread  on  the 
worst,  as  they  may  not  make  a  liglit  matter  of  it.  We  find  indeed 
such  an  appeal  made  by  the  apostle,  2  Cor.  xii.  3.  but  it  was  in  a 
serious  weighty  affair,  which  none  knew  but  God.  But  what  is  that 
to  a  profane  use  of  it  in  trifles,  which  perhaps  many  do  know? 

3.  All  asseverations  of  the  nature  of  oaths ;  as.  As  I  am  a  Chris- 
tian, have  a  soul  to  he  saved.  That  these  are  akin  to  oaths,  is  evi- 
dent from  that  form  of  an  oath  used  by  God  himself,  As  I  live,  saith 
the  Lord:  and  therefore  they  are  not  to  be  used  in  common  conver- 
sation. And  as  oaths  they  imply  an  imprecation,  viz.  Let  me  not 
be  reckoned  a  Christian,  Let  me  not  have  a  soul  to  be  saved.  And 
none  will  therefore,  in  common  conversation  use  them,  who  have  a 
due  value  for  Christianity,  and  the  salvation  of  their  souls. 

4.  Cursing,  whereby  one  imprecates  evil  on  himself  or  others, 
whether  absolutely  or  conditionally,  if  they  do  not  so  and  so.  And 
the  more  solemn  and  deliberate  it  is,  it  is  the  worse.  This  is  one  of 
the  characters  of  a  wicked  man,  Psal.  x.  7.  "  His  mouth  is  full  of 
cursing."  There  are  three  ways  whereby  men  utter  this  language 
of  hell. 

(1.)  Sometimes  God  is  expressly  invoked  in  the  curse.  Thus 
profane  men  will  invoke  God  to  damn  them,  confound  them,  or 
curse  themselves  or  others.  This  speaks  a  profane  contempt  of  God, 
a  defiance  of  his  curse  and  eternal  wrath  :  and  surely  their  damna- 
tion, as  it  will  be  just,  so  it  will  be  dreadful,  and  the  more  cutting 
to  their  consciences  through  eternity,  that  they  have  prayed  for  it. 

(2.)  Sometimes  the  name  of  God  is  suppressed,  but  the  curse 
belched  out.  So  some  will  wish  that  themselves  or  others  may 
break  their  neck,  that  an  ill  chance,  wo,  or  shame  may  light  on 
them.  These  are  curses  indeed,  wherein  though  the  name  of  God  is 
suppressed,  yet  he  is  called  to  execute  their  wicked  wishes  against 
themselves  or  others,  forasmuch  as  these  must  be  the  effects  of  di- 
vine providence,  if  they  be  all. 

(3.)  Sometimes  the  devil  is  invoked  in  the  curse.  And  thus 
many  are  found  oftener  praying  to  the  devil  to  take  themselves  or 
others,  than  to  God  to  save  them.  They  cannot  deny  a  thing,  but 
the  name  of  the  devil  must  be  in  it.  And  the  devil  has  several 
names  given  him  to  serve  this  jiurpose,  as  Foul,  Fiend,  &c. 

Thus  I  have  raked  in  this  dunghill  for  your  warning  and  reforma- 
tion ;  and  by  what  is  said  ye  may  judge  of  other  things  of  this  na- 
ture, which  I  have  not  named.  It  is  a  plain  rule  against  all  these, 
Let  yo%r  yea  he  yea,  and  your  nay,  nay.     I  proceed  to 


A  CAVEAT  AGAINST  PROFANE  SWEARING.  141 

DocT.  ult.  Profane  swearing,  and  the  like  ungodly  speeches  akin 
thereto,  will  make  the  guilty  fall  under  the  fearful  judgment  of  God. 
So  the  third  commandment  threatens. 

The  import  of  this,  we  may  take  up  in  the  following  things. 

1.  Howeyer  lightly  men  look  on  these,  and  overlook  them,  God 
writes  them  down  guilty  upon  every  such  profane  speech.  There  is 
a  book  of  remembrance  written  with  God,  whereby  none  of  them  all 
shall  be  lost.  Men's  Judge  is  their  witness  in  these,  as  in  other 
things ;  and  if  they  must  fall  under  condemnation  for  them,  surely 
they  are  remembered.  For,  says  our  Lord,  by  thy  luords  thou  shah 
be  condemned,  Matth.  xii.  37. 

2.  God  will  call  men  to  a  reckoning  for  them  sooner  or  later. 
Though  they  may  now  pass  without  a  challenge,  the  time  will  come 
that  they  will  get  deep  challenges  for  them,  either  in  mercy  or  in 
wrath.  Their  words  that  they  think  light  of  now,  shall  sometime 
lie  like  a  talent  of  lead  on  their  consciences,  and  pierce  them  like 
swords,  Matth.  xii.  36.  "  Every  idle  word  that  men  shall  speak, 
they  shall  give  account  thereof  in  the  day  of  judgment."     Jude,  16. 

3.  If  ever  they  get  the  pardon  of  them,  they  shall  be  made  to 
condemn  themselves  for  them,  and  be  cut  to  the  heart  for  the  sin 
and  scandal  of  them,  and  go  with  a  bowed  down  back  on  account  of 
that  profanation  of  the  holy  name,  and  their  ungodly  speeches  of 
the  nature  of  oaths,  1  Tim.  i.  13. 

4.  Lastly,  If  men  get  not  the  pardon  of  them  by  faith,  if  they  re- 
pent not  of  them,  and  reform,  tliey  shall  fall  under  eternal  condem- 
nation by  the  weight  of  the  guilt  of  them,  Matth.  xii.  37.  forecited. 

I  conclude  with  an  use  of  exhortation. 

I  exhort  you  to  purify  and  keep  clean  your  speech,  that  your  yea 
may  be  yea,  and  your  nay,  nay  ;  and  that  you  will  beware  of  profane 
swearing  by  God  or  the  creatures,  all  cursing,  light  and  irreverent 
use  of  the  holy  name,  and  all  speeches  whatsoever  of  the  nature  of 
profane  swearing.     For  motives,  consider, 

1.  God  is  a  God  of  glorious  majesty,  infinitely  above  us  and  all 
creatures  in  his  perfections  :  therefore  he  is  to  be  feared  by  us ; 
Job  XXV.  2.  "  Dominion  and  fear  are  with  him.  Psal.  Ixxxix.  ?• 
God  is  greatly  to  be  feared, — and  to  be  had  in  reverence."  His  name 
is  reverend  and  holy  ;  and  what  he  has  made  secret,  it  is  high  pre- 
sumption in  us  to  profane,  Mai.  i.  14.  3Iy  name  is  dread/id,  says  he. 
The  angels  adore  it,  the  devils  ti'emble  at  it;  and  shall  only  men 
trample  it  under  foot  without  fear  ?  He  has  fenced  about  the  hou- 
our  of  his  name  with  an  awful  hedge,  Dent,  xxviii.  58,  59,  "  If  thou 
wilt  not  observe  to  do  all  the  words  of  this  law  that  are  written  in 
this  book,  that  thou  mayst  fear  this  glorious  and  fearful  name,  the 


142  A  CAVEAT  AGAINST  PROFANE  SWEARINa, 

Lord  thy  Grod  ;  then  the  Lord  will  make  thy  plagues  wonderful,  and 
the  plagues  of  thy  seed,  even  great  plagues,  and  of  long  continuance, 
and  sore  sicknesses,  and  of  long  continuance."  Let  this  terror 
make  men  afraid  to  break  over  this  hedge. 

2.  Ye  are  God's  debtors  for  the  use  of  your  tongue,  and  it  is  your 
glory  that  ye  can  speak  with  it.  Turn  it  not  against  him  who  gave 
it  you,  by  your  ungodly  speeches.  He  gave  you  a  faculty  of  speak- 
ing for  his  own  glory  and  your  comfort :  he  might  have  prevented 
your  swearing,  cursing,  &c.  by  causing  you  to  have  been  born  dumb. 
And  yet  it  is  in  his  hand  when  he  will,  to  take  the  use  of  your 
tongue  from  you  ;  and  so  to  lay  the  swearing  tongue  even  before 
death  lay  it. 

3.  This  is  a  sin  that  debaucheth  the  conscience  in  a  particular 
manner,  razing  out  of  it  any  tolerable  reverence  of  God.  It  is  hard 
to  say,  that  it  is  the  spot  of  God's  children,  Psal.  cxxxix.  20.  Many 
otherwise  loose  men  have  had  a  horror  of,  the  natural  conscience 
startling  at  that  sin  to  which  there  is  so  very  little  temptation. 
But  those  who  are  once  engaged  in  a  course  of  it,  seldom  get  it  laid 
aside :  so  that  whereas  many  who  are  otherwise  very  extravagant  in 
their  youth,  afterwards  take  up  themselves ;  it  is  often  seen  that 
this  grows  grayheaded  with  those  who  have  addicted  themselves 
to  it.  The  custom  in  it  takes  away  the  sense  of  it,  so  that  it  be- 
comes in  a  manner  natural  to  them  :  and  hence  it  comes  out  with 
them,  ere  ever  they  are  aware,  their  tongue  being  so  set  on  swear- 
ing or  cursing  run,  that  it  outruns  the  mind.  A  sad  evidence  of 
a  hardened  heart  and  seared  conscience. 

4.  I  observed  before,  that  it  was  devilish  sin.  I  shall  here  add, 
that  it  is  in  a  peculiar  manner  hellish.  There  are  many  sins  which 
this  life  will  put  an  end  to  ;  there  will  be  no  gluttony,  drunkenness, 
uncleanness,  &c.  in  hell :  but  will  there  be  no  profaning  of  the  holy 
name  nor  cursing  there  ?  Yea,  there  will ;  that  is  a  sin  that  will 
go  along  with  the  cursed  company  to  the  pit,  and  will  be  carried 
to  a  height,  and  carried  on  there.  Rev.  xvi.  21.  And  an  eternity  will 
be  long  enough  to  give  men  their  fill  of  such  speech.  In  the  nature  of 
some  sins  there  is  something  pleasant  to  the  corrupt  nature,  which 
being  mixed  with  the  poisonous  cup,  makes  sinners  greedily  drink  it 
off:  but  cursing  and  swearing  are  in  their  nature  malicious,  and  can 
afford  no  pleasure  even  to  corrupt  nature,  unless  it  arise  from  the 
opening  of  the  mouth  against  the  heavens,  and  natively  come  from 
a  heart  rankled  and  fretted,  which  will  be  the  lot  of  sinners  sig- 
nally in  hell,  where  they  will  weep,  roar,  gnash  their  teeth,  and 
blaspheme. 

5.  It  is  a  sin  that  brings  down  wrath  in  a  special  manner, 


A  CAVEAT  AGAI>"ST  PROFAXE  SWEARIXG.  143 

(1.)  On  a  land,  Hos,  iv.  1,  2,  ''  The  Lord  hath  a  controversy  with 
the  inhabitants  of  the  land,  because  there  is  no  truth,  nor  mercy, 
nor  knowledge  of  God  in  the  land.  By  swearing,  and  lying,  and 
killing,  and  stealing,  and  comniittiug  adultery,  they  break  out,  and 
blood  toucheth  blood.  Jer.  v.  7,  9.  How  shall  I  pardon  thee  for 
this  ?  thy  children  have  forsaken  me,  and  sworn  by  them  that  are 
no  gods.  Shall  I  not  visit  for  these  things  ?  saith  the  Lord  :  and 
shall  not  my  soul  be  avenged  on  such  a  nation  as  this  .?"  It  is  a 
burden  to  the  Spirit  of  God,  to  the  spirits  of  his  people,  and  makes 
a  land  to  mourn,  Jer.  xxiii.  10,  "  Because  of  swearing  the  land 
mournetli."  And  none  needs  doubt  but  the  false  swearing,  the  for- 
swearing, and  profane  swearing  in  common  converse,  in  this  genera- 
tion, will  make  Scotland  mourn.  How  can  a  land  miss  a  flame  of 
wrath,  in  which  are  so  many  tongues  set  on  fire  of  hell  ? 

(2.)  On  families,  to  consume  and  root  them  out  from  the  earth, 
Zech.  V.  3,  4,  "  This  is  the  curse  that  goeth  forth  over  the  face  of 
the  whole  earth  :  for  every  one  that  stealeth,  shall  be  cut  oif  as  on 
this  side,  according  to  it :  and  every  one  that  sweareth,  shall  be  cut 
off  as  on  that  side,  according  to  it.  I  will  bring  it  forth,  saith  the 
Lord  of  hosts,  and  it  shall  enter  into  the  house  of  the  thief,  and  into 
the  house  of  him  that  sweareth  falsely  by  my  name  :  and  it  shall 
remain  in  the  midst  of  his  house,  and  shall  consume  it,  with  the  tim- 
ber thereof,  and  the  stones  thereof."  It  brings  a  curse  that  a  house 
cannot  long  stand  under.  And  therefore  masters  of  families  should 
take  heed  to  themselves,  and  to  children  and  servants  addicted  to 
this  sin,  as  to  those  who  would  bring  down  the  house  about  their  ears. 
Many  times  things  go  wrong  not  for  want  of  diligence,  but  there  is 
a  secret  curse  upon  this  and  other  sins  that  blasts  them. 

(3.)  On  the  particular  persons ;  on  their  bodies,  Dent,  xxviii.  58, 
59,  forecited.  On  their  souls  too.  See  the  text.  Will  idle  words 
ruin  men  for  ever  ?  how  much  more  profane  swearing  and  cursing 
words  ?  Have  pity  on  your  own  souls,  and  sacrifice  them  not  to  a 
wicked  tongue.  Remember  the  rich  man  in  hell,  whose  tongue  was 
tormented  in  that  flame.  Heavy  judgments  have  been  before  the 
world  inflicted  on  such  persons,  Psal.  Ixiv.  7 — 9,  "  God  shall  shoot 
at  them  with  a  arrow,  suddenly  shall  they  be  wounded.  So  they 
shall  make  their  own  tongue  to  fall  upon  themselves  :  all  that  see 
them,  shall  flee  away.  And  all  men  shall  fear,  and  shall  declare 
the  work  of  God ;  for  they  shall  wisely  consider  of  his  doing." 

6.  As  it  is  a  scandalous  sin,  so  it  is  especially  a  scandal,  i.  e.  a 
stumbling  block,  to  the  rising  generation.  It  was  heavy  to  Nehe- 
miah,  chap.  xiii.  24,  25.  but  he  soon  saw  where  the  blame  lay.  And 
is  it  not  lamentable  to  hear  young  ones  among  us,  as  they  begin  to 


144  A  CAVEAT  AOAINST  PROPANE  SWEARING. 

speak,  to  begin  to  curse  and  swear;  and  as  tliey  grow  in  years,  to 
grow  in  this  hellish  art  ?  How  do  they  learn  it  but  from  the  elder 
people  ?  They  learn  to  curse  and  swear  at  those  who  learn  them  to 
speak,  at  their  fathers  and  mothers,  or  profane  servants,  or  young 
ones  like  themselves,  who  learn  it  at  home.  Thus  these  sinners 
transmit  their  sin  from  generation  to  generation ;  and  when  ye  shall 
be  dead  and  gone,  the  cursing  and  swearing  set  afoot  by  you  shall 
remain  and  be  going  on  ;  and  consequently  your  guilt  shall  be  in- 
creased after  ye  are  away. 

7.  Tour  tongue  shall  either  be  for  ever  praising  God  in  heaven, 
or  blaspheming  in  hell.  I  beseech  you  soberly  consider,  whether 
going  on  in  a  course  of  cursing  and  swearing,  you  look  likest  to  have 
the  one  or  the  other  for  your  lot.  Is  it  a  preparation  for  heaven 
or  for  hell  ? 

8.  To  forbear  cursiug,  swearing,  and  profaning  the  name  of  God, 
is  but  a  small  attainment  in  religion.  Some,  by  their  education, 
who  never  yet  had  saving  grace,  have  been  kept  free  from  these 
things.  And  the  reforming  thereof  will  but  bring  you  out  from 
among  the  number  of  the  profane.  If  it  is  such  a  matter  for  you  to 
reform  in  that  point,  which  is  but  in  the  outward  man  ;  what  way 
will  ye  come  to  reform  the  heart-lusts  that  belong  to  the  inner  man? 
But  ye  must  have  pure  hearts  and  clean  hands  too,  else  ye  will  never 
see  heaven. 

9.  Lastly,  Consider  the  life  and  death  of  Jesus,  both  which  were 
for  glorifying  that  name,  which  ye  profane.  His  speech  was  venly, 
verily,  i.  e.  truly,  truly.  All  his  life-time  he  was  blasphemed,  and 
particularly  by  the  thief  on  the  cross,  which  was  a  part  of  his  suf- 
ferings.  Why  will  ye  go  on  thus  to  crucify  the  Lord  of  glory  afresh  ? 

Now  I  shall  endeavour  to  obviate  some  shifts,  whereby  sinners 
endeavour  to  sooth  themselves,  and  ward  off  conviction  and  serious 
thoughts  of  reformation  in  this  point. 

1.  These  things  are  very  common  ;  and  there  are  few  that  have 
not  an  use  of  some  of  them  :  therefore  we  need  not  think  so  much  of 
them. 

Ans.  The  more  common  the  worse,  as  the  diseases  are  which  turn 
epidemic.  God  commands  you  to  turn  back  from  following  the 
multitude,  which  are  in  conspiracy  against  him,  trampling  on  his 
laws,  Exod.  xxiii.  2.  And  men  must  either  cease  to  sin  with  the 
multitude,  or  perish  with  them,  Matth.  vii.  13  ;  Rev.  iii.  4.  If  it  be 
ill  with  you,  ye  think  it  will  be  ill  with  many  a  one ;  and  so  it  will. 
But  it  will  be  no  comfort  to  go  to  hell  with  company,  if  we  may  be- 
lieve the  rich  man  there,  Luke  xvi.  If  men  think  that,  going  to 
hell  by  troops,  they  will  be  conquerors,  and  not  sufferers,  they  will 
be  wretchedly  disappointed. 


A  CAVEAT  AGAINST  PROPANE  SWEARING.  145 

2.  But  several  good  people  have  an  use  of  these  things ;  and  we 
find  Peter  cursed  and  swore. 

Ans.  Peter  under  a  violent  fit  of  temptation  fell  into  that  snare, 
and  with  the  same  breath  denied  his  part  in  Christ :  but  he  repented 
bitterly  for  it,  and  reformed.  Do  ye  so  too,  and  ye  shall  do  well. 
There  are  many  whom  the  world  counts  good  people,  whom  God  ne- 
ver counted  so.  You  may  see  how  the  heart-searching  God  reckons 
in  this  case,  Psal.  cxxxix.  20.  "  They  speak  against  thee  wickedly, 
and  thine  enemies  take  thy  name  in  vain."  Psal.  x.  7-  His  mouth  is 
full  of  cursing.  If  there  be  any  such  good  people,  ye  have  much  to 
reckon  for  that  pick  out  their  blemishes,  and  follow  them ;  and  they 
also  have  much  to  account  for,  who  lay  a  stumbling-block  before  the 
blind.  But  it  is  God's  word,  and  not  men's  practice,  that  is  the 
rule  of  our  life,  and  that  we  will  be  judged  by,  1  Cor.  xi.  1.  Be  ^/e 
followers  of  me,  says  the  apostle,  even  as  I  also  am  of  Christ. 

3.  We  have  no  ill  in  our  minds,  when  we  use  these  words ;  they 
just  come  out  rashly. 

Ans,  111  words  are  certainly  the  product  of  an  ill  heart,  Matth. 
xii.  34 ;  Mark  vii.  21,  22.  But  alas  !  most  men  are  strangers  to  the 
ill  of  their  hearts,  Isa.  xliv.  20.  They  that  murdered  Christ's  dis- 
ciples, John  xvi.  and  Saul,  1  Sam.  xv.  when  he  spared  Agag,  and 
the  cattle  of  the  Amalekites,  might  have  pretended  they  had  no  ill 
in  their  minds ;  yet  the  former  were  murderers,  and  the  latter  a  re- 
bel to  God.  It  is  God's  law,  and  not  men's  designs,  that  is  the  rule 
of  their  words  and  actions.  The  tongue  is  an  unruly  member,  and 
they  that  speak  rashly  with  it,  cannot  speak  well.  Ye  are  obliged 
to  watch  it,  and  bridle  it.  This  was  David's  practice,  Psal.  xxxix. 
1.  "  I  said,  I  will  take  heed  to  my  ways,  that  I  sin  not  with  my 
tongue :  I  will  keep  my  mouth  with  a  bridle,  while  the  wicked  is 
before  me."  Your  rashness  is  your  sin,  and  one  sin  will  not  excuse 
another.  Good  Moses  was  kept  out  of  Canaan  for  his  rash  speak- 
ing, Psal.  cvi.  31,  32.  They  spoke  rashly  who  made  excuses  for  not 
coming  to  the  marriage  of  the  King's  son,  Luke  xiv. ;  and  see  the 
effect  of  it,  ver.  24.  I  say  unto  you,  that  none  of  those  men  which  were 
hidden,  shall  taste  of  my  supper.  Let  the  awe  of  God  be  on  your 
hearts,  and  it  will  prcA^ent  that  rashness. 

4.  But  what  matter  of  the  devil's  name  how  it  be  used  ?  sure  it  is 
not  holy. 

Ans.  He  is  the  enemy  of  God,  and  our  soul's  enemy ;  and  an  in- 
tercommuned  spirit,  whom  wo  are  not  allowed  to  speak  to  without  a 
special  call.  How  then  dare  men  adventure  to  call  on  him  to  do 
this  or  that,  as  to  take  themselves  or  others  ?  and  in  their  words  to 
give  things  to  him,  as  if  it  were  a  bit,  as  Devil  a  bit.  Fiend  a  bit  ? 


146  A  CAVEAT  AGAINST  PROFANE  SWEAHING. 

It  is  known  this  is  the  very  thing  he  seeks  from  his  drudges,  that 
they  call  him  to  do  this  or  that  for  them ;  and  that  they  offer  him 
something,  be  it  ever  so  little.  But  the  love  and  fear  of  God  would 
teach  you,  that  "  Their  sorrows  shall  be  multiplied,  that  hasten  af- 
ter another  god ;  and  that  you  should  not  take  up  their  names  into 
your  lips,"  Psal.  xvi.  4. 

5.  "Well,  it  is  but  seldom  I  fall  into  these  things. 

Ans.  Now  and  then  sinning  will  cost  everlasting  destruction,  if 
repentance  prevent  it  not.  You  are  allowed  no  time  for  these 
things,  but  they  are  forbidden  you  always.  But  a  common  swearer 
getting  grace  to  repent  and  reform,  is  in  the  way  of  salvation,  while 
the  man  that  sees  no  need  of  repentance,  because  he  is  but  seldom 
guilty,  will  perish.  Stop  however  in  time,  lest  your  seldom  turned 
to  ordinary,  be  turned  to  a  confirmed  custom. 

6.  But  all  these  tilings  are  but  words,  and  we  hope  God  will  not 
be  so  severe  for  words. 

Ans.  It  is  a  sad  hope  that  is  kept  up  over  the  belly  of  God's 
truth.  Here  is  God's  word,  Matth.  xii.  37.  By  thy  words  thou  shalt 
he  condemned.  Must  not  either  God's  word  or  your  hope  fall  then  ? 
Read  the  doom  of  such  good  hopers,  Deut.  xxis.  19,  20.  "And  it 
come  to  pass,  when  he  heareth  the  words  of  this  curse,  that  he  bless 
himself  in  his  heart,  saying,  I  shall  have  peace,  though  I  walk  in 
the  imagination  of  mine  heart,  to  add  drunkenness  to  thirst :  the 
Lord  will  not  spare  him,  but  then  the  anger  of  the  Lord,  and  his 
jealousy  shall  smoke  against  that  man,  and  all  the  curses  that  are 
written  in  this  book  shall  lie  upon  him,  and  the  Lord  shall  blot  out 
his  name  from  under  heaven."  And  that  ye  may  assure  yourselves, 
God  will  be  as  severe  for  these  things,  as  it  is  said  of  him  from  the 
word,  see  Zech.  v.  2,  3.  "  And  he  said  unto  me,  "What  seest  thou  ? 
And  I  answered,  I  see  a  flying  roll ;  the  length  thereof  is  twenty 
cubits,  aud  the  breadth  thereof  ten  cubits.  Then  said  he  unto  me, 
This  is  the  curse  that  goeth  forth  over  the  face  of  the  whole  earth : 
for  every  one  that  stealeth,  shall  be  cut  off  as  on  this  side,  accor- 
ding to  it;  and  every  one  that  sweareth,  shall  be  cut  off  as  on  that 
side,  according  to  it."     Compare  1  Kings  vi.  3. 

7.  I  neither  curse  nor  swear,  but  when  I  am  provoked. 

Ans.  (1.)  Where  is  your  patience,  in  which  ye  are  called  to  pos- 
sess your  souls?  Luke  xxi.  19.  The  proper  season  of  exercising  it 
is  when  ye  are  provoked.  Will  it  excuse  your  cursing  and  swear- 
ing, that  in  the  first  place  ye  cast  ofl^  patience?  (2.)  I  hope  it  is 
not  God  who  provokes  you,  is  it  ?  "Will  a  man  tear  his  own  flesh, 
or  stab  his  dearest  friend  to  the  heart,  because  an  enemy  j)rovokes 
him  ?     Yet  you  will  set  your  mouths  against  the  heavens,  because  a 


A  CAVEAT  AGAINST  PROFANE  SWEARING,  147 

fellow-worm  disobliges  yon.  However,  if  men  will  curse  and  swear, 
being  provoked,  they  may  assure  themselves  that  God  will  destroy 
them  for  it,  being  provoked  with  their  cursing  and  swearing,  Jer.  v. 
7,  9.  forecitcd. — But  flesh  and  blood  is  not  able  to  abide  the  pro- 
vocations I  meet  with.  Ans.  Flesh  and  blood  shall  not  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  God.  They  are  flesh  and  blood  as  well  as  ye,  that  bear 
great  provocations. 

8.  I  have  got  a  custom  of  it,  and  it  is  out  with  me  ere  ever  I  am 
aware. 

Ans.  The  greater  is  your  sin  that  you  have  a  custom  of  it.  You 
are  like  those,  Jer.  ix.  5,  "  They  have  taught  their  tongue  to  speak 
lies,  and  weary  themselves  to  commit  iniquity."  Surely  ye  were  not 
born  cursing  and  swearing  as  breathing  :  but  ye  have  learned  it. 
Ye  learned  that  custom  at  the  instigation  of  the  devil ;  unlearn  it 
again  at  God's  call.  Is  not  that  thief,  that  murderer,  that  has  got 
a  custom  of  it,  esteemed  by  you  the  worst  of  .thieves  and  juurderers  ? 
And  are  not  you  who  have  got  a  custom  of  cursing  and  swearing, 
the  worst  of  cursers  and  swearers  ?  How  dreadful  must  your  case 
be,  and  how  like  the  devil,  to  whom  it  is  become  just  natural  to  pro- 
fane the  holy  name  !  Look  to  it  in  time,  for  it  is  next  door  to  a 
desperate  case.  Some  have  died  cursing  and  swearing,  the  thief  on 
the  cross  blaspheming,  others  roaring  out  horrid  oaths.  Now  what 
do  ye  know  but  ye  may  die  roving,  without  the  exercise  of  your 
judgment  ?  Would  it  be  any  thing  strange,  that  ye  who  have  a 
custom  of  cursing  and  swearing,  should  in  that  case  go  ofl'  the  world, 
speaking  according  to  your  custom  ? 

9.  But  it  is  no  sooner  out  but  I  regret  it,  I  repent  of  it. 

Ans.  But  do  ye  reform  it  ?  Ye  regret  it ;  so  did  Pharaoh,  so  did 
Judas  ;  but  they  mended  not,  till  they  were  ended  ;  and  so  I  doubt 
many  in  hell  this  day  are  regretting  what  they  did  and  spoke  on 
earth.  Ye  repent  of  it  but  still  ye  go  back  with  the  dog  to  the 
vomit,  and  with  the  sow  that  was  washed,  to  her  wallowing  in  the 
mire.  What  repentance  is  that  ?  Hearken  to  the  call  of  God, 
Ezek.  xviii.  30,  31,  "  Therefore  I  will  judge  you,  0  house  of  Israel, 
every  one  according  to  his  ways,  saith  the  Lord  God  :  repent,  and 
turn  yourselves  from  all  your  transgressions ;  so  iniquity  shall  not 
be  your  ruin.  Cast  away  from  you  all  your  transgressions,  whereby 
ye  have  transgressed,  and  make  you  a  new  heart,  and  a  new  spirit ; 
for  why  will  ye  die,  0  house  of  Israel  ?"  It  is  a  sad  sign,  that  it 
has  never  been  bitter  enough  to  you  to  this  day  ;  and  ye  may  even 
say  with  the  drunkard,  Prov.  xiii.  tdt.  "  They  have  stricken  me, 
and  I  was  not  sick  ;  they  have  beaten  me,  and  I  felt  it  not :  when 
shall  I  awake  ?  I  will  seek  it  yet  again." 


148  A  CAVEAT  AGAINST  PROFANE  SWEARING. 

10.  Lastly,  I  have  often  resolved  against  it,  but  I  find  I  cannot 
help  it. 

Am.  It  seems  you  have  never  struck  at  the  root  of  it,  the  sin  of 
your  nature,  Psal.  xxxvi.  1.  Ye  have  never  gone  about  it  in  faith, 
Psal.  cxli.  3.  But,  withal,  the  abstaining  from  profaning  the  holy 
name  of  God,  by  cursing  and  swearing,  and  reforming  a  custom  of 
that,  is  but  an  act  of  moral  discipline,  not  beyond  the  power  of  a 
natural  man.  I  make  no  question,  but  a  sixpence  for  every  oath 
would  at  length  carry  you  over  that  custom.  But  be  it  so,  that  you 
cannot  help  it :  I  ask  you,  whether  or  no  you  desire  to  have  it 
helped  ?     And  so  I  close  with  some  directions. 

1.  Go  to  Christ  in  the  way  of  believing,  that  he  may  help  it, 
1  Tim.  i.  13,  14.  There  is  help  in  Christ  for  it:  there  is  fulness 
of  merit  in  him  to  remove  the  guilt  of  it,  and  of  the  Spirit  to  re- 
move the  power  of  it.  He  is  lifted  up  on  the  pole  of  the  gospel  to 
be  looked  to  for  the  justification  of  our  persons,  and  sanctification  of 
our  natures.  There  is  virtue  in  him  for  curing  us  of  all  our  heart 
and  life  plauges,  those  running  sores  not  excepted,  which  have 
spurned  all  other  remedies.  Mind  the  woman  in  the  gospel,  of  whom 
it  is  said,  Luke  viii.  43,  44.  "  And  a  woman  having  an  issue  of  blood 
twelve  years,  which  had  spent  all  her  living  upon  physicians,  neither 
could  be  healed  of  any,  came  behind  him,  and  touched  the  border, 
of  his  garment :  and  immediately  her  issue  of  blood  stanched."  He 
is  the  great  Physician,  and  heals  all  diseases  of  the  soul,  Psal.  ciii. 
3.  No  disease  is  the  reproach  of  this  Physician.  He  is  by  office 
Saviour  of  the  world,  and  your  Saviour,  1  John  iv.  14.  and  he  saves 
those  who  employ  him  from  their  sins,  Matth.  i.  21.  And  it  is  your 
following  other  methods  of  cure,  and  not  going  to  Christ  by  faith  for 
it,  that  makes  that  running  sore  in  you  seem  incurable.  For  all 
other  means  but  the  blood  and  Spirit  of  Christ  applied  by  faith 
serve  but  to  skin  over  the  sore,  after  which  it  is  ready  to  break  out 
again. 

Quest.  How  should  I  make  use  of  Christ  in  the  way  of  believing 
for  the  remedy  of  this  evil  ? 

Alls.  (1.)  Believe  that  he  is  held  forth  and  offered  to  you  in  the 
gospel  with  all  his  salvation,  and  particularly  his  salvation  from  that 
sin,  Isa.  xlv.  22.  "  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved,  ail  the  ends  of  the 
earth  :  for  I  am  God,  and  there  is  none  else."  This  is  the  constant 
voice  of  the  gospel,  Rev.  xxii.  17.  "  And  the  Spirit  and  the  bride 
say,  Come.  And  let  him  that  heareth,  say.  Come,  and  let  him  that 
is  athirst,  come  :  And  whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life 
freely."  Jesus  Christ  crucified  is  by  the  appointment  of  God  the 
great  ordinance  of  heaven  for  the  sanctification  of  sinners,  and  heal- 

9 


A  CAVEAT  AGAINST  PilOFANE  SWEARING.  149 

ing  them  of  all  spiritual  plagues  ;  being  made  of  God  unto  them 
sanctification,  1  Cor.  i.  30. 

(2  )  Trust  on  hiru  for  his  whole  salvation,  upon  the  ground  of  the 
divine  faithfulness  plighted  in  the  promise.  Believe  that  he  will  by 
his  grace  save  you  from  all  your  guilt,  and  all  four  sin,  and  that  in 
particular.  This  has  the  promise  of  salvation,  Acts  xvi.  31.  "Be- 
lieve on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved."  Not  only 
kept  out  of  hell  hereafter,  but  immediately  on  your  believing  saved 
rom  all  your  spiritual  plagues  whatsoever;  so  that  the  guilt  of 
eternal  wrath  shall  no  more  lie  on  you  for  them,  nor  the  reigning 
power  of  them  be  any  more  unbroken.  The  ground  of  this  confi- 
dence you  have,  John  iii.  16.  "  Whosoever  believeth  in  him,  shall 
not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  But  this  trust  must  be  on 
him  for  all  :  for  faith  looks  to  Christ  for  his  whole  salvation. 

(3.)  Make  use  of  the  means  of  reformation  in  the  faith  of  the  pro- 
mise, 2  Tim.  ii.  1.  "Be  strong  in  the  grace  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus." 
The  promise  you  have,  Micah  vii.  19.  "  He  will  turn  again,  he  will 
have  compassion  upon  us  :  he  will  subdue  our  iniquities  :  and  thou 
wilt  cast  all  their  sins  into  the  depths  of  the  sea."  To  use  the 
means  without  taking  along  the  faith  of  the  promise  is  atheistical : 
To  pfetend  to  believe  the  promise  without  care  of  using  the  means 
is  presumptuous.     Now  the  proper  means  may  be  these. 

2.  Labour  to  impress  your  hearts  deeply  with  a  sense  of  the  ill 
of  these  things.  You  have  heard  much  about  them.  Be  so  just  to 
your  own  souls  as  to  consider  the  matter  impartially.  Weigh  your 
profanations  of  the  holy  name,  iVc.  in  the  balance  of  the  word.  They 
will  never  rightly  reform  that  see  not  the  ugly  nature  of  their  sin. 

3.  Devote  your  hearts,  lips,  and  lives  to  the  Jjord,  1  Cor.  vi.  ult. 
Learn  to  use  your  tongues  for  God,  and  his  honour  in  the  world : 
for  they  who  use  them  not  for  him,  can  hardly  miss  to  use  them 
against  them.     There  is  no  neutrality  in  that  case. 

4  Labour  to  get  your  hearts  possessed  habitually  with  dread  and 
reverence  of  the  majesty  of  God  ;  and  with  a  due  value  for  your  own 
souls,  and  love  to  your  neighbour.  The  former  will  keep  you  from  pro- 
fane swearing,  &c. ;  and  the  latter  from  cursing  yourselves  or  others. 

5.  Watch  and  pray.  Keep  a  guard  over  your  tongues,  and  lift 
up  your  hearts  to  the  Lord,  in  the  language  of  David,  Psal.  csli.  3. 
"  Set  a  watch,  0  Lord,  before  my  mouth,  keep  the  door  of  my  lips." 
Be  not  rash  to  speak,  but  consider  before  hand. 

6.  Lafttly,  Set  about  the  reformation  of  your  whole  life  at  once. 
Put  all  the  idols  to  the  door  at  once,  as  thieves  and  robbers,  else 
those  remaining  will  open  the  door  to  those  which  ye  put  out.  Guard 
against  passion,  be  meek  and  calm. 

YOL.  Y.  L 


•  THE 

DISTINGUISHING     CHARA.CTERS 

OF 

TRUE    BELIEVERS. 


IV.  m  RELATION  TO  THEIR  MEEKNESS,  AS  AN"  EVIDENCE  OF  GREAT  UN- 
DERSTANDING, AND  THE  FOLLY  OE  PASSIONATENESS.* 

Proverbs  xiv.  29. 

He  that  is  slow  to  lurath  is  of  great  understanding :  but  he  that  is  hasty 

of  spirit,  exalteth  folly. 

There  is_a  great  affinity  betwixt  sinful  anger,  and  cursing,  swear- 
ing, profanation  of  the  name  of  God.  It  is  the  mother,  and  they  are 
the  daughters  ordinarily  ;  though  in  all  it  does  not  bring  them  forth, 
yet  they  are  hardly  to  be  found  with  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit. 

The  scope  of  these  words  is  to  beat  down  sinful  anger,  a  common 
evil,  producing  much  mischief.     And  in  them, 

1.  There  is  the  excellency  of  meekness.  Meekness  is  the  bridle 
of  anger  or  wrath;  the  meek  man  is  slow  to  [Heb.  o/]  turath.  He 
is  one  that  does  not  soon  take  offence,  and  keeps  such  a  command 
over  his  passion,  that  it  does  not  unreasonably  and  violently  break 
out,  breaking  up  as  it  were  the  doors  of  his  soul  and  flying  forth 
and  raging.  The  excellency  of  this  is,  that  such  a  one  is  an  under- 
standing man,  of  great  understanding.  Worldly  men,  whose  pride 
and  passion  is  to  them  instead  of  law  and  reason,  count  such  a  one  a 
poor  mean-spirited,  silly  man,  that  does  not  understand  himself; 
for  that  when  he  receives  an  injury,  he  does  not  presently  take  fire 
and  resent  it :  but  as  the  understanding,  so  the  wisdom  of  the  world 
is  foolishness  with  God ;  and  the  woidd's  fool  is  God's  wise  man. 

2.  The  mischief  of  passionateness,  and  the  evil  thereof.  The  pas- 
sionate man  is  hasty  of  spirit ;  his  passion  runs  before  his  reason. 
The  original  calls  him  short,  or  cutted  of  spirit.  He  is  so  far  from 
being  slow  to  wrath,  that  his  spirit  finds  a  short  way  to  it.  His 
fiery  spirit  is  as  tinder  to  every  spark  of  provocation,  and  at  one 

*   This  subject  was  handled  at  Ettrick  in  October,  1724. 


THE  WISDOM  OF  MEEKKESS.  151 

step  is  forward  in  the  midst  of  wrath  or  sinful  anger.  The  ill  of 
this  is  that  he  eralts,  or  lifts  up  his  own  folly  like  a  standard,  making 
it  visible  to  all  about  hira.  He  thinks  by  that  means  to  proclaim 
his  worth,  and  make  others  stand  in  awe  of  him  :  but  in  very  deed  he 
proclaims  his  folly,  that  is,  his  sinfulness,  corruption,  naughtiness, 
and  wickedness. 

So  here  anger  is  held  forth  as  a  passion  dangerous  and  difficult  to 
manage,  which  the  wise  will  therefore  be  loath  to  venture  into,  and 
when  they  are  in,  will  labour  to  keep  a  bridle  upon  ;  but  fools 
rashly  venture  on,  and  let  loose  the  bridle  to  it,  and  in  it. 

The  text  gives  a  foundation  for  the  following  doctrines. 

DocT.  I.  The  man  that  is  slow  of  wrath  or  anger,  shews  great  wis- 
dom and  understanding  in  his  meek  and  peaceable  disposition  and 
deportment. 

DocT.  II.  The  passionate  man  proclaims  his  folly  and  naughtiness 
in  his  unbridled  passion  and  sinful  anger. 

I  shall  handle  each  doctrine  in  order. 

DocT.  I.  The  man  that  is  slow  of  wrath  or  anger,  sheAvs  great  wis- 
dom and  understanding  in  his  meek  and  peaceable  disposition  and 
deportment. 

In  discoursing  from  this  doctrine,  I  shall, 

I.  Consider  the  nature  of  wrath  or  anger  in  general, 

II.  Shew  what  it  is  to  be  slow  of  wrath. 

III.  In  AFhat  respects  he  that  is  slow  of  wrath  is  of  great  under- 
standing. 

lY.  Make  some  improvement. 

I.  I  am  to  consider  the  nature  of  wrath  or  anger  in  general. 
Anger  or  wrath  is  a  passion  which  is  not  of  itself  sinful,  but  is  either 
good  or  ill  as  it  is  regulated :  and  so  it  differs  from  fretting,  mur- 
muring, and  envy,  Avhich  can  never  be  good  or  allowable  in  any  case. 
This  is  evident  from  the  scripture's  attributing  anger  or  wrath  to 
God.  "We  find  it  in  Christ,  Mark  iii.  5.  He  looked  round  about  him 
with  anger.  So  that  without  question  there  is  an  allowable  and  holy 
anger.  Such  was  that  of  Moses,  of  whom  it  is  said,  that,  on  his  des- 
cent from  the  mountain,  when  he  saw  the  calf  and  the  dancing,  his 
anger  wcued  hot,  Exod.  xxiii.  26.  And  this  is  our  duty,  Eph.  iv.  26. 
Be  ye  angry,  and  sin  not.  But  such  is  the  corruption  of  man's  nature, 
that  wlien  this  passion  riscth  in  his  breast,  it  is  exceedingly  hard  to 
keep  it  within  bounds,  and  rarely  is  it  that  it  overflows  not  the 
banks.  Therefore  the  apostle  exhorts,  that  all  ivrath  and  anger  be 
put  away,  Eph.  iv.  31. 

1,2 


152  THE  WISDOM  OF  MEEKNESS. 

Anger  is  like  a  fire,  that  is  a  good  servant,  but  an  ill  master.  It 
is  a  servant  to  the  meek,  but  a  master  to  the  passionate.  Tlie 
passion  of  anger  is  like  wind  to  the  ship :  so  is  it  to  the  soul  called 
to  steer  its  course  to  Immanuel's  land. 

1.  If  there  be  a  dead  calm,  and  the  winds  blow  not  at  all,  or  very 
weakly,  the  ship  does  not  make  way.  And  if  men  be  so  stupid,  in- 
dolent, and  unconcerned,  that  their  spirits  will  not  stir  in  them, 
whatever  dishonour  they  see  done  to  God,  these  are  standing  still  in 
the  way  to  heaven.  And  many  such  there  be,  who  are  all  fire  in 
their  own  matters,  but  in  those  of  God,  their  hearts  are  dead  like  a 
stone.  And  if  their  hearts  on  such  occasions  stir  in  them,  but  very 
weakly,  they  are  making  but  little  progress.  Such  was  the  case  of 
Eli :  His  sons  made  themselves  vile,  and  he  restrained  them  not,  1  Sam. 
iii.  13.  It  was  not  so  with  Paul  :  for  his  spirit  ivas  stirred  in  him, 
when  he  saw  the  city  [Athens]  wholli/  given  to  idolatry.  Acts  xvii.  16. 

2.  If  the  wind  is  brisk  enough  but  yet  is  contrary,  the  ship  will 
at  best  have  much  ado  with  it,  and  may  be  driven  into  a  shore  which 
the  crew  desired  not  to  see.  So  if  men's  anger  be  in  itself  sinful,  if 
their  anger  burn  against  Avhat  is  good  and  just,  against  their  own 
mercy,  their  duty,  such  things  or  persons  as  are  for  their  real  good, 
as  the  Jews'  wrath  was  against  Christ,  his  apostles,  and  their  doct- 
rine ;  such  anger  cannot  fail  of  an  unhappy  event,  driving  the  soul 
into  much  sin,  and  driving  at  length  into  destruction,  if  that  wind  do 
not  turn,  and  they  change  their  course.  This  was  the  case  of  the 
Jews,  of  whom  the  apostle  says,  1  Thess.  ii.  15,  16,  "  Who  hath 
killed  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  their  own  prophets,  and  have  persecuted 
us ;  and  they  please  not  God,  and  are  contrary  to  all  men :  forbid- 
ding us  to  speak  to  the  Gentiles,  that  they  might  be  saved,  to  fill  up 
their  sins  alway ;  for  the  wrath  is  come  upon  them  to  the  uttermost." 

3.  Though  the  wind  be  not  contrary,  yet  if  it  be  too  impetuous 
and  violent,  it  may  dash  the  ship  on  rocks,  and  split  it.  So  though 
men's  anger  may  have  a  just  ground,  yet  if  it  prove  excessive  and 
boisterous,  it  may  run  men  headlong  into  great  mischiefs,  to  the  dis- 
honour of  God,  and  ruin  of  themselves  and  others.  And  therefore 
Jacob  thus  censures  that  of  Simeon  and  Levi,  Gen.  xlix.  7-  "  Cursed 
be  their  anger,  for  it  was  fierce ;  and  their  wrath,  for  it  was  cruel : 
I  will  divide  them  in  Jacob,  and  scatter  them  in  Israel."  Oft-times 
reason  lets  in  anger  into  one's  breast ;  but  then  anger  turns  out  rea- 
son to  the  door,  and  carries  on  all  precipitantly  without  reason  or 
discretion :  like  one  that  brings  in  a  coal  to  his  hearth,  because  of 
the  cold,  but  unwarily  lets  it  fall  on  tow,  which  sets  the  house  on 
fire. 

The  ingredients  of  anger  are  these  following. 


THE  WISDOM  OF  MEEKNESS.  153 

1.  A  commotion  or  trouble  of  the  spirit,  which  ariseth  from  an 
apprehension  of  an  injury.  The  injury  apprehended  strikes  on 
men's  spirit,  and  disturbs  its  repose.  And  many  times  the  sinful- 
ness of  it  riseth  here,  that  there  is  an  injury  apprelieuded  where 
there  is  none,  or  it  is  apprehended  to  be  greater  than  it  really  is. 
In  both  cases  it  is  rash  anger;  hence  our  Lord  says,  Matth.  v.  22. 
"  Whosoever  is  angry  with  his  brother  without  a  cause,  shall  be  in 
danger  of  the  judgment :  and  whosoever  shall  say  to  his  brother, 
Raca,  shall  be  in  danger  of  the  council :  but  whosoever  shall  say, 
Thou  fool,  shall  be  in  danger  of  hell  fire."  But  however  it  is,  as  to 
the  cause  of  it,  it  is  according  to  its  name  an  anger,  vexation  or 
trouble  of  spirit,  in  its  nature,  which  a  wise  man  will  be  loath  to 
admit  without  a  good  cause,  2  Pet.  ii.  7- 

2.  Hatred,  which  is  bent  against  the  injury  apprehended,  that 
they  cannot  think  on  it  but  with  detestation.  And  in  respect  of 
this  anger  is  called  indignation.  And  if  the  injury  be  real,  and 
consequently  a  sinful  thing,  and  the  hatred  and  indignation  be  con- 
fined to  it,  the  anger  in  that  case  is  laudable,  so  that  it  keep  due 
proportion  with  the  offence,  2  Cor.  vi.  11.  But  here  again  the  sin- 
fulness of  anger  riseth,  while  like  a  flood-water  it  does  not  only  fill 
the  channel,  but  overflows  the  banks  ;  the  hatred  being  not  only 
directed  against  our  neighbour's  sin  and  offence,  but  his  person, 
whom  we  are  obliged  to  love  as  ourselves,  notwithstanding  of  his 
real  or  apprehended  injuries  to  us,  Matth.  v.  4-1. 

3.  Grief,  for  whosoever  is  angry  is  grieved  too,  Mark  iii.  5.  And 
this  ariseth  from  the  conceived  injury  too  which  is  hated.  But  the 
grief  is  on  the  account  of  the  party,  or  parties  injured ;  and  in  law- 
ful anger  it  is  impartial,  and  goes  as  broad  as  the  injury  goes  :  as 
in  our  Lord's  auger,  he  was  "  grieved  for  the  hardness  of  their 
hearts."  He  was  grieved  for  it  as  an  injury  to  his  Father,  to  him- 
self, and  to  their  own  souls.  And  here  is  another  joint,  at  which 
our  anger  is  often  distorted,  and  becomes  sinful.  The  grief  the 
angry  man  has,  often  looks  only  to  himself  as  slighted,  desj^ised,  and 
wronged ;  upon  that  his  auger  feeds  :  but  he  has  no  regard  to  the 
dishonour  of  God,  nor  to  the  wrong  done  to  the  injurer's  own  soul, 
by  the  injury  to  us. 

4.  A  desire  of  the  vindication  of  the  right  and  honour  of  the  in- 
jured. And  from  this  appetite  or  desire  it  hath  one  of  its  names  in 
the  New  Testament,  oege.  And  this  desire  is  allowable  as  far  as  it 
seeks  what  only  in  a  way  of  justice  and  equity  is  necessary  to  vin- 
dicate the  right  and  honour  of  the  injured,  and  withal  seeks  it  in  an 
orderly  and  allowable  way.  The  meek  desire  that  in  their  anger ; 
but  they  commit  it  to  God  to  whom  it  belongs.     But  here  again  our 

l3 


154  THE  WISDOM  OF  MEEKNESS. 

nger  usually  becomes  sinful ;  partly,  while  that  desire  respects 
only  their  own  right  and  honour,  and  we  have  no  concern  for 
the  vindication  of  the  honour  of  God  and  our  neighbour;  partly, 
while  men  are  bent  on  revenge,  which  is  measured  not  by  the  rule 
of  moderation,  justice,  and  equity,  but  by  the  satisfying  of  an  exor- 
bitant passion  ;  and  partly,  while  men  are  by  it  carried  to  avenge 
themselves,  while  yet  they  have  no  lawful  power,  Rom.  xii.  19. 
whence  come  scoldings,  quarrelings,  beatings,  and  fightings. 

Thus  ye  may  see  that  anger  is  a  passion  uneasy  to  one's  self,  com- 
pounded of  bitter  ingredients  and  uneasy  passions  ;  in  which  one 
walks  on  slippery  ground,  where  he  is  apt  to  fall  headlong. 

II.  I  come  now  to  shew  what  it  is  to  be  slow  of  wrath.  It  im- 
ports these  three  things. 

1.  Being  slow  to  take  up  anger  in  one's  own  cause.  The  wise 
man  is  not  soon  angry,  Prov.  xiv.  17.  It  is  wisdom  indeed  to  be 
very  tender  of  God's  honour,  but  to  be  more  indifferent  about  our 
own  personal  interests,  as  Moses  was.  But  the  world's  way  is  the 
reverse  of  this ;  they  are  lions  in  their  own  cause,  but  lambs  in  the 
matters  of  God.  However,  in  all  cases  the  wise  are  not  rash  with 
their  anger ;  they  consider  matters  duly,  put  a  charitable  construc- 
tion on  actions  that  will  bear  one,  and  put  up  many  offences,  cover- 
ing them  with  a  mantle  of  love. 

2.  Managing  it  warily  when  it  is  taken  up,  being  guided  by  the 
light  of  reason,  and  not  by  the  fire  of  passion.  This  is  to  possess 
themselves,  and  not  to  be  turned  out  of  the  possession  of  themselves 
by  their  passion,  Luke  xxi.  19.  They  find  themselves  on  slippery 
ground,  and  therefore  are  slow  to  their  motions :  they  see  their 
danger,  and  therefore  do  the  rather  watch,  lest  they  be  precipitated 
into  what  will  afterward  bring  them  nothing  but  remorse. 

3.  Being  easy  to  lay  it  down,  Eph.  iv.  26,  27;  easy  to  forgive 
and  forget  injuries,  Matth.  xviii.  22.  The  more  slow  that  anger 
burns,  it  is  the  easier  to  quench,  it  doth  the  easier  die  out.  Thus 
he  who  has  the  rule  over  his  own  spirit,  as  he  manageth  his  anger 
regularly  while  there  is  need  for  it,  ho  shuts  it  out  wheu  there  is  no 
more  use  for  it. 

III.  I  proceed  to  shew  in  what  I'espects  he  that  is  slow  of  wrath 
is  of  great  understanding.  Such  a  one  thereby  shews,  that  he  does 
well  understand, 

1.  His  duty  to  God  his  sovereign  Lord,  Eccl.  v.  2.  If  men  un- 
derstood that,  they  would  not  be  so  ready  to  take  fire  on  every 
temptation.  If  they  considered  that  God  is  the  Judge  of  all  and 
their  Judge,  to  whom  belongs  vengeance ;  that  he  has  by  his  com- 
mand enjoined  them  patience,  long-suffering,  and  forbearance ;  and 


THE  WISDOM  or  MEEKNESS.  155 

tliat  he  is  slow  of  wrath  towards  themselves,  and  that  they  are 
obliged  to  be  followers  of  God  ;  they  would  see  it  their  duty  to  be 
slow  to  anger. 

2.  nimself.  The  passionate  man  thinks  he  will  shew  those  that 
offend  him,  that  he  understands  himself  very  well.  But  our  text 
shews,  that  he  liangs  out  a  sign  at  his  own  door  to  tell  that  a  fool 
dwells  within,  one  wlio  does  not  understand  himself.  If  you  saw 
one  girt  about  with  bags  of  powder  run  in  among  sparks,  you  would 
say  he  did  not  understand  himself.  He  that  is  truly  wise  under- 
stands himself  to  have  a  mass  of  corruption  within  him,  to  be  of  like 
passions  with  others,  that  it  is  very  hard  for  him  to  be  angry  and 
not  sin,  to  bridle  his  passion  sufficiently  if  once  it  get  place ;  and 
therefore  he  is  slow  to  wrath,  as  one  handles  glasses  tenderly  and 
warily,  that  knoAVs  the  nature  of  them. 

3.  Satan's  diligence  and  malice  against  him,  who  will  not  lose  a 
fair  opportunity  for  tripping  up  his  heels.  He  knows  full  well,  that 
that  evil  spirit  will  blow  the  coal  that  he  has  cast  in,  if  so  he  may 
bring  it  to  a  flame,  and  then  say.  Aha,  I  am  ivarm,  Eph.  iv.  26,  27. 
He  understands  that  Satan  seeks  first  to  trouble  the  waters,  and 
then  to  fish  in  the  muddy  flood.  The  passionate  fool  sees  nothing 
of  this,  till  once  he  finds  himself  carried  headlong,  and  afterwards 
comes  to  himself. 

4.  His  real  interest;  that  to  give  up  himself  to  his  passion  is  to 
bring  damage  to  himself,  to  let  in  an  enemy  that  makes  havock  of 
soul  and  body  at  once.  To  see  inhabitants  breaking  down  their 
city,  and  dismantling  it  of  its  walls,  whereby  they  should  be  de- 
fended from  their  enemies,  we  would  say,  they  understood  not  their 
own  interest.  As  little  does  the  man  that  is  hasty  to  wrath  hasty 
in  it,  and  slow  at  laying  it  down.  He  has  no  rule  over  his  own 
spirit,  Prov.  xxv.  ult.  His  passion  masters  his  reason,  and  his  grace 
too,  if  he  have  any :  and  so  the  good  that  is  in  may  go  out,  and  ill 
may  come  in. 

5.  Human  nature,  and  what  metal  fallen  Adam's  sons  and  daugh- 
ters are  of.  He  is  not  surprised  to  meet  with  oftences  among  man- 
kind, more  than  with  midges  flying  about  him  in  the  summer,  or 
frost  and  snow  pinching  him  in  the  winter.  For  as  that  is  the  na- 
ture of  the  seasons,  so  the  other  is  the  nature  of  sinful  mankind. 
He  considers  that  there  is  not  one  among  them  all  to  cast  a  stone  at 
another :  that  as  some  ofl"end  him,  he  offends  others  too ;  and  there- 
fore since  he  needs  forbearance  and  forgiveness,  he  will  give  it  too. 

I  come  now  to  improve  this  subject ;  and  that  in  a  use  of  exhor- 
tation. 

Be  slow  of  wrath,  slow  to  take  up  anger,  wary  in  managing  you 


156  THE  WISDOM  OF  MEEKNESS, 

spirits   when   angry,  and   ready   to    lay  it   down.      For   motives, 
consider, 

1.  It  is  a  heaven-like  disposition,  it  is  a  God-like  and  Christ-like 
temper,  Joel  ii.  13,  "God  is  gracious  and  merciful,  slow  to  anger. 
Matt.  xi.  29,  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart,"  says  Christ.  And 
should  Ave  follow  the  dictates  and  way  of  the  wicked  world,  which 
puts  darkness  for  light?  If  we  bear  the  name  of  Christians,  let  us 
follow  the  example  of  Christ. 

2.  The  comfort  of  society  depends  on  it.  Col.  iii.  13.  0!  what 
disorder  does  the  want  of  this  breed  among  neighbours,  and  in  fa- 
milies !  One  fires  his  train,  another  catches  the  fire  as  flax  or  tow 
would  do,  and  then  the  flame  goes  up ;  and  Satan  finds  his  account 
in  it. 

3.  It  is  necessary  for  a  man's  own  comfort.  The  hasty  man  will 
never  want  wo,  while  he  lives  in  a  sinful  world.  And  what  a  pity 
is  it  that  our  peace  and  quiet  should  lie  at  the  mercy  of  every  one 
who  has  the  ill  disposition  to  give  us  a  provocation  ?  The  meek 
man  will  maintain  his  quiet  over  the  belly  of  these,  and  will  be  happy 
in  bearing  calmly  the  provocation  that  others  are  so  unhappy  as 
to  give. 

4.  It  is  necessary  to  keep  both  one's  self  and  others  from  the 
snare  of  sin.  We  are  to  pray.  Lead  us  'not  into  temptation.  This  is 
a  necessary  mean  thereto,  Prov.  xv.  18,  "  A  wrathful  man  stirreth 
up  strife  :  but  he  that  is  slow  to  anger  appeaseth  strife."  Compare 
Matth.  V.  2,  Blessed  are  the  peace-makers.  He  that  is  slow  to  anger 
keeps  the  bridle  over  his  own  passion,  he  lays  in  no  fuel  to  another's, 
and  so  appeaseth  strife,  as  the  coal  goes  out  when  left  alone  on  the 
hearth. 

5.  Consider  the  authority  of  God  binding  it  on  us.  Jam.  i.  19,  Let 
every  man  he — slow  to  ivrath.  This  is  backed  by  the  authority  and 
example  of  the  Mediator,  who  cast  us  a  copy  for  our  imitation. 
Matth.  xi.  29,  /  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart.  Let  this  double  tie 
serve  to  bind  down  our  spirits  when  they  begin  to  swell  sinfully. 

6.  What  need  we  have  of  the  Lord's  being  slow  to  anger  towards 
us.  Lam.  iii.  22,  23,  "  It  is  of  the  Lord's  mercies  that  we  are  not 
consumed,  because  his  compassions  fail  not.  They  are  new  every 
morning :  great  is  thy  faithfulness."  There  is  no  body  so  frequent, 
so  unreasonable  in  their  provocations  to  us  as  we  towards  him. 
What  should  come  of  us,  if  Heaven  should  fire  against  us  at  every 
provocation  ?  We  should  be  made  to  cry  as  those  unreasonably  did. 
Numb.  xvii.  12,  13,  "  Behold,  we  die,  we  perish,  we  all  perish. 
Whosoever  cometh  any  thing  near  unto  the  tabernacle  of  the  Lord, 
shall  die  :  Shall  we  be  consumed  with  dying  ?"  What  we  need  for 
ourselves,  let  us  use  to  others. 


THE  WISDOM  OF  MEEKNESS.  157 

7.  Lastly,  The  want  of  it  will  provoke  the  Lord  to  anger  against 
us.  Remember  the  servant  in  the  parable,  Matth.  xviii.  33,  34, 
"  Shouldst  not  thou  also  have  had  compassion  on  thy  fellow-servant, 
even  as  I  had  pity  on  thee  ?  And  his  lord  was  wroth,  and  delivered 
hira  to  the  tormentors,  till  he  should  pay  all  that  was  due  unto 
him."  God  is  almighty,  able  to  revenge  every  disobedience ;  yet  is 
slow  to  anger,  Nah.  i.  3.  "We  are  weak,  and  often  can  do  no  more 
than  show  ill-will.  How  then  can  it  miss  to  provoke  the  Lord 
against  us  ? 

But  here  it  is  necessary  to  caution  against  sinful  slackness  to 
anger,  whereby  the  necessary  duties  of  justice  and  charity  come  to 
be  omitted.  It  has  indeed  a  semblance  to  meekness  and  slowness  to 
wrath  :  but  it  is  really  the  rock  on  the  right  hand  of  them,  as  passion 
is  the  rock  on  the  left ;  and  upon  the  one  as  well  as  the  other  the 
ship  of  the  soul  may  be  damaged,  if  it  is  not  dashed  in  pieces.  The 
difference  between  this  slowness  and  sinful  slackness  is,  that  the 
former  proceeds  from  true  wisdom,  as  in  the  text,  viz.  spiritual  and 
heavenly  wisdom,  wrought  in  men  by  the  Spirit,  through  the  word, 
Jam.  iii.  17,  the  latter  from  a  mere  natural  softness  of  temper  which 
we  call  good  humour,  or  from  carnal  wisdom,  in  both  which  the 
principle,  manner,  and  end  of  the  action  are  all  confined  within  the 
circle  of  self,  and  so  cannot  be  acceptable  to  God,  as  they  are  not 
the  product  of  his  sanctifying  Spirit.  And  hence  it  is  that  the  effect 
of  them  is  often,  as  in  this  case,  quite  contrary  to  the  rule  of  the 
word ;  .which  the  effect  of  grace  and  spiritual  wisdom  can  never  be, 
Gal.  V.  22,  23. 

Now,  the  evil  of  this  slackness  lies  in  its  causing  a  criminal  omis- 
sion of  that  duty  Avhich  we  owe  to  God,  and  to  our  neighbour,  either 
by  the  tie  of  justice  or  charity.  Such  was  the  sinful  slackness  of 
Gallio,  Acts  xviii.  17,  of  the  church  of  Corinth  in  not  casting  out 
the  incestuous  person,  1  Cor.  v.  with  2  Cor.  vii.  11,  and  of  Eli  in  not 
restraining  is  sons. 

We  have  need  to  take  heed  how  we  steer  our  course  then,  keep- 
ing off  sinful  passion  on  the  one  hand,  and  sinful  slackness  on  the 
other,  studying  a  Christian  meekness,  a  gracious  slowness  of  wrath, 
whereof  the  new  nature  is  the  principle,  the  word,  the  rule  and  rea- 
son, the  glory  of  God  the  chief  end,  and  faith  the  mean  by  which  we 
come  to  exercise  it.  All  other  meekness  and  slowness  of  wrath,  will 
be  found  but  spurious  meekness  and  slowness,  or  sinful  slackness. 

Therefore  let  us  look  to  Christ  for  the  sanctifying  of  our  nature, 
the  extinguishing  of  the  hellish  fire  of  them  by  his  Spirit  working 
like  water;  let  us  entertain  habitual  impressions  of  the  majesty  of 
God,  the  spirituality  of  the  law,  and  our  own  danger,  on  our  spirits ; 


158  THE  FOLLY  OF  PASSIONATENESS. 

and  labour  to  exercise  this  slowness  to  wrath,  depending  on  Jesus  as 
the  head  of  influences  for  strength. 

DocT.  II.  The  passionate  man  proclaims  his  folly  and  naughtiness 
in  his  unbridled  passion  and  sinful  anger. 

In  discoursing  from  this  doctrine,  I  shall, 

I.  Consider  the  nature  of  passion  or  sinful  anger. 

II.  Shew  how  the  passionate  man  proclaims  his  folly. 

III.  Make  application. 

I.  I  shall  consider  the  nature  of  passion  or  sinful  anger.  And 
that  we  may  understand  it,  let  us  view, 

1.  The  causes  of  it. 

2.  The  kinds  of  it. 

3.  The  effects  of  it. 

First,  Let  us  view  the  causes  constituting  anger,  sinful  anger. 
Anger  then  is  sinful  anger  and  passion. 

1.  When  it  riseth  without  a  just  ground,  having  no  cause  for  it 
assigned  by  grace  or  right  reason  as  just.  Hence  our  Lord  speaks 
of  one's  being  angry  without  a  cause,  Matth.  v.  22.  That  is  either, 
(1.)  without  any  cause  at  all.  The  rush  grows  not  Avithout  mire, 
nor  the  flag  without  water.  But  the  heart  of  man  can  produce 
anger  without  any  cause  given  him.  There  is  a  certain  sourness  of 
spirit  that  sometimes  sits  down  on  men,  whereby  they  are  angry 
while  they  know  not  wherefore.  A  humbling  instance  of  the  cor- 
ruption of  nature.  (2.)  Yainly,  upon  some  light  and  trifling  occa- 
sion, unworthy  of  such  notice.  There  is  no  just  cause  for  it;  but 
the  judgment  is  weak  and  yielding,  and  so  gives  way  to  passion. 

But,  0  !  how  often  do  terrible  flames  arise  from  such  trifling 
sparks,  and  the  waters  which  at  the  beginning  would  hardly  wet 
one's  foot,  or  might  easily  be  stept  over,  come  through  this  rash 
anger  to  overflow  even  to  the  neck?  Prov.  xvii.  14,  "  The  beginning 
of  strife  is  as  when  one  letteth  out  water:  therefore  leave  off  con- 
tention, before  it  be  meddled  with." 

2.  When  it  keeps  no  due  proportion  with  the  offence,  but  in  its 
degree  quite  exceeds  the  measure  of  the  injury  received,  as  in  the 
case  of  Simeon  and  Levi  respecting  the  Shecheniites,  Gen,  xlix.  7. 
forecited,  and  that  of  David  with  regard  to  his  design  against  Nabal, 
1  Sam.  XXV.  34.  compare  ver.  32,  33.  It  must  needs  be  sinful  anger, 
that  turns  men  so  far  out  of  themselves,  as  to  turn  about  their  cart- 
wheel on  the  cumin,  which  might  be  beat  out  with  a  rod.  Men  need 
to  take  good  heed  lest  they  exceed ;  for  when  the  smoke  of  passion 
rises,  men  see  injuries  as  in  a  magnifying  glass  ;  and  being  once  set 
on  the  passionate  run,  are  apt  to  pursue  beyond  bounds. 


THE  FOLLY  OF  PASSIONATENESS.  159 

3.  When  it  is  not  directed  to  the  honour  of  God,  and  the  des- 
truction of  sin  ;  but  is  confined  within  the  cursed  circle  of  self,  Prov. 
xxi.  24,  "  Proud  and  haughty  scorner  is  his  name,  who  dealeth  in 
proud  wrath."  God  is  dislionoured,  as  well  as  the  man  is  wronged: 
but  the  passionate  man  has  no  concern  for  the  former,  but  his  con- 
cern is  swallowed  up  in  the  latter.  So  it  is  a  fire  lighting  on  others, 
just  to  make  them  sacrifices  to  the  pride  and  arrogance  of  a  lofty- 
heart,  which  thinks  nothing  too  much  for  itself,  Prov.  xxviii.  25. 

4.  When  it  makes  no  due  difference  between  the  offender  and  the 
offence,  but  gives  both  one  measure.  It  was  the  corrupt  divinity 
of  the  Pharisees  in  Christ's  time,  Matth.  v.  43.  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbour,  and  hate  thine  enemy."  But  Christ,  who  never  bade  us 
love  but  hate  offences,  and  acts  of  enmity,  will  have  us  nevertheless 
to  love  the  persons  even  of  offenders  and  our  enemies,  ver.  44.  there- 
by showing  that  we  in  our  anger  make  a  great  difference  betwixt 
the  offender  and  the  offence.  But  alas  !  how  little  is  this  regarded, 
but  the  passion  hand  over  head  treats  the  offender  and  the  offence 
alike,  till  they  like  the  one  no  better  than  the  other. 

5.  When  the  effects  of  it  are  sinful.  If  the  fruits  be  sinful,  the 
tree  they  grow  on  must  be  so,  for  the  tree  is  known  by  its  fruit.  The 
effects  of  holy  anger  are  just  and  good  :  but  when  anger  puts  a 
man  so  far  out  of  himself,  that  it  unfits  him  for  his  duty,  or  drives 
him  on  to  revenge,  or  breaks  out  in  clamour  and  evil  speaking,  and 
the  like  ;  it  is  easy  to  see  that  that  fire  is  not  from  the  altar,  but, 
from  another  quarter.  Moses  himself  had  a  fit  of  it,  Psal.  cvi.  33. 
"  They  provoked  his  spirit,  so  that  he  spake  unadvisedly  with  his 
lips."  But  passion  is  never  a  whit  the  better  of  that,  but  the  more 
to  be  feared,  as  a  potent  enemy  which  mastered  so  much  meekness 
for  a  time  as  Moses  was  possessed  of. 

6.  Lastly,  When  it  is  kept  up  and  continued  beyond  due  time, 
contrary  to  the  apostle's  counsel,  Eph.  iv.  26.  Let  not  the  sun  go 
down  upon  your  wrath.  The  keeping  up  of  sinful  anger  is  a  double 
sin.  It  is  sinful  to  admit  it,  it  is  more  so  to  keep  it  up,  and  refuse 
to  let  it  fall.  It  is  not  to  be  thought,  that  it  is  lawful  to  keep  it  up 
till  the  sun  go  down;  for  what  is  sinful  in  its  rise,  must  be  more  so 
in  its  countenance.  But  the  meaning  is  in  these  two  things,  (1.)  As 
the  sun  Avith  his  scorching  heat  hastens  to  go  down,  like  one  running 
a  race,  Psal.  xix.  5.  so  should  we  lay  by  our  passion,  which  comes 
ordinarily  far  sooner  to  a  height  with  us.  (2.)  As  the  sotting  sun 
bringing  on  the  night,  calls  men  to  cast  off  their  clothes,  and  so 
compose  themselves  to  rest ;  so  should  we  timely  put  oflf  this  part  of 
the  old  man,  and  get  our  spirits  composed.  And  particularly  wo 
ought  not  to  lie  down  with  it ;  for  whereas  the  daylight  affords  a 


160  THE  FOLLY  OF  PASSIONATENESS. 

variety  of  objects,  that  may  serve  to  divert  tlie  force  of  passion,  the 
darkness  of  the  night  hides  all  these,  and  leaves  the  fiery  spirit  to 
feed  on  that  allenary,  which  raised  it.  So  it  gets  leave  to  range 
through  the  several  methods  of  revenge,  Psal.  xxxiv.  4. 

Secondli/,  Let  us  view  the  kinds  of  sinful  anger.  In  general, 
anger  is  twofold. 

1.  There  is  an  anger  essentially  sinful,  sinful  in  itself.  And  that 
is  where  there  is  no  just  ground  of  anger.  Such  was  Jonah's  anger 
at  the  withering  of  the  gourd,  and  Saul's  anger  against  the  priests 
"whom  he  murdered.  The  worst  anger  of  this  kind  is,  where  that  in- 
flames anger  that  should  be  entertained  with  love  and  esteem. 
Such  was  Saul's  anger  against  David:  he  was  angry  Avith  him,  just 
because  he  behaved  himself  well,  and  God  prospered  him.  See 
Psal.  cix.  3 — 5.  Men  may  sin,  in  their  anger  at  others  for  their 
sin  :  but  to  be  angry  at  one  for  their  duty,  there  can  be  no  good  in 
that.  This  kind  of  anger  is  like  a  water  that  has  quite  left  it  chan- 
nel, or  like  fire  in  the  thatch  of  a  house,  where  it  should  never  be. 

2.  There  is  an  anger  accidentally  sinful  :  and  that  is,  where  there 
is  indeed  just  ground  for  it,  but  it  is  ill  managed,  either  by  not 
keeping  proportion  with  the  offence,  or  not  directing  it  to  the  ho- 
nour of  God,  &c.  Such  was  Moses'  anger  against  the  Israelites,  and 
David's  against  Nabal :  and  the  more  of  this  is  in  it,  and  the  more 
violent,  the  worse  is  the  anger,  and  the  more  hellish  ;  as  Simeon 
and  Levi's  anger  against  the  Shechemites.  This  is  like  a  water 
which  is  indeed  in  its  channel,  but  withal  it  is  without  it  too ;  or 
like  a  fire  which  is  indeed  on  the  hearth,  but  withal  coals  of  it  scat- 
tered up  and  down  the  house.     More  particularly,  there  is, 

1.  A  close  sullen  anger,  called,  Eph.  iv.  31.  bitterness,  which  is  a 
fire  that  burns  within  the  breast,  with  little  noise.  It  is  kept 
within,  and  makes  one  go  with  a  bitter  heart,  and  full  of  gall,  a 
burden  to  himself  and  others  till  it  be  digested.  It  has  more  of  dis- 
content than  revenge ;  and  often  carries  not  to  actual  revenge, 
either  because  they  cannot,  or  for  certain  reasons  will  not.  So  it  is 
very  lingering,  like  a  fire  that  has  little  vent.  There  is  much  of 
this  in  the  world,  which  eats  out  the  comfort  of  soTjiety,  and  men's 
own  comfort.  This  is  it  that  makes  many  go  champing  their  own 
bridle,  and  gnawing  on  their  own  liver,  and  tinctures  all  their  woids 
and  looks,  as  in  the  jaundice  the  overflowing  gall  colours  the  skin. 
And  the  nearer  the  relation  is,  it  is  the  more  dangerous  ;  hence  is 
that  exhortation.  Col.  iii.  19.  "  Husbands,  love  your  wives,  and  be 
not  bitter  against  them." 

2.  An  open  and  impetuous  anger,  called  their  ivrath,  which  is  too 
violent  to  hold  long.     The  hot  spirit  keeps  it  not  in,  as  in  the  for- 


THE  FOLLY  OF  TASSIONATEKESS.  161 

mer  case  ;  but  it  breaks  forth  like  a  thunder-shower,  overflowing. 
It  is  a  most  dangerous  thing,  apt  to  precipitate  men  into  such  in- 
decencies and  wickednesses,  that  if  they  were  themselves,  they 
would  be  ready  to  say.  Am  I  a  dog  that  I  sftonld  do  these  things  ? 
But  the  smoke  of  the  passion  strikes  them  blind  while  it  lasts;  for 
it  is  iu  effect  a  short  madness.  Men  are  apt  to  think  little  of  this, 
unreasonably  taking  it  for  bravery  of  spirit.  Prov.  xxv.  ult.  and  be- 
cause it  is  soon  over,  and  they  rue  it :  but  it  leavens  the  whole  man, 
it  is  fire  set  to  the  devil's  train ;  and  oft-times  that  is  done  in  it, 
which  it  is  too  late  to  rue. 

3.  There  is  a  pursuing  implacable  wrath,  called  there,  anger; 
which  is  set  upon  revenge  so,  that  they  will  never  lay  doAvn  their 
anger  till  they  be  revenged  to  their  own  satisfaction.  This  is  not 
kept  so  close  as  the  first  kind,  nor  is  it  carried  so  ])recipitantly  as 
the  second ;  but  is  more  open  than  the  first,  more  deliberate  than 
the  second,  and  so  is  the  more  devilish.  This  is  to  be  mad  with  rea- 
son, and  may  well  be  called  malicious  anger,  and  is  at  the  utmost 
remove  from  the  spirit  of  Christianity.  The  apostle  calls  it  a  giving 
•place  to  the  devil,  Eph.  iv.  27.  In  other  kinds  of  anger  the  devil 
takes  place  ;  in  this  they  give  him  place. 

Again,  more  particularly,  there  may  be  observed  a  fourfold  anger. 

1.  Anger  that  is  long  a-taking  up,  and  is  soon  laid  down.  This 
is  the  best  sort  of  that  ill  thing ;  it  speaks  either  a  good  natural 
temper,  or  great  grace.  It  is  like  fire  in  wet  wood,  which  is  ill  to 
kindle,  and  soon  dies  out.  However,  it  is  matter  of  humiliation, 
being  sinful  anger;  and  needs  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  as 
well  as  the  worst. 

2.  Anger  soon  taken  up,  and  soon  laid  down.  This  is  like  fire  in 
flint,  flying  out  with  a  touch,  but  quickly  vanish  away.  It  is  good 
it  is  soon  laid  down ;  as  when  one  falls  into  a  mire,  the  sooner  out 
the  better.  But  it  is  a  great  evil  to  be  soon  angry.  Tit.  i.  7-  to  sting 
like  a  wasp  at  a  touch.  It  is  very  contrary  to  the  nature  of  God, 
who  is  slow  to  anger  ;  and  makes  people  an  easy  prey  to  tempta- 
tion, like  a  bunch  of  dry  straw  to  a  spark  of  fire,  soon  kindled  and 
soon  burned  out. 

3.  Anger  long  a-taking  up,  and  long  a-laying  down.  This  is 
like  fire  in  iron,  which  is  long  a-heating,  and  long  a-cooling  too.  It 
is  good  it  is  long  a  taking  up,  but  very  sinful  that  it  is  long  a-lay- 
ing down.  Many  value  themselves,  aud  are  valued  by  others,  upon 
their  good  temper,  that  are  so  long  a-taking  up  anger,  and  can 
overlook  so  many  oftVnces;  Avho  are  yet  of  such  a  disposition,  that 
if  once  they  be  heartily  angered,  there  is  no  gaining  of  them  again. 
They  are  like  fire  in  a  moss,  that  is  very  ill  to  take  fire,  but  when 


162  THE  FOI.LY  OF  PASSIONATEIirESS, 

once  fired  there  is  almost  no  quenching  of  it.  And  they,  when  once 
raised  in  anger,  are  implacable.  This  is  most  sinful  and  dangerous. 
Their  name  is  in  the  black  roll,  Rom.  i.  31.  Satan  has  eminent 
place  with  such,  Eph.  iv.  20,  27.  and  they  cannot  walk  in  a  course 
of  communion  with  God,  Matth.  xviii.  idt. 

4.  Anger  soon  taken  up,  and  long  a-laying  down.  This  is  like 
fire  in  oil  or  spirituous  liquor,  kindled  with  a  touch,  and  burning 
vehemently,  and  continually  while  there  is  any  thing  to  burn.  This 
is  the  worst  of  all ;  it  has  all  the  mischief  of  the  third  kind,  and 
that  ill  in  it  OA^er  and  above,  that  it  is  soon  taken  up.  It  speaks  a 
fearful  height  and  power  of  sin,  a  person  to  be  a  perfect  slave  to  his 
passion,  who  is  guided  neither  by  grace  nor  reason :  and  it  is  of  all 
the  most  opposite  to  the  spirit  of  Christianity. 

TJibrUi/,  Let  us  view  the  effects  of  sinful  anger.  I  will  hint  at 
the  general  heads  of  them,  as  the  particulars  are  too  many. 

1.  It  is  mischievous  to  the  body,  a  killing  instrument  to  it.  Job  v. 
2,  Wrath  k'dleth  the  foolish  man.  Therefore  the  scripture  represents 
it  as  a  sin  against  the  sixth  command,  Matth.  v.  21,  22.  The  trans- 
port of  passion  makes  a  man  a  tormentor  to  himself,  inflame  the 
heart,  fire  the  eyes,  I'ender  the  visage  fierce  and  pale,  and  loose  as 
it  were  the  very  joints ;  and  history  affords  several  instances  of  per- 
sons who  have  been  thrown  into  fevers,  and  died,  by  their  passion. 
And  it  readily  makes  a  sensible  alteration  on  the  body. 

2.  It  fires  the  tongue  in  a  particular  manner.  Jam.  iii.  6,  and  that 
brings  along  Avith  it  a  train  of  evils,  Eph.  iv.  31,  quarreling,  bitter 
words,  railing  and  scolding,  reviling  and  reproaching,  swearing, 
cursing,  fearful  imprecations,  blaspheming,  &c.  And  all  these, 
being  traced  to  their  original,  are  landed  at  the  door  of  passion, 
which  opening,  sends  out  these  as  the  smoke  of  the  pit. 

3.  It  disturbs  society,  and  is  destructive  of  it,  Prov.  xv.  18,  "  A 
wrathful  man  stirreth  up  strife.  And  where  strife  is,  there  is  con- 
fusion, and  every  evil  work,"  James  iii.  16.  It  is  the  coal  that  fires 
families  and  neighbourhoods,  and  sets  every  one  against  another. 
Yea,  hence  proceed  j>eople's  devouring  one  another,  striking,  fight- 
ing, wounding,  and  murdering  :  so  that  this  passion  has  been  the 
death  of  many,  and  brought  many  to  an  evil  end. 

4.  It  overclouds  reason,  as  in  the  text.  It  carries  a  man  out  of 
himself,  that  he  cannot  judge  of  matters  clearly,  nor  act  deliberately; 
but  it  makes  him  rash  and  precipitate  in  his  managements,  so  that 
when  the  fit  is  over,  nothing  remains  to  him  by  it  but  remorse. 

5.  Lastly,  It  unfits  a  man  for  his  duty. — For  the  duty  of  his 
station  ;  for  often  the  passion  makes  him,  that  when  he  is  doing,  he 
knows  not  what  he  is  doing. — For  his  duty  to  God,  and  mars  any 


THE  FOLLY  OF  PASSIONATENESS.  163 

thing  of  that  kind  in  his  hand,  Jam.  i.  29,  "  For  the  wrath  of  man 
worketh  not  the  righteousness  of  God."  To  conclude  in  a  word,  the 
effects  of  sinful  anger  are  in  a  lively  manner,  represented  by  Moses 
in  his  holy  anger  breaking  the  tables  of  the  law,  Exod.  xxxii.  19. 
"When  sinful  passion  is  up,  what  will  it  not  do  ?  it  will  precipitate 
men  into  all  mischief. 

II.  Tlie  next  liead  is  to  shew  how  the  passionate  man  proclaims 
his  folly.  lie  plainly  discovers  that  he  does  not  truly  understand 
his  duty  to  God,  himself,  Satan's  malice,  his  own  interest,  or  human 
nature ;  of  which  I  have  spoke  before.  Further,  he  proclaims 
himself, 

1.  A  proud  man,  Prov.  xxi.  24.  The  passionate  man  is  always  a 
proud  man,  and  the  proud  man  is  a  fool  in  God's  account,  and  in 
the  account  of  all  who  understand  themselves.  Were  there  less 
pride,  there  would  be  less  passion  :  but  he  who  is  conceited  of  his 
own  excellency,  cannot  miss  to  fall  into  the  snare,  while  he  receives 
not  from  others  what  he  thinks  is  due  to  hi:^  merit. 

2.  A  weak  man,  one  incapable  to  rule  himself,  Prov.  xxv.  ult.  Is 
he  not  a  weak  man,  who  rules  not  himself  by  grace  or  reason,  but  is 
a  slave  to  his  passion,  and  must^oll  or  flee  away  before  it,  as  chaff 
before  the  wind.  Tou  know,  that  children,  by  reason  of  their  weak- 
ness of  spirit,  are  easily  fretted  and  angered  :  and  of  the  same  make 
are  the  passionate,  who  on  every  trifling  occasion  lose  the  mastery 
of  themselves. 

3.  An  unmortified  man,  whose  desires  of  the  world's  smiles  are 
too  vigorous,  his  uneasiness  at  its  frowns  too  great,  his  expectations 
from  the  world  by  far  too  big.  For  these  are  the  sources  of  unruly 
passion,  always  arising  from  one's  being  disappointed  in  some 
one  thing  or  other.  Col.  iii.  3,  8.  And  an  unmortified  spirit  is  a 
foolish  spirit,  James  iii.  17,  18. 

4.  A  rash  and  precipitant  man,  dangerous  to  society,  apt  to  run 
himself  and  others  into  snares,  Prov.  xxii.  24,  25.  And  this  must 
oblige  both  himself  and  others  to  call  him  a  foolish  man.  It  is  the 
character  of  a  prudent  man  to  be  deliberate  in  his  motions,  and 
foreseeing  :  but  the  passionate  man  is  the  very  reverse  of  this,  Prov. 
xxii.  3,  "  A  prudent  man  foreseeth  the  evil,  and  hideth  himself:  but 
the  simple  pass  on,  and  are  punished." 

5.  Lastli/,  An  nnwatchful  man,  who  has  his  enemies  within  him, 
without  him,  round  about  him,  and  yet  cannot  be  brought  to  stand 
on  his  guard,  and  repress  their  motions,  Prov.  iv.  23,  24.  This  his 
practice  is  folly  Avith  a  witness. 

I  shall  now  make  some  practical  improvement  of  this  subject. 
Use  I.  Of  humiliation  and  conviction. 


164  THE  FOLLY  OF  PASSIONATENESS. 

1.  It  must  be  a  dangerous  and  sinful  thing  designedly  to  provoke 
and  stir  up  others  to  passion.  Yet  how  many  are  there  who  make 
no  bones  of  it,  but  will  divert  themselves  with  it  ?  Thus  the  young 
and  foolish  especially,  will  please  themselves  in  angering  the  aged 
and  hasty.  But  let  such  know,  that  "  fools  make  a  mock  at  sin," 
Prov.  xiv.  9.  It  is  dangerous  to  please  one's  self  with  what  is  dis- 
pleasing to  God,  and  ensnaring  to  the  soul  of  our  neighbour. 

2.  Wliat  shame  and  confusion  of  face  may  cover  every  one  of  us, 
when  we  examine  ourselves  in  this  point  ?  The  picture  of  passion 
is  drawn,  and  is  it  not  an  ugly  one?  But  where  is  the  man  or  wo- 
man that  has  not  entertained  this  monster,  and  in  whose  breast  it 
has  not  been  bred  many  a  time  ?  0  how  unlike  God  and  Christ  has 
it  made  us,  how  unlike  Christians,  yea  how  unlike  rational  men  and 
■women  ?  Think  not  light  of  it,  Eph.  v.  6.  compared  with  chap.  iv.  31. 
We  must  be  washed  from  the  guilt  of  it  by  Christ's  blood,  and  the 
fire  of  it  must  be  quenched  by  his  Spirit,  else  we  will  be  undone  for 
ever. 

Use  II.  Of  exhortation ;  which  I  offer  in  these  two  particulars. 

First,  Beware  of  provoking  and  stirring  np  others  to  passion. 
Lay  in  no  fuel  to  that  fire  in  the  breasts  of  others,  neither  designedly 
nor  any  other  manner  of  way,  without  exception  of  any  thing  but 
necessary  duty.  If  that  will  provoke  people's  passion,  there  is  no 
help  for  it.  Better  men  be  provoked  than  God,  Acts  iv.  19.  But 
otherwise  beware  of  it,  as  ye  will  answer  it  to  the  God  that  made 
you.     To  j)ress  this,  consider, 

1.  The  law  of  love  binds  it  on  you.  Love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself. 
If  you  do  so,  you  will  be  loath  to  provoke  him ;  for  you  would  not 
choose  to  be  provoked  yourself.  If  you  love  his  soul  as  you  are 
obliged  to  do,  you  will  be  as  loath  to  stir  up  his  passion,  as  to  fire 
Ms  house.  If  you  love  his  peace  and  welfare,  you  will  be  loath  to 
rob  him  of  it. 

2.  That  is  to  be  a  snare  to  him,  to  lead  him  into  sin.  God 
charged  his  people.  Lev.  xix.  14.  "  Thou  shalt  not  put  a  stumbling- 
block  before  the  blind ;"  and  the  apostle  will  have  all  to  take  heed, 
"  that  no  man  put  a  stumbling-block,  or  an  occasion  to  fall  in  his 
brother's  way,"  Rom.  xiv.  13.  To  lead  your  neighbour  into  a  mire, 
over  a  precipice  where  he  might  fall,  and  break  a  leg  or  an  arm,  you 
will  own  would  be  akin  to  murder.  This  is  worse,  as  being  of  the 
nature  of  soul-murder. 

3.  You  are  partaker  of  the  guilt  which  is  brought  on  another  by 
your  means :  and  it  will  justly  be  charged  on  you,  as  instrumental 
in  it,  laying  the  snare  for  them,  1  Kings  xxi.  25.  As  he  who  lays 
the  stumbling-block  before  a  blind  man,  over  which  he  breaks  his 


THE  FOLLY  OF  PASSIONATENESS.  165 

neck,  is  guilty  of  his  Tblood ;  so  are  those  that  provoke  others  to 
passion,  crnilty  of  their  sin. 

4.  Lastly,  It  is  doing  Satan's  work,  and  that  is  a  sorry  office. 
"When  Peter  advised  our  Saviour  to  heware  of  exposing-  himself  to 
suffering,  he  says,  Get  thee  bcftiiid  me,  Satan,  Matth.  xvi.  23.  for  he 
saw  that  Peter  was  serving  him  in  that.  Satan  spared  Job's  wife, 
because  he  had  use  for  her  to  provoke  him  to  blaspheme.  And  that 
is  the  way  they  are  employed  who  provoke  others. 

Therefore  I  beseech  you,  beware  of  this  practice. 

1.  For  God's  sake,  who  is  thereby  dishonoured.  The  coal  you 
cast  into  your  neighbour's  breast,  kindles  a  Harne  there :  but  the 
smoke  mounts  upward,  and  darkens  the  heavens.  And  therefore,  as 
ye  have  any  love  to  God,  or  regard  to  his  honour,  treat  your  neigh- 
bour tenderly  in  that  point. 

2.  For  your  neighbour's  soul's  sake,  which  is  thereby  endangered 
and  involved  in  guilt,  Rom.  xiv.  15.  Say  not.  Am  I  my  brother'' s 
keeper  ?  You  certainly  are  so  far :  but  certainly  you  can  never 
think  you  are  at  liberty  to  be  your  brother's  destroyer. 

3.  For  your  own  sake,  whose  accounts  are  thereby  increased  with 
the  additiou  of  your  neighbour's  guilt.  "  Therefore  be  not  ye  par- 
takers with  them  ;  and  have  no  fellowship  with  the  unfruitful  works 
of  darkness,  but  rather  reprove  them,"  Eph.  v.  7,  H-  Each  of  us 
will  have  enough  ado  with  our  burden  ;  why  should  we  adopt  the 
sins  of  others,  and  stir  them  up  to  what  will  be  laid  to  our  charge  ? 

4.  Lastly,  As  ye  would  not  do  Satan  a  service  and  a  pleasure. 
Dust  is  the  serpent's  meat ;  even  the  sin  and  ruin  of  mankind,  with 
the  dishonour  of  God,  afford  him  all  the  satisfaction  he  has.  It 
pleases  him  to  see  them  snares  to  one  another,  and  to  cleave  them 
with  a  wedge  of  their  own  timber, 

I  shall  give  you  a  few  directions. 

1.  Be  habitually  concerned  that  ye  stand  not  in  the  way  of,  but 
to  advance  the  spiritual  good  of  others.  Gal.  vi.  10,  He  Avho  is  con- 
cerned for  one's  recovery,  will  be  careful  not  to  do  any  thing  that 
may  occasion  a  relapse  to  him.  It  is  Cain's  humour,  unconcerned- 
ness  for  the  good,  especially  for  the  spiritual  good  of  others,  that 
makes  men  so  easy  on  this  point.  But  take  that  advice,  Rom,  xiv. 
19,  20,  "  Let  us  therefore  follow  after  the  things  which  make  for 
peace,  and  things  wherewith  one  may  edify  another.  For  meat  de- 
stroy not  the  work  of  God,  All  things  indeed  are  pure  ;  but  it  is 
evil  for  that  man  who  eateth  with  offence." 

2.  Be  conscientious  in  giving  every  one  their  due,  Rom,  siii.  7,  B, 
"  Render  therefore  to  all  their  dues  :  tribute  to  whom  tribute  is  due, 
custom  to  whom  custom,  fear  to  whom  fear,  honour  to  whom  honour. 

Vol.  V,  u 


166  THE  FOLLY  OF  PASSIOXATENESS. 

Owe  no  man  any  thing,  but  to  love  one  another :  for  he  that  loveth 
another,  hath  fulfilled  the  law."  There  is  an  honour  due  to  men  as 
men,  which  makes  them  to  be  no  objects  of  contempt,  1  Pet.  ii.  17. 
Be  always  ready  to  give  every  one  what  is  due  to  them,  whether  in 
the  way  of  justice  or  charity.  For  wrong  done,  and  contempt  shown, 
are  the  great  upstirrers  of  this  passion,  and  kindlers  of  this  coal,  in 
the  breasts  of  others. 

3.  Particularly  make  conscience  of  your  relative  duties.  The 
nearer  the  relation  is,  the  provocation  pierces  the  more  deep,  the 
peace  is  the  more  precious,  and  the  offence  in  many  cases  the  harder 
to  be  removed,  Prov.  xviii.  19.  Let  husbands  and  wives  be  tender 
of  one  another  in  that  case,  and  beware  of  provoking  one  another's 
passion,  as  they  would  not  be  snares  to  one  another,  Eph.  v.  ult.  Let 
children  honour  and  reverence  their  parents,  as  their  natural  lord;  and 
parents  treat  their  children  as  parts  of  themselves,  Eph.  vi.  1,  2,  4. 
Let  servants  be  precisely  just,  faitlifnl,  and  respectful  to  their  ma- 
sters, and  masters  just  and  equitable  to  their  servants,  verse  5,  9. 
It  is  the  neglect  of  these  things  that  provokes  the  passion  of  relatives. 

4.  Be  not  negligent  and  careless  of  your  carriage  and  b  Jiaviour 
towards  any  body  :  for  whatever  difference  there  may  be  betwixt 
them  and  you,  you  owe  them  an  honour,  1  Pet.  ii.  17  ;  you  are  ca- 
pable of  offending  them,  Matth.  xviii.  7 ;  and  it  is  dangerous  to  be  a 
snare  to  their  souls,  and  all  souls  are  alike  precious.  There  was  no 
more  paid  by  Christ  for  the  king's  soul,  than  the  beggar's,  Rom. 
xiv.  15. 

5.  If  one's  passion  be  up  or  like  to  rise,  silence  is  oft  times  ne- 
cessary, not  answering  again,  Tit.  iii.  9.  The  reason  is.  Where  no 
wood  is,  there  the  fire  goeth  out,  Prov.  xxvi.  20.  Wrath  is  a  fire,  an- 
swering often  is  like  coals  or  fuel  laid  to  it.  Therefore  learn  to  give 
place  to  wrath,  Rom.  xii.  19. 

6.  But  sometimes  there  is  a  necessity  of  answering,  as  when  one 
is  directly  questioned,  and  an  answer  is  looked  for,  and  passion  may 
be  irritated  by  silence.  The  angry  person  judging  himself  despised 
by  silence,  John  xix.  10.  in  that  case  a  soft  answer  is  a  sovereign 
remedy,  Prov.  xv.  1.  as  yielding  wool  will  be  a  better  fence  against 
a  cannon-ball  than  a  stone  wall.  A  soft  tongue  breaks  the  bone, 
and  yet  wounds  no  body,  Prov.  xxv.  15.  So  did  Abigail  pacify 
David. 

7.  Lastly,  Be  still  ready  to  do  them  all  good  offices,  Rom.  xii.  19, 
20,  21.  And  look  to  the  Lord  for  the  blessing  on  these  things, 
practising  them  out  of  respect  to  his  command  :  and  great  will  be 
your  peace  and  satisfaction  therein. 

Let  no  body  say,  Such  a  way  of  carrying  is  mean  and  sneaking. 


THE  FOLLY  OF  PASSIONATENESS.  16? 

It  is  prescribed  by  God  in  his  word,  cind  it  is  recommended  to  ns  by 
the  example  of  Christ,  1  Pet.  ii.  23,  "  "Who  when  he  was  reviled,  re- 
yiled  not  again  ;  when  he  sutfered,  he  threatened  not :"  and  it  is  true 
greatness  of  spirit,  Prov.  xxvi.  32,  "  He  that  is  slow  to  anger,  is 
better  than  the  mighty :  and  he  that  ruleth  his  spirit,  than  he  that 
taketh  a  city." 

Secondli/,  Beware  of  sinful  anger  in  yourselves  ;  bridle  your  own 
passion,  and  subdue  it.  Be  not  hasty  in  spirit;  take  not  that  fire 
into  your  bosom,  nor  cherish  it,  but  extinguish  it.  To  press  this,  I 
offer  the  following  motives, 

1.  Consider  it  is  a  work  of  the  flesh  as  really  as  adultery  and  ido- 
latry. Gal.  V.  19,  20.  It  is  a  notable  piece  of  the  corruption  of  our 
nature,  not  to  be  tolerated,  far  less  cherished,  but  mortified.  So  the 
sowing  to  it  will  bring  a  reaping  of  corruption.  It  is  far  from  bra- 
very of  spirit,  but  is  a  piece  of  man's  corrupt  spirit,  the  spirit  of  the 
world. 

2.  It  is  not  only  a  siu,  but  it  is  a  mother-sin,  Prov.  xxix.  22,  "  An 
angry  man  stirreth  up  strife,  and  a  furious  man  aboundeth  in  trans- 
gression." It  is  seldom  it  comes  alone,  but  has  a  hellish  train  along 
with  it,  as  clamour,  evil-speaking,  &c.  And  as  one  fire  serves  to 
kindle  another,  so  seldom  anger  rises  in  one's  breast,  but  the  sparks 
fly  into  another's,  and  so  another  flame  is  kindled  there. 

3.  It  is  a  murdering  sin,  as  we  may  learn  from  our  Saviour's 
teaching  it  to  be  forbidden  in  the  words,  "  Thou  shalt  not  kill, 
Matth.  V.  21,  22,  Ye  have  heard,  that  it  was  said  by  them  of  old 
time,  thou  shalt  not  kill :  and  whosoever  shall  kill,  shall  be  in  dan- 
ger of  the  judgment.  But  I  say  unto  you,  that  whosoever  is  angry 
with  his  brother  without  a  cause,  shall  be  in  danger  of  the  judg- 
ment," &c.  It  is  of  a  murdering  nature  to  the  man  himself.  Job 
V.  2.  and  to  the  man  the  sinful  anger  is  conceived  against.  It  is  in 
its  own  nature  heart-murder,  Matth.  v.  22.  As  he  who  lustcth  after 
a  woman  is  guilty  of  heart-adultery,  so  a  sinfully-angry  man  is 
guilty  of  heart-murder.  It  is  ordinarily  attended  with  eye-murder, 
venting  itself  in  a  wrathful  countenance.  A  proud  look  and  bloody 
hands  are  joined,  Prov.  vi.  17.  The  Spirit  of  God  takes  notice  of 
Cain's  countenance,  Gen.  iv.  5.  See  Obad.  12.  And  it  is  attended 
with  tongue-murder.  Solomon  observes  that  death  and  life  are  in  the 
power  of  the  tongue,  Prov.  xviii.  21.  If  passion  have  the  management 
of  it,  no  wonder  that  it  be  found  guilty  of  murder.  In  its  shapes  it 
resembles  both  fire  and  sword,  and  with  the  mouth  bow  and  arrow, 
all  of  them  instruments  of  death  :  and  in  the  angry  man  it  is  so, 
James  iii.  6.  Psal.  Ivii.  4.  and  Ixiv.  3.  And  it  has  a  native  tendency 
to  hand-murder,  as  in  the  case  of  Cain,  Gen.  iv.  5,  8. 

M  2 


168  THE  FOLLY  OF  PASSIONATENE33. 

4.  It  divests  a  man  of  his  ornament  as  a  man,  whereby  he  differs 
from  beasts,  that  is,  his  reason,  Prov.  xvii.  12^  Let  a  hear  robbed  of 
her  whelps  meet  a  man,  rather  than  a  fool  in  his  folly.  Wliile  passion 
rules,  reason  is  banished  :  that  is  he  acts  the  beast,  and  lays  aside 
the  man  so  long.  The  beasts  have  their  passion,  anger,  and  wrath, 
as  well  as  men  :  but  they  have  no  reason  to  guide  it  with,  and  there- 
fore in  them  it  is  not  sinful.  But  for  men  to  indulge  in  their  pas- 
sion, and  be  ruled  by  it,  is  to  degrade  themselves  into  the  order  of 
beasts. 

5.  It  divests  a  man  of  his  ornament  as  a  Christian,  i.  e.  a  meek 
ayid  quiet  spirit,  1  Pet.  iii.  4.  They  who  put  on  the  new  man,  are 
supposed  to  lay  aside  and  put  off  all  these,  anger,  wrath,  malice,  &c. 
Col.  iii.  8.  Where  the  gospel  comes  in  power,  and  casts  the  soul 
into  the  mould  of  it,  it  meekens  the  rugged  spirit,  Isa.  xi.  6.  conforms 
the  soul  to  Jesus  the  pattern  of  meekness  and  lowliness.  So  that 
professors  would  know,  that  victory  over  their  passion  is  necessary 
to  evidence  their  interest  in  Christ. 

6.  It  is  a  downright  opposite  to  communion  with  God,  in  any  of 
the  duties  of  religion.  What  duty  is  the  man  fit  for  when  he  is  in  a 
fit  of  passion  ?  If  God  be  speaking  to  him  by  his  word,  he  does  not 
hear,  his  heart  is  taken  up  with  the  object  of  his  anger  ;  and  there- 
fore the  apostle  saith,  1  Pet.  ii.  1,  2,  "  Wherefore  laying  aside  all 
malice,  and  all  guile,  and  hypocrisies,  and  envies,  and  all  evil  speak- 
ings, as  new  born  babes  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word,  that  ye 
may  grow  thereby."  If  he  is  to  speak  to  God  in  prayer  in  that  case, 
what  comes  of  it  ?  his  praying  is  a  burden  to  himself,  and  it  is  a 
burden  to  the  Spirit  of  God  too.  "  Therefore,  (says  Christ,)  if  thou 
bring  thy  gift  to  the  altar,  and  there  remeniberest  that  thy  brother 
hath  ought  against  thee  ;  leave  there  thy  gift  before  the  altar,  and 
go  thy  way,  first  be  reconciled  to  thy  brother,  and  then  come  and 
offer  thy  gift,"  Matth.  v.  23,  24.  And  says  the  apostle,  "  I  will 
therefore  that  men  pray  every  where,  lifting  up  holy  hands,  with- 
out wrath  and  doubting,"  1  Tim.  ii.  8.  For  as  troubled  water  is  not 
fit  to  receive  the  image  of  the  sun,  so  the  soul  in  passion  is  not  meet 
for  divine  communions.  Ah  !  how  many  secret  prayers  and  family 
prayers  have  been  lost  this  way?  Mai.  ii.  13. 

7.  Lastly,  It  excludes  men  out  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Gal,  v. 
19,  20,  21.  And  no  wonder,  for  it  is  a  work  of  the  flesh,  a  mother 
sin,  a  murdering  sin  :  and  no  murderer  hath  eternal  life  abiding  in 
him:  When  men  are  brought  into  the  kingdom  of  grace,  their  spirits 
are  meekened  :  and  there  are  none  taken  into  the  kingdom  of  glory 
above,  but  who  are  taken  into  the  kingdom  of  grace  here. 

I  shall  conclude  with  giving  a  few  directions. 


THE  FOLIiY  OF  PASSIONATENESg.  169 

1.  Carry  your  sinful  nature  to  Christ  by  faith  to  be  healed,  that 
ye  may  partake  of  the  virtue  of  his  blood  and  Spirit  for  your  reno- 
vation, Gal.  V.  24.  Without  this  all  other  remedies  will  be  but 
scurfing  over  the  sore. 

2.  When  ye  are  in  hazard  of  the  temptation,  catch  hold  of  the 
promise  of  protection  and  preservation  by  faith,  and  use  the  means 
of  resisting,  Eph.  vi.  16,  "  Above  all,  taking  the  shield  of  faith, 
wherewith  ye  shall  be  able  to  quench  all  the  fiery  darts  of  the 
wicked."  Hence  one  bears  sometimes  greater  affronts  and  injuries 
better  than  lesser  ones  ;  because  in  the  former  case  tliey  betake 
themselves  to  the  shields  of  gold  made  by  the  true  Solomon,  faith 
and  dependence  on  the  Lord  ;  in  the  latter,  like  fools  they  venture 
with  the  brazen  ones  of  their  resolutions,  &c. 

3.  Consider  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  when  any  thing  thou  sufferest 
is  like  to  raise  thy  passion,  Heb.  xii.  3.  Those  stung  by  the  ser- 
pents in  the  wilderness,  were  to  look  to  the  brazen  serpent  and  be 
healed.  The  injuries  thou  receivest  are  stings  in  this  wilderness; 
therefore  look  to  Christ  who  is  exalted  on  the  pole  of  the  gospel, 
and  thou  shalt  be  healed  by  him. 

4.  Study  humility,  and  remember  well  what  ill-deserving  crea- 
tures ye  have  been ;  how  sinful  ye  are,  and  whatever  is  done  or  said 
to  you,  you  deserve  it,  and  much  more  at  his  hand.  This  would 
make  us  lay  our  hand  on  our  mouth,  under  the  provocations  we 
meet  with.  Tit.  iii.  3.  And  whoever  be  the  instruments  of  our  un- 
easiness, we  know  it  is  iu  God's  hand  to  make  use  of  whom  he  will 
for  our  trial,  2  Sam.  xvi.  11.  It  is  pride  that  is  at  the  bottom  of 
all  our  passion,  Prov.  xxviii.  25. 

5.  Consider  the  injury  done  you,  as  a  sin  and  as  a  trial. — As  a 
sin  of  the  party  who  does  it ;  and  this  will  turn  your  eye  on  the  dis- 
honour done  to  God  thereby,  and  so  make  the  injury  to  yourself 
light ;  it  will  also  turn  your  anger. into  pity  upon  the  party  who  is 
so  unhappy  as  to  provoke  God  against  himself,  by  wronging  you. 
Thus  Christ  said  on  the  cross,  Luke  xxiii.  34.  "  Father,  forgive 
them;  for  they  know  not  Avhat  they  do."  And  consider  the  injury 
as  a  trial  to  you,  a  trial  of  your  patience  :  God  is  looking  on,  ob- 
serving how  you  will  bear  it ;  and  God  chuses  the  instrument  of  the 
trial. 

6.  Bear  down  your  passion  with  silence,  if  you  find  it  beginning 
to  rise.  I  do  not  bid  you  harbour  it  in  your  heart,  but  refuse  to 
give  it  vent.  Some  will  think,  that  perhaps  it  is  better  to  give  it  a 
vent  presently,  and  that  it  will  be  the  sooner  over.  But  wliat  is 
that  but  to  satisfy  it  with  clamour,  and  then  it  will  end  ?  That  is 
not  the  scripture-method,  as  you  may  see,  Prov.  xii.  16.  "A  fool's 

u  3 


170  THE  FOLLY  OP  PASSIONATENESS. 

wrath  is  presently  known :  but  a  prudent  man  covereth  shame. 
Eph.  iv.  31.  Let  all  bitterness,  and  Avrath,  and  anger,  and  clamour, 
and  evil-speaking  be  put  away  from  you,  with  all  malice."  Give 
fire  a  vent,  and  it  will  burn  while  it  has  matter;  but  if  it  have  uo 
vent  at  all,  it  will  die  out.     So  it  will  be  in  this  case. 

7.  Study  a  charitable  disposition,  and  beware  of  a  suspicious,  cu- 
rious, and  credulous  temper.  Tliis  would  be  an  excellent  antidote 
against  the  attempts  of  passion,  1  Cor.  xiii.  7.  Charity  will  put  the 
best  construction  on  the  actions  of  others  that  rationally  they  can 
bear,  and  so  eases  men  of  many  supposed  injuries,  and  many  real 
ones  too.  Suspicion  serves  to  gather  in  fuel  from  all  quarters  to 
the  fire  of  passion,  and  would  find  it  in  plenty  there,  where  charity 
would  see  none  at  all.  Curiosity  and  credulity  are  passion's  hand- 
maids. He  that  is  curious  to  know  what  others  think  and  say  of 
him,  and  credulous  to  believe  every  report,  will  not  want  enough  to 
make  him  uneasy. 

8.  Remove  the  occasions  of  your  passion,  as  people  use  to  keep 
lint  far  from  the  fire,  because  the  fire  easily  seizes  on  it.  It  is  said 
of  Augustus,  that  he  did  for  this  reason  break  some  curious  glasses 
of  purpose.  And  it  is  said  of  turpentine,  that  it  will  draw  fire  to 
it.  No  fire  is  so  easily  drawn  as  that  of  passion.  And  therefore  it 
is  good  to  remove  those  things  that  draw  it  to  them. 

9.  Lastly,  Watch  and  pray,  that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation  ;  and 
if  at  any  time  ye  are  catched,  haste  out  of  the  snare.  Dallying 
with  temptation  is  the  fair  way  to  entangle  you  further :  therefore 
fly  from  it  as  from  a  serpent,  lest  ye  be  stung  to  death  thereby. 


THE 

DISTINGUISHING     CHARACTERS 

or 

TKUE    BELIEVEES. 


V.  IN  RELATION  TO  THEIR  FORGIVINft  INJURIES,  IN  OPPOSITION  TO 
REVENGE.* 


Romans  xii.  19. 

Dearly  beloved,  avenge  not  yourselves,  hut  rather  give  jplace  unto  wrath  : 
for  it  is  written,  Vengeance  is  mine  ;  J  will  repay,  saiih  the  Lord. 

As  in  sinful  anger  there  is  a  desire  of  revenge,  so  revenge  is  the 
hellish  sacrifice  to  sinful  anger,  wherewith  it  is  satisfied,  and  where- 
in it  is  fully  accomplished.  Therefore  it  is  necessary  to  add  a  little 
concerning  this.     In  the  words  there  is, 

1.  A  dehortation  from  revenge,  which  is  proposed  pathetically, 

\st.  With  an  endearing  compellation.  Dearly  beloved.  He  knew 
how  prone  corrupt  nature  is  to  revenge,  how  hard  it  is  to  sinful  men 
to  be  denied  the  satisfaction  of  it,  when  once  their  passion  is  up : 
therefore  he  interposes  as  it  were  with  the  angry  man,  and  with 
softest  words  begs  him  to  forbear. 

Mly,  Both  negatively  and  positively,  telling  what  is  not  to  be 
done,  and  what  is  to  be  done. 

(1.)  Ye  are  not  to  avenge  yourselves.  All  revenge  is  not  sinful, 
nor  here  forbidden.  For  it  is  competent  to  God,  as  saith  the  text; 
and  to  the  magistrate,  chap.  xiii.  4.  "  He  is  the  minister  of  God,  a 
revenger  to  execute  wrath  upon  him  that  doth  evil."  But  it  is  pri- 
vate and  personal  revenge,  namely,  where  one  as  a  private  man  re- 
venges himself  on  another,  over  whom  he  has  no  authority  and 
power  given  him  for  that  effect.     Avenge  not  yourselves. 


'  This  subject  was  discussed  in  two  short  discourses,  preached  at  Ettrick,  Nov.  7, 
and  8,  1724. 


172  THE  SINFULNESS  OF  PRIVATE  REVENGE, 

(2.)  Ye  are  to  give  plare  to  wrath  ;  i.  e.  to  tlie  "wrath  of  your  ad- 
versary who  does  you  the  injury.  Decline  it  as  David  did  Saul's 
javelin  thrown  at  hiin,  rather  than  give  him  as  good  as  he  brings. 
Rather  sutt'er  injuries,  than  revenge  yourselves  at  your  own  hand. 
It  is  just  what  our  Saviour  teaches,  Matth.  v.  39.  "  Kesist  not  evil  : 
but  whosoever  shall  smite  thee  on  thy  right  cheek,  turn  to  hira  the 
other  also."  As  if  he  had  said,  Take  a  second  blow,  rather  than 
revenge  the  first. 

2.  A  reason  of  the  dehortation,  which  is  taken  from  Deut.  xxxii. 
35.    To  me  helongeth  vengeance,  and  recompense. 

\st,  Revenge  belongs  to  God ;  he  pleads  it  as  his  own  right,  and 
lie  has  put  in  his  claim  to  it,  as  his  sole  privilege  before  the  world, 
in  the  word,  that  none  who  hear  the  Bible  can  pi'etend  ignorance. 
Therefore  it  belongs  not  to  us,  and  we  must  not  invade  his  right. 

2dly,  He  will  certainly  see  to  the  execution  of  it.  Say  not.  If  we 
are  not  allowed  to  revenge  injuries,  then  they  will  go  unpunished, 
and  many  wrongs  we  get  will  never  be  righted.  No ;  God  will 
right  all  wrongs ;  none  of  them  shall  go  unseen  to.  He  has  given 
Ins  word  for  it. 

The  doctrine  arising  from  the  text  is, 

DocT.  One's  revenging  himself  at  his  own  hand  on  such  as  have 
wronged  him,  is  deeply  sinful  and  dishonouring  to  God,  whose  pro- 
vince alone  vengeance  is. 

In  treating  this  doctrine,  I  shall  shew, 

I.  What  this  revenge  is  that  is  so  deeply  sinful  and  dishonouring 
to  God. 

II.  What  is  the  sinfulness  and  dishonour  to  God  in  it. 

III.  Make  application. 

I.  I  am  to  shew  what  this  revenge  is  that  is  so  deeply  sinful  and 
dishonouring  to  God,  whose  province  alone  vengeance  is. 

Revenge  is  twofold,  public  and  authoritative,  private  and  personal. 

1.  There  is  a  public  and  authoritative  revenge,  which  is  taken  on 
those  that  wrung  others  by  such  as  are  invested  with  a  lawful  power 
and  authority  for  that  purpose.  This  is  so  far  from  being  sinful, 
that  it  is  a  necessary  piece  of  justice  and  charity,  and  is  done  in  the 
name  and  by  the  authority  of  God.  Thus  the  magistrate  has  a 
power  to  revenge  wrongs  in  the  state,  Rom.  xiii.  4,  forecited.  So 
also  have  church-rulers  power  to  revenge  or  censure  scandals  in  the 
church,  2  Cor.  x.  6,  where  the  apostle  speaks  of  a  readiness  to  revenge 
all  disobedience.  And  thus  masters  of  families  have  a  power  to  re- 
venge wrongs  in  their  families,  as  Abraham  did  in  the  case  of  Hagar, 


THE  SINFULNESS  OF  PRIVATE  RETENGE.  173 

Gen.  xvi.  6.  And  it  is  of  equal  latitude  with  rightful  government, 
in  whatever  lawful  society.  And  persons  wronged  seeking  redress 
from  those  to  whom  the  public  revenge  belongs,  is  a  lawful  thing, 
and  men  are  invested  with  authority  that  they  may  be  so  applied  to, 
as  the  importunate  widow  did  to  the  unjust  judge,  saying.  Avenge 
me  of  mine  adversary,  Luke  xviii.  3.  And  applying  to  them  for  it, 
they  apply  to  God  lor  it,  since  they  act  in  his  name. 

2.  There  is  a  private  and  personal  revenge,  which  is  the  requiting 
of  a  wrong  with  the  like,  or  worse,  for  the  satisfying  of  the  passion 
of  the  injured,  not  supported  by  any  authority  from  the  God  of  ven- 
geance.    This  is  sinful  revenge.     The  kinds  of  it  are  three. 

1*^,  Revenge  taken  by  those  in  authority,  out  of  hatred  and  ill- 
will  to  the  person  of  him  who  does  the  wrong.  For  they  are  reveng- 
ers to  execute  lurath,  Ro;i).  xiii.  4.  not  their  own  wrath  against  the 
person,  but  God's,  in  whose  name  they  act.  And  the  executing  of 
justice  must  still  be  an  act  of  love  to  their  neighbour,  which  is  the 
sum  of  the  second  table,  but  never  of  hatred.  Xo  man  has  any  au- 
thority from  God  to  that  purpose.  So  the  public  revenge  in  that 
case  becomes  so  far  private,  deeply  sinful  and  dishonouring  to  God. 

2d/j/,  Revenge  sought  from  those  in  authority,  in  cases  M^herein  it 
is  neither  necessary  for  the  public  good,  nor  the  amendment  of  the 
offender,  nor  the  safety  of  the  party  hurt.  This  also  is  private  re- 
venge, deeply  sinful,  and  dishonourable  to  God.  For  in  such  cases 
there  is  nothing  obliging  the  man's  conscience  to  seek  it,  and  there- 
fore he  is  obliged  to  forgive  it  wholly.  Col.  iii.  13.  All  then  that  is 
aimed  at  in  such  cases,  is  the  satisfying  of  the  man's  own  revengeful 
passion,  getting  his  heart's  sight  on  the  party  that  has  wronged 
him :  which  is  diametrically  opposite  to  the  royal  law  of  love,  and 
the  spirit  of  Christianity,  James  ii.  8.  Let  such  take  heed  to  this, 
who  fly  to  their  law-pleaing  on  every  trilling  occasion,  just  to  gra- 
tify their  own  passion.  It  is  a  horrid  abuse  of  an  ordinance  of 
God ;  it  is  to  make  the  law,  the  magistrate,  and  the  authority  of 
God  which  he  is  invested  with,  subservient  to  your  revengeful  pas- 
sions, Matth.  v.  40. 

'idly,  Revenge  taken  by  those  not  in  authority  empowering  them 
to  take  it,  taken  by  persons  not  acting  in  a  public  capacity,  but  at 
the  command  of  their  passion  fleeing  to  take  revenge  at  their  own 
hand  ;  which  is  most  directly  forbidden  in  the  text.  It  is  a  common 
sin  in  the  perverse  generation  wherein  we  live.  And  this  revenge  is 
taken  three  ways. 

\st,  By  words.  I  speak  not  here  of  revenge  in  the  heart,  for  that 
belongs  to  anger,  of  which  I  have  spoke  already.  But  the  tongue 
is  as  real  an  instrument  of  revenge,  as  the  hands,  swords,  or  spears. 


174  THE  SINFULNESS  OF  PRIVATE  REVENGE. 

Therefore  say  not,  I  will  recompense  evil,  Prov.  ix.  22.  Say  not, 
I  will  do  so  to  him  as  he  hath  done  to  mo :  I  will  render  to  the  man 
according  to  his  work,"  chap.  xxiv.  29.  And  what  are  the  scold- 
ings and  floutings  among  people,  but  the  acting  of  revenge  on  them 
for  the  wrong  alleged  to  be  said  or  done  to  them  ?  One's  passion  is 
fired  against  another,  and  then  they  pursue  tliem  with  bitter  words, 
lying,  railing,  and  reviling  speeches ;  so  that  many  can  no  more 
speak  good  of  those  by  whom  they  conceive  themselves  wronged, 
but  on  all  occasions  boil  out  their  revenge  that  way.  And  the  pas- 
sion of  revenge  is  served  by  these  speeches,  as  really  as  it  would  be 
by  the  blood  of  their  offenders,  though  not  to  the  same  degree. 

2cZZj/,  By  deeds,  Prov.  xxvi.  29,  above  quoted.  When  men  make 
one  ill  turn  meet  another,  so  that  they  come  to  be  even  with  those 
that  have  wronged  them,  paying  them  home  in  their  own  coin  or 
worse,  which  the  Spirit  of  God  directly  forbids,  Rom.  xii.  17.  Recom- 
pense to  no  man  evil  for  evil.  Thus  many  lay  up  their  resentments  till 
a  convenient  season  that  it  falls  in  their  way,  to  do  their  neighbour 
an  ill  turn,  because  he  did  one  to  them  ;  which  will  have  a  fearful 
end,  Isa.  xxix.  20.  Of  this  is  beating,  fighting,  and  murdering;  to 
which  the  revengeful  passion  natively  leads. 

3c/(t/,  By  omission  of  duty  owing  to  the  offending  party,  either 
in  the  way  of  justice,  or  charity,  contrary  to  that,  Rom,  xii.  20.  "  If 
thine  enemy  hunger,  feed  him  ;  if  he  thirst,  give  him  to  driuk  :  for 
in  so  doing  thou  shalt  heap  coals  of  fire  on  his  head."  Many  think 
that  is  enough  if  they  do  no  ill  to  those  who  olfend  them.  But  as 
the  revengeful  passion  natively  leads  to  withholding  the  good  that  is 
due,  contrary  to  Prov.  iii.  27.  it  is  evident,  that  the  withholding  of 
it  is  a  sacrifice  to  revenge,  as  well  as  the  positive  doing  of  ill  to 
them.  Even  as  the  besiegers  may  revenge  themselves  as  effectually 
on  the  besieged,  by  starving  them,  as  by  storming  their  town. 

II.  I  proceed  to  shew  what  is  the  sinfulness  and  dishonour  to 
God  in  this  revenge. 

1.  It  is  directly  opposite  to  the  love  of  our  neighour,  the  funda- 
mental law  of  the  second  table.  Lev.  xix.  18.  "  Tliou  shalt  not 
avenge  nor  bear  any  grudge  against  the  children  of  thy  people,  but 
thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself;  I  am  the  Lord."  This 
law  had  in  Christ's  days  a  great  deal  of  rubbish  laid  over  it ;  but 
he  cleared  it  from  all  that  kind,  both  by  this  doctrine  and  example. 
But  alas  !  how  has  the  practice  of  Christians  so  called,  laid  it  under 
much  rubbish  again  !  Will  men  pretend  to  love  those  as  them- 
selves, whom  they  must  at  their  own  hand,  without  law  or  right  be 
revenged  on  ?     Nay,  revenge  is  hatred  carried  to  a  height. 

2.  It  is  unjust  violence,  as  assuming  and  exercising  a  power  and 


THE  SINFULNESS  OP"  PKIVATE  REVENGE.  175 

authority  over  men  which  God  never  gave  us.  "Whatever  diiference 
there  is  betwixt  private  men,  some  more  some  less  honourable,  they 
are  by  right  all  equal  so  far,  being  together  subject  to  those  in 
authority  to  whom  God  has  given  the  execution  of  wrath.  And  as 
unjust  violence  ever  was  so  it  will  ever  be  highly  dishonourable  to 
God  the  Judge  and  Protector  of  all.  Gen.  vi.  11.  Men  are  not  left 
like  beasts,  among  whom  the  stronger  command  the  weaker;  but 
God  has  set  laws  for  one  and  the  other. 

3.  It  cannot  reach  the  true  ends  of  revenge,  Avhich  God  hath 
settled.  It  may  indeed  reach  the  end  proposed  by  the  proud  heart, 
viz.  the  satisfying  of  passion  :  but  that  end,  and  the  means  to  it,  are 
alike  abhorred  by  God.  But  God  has  appointed  public  revenge  for 
the  amendment  of  the  party  offending,  Rom.  xiii.  14.  the  public  good 
of  the  society,  Deut.  xix.  20.  and  for  the  safety  of  the  wronged 
thereafter,  1  Tim.  ii.  2.  But  what  doth  private  revenge  but  irritate 
the  party  smarting  by  it,  give  a  scandalous  example  to  others,  and 
involve  the  party  revenging  and  others  too  in  much  trouble  ? 

4.  It  is  void  of  all  equity  :  for  in  it  a  man  is  accuser,  judge,  and 
executioner,  all  in  his  own  cause.  Who  would  reckon  that  fair  in 
another's  case  ?  lie  not  only  accuses  his  neighbour  of  wrong,  which 
is  often  so  ill  grounded,  that  if  another  were  to  judge,  it  would  not 
be  sustained :  but  he  judges  of  it  too,  and  passes  sentence  on  his 
neighbour,  to  be  sure  in  favour  of  himself :  and  finally  he  executes 
his  own  sentence  :  and  all  this  when  he  is  under  the  power  of  pas- 
sion. Men  are  partial  in  their  own  favours  at  all  times,  and  pas- 
sionate then.  Where  then  can  equity  have  place,  in  a  matter  so 
stated  ? 

5.  It  is  an  invading  of  the  authority  of  those  who  are  in  autho- 
rity, a  taking  out  of  their  hand  what  God  has  put  in  it.  Therefore 
the  apostle  immediately  to  this  subject  subjoins  the  duty  of  subjects 
to  magistrates,  and  theirs  to  their  subjects,  Rom.  xiii.  Members  of 
families  revenging  themselves  on  one  another,  invade  the  master's 
authority ;  church-members  in  the  case  of  scandals,  the  authority  of 
the  church-rulers  ;  and  the  members  of  the  politic  body,  in  the  case 
of  civil  injuries,  the  oftice  of  the  magistrate.  And  usurpation  in  all 
cases  is  a  sin  of  a  deep  dye. 

6.  Lastli/,  It  is  an  invading  of  the  authority  of  God.  God  him- 
self claims  vengeance  as  his  peculiar  prerogative;  it  is  a  flower  of 
tho  crown  of  heaven,  which,  he  will  not  part  with,  as  in  the  text. 
It  is  owned  to  bo  so  by  his  good  subjects,  Psal.  xciv.  1.  "  0  Lord 
God,  to  whom  vengeance  belongeth :  0  God,  to  whom  vengeance  be- 
longeth. — Nah.  i.  2.  God  is  jealo;  s,  and  tho  Lord  revcngeth,  tho 
Lord  revengeth."     Therefore  none  are  to  meddle  with  it,  but  those 


176  THE  SINFULNESS  OF  PRIVATE  REVENaE. 

who  have  authority  from  himself  to  act  in  his  name  therein.  He 
only  is  fit  to  have  it  in  his  hand,  not  we  :  for  he  is  omniscient,  we 
know  little,  and  are  liable  to  mistakes  :  he  is  witliout  passions,  we 
are  ready  to  be  blinded  by  them  :  he  is  the  common  Father  and 
Judge  of  all,  most  just  and  impartial,  we  are  prejudiced  in  our  own 
favours.  A  father  of  a  family  will  not  allow  the  children  to  punish 
one  another,  but  bids  them  complain  to  him.  So  saith  God  to  men, 
but  private  revenge  regards  not  his  orders. 

I  shall  now  make  some  practical  improvement  of  this  subject. 

Use  1.  Of  lamentation.     We  may  hence  take  occasion  to  lament, 

1.  The  state  of  human  nature  in  general.  How  low  are  we 
brought  who  once  stood  in  the  image  of  God  !  We  may  see  here 
man's  nature  sullied  with  two  black  lineaments  of  the  picture  of  the 
devil.  (1.)  Wrong  and  injustice.  Man  was  a  righteous  creature, 
but  now  he  wrongs  and  is  wronged,  his  fair  righteousness  that  he 
was  created  in,  is  gone.  Men  are  now  thieves,  robbers,  and  op- 
pressors to  one  another  :  and  every  where  the  cry  is  heard  of  vio- 
lence and  wrong,  and  the  nearest  relation  is  not  a  fence  against  it, 
Micah  vii.  (2.)  Revenge  of  wrong  for  satisfying  of  passion.  Hence 
there  is  a  cry  of  cruel  suffering  at  the  hands  of  men  who  were  cre- 
ated harmless,  and  are  born  naked,  as  designed  for  the  picture  of 
peace.     His  meekness  and  patience  is  gone  too. 

2.  The  state  of  our  nature  of  each  of  us  in  particular,  that  is  so 
ready  to  revenge  ;  so  that  no  sooner  an  injury  is  received  by  us,  but 
as  powder  is  ready  to  fly  up  when  a  spark  liglits  on  it,  our  nature  is 
no  less  ready  to  fly  to  revenge  on  the  first  appearance  of  an  injury. 
It  is  humbling  to  think  how  early  this  piece  of  our  nature  appears, 
even  in  the  babe  in  the  motlier's  arms,  who  seeks  and  shews  a  satis- 
faction in  the  revenge  of  what  is  displeasing  to  it ;  though  its  giving 
the  mother  a  stroke  to  give  such  a  one  &c.  be  ludicrous  in  itself,  it 
is  humbling  to  consider  the  rise  of  it. 

3.  The  sinfulness  of  our  lives.  0  what  guilt  lies  on  every  soul 
of  us  in  this  point  ?  What  black  accounts  on  the  score  of  levenge  ? 
Though  some  perhaps  have  been  kept  from  fighting,  hurting,  and 
wounding  others ;  yet  view  the  thoughts,  woi'ds,  lesser  deeds,  and 
omissions  of  duty,  in  the  way  of  revenge,  wlio  can  count  his  errors 
that  way  ?  0  the  need  of  the  blood  and  Spirit  of  Christ  for  heal- 
ing of  our  nature,  for  removing  the  guilt  and  stain  of  uur  lives  that 
way  ? 

Use  II.  Of  reproof.     It  serves  to  reprove, 

1.  Those  who  allow  themselves  in  scolding,  railing  on,  and 
reviling  those  who  they  conceive  have  wronged  them.  Such 
tongue-vengeance  did  Shemei  take  on  David,  for  which  just  ven- 


THE  SINFULNESS  OF  PRIVATE  REVENGE.  177 

geance  fell  afterwards  upon  hira  from  the  Lord,  2  Sam.  xvi.  7,  8. 
It  is  an  ill  use  of  the  tongue,  to  make  it  as  a  sword  to  pierce  our 
neighbour,  and  as  claws  to  tear  hira.  This  is  that  clamour  and  evil- 
speaking,  which  is  the  effect  of  passion,  Matth.  iv.  31.  See  the  dan- 
ger of  it.  iMutth.  V.  22. 

2.  Those  who  end  their  quarrels  in  blows  and  fightings.  It  is 
much  to  be  lamented  that  this  is  so  frequent  amongst  us.  It  is  con- 
trary to  the  letter  of  the  text,  and  being  so  contrary  to  the  laws  of 
God,  it  is  strange  that  those  who  own  a  God,  and  the  Bible  to  be 
his  word,  that  they  make  no  bones  of  it.  It  is  contrary  to  the  laws 
of  the  land  also.  So  that  fighters  do  thereby  shew,  that  they  nei- 
ther fear  God  nor  regard  men.  In  time  of  w^ar,  we  were  all  men  of 
peace,  not  a  man  among  us  to  lend  a  hand  to  the  defence  of  the 
public  cause,  for  our  King  and  country,  religion  and  liberty,  though 
called  thereto  publicly  by  public  authority.  Is  it  not  sinful  and 
shameful  to  be  men  of  war  then  in  time  of  peace  ?  But  from  it  we 
may  see  that  the  lusts  of  most  men  ha\e  a  greater  power  to  set 
their  hands  to  action,  tlian  their  consciences,  James  iv.  1.  Ye  have 
reason  to  decide  your  quarrels  ;  if  that  will  not  do,  ye  have  supe- 
riours  to  do  it :  why  should  men  then,  like  unreasonable  creatures, 
fall  a  pushing  one  another  ?  But  let  such  remember,  that  if  they 
repent  not  and  reform,  the  day  will  come  wherein  they  shall  read 
their  sin  in  their  punishment,  Matth.  xxvi.  52.  For  all  they  that  take 
the  sword,  shall  perish  by  the  sword  ;  and  God  will  fight  against  them 
for  ever.     See  Gal.  v.  19 — 21. 

3.  Those  who  are  sure  to  do  an  ill  turn  to  those  who  have  wronged 
them,  if  it  lie  in  their  power.  Tiiey  will  confidently  promise  it,  and 
perioral  it  too,  and  boast  themselves  of  it  when  they  have  done.  It 
is  a  sign  religion  is  at  a  low  pass,  and  that  the  laws  of  Christ  are 
little  regarded  among  Christians,  Prov.  xxiv.  29.  Matth.  v.  44,  45. 
Alas  !  how  shall  we  prove  ourselves  Christians  indeed  living  at  that 
rate?  How  would  we  suffer  loss  of  liberty,  goods,  and  life  for 
Christ,  with  a  spirit  of  meekness,  when  every  private  wrong  can 
provoke  our  vengeance  ?  What  would  they  do  more  who  never 
heard  of  Christ  ?  It  is  worthless  religion  that  puts  not  men  to  be 
followers  of  the  meek  and  lowly  Jesus. 

4.  Lastli/,  Those  who  make  no  conscience  of  doing  their  duty  to 
those  who  have  wronged  them,  but  they  carry  towards  them  as  if 
their  offence  loosed  them  from  all  bonds  of  duty  to  them,  and  so  sa- 
tisfy their  revenge,  Matth.  v.  44 — 46.  One's  being  out  of  their  duty 
to  us,  is  not  enough  for  us  to  neglect  our  duty  to  them.  Alas  ! 
what  would  become  of  us  if  God  treated  us  at  this  rate,  withdrawing 
Lis  mercies  from  us  upon  every  provocation?     Be  followers  of  God. 


178  THE  SINFULNESS  OF  PRIVATE  REVENGE. 

Use  7dt.  Revenge  not  yourselves  but  ratlier  give  place  to  wrath, 
the  wrath  of  your  adversary.  To  press  tliis,  I  offer  the  following 
motives. 

1.  This  is  true  excellency  and  bravery  of  spirit.  Men  are  much 
mistaken  in  their  measures,  who  count  otherwise.     For, 

(1.)  In  this  ye  will  resemble  the  spirit  Jesus  Christ  was  actuated 
by,  1  Pet.  ii.  23.  "  Who,  when  he  was  reviled,  reviled  not  again ; 
when  he  suffered,  he  threatened  not ;  but  committed  himself  to  him 
thatjudgeth  righteously."  Luke  xxiii.  34.  "  Father,  forgive  them, 
for  they  know  not  what  they  do."  Ye  shall  be  as  gods,  was  the 
height  of  ambition  that  men  aspired  to  very  soon.  Behold  an 
allowable  way  how  we  may  be  like  our  Lord !  in  meekness  and  pa- 
tience, suffering  wrong  rather  than  avenging  at  our  own  hand.  This 
was  the  way  how  Christ,  being  true  Grod  as  man,  did  walk.  And 
therefore  it  is  true  excellency  of  spirit.  When  James  and  John 
would  have  revenged  an  affront  offered  to  Christ  by  the  inhospitable 
Samaritans,  by  commanding  fire  to  come  down  from  heaven  and 
consume  them,  "  He  turned,  and  rebuked  them,  and  said.  Ye  know 
not  what  manner  of  spirit  ye  are  of.  For  the  Son  of  man  is  not 
come  to  destroy  men's  lives,  but  to  save  them,"  Luke  ix.  55,  56. 
He  had  legions  of  angels  at  his  command,  yet  he  says.  Father,  for- 
give them,  Luke  xxiii.  34. 

(2.)  Ye  will  shew  a  generous  contempt  of  the  impotent  malice  of 
an  evil  world,  possessing  yourselves  in  the  midst  of  all  the  sallies  of 
it  upon  you,  Luke  xxi.  19.  In  patience  possess  ye  your  souls.  The 
moon  retains  her  brightness  though  the  cur  barks  at  her :  and  an 
excellent  spirit  retains  its  composure,  notwithstanding  the  little 
rubs  one  meets  with  in  an  evil  world. 

(3.)  Ye  will  shew  yourselves  masters  of  your  own  spirit ;  and 
many  who  have  won  cities  by  storm,  have  been  trod  under  foot  by 
their  own  spirits  ;  which  shews  victory  over  the  latter  to  be  a  more 
glorious  thing  than  over  the  former,  Prov.  xvi.  32.  "  He  that  is  slow 
to  anger,  is  better  than  the  mighty :  and  he  that  ruleth  his  spirit 
than  he  that  taketh  a  city." 

(4.)  Ye  will  overcome  him  that  wrongs  you.  Either  you  will 
gain  him  to  return  to  his  duty,  Rom.  xii.  20.  or  ye  will  at  least 
keep  your  ground  while  his  corruption  carries  him  out  of  the  road, 
and  tends  to  drive  you  off  your  road  too.  So  he  is  the  true  over- 
comer,  not  who  does  the  wrong,  but  who  bears  it  with  patience, 
Rom.  viii.  37-  "  In  all  these  things  we  are  more  than  conquerors, 
through  him  that  loved  us." 

2.  Consider  the  wrong  done  to  God  by  your  revenging  yourselves. 
Ye  take  out  of  his  hand  what  he  has  reserved  for  himself  on  good 


THE  SINFULNESS  OF  PRIVATE  REVEXGE.  179 

grounds ;  ye  invade  liis  sovereign  authority,  and  pull  a  jewel  out  of 
the  crown  of  heaven  to  adorn  yourselves,  Deut.  xxxii.  35.  forecited. 
Thus, 

(1.)  Ye  impeach  his  justice,  as  if  he  like  Gallio  cared  for  none  of 
these  things,  so  tliat  unless  ye  revenged  yourselves,  your  wrongs 
would  never  be  righted.  This  is  the  blasphemous  language  of  that 
practice  :  for  who  believetli  that  a  just  God  will  revenge  all  wrongs, 
would  take  it  out  of  his  hand? 

(2)  Ye  impeach  his  wisdom,  in  committing  vengeance  into  the 
hands  of  those  in  authority,, saving,  in  eflect,  that  it  would  be  far 
better  to  leave  that  to  private  men,  and  that  God's  method  of  ven- 
geance is  not  fitted  to  reach  the  end.  And  therefore  ye  will  correct 
the  ordinance  of  heaven. 

(3.)  Ye  impeach  his  veracity,  and  refuse  to  helieve  his  word,  that 
he  will  repay.  And  therefore  ye  will  repay  injuries  yourselves,  as 
if  God's  word  were  not  to  be  believed. 

(4.)  Ye  dare  his  vengeance.  If  he  is  the  God  of  vengeance,  and 
■will  repay,  sure  he  will  take  vengeance  on  those  who  contemn  and 
invade  his  authority. 

Now  what  wrong  can  any  man  possibly  do  to  you,  that  will  justify 
your  doing  such  wrong  to  God  ? 

3.  Revenge  is  a  most  ensnaring  thing,  not  to  be  harboured  in  the 
least.  It  is  a  sacrifice  to  passion,  and  involves  the  soul  in  guilt  that 
way.  It  often  carries  men  into  such  heights,  as  afterwards  they 
would  wish  they  had  not  gone  to  when  it  is  past  remedy.  How 
many  has  revenge  brought  to  an  ill  end  ?  Yea,  how  many  have 
been  brought  into  compact  with  the  devil  by  this  means  ? 

4.  Lastly,  It  is  inconsistent  with  peace  with  heaven  and  pardon. 
They  who  live  in  a  course  of  revengeful  passions,  are  living  in  a 
state  of  black  nature.  Tit.  iii.  3.  Our  Saviour  is  express  in  that, 
Matth.  vi.  15.  "If  ye  forgive  not  men  their  trespasses,  neither  will 
your  Father  forgive  your  trespasses."  How  can  ye  go  to  God,  to 
pray  for  pardon,  when  ye  will  not  forgive  those  that  sin  against 
you  ?  So  revenge  puts  a  bar  in  the  way  of  your  pardon :  and  the 
guilt  of  sin  unpardoned  will  bar  you  out  of  heaven. 

Object.  The  scripture  saith,  Ejc  for  eye,  and  tooth  for  tooth. 

Ans.  That  was  the  law,  the  execution  of  which  was  not  commit- 
ted but  to  the  magistrate ;   and  does  not  belong  to  private  persons. 

Object.  2.  If  we  put  up  with  one  injury,  we  will  get  more. 

Ans.  The  text  saith  not  so,  Kom.  xii.  20.  "  If  thine  enemy  hunger, 
feed  him ;  if  he  thirst,  give  him  drink  :  for  in  so  doing  thou  shalt 
heap  coals  of  fire  on  his  head."  But  better  we  get  never  so  many 
wrongs,  than  that  we  wrong  God  by  revenging  ourselves. 

Object.  3.  It  is  not  manly  not  to  revenge  affronts  and  wrongs. 


180  THE  SINFULNESS  OF  PRIVATE  KEVENaE. 

Ans.  As  blackmoors  paint  the  devil  white,  so  tlo  vain  men  their 
vices  and  corrupt  passions.  So  proceeding  from  words  to  blows  is 
manliness  with  them ;  whereas  a  little  consideration  would  shew 
them,  that  it  is  childishness ;  for  so  do  nurses  still  their  babies, 
by  revenging  them  on  those  that  displease  them.  It  is  brutishness; 
anger  a  dog,  and  he  will  be  ready  to  fly  at  your  face.  It  is  foolish- 
ness, Eccl.  vii.  9.  "Be  not  hasty  in  thy  spirit  to  be  angry:  for 
anger  resteth  in  the  bosom  of  fools."  Was  David  not  manly  that 
revenged  not  himself  on  Saul  ?  Saul  says  otherwise,  1  Sam.  xxiv. 
18 — 21.  "  Thou  hast  shewed  this  day  how  that  thou  hast  dealt  well 
with  me :  forasmuch  as  when  the  Lord  had  delivered  me  into  thine 
hand,  thou  killedst  me  not.  For  if  a  man  find  his  enemy,  will  he 
let  him  go  well  away  ?  wherefore  the  Lord  reward  thee  good,  for 
that  thou  hast  done  unto  me  this  day,"  &c. 

Quest.  How  then  should  we  do  in  the  case  of  afi'ronts  and  wrongs  ? 

Ans.  1.  Arm  yourselves  with  meekness  and  'patience,  while  you 
go  through  an  evil  world,  laying  your  accounts  that  ye  will  have 
use  for  them,  wherever  ye  are,  and  that  daily. 

2.  Learn  to  bear  with  and  forbear  one  another,  and  to  be  always 
ready  to  forgive  the  injuries  done  to  you,  so  far  as  they  concern 
yourselves.  Col.  iii.  13.  "  Forbearing  one  another,  and  forgiving  one 
another,  if  any  man  have  a  quarrel  against  any  :  even  as  Christ  for- 
gave you,  so  also  do  ye."  And  there  is  no  measure  to  which  this 
forgiving  is  to  be  stinted,  Matth.  xviii.  21,  22.  "Lord,  (says  Peter) 
how  oft  shall  my  brother  sin  against  me,  and  I  forgive  him  ?  till  se- 
ven times  ?  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  I  say  not  unto  thee,  Until  seven 
times  :  but,  until  seventy  times  seven." 

3.  In  matters  of  weight,  where  the  good  of  the  party  offending, 
the  public  good,  or  your  future  safety,  makes  redress  necessary,  ap- 
ply to  those  for  it  who  are  vested  with  authority  for  that  end,  Rom. 
xii.  4,     Only  do  it  not  from  a  spirit  of  revenge. 

4.  In  that  case,  and  in  other  cases,  wherein  redress  is  not  to  be 
expected,  lay  the  matter  before  the  Lord,  put  it  in  his  hand,  and 
wait  for  him,  Prov.  xx.  22.  "  Say  not  thou,  I  will  recompense  evil : 
but  wait  on  the  Lord,  and  he  shall  save  thee." 

5.  Lastly,  Live  by  faith,  keeping  your  eye  on  Christ  the  fountain 
of  strength,  the  pattern  of  meekness,  and  on  the  judgment  to  come, 
when  all  wrongs  shall  be  redressed,  and  justice  shall  be  done  to 
every  one. 


THE 

DISTINGUISHING     CHARACTERS 

OP 

TRUE    BELIEVERS. 

ri.    IN  RELATION  TO  LOVING  THEIE  ENEMIES.* 

A  PERSUASIVE  TO  LOVE  OUR  ENEMIES. 

Matthew  t.  44,  45. 
Love  your  enemies,  hless  them  that  curse  you,  do  good  to  them  that  hate 
you,  and  pray  for  them  which  despite/idly  use  you,  and  persecute  you  : 
that  ye  may  be  the  children  of  your  Father  luhich  is  in  heaven,  for  he 
maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,  and  sendeih  rain 
on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust. 

Negative  Loliness  is  short  of  Christianity  more  than  the  one  half. 
It  is  not  enough  that  we  do  others  no  ill,  but  we  must  do  them  good 
as  we  have  access.  Nor  is  it  enough  that  we  fly  not  out  in  passion 
and  revenge  on  those  who  have  wronged  us,  but  we  must  love  them. 

Nature  teaches  us  to  love  them  that  love  us ;  and  so  the  worst  of 
men  may  learn  tiiat  lesson,  ver.  46,  "  For  if  ye  love  them  which  love 
you,  what  reward  have  ye  ?  do  not  even  the  publicans  the  same  ?" 
But  sanctifying  grace  goes  higher,  teaching  to  love  them  that  hate 
us ;  and  this  is  a  lesson  hard  to  learn.  Hence  the  corrupt  Jewish 
teachers,  unable  to  come  up  to  the  intent  of  the  holy  law,  brought 
down  the  law  to  their  nature,  and  expounded  the  second  great  com- 
mandment of  the  law  conformably,  ver.  43,  Thou  shah  love  thy  neigh- 
bour, and  hate  thine  enemy.  Our  Lord,  who  loved  his  enemies  so  as 
to  die  for  them,  does  justice  to  that  law  here  ;  and  that  end  of  the 
law  which  they  had  folded  in,  he  folds  out  agaiu,  and  stretches  it 
out  in  its  full  length,  so  as  to  teach  our  foes  as  well  as  our  friends. 
£ut  I  say  unto  you.  Love  your  enemies,  8fc.     In  which  words  we  have, 

1.  A  duty  enjoined.  Love  your  enemies.     It  is   supposed,  that  in 

*  The  discourses  on  this  8u1)jei;t  were  preached  at  Ettrick  in  November  and 
December,  1724. 

YOL.  Y.  N 


182  A  PERSUASIVE  TO  LOVE  OUR  ENEMIES. 

this  world  every  body  will  have  some  enemies ;  and  want  who  will, 
Christ's  friends  will  not  want  enemies,  who  will  hate  them,  and  do 
them  any  mischief  they  can  reach.  The  greatest  innocency  of  life, 
and  harmlessness,  the  greatest  usefulness  in  the  world,  will  not  se- 
cure one  from  having  enemies.  Christ's  own  case  demonstrates  this. 
Well,  what  is  our  duty  to  them  ?  '  Love  them.  That  is  explained, 
Bless  them,  do  them  good,  j>ray  for  them.  That  is  an  old  command- 
ment, Prov.  XXV.  21,  "  If  thine  enemy  be  hungry,  give  him  bread  to 
eat :  and  if  he  be  thirsty,  give  him  water  to  drink."  But  it  is  new 
stamped  with  the  authority  and  example  of  Jesus.  And  of  all  coin 
men  are  fondest  of  the  very  old  and  the  split-new.  Here  are  both 
together. 

2.  Tlie  necessity  of  this  duty,  and  of  obedience  to  this  command. 
It  is  agreed  among  all  to  be  the  hardest  duty  of  Christianity.  The 
Papists  will  have  it  to  be  not  a  command,  but  a  counsel  of  per- 
fection. And  if  most  Protestants  would  speak  their  hearts  in  this 
point,  they  would  agree  with  them  ;  for  in  effect  they  think  and  say, 
It  is  not  for  every  one,  it  is  only  the  attainment  of  some  very  rare 
good  men  ;  and  though  they  cannot  reach  it,  they  are  in  no  doubt 
for  all  that,  that  they  belong  to  Christ.  But  our  Lord  teaches  here 
the  downright  contrary,  namely,  the  absolute  necessity  of  it  to  all, 
to  Christians  of  the  smallest  as  well  as  of  the  greatest  size  :  That  ye 
may  he  the  children  of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven.  Not  that  we 
must  first  love  our  enemies  before  we  can  be  adopted  into  the  family 
of  God ;  but  that  we  must  necessarily  evidence  our  sonship  by  this, 
or  else  forfeit  our  claim  to  it.  So  that  ye  may  be,  is,  that  ye  may 
appear  to  be.  Adoption  into  the  family  of  heaven  is  a  great  privi- 
lege. The  question  is,  Who  may  claim  interest  in  it,  and  who  not  ? 
They  who  love  their  enemies  may  claim  it ;  for  "thereby  they  dis- 
cover they  are  really  God's  children,  they  are  so  like  him  :  they 
who  do  not,  may  not  claim  that  privilege ;  for  they  really  are  net 
God's  children,  they  are  so  unlike  him. 

The  text  affords  the  following  instructive  note. 

DocT.  Loving  of  our  enemies  is  a  necessary  evidence,  mark,  and 
character  of  those  who  are  of  the  family  of  heaven. 

In  discoursing  this  subject,  I  shall, 

I.  Consider  the  duty  of  loving  our  enemies. 

II.  Shew  that  this  loving  of  our  enemies  is  a  necessary  mark  and 
evidence  of  a  child  of  God. 

III.  Make  some  practical  improvement. 

I.  We  shall  consider  the  duty  of  loving  our  enemies.  And  here 
I  shall  show, 


A  PERSUASIVE  TO  LOVE  OUR  ENEMIES.  183 

1.  "Wlio  are  to  be  understood  by  our  enemies. 

2.  What  is  that  love  wliich  we  owe  to  tliem. 

First,  I  am  to  shew  who  are  to  be  understood  by  our  enemies. 
In  general,  it  aims  at  those  about  whom  there  is  least  to  engage  our 
love  to  them.  For  the  more  our  Christian  love  is  of  that  sort,  it  is 
the  liker  to  the  love  of  God,  who  loves  freely,  and  does  not  find  the 
objects  of  it  lovely,  but  makes  them  so,  And, 

It  is  not  only  to  be  understood  of  those  who  are  simply  our  ene- 
mies, but  of  those  who  are  enemies  to  God  as  well  as  to  us.  This 
is  evident  from  the  context,  for  the  law  binds  us  to  love  our  neigh- 
bour, ver.  43.  Every  body  is  our  neighbour  in  the  sense  of  the  law. 
Therefore  our  enemies,  even  such  of  them  as  are  enemies  to  God,  are 
our  neighbours,  and  so  to  be  loved.  And  upon  this  principle  our 
Lord's  explication  goes.  Again,  were  not  such  as  cursed,  hated,  and 
persecuted  the  disciples  of  Christ,  the  enemies  of  God  as  Avell  as 
theirs  ?  Yet  the  text  will  have  those  loved.  Finally,  the  evil  and 
unjust  are  so  far  loved  of  our  heavenly  Father,  that  he  does  them 
good  :  yet  they  are  his  enemies.  Therefore  we  are  to  love  them  too, 
if  we  would  be  like  him,  ver.  45. 

They  would  do  well  to  consider  this,  who  make  the  extent  of  their 
religion  the  boundaries  of  their  love  ;  who  if  they  love  those  of  their 
own  religion  and  way,  think  they  owe  no  love  to  others,  but  are  at 
liberty  to  hate  all  the  world  besides;  and  could  be  content  to  ex- 
terminate and  devour  them  under  the  notion  of  God's  enemies.  This 
is  the  way  of  the  bloody  Papists  ;  and  be  who  they  will  that  go  that 
way,  they  are  actuated  by  the  spirit  of  Antichrist,  which  is  a  spirit 
of  hatred,  not  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  which  is  a  Spirit  of  love.  If 
Christ  had  loved  at  that  rate,  there  had  never  been  a  church  in  the 
world  :  but,  as  says  the  apostle,  Rom.  v.  10.  When  we  were  enemies, 
we  were  reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son. 

Object.  1.  Does  not  the  psalmist  say.  Psalm,  cxxxix.  21,  22,  "  Do 
not  I  hate  them,  0  Lord,  that  hate  thee  ?  And  am  not  I  grieved 
with  those  that  rise  up  against  thee  ?  I  hate  them  with  perfect 
hatred  :  I  count  them  mine  enemies  ?"  And  does  not  Jehu  the  son 
of  Uanani  the  seer  say  to  King  Jehoshaphat,  Shouldst  thou  help  the 
ungodly,  and  love  them  that  hate  the  Lord  ?  2  Chron.  xix.  2. 

Ans.  (1.)  There  is  a  hating  of  one's  way  and  course,  and  a  hating 
of  one's  person.  It  is  not  the  latter  that  is  meant  in  these  passages, 
but  the  former.  They  bate  the  Lord,  rise  up  against  him,  are  un- 
godly ;  that  is  their  course,  which  our  hatred  must  fix  upon.  So  the 
sum  of  it  is,  I  count  them  mine  enemies,  whose  persons  I  am  obliged 
to  love,  but  their  ei^raity  I  am  obliged  to  hate.     So  a  man  loves  his 

N  2 


184  A  PERSUASIVE  TO  LOVE  OUR  ENEMIES. 

sick  child,  though   he  loathes  his  loathsome  disease,  and  seeks  to 
root  it  out. 

(2.)  There  is  a  hatred  opposite  to  a  love  of  comj)lacency,  and  a 
hatred  opposite  to  a  love  of  good  will :  the  former  is  what  we  should 
bear  to  the  enemies  of  God,  and  is  there  meant ;  the  latter  is  not. 

Object.  2.  Are  not  the  prayers  of  the  church  bent  against  the  en- 
emies of  Christ  ? 

Ans.  Yea  they  are,  and  for  them  too,  in  different  respects  ;  the 
former  in  respect  of  their  wicked  works,  the  latter  in  respect  of  their 
persons.  And  if  there  is  no  separating  of  their  works  from  their 
persons,  that  their  works  are  not  to  be  destroyed  but  with  the  des- 
truction of  their  persons,  i.  e.  if  they  be  incorrigible,  then  since 
God's  honour  must  be  dearer  to  us  than  all  the  world,  we  may  law- 
fully pray  against  their  persons  too.  And  this  is  as  consistent  with 
the  love  in  the  text,  as  a  j)arent's  calling  a  surgeon  to  cut  off  his 
child's  gangrened  leg ;  he  loves  the  leg,  and  would  heartily  wish  its 
preservation  ;  yet  he  must  call  for  cutting  it  off,  lest  it  ruin  his  child's 
whole  body.  See  all  this,  Psal.  Ixxxiii.  16 — 18,  "  Fill  their  faces 
with  shame  :  that  they  may  seek  thy  name,  0  Lord.  Let  them  be 
confounded  and  troubled  for  ever :  yea,  let  them  be  put  to  shame, 
and  perish :  that  men  may  know,  that  thou  whose  name  alone  is 
Jehovah,  art  the  Most  High  over  all  the  earth." 

2.  It  is  to  be  understood  of  those  who  are  adversaries  to  us,  or 
are  against  us  any  manner  of  way,  whether  they  in  that  matter  bo 
against  God  or  not.     And  so  it  takes  in, 

1st.  Those  who  are  not  truly  and  properly  our  enemies,  but  in  our 
account  and  reckoning  only  are  enemies  to  us.  And  here  is  an  oc- 
casion of  the  exercise  of  this  grace  and  duly,  as  well  as  in  the  case 
of  the  most  real  enemy  to  us.  For  though  one  be  not  indeed  your 
enemy,  yet  if  you  think  him  to  be  so,  it  is  all  a  case  to  you  to  love 
him,  as  to  love  one  that  is  really  so  ;  and  if  you  reach  it,  it  will  be 
certainly  acceptable  to  God,  it  will  not  be  lost :  for  though  it  is  your 
weakness  to  mistake  one  for  your  enemy  who  is  not  so,  yet  it  is  your 
excellency  to  love  one  whom  you  take  for  your  enemy,  Luke  xxiv.  1. 
So  this  love  is  owing, 

(1.)  To  those  whom  we  take  for  our  enemies,  but  are  really  only 
smiting  friends.  AYounding  friends  in  a  childish  sickly  world  oft- 
times  go  under  the  name  of  enemies ;  while  kissing  enemies  are 
taken  for  friends,  Prov.  xxvii.  6.  "  Faithful  are  the  wounds  of  a 
friend  ;  but  the  kisses  of  an  enemy  are  deceitful."  So  it  fared 
with  Paul  among  the  Galatians,  chap.  iv.  16.  Am  J  therefore  become 
your  enemt/,  says  he  to  them,  because  I  tell  yoii,  the  truth  ?  Much 
enmity  is  raised  this  way  in  the  world.     A  sound  reproof  for  sin,  an 


A  PKRSUASIVE  TO  LOVE  OUR  ENEJUES.  185 

opposing  of  persons  in  sinful  courses,  is  sufficient  in  the  world  to 
make  enemies,  and  when  the  war  is  denounced  against  them,  Amos 
V.  1,  "  They  hate  him  that  rebuketh  in  the  gate."  But  if  these  must 
needs  be  your  enemies,  love  them  according  to  the  text,  saying  with 
David,  Psal.  cxli.  5.  "  Let  the  righteous  smite  me,  it  shall  be  a  kind- 
ness ;  and  let  him  reprove  me,  it  shall  be  an  excellent  oil,  which 
shall  not  break  my  head  :  for  yet  my  prayer  also  shall  be  in  their 
calamities." 

(2.)  To  those  whom  we  take  for  our  enemies,  but  are  only  com- 
petitors with  us  in  a  lawful  way.  There  is  so  much  selfishness  in 
the  world,  and  so  little  regard  to  the  interest  of  our  neighbour,  that 
a  great  many  imaginary  enemies  are  made  this  way.  Thus  Joseph's 
brethren  took  him  for  their  enemy,  and  pursued  the  quarrel  against 
him.  So  a  man's  pursuing  in  a  lawful  way  for  his  own,  what  enmity 
does  that  many  times  breed  among  men  ?  Persons  of  the  same  em- 
ployment or  occupation,  what  envy,  grudge,  and  enmity  is  raised 
among  them  on  that  very  head  ?  Where  there  is  an  advantageous 
bargain  to  which  all  are  alike  free,  how  often  is  the  man  that  gets 
it  looked  on  as  an  enemy  to  the  rest  ?  And  at  bottom  it  is  just  be- 
cause he  is  a  friend  to  himself,  which  all  the  world  must  allow,  so  it 
be  in  a  lawful  way.  But  if  such  must  needs  be  enemies,  know  you 
ought  to  love  your  enemies. 

2dl(/,  Those  who  are  indeed  our  enemies,  whom  we  reckon  so,  and 
who  are  truly  what  we  reckon  them.  Here  is  occasion  for  the  exer- 
cise of  this  grace  and  duty :  and  it  is  not  likely  that  any  body  ap- 
pearing in  the  world  Avants  such  occasion.  If  they  belong  to  God, 
they  will  not  want  it,  Luke  vi.  29.  Let  all  then  take  heed  that  they 
be  found  in  the  way  of  this  duty.  These  enemies  are  of  two  sorts, 
but  all  of  them  to  be  loved,  according  to  the  text. 

(1.)  Stated  ememies,  in  respect  of  a  course  of  enmity.    And  these, 

[1.]  Stated  public  enemies,  who,  in  their  imnciples  and  by  open 
profession,  are  opposite  to  us,  and  practise  accordingly.  Such  wei'e 
the  unbelieving  Jews,  particularly  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  to  the 
followers  of  Christ,  inwardly  hating  them,  openly  cursing  them,  and 
accordingly  persecuting  them.  But,  says  our  text,  love  your  enemies. 
This  party-enmity  is  frequent  in  the  world,  and  it  is  the  bane  of  the 
church.  It  is  the  native  fruit  of  the  corruption  of  our  nature.  Men 
arc  by  a  certain  propensity  of  nature  led  to  hate  and  bear  enmity 
and  grudge  against  those  they  differ  from:  it  grows  up  like  thistles 
and  other  weeds  of  its  own  accord,  so  that  no  man  shall  be  kept  from 
it,  if  he  set  not  himself  by  grace  to  bear  it  down,  and  root  it  up. 
And  the  mischief  of  it  is  in  church-differences  especially,  that  peo- 
ple look  on  this  brood  of  hell  as  the  offspring  of  heaven,  and  so  call 

N  3 


186  A  PERSUASIVE  TO  LOVE  OITK  ENEMIES. 

it  zeal  and  duty  ;  and  the  more  of  it  they  have,  think  they  are  the 
better  men.  Hence  said  our  Lord,  John  xvi.  2.  "  The  time  cometh, 
that  whosoever  killeth  you,  will  think  that  he  doth  God  service." 
But  0  how  far  are  they  deceived  in  this  !  Jam.  iii.  13,  &c.  Our 
Lord  crushed  the  appearance  of  this  in  his  disciple,  Luke  ix.  54,  55. 
Nay,  he  shed  his  blood  to  quench  this  unhallowed  fire,  Eph.  ii.  16, 
"  That  he  might  reconcile  both  unto  God  in  one  body  by  the  cross, 
having  slain  the  enmity  thereby."  This  is  the  design  of  the  parable 
of  the  man  that  fell  among  the  thieves,  Luke  x.  30. 

[2.]  Stated  private  enemies,  who  set  themselves  in  a  course  of  en- 
mity against  such  and  such  persons.  Such  enemies  were  Herod  and 
Pilate  to  one  another,  Luke  xxiii.  12.  We  call  this  state  variance, 
Gal.  V.  20.  and  this  kind  of  enmity /cud,  a  settled,  stated,  continued 
enmity.  Such  had  Joseph's  brethren  against  him,  Ahab  against 
Macaiah,  and  Absalom  against  his  brother  Amnon.  This  is  frequent 
every  where,  spreading  itself  like  venom  among  neighbours,  yea 
among  relations,  and  among  neighbours  of  all  sorts.  And  they  that 
have  such  enemies,  think  it  not  to  be  enough  to  be  wise  as  serpents, 
to  be  on  their  guard  as  to  them  ;  but  they  think  they  are  warranted 
to  join  therewith  the  venom  of  the  serpent  too  :  and  so  they  are  even 
with  them.  Hence  they  will  not  speak  together,  but  on  all  occasions 
are  sure  to  be  at  them,  and  to  bear  hard  on  one  another,  pursuing 
their  war.  But  this  is  not  the  way  of  God  :  on  the  contrary,  says 
the  scripture,  "  If  thine  enemy  be  hungry,  give  him  bread  to  eat : 
and  if  he  be  thirsty,  give  him  water  to  drink,  Prov.  xv.  21.  Be  not 
overcome  of  evil,  but  overcome  evil  with  good,"  Rom.  xii.  21.  See 
the  law,  Exod.  xxiii.  4,  5.  These  things  will  exclude  men  out  of 
heaven.  Gal.  v.  21. 

(2.)  Occasional  enemies,  who,  upon  particular  emergent  occasions, 
do  wrong  to  us  ;  but  not  from  a  stated  enmity  against  us.  K  we 
are  to  love  our  stated  enemies,  much  more  these.  Col.  ii.  13.  There 
are  thousands  of  enmities  of  this  nature  :  and  such  is  the  weakness 
and  corruption  of  our  nature,  that  there  is  no  body  but,  either 
through  inadvertency  or  the  power  of  temptation,  do  thus  wrong 
others.  So  that  if  men  must  hate  those  who  so  treat  them,  they 
will  be  Ishraael-like,  having  their  hand  against  every  man  they  have 
to  do  with,  &c.  But  it  is  utterly  unlike  the  gospel  to  blow  up  these 
sparks  into  a  fire.  But  love  such  enemies  notwithstanding  :  for  "  if 
ye  forgive  not  men  their  trespasses,  neither  will  your  Father  forgive 
your  trespasses,"  Matth.  vi.  15. 

Both  these  kinds  of  enemies  are  of  three  sorts. 
[1.]  Heart-enemies,  who  in  their  hearts  are  set  against  us,  burn- 
ing with  grudge,  malice,  and  rancour  at  us.     The  text  is  plain  as  to 


A  PERSUASIVE  TO  LOVE  OUR  ENEMIES.  187 

our  duty  in  tliat  case,  Do  good  to  them  that  hate  you.  Love  begets 
^ove,  even  among  those  void  of  the  grace  of  God  ;  so  if  yc  love  thera 
wlio  love  you,  ye  are  not  one  step  beyond  the  profane  in  that  point, 
ver.  46.  But  if  ye  would  show  the  power  of  God's  grace  in  you,  ye 
must  be  heart-friends  to  your  heart-enemies,  having  your  heart  to- 
wards them,  whose  heart  is  away  from  you. 

[2.]  Tongue-enemies,  who  employ  their  tongues  against  us  like 
swords,  arrows,  fire,  and  scourges.  Bless  them  that  curse  you.  These 
are  very  dangerous  enemies,  and  sometimes  give  very  deep  and 
galling  wounds,  Psal.  Ivii.  4.  "  ]\[y  soul  (says  David,)  is  among  lions, 
and  I  lie  even  among  them  that  are  set  on  fire,  even  the  sons  of  men, 
whose  teeth  are  spears  and  arrows,  and  their  tongue  a  sharp  sword." 
One  does  not  know  how  to  get  out  of  their  way.  Men  may  flee  from 
the  hands  of  their  enemies,  but  who  can  flee  from  their  tongues  ? 
Only  God  himself  can  be  a  refuge  herein.  Job  v.  21.  "  Thou  shalt  be 
hid  from  the  scourge  of  the  tongue."  But  even  to  these  you  owe 
love,  Psal.  cis.  'i,  4,  5.  And  tongue-love  will  not  pay  that  debt,  it 
must  be  heart-love,  Prov.  x.  18.  Wit  may  furnish  the  former,  but 
true  wisdom  must  furnish  the  latter  in  that  case. 

[3.]  Hand-enemies,  who  in  their  actions  and  deeds  are  enemies  to 
us;  not  only  in  their  hearts  wishing  us  ill,  and  with  their  tongues 
speaking  ill  of  us,  but  to  their  power,  and  as  they  have  occasion 
doing  ill  to  us,  "  Pray  for  them  that  despitefiilly  use  you,  and  per- 
secute you."  Our  Lord  binds  us  even  to  love  these,  and  that  while 
they  are  doing  against  us.  So  he  gave  us  example,  Luke  xxiii.  34. 
"  Father,  forgive  them  ;  for  they  know  not  what  they  do."  So  the 
first  martyr  followed  the  blessed  example.  Acts  vii.  60,  "  Lord,  lay 
not  this  sin  to  their  charge."  And  so  must  we  shew  ourselves  to 
be  the  children  of  the  blessing,  1  Pet.  iii.  9.  "  Not  rendering  evil 
for  evil,  or  railing  for  railing  :  but  contrariwise,  blessing  ;  knowing 
that  ye  are  thereunto  called,  that  ye  should  inherit  a  blessing." 
The  corrupt  heart's  motion  is  to  do  ill  for  ill,  but  by  grace  we  must 
do  good  for  ill :  that  is  heaven's  exchange. 

Secoxdly,  I  come  to  shew  what  that  love  is  which  we  owe  to  our 
enemies  :  We  must  love  them.  It  is  necessary  to  explain  this,  both 
negatively  and  positively. 

First,  Negatively.     We  are  not  bound  to  love  them, 

1.  So  as  for  their  sakes  to  be  reconciled  to  and  at  peace  with 
their  sin.  Our  Lord  obliges  us  to  love  the  ])ersons  of  our  enemies, 
but  not  the  wrong  they  do  to  us,  and  much  less  the  wrong  they  do 
to  God.  We  are  not,  under  pretence  of  this  love,  to  give  over  op- 
posing them  in  evil :  that  were  to  hate  them,  not  to  love  them, 
whatever  they  may  think,  Lev.  xix.  17.     Or  if  it  is  called  love,  it  is 


188  A  PERSUASIVE  TO  LOVE  OUR  EKEMIES. 

to  love  them  more  than  God,  1  Sam.  ii.  29.  "We  must  love  and 
strive  to  please  one  another,  but  to  edification,  not  to  destruction. 
Not  only  does  the  father  love  his  child,  though  he  chastens  him ;  but 
because  he  loves  him,  therefore  he  chastens  him.  And  the  more  Ave 
love  any  truly,  the  more  we  will  hate  their  sin. 

2.  Neither  does  this  love  bar  seeking  redress  of  wrongs  in  an  or- 
derly way.  If  God  had  meant  that  men  should  be  in  the  earth,  like 
the  fishes  in  the  sea,  where  the  greater  swallow  up  the  lesser,  with- 
out possibility  of  redress,  nothing  being  left  to  the  weaker  but  to 
yield  themselves,  he  had  never  appointed  the  magistrate,  "  a  reven- 
ger to  execute  wrath  upon  him  that  doth  evil,"  Rom.  xiii.  4.  And 
Jesus  Christ  never  extended  his  precepts  to  the  pulling  down  of  the 
fence  of  human  society,  government,  governors,  and  laws.  And 
what  he  said  of  turning  the  other  cheek  to  him  that  smote  the  one, 
himself  explained,  John  xviii.  23.  *'  If  I  have  spoken  evil,  bear  wit- 
Bess  of  the  evil :  but  if  well,  why  smitest  thou  me  ?"  being  ready  to 
receive  a  second  stroke  rather  than  to  revenge  that  he  had  got ;  but 
withal  complaining  of  the  wrong  before  a  judge.  Men  may  do  this, 
and  love  the  enemy  that  wrongs  them  uotwithstanding. 

3.  Neither  doth  it  bind  us  to  a  love  of  complacency  in  them. 
That  is,  we  are  not  obliged  to  take  delight  in  them,  make  them  our 
intimate  and  familiar  companions,  associate  with  them  as  our 
friends,  being  in  a  course  of  enmity  against  God.  Jehoshaphat  was 
reproved  for  that,  2  Chron,  xix.  2.  David  makes  it  a  mark  of  his 
sincerity,  that  he  abstained  from  it,  Psal.  cxxxix.  21.  Solomon  tells 
us,  Prov.  xiii.  20.  "  He  that  walketh  with  wise  men  shall  be  wise  : 
but  a  companion  of  fools  shall  be  destroyed."  And  everywhere  the 
scripture  calls  us  off  from  complacency  and  intimate  communion 
with  evil  men.  It  holds  too  in  the  case  of  those  who  are  really  our 
enemies  simply,  otherwise  we  were  to  make  no  difference  between 
our  friends  and  our  foes !  hence  says  Christ,  Matth.  x.  16,  17.  "  Be- 
hold, I  send  you  forth  as  sheep  in  the  midst  of  wolves :  be  ye  there- 
fore wise  as  serpents,  and  harmless  as  doves.  But  beware  of  men, 
for  they  will  deliver  you  up  to  the  councils,  and  they  will  scourge 
you  in  their  synagogues."  Wise  walking  is  a  Christian  duty, 
wherein  the  wisdom  of  the  serpent  is  kept,  but  separate  from  its  ve- 
nom, Prov.  xiv.  15.   The  prudent  man  looketh  well  to  his  going. 

Secondly,  Positively.  There  is  a  threefold  love  that  uses  to  be 
distinguished.  (1.)  A  love  of  complacency;  (2.)  of  good  will;  and 
(3.)  of  beneficence.  As  to  the  first,  I  have  already  shewed,  that  it 
is  not  owing  to  our  real  enemies.  Our  Lord  bids  us  hless,  but  not 
sing  and  rejoice  with  those  that  curse  us :  do  good  to,  but  not  delight 
in  and  take  them  into  our  bosom,  that  hate  us :  pray  for,  but  not  as- 


A  PERSUASIVE  TO  LOVE  OUR  ENEMIES.  18? 

sociate,  as  with  our  best  friends,  with  those  who  despitefully  use  us, 
and  persecute  us.  It  is  the  two  latter  kinds  of  love  that  we  owe  to 
them.  And  this  is  evidently  clear  from  the  whole  of  this  context, 
to  be  the  full  compass  of  the  love  to  our  enemies  ;  which  is  ex- 
plained, 

1.  Of  the  love  of  good-will  to  them,  ver,  44.  "  Bless  them, — pray 
for  them.     So,  ver.  47.  If  ye  salute  your  brethren  only,  what  do  ye  , 
more  than  others  ?  do  not  even  the  publicans  so  ?"     The  publicans 
salute,  i.  e.  bear  and  show  good  will  to  those  who  bear  and  show  it 
to  them. 

2.  Of  the  love  of  beneficence,  ver.  44.  Do  good  to  them.  So  do 
the  publicans,  verse  46.  rewarding  one  another's  good  deeds.  Of 
these  two  it  is  explained  from  God's  own  example,  verse  45.  "  That 
ye  may  be  the  children  of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven,  for  he 
maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,  and  sendeth  rain 
on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust."  God  doth  not  entertain  a  love  of  com- 
placency in  evil  and  unjust  men ;  but  that  is  the  peculiar  portion  of 
the  good  and  just  from  the  Lord.  But  he  follows  the  evil  and  the 
good,  just  and  unjust,  with  a  love  of  good-will,  making  his  sun  to 
rise  on  them  ;  so  heaven  opens  its  eye,  and  looks  to  them  as  wishing 
them  well.  And  he  follows  them  with  a  love  of  beneficence,  making 
his  rain  to  fall,  whereby  fruitful  seasons  are  made. 

These  two  together  make  the  perfection  of  that  lo^e  that  men 
promiscuously  are  fit  objects  of,  ver.  48.  "  Be  ye  therefore  perfect, 
even  as  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  is  perfect."  If  we  consider 
men  as  just  and  good,  they  are  fit  objects  of  the  divine  and  human 
complacency:  as  evil  and  unjust,  tliey  are  not  fit  objects  of  the  one 
nor  of  the  other.  But  the  worst  of  them  may  be  fit  objects  of  good 
will  and  beneficence.  And  God's  love  is  perfect  in  aftording  them 
both  these :  and  if  we  aff'ord  them  the  same,  our  love  that  we  owe  to 
them  will  be  perfect  too,  no  due  part  being  lacking.     Then, 

First,  We  owe  to  our  enemies,  our  real  enemies,  a  love  of  good- 
will, Rom.  xiii.  9.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.  Our 
hearts  ought  to  be  lovingly  disposed  towards  them,  and  they  to  have 
a  room  in  them,  as  we  when  we  were  yet  enemies  had  in  the  heart 
of  Christ.  If  we  be  not  so  disposed,  we  have  not  the  Spirit  of 
Christ.  Good-will  is  a  debt  we  owe  to  mankind,  even  the  worst  of 
them :  and  though  it  takes  nothing  out  of  our  pocket,  it  is  not  easily 
paid.  There  is  need  of  a  stock  of  grace,  for  nature's  stock  will  soon 
be  exhausted.  Tit.  iii.  3.     This  good-will  lies  in, 

1.  We  must  not  wish  them  ill  as  ill  to  them,  Psal.  xl.  14.  We 
must  pluck  up  the  roots  from  which  ill  wishes  to  thom  do  spring  up. 
Envy,  which  looks  with  an  ill  eye  on  their  welfiire,  and  would  eat 


190  A  PERSUASIVE  TO  LOVE  OUR  ENEMIES. 

it  up,  James  iii.  Id;  hatred,  which  bloclis  up  all  good  from  us  to 
them,  Lev.  xix.  17;  grudge,  which  is  a  train  lying  within  the  heart, 
ready  to  be  blown  up  on  occasion  for  mischief  to  them.  Lev.  xix.  18 ; 
and  malice,  which  like  a  burning  fire  pursues  them  with  ill-will, 
Eph.  iv.  31.  Our  ill  wishes  can  do  them  no  ill,  but  they  do  our- 
selves much.  Every  ill  wish  is  an  item  in  our  accounts  before  God, 
and  the  reigning  root  of  ill-will  to  our  neighbour  proves  one  to  be 
naught,  1  John  ii.  11.  "He  that  hateth  his  brother  is  in  darkness, 
and  walketh  in  darkness,  and  knoweth  not  whither  ho  goeth,  be- 
cause that  darkness  hath  blinded  his  eyes." 

But  this  extends  not  to  these  two  cases.  (1.)  The  wishing  one  an 
ill  for  good  to  him,  e.  g.  the  losing  of  such  an  one's  favour,  the  hav- 
ing of  which  is  a  snare  to  his  soul :  the  lowering  of  one's  outward 
circumstances,  whose  prosperity  makes  him  forget  God  and  himself. 
But  in  this  case  the  thing  wished,  though  in  itself  an  evil,  is  wished 
as  a  mean  of  good,  and  of  good  to  the  person.  (2.)  The  wishing 
evil  to  a  person  for  the  good  of  many,  as  that  one  who  is  a  corrupter 
of  others,  and  incorrigible  in  it,  may  be  taken  out  of  the  way.  For 
the  honour  of  God  and  the  public  good  is  always  preferable  to  the 
private  good  of  one.  Gal.  v.  12. 

2.  We  must  not  take  pleasure  in  any  ill  that  befals  them,  as  ill 
to  them,  Prov.  xxiv.  17.  "Rejoice  not  when  thine  enemy  falleth, 
and  let  not  thine  heart  be  glad  when  he  stumbleth."  To  make 
the  miseries  of  others  our  delight,  is  unbecoming  the  spirit  of  the 
gospel ;  it  is  a  feeding  with  the  serpent  on  dust ;  that  is  to  say,  a 
joining  issue  with  the  devil  in  our  rejoicing.  But  0  how  much  of 
that  spirit  is  in  the  world ;  yea,  how  naturally  does  the  heart  of 
man  take  that  bias  !  Though  perhaps  men  will  not  do  them  ill,  yet 
it  is  a  pleasure  to  them  to  hear  of  others  doing  it,  or  of  Providence's 
reaching  them  some  stroke.  The  former  cases  must  be  excepted 
here  too.  But  otherwise  it  is  a  very  wicked  disposition,  to  take 
pleasure  in  our  enemy's  hurt.  Job  clears  himself  in  that  point.  Job 
xxxi.  29.  "  If  I  rejoiced  at  the  destruction  of  him  that  hated  me,  or 
lift  up  myself  when  evil  found  him."  There  is  no  exception,  Rom. 
xii.  15.  "  Rejoice  with  them  that  do  rejoice,  and  weep  with  them 
that  weep." 

3.  We  must  heartily  wish  them  well,  1  Tim.  i.  5.  "  Pray  for 
them,"  says  the  text.  We  must  wish  them  the  best  things,  that 
they  may  be  for  ever  happy ;  may  have  favour  and  peace  with  God, 
Luke  xxxiii.  34. ;  and  that  for  that  cause  God  may  gi-ant  them 
faith,  repentance,  and  all  other  saving  graces.  For  it  is  a  vain 
wish,  and  worse  than  vain,  to  wish  people  happy,  living  and  going 
on  in  their  sins :  therefore  our  wishes  must  be  so  regulated  as  God's 


A  PERSUASIVE  TO  LOVE  OUR  ENEMIES.  191 

stated  method  of  grace  may  be  kept  in  due  regard.  And  as  for 
other  things  that  are  temporal,  we  must  wish  them  these  as  they 
may  best  promote  those  ends. 

4.  We  must  wish  them  well,  as  well  to  them,  Psal.  cxxii.  8.  Men 
may  wish  well  to  their  enemies,  from  a  mere  carnal  principle,  not  as 
being  well  for  them,  but  for  themselves.  That  is,  they  may  wish 
them  repentance,  &c.  for  their  own  ease,  not  from  any  love  to  their 
souls.  But  God  sees  through  that,  and  will  account  it  no  more  than 
it  is,  that  is,  self-love,  not  love  to  our  onemies.  To  everlook  our 
own  interest,  and  from  love  to  God,  and  our  neighbour,  to  wish  well 
to  those  that  are  our  enemies,  is  worthy  of  a  Christian. 

Secondli/,  We  owe  to  our  enemies,  our  real  enemies,  a  love  of  be- 
neficence, whereby  we  will  be  ready  to  do  them  good  as  we  have  ac- 
cess ;  and  therefore  says  the  apostle,  1  John  iii.  18.  "  My  little 
children,  let  us  not  love  in  word,  neither  in  tongue,  but  in  deed  and 
truth."  And  certain  it  is,  that  where  the  heart  in  good  earnest 
wisheth  them  good,  the  tongue  and  the  hands  will  be  ready  to  do 
them  the  good  we  wish  them,  and  can  do  them.  Man  was  born  for 
society,  and  no  man  was  born  for  himself  only,  but  is  obliged  to  seek 
the  good  of  others  too ;  and  their  enmity  to  us  looseth  not  that 
bond. 

1.  We  must  not  i>ractise  revenge  upon  them,  by  doing  one  ill 
turn  for  another  they  have  done  us,  Rom.  xii.  19.  "  Dearly  be- 
loved, avenge  not  yourselves,  but  rather  give  place  unto  wratli." 
They  that  are  farthest  behind  \Fith  their  neighbour  here,  are  in  best 
case  :  for  revenge  for  wrongs  done  is  a  debt  that  will  be  paid,  and 
the  longer  it  is  a-paying,  it  will  be  the  heavier  charge  at  length. 
But  God  has  kept  the  clearing  of  that  debt  in  his  own  hand,  and  we 
are  not  to  meddle  with  it.  llevenging  ourselves  on  our  enemies  is 
the  utmost  remove  from  the  love  we  owe  to  them.  It  is  hatred, 
ilaming  hatred  against  them,  instead  of  love.  It  tends  to  their  de- 
struction, and  therefore  denominates  men  murderers  before  the  Lord, 
1  John  iii.  15.  0  that  men  would  consider  how  they  will  answer  it 
to  him,  who  having  set  us  a  pattern,  commands  us  to  love  our  ene- 
mies.    So  forbearing  positive  revenge  is  the  lowest  step  of  this  love. 

2.  "We  must  not  with-hold  from  them  the  good  that  is  due  to 
them  from  us  by  any  particular  tie  ;  but  must  be  sure  to  be  in  our 
duty  to  them,  though  they  be  out  of  their  duty  to  us,  Prov.  iii.  27, 
"  With-hold  not  good  from  them  to  whom  it  is  due,  when  it  is  in  the 
power  of  thine  hand  to  do  it."  It  is  not  enough  that  we  do  them  no 
ill,  but  we  must  do  them  the  good  we  owe  them,  by  whatsoever  such 
tie,  whether  they  be  special  neighbours,  or  nearer  relations.  For 
the  duty  we  owe  one  to  another  in  our  relations,  is  not  founded  on 


193  A  PERSUASIVE  TO  LOVE  OUR  ENEMIES. 

mere  compact,  that  when  the  one  breaks  the  other  is  loose ;  but 
upon  the  authority  of  God,  which  binds  both  parties.  If  men  would 
then  turn  their  eyes  upward,  and  look  to  God  as  the  common  Mas- 
ter, they  would  find  reason  from  his  command,  to  continue  in  their 
duty  to  those  who  cast  off  their  duty  to  them,  as  far  as  they  can 
have  access. 

3.  We  must  be  ready  to  do  them  good  as  Providence  puts  an  op- 
portunity in  our  hand,  Gal.  vi.  10.  "  As  we  have  opportunity,  let  us 
do  good  unto  all  men."  This  love  of  beneficence  takes  in  this  also 
as  the  crowning  ingredient,  the  highest  step  in  it.  (1.)  We  must  do 
them  no  ill.  (2,)  We  must  do  them  all  the  good  we  owe  them,  and 
they  can  challenge  of  us  by  any  particular  tie.  But  we  must  go 
higher  yet,  and,  (3.)  Do  them  all  the  good  that  we  have  access  to  do 
them,  though  they  cannot  challenge  it  by  any  particular  tie.  Here 
is  a  general  tie  in  the  test,  to  make  up  that  want :  and  in  these 
cases  though  they  cannot  challenge  it  of  us,  our  God  and  Lord  can 
and  doth.  The  Jews  who  crucified  Christ,  and  stoned  Stephen,  could 
not  demand  their  prayers  for  them  as  a  debt  they  owed  them  by  a 
particular  bond  :  but  the  extensive  law  of  love  required  them,  and 
Christ  fulfilled  that  law  in  that  as  in  other  points  ;  and  Stephen 
wrote  after  his  copy.  So  that  it  will  not  be  sufficient  to  shift  a  good 
work  toward  such  and  such  persons,  to  say  we  owe  them  none.  Now 
we  must  be  ready  to  do  them  good, 

1st,  In  their  temporal  interest,  Rom.  xii.  20.  "  If  thine  enemy 
hunger,  feed  him  :  if  he  thirst,  give  him  drink  :  for  in  so  doing  thou 
shalt  heap  coals  of  fire  on  his  head."  Thus  our  Lord  Jesus  went 
about  doing  good  in  the  midst  of  his  enemies,  healing  their  sick, 
curing  their  blind,  &c.  He  was  a  public  benefactor,  though  in  the 
mean  time  he  was  the  object  of  the  public  enmity.  So  if  it  lie  in  our 
way  to  advance  their  temporal  interest,  and  do  them  a  good  turn 
for  that  end,  we  must  not  withhold  it,  whatever  enmity  they  shew 
or  have  shewn  to  us. 

2dli/,  In  their  spiritual  interest,  contributing  our  utmost  endea- 
vours as  we  have  access  for  their  eternal  happiness,  Prov.  xi.  30. 
He  that  ivinneth  souls  is  ivise.  -  Thus  Christ  and  his  apostles  gave  us 
an  example  in  their  thirsting  for  the  soul-good  of  the  Jews,  their  de- 
clared enemies.  When  the  winning  or  losing  of  a  soul  comes  in 
competition  with  any  wrong  done  to  us,  that  wrong  is  not  worth 
noticing ;  for  the  redemption  of  the  soul  is  precious  above  all. 
And  for  both  these  we  must  be  ready, 

(1.)  To  speak  for  their  good:  for  a  good  word  is  often  of  such 
usefulness  to  men,  that  it  may  be  reckoned  among  good  deeds.  This 
Avas  Jeremiah's  comfort,  that  he  had  so  done  for  his  people,  who 


A  PERSUASIVE  TO  LOVE  OUR  ENEMIES.  195 

%vere  very  abusive  to  liiin,  chap,  xviii.  20.  "  Shall  evil  be  recom- 
pensed for  good  ?  for  they  have  digged  a  pit  for  my  soul :  remember 
that  I  stood  before  thee  to  speak  good  for  them,  and  to  turn  away 
thy  wrath  from  them."  And  when  we  may  advance  the  good  of 
those  who  are  our  enemies  by  our  speaking  for  them,  then  is  the 
time  to  speak. 

(2.)  To  act  for  their  good,  Rom,  xii.  20.  forecited.  The  spirit  of 
the  gospel  disposeth  men  not  only  to  use  their  tongues,  but  their 
hands  for  the  good  of  their  enemies  ;  and  to  abide  some  stress  them- 
selves, for  doing  good  to  them,  llom.  v.  7,  8.  "  For  scarcely  for  a 
righteous  man  will  one  die  :  yet  peradventure  for  a  good  man  some 
would  even  dare  to  die.  But  God  commendeth  his  love  towards  us, 
in  that  while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us."  If  men  please 
themselves  with  giving  one  good  words  for  their  enemies,  while  they 
have  access  to  do  them  good  deeds,  but  will  not,  we  may  say.  What 
doth  that  pro/it  ?  James  ii.  16. 

For  all  this  we  must  be, 

(1.)  Habitually  disposed  to  beneficence  towards  them.  The  habi- 
tual bent  and  frame  of  our  souls  should  be  to  do  good  to  all,  our 
enemies  not  excepted.  For  that  is  the  native  effect  of  the  writing 
of  the  law  of  love  on  the  heart. 

(2.)  We  must  readily  fall  in  with  any  special  opportunity  that 
Providence  puts  in  our  hand  for  that  effect.  Gal.  vi.  10.  How  do  ill 
men  strike  in  with  an  opportunity  to  do  an  ill  turn  to  their  enemies  ? 
So  would  we  show  ourselves  Christians,  by  striking  in  with  an  oc- 
casion of  doing  good  to  our  enemies,  as  knowing  that  then  God  is 
putting  us  to  the  trial  in  that  point. 

II.  The  next  general  head  is  to  shew,  that  this  loving  of  our 
enemies  is  a  necessary  mark  and  evidence  of  a  child  of  God.  Ye 
have  heard  what  it  is  not,  and  what  it  is :  consider  now  that  you 
must  either  reach  it,  or  forfeit  your  claim  to  God  as  your  Father. 
I  do  not  say,  that  without  perfection  in  it  ye  cannot  make  that 
claim.  It  is  our  duty  indeed,  but  wo  can  no  more  reach  a  perfection 
of  degrees  in  it,  tlian  in  other  graces  and  duties.  But  the  reaching 
of  it  in  a  perfection  of  parts,  the  sincere  aiming  at,  and  endeavour- 
ing it,  as  other  graces  and  necessary  duties,  in  the  habitual  course 
of  our  lives,  is  such  a  necessary  mark  and  evidence  of  a  child  of 
God,  as  appears  from  the  following  considerations. 

1.  The  living  in  malice  and  envy  against  any,  is  an  evidence 
of  one  in  the  black  state  of  nature,  a  child  of  hell.  Hence  says  the 
apostle,  Tit.  iii.  3.  "  We  ourselves  also  were  sometimes  foolish,  dis- 
obedient, deceived,  serving  divers  lusts  and  pleasures,  living  in  ma- 
lice and  envy,  hateful,  and  hating  one  another."     The  scripture 


194  A  PERSUASIVK  TO  LOVE  OUR    ENEJIIES. 

calls  car  natural  state  the  gall  of  bitterness,  Acts  viii.  21,  23.  and  na- 
tural men  a  generation  of  vipers,  Mattli.  iii.  7.  Men  falling  into  en- 
mity against  God,  fell  into  enmity  one  against  another;  and, 
rendering  themselves  hateful  to  God,  came  also  to  hate  one  another: 
and  there  is  no  effectual  cure  for  it,  till  they  return  to  God,  the 
centre  of  unity.  See  it  in  the  case  of  our  first  parents.  So  this 
reigning  enmity  against  any  is  the  native  produce  of  man's  apostate 
state,  discovering  it  as  surely  as  smoke  does  fire.  Therefore  love 
to  our  enemies  is  a  necessary  mark  and  evidence  of  a  child  of  God, 

2.  To  love  our  friends  and  hate  our  enemies,  is  nothing  above  the 
reach  of  nature,  corrupt  as  it  is.  The  Pharisees,  that  generation 
of  vipers,  as  short  as  they  cut  the  law,  left  so  much  of  it  in  that 
point,  Matth.  v.  43.  "  Ye  have  heard  that  it  hath  been  said.  Thou 
shalt  love  thy  neighbour,  and  hate  thine  enemy."  The  worst  of 
men  may  do  that ;  self  love  teaches  it,  and  produces  it :  tlierefore 
there  is  no  body,  but  they  bear  love  to  some  others.  But  surely 
Christianity  must  carry  men  farther  than  the  worst  of  men ;  there- 
fore a  true  Christian  must  necessarily  love  both  his  friends  and  ene- 
mies, since  there  is  no  medium  betwixt  these,  verse  46,  47.  The 
true  Christian  must  love  all  men,  since  the  worst  of  men  love  some  : 
else  the  children  of  heaven  and  of  hell  are  alike, 

3.  The  want  of  it  will  evince  the  person  to  want  the  true  love  of 
God  ;  and  he  who  wants  that,  surely  is  not  a  child  of  God,  but  a 
child  of  the  devil.  Men  will  persuade  themselves,  that  though  they 
can  have  no  love  to  such  and  such  a  one  whom  they  look  on  as  their 
enemy ;  yet  they  love  God,  and  that  is  enough.  But  hear  what  the 
Spirit  of  God  says  in  this  case,  1  John  iv.  20,  "  If  a  man  say,  I  love 
God,  and  hateth  his  brother,  he  is  a  liar  :  for  he  that  loveth  not  his 
brother  whom  he  hath  seen,  how  can  he  love  God  whom  he  hath  not 
seen?"  Men  do  not  love  God  truly,  who  cannot  love  men  for  his 
sake  :  and  the  love  of  our  friends  is  loving  for  our  own  sake,  if  we 
do  not  love  our  enemies  too.  For  if  we  loved  for  God's  sake,  then 
we  would  love  all  whom  he  bids  us :  but  sticking  at  the  love  of  our 
enemies  so  expressly  required  by  him,  shews  that  we  do  not  love 
God,  since  we  will  not  do  that  for  his  sake.  If  we  love  ourselves, 
we  must  love  our  friends,  because  they  love  us  :  but  the  great  trial 
is  in  the  love  of  our  enemies,  where  we  cannot  fetch  the  arguments 
for  loving  them  from  ourselves,  but  from  God. 

4.  It  is  a  necessary  consequent  of  regeneration,  and  without  that 
no  man  shall  see  heaven,  1  John  iii,  9,  10.  "  Whosoever  is  born  of 
God,  doth  not  commit  sin,  for  his  seed  remaineth  in  him  :  and  he 
cannot  sin,  because  he  is  born  of  God.  In  this  the  children  of  God 
are  manifest,  and  the  children  of  the  devil :  Whosoever  doth  not 


A  PERSUASIVR  TO  LOVE  OUR  ENEMIES.  195 

righteousness,  is  not  of  God,  neither  he  that  loveth  not  his  brother." 
If  Ave  be  God's  children,  we  have  got  the  new  nature,  and  old  things 
are  done  away.  Then  we  will  be  no  more  living  in  malice,  hateful, 
and  hating  one  another.  But  these  things  will  be  laid  aside.  Hence 
it  is  prophesied  of  the  gospel-days,  Is.  xi.  6.  "  The  wolf  also  shall 
dwell  with  the  lamb,  and  the  leopard  shall  lie  down  with  the  kid  : 
and  the  calf,  and  the  young  lion,  and  the  fatliug  together,  and  a 
little  child  shall  lead  them."  If  we  are  born  again,  the  law  is 
written  on  our  hearts,  Heb.  viii.  10.  whereof  love  is  the  sum ;  and 
particularly  the  loving  of  our  neighbour  as  ourselves,  is  the  second 
great  commandment.  And  it  is  evident  from  the  Scriptures,  that 
our  enemy  is  our  neighbour  in  the  sense  of  the  law.  So  if  we  are 
not  disposed  to  love  our  enemies,  we  are  not  disposed  to  love  our 
neighbour  ;  and  if  we  do  not  that,  the  law  is  not  written  on  our 
hearts  ;  and  if  it  is  not  written,  we  are  not  born  again,  and  so  are 
not  God's  children. 

5.  If  we  love  not  our  enemies,  we  are  not  like  God  ;  and  if  we  be 
not  like  him,  we  are  not  his  children  ;  for  all  his  children  have  his 
Spirit  in  them,  Gal.  iv.  6.  and  they  all  bear  his  image,  Col.  iii.  10. 
Therefore  says  our  Lord,  Matth.  v.  45,  "  Love  your  enemies — that 
ye  may  be  the  children  of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven,  for  he 
maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,  and  sendelh  rain 
on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust."  God  loves  even  those  that  are  his 
enemies,  seeking  their  good,  and  doing  them  good :  yea,  "  lie  loved 
the  Avorld  so,  (while  yet  enemies.)  that  he  gave  his  only-begotten 
Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life,"  John  iii.  16.  If  we  look  to  the  work  of  creation, 
he  gave  us  our  being,  and  the  Avhole  world  ;  if  to  providence,  he 
sustains  us  by  his  bounty  ;  if  to  redemption,  "  God  commended  his 
love  towards  us,  in  that  while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for 
ns,"  Rom.  v.  8.  How  can  we  then  be  like  him,  if  we  love  not  our 
enemies  ? 

6.  If  we  love  not  our  enemies,  we  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
and  so  are  none  of  his,  Rom.  viii.  9.  Our  Lord  Jesus  gave  us  a 
most  complete  pattern  of  love,  extending  to  our  enemies  as  well  as 
friends.  Ho  sought  the  good  of  all,  the  hurt  of  none ;  he  did  good 
to  those  that  did  ill  to  him ;  he  prayed  for  them  who  used  him  most 
despitefully  ;  nay  he  died  for  them  by  whose  hands  he  himself  died. 
"We  can  never  then  be  reckoned  his  disciples,  and  of  his  family,  nor 
to  have  his  Spirit,  without  we  love  our  enemies. 

7.  LaMly,  Without  this  we  are  murderers  in  the  sight  of  God, 
and  so  have  no  share  in  eternal  life,  1  John  iii.  15.  "  Whosoever 
hateth  his  brother  is  a  murderer  :  and  ye  know  that  no  murderer 


196  A   PERSUASIVE  TO  LOVE  OUR  ENEMIES. 

hath  eternal  life  abiding  in  him."     We  show  ourselves  the  children 
of  the  grand  murderer,  and  so  must  have  our  portion  with  him. 

T  conclude  this  subject  with  some  practical  improvement. 

Use  1.  Of  information.    This  shows  us,  that, 

1.  It  is  not  easy  to  be  a  Christian  indeed,  however  easy  it  is  to 
take  on  the  naiue  and  profession  of  it.  Christianity  has  in  it  super- 
natural truths  to  be  believed,  and  supernatural  duties  to  be  done  ; 
which  the  arms  of  natural  abilities  are  too  short  to  reach.  Divine 
grace  is  absolutely  necessary  for  these. 

2.  Christianity  lies  in  a  Christian  or  Christ-like  disposition  of 
heart,  and  a  conduct  of  life  agreeable  thereto.  Jam.  i.  22.  There  is 
a  power  of  godliness,  which  casts  the  heart  into  a  mould  of  con- 
formity with  the  example  of  Christ,  and  regulates  the  life  in  a  suit- 
ableness thereto.  Where  that  power  is  wanting,  there  is  no  true 
godliness. 

3.  Those  who  pick  and  choose  in  religion,  taking  the  easier,  and 
not  meddling  with  the  difficult  duties  thereof  laid  before  them,  do 
but  deceive  themselves.  Though  ye  love  professors  of  religion,  and 
the  children  of  God  who  are  friendly  to  you ;  for  all  that  ye  are 
none  of  God's  family,  if  ye  love  not  your  enemies  too.  The  false 
mother  would  have  the  child  divided ;  Pharaoh  would  have  let  Israel 
go,  if  they  would  but  have  left  a  part  with  him.  But  we  must  either 
take  on  Christ's  whole  yoke,  or  none  at  all. 

4.  Christianity  is  the  best  friend  of  human  society.  0  how  happy 
might  the  world-be  if  it  should  obtain  !  What  peace,  safety,  and 
ease  would  there  be  among  nations,  in  neighbourhoods,  and  in  fami- 
lies ?  It  would  be  an  effectual  quench-coal  to  all  the  fightings, 
quarrellings,  jarrings,  strifes,  and  wrongs,  that  take  away  the  com- 
fort of  society.  There  ai-e  indeed  professors  of  religion,  who  are 
fire-brands  and  pests  to  society,  by  their  injustice,  contention,  &c. 
but  better  a  millstone  were  hanged  about  his  neck,  and  he  cast 
into  the  midst  of  the  sea,  than  that  such  things  should  take  place  : 
James  iv.  1.  "  From  whence  come  wars  and  fightings  among  you? 
come  they  not  hence,  even  of  your  lusts,  that  war  in  your  members  ?" 

5.  Lastly,  There  are  few  Christians  in  the  world ;  the  children  of 
God's  family  are  very  rare  ;  even  as  rare  as  they  are  who  love  their 
enemies.  For  the  one  and  the  other  are  of  equal  latitude.  The 
children  of  this  world  are  hateful,  and  hating  one  another;  the 
badge  of  the  saints  is  love,  which  is  rare  to  be  seen. 

Use  II.  Hereby  ye  may  discern,  whether  ye  are  the  children  of 
God  or  not.  This  is  an  evidence  proposed  by  Christ  himself,  the 
elder  brother  of  the  family.  All  those  of  the  family  of  heaven  ca- 
pable of  loving  or  hating  their  neighbour,  have  the  Spirit  of  the 


A  PERSUASIVE  TO  LOVE  OUR  ENEMIES,  197 

family,  which  is  a  beniga  and  favourable  one,  causing  them  to  love 
even  their  enemies  with  a  love  of  good  will  and  beneficence.  So  this 
writes  death  to,  and  excludes  out  of  the  number  of  the  children  of 
God. 

1.  All  those  whose  hearts  are  so  soured  with  the  real  or  imaginary- 
wrongs  they  conceive  themselves  to  have  received  from  such  and  such 
persons,  that  they  cannot  find  in  their  hearts  really  and  truly  to 
•wish  them  Avell :  but  they  desire,  seek,  long,  and,  thirst  for  mischief 
to  befal  them,  that  they  may  have  the  satisfaction  of  it.  This  is  the 
badge  of  the  devil's  family,  Tit.  iii.  3,  and  speaks  one's  spirit  to  be 
leavened  of  hell.  It  is  the  venom  of  the  serpent  appearing  in  his 
seed,  whatever  profession  they  make,  Matth.  iii.  7.  It  was  eminent 
in  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  ;  and  is  ordinarily  most  virulent  in  hy- 
pocritical professors,  because  of  their  reigning  pride  and  self-love. 
To  all  such  we  may  say,  "  Ye  serpents,  ye  generation  of  vipers,  how 
can  ye  escape  the  damnation  of  hell  ?"  Matth.  xxiii.  33. 

2.  All  those  whose  spirits  are  so  bitter  against  those  who  are  or 
are  accounted  their  enemies,  that  their  hands  are  quite  bound  up 
from  doing  them  a  good  turn  lying  in  their  way,  but  on  the  contrary 
will  do  them  an  ill  turn  if  they  can.  This  is  the  maligniti/  that  is 
the  brand  of  hell,  Ilom.  i.  29.  to  which  the  malignant  spirit  prompts 
men  :  and  it  reigns  in  those  of  the  devil's  family,  who  like  Cain  are 
of  that  wicked  one.  They  must  be  revenged,  and  vengeance  shall  cer- 
tainly be  taken  on  them  :  they  cannot  forgive,  and  therefore  they 
cannot  be  forgiven.  Wo  must  be  to  them  for  ever,  for  the  measure 
they  mete  shall  be  measured  to  thera. 

On  the  other  hand,  this  doctrine  speaks  comfort  to  those  who  are 
so  disposed  habitually,  as  heartily  to  wish  well  to  their  enemies,  and 
evidence  it  by  doing  them  the  good  they  have  access  to  do  them ; 
and  that  from  an  inward  principle  of  love  to  them,  flowing  from  the 
love  of  God,  and  from  a  sense  of  the  command  of  Christ.  See  the 
text.  No  doubt  hypocrites  and  carnal  men  may  have  the  counter- 
feit of  this.  But  ye  may  safely  take  the  comfort  of  love  to  your 
enemies, 

(1.)  If  it  be  a  loving  of  them  indeed  and  in  truth,  and  not  in  word 
and  tongue  only,  1  John  iii.  18.  Men  for  their  own  sake  may  give 
their  enemies  their  best  words  and  wishes,  while  these  are  but  a 
white  cover  of  black  hatred.  But  happy  they  who  are  real  in  their 
good  wishes  to  them,  and  evidence  the  same  by  their  deeds,  as  they 
have  opportunity. 

(2.)  If  it  be  evangelical  in  its  spring  and  rise.  A  good  humour, 
some  particular  interest  of  men's  own,  may  go  far  in  the  counterfeit 
of  this.   But  the  true  love  to  our  enemies  rises  from  gospel-principles. 

Vol.  Y.  0 


198  A  PERSUASIVE  TO  LOVE  OUR  ENEMIES. 

The  man  considers  his  own  natural  enmity  to  God,  the  acts  of  enmity 
against  God  which  himself  is  often  falling  into,  the  love  of  God  to 
us  while  yet  enemies  in  giving  Christ  for  us,  &c. ;  and  his  soul  is 
softened  and  melted  down  into  this  love. 

(3.)  Lastly,  If  it  bo  universal,  not  extending  to  some  only  for 
whom  we  retain  a  particular  regard,  but  to  all  whom  we  take  for 
our  enemies.  For  if  the  spring  of  it  be  evangelical,  it  will  be  uni- 
versal :  since  in  that  case  the  reason  for  bearing  that  love  to  one,  is 
a  reason  for  bearing  it  to  all  ;  for  being  in  charity  with  all  the 
world. 

Use  ult.  Evidence  yourselves  children  of  God,  members  of  the 
family  of  heaven,  by  loving  your  enemies.  Set  yourselves  to  the  con- 
scientious practice  of  this  duty,  laying  aside  all  hatred,  malice,  and 
revenge  against  others.  To  press  this,  let  me  suggest  the  following 
motives. 

1.  It  is  the  command  of  God  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  God  gave 
US  that  command.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.  Christ 
opened  it,  and  particularly  enforced  it  as  to  our  enemies.  And  it  is 
not  a  naked  command,  but  backed  with  the  example  of  God  and 
Christ,  which  must  have  weight  with  all  who  have  any  regard  to 
either. 

2.  Te  were  baptized  in  the  name  of  God  the  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost,  all  of  you,  and  many  of  you  have  communicated  in  the 
Lord's  supper.  Since  ye  have  taken  on  the  external  badge  of  the 
family,  walk  as  becomes  members  of  that  holy  society.  Ye  were 
baptized  into  Christ's  death,  which  was  for  his  enemies  :  the  supper 
is  the  commemoration  of  his  dying  for  us  while  yet  enemies.  How 
natively  then  do  they  bind  to  this  duty  ? 

3.  The  more  ye  have  of  this,  ye  are  the  more  like  God ;  the  less 
ye  have  of  it,  ye  are  the  more  unlike  him.  Here  is  a  piece  of  holy 
ambition,  to  strive  to  be  more  like  God,  in  universal  good-will  and 
beneficence.     Here  is  your  true  glory. 

4.  This  is  the  way  to  be  useful  in  the  world.  You  will  be  useful 
for  God  this  way,  who  will  be  much  honoured  by  it,  John  xv,  8, 
"  Herein  is  my  Father  glorified,  (says  Christ,)  that  ye  bear  him 
much  fruit,  1  Pet.  ii.  9.  Ye  are  a  peculiar  people ;  that  ye  should 
shew  forth  the  praises  of  him  who  hath  called  you  out  of  darkness 
into  his  marvellous  light."  Ye  will  be  useful  to  others  ;  particularly 
ye  may  be  useful  to  your  very  enemies,  Rom.  xii.  20,  21.  And  this 
is  a  noble  thing  ;  for  it  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive. 

5.  It  will  be  much  to  your  own  advantage.  While  others  rack 
and  torment  themselves  with  their  impotent  malice,  ye  will  enjoy  a 
calm  and  serenity  in  your  own  minds.     You  will  have  the  satisfac- 


A  PERSUASIVE  TO  LOVE  OTJR  ENEMIES.  199 

tion  of  the  testimony  of  your  own  conscience,  that  you  are  not 
enemies  to  them,  but  in  charity  with  them,  2  Cor.  i.  12. 

6.  Lastly,  Your  claim  to  the  family  of  God  depends  on  it.  The 
enmity  of  wicked  men  will  perish  in  a  little,  Eccl.  ix.  6  ;  but  they 
will  eat  the  bitter  fruits  of  it  for  ever  in  hell.  And  you  will  eat  the 
fruit  of  love  in  heaven. 

I  shall  conclude  with  a  few  directions. 

1.  Come  to  Christ,  and  unite  with  him  by  faith,  Heb.  xi.  6.  With- 
out this  ye  will  never  reach  this  nor  any  other  duty  acceptably. 
Until  ye  believe,  ye  are  in  the  gall  of  bitterness ;  and  the  grapes  of 
love  to  our  enemies  will  never  be  gathered  off  such  thistles.  With- 
out it  ye  cannot  have  the  new  nature,  2  Cor.  v.  17,  for  it  is  in  Christ 
only  we  are  made  partakers  of  the  divine,  and  the  power  of  the 
devilish  nature  is  done  away.  Without  faith  ye  cannot  love  God 
truly,  1  John  iv.  19.  How  then  will  ye  love  your  enemies  ?  Would 
ye  quench  the  hellish  fire  of  malice,  hatred,  and  revenge  in  your 
breasts  ?  go  inward,  and  see  to  your  own  soul's  case  in  the  first 
place,  shew  a  love  to  your  own  perishing  souls,  be  convinced  of  your 
sin  and  misery,  and  betake  yourselves  to  Christ  in  the  promise  of 
the  gospel.  Then  will  ye  be  capable  of  this  Christ-like  disposition 
and  duty. 

2.  Bear  up  in  your  hearts  a  deep  sense  of  your  sinfulness,  with 
the  faith  of  pardon  thereof.  This  will  natively  produce  it.  Tit.  iii. 
2,  3.  A  sense  of  our  own  sinfulness  against  God,  will  blunt  the 
edge  of  the  enmity  of  others  against  us,  that  it  will  not  pierce 
so  deep  with  us,  as  with  the  proud  unhurabled  sinner.  The  faith 
of  pardon  from  heaven  to  ourselves,  will  make  us  easy  to  forgive 
others.  To  think  that  God  has  forgiven  us  ten  thousand  talents, 
will  make  us  ready  to  forgive  the  hundred  pence  to  our  fellow- 
servants. 

3.  Ply  your  hearts  with  the  believing  thoughts  of  the  beneficence 
of  God  to  his  enemies,  and  the  love  of  Christ  dying  for  his  enemies 
to  redeem  them  from  wrath.  As  the  darkness  of  the  night,  mists 
and  fogs,  go  away  before  the  shining  sun,  and  wild  beasts  of  prey 
creep  into  their  dens  ;  so  would  all  malice  and  hatred  before  this. 

4.  Consider  that  even  your  enemies  were  made  originally  after 
God's  image.  Gen.  ix.  6.  and  they  may  be  for  all  you  know  the  ob- 
jects of  everlasting  love  ;  for  whom  special  favour  is  secured  by  the 
eternal  transaction.  Love  all  men  then,  lest  if  ye  hate  any,  ye  be 
found  to  pitch  your  hatred  where  God  has  pitched  his  free  love,  and 
so  be  found  fighters  against  God. 

5.  As  there  are  readily  none,  but  they  have  something  desirable 
about  them ;  so  fix  ye  upon  that,  and  love  them  for  it,  as  ye  will 

o2 


200  A  PEKSUASIVE  TO  LOVE  OUR  ENEMIES. 

love  gold,  though  ye  should  find  it  in  a  mire.  Beware  lest  the  faults 
of  others  and  their  blemishes  blind  your  eyes  to  their  beauties  and 
excellencies.  It  is  unbecoming  among  those  who  have  no  beauty 
without  blemish  themselves. 

6.  Consider  them  rather  as  objects  of  pity  and  compassion,  than 
of  hatred.  And  this  ye  will  do,  if  ye  consider  their  enmity  to  you, 
more  as  a  sin  against  God,  than  as  a  wrong  to  yourselves,  Col.  iii. 
25.  God  is  judge,  and  he  will  right  all  wrongs,  and  recompense 
every  one  according  to  his  work. 

7.  Lastly,  Consider  the  shortness  of  time,  their  and  your  ov^n, 
Eccl.  ix.  6.  We  have  no  time  to  spend  in  these  petty  quarrels  of 
this  world.  Death  will  make  them  all  to  die  out.  Our  enemies  are 
but  enemies  for  a  day ;  night  comes,  and  they  are  removed.  And 
we  ourselves  go  accordingly.  Let  us  therefore  be  ready  to  go,  in 
charity  with  all  men,  loving  our  enemies,  that  we  may  appear  to  be 
the  children  of  God. 


THE 

DISTINGUISHING     CHARACTERS 

OF 

TKUE    BELIEVEliS. 

VH.    IN  RELATION'    TO    THEIR    CARRIAGE  IN   A    TIME    OF    ABOUNDING-  SIN, 


* 


AND  THEIR  SAFETY  IN  A  SUFFERING  TIME. 


THE  CHARACTER  OF  ZION'S  MOURNERS. 

Erekiel  ix.  4. 
And  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Go  through  the  midst  of  the  city,  through 
the  tnidst  of  Jerusalem,  and  set  a  mark  upon  the  foreheads  of  the  men 
that  sigh,  and  that  cry  for  all  the  abominatio)is  that  be  done  in  the 
midst  thereof. 

[The  first  sermon  on  this  test.] 

Dats  of  abounding  sin  usher  in  days  of  overflowing  judgments. 
They  are  merry  jovial  days  to  the  wicked  and  ungodly,  who  swim 
with  the  stream,  and  having  the  reins  on  their  necks,  give  them- 
selves the  loose  in  the  course  of  apostasy  and  irreligion  :  but  they 
are  heavy  days  to  the  serious  godly,  who  dare  not  go  along  with  the 
stream,  but  must  oppose  it,  though  their  opposition  cannot  mend  it, 
and  therefore  must  issue  in  sighing  and  crying  for  it.  But  when 
the  day  of  reckoning  with  the  generation  of  God's  wrath  comes,  the 
guise  will  turn,  they  shall  get  sorrow,  and  the  seriously-godly  shall 
rejoice. 

Ezekiel  prophesied  in  Babylon,  to  which  he  had  been  carried  cap- 
tive among  those  that  were  carried  away  several  years  before  the 
completing  of  the  captivity  in  the  reign  of  Zedekiah.  It  would 
seem  he  was  among  those  that  were  led  captive  in  the  time  of  Je- 
hoiachin,  2  Kings  xxiv.  Those  that  are  most  dear  to  God  may 
smart  with  the  first  in  time  of  common  calamity.     Those  that  were 

*  The  two  sermons  on  this  subject,  were  preached  on  occasion  of  a  congregational 
fast,  at  Ettrick,  March  31,  1725. 

o3 


202  zion's  mouknees  characterized. 

left,  went  on  in  their  wickedness  ;  and  therefore  Ezekiel  is  raised 
up  in  Babylon  to  prophesy  of  that  utter  overthrow  which  fell  out  in 
Zedekiah's  reign,  wherein  the  temple  and  holy  city  are  sacked,  and 
the  land  was  laid  desolate. 

In  the  preceding  chapter,  the  Lord  shews  Ezekiel  in  a  vision  the 
horrible  abominations  that  people  were  yet  going  on  in,  chap.  viii. 
3.  &c.  and  in  this  chapter  he  shews  their  terrible  destruction  by  the 
Babylonians.  This  is  represented  by  the  destroying  angels  sent 
forth  to  kill ;  "  They  came  from  the  way  of  the  higher  gate,  which 
lieth  toward  the  north,  and  every  man  a  slaughter  weapon  in  his 
hand,"  ver.  2.  for  their  ruin  was  to  be  from  Babylon. 

In  the  text  we  have  two  things. 

1.  A  party  distinguishing  themselves  from  others  in  a  sinning 
time.  And  this  they  do  by  their  exercise,  not  by  any  particular 
name  of  sect  or  party,  but  by  their  practice.     Here  we  may  observe, 

(1.)  The  heavy  exercise  they  have  on  their  spirits  at  such  a  time. 
It  is  expressed  by  two  words,  both  passive,  importing  that  there  is  a 
load  and  a  weight  of  grief  and  sorrow  on  them :  which  makes  them 
sigh,  when  others  laugh;  oppresses  their  spirits,  while  otliers  go 
lightly  ;  and  makes  them  cry.  The  word  rather  signifies  to  groan, 
as  a  deadly  wounded  man,  who  is  hardly  able  to  cry,  Jer.  li.  52. 
The  sins  of  themselves  and  others  pierce  and  wound  their  hearts, 
and  they  groan  out  their  sorrows  before  the  Lord,  as  under  an  evil 
which  they  are  not  able  to  remove.  This  word  in  the  Hebrew,  is  in 
effect  doubled,  signifying,  that  groan,  that  groan ;  importing  their 
fetching  many  a  groan. 

(2.)  The  ground  of  this  their  heavy  exercise,  the  abominations  done 
in  the  midst  thereof.  Jerusalem  was  the  holy  city,  but  the  holy  city 
was  polluted  with  abominable  wickedness  of  many  sorts,  whereby 
the  name  of  God  was  dishonoured  by  a  people  called  by  his  name. 
This  made  them  sigh  and  groan.  Not  that  they  knew  all  the  abo- 
minations done  in  it:  but  what  they  knew,  all  of  it  was  heavy  to  them, 
and  God  constructed  that  to  be  mourning  for  what  they  knew  not. 

2.  Here  is  God's  distinguishing  that  party  from  others  in  a  suf- 
fering time,  seeing  to  their  safety  when  the  men  with  the  slaughter- 
weapons  were  to  go  through.     And  here  consider, 

(1.)  Who  gives  the  orders  concerning  them.  The  Lord  said.  God 
takes  notice  of  the  mourning  remnant  among  them  ;  he  books  their 
prayers  and  complaints,  he  bottles  their  tears,  and  so  has  a  particu- 
lar eye  upon  them  for  their  safety,  when  others  are  to  be  destroyed. 

(2.)  Who  gets  the  orders  about  them.  He  that  was  clothed  ivith 
linen,  having  a  ivriter^s  inkhorn  hy  his  side.  This  is  Jesus  Christ,  the 
Angel  of  the  covenant,  the  Father's  servant,  the  great  High  Priest, 


zion's  mourners  characterized.  203 

to  wliom  the  people  of  God  o^re  their  temporal  as  well  as  their  eter- 
nal salvation.  He  appears  here  in  all  his  offices :  he  is  among  the 
destroying  angels  as  a  king  ;  he  is  clothed  in  linen  as  a  priest ;  he 
has  a  writer's  inkhorn  by  his  side  as  a  prophet.  Both  he  and  they 
stand  by  the  brazen  altar,  ver.  2.  to  shew  that  it  was  the  profana- 
tion and  slighting  of  the  altar,  a  notable  type  of  Christ,  that  was  the 
great  ground  of  the  controversy  with  those  who  were  to  be  de- 
stroyed :  and  that  it  was  from  thence,  and  not  from  their  own  sighs 
and  cries  that  the  safety  of  the  mourning  party  was  to  come.  The 
destroyers  were  six  :  the  Saviour  was  but  one ;  to  shew  that  the 
far  greater  part  of  that  people  would  fall,  as  being  devoted  to  de- 
struction. 

(3.)  The  charge  given  concerning  them.  "Whereof  there  are  three 
parts. 

[1.]  To  go  through  the  midst  of  Jerusalem,  the  high  streets.  The 
mourners  would  be  found  there,  by  their  carriage  among  others, 
testifying  their  dislike  of  the  Grod-provoking  abominations  abound- 
ing among  them.  They  were  not  ashamed  to  bear  witness  for  God, 
and  God  will  not  be  ashamed  to  own  them. 

[2.]  To  set  a  mark  upon  them.  It  is  vain  to  inquire  particularly 
into  the  nature  of  this  mark  ;  for  all  here  was  visionary.  It  is  to 
be  a  direction  to  the  destroyers  whom  to  pass  by  and  not  to  meddle 
with.  And  this  is  to  be  done  before  the  destroying  angels  get  the 
word  to  fall  on,  to  shew  the  special  care  that  God  has  of  his  own  in 
the  time  of  the  greatest  confusion.  The  Babylonians  would  not  no- 
tice this  mark,  but  over-ruling  Providence  would  carry  them  by  the 
persons  so  marked. 

[3.]  To  set  it  in  their  foreheads.  In  the  Egyptian  destruction  the 
mark  was  set  on  their  door-posts,  because  their  whole  families  were 
to  be  saved ;  but  here  it  was  to  be  set  on  their  foreheads,  because 
it  was  only  designed  for  particular  persons.  Servants  in  the  east 
had  their  master's  name  in  their  foreheads  :  and  those  who  are 
sealed  in  their  foreheads,  God  owns  for  his  servants,  while  he 
treats  the  rest  as  enemies :  compare  Rev.  vii.  3.  The  forehead  is 
open  to  the  view  of  all,  which  speaks  the  greater  security  of  the 
marked  ones,  and  that  neither  is  God  ashamed  of  them,  nor  ought 
they  to  be  of  him,  even  in  the  midst  of  dangers.  The  words  afford 
the  two  following  doctrines,  viz. 

Doctrine  I.  Times  of  abounding  sin  are  heavy  times,  times  of 
sighing  and  groaning  to  the  serious  godly,  Zion's  mourners. 

Doctrine  II.  Those  to  whom  sinning  times  are  heavy  times,  mak- 
ing them  sigh  and  groan,  shall  be  marked  for  safety  (by  Jesus 
Christ)  in  suffering  times. 


204:  zion's  mourners  characterized. 

I  shall  endeavour  to  explain  and  apply  each  of  these  doctrines  in 
order. 

Doctrine  I.  Times  of  abounding  sin  are  heavy  times,  times  of 
sighing  and  groaning  to  the  serious  godly,  Zion's  mourners. 

In  handling  this  doctrine,  I  shall, 

I.  Give  the  import  of  this  exercise,  and  therein  the  character  of 
Zion's  mourners,  to  whom  times  of  abounding  sin  are  heavy  times, 
times  of  sighing  and  groaning. 

II.  Show  why  such  times  are  heavy  times,  times  of  sighing  and 
groaning  to  them. 

III.  Conclude  with  some  improvement. 

I.  I  am  to  give  the  import  of  this  exercise,  and  therein  the  cha- 
racter of  Zion's  mourners,  to  whom  times  of  abounding  sin  are 
heavy  times,  times  of  sighing  and  groaning. 

1.  Zion's  mourners  are  godly  persons,  who  in  respect  of  their 
state  have  come  out  from  the  world  lying  in  wickedness,  and  joined 
themselves  to  Jesus  Christ,  1  John  v.  19.  It  is  not  to  be  expected, 
that  while  men  lie  still  there,  they  will  be  mourners  for  the  wicked- 
ness done  among  them.  They  that  never  truly  repented  for  their 
own  sin  to  this  day,  may  indeed  talk  and  inveigh  against  the  sins  of 
others,  but  cannot  be  kindly  mourners  with  Christ's  mark.  In  a 
time  of  abounding  sin,  they  may  bite  and  sting  the  sinners  like  ser- 
pents, as  Satan  reproving  sin  :  but  they  can  never  mourn  like  doves 
over  their  abominations,  Ezek.  vii.  16. 

2.  Waking  godly  persons,  not  sleeping  with  the  foolish  virgins. 
Lot  in  Sodom  was  a  mourner,  and  the  ways  of  liis  neighbours  were 
like  thorns  in  his  side,  that  kept  him  waking,  2  Pet.  ii.  8.  One 
may  have  the  root  of  the  matter  in  him,  and  yet  being  asleep  he 
neither  sees  nor  hears  as  he  ought :  and  therefore  cannot  sigh  and 
groan.  And  hence  it  comes  to  pass,  that  they  may,  with  others,  get 
a  terrible  wakening  in  the  day  of  wrath  ;  as  sleeping  Jonah  did, 
when  the  storm  arose. 

3.  Mourners  for  their  own  sins,  Ezek.  vii.  16.  mourning  every  one 
for  his  iniquity.  Mourning  for  sin  begins  at  home,  if  of  the  right 
stamp.  The  man  first  mourns  for  and  groans  under  the  weight  of 
the  body  of  sin,  Rom.  vii.  24.  and  then  under  the  weight  of  the  sins 
of  others  ;  first  over  the  sins  of  his  own  heart  and  life,  and  then 
over  the  sins  of  the  land.  This  makes  kindly  mourning  for  the  sins 
of  the  land  :  otherwise  a  man  may  be  filled  with  anger  and  rage 
against  them,  as  Jonah  was  against  Nineveh,  but  not  with  Christian 
mourning. 

4.  Public-spirited  persons,  who  are  concerned  to  know  how  mat- 


zion's  mourners  characterized.  205 

ters  go  in  the  generation  wherein  they  live  :  how  the  interest  of  the 
gospel  thrives,  what  regard  is  had  to  the  law  and  honour  of  God, 
what  case  religion  is  in,  whether  Satan's  kingdom  is  gaining  or 
losing  ground.  For  it  is  seeing  and  hearing  that  makes  this  sighing 
and  groaning,  as  in  the  case  of  Lot,  of  whom  it  is  said,  2  Pet.  ii.  8. 
"  That  righteous  man  dwelling  among  the  Sodomites,  in  seeing  and 
hearing,  vexed  his  righteous  soul  from  day  to  day,  with  their  unlaw- 
ful deeds."  Those  who  are  concerned  for  nothing  but  their  own 
particular  aftairs,  and  those  whose  concern  is  only  as  a  matter  of 
news,  will  neither  of  them  be  ranked  among  Zion's  mourners  but 
those  who  are  concerned  to  hear  or  see,  that  they  may  be  affected. 

5.  Tender  persons,  careful  to  keep  their  own  garments  clean  in 
a  defiling  time,  and  dare  not  go  along  Avith  the  course  of  the  times. 
Rev.  iii.  4.  They  that  row  with  the  stream  of  a  declining  genera- 
tion, follow  the  guise  of  the  time,  and  will  rather  follow  a  multitude 
to  do  evil  than  be  singular ;  they  are  none  of  Zion's  mourners,  nor 
Christ's  marked  ones.  But  either  they  bear  the  devil's  mark ;  or 
if  they  belong  to  God,  they  will  get  a  mark  of  God's  anger  against 
their  way  set  upon  them,  as  Lot  got  for  his  sojourning  in  Sodom. 

6.  Zealous  persons,  opposing  themselves  to  the  current  of  abo- 
minations, as  they  have  access,  Psal.  Isix.  9.  They  will  be  conscien- 
tious to  do  what  they  can  in  their  stations  to  stem  the  tide,  Psal. 
Ixxv.  4.  "  Saying  unto  the  fools.  Deal  not  foolishly  ;  and  to  the 
wicked,  lift  not  up  the  horn."  They  will  look  on  themselves  as 
called  to  be  God's  witnesses,  and  to  contend  for  him,  Prov.  xxviii.  4. 
They  that  find  no  concern  they  have  with  tlie  piety  or  impiety  of 
others,  but  are  ready  to  say,  "  Am  I  my  brother's  keeper  ?"  that 
find  no  obligation  on  them  to  support  the  cause  of  God  and  religion 
in  the  world,  can  be  none  of  Zion's  mourners.  The  mark  they  bear 
is  neutrality,  which  ranks  them  on  the  side  of  God's  enemies,  Matth. 
xii.  30. 

7.  Lastly,  Persons  aft'ected  at  the  heart  for  the  sins  of  the  gene- 
ration, to  the  making  of  them  sigh  and  groan  on  that  account  before 
the  Lord,  when  no  eye  sees  but  the  all-seeing  One,  Jer.  xiii.  17. 
And  this  implies  four  things. 

(1.)  The  abominations  done,  lie  cross  to  the  grain  and  disposition 
of  their  souls  :  otherwise  they  would  not  make  them  sigh  and  groan. 
They  have  a  real  hatred  of  them,  wherever  they  appear,  Psal. 
cxxxix.  21.  They  would  fain  see  the  world  reformed,  and  the 
nauseous  wickedness  prevailing  in  it  curbed ;  and  they  would  heart- 
ily desire  to  have  religion  and  sobriety  get  place. 

(2.)  They  are  a  burden  to  their  spirits,  as  vile  and  filthy  things 
are  to  the  senses.      They  make  them  sigh  as  oppressed  with  the 


206  zion's  mourneks  ciiauactekized. 

weight  of  them  ;  Psal.  Ixix.  9.  As  they  are  a  burden  to  the  Spirit 
of  God,  so  they  are  a  burden  to  the  spirits  of  the  godly.  Hence 
many  times  the  wings  of  a  dove,  Psal.  Iv.  6,  7.  and  a  lodge  in  the 
wilderness,  Jer.  ix.  2.  are  desirable  :  and  it  turns  the  world  into  a 
wilderness  to  them,  making  them  long  to  be  away  from  it. 

(3.)  They  are  wounds  to  their  hearts,  they  groan  like  wounded 
men,  Jer.  xv.  18.  Men  know  that,  in  other  things,  the  seeing  of 
matters  go  quite  cross  to  their  inclinations,  and  the  desire  and  bent 
of  their  hearts,  will  be  very  wounding  to  them.  No  wonder  then 
that  the  wicked  course  of  a  sinful  generation  be  wounding  to  a  gra- 
cious heart, 

(4.)  Lastly,  Their  grief  vents  itself  in  sighs  and  groans,  as  native 
indications  of  the  affection  of  their  hearts,  as  saith  the  apostle,  2  Cor. 
V.  4.  "  For  we  that  are  in  this  tabernacle  do  groan,  being  burdened." 

II.  I  proceed  to  shew  why  such  times  are  heavy  times,  times  of 
sighing  and  groaning  to  Zion's  mourners. 

1.  Because  of  the  dishonour  they  see  done  to  God  by  these  abomi- 
nations, Psal.  Ixix.  9.  "Whose  heart  would  not  rise  to  see  his  father 
that  begat  him  affronted  and  treated  with  contempt  without  cause  ? 
And  how  can  the  hearts  of  the  serious  godly  chuse  but  be  moved  to 
see  their  fellow-worms  contemn  their  heavenly  Father,  casting  dis- 
honour upon  him,  trampling  under  foot  his  sacred  laws,  slighting 
his  Son,  and  grieving  and  vexing  his  Holy  Spirit?  The  relation 
betwixt  God  and  the  saints  makes  a  sympathy,  that  what  is  done  to 
the  one  is  resented  as  done  to  the  other. 

2.  Because  of  the  wounds  they  see  given  to  religion  and  the 
interest  of  Christ  by  these  abominations,  and  the  advantage  they  see 
accuring  to  the  interest  of  the  devil  and  his  kingdom  thereby, 
Rom.  ii.  24.  It  is  long  since  Michael  and  the  dragon  took  the  field 
one  against  another.  The  war  is  not  yet  ended,  nor  will  be  till  the 
end  of  the  world.  Both  armies  are  in  the  field,  and  the  serious 
godly  are  concerned  for  the  victory  to  fall  to  Christ's  side  ;  and  there- 
fore they  take  notice  how  the  battle  proceeds.  And  as  the  devil  and 
his  followers  rage,  when  religion  gets  ground  ;  no  wonder  the  saints 
sigh  and  groan  when  it  is  otherwise.  So  that  from  the  prevailing 
of  abominations  two  arrows  fly  into  a  gracious  heart. 

(1.)  An  arrow  of  grief  for  the  loss  on  Christ's  side.  Such  abomi- 
nations are  done,  and  behold  thereby  the  glory  of  the  King  of  saints 
is  darkened,  the  effect  of  his  word  of  the  gospel  is  marred,  and  a 
soul,  perhaps  several  souls,  are  lost  by  it  together,  Eccl.  ix.  ult. 
"  One  sinner  destroyeth  much  good." 

(2.)  An  arrow  of  grief  for  the  gain  on  the  devil's  side.  So  many 
abominations  as  are  done  in  the  midst  of  a  land,  so  many  trophies 


zion's  mourners  characterized.  207 

are  set  up,  as  signs  of  Satan's  victory  over  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 
And  that  cannot  but  be  moving  to  those  whose  hopes  are  all  bound 
up  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  the  destruction  of  Satan's  king- 
dom: though  it  is  natural  enough  for  those  on  Satan's  side  to  re- 
joice. 

3.  Because  of  the  fearful  risk  they  see  the  sinners  themselves  run 
by  these  their  abominations,  Ps.  cxix.  53.  "  Horror  hath  taken  hold 
upon  me,  (says  David)  because  of  the  wicked  that  forsake  thy  law." 
"When  Christ  saw  what  a  risk  Jerusalem  was  running  blindly,  he 
wept  over  it  saying,  "  If  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou,  at  least  in 
this  thy  day,  the  things  which  belong  unto  thy  peace  !  but  now  they 
are  hid  from  thine  eyes,"  Luke  xix.  41,  42.  They  eyes  of  the  seri- 
ous godly  are  open,  and  they  see  the  hazai'd  of  a  blinded  generation, 
which  they  do  not  themselves.  They  see  them  running  on  the 
sword-point  of  vengeance,  making  haste  to  the  pit,  and  will  not  be 
stayed ;  heaping  up  wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath,  and  rushing  to 
their  eternal  ruin.  No  wonder  that  knowing  the  terror  of  the  Lord 
by  their  experience,  and  the  preciousness  of  a  soul,  they  sigh  and 
groan  to  see  souls  so  thrown  away  for  a  thing  of  nought. 

4.  Because  of  the  contagion  to  others  they  see  ready  to  spread 
from  these  abominations,  Matth.  xviii.  7-  Eccl.  ix.  ult.  Every  one  of 
them  is  an  opening  of  the  bottomless  pit,  by  the  steam  of  which 
many  may  be  infected,  and  drop  down  into  the  same  snare  of  the  de- 
vil. 0 !  the  dismal  consequences  of  the  abominations  done  at  first, 
may  be  by  one  sinner,  as  a  little  cloud  like  a  man's  hand,  and  may  in 
time  as  it  were  darken  the  whole  heavens.  Men  by  one  abomination 
may  strike  up  a  spring  of  abominations,  that  may  run  long  after 
they  are  dead  and  rotten  in  their  graves,  as  Jeroboam  did.  And  the 
prospect  of  this  occasions  sighing  and  groaning  to  the  serious  godly. 

5.  Because  of  the  judgments  of  God  which  they  see  may  be  brought 
upon  those  yet  unborn,  by  reason  of  these  abominations.  Hence 
says  the  prophet,  Hos.  ix.  L3,  14,  "Ephraim,  as  I  saw  Tyrus,  is 
planted  in  a  pleasant  place  :  but  Ephraim  shall  bring  forth  his  chil- 
dren to  the  murderer.  Give  them,  0  Lord  :  what  wilt  thou  give  ? 
give  them  a  miscarrying  womb,  and  dry  breasts.  Many  a  man  en- 
tails a  curse  on  his  family  by  his  abominations  ;  as  appears  by  break- 
ing the  second  commandment,  by  reason  of  which  the  Lord  visits  the 
iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children  unto  the  third  and  fourth 
generation,  Exod.  xx.  5.  And  the  controversy  may  be  pursued  for 
his  cause  when  he  is  in  his  grave.  And  if  a  stop  be  not  put  by  re- 
pentance and  reformation  to  the  abominations  and  apostasies  of  this 
day,  they  will  undoubtedly  smart  under  them  who  are  not  yet  born 
into  the  world,  and  the  generation  to  come  will  have  cause  to  pro- 
nounce a  wo  on  this  going  before  them,  Matth.  xxiii.  35,  36. 


208  zion's  mourners  characterized. 

6.  Because  of  the  Lord's  displeasure  with  the  generation  for  these 
abominations,  Jer.  xv.  1.  It  is  the  joy  of  the  serious  godly,  to  see 
the  tokens  of  God's  good  pleasure  with  the  generation  wherein  their 
lot  is  cast,  that  the  Lord  will  honour  them,  and  take  pleasure  to 
dwell  among  them.  But  abounding  abominations  turn  matters  quite 
another  way.  If  temporal  strokes  are  kept  off,  they  are  left  to  pine 
away  under  spiritual  plagues  ;  God  is  provoked  to  depart,  to  with- 
draw his  presence  from  his  ordinances,  and  they  are  left  to  lament 
after  the  Lord.  The  glory  departs  by  degrees,  and  who  knows  where 
it  may  end,  if  it  may  not  go  the  length  of  removing  the  candlestick, 
as  the  Lord  threatened  he  would  do  to  the  church  of  Ephesus,  Rev. 
ii.  5. 

7.  Lastly,  Because  of  the  common  calamity  in  which  they  see 
these  abounding  abominations  may  involve  themselves  and  the  whole 
land.  The  serious  godly  are  sensible  that  with  them  also  are 
sins  against  the  Lord,  and  that  God  may  justly  proceed  against 
them  because  of  their  iniquities.  "When  then  they  see  the  cup  of  a 
land's  iniquity  fast  filling  by  many  hands,  they  have  reason  to  be 
afraid  of  seeing  it  filled  to  the  brim,  and  that  it  may  run  over  even 
in  their  time.  And  however  others  may  make  a  jest  of  the  threat- 
ening of  land-overflowing  judgments,  they  dare  not  do  it,  Hab.  iii. 
16.  And  therefore  the  awful  prospect  of  the  day  of  the  Lord's 
anger  against  the  generation  of  his  wrath,  makes  them  sigh  and 
groan. 

I  shall  conclude  at  present  with  a  short  word  of  improvement. 

0  sirs  !  shew  yourselves  serious  godly,  by  mourning  over  and 
sighing  and  groaning  for  the  abominations  done  in  the  midst  of  the 
land.  Turn  from  the  God-provoking  courses  of  this  day,  and  go  not 
in  the  way  of  the  multitude,  as  ye  would  not  perish  with  them ;  but 
labour  to  keep  your  garments  undefiled,  by  standing  at  a  distance 
from  the  abominations  of  the  time ;  set  yourselves  in  opposition  to 
them,  and  mourn  over  the  dishonours  ye  see  and  hear  done  to  the 
holy  name  of  God,  as  ever  ye  would  have  the  mark  of  safety  set  on 
your  foreheads. 

The  case  of  the  generation  affords  much  matter  of  mourning,  if  ye 
consider, 

1.  From  whence  we  are  fallen.  The  time  was  when  the  land  was 
solemnly  married  to  the  Lord  by  covenant  for  reformation,  and  the 
Lord  put  a  j)articular  honour  on  Scotland  by  his  presence  in  ordi- 
nances. But  now  reformation  is  out  of  sight,  and  matters  are  still 
going  from  evil  to  worse ;  so  that  if  the  Lord's  hand  do  not  inter- 
pose, it  is  hard  to  say  where  we  will  stop. 

2.  The  unsuccessfulness  of  the  gospel.     There  is  little  conviction, 


zion's  mourners  characterized.  209 

and  less  conversion,  by  the  preaching  of  the  word.  Most  part  of  the 
generation  are  proof  against  warnings  from  providences  and  ordi- 
nances.    "Whatever  light  there  may  be,  there  is  little  heat. 

3.  The  abounding  of*  gross  scandalous  immoralities  in  the  light  of 
the  gospel,  the  sacred  name  of  God  rent  by  horrid  imprecations  and 
blasphemies,  his  sabbaths  profaned,  murder,  adultery,  theft,  perjury, 
and  covetousuess  prevailing ;  while  errors  subversive  of  the  founda- 
tion of  Christianity,  such  as  Arian,  Socinian,  and  Arminian  tenets, 
are  vented,  the  purity  of  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel  darkened,  and 
put  into  an  ill  name,  as  if  it  were  downright  Autinomianism."* 

4.  Universality  of  the  apostasy,  a  growing  untenderness  among 
all  sorts,  whereby  causes  of  sorrow  are  multiplied  among  ministers 
and  professors,  among  the  young  and  aged ;  many  pulling  off  their 
mask  of  religion,  and  throwing  it  by ;  and  from  the  company  of 
professors,  communicants  going  over  to  the  camp  of  the  profane. 

5.  The  incorrigibleness  in  it.  A  brow  of  brass,  refusing  to  be 
ashamed,  is  added  to  all  the  defection  that  has  taken  place.  People 
will  not  be  reproved  and  convinced,  but  wilfully  with  a  high  hand 
go  on  in  their  sin.  So  that  sighing  and  groaning  is  almost  all  that 
is  left  to  do,  for  contending  and  striving  are  to  little  purpose. 

6.  Lastly,  From  all  which  there  is  plain  evidence  of  fearful  judg- 
ments abiding  the  generation,  so  much  the  more  terrible  as,  after 
many  deliverances  there  is  a  growing  of  the  apostasy,  and  new  de- 
liverances do  but  make  way  to  new  steps  farther  forward  in  it. 
And  national  fasting  and  humiliation  are  grown  out  of  use,  but  so 
far  as  they  are  called  for  by  those  who  neither  know  nor  can  be 
supposed  to  know  the  state  of  this  church  and  land  with  respect  to 
these  things,  f 

•  It  was  at  this  time  that  Arianism  and  Sociniauism  were  rampant  in  England,  that 
Professor  Simson  at  Glasgow  broached  Arianism  under  modern  refinements,  and  that 
the  preaching  of  pure  apostolical  doctrine  was  by  some  in  the  church  branded  with  the 
name  of  Aotinomianism. 

f  This  relates  to  the  church's  not  appointing  fasts  without  the  state,  whose  province 
it  is  to  specify  the  causes  of  a  religious  fast.  A  neglect  which  there  is  still  too  much 
ground  to  complain  of. 


210  ADVICE  TO  ZIOn's  MOURNKRS. 


ADVICE  TO  ZION'S  MOURNERS. 

"  EzEKiEL  ix.  4. 

And  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Go  through  the  inidst  of  the  city,  through 
the  inidst  of  Jerusalem,  and  set  a  mark  upon  the  foreheads  of  the  men 
that  sigh,  and  that  cry  for  all  the  abominations  that  he  done  in  the 
midst  thereof. 

[The  second  Sermon  on  this  text.] 

After  a  i)articular  explication  of  these  words,  I  observed,  "  That 
times  of  abounding  sin  are  heavy  times,  times  of  sighing  and  groan- 
ing to  the  serious  godly,  Zion's  mourners."  Here  I  endeavoured  to 
give  the  import  of  this  exercise,  and  therein  the  character  of  Zion's 
mourners ;  and  to  shew  why  such  times  are  heavy  times  to  the  people 
of  that  character.  And  I  concluded  with  a  short  word  of  improve- 
ment.    I  shall  now  i)roceed  further  in  the  application. 

Use  I.  Of  information  and  instruction.  Are  times  of  abounding 
sin  heavy  times,  times  of  sighing  and  groaning,  to  the  serious  godly, 
Zion's  mourners  ?  then, 

1.  Our  time  is  a  time  that  may  be  heavy,  and  ought  to  be  a  sigh- 
ing and  groaning  time,  and  would  be  so  if  we  had  a  heart  for  the 
duty  of  the  day,  being  a  day  wherein  "  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  calling 
us  to  weeping,  and  to  mourning,  and  to  baldness,  and  to  girding 
with  sackcloth,"  Is.  xxii.  12.  Whither  can  one  that  is  serious  look, 
but  he  must  see  matter  of  mourning  ?  We  have  had  long  peace,  and 
a  long  tack  of  the  gospel,  and  have  gathered  much  dross,  fitting  the 
church  or  land  for  a  furnace  of  wrath.  Iniquity  abounds,  but  mour- 
ners for  it  are  rare. 

2.  This  blots  out  of  the  number  of  the  serious  godly,  Zion's  mour- 
ners, several  sorts  of  persons,  that  must  be  put  in  another  class. 

(1.)  Those  who  are  so  far  from  it,  that  by  their  profane  and  un- 
godly courses,  of  a  piece  with  the  rest  of  the  abominations  of  the 
day,  they  afford  cause  of  sighing  and  groaning  to  all  the  serious 
godly,  that  know  them  and  their  way.  These  by  the  text  are  of  the 
number  devoted  to  destruction ;  and  assuredly  they  will  find  it  so,  if 
they  turn  not  over  a  new  leaf,  and  that  sooner  than  they  expect. 
Let  them  consider  the  case  of  the  evil  servant,  Matth.  xxiv.  48, — 51. 
"  If  that  evil  servant  shall  say  in  his  heart,  My  Lord  delayeth  his 
coming,  and  shall  begin  to  smite  his  fellow-servants,  and  to  eat  and 
drink  with  the  drunken ;   the  Lord  of  that  servant  shall  come  in  a 


ADVICE  TO  ZION's  MOURNERS.  211 

day  when  he  looketh  not  for  him,  and  in  an  honr  that  he  is  not 
aware  of;  and  shall  cut  him  asunder,  and  appoint  him  his  portion 
with  the  hypocrites :  there  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth." 
There  is  a  wo  denounced  against  such  which  will  not  fall  to  the 
ground,  Luke  xvii.  1.  "  It  is  impossible  but  that  offences  will  come  ; 
but  wo  unto  him  through  whom  they  come."  Sighing  and  groaning 
is  the  necessary  duty  of  the  Lord's  followers ;  but  sad  will  be  their 
reckoning  who  give  them  cause  for  it,  ver.  2.  "  It  were  better  for 
him  that  a  mill-stone  were  hanged  about  his  neck,  and  he  cast  into 
the  sea,  than  that  he  should  offend  one  of  these  little  ones. 

(2.)  Those  who  pride  themselves  in  their  abominations,  Psal.  x.  3. 
"  The  wicked  boasteth  of  his  heart's  desire,  and  blesseth  the  covet- 
ous, whom  the  Lord  abhorreth."  The  consciences  of  men  by  nature 
are  very  untender,  but  by  custom  in  sinning  they  come  to  be  seared. 
Hence  they  arrive  at  sinning  presumptuously,  and  with  a  high  hand, 
and  instead  of  being  ashamed,  glory  in  their  wickedness.  Under 
the  law  such  were  to  be  cut  off.  Numb.  xv.  30.  "  But  the  soul  that 
doth  ought  presumptuously  (whether  he  be  born  in  the  land,  or  a 
stranger)  the  same  reproacheth  the  Lord ;  and  that  soul  shall  be  cut 
off  from  among  his  people."  Compare  Heb.  x.  26,  27.  "  For  if  we 
sin  wilfully  after  that  we  have  received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth, 
there  remaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sins,  but  a  certain  fearful 
looking  for  of  judgment,  and  fiery  indignation,  which  shall  devour 
the  adversaries."  These  are  to  be  mourned  over.  Hence  says  the 
weeping  prophet,  Jer.  xiii.  17.  "  But  if  ye  will  not  hear  it,  my  soul 
shall  weep  in  secret  places  for  your  pride,  and  mine  eyes  shall  weep 
sore,  and  run  down  with  tears." 

(3.)  Those  who  make  a  jest  of  the  abominations  of  the  day,  having 
a  certain  pleasure  in  the  hearing  of  them,  and  improving  them  to 
make  themselves  merry  with  them.  These  are  fools  in  God's  ac- 
count, Prov.  xiv.  9,  ioY  fools  make  a  mock  at  sin  ;  and  the  practice  is 
one  of  those  found  among  those  who  are  given  over  to  a  reprobate 
mind,  Rom.  i.  ult.  "  Who  knowing  the  judgment  of  God,  (that  they 
which  commit  such  things  are  worthy  of  death)  not  only  do  the 
same,  but  have  pleasure  in  them  that  do  them."  They  must  needs 
be  of  a  disposition  mighty  contrary  to  the  nature  of  God,  and  of  his 
people,  who  rejoice  at  the  abominable  thing  which  God  hates,  and 
the  serious  godly  sigh  for. 

(4.)  Those  who  shew  no  concern  about  them,  but  give  themselves 
up  to  a  detestable  neutrality,  being  Gallio-like,  caring  for  none  of 
these  things.  If  they  touch  thera  indeed  in  their  particular  inte- 
rest, they  are  very  sensible  of  them,  and  ready  to  cry  out  under 
them  :  but  if  they  do  thera  no  harm  whatever  dishonour  they  do  to 


212  ADVICE  TO  ZION's  MOURNERS. 

God,  or  reproach  they  bring  ou  the  profession  of  Christianity,  that 
is  none  of  their  business.  What  is  that  to  us  ?  say  they.  See  how 
they  are  characterized  by  Elihu,  Job  xxxv.  9,  10.  "  By  reason  of  the 
multitude  of  oppressions,  they  make  the  oppressed  to  cry  :  they  cry 
out  by  reason  of  the  arm  of  the  miglity.  Eut  none  saith,  Where  is 
Grod  my  maker,  who  giveth  songs  in  the  night  ?"  These  are  Christ's 
enemies,  as  not  being  his  friends  :  for,  says  he,  "  lie  that  is  not  with 
me  is  against  me  :  and  he  that  gathereth  not  with  me,  scattereth 
abroad,"  Matth.  xii.  30.  And  they  shall  fare  as  these  his  enemies 
fared.  Rev.  iii.  16.  "  So  then  because  thou  art  lukewarm,  and  neither 
cold  nor  hot,  I  will  spue  thee  out  of  my  mouth." 

(5.)  Lastly,  Those  who  whatever  concern  they  shew  for  the  abo- 
minations of  the  time,  yet  are  not  really  affected  with  them  in  the 
sight  of  God.  Though  they  may  spare  some  words  against  them  be- 
fore men,  yet  their  consciences  can  witness  they  have  no  serious 
sighs  and  groans  to  spare  for  them  in  secret  before  the  Lord,  Jer. 
xiii.  17.  forecited.  Truly  this  is  a  matter  that  will  not  do  with  a 
flourish  of  words.  God  knows  the  heart :  and  as  the  heart  is,  so  is 
the  man. 

Use  II.  Of  exhortation.  Take  a  lift  of  the  heavy  case  of  this 
day  and  generation  in  respect  of  the  abounding  sin  thereof,  and  sigh 
and  groan  on  the  account  of  it.  Let  it  be  your  care  to  be  found 
among  the  serious  godly,  Zion's  mourners.     And  for  this  cause, 

1.  Awaken  yourselves  to  a  more  close  walk  with  God,  from  the 
observation  of  the  abominations  of  the  time,  Rev.  iii.  4.  They  that 
are  not  more  than  ordinary  watchful  in  a  declining  time,  can  hardly 
miss  to  be  stolen  off  their  feet,  Matth.  xxiv.  12.  "Because  iniquity 
shall  abound,  the  love  of  many  shall  wax  cold."  As  then  double 
gaurds  are  set  where  the  hazard  is  greatest,  so  double  diligence  is 
requisite  in  such  a  time.  Let  the  abounding  sin  of  the  time  be  like 
oil  to  the  flame  of  your  love  to  and  zeal  for  God,  to  make  it  burn 
the  more  keenly,  Psal.  cxix.  126,  127-  "  It  is  time  for  thee.  Lord, 
to  work  :  for  they  have  made  void  thy  law.  Therefore  I  love  thy 
commandments  above  gold,  yea,  above  fine  gold." 

2.  Be  ye  more  careful  that  ye  partake  not  with  them,  but  stand 
at  a  distance  from  all  fellowship  with  the  unfruitful  works  of  dark- 
ness, Eph.  V.  11.  Many  make  it  an  argument  for  their  doing  so  and 
so,  because  so  many  make  no  bones  of  it :  but  argue  ye  contrariwise, 
that  since  so  many  cast  God's  laws  behind  their  back  in  such  and 
such  points,  therefore  ye  must  take  the  better  heed  ye  be  not  carried 
away  with  the  stream,  and  that  ye  must  not  give  religion  an  out- 
ward cast,  when  it  has  so  many  enemies.  But  hear  Christ  saying  to 
you,  as  John  vi.  67.  Will  ye  also  go  away  ?    There  are  many  ways  how 


ADTICE  TO  ZION's  MOURNERS.  213 

in  such  a  time  people  may  draw  in  the  contagion  of  the  abominations 
of  others :  and  therefore  ye  liave  the  more  need  to  take  heed. 

3.  Awaken  yourselves  to  a  due  concern  for  the  public  honour  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  saying  with  David,  Ps.  Ixix.  9.  "  The  zeal  of  thine 
house  hath  eaten  me  up  ;  and  the  reproaches  of  them  that  reproached 
thee,  are  fallen  upon  me."  God  is  saying  at  such  a  time,  Tfno  is  on 
my  side  ?  We  have  good  reason  to  be  on  his  side,  and  to  account  his 
honour  dear  to  us,  who  counted  not  his  i)recious  blood  too  dear  for  us. 
"When  the  war  was  proclaimed  by  heaven  against  the  earth,  he  made 
the  peace,  becoming  Immanuel,  God  with  us.  And  shall  not  our 
souls  find  themselves  concerned  to  be  with  him,  on  his  side,  in  earth's 
war  against  heaven. 

4.  Awaken  yourselves  to  a  due  concern  for  the  case  of  perishing 
souls,  and  a  sinking  land,  Hab.  iii.  16.  If  ever  we  knew  any  thing 
of  the  terror  of  the  Lord,  we  are  too  easy  that  way ;  we  have  too 
little  bowels  of  compassion,  else  we  would  not  shift  to  take  a  lift  of 
the  heavy  case.  It  is  inexcusable  negligence  and  indolence,  to  con- 
fine our  care  to  our  own  case  in  such  clamant  circumstances.  This 
was  not  David's  practice,  for  when  deeply  affected  with  his  own  soul's 
fall,  he  had  the  case  of  the  church  of  God  at  heart,  Ps.  li.  18.  "Do 
good,  (says  he)  in  thy  good  pleasure,  unto  Zion  :  build  thou  the  walls 
of  Jerusalem." 

5.  Contribute  your  endeavours,  in  your  stations,  to  your  power,  to 
stem  the  tide  of  wickedness.  "  Say  (as  David  did)  unto  the  fools, 
Deal  not  foolishly ;  and  to  the  wicked.  Lift  not  up  the  horn,"  Ps. 
Ixxv.  4.  Beware  of  giving  countenance  in  the  least  to  the  abomina- 
tions of  the  day ;  but  discountenance  them  as  ye  have  any  regard  to 
the  souls  of  sinners,  and  would  not  contribute  to  the  hardening  and 
ruining  of  them  ;  and  as  ye  have  regard  to  your  own  souls,  and 
would  not  involve  them  in  the  same. 

6.  Take  serious  thoughts  of  the  heavy  case  in  your  private  medi- 
tations, Jer.  xiii.  17-  foreceited.  Think  Avhat  a  miserable  pass  the 
state  of  religion  is  brought  to,  by  prevailing  iniquity ;  how  the 
kingdom  of  the  devil  thrives,  in  the  midst  of  Christ's  territories, 
and  what,  according  to  the  scriptures,  and  the  ordinary  method  of 
providence,  must  be  the  end  of  these  things. 

7.  Lastly,  Carry  the  case  along  not  only  to  your  family  prayers, 
but  to  your  secret  prayers,  where  ye  can  lay  it  before  the  Lord  with 
the  greatest  freedom.  Let  your  eye  affect  your  heart  there  in  a  spe- 
cial manner,  and  drop  a  tear  for  your  own  sins,  and  the  sins  of  others. 
Yea,  it  would  be  very  necessary,  tliat,  for  your  own  case,  and  the 
case  of  the  day,  ye  would  use  some  times  of  extraordinary  prayer. 
If  you  would  do  so,  surely  your  labour  would  not  be  in  vain. 

p 


214  ADVICE  TO  ZION's  MOURNERS. 

I  shall  give  yon  the  following  motives  to  press  you  to  take  such  a 
lift  of  the  heavy  case  of  the  day. 

1.  A  gracions  spirit  is  a  holy  and  public  spirit;  and  a  predomin- 
ant selfishness,  whereby  people  are  set  only  to  satisfy  their  own 
lusts,  and  their  care  is  confined  only  to  their  own  private  interest, 
is  a  black  mark  of  an  irregenerate  state,  according  to  what  the 
iipostle  says,  2  Tim.  iii.  2,  4.  "  Men  shall  be  lovers  of  their  own 
selves, — lovers  of  pleasure  more  than  lovers  of  God."  Accordingly 
our  Lord  says,  "  If  any  man  will  come  after  me,  let  him  deny  him- 
self, and  take  up  his  cross,  and  follow  me,"  Matth.  xvi.  24.  Who- 
ever can  call  God  Father,  their  heart's  desire  and  concern  will  be, 
that  his  kingdom  come.  Whoever  is  a  child  of  tlie  family  of  God, 
and  has  any  interest  in  the  privileges  of  it,  must  needs  be  concerned 
for  its  thriving,  and  for  destroying  the  kingdom  of  the  devil  set  up 
against  it.  Beware  of  Simon's  selfishness,  to  whom  the  apostle  Pe- 
ter said,  "Thou  hast  neither  part  nor  lot  in  this  matter:  for  thy 
heart  is  not  right  in  the  sight  of  God,"  Acts  viii.  21. 

2.  Great  is  the  dishonour  done  to  God  by  the  abominations  of  this 
day.  God  has  been  a  kind  and  gracious  God  to  Scotland,  giving  us 
the  gospel,  that  has  been  hid  from  many  greater  nations :  yet  abo- 
minations prevail,  as  in  a  land  of  darkness.  He  has  continued  the 
gospel  long  with  us ;  but  for  all  the  pains  he  has  bestowed  upon  us, 
we  are  as  a  vineyard  over-grown  with  thorns,  the  face  thereof 
covered  with  nettles,  and  the  stone-wall  thereof  broken  down. 
"  For  the  name  of  God  is  blasphemed  among  the  Gentiles,  through 
us,"  Romans  ii.  24.  He  has  given  peace,  and  plenty  of  the  good 
things  of  this  life,  and  they  are  improved  against  him.  The  silver 
and  the  gold  are  his,  the  corn  and  the  cattle,  our  health  and 
strength,  and  his  debtors  we  are  for  every  breathing :  yet  all  these 
are  sacrificed  to  men's  lusts,  and  are  used  in  contempt  of  God  and 
neglect  of  him,  to  the  treading  his  laws  under  foot,  despising  of 
his  gospel,  and  slighting  his  ordinances.  If  there  is  any  sense  of 
God's  greatness,  or  of  gratitude  for  so  many  signal  blessings,  we 
would  sigh  and  groan  for  all  the  abominations  done  in  the  midst  of 
us. 

3.  Great  is  the  hazard  that  many  a  precious  poor  soul  is  in  by 
means  of  these  abominations,  Rom.  i.  18.  "  For  the  wrath  of  God  is 
revealed  from  heaven  against  all  ungodliness  and  unrighteousness 
of  men,  who  hold  the  truth  in  unrighteousness."  How  is  Satan  at 
this  day  driving  poor  sinners  in  shoals  to  destruction  ?  Half  an 
eye  may  see  a  black  cloud  of  wrath  hanging  over  many  a  head  of 
those  wedded  to  some  one  abomination  or  other.  They  cannot 
sigh  and  groan  for  themselves ;  for  either  they  do  not  see,  and  they 


ADVICE  TO  ZIOn's  MOURNER:^.  215 

will  not  see,  nor  believe  their  hazard,  though  it  be  told  them ;  or 
else  their  lusts  have  so  got  the  mastery  over  them,  that  they  must 
take  their  swing  on  all  hazards,  saying  with  those,  Jer.  ii.  25. 
"  There  is  no  ho])e.  No,  for  I  have  loved  strangers,  and  after  them 
will  I  go."     This  may  excite  others  to  sigh  and  cry. 

4.  Great  is  the  hazard  of  the  rising  generation  from  them ;  they 
are  coming  into  a  sad  world,  in  a  fast  declining  time.  And  what 
pitch  the  generation  may  be  arrived  at  ere  they  come  up,  if  a  strong 
hand  do  not  interpose,  who  knows?  The  generation  now  on  the 
stage  is  become  worse  than  their  fathers.  The  wonders  the  Lord 
did  for  his  people  when  they  were  in  the  iron  furnace,  are  by  this 
time  much  worn  out  of  knowledge :  most  of  those  that  were  vfiU 
nesses  thereto  are  gone,  and  a  generation  is  risen  up  that  know  not 
Joseph.  The  covenanted  refoi'mation  of  this  church  and  land  is 
dropping  out  of  heart  and  head,  by  degrees :  a  religion  that  has  no 
relation  to  Jesus  Christ  and  the  Spirit  of  God,  is  like  to  take  place: 
and  the  flood  of  immorality  is  like  to  rise  higher  and  higher.  0 
sirs !  sigh  and  groan  for  all  the  abominations  of  the  day,  for  the 
sake  of  the  rising  generation,  that  they  may  not  be  infected  there- 
with. 

5.  Great  is  the  hazard  of  the  judgments  of  God  that  the  land  is 
in  by  these  abominations.  An  overflowing  of  abominations  is  a 
forerunner  of  an  overflowing  of  national  judgments.  Hear  what  the 
mourning  prophet  says,  Jer.  v,  3,  4,  5,  9.  "  Thou  hast  stricken  them, 
but  they  have  not  grieved ;  thou  hast  consumed  them,  but  they  have 
refused  to  receive  correction  :  they  have  made  their  faces  harder 
than  a  rock,  they  have  refused  to  return.  Therefore  I  said,  Surely 
these  are  poor,  they  are  foolish :  for  they  know  not  the  way  of  the 
Lord,  nor  the  judgment  of  their  God.  I  will  get  me  unto  the  great 
men,  and  will  speak  unto  them ;  for  they  have  known  the  way  of 
the  Lord,  and  the  judgment  of  their  God  :  but  these  have  altoge- 
ther broken  the  yoke,  and  burst  the  bonds.  Shall  I  not  visit  for 
these  things?  saith  the  Lord:  and  shall  not  ray  soul  be  aven- 
ged on  such  a  nation  as  this?"  And  the  longer  national  judgments 
are  a-coraing  on,  the  heavier  will  they  be  when  they  do  come.  And 
whoso  considers  seriously  the  state  of  the  laud  at  this  day,  in  res- 
pect of  her  abominations  former  and  present,  all  lying  together  on 
our  head,  with  the  scripture  threatenings  against  such  a  generation, 
can  hardly  miss  fearing,  that  if  God  have  thoughts  of  good  towards 
the  generations  to  come,  a  stroke  is  abiding  this  land,  that  as  the 
bodies  of  some  dead  have  been  unjustly  and  dishonourably  used  by 
the  living,  in  pulling  them  out  of  their  graves ;  so  the  carcases  of 

p2 


216  ADVICE  TO  zion's  mourners. 

many  now  living  may  yet  come  to  lie  as  dung  on  the  face  of  the 
ground,  Jer.  viii.  2.* 

6.  However  many  abominations  there  are  that  we  know  done  in 
the  land,  there  are  many  done  no  doubt  that  we  know  not.  The 
former  gives  sufficient  ground  to  sigh  and  groan  ;  and  the  latter 
may  add  weight  to  that  reason.  When  many  abominations  break 
out  and  are  brought  to  light,  as  at  this  day,  we  may  be  sure  that 
there  are  many  besides  that  have  never  seen  the  sun.  But  these  are 
all  open  to  God,  and  are  sinking  weights  on  the  places  where  they 
are  done,  and  on  the  land.  Compare  Ezek.  viii.  and  ix.  And 
they  will  make  them  to  vomit  out  the  impenitent  transgressors. 

7.  Our  sins  have  had  a  hand  in  bringing  matters  to  this  pass,  Tit. 
iii.  3 ;  and  therefore  we  are  the  more  concerned  to  take  a  lift  of  the 
case.  We  have  all  mismanaged  our  mercies,  misimproved  our  day 
of  grace,  and,  by  untenderness  one  way  or  other,  provoked  the  Lord 
to  go  far  from  us,  and  to  leave  the  generation  to  their  swing  to  go 
from  evil  to  worse.  The  conviction  of  this  may  press  us  to  sigh  and 
cry  for  all  the  abominations  of  the  day :  and  if  any  refuse  the  con- 
viction, be  sure  they  will  be  made  to  take  with  it,  nill  they  will 
they,  when  God  riseth  up  to  plead  his  controversy. 

8.  If  ye  do  not  sigh  and  cry  for  the  abominations  of  this  day,  ye 
cannot  escape  being  involved  in  the  guilt  of  them,  and  consequently 
in  the  punishment  to  be  inflicted  on  account  thereof.  See  the  text 
and  context.  In  this  case  silence  gives  consent ;  ye  will  be  held  as 
consenting  to  all  the  dishonour  done  to  God  by  them :  for  inasmuch 
as  ye  do  not  sigh  and  cry  for  them,  ye  give  them  your  tacit  appro- 
bation, Eph.  V.  11.  So  the  abominations  of  others  will  be  laid  on 
your  score,  and  yet  never  make  their  burden  one  whit  the  lighter. 
And  see  the  doom  of  the  unmarked  ones,  Ezek.  ix.  5,  6.  "  And  to 
the  others  he  said  in  mine  hearing.  Go  ye  after  him  through  the  city, 
and  smite  :  let  not  your  eye  spare,  neither  have  ye  pity.  Slay 
utterly  old  and  young,  both  maids  and  little  children,  and  women ; 
but  come  not  near  any  man  upon  whom  is  the  mark ;  and  begin  at 
my  sanctuary."  Say  not  then.  What  can  we  do  ?  Here  is  what  ye 
must  do,  viz.  sigh  and  groan  on  account  of  these  abominations. 

9.  There  will  never  one  sincere  sigh  and  groan  of  yours  upon  that 

*  That  the  author's  apprehensions  relating  to  such  a  melancholy  event  were  not 
without  some  foundation,  will  appear,  if  it  is  considered,  that  about  one  and  twenty 
years  after  the  date  of  these  sermons,  the  carcases  of  many  of  those  who  were  engaged 
in  the  unnatural  rebellion  in  1745,  raised  against  King  George  II.  headed  by  a  Popish 
pretender,  met  with  some  such  treatment  as  is  here  alluded  to:  and  these  were  the 
heirs  and  successors  of  those  who  had  so  treated  the  bodies  of  some  of  the  saints  in 
a  former  period. 


THE  SAFETY  OP  ZIOn's  MOURNERS.  217 

head  be  lost ;  God  will  take  notice  of  every  one  of  thera.  Hence 
the  psalmist  says,  Psal.  Ivi.  8.  "  Put  thou  my  tears  into  thy  bottle : 
are  they  not  in  thy  book  ?"  See  what  notice  was  taken  of  a  serious 
few,  whose  sorrow  of  heart  for  the  abominations  of  the  generation 
they  lived  in,  made  them  to  speak  often  one  to  another,  Mai.  iii.  16. 
"  The  Lord  hearkened,  and  heard  it,  and  a  book  of  remembrance 
was  written  before  him  for  them  that  feared  the  Lord,  and  that 
thought  upon  his  name."  The  all-seeing  eye  that  takes  notice  of 
the  least  pleasant  look  his  enemies  give  to  abominations  done,  as  he 
did  in  the  case  of  the  Edomites'  envy  to  Israel,  Obad.  12.  Avill  not 
overlook  the  sighs  and  groans  of  his  friends  on  account  of  these 
abominations. 

10.  Sighing  and  groaning  for  abominations  in  a  land,  is  fairer  to 
put  a  stop  to  them  than  ye  are  aware  of,  one  way  or  other.  Those 
that  sigh  and  groan  for  the  abominations  of  others  before  the  Lord, 
will  in  the  event  prove  either  their  best  friends  or  their  most  dan- 
gerous enemies.  Prayers  and  tears  are  the  weapons  of  the  church, 
and  never  miss  to  have  effect  sooner  or  later.  In  a  word,  the  sighs 
and  groans  of  the  people  of  God  lie  fair  for  recovering  transgres- 
sors from  their  abominations.  Christ  groaned,  and  Lazarus  was 
raised.  They  lament  after  the  Lord,  and  the  Lord  will  regard  his 
people's  lamentations  ;  and  if  that  Spirit  were  poured  out,  we  might 
expect  good  (Is.  Ixvi.  8)  that  way,  namely,  sinners  to  be  turned  from 
their  abominations.  But  if  it  should  not  have  that  happy  effect,  it 
would  issue  in  providence  shovelling  presumptuous  sinners  out  of 
the  way,  as  it  was  in  the  case  of  Sodom,  and  so  putting  a  stop  to  the 
current,  2  Pet.  ii.  5,  6,  7-  It  is  his  people's  appeal  to  the  tribunal 
in  heaven,  which  one  may  be  sure  will  not  lie  undiscussed. 

11.  Lastli/,  Be  sure  it  will  turn  to  your  private  advantage,  go  what 
way  it  will.  They  that  have  a  Christian  concern  for  the  sinful  case 
of  others,  it  will  fare  the  better  of  it  with  their  own.  Hence  David 
says,  Psal.  xxxv.  13,  "  But  as  for  me,  when  they  were  sick,  my 
clothing  was  sackcloth  :  I  humbled  my  soul  with  fasting,  and  my 
prayer  returned  into  mine  owr.  bosom."  Thus  ye  will  be  amongst 
God's  marked  ones  in  the  day  of  suffering,  while  now  in  the  day  of 
sinning  taking  your  place  amongst  his  sighing  ones.  This  brings 
me  to  another  doctrine,  which  I  shall  speedily  discuss. 

DocT.  II.  Those  to  whom  sinning  times  are  heavy  times,  making 
them  sigh  and  groan,  shall  be  marked  for  safety  (by  Jesus  Christ)  in 
suffering  times. 

On  this  point  I  shall, 

I.  Shew  the  import  of  Christ's  marking  his  sighing  and  groaning 
people. 

r  3 


218  THE  SAFETY  OF  ZION's  MOURNERS. 

IT,  Give  the  reasons  of  his  so  marking  them. 
III.  Deduce  an  inference  or  two. 

1.  I  am  to  shew  the  import  of  Christ  marking  his  sighing  and 
groaning  j)eople.     It  imports, 

1.  His  taking  a  particular  notice  of  them,  and  their  carriage  in 
the  sinning  time.  Rev.  iii.  4.  "  Thou  hast  a  few  names  even  in  Sardis, 
which  have  not  defiled  their  garments  ;  and  they  shall  walk  with 
me  In  white  :  for  they  are  worthy."  They  are  his  hidden  ones,  and 
the  great  piece  of  their  heavy  exercise  is  secret.  But  never  a  sigh 
or  groan  they  utter  but  he  knows  it.  However  they  be  hid  among  a 
crowd,  none  of  them  are  missed  or  overlooked. 

2.  His  owning  them  for  his  own,  Mai.  iii.  17-  "  They  shall  be  mine, 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  in  that  day  when  I  make  up  my  jewels." 
And  he  owns  them, 

1st,  As  his  own  and  his  Father's  servants,  Rev.  vii.  3,  while  others 
are  observed  by  him  to  be  serving  their  lusts,  serving  the  times,  and 
serving  their  own  private  worldly  interest. 

2dlt/,  As  his  friends,  those  on  his  side  in  the  war,  while  others 
are  his  enemies,  having  neither  the  word  nor  the  sign. 

Sdly,  As  his  treasure  to  be  kept  and  preserved,  while  others  are 
lost.  Though  they  be  the  world's  outcasts,  they  are  his  jewels, 
precious  in  his  esteem,  Mai.  iii.  17. 

And  this  owning  signified  by  the  marking,  has  respect  to, 

(1.)  The  time  present  wherein  abominations  abound,  and  God  ex- 
erciseth  patience,  and  they  are  left  to  sigh  and  groan,  and  ai;e  apt 
to  think  they  are  forgotten. 

(2.)  The  suffering  time  coming;  then  he  will  own  them,  Mai. 
iii.  18.  "  Then  shall  ye  return  and  discern  between  the  righteous 
and  the  wicked  ;  between  him  that  serveth  God,  and  him  that 
serveth  him  not."  When  the  Lord's  anger  is  going  out  in  a  flame, 
yet  then  he  will  look  on  them  with  a  pleased  countenance  as  his 
own, 

(3.)  The  time  betwixt  and  the  sufi'ering  time.  For  the  mark 
once  set  on,  is  never  lost.  Though  they  have  a  heavy  time  to  go 
through,  he  will  own  them  as  his. 

3.  His  securing  them,  come  what  will.  They  shall  be  safe,  as 
God's  own  people  marked  for  safety. 

Concerning  this  we  may  observe  in  general,  that  safety  from 
trouble  is  sometimes  the  lot  of  God's  mourners.  Noah  sighed  in  a 
sinning  time,  and  God  made  him  safe  in  a  suflfering  time.  There 
was  an  ark  provided  for  him  and  his  family,  when  the  deluge  came, 
and  swept  away  the  whole  race  of  men.  God  can  provide  a  hiding 
place  to  his  people  when  the  world  is  involved  in  the  utmost  chaos 


THE  SAFETY  OF  ZION's  MOURNERS.  219 

of  confusion  and  disorder.  If  we  look  to  the  providence  of  God, 
there  will  be  found  no  random  shots  in  tlie  world.  In  a  shower  of 
bullets,  there  is  none  that  can  hit  but  where  providence  has  marked 
its  destination,  Psal.  xci.  7.  "  A  thousand  shall  fall  at  thy  side,  and 
ten  thousand  at  thy  right  hand  :  but  it  shall  not  come  nigh  thee." 

Frequently  there  is  a  mitigation  of  their  trouble,  when  it  befals 
them.  Though  they  drink  of  the  cup  it  shall  be  of  the  brim,  not  of 
the  bottom  or  dreggy  part.  The  rod  shall  be  to  them  the  rod  of  a 
man,  a  weak  man,  that  lays  on  but  a  slender  stroke. 

And  they  shall  be  safe  from  the  sting  of  trouble.  They  will  have 
ease  within,  though  trouble  without,  Hab.  iii.  16.  When  others  are 
tossed  with  fears  without,  and  terror  within,  and  the  guilty  consci- 
ence is  sounding  an  alarm  within  their  sinful  breasts,  they  shall 
have  a  feast  in  the  sense  of  the  Lord's  goodness,  at  least  in  depend- 
ence on  the  promise.     More  particularly,  this  secui'ing  has  a  view, 

1st,  To  public  calamities  in  time.  He  will  either  (1.)  Take  them 
out  of  harm's  way,  before  it  come,  as  he  did  good  king  Josiah.  Or, 
(2.)  He  will  preserve  them  when  it  comes,  as  he  did  Lot  from  the 
destruction  that  overwhelmed  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  and  Jeremiah 
from  being  carried  away  captive  to  Babylon.  Or  (3.)  Whatever 
their  share  in  the  public  troubles  be,  they  shall  be  happy  in  the 
divine  favour,  under  the  covert  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  which  is  a 
covenant  of  peace  to  all  who  have  taken  hold  of  it.  Thus  it  fared 
with  Jeremiah,  chap.  xv.  11.  "  The  Lord  said,  Yerily  it  shall  be  well 
with  thy  remnant,  verily  I  will  cause  the  enemy  to  intreat  thee  well 
in  the  time  of  evil,  and  in  the  time  of  affliction."  Josiah  got  a  pro- 
mise of  dying  in  peace,  2  Kings  xxii.  20.  but  he  died  in  battle ;  yet 
the  promise  stood  firm  ;  for  they  die  in  peace,  die  as  they  will,  who 
die  in  a  state  of  reconciliation  with  God  in  Christ.  They  make  a 
blessed  exchange  that  get  to  heaven  for  their  hiding-place,  go  the 
times  as  they  will. 

2dl>/,  To  the  great  day  when  wrath  shall  come  to  be  i)oured  out 
on  the  wicked  world  in  full  measure,  ]\Ial.  iii.  17.  "  And  they  shall 
be  mine,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  in  that  day  when  I  make  up  my 
jewels,  and  I  will  spare  them  as  a  man  spareth  his  own  son  that 
serveth  him."  Not  one  drop  of  that  wrath  shall  fall  upon  them ; 
but  they  shall  enter  upon  the  possession  of  all  that  blessedness  and 
felicity  which  their  Redeemer  purchased  for  them  at  the  price  of  his 
blood.  Then  will  the  joyful  invitation  be  given  them,  "  Come,  ye 
blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  yon  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world,"  Matth.  xxv.  34. 

II.  The  reasons  of  Christ's  marking  his  sighing  and  groaning 
people,  are  shortly  these. 


220'  THE  SA.PETY  OF  ZION'S  MOURNEKS. 

1.  Because  they  are  his  redeemed  ones,  being  redeemed  to  God  by 
his  blood  ;  and  his  Spirit  in  them  shews  the  blood  sprinkled  on 
them  ;  so  that  no  destruction  can  befal  them. 

2.  Because  he  loves  them,  having  loved  them  with  an  everlasting 
love,  and  drawn  them  to  him  with  the  bands  of  love  and  the  cords  of 
a  man  ;  and  he  will  love  them  to  the  end.  He  sympathizes  with 
them  in  all  their  troubles,  and  will  see  to  their  comfort  and  safety. 

3.  His  own  honour  is  engaged  for  their  preservation  and  safety, 
that  the  world  may  see  they  serve  a  good  Master,  and  that  it  is  not 
in  vain  to  row  against  the  stream  of  a  backsliding  generation. 

An  inference  or  two  shall  conclude  all. 

1.  Hence  see  that  none  shall  be  losers  at  Christ's  hands,  how- 
ever heavy  hearts  they  get  for  his  sake.  The  tables  will  be  turned, 
Is.  Ixv.  13,  14.  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  Behold,  my  servants 
shall  eat,  but  ye  shall  be  hungry :  behold,  my  servants  shall  drink, 
but  ye  shall  be  thirsty :  behold,  my  servants  shall  rejoice,  but  ye 
shall  be  ashamed  :  behold,  my  servants  shall  sing  for  joy  of  heart, 
but  ye  shall  cry  for  sorrow  of  heart,  and  shall  hoAvl  for  vexation  of 
spirit." 

2.  Here  we  may  see  that  upright  walking  is  sure  walking  in  the 
worst  of  times.  It  is  better  to  sigh  and  groan  with  the  remnant, 
than  rejoice  with  the  multitude,  in  the  time  of  the  apostasy  of  a 
generation  :  "  for  it  shall  be  well  with  the  righteous,  but  ill  with  the 
wicked.     They  that  sow  in  tears,  shall  reap  in  joy." 


THE 

DISTINGUISHING     CHARACTERS 

OF 

TRUE    BELIEVERS. 


Vni.  IN  RELATION  TO  THEIR  FRIENDSHIP  TO  CHRIST,  AND  EVIDENCING  IT, 
BY  DOING  WIIATSOEYER  HE  C03IMANDS  THEM.* 


BELIEVERS  THE  FRIENDS  OF  CHRIST. 
JOHN  XV.  14. 

Ye  are  mi/  friends,  if  ye  do  ivhatsoever  I  command  you. 

In  these  words  we  have  two  things. 

1.  A  high  and  honourable  privilege  which  some  enjoy  :  they  are 
Christ'' s  fnends.  It  is  a  relation,  and  a  kindly  and  honourable  one. 
Some  are  his  enemies,  and  he  will  treat  them  as  such,  saying,  "  Those 
mine  enemies  which  would  not  that  I  should  reign  over  them,  bring 
hither,  and  slay  them  before  me,"  Luke  xix.  27.  Yea  all  are  so  by 
nature,  Rom.  viii.  7,  "  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God  :  for 
it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be."  But 
there  is  a  party  of  mankind  brought  into  a  state  of  friendship  with 
him,  whom  he  has  done  and  will  do  the  office  of  the  best  of  friends  to. 

2.  The  character  of  those  who  enjoy  that  privilege.  Many  are 
pretenders  to  it ;  but  few  can  make  it  out.  Here  is  the  badge  they 
bear,  the  sign  they  are  known  by,  If  ye  do  luhatsoever  I  command 
you.  Those  who  bear  it,  Christ  will  own.  This  character  Christ 
lays  before  his  discii)les  and  all  the  visible  church,  (1.)  That  they 
may  strive  to  answer  it,  as  ever  they  would  evidence  to  the  world, 
and  their  own  consciences,  this  relation.     (2.)    That  they  may  at 

*  These  sermons  were  preached  at  Ettrick  in  June  and  July,  1724;  and  were  begun 
June  21,  the  Lord's  day  immediately  after  the  author's  finishing  his  dicourses  on  the 
covenant  of  grace. 


222  BELIEVERS  CHEISt's  FRIENDS. 

times  examine  themselves  by  it,  and  so  clear  their  interest  in  hira  : 
*'  Ye  are  ray  friends,  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  command  you." 

The  character  is  taken  from  practice.  Friends  must  show  them- 
selves friendly.  This  Christ's  friends  do  by  doing  whatsoever  he  crnn- 
mands  them.  This  doing  is  not  the  foundation  of  the  friendship  : 
that  is  faith  applying  Christ's  reconciling  blood,  Rom.  v.  10,  11 : 
"but  it  is  the  fruit  of  the  friendship,  and  therefore  follows  after  it. 
It  necessarily  springs  from  it,  and  so  manifests  and  makes  it  known, 
as  the  fruit  doth  the  tree.  So  John  viii.  31.  "  If  ye  continue  in  ray 
word,  then  are  ye  my  disciples  indeed.  Heb.  iii.  14.  We  are  made 
partakers  of  Christ,  if  we  hold  the  beginning  of  our  confidence  sted- 
fast  unto  the  end."  Thus  obedience  is  not  the  condition  upon  which 
the  privilege  is  obtained ;  but  there  is  a  necessary  connection  be- 
twixt the  privilege  and  the  duty,  which  is  all  that  the  if  here  signi- 
fies :  as  if  one  should  say.  If  there  is  smoke,  there  is  fire  ;  if  there 
is  good  fruit,  there  is  a  good  tree.     Now  observe  here, 

(1.)  The  character  itself,  universal  obedience  to  the  commands  of 
Christ.  Christ  our  Friend  is  our  Lord  and  our  God  :  he  requires 
obedience  of  us  :  he  must  command,  and  we  must  obey,  and  that 
without  exception,  with  unlimited  obedience.  The  friendship  be- 
twixt Christ  and  his  people  reserves  still  the  distance  of  Sovereign 
and  subjects,  Psal.  xlv.  11.  He  is  thy  Lord,  and  worship  thou  Mm. 

(2.)  The  decision  on  this  character,  "  Ye  are  my  friends,  if  ye  do 
whatsoever  I  comraand  you."  (1.)  In  that  case,  ye  really  are,  and 
prove  yourselves  to  be  ray  friends.  Fair  words  and  a  profession 
will  not  do  it ;  but  the  practice  of  a  friend  will  do  it ;  and  sincere 
obedience  is  the  touchstone  of  friendship  to  Christ.  (2.)  Ye  shall 
be  owned  to  be  real  friends.  Christ  himself  will  take  it  as  full  evi- 
dence of  your  friendship  to  him. 

The  substance  of  this  text  may  be  summed  up  in  the  three  follow- 
ing observations. 

DocT.  I.  It  is  the  privilege  of  some  of  raankind-sinners  to  be  the 
friends  of  Christ. 

DocT.  II.  It  is  the  distinguishing  character  of  the  friends  of 
Christ  to  do  whatsoever  he  coramands  them. 

Boot.  III.  They  are  the  friends  of  Christ,  who  are  in  a  gospel- 
sense  universal  in  their  obedience  to  his  commands. 

I  shall  handle  each  doctrine  in  order. 

DocT.  I.  It  is  the  privilege  of  some  of  mankind-sinners  to  be  the 
friends  of  Christ. 

In  discoursing  from  this  doctrine,  I  shall  shew, 
I.  What  this  privilege  is  in  general. 


BELIEVERS  CHRIST's  FRIENDS.  223 

II.  How  this  friendship  is  made  up. 

III.  What  a  privilege  this  is. 
lY.  Make  application. 

I.  I  am  to  shew  what  this  privilege  is  in  the  general.  It  is  a 
state  of  peace  and  oneness  of  interest  with  Jesus  Christ.  In  these 
two  it  lies,  as  is  evident  from  the  common  nature  of  friendship. 

1.  The  friends  of  Christ,  whereas  naturally  they  were  in  a  state 
of  enmity  with  God,  they  are  now  in  a  state  of  peace  with  Christ, 
and  God  through  Christ,  Eph.  ii.  14.  "  For  he  is  our  peace  who  hath 
made  both  one,  and  hath  broken  down  the  middle  wall  of  partition 
between  us."  All  the  children  of  Adam  in  their  natural  state,  the 
elect  not  excepted,  are  in  a  state  of  enmity  with  God.  God  bears  a 
legal  enmity  against  them,  as  the  judge  against  the  criminal  whom 
he  condemns,  according  to  law  :  and  they  have  a  real  enmity  against 
him  appearing  in  their  hearts,  Rom.  viii.  7-  and  in  their  works.  Col. 
i.  31.  But  now  those  enjoying  this  privilege  are  now  in  a  slate  of 
peace  and  reconciliation  with  God.  God's  legal  enmity  against  them 
is  now  removed ;  he  condemns  them  no  more,  there  being  no  condem- 
nation to  them  which  are  in  Chinst  Jesus,  Rom.  viii.  1.  The  counte- 
nance of  the  wrathful  Judge  is  now  laid  by  as  to  them.  And  their 
real  enmity  against  him  is  removed  too,  out  of  their  hearts  and 
lives,  that  it  reigns  no  more,  Col.  i.  21,  22.  "  You  that  were  some- 
time alienated,  and  enemies  in  your  mind  by  wicked  works,  yet  now 
hath  he  reconciled  in  the  body  of  his  flesh  through  death,  to  present 
you  holy  and  unblaraeable,  and  unreproveable  in  his  sight."  So 
that  most  dangerous  fever  in  their  case,  is  cooled. 

2.  Whereas  they  had  divided  interests  as  to  heaven,  now  there  is 
an  unity  of  interests  betwixt  Christ  and  them,  1  John  i.  3.  "  Truly 
our  fellowship  is  with  the  Father,  and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ." 
Many  are  at  peace,  who  yet  are  not  in  a  state  of  friendship :  so  this 
is  more  than  to  be  at  peace  with  God  simply.  When  Christ  makes 
up  the  peace  with  sinners,  he  enters  into  a  friendshij)  with  them : 
there  is  an  alliance,  a  covenant  betwixt  God  and  them,  oftensive  and 
defensive :  their  interests  are  woven  together  from  that  moment : 
they  have  common  friends  and  common  enemies.  Christ  espouses 
their  interests,  and  they  espouse  his ;  and  they  mutually  pursue  the 
interests  of  one  another  as  a  common  interest. 

II.  The  next  head  is,  How  this  friendship  is  made  up. 

1.  The  first  spring  and  source  of  it  is  everlasting  free  love. 
Hence  says  the  Lord  to  the  prophet,  Jer.  xxxi.  3.  "  Yea,  I  have 
loved  thee  with  an  everlasting  love."  It  is  as  ancient  in  the  design 
of  it  as  from  eternity.  Sometimes  one  friend  will  say  to  another, 
When  I  saw  you  in  such  a  place,  or  at  such  a  time,  there  was  some- 


224  BELIEVERS  CHRIST'S  FRIENDS. 

thing  in  you  that  I  liked  extremely,  and  from  that  time  I  was  still 
desirous  of  a  friendship  with  you.  So  Christ  may  say  to  his  people, 
Since  I  saw  you  from  eternity,  lying  in  the  corrupt  ruined  mass  of 
mankind,  I  liked  you,  my  delights  were  with  the  sons  of  men,  Prov. 
viii.  31. 

2.  The  plot  for  compassing  it  was  laid  from  eternity  between  the 
Father  and  the  Son,  Tit.  i.  2.  "  In  hope  of  eternal  life,  which  God 
that  cannot  lie,  promised  before  the  world  began."  The  covenant 
of  grace  was  made  for  bringing  about  this  friendship :  the  method 
was  there  laid  down,  how,  with  the  honour  of  the  divine  perfections, 
these  enemies  to  God  might  be  brought  into  a  state  of  friendship ; 
how  they  might  be  won  into  it. 

3.  The  foundation  of  it  was  laid  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  in  the  ful- 
ness of  time,  Gal.  iv.  4,  5.  "  When  the  fulness  of  the  time  was  come, 
God  sent  forth  his  Son,  made  of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law,  to 
redeem  them  that  were  under  the  law,  that  we  might  receive  the 
adoption  of  sons."  The  friendship  with  them,  as  little  worth  as 
they  were,  could  not  be  purchased,  but  by  blood  that  might  satisfy 
justice ;  for  they  were  criminals  under  a  sentence  of  death ;  Heb. 
ix.  22.  "  Without  shedding  of  blood  is  no  remission."  So  Christ 
died  for  them,  and  gave  them  the  greatest  demonstration  of  friend- 
ship for  them;  therefore  says  he,  John  xv.  13.  "  Greater  love  hath 
no  man  than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends." 
Hence  we  are  often  said  to  be  redeemed  by  his  blood. 

4.  It  was  moved  to  them  in  the  gospel,  2  Cor.  v.  20.  "  We  are 
ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us  :  we 
pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God.  In  the  word 
of  the  gospel  Christ  courts  the  acquaintance  of  sinners,  and  proposes 
a  strict  friendship  betwixt  him  and  them.  He  sends  his  letters  to 
them  in  the  written  word  for  that  elfect,  which  many  times  have  re- 
mained unanswered,  or  got  an  ill  answer.  He  sends  some  of  their 
own  acquaintance,  earthen  vessels,  to  prevail  with  them  to  enter 
into  this  friendship,  who  many  times  labour  in  vain.  But  he  con- 
tinues his  solicitations  till  he  win  them. 

5.  They  are  won  to  it  by  his  own  Spirit,  Is.  xliv.  3,  5.  "  I  will 
pour  water  upon  him  that  is  thirsty,  and  floods  upon  the  dry 
ground ;  I  will  pour  my  Spirit  upon  thy  seed,  and  my  blessing  upon 
thine  offspring.  One  shall  say,  I  am  the  Lord's  :  and  another  shall 
call  himself  by  the  name  of  Jacob  :  and  another  shall  subscribe  with 
his  hand  unto  the  Lord,  and  surname  himself  by  the  name  of  Israel." 
They  will  not  be  friends  with  him,  till  the  Spirit  take  the  work  in 
hand.  Their  old  friends,  the  devil,  the  world,  and  their  lusts,  have 
the  ascendant  so  over  them,  that  they  cannot  value  Christ's  friend- 


BELIEVERS  CIIRIST's  FRIENDS.  225 

ship,  till  the  Spirit  open  their  eyes,  display  it  to  them,  and  change 
their  minds  and  hearts :  and  he  does  it  effectually  when  once  he 
takes  it  in  hand. 

6.  By  faith  they  go  into  the  friendship  with  him,  Eph.  iii.  17. 
"  That  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  by  faith."  So  they  come 
to  him,  and  unite  with  him.  And  thus  the  bonds  of  the  friendship 
are  the  Spirit  on  Christ's  part,  whereby  he  apprehends  them,  and 
faith  on  their  part,  whereby  they  lay  hold  on  him.  So  the  friend- 
ship is  made  up  inviolable  and  most  strict,  and  Christ  and  they  are 
in  the  bond  of  the  same  covenant ;  he  as  the  head,  and  they  as  the 
members. 

7.  Lastlif,  The  friendship  is  sealed  by  the  sacraments,  particularly 
that  of  his  body  and  blood.  It  was  an  ancient  custom  to  confirm  a 
covenant  of  friendship  with  a  feast,  Gen.  xxxi.  54.  And  so  the 
Lord  has  been  confirming  his  friendship  with  his  true  friends  among 
ns  of  late,  saying,  as  Cant.  v.  1.  "  I  am  come  into  ray  garden,  my 
sister,  my  spouse ;  I  have  gathered  my  myrrh  with  my  spice,  I  have 
eaten  my  honey-comb  with  my  honey,  I  have  drunk  my  wine  with 
my  milk  :  eat,  0  friends,  drink,  yea,  drink  abundantly,  0  beloved." 
And  0  how  fit  is  it  to  confirm  the  friendship  !  Can  there  be  a  greater 
instance  of  friendship  than  what  is  there  !  John  xv.  13.  forecited. 

III.  I  go  on  to  shew  what  a  privilege  this  is.  Men  nor  angels 
cannot  fully  express  the  value  of  it,  for  it  is  of  infinite  value,  1  Cor. 
ii.  9.  "Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  entered  into 
the  heart  of  man,  the  things  which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that 
love  him."     To  raise  your  esteem  of  it,  consider, 

1.  It  is  an  honourable  friendship.  Many  value  themselves  to  lit- 
tle purpose  on  their  great  friends,  while  perhaps  they  and  their 
friends  both  are  enemies  to  God,  and  though  they  have  greatness, 
want  grace.  But  the  believer  may  justly,  yea  only,  value  himself 
on  his  friends,  1  Cor.  i.  ult.  He  that  glorieth,  let  khn  glory  in  the  Lord. 
Their  Friend  is  the  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth ;  and  through 
him  God  is  their  friend.  They  are  allied  to  heaven  :  though  they 
were  come  of  the  dunghill,  the  blood-royal  of  heaven  runs  in  their 
veins. 

2.  It  is  a  beneficial  friendship.  The  friendship  of  many  in  the 
world  is  no  more  but  an  empty  name :  if  a  good  word  will  serve 
their  friend,  they  will  give  it  him,  but  for  any  good  deed,  it  is  far 
from  them,  Jam.  ii.  16.  Yea,  the  friendship  of  many  is  destructive; 
it  serves  for  nothing  but  to  be  a  snare,  a  trap,  and  a  bond  of  ini- 
quity, Jam.  iv.  4.  as  between  Herod  and  Pilate.  But  Christ's 
friendship  is  most  beneficial :  it  is  enriching  and  upmaking.  The 
benefits  of  it  who  can  tell  ?  they  will  tell  out  for  time  and  eternity ; 


226  BELIEVERS  CHRISt's  FRIENDS. 

they  are  for  the  soul  and  for  the  body.     One  needs  no  more  to  make 
him  happy :  they  are  for  prosperity,  and  for  adversity. 

3.  It  is  an  intimate  friendship.  There  is  no  such  close  and  inti- 
mate friendship  betwixt  any  relations  on  earth,  1  Cor.  vi.  17.  He 
that  is  joined  unto  the  Lord,  is  one  spirit.  Many  whose  friendship  is 
very  valuable  and  beneficial,  are  very  reserved  even  to  their  friends, 
allowing  them  little  intimacy  with  them.  But  Christ  communicates 
himself  most  intimately  to  his  friends,  lodges  his  greatest  secrets 
with  them,  Psal.  xxv.  14 ;  and  they  on  the  other  hand  pour  out 
their  hearts  to  him,  with  greater  freedom  than  they  can  do  to  their 
nearest  relations,  where  oft-times  they  find  it  necessary  to  be  on  the 
reserve. 

4.  It  is  an  universal  friendship,  of  universal  influence.  There  is 
no  friendship  in  the  world,  but  it  is  limited  to  some  particulars. 
There  are  some  things  to  which  men's  friendship  doth  not  extend, 
and  in  which  they  do  not  concern  themselves  with  their  friend.  But 
Christ's  friendship  is  of  universal  influence  :  from  the  greatest  to  the 
least  of  the  concerns  of  his  friends,  he  interests  himself;  he  manages 
all  about  them  in  a  friendly  manner;  from  their  eternal  salvation, 
to  the  least  hair  falling  from  their  head.  And  there  is  no  case 
wherein  one  can  come  wrong  to  him  for  help. 

5.  It  is  a  sure  and  lasting  friendship.  The  friendships  in  the 
world  are  very  uncertain.  Sometimes  the  greatest  friendship  ends 
in  great  enmity,  and  often  doth  it  degenerate  into  a  coolness  and  in- 
differency :  and  rarely  doth  it  fall  out,  but  adversity  slackeneth  the 
bond,  if  not  puts  it  loose  for  altogether.  Hence  proceed  the  com- 
plaints of  the  saints.  Job  xix.  14.  "  My  kinsfolk  have  failed,  and 
my  familiar  friends  have  forgotten  me."  Psal.  xxxviii.  11.  "  My 
lovers  and  my  friends  stand  aloof  from  my  sore  :  and  my  kinsmen 
stand  afar  oft"."  But  Christ's  friendship  never  dies  out,  John  xiii.  1. 
"  Having  loved  his  own  which  were  in  the  world,  he  loved  them  unto 
the  end."  He  may  hide  his  love  from  his  people,  but  never  lifts  it 
away  from  them.  Hence  is  that  comfortable  passage,  Is.  xlix.  14, 
15,  16.  "Zion  said.  The  Lord  hath  forsaken  me,  and  my  Lord  hath 
forgotten  me.  Can  a  woman  forget  her  sucking  child,  that  she 
should  not  have  compassion  on  the  son  of  her  womb  ?  yea,  they  may 
forget,  yet  will  I  not  forget  thee.  Behold,  I  have  graven  thee  upon 
the  palms  of  ray  hands,  thy  walls  are  continually  before  me."  They 
may  grieve  his  Spirit,  and  he  may  correct  them  with  the  rod :  but 
the  sharpest  rod  on  their  backs  is  a  friendly  one ;  the  heaviest  hand 
he  lays  on  them,  is  still  the  hand  of  a  friend,  not  of  an  enemy,  Psal. 
Ixxxix.  31. — 34.  And  their  adversity  is  so  far  from  making  his 
friendship  cool  toward  them,  that  he  bears  a  part  with  them  in  all 


BELIEVERS  CHRISt's  FRIENDS.  227 

their  burdens ;  in  all  their  afflictions  he  is  afflicted ;  and  while  he 
smites  with  the  one  hand,  he  supports  with  the  other.  He  afflicts 
not  willingly ;  and  he  turns  all  their  bed  in  their  sickness. 

A  short  word  of  improvement  shall  conclude  this  doctrine. 

Use  I.  of  information.     Hence  see, 

1.  The  wonderful  condescension  of  heaven  to  mankind-sinners,  in 
that  God  was  pleased  to  take  any  of  them  into  friendship  with  him. 
The  angels  fell,  but  there  was  no  oft'er  of  peace  for  them,  no  Saviour 
provided :  but  men  may  not  only  be  at  peace,  but  in  friendship  with 
God.  We  are  rebels  to  God  naturally,  but  may  become  friends 
through  Christ. 

2.  They  that  are  Christ's  are  most  happy.  They  are  provided 
with  a  stock,  upon  which  they  may  travel  through  all  difficulties, 
and  make  their  way  through  all  storms.  Christ  is  their  Friend,  and 
he  is  both  able  and  willing  to  provide  for  them.  And  they  may 
travel  comfortably  through  all,  if  they  had  faith  in  exercise  to  im- 
prove the  friendship. 

3.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  best  and  most  generous  of  masters.  He 
makes  all  his  servants  friends  ;  he  treats  them  generously.  He 
needs  none  of  their  service ;  none  of  their  service  can  make  him 
more  happy :  but  he  rewards  their  service  nobly.  0  !  who  would 
not  choose  to  have  such  a  friend  ?  who  would  not  serve  such  a  li- 
beral Master? 

4.  How  friendless  persons,  who  have  none  to  regard  them,  may 
best  bestow  themselves,  and  get  a  friend,  that  will  be  better  to  them 
than  all  the  world.  Come  to  Christ,  0  friendless  sinners !  for  the 
fatherless  find  mercy  in  him,  even  the  outcasts  of  Israel,  whom  no 
body  cares  for.  Come  to  him,  and  he  will  shew  you  the  most  dis- 
dinguishing  marks  of  friendship,  more  eminent  than  those  that  ever 
took  place  among  men. 

Use  II.  Of  exhortation, 

1.  Let  sinners  seek  this  friendship.  Christ,  in  the  days  of  his 
flesh,  was  called  "  a  friend  of  jjublicans  and  sinners:  and  it  was  so  far 
true,  that  he  was  and  is  ready  to  befriend  sinners,  to  save  them 
from  their  sins,  but  not  to  befriend  them  in  their  sins.  Here  is  a 
privilege,  and  the  worst  of  sinners  may  obtain  it  in  the  way  of  be- 
lieving now,  as  well  as  many  have  done  heretofore ;  witness  Manas- 
seh,  Mary  Magdalen,  Paul,  yea  the  whole  of  those  that  are  now  the 
redeemed  from  among  men,  sitting  at  his  right  hand  in  glory.  But 
if  ye  continue  in  your  state  of  enmity  against  him,  ye  will  find  at 
last  that  he  will  treat  you  as  enemies  :  and  as  he  is  the  best  of 
friends,  if  you  remain  impenitent,  he  will  be  the  most  dreadful  of 
enemies,  and  consign  you  to  everlasting  burnings.  Accept  of  his 
friendship  therefore  in  time. 


228  Christ's  friends  doers  op 

2.  Te  that  profess  to  be  the  friends  of  Christ,  walk  worthy  of 
your  privilege.  Carry  yourselves  friendly  towards  him.  Discover 
it  by  your  respect  to  his  commands,  submission  to  his  will  in  all 
things,  and  employing  him  in  all  your  needs.  And  do  not  pretend 
to  be  his  friends,  while  ye  are  regardless  of  keeping  his  way.  Ye 
must  distinguish  yourselves  from  his  pretended  friends,  by  a  sincere 
and  universal  obedience  to  whatsoever  he  says  or  enjoins  in  his  word, 

DocT.  II.  It  is  the  distinguishing  character  of  the  friends  of 
Christ,  to  do  whatsoever  he  commands  them. 

In  handling  this  doctrine,  I  shall, 

I.  Inquire  into  tliis  character  of  the  friends  of  Christ,  of  doing 
whatsoever  he  commands  them. 

II.  Shew  why  this  is  made  their  trying  and  distinguishing  charac- 
ter. 

III.  Conclude  with  some  practical  improvement. 

1.  I  shall  inquire  into  this  character  of  the  friends  of  Christ,  of 
doing  whatsoever  he  commands  them.     I  take  it  up  in  three  things. 

First,  The  friends  of  Christ  are  doers  of  his  commands.  They 
are  all  his  servants,  Luke  vi.  46.  Christ  is  their  Lord  and  Law- 
giver, and  they  do  his  commandments.  Rev.  xxii.  14.  His  enemies 
may  feign  submission ;  they  may  say  fair,  and  profess  obedience  to 
him :  but  his  friends  are  doers  of  what  he  commands,  in  a  holy  life 
and  practice.  Jam.  i.  22.     It  imports  the  following  things. 

1.  Their  lusts  are  not  their  domineering  lords,  to  whom  they  yield 
themselves  to  obey,  Rom.  vi.  13,  14,  If  they  have  become  Christ's 
friends,  they  are  become  enemies  to  their  lusts,  seeking  the  pleasing 
of  Christ,  and  the  destruction  of  their  corrupt  aifections,  saying,  "  0 
Lord  our  God,  other  lords  besides  thee  have  had  dominion  over  us  : 
but  by  thee  only  will  we  make  mention  of  thy  name.  Is.  xxvi.  13. 
They  that  are  Christ's,  have  crucified  the  flesh,  with  the  afli'ections 
and  lusts,"  Gal,  v.  24.  To  walk  after  one's  own  lusts,  is  the  character 
of  scoffers,  2  Pet.  iii.  3.  Christ's  friends  have  changed  masters,  and 
renounced  their  own  will  and  corrupt  aifections. 

2.  The  course  of  the  world  is  not  their  rule,  Eph,  ii.  2.  It  has 
the  force  of  a  command  on  Christ's  enemies  :  hence  so  frequent  is 
the  following  a  multitude  to  do  evil,  as  if  the  commonness  of  a  sin 
did  licentiate  it.  But  Christ's  commands  contradict  the  course  of 
the  world,  and  his  friends  will  obey  them  over  the  belly  of  the  tor- 
rent of  the  example  of  a  godless  generation,  as  Noah  did,  Gen.  vi.  9. 

3.  But  as  they  look  for  salvation  by  him,  it  is  the  business  of 
their  life,  to  please,  serve,  and  glorify  him,  to  ivalk  xvorthy  of  the 
Lord,  unto  all  jpleasing,  Col.  i.  10.     There  are  two  works  seriously 


ALL  niS  COMMANDS.  229 

plied  by  all  Christ's  friends.  (1.)  Salvatiou-Avork,  that  they  may 
be  saved  from  sin  and  wrath,  and  set  beyond  hazard  of  eternal  ruin. 
This  is  done  by  faith.  (2.)  Their  generation  work,  serving  their 
generation  hi/  the  xuill  of  God,  as  David  did,  Acts  xiii.  36 ;  that  they 
may  be  nsefnl  for  Christ  in  their  day,  to  advance  his  honour  and 
glory,  "  Showing  forth  the  praises  of  him  who  hath  called  them  out 
of  darkness  into  his  marvellous  light,  1  Pet.  ii.  9.  This  is  done  by 
obedience.  In  the  former  they  look  for  their  own  safety,  and  in  the 
latter  for  the  honour  of  their  Saviour.  Christ's  enemies  either 
slight  both,  or  if  they  seem  to  be  concerned  for  the  former,  that  is 
all,  they  have  no  due  concern  for  the  latter.  Why  ?  because  they 
have  no  regard  to  the  honour  of  Christ,  but  to  their'own  salvation. 
Here  lies  the  mystery  of  the  inconsistent  lives  of  many,  who  pray 
like  angels,  and  yet  live  like  devils,  as  if  there  were  no  God  to 
whom  obedience  were  due.  But  Christ's  friends  pursue  both,  and 
labour  to  serve  and  obey  him,  with  the  same  earnestness  as  to  be 
saved  by  him ;  and  so  are  doers  of  all  his  commandments,  as  well  as 
seekers  of  his  salvation. 

This  is  evident,  if  ye  consider, 

\st,  That  all  Christ's  friends  are  true  believers  in  him,  endowed 
with  saving  faith,  being  called,  and  chosen,  and  faithful.  Rev.  vii.  14. 
For  by  faith  it  is  that  one  enters  into  the  state  of  friendship  with 
him.  And  all  real  believers  are  doers  of  Christ's  commands,  making 
it  their  business  to  obey  him.  For  faith  without  works  is  dead,  Jam. 
ii.  20.  True  faith  is  a  working  grace,  xuorhing  hy  love,  Gal.  v.  6.  For 
it  knits  the  soul  to  Christ,  in  whom  is  the  fulness  of  the  Spirit  of 
holiness,  Eph.  iii.  17 ;  joins  to  him  as  to  a  husband,  whose  spouse  is 
always  fruitful,  Rom.  vii.  4;  as  the  true  vine,  making  branches 
really  united  to  it,  bring  forth  fruit,  John  xv.  2.  And  so  faith  is 
virtually  all  good  works.  Hence  Christ  says,  John  vi.  29.  "  This  is 
the  work  of  God,  that  ye  believe  on  him  whom  he  hath  sent."  And 
says  the  beloved  disciple,  1  John  iii.  23.  "  This  is  his  commandment, 
that  we  should  believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ."  And 
it  receives  Christ  as  a  King,  Lord,  and  Head,  Psal.  ex.  3. 

2dly,  The  very  end  for  which  Christ  purchased  the  friendship  of 
heaven  to  any,  and  actually  communicates  it  to  them,  is,  that  they 
might  be  doers  of  his  commands.  He  laid  down  his  life  to  purchase 
it  for  that  cause.  Hence  says  the  apostle,  Eph.  v.  25,  26.  "  Christ 
loved  the  church,  and  gave  himself  for  it :  that  he  might  sanctify 
and  cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of  water  by  his  word.  Tit.  ii.  14. 
"Who  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity, 
and  purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works." 
He  brings  them  forth  from  among  his  and  their  enemies,  for  the 

YoL.  Y.  Q 


230  Christ's  friends  doers  of 

same  end,  Luke  i.  74,  75.  "  That  lie  would  grant  unto  us,  (said 
Zacharias)  that  we  being  delivered  out  of  the  hands  of  our  enemies, 
might  serve  him  without  fear,  in  holiness  and  righteousness  before 
him,  all  the  days  of  our  life."  It  was  their  misery  while  they  were 
his  enemies,  that  they  neither  would  nor  could  do  his  commands : 
but  in  the  day  of  their  reconciliation  he  delivers  them,  knocks  off 
their  chains,  and  gives  them  both  heart  and  hand  in  some  measure 
for  obedience. 

3.  Regardlessness  of  Christ's  commands,  and  walking  contrary  to 
them,  is  the  native  product  of  the  enmity  of  heart  against  him.  This 
is  the  very  way  how  men  evidence  themselves  enemies  to  him  :  for 
it  is  walking  contrary  to  him.  "What  is  the  reason  that  men  cannot 
be  subject  to  the  holy  law  ?  Their  enmity  to  God,  a  transcript  of 
•whose  nature  it  is,  Rom.  viii.  7.  They  will  be  their  own  lords,  and 
will  not  leave  Christ  to  reign  over  them  :  they  are  his  enemies, 
Luke  xix.  27.  Men  may  pretend  esteem  of  Christ,  while  they  are 
regardless  of  his  commands  :  but  all  such  pretences  are  vain, 
Col.  i.  21. 

4thly,  Where  there  is  friendship  there  is  love  without  dissimula- 
tion ;  and  where  there  is  love,  there  will  be  care  to  please  the  party 
beloved.  Christ  puts  our  love  on  this  trial,  John  xiv.  15.  If  ye 
love  me,  says  he,  keep  my  commandments.  And.  it  is  a  most  rational 
convincing  trial.  "What  man  among  us  would  reckon  one  to  love  us 
who  were  still  walking  contrary  to  us,  grieving  and  vexing  us  with 
doing  the  things  which  we  cannot  endure  ?  An  unholy  life  is  griev- 
ing to  the  Spirit  of  Christ :  it  is  a  smoke  in  his  nostrils.  How  then 
can  men  pretend  love  or  friendship  to  him,  who  are  regardless  of  his 
holy  laws?  Whatever  we  call  love  to  God,  see  what  he  calls  so,  1  John 
V.  3.  "  This  is  the  love  of  God,  that  we  keep  his  commandments." 

Secondly,  The  friends  of  Christ  are  doers  of  his  commands,  be- 
cause they  are  his  commands ;  as  his  will  is  the  rule  of  their  obe- 
dience, so  it  is  the  reason  of  it  too  :  "  Ye  are  my  friends,  if  ye  do 
whatsoever  I  command  you."  This  is  what  touches  the  hearts  of 
his  friends,  and  sets  the  wheels  of  their  souls  in  motion  in  obedience  : 
That  he  commands  it,  that  he  requires  it.  Col.  iii.  17.  "  Whatsoever 
ye  do  in  word  or  deed,  do  all  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus." 
Christ's  pretended  friends  sometimes  do  what  he  commands  ;  but  it 
is  not  from  any  regard  to  him,  but  to  themselves.  But  real  regard 
to  Christ  weighs  with  his  friends.     This  imports,  that, 

1  They  do  his  commands  out  of  respect  to  his  authority,  Psal. 
cxix.  4.  *'  Thou  hast  commanded  us  to  keep  thy  precepts  diligently." 
They  perceive  the  impress  of  a  divine  authority  on  every  command, 
and  in  compliance  with  that  authority  close  with  the  duty  enjoined. 


ALL  HIS  COMMANDS.  231 

Hence  where  they  cannot  see  any  reason  for  a  command,  but  that 
such  is  the  will  of  Christ,  they  find  eveu  there  sufficient  ground  for 
obedience  :  as  being  those  who  are  not  to  dispute  his  comraar.ds,  but 
obey  them  ;  those  to  whom  the  will  of  the  great  Lawgiver  is  reason 
enough,  Heb.  xi.  8.  "  By  faith  Abraham,  when  he  was  called  to  go 
out  into  a  place  which  he  should  after  receive  for  an  inheritance, 
obeyed ;  and  he  went  out  not  knowing  whither  he  went." 

2.  They  do  his  commands  out  of  love  to  him.  Hence  we  read  of 
their  "  work  and  labour  of  love,  shewed  toward  his  name,"  Heb.  vi. 
10.  Being  saved  by  his  blood,  they  give  themselves  to  be  ruled  by 
his  laws,  and  obey  him  from  love  and  gratitude,  the  love  of  Christ 
constraining  them,  2  Cor.  v.  14.  Love  lines  the  yoke  of  Christ  to  be- 
lievers, and  makes  it  sit  easy  on  his  friends,  while  it  is  very  griev- 
ous to  his  enemies,  John  v.  3.  And  the  stronger  faith  is,  the  stronger 
is  lov^ ;  and  the  stronger  that  love  to  Christ  is,  the  soul  is  the  more 
ready  for  duty.  His  commands  are  acceptable  to  them,  because 
they  are  his. 

3.  They  do  his  commands  as  sons  redeemed  by  his  blood,  not  as 
bond-servants  working  for  their  own  redemption ;  to  please  their 
Benefactor,  not  to  render  themselves  accepted  by  their  own  obe- 
dience, Rom.  viii.  16.  Col.  i.  10.  Christ  has  brought  in  everlasting 
righteousness  by  his  obedience,  and  put  it  on  all  his  friends,  whereby 
they  stand  accepted  to  God  :  and  he  commands  them,  being  righte- 
ous through  faith,  to  be  holy;  and  their  souls  say,  as  2  Cor.  vii.  1. 
"  Having  these  promises,  let  us  cleanse  ourselves  from  all  filthiness 
of  the  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God."  The 
mercy  of  God,  and  the  love  of  Christ  in  dying  for  sinners,  makes 
them  to  say,  "  What  shall  I  render  to  the  Lord  for  all  his  benefits 
towards  me  ?" 

4.  Lastly,  They  do  his  commands  with  heart  and  good-will,  Eph. 
vi.  7.  and  that  is  the  obedience  only  that  is  acceptable,  Isa.  Ixiv.  5. 
"  Thou  meetest  him  that  rejoiceth,  and  worketh  righteousness." 
What  is  done  for  Christ's  sake  by  his  friends,  will  be  done  heartily ; 
while  the  obedience  of  his  pretended  friends,  his  real  enemies,  is 
done  against  their  will.  The  cords  of  love  will  draw  swiftly  and 
easily  :  and  what  backwardness  to  duty  is  found  at  any  time,  will 
be  grievous  to  them. 

It  is  evident  there  can  be  no  acceptable  obedience  but  what  is 
done  this  way,  done  because  Christ  commands  it :  for  if  it  have  not 
a  respect  to  his  command,  it  may  indeed  contain  the  matter  of  obe- 
dience, but  is  destitue  of  the  form  and  essence  of  godly  obedience. 
Thus  we  see  selfish  ends  mar  obedience,  Matth.  vi.  1.  God  knows  the 
springs  of  our  obedience,  however  close  they  lie  within  our  breasts ; 

q2 


232  Christ's  friends  doers  of 

and  ho  will  never  acknowledge  that  to  be   obedien  ce  tohira,  that 
is  not  influenced  by  his  authority,  and  has  not  him  for  its  end. 

Thirdly,  The  friends  of  Christ  are  doers  of  his  commands  univer- 
sally and  without  exception,  Psal.  cxix.  6.  "  Then  shall  I  not  be 
ashamed,  when  I  have  respect  to  all  thy  commandments."  Their 
obedience  to  Christ  is  unlimited  as  to  an  absolute  Lord.  His  friends 
will  prescribe  no  bounds  of  their  obedience,  but  what  he  sets  in  his 
holy' law.  The  obedience  of  hypocrites  is  ever  defective  here  ;  they 
never  want  some  secret  reserve,  which  i^roves  their  ruin.  Here  then 
is  the  trial  of  Christ's  true  and  pretended  friends.  It  is  certain  that 
there  is  no  obedience  on  earth  legally  universal :  but  all  the  friends 
of  Christ  give  him  universal  obedience  in  a  gospel-sense.     That  is, 

1.  They  are  universal  in  their  desire  to  do  all  his  commands, 
saying,  as  Psal.  cxix.  5.  "  0  that  my  ways  were  directed  to  keep  thy 
statutes  !"  Perfect  holiness  is  the  desire  of  their  souls,  the  aim  and 
design  which  they  have  in  view,  though  still  they  cannot  as  yet 
reach  the  mark.  Every  sin  is  a  burden,  and  lies  on  them  as  an  iron 
chain ;  and  there  is  no  lust  they  would  not  fain  be  quit  of,  Rom.  vii. 
24.  Some  sins  lie  nearer  them  than  others,  and  they  have  greater 
difficulty  to  shake  them  off  than  others.  Christ  says  that  the  right 
eye  must  be  plucked  out,  with  thine  own  consent.  Amen,  says  the 
friend  of  Christ.  Hypocrites  have  always  some  lust  which  they  de- 
sire not  to  part  with  ;  there  is  some  part  of  Christ's  yoke  that  they 
cannot  away  with.  It  is  no  more  a  burden  to  them  than  a  gold 
chain  about  the  neck,  which  one  would  be  very  loath  to  quit.  They 
hate  not  every  false  way. 

2.  They  are  universal  in  respect  of  their  endeavour  to  do  all,  to 
comply  with  every  pai't  of  Christ's  will ;  "  I  count  not  myself  to 
have  apiJrehended,  (says  Paul)  but  this  one  thing  I  do,  forgetting 
those  things  which  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth  unto  those  things 
which  are  before,  I  press  toward  the  mark,  for  the  prize  of  the  high 
calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,"  Phil.  13,  14.  Many  please  them- 
selves with  faint  and  lazy  wishes  to  do  all :  but  it  is  one  thing  to 
wish  to  do  whatever  Christ  commands ;  and  another  to  aim  at  it  in 
suitable  endeavours,  to  try  one's  strength  at  every  known  duty,  and 
to  put  hand  to  work,  though  they  cannot  go  cleverly  thi'ough  it.  It 
is  the  ruin  of  many  souls,  that  they  put  off  themselves  with  lazy 
wishes,  but  never  once  try  in  earnest  the  mortification  of  some 
known  lust,  or  setting  about  some  known  duty.  But  Christ's  friends 
are  universal  in  their  endeavours. 

3.  They  are  universal  in  respect  of  their  willingness  to  know  all 
that  Christ  commands,  that  they  may  do  it,  Psal.  cxxxix.  23. 
"  Search  me,  0   God,  and  know  my  heart :  try  me  and  know  my 


ALL  UIS  COMMANDS.  233 

thoughts."  It  is  the  voice  of  Christ's  friends,  "  Lord,  what  wilt 
thou  have  me  to  do  ?"  Acts  ix.  6.  And  hence,  where  the  command 
of  Christ  appears  in  any  particular,  they  set  themselves  to  receive 
and  obey  it.  There  is  a  great  deal  of  deceit  among  men  in  this 
point.  Most  men  stave  off  the  discovery  of  those  sins  which  they 
have  no  mind  to  jjart  with  ;  they  strive  to  blind  their  consciences, 
that  they  may  enjoy  their  sinful  courses  without  disturbance  :  they 
lodge  some  lusts  under  disguise,  willing  to  give  them  heart-room, 
but  unwilling  to  know  what  they  are. 

The  reasons  why  Christ's  friends  are  universal  in  their  obedience, 
are, 

1.  Because  the  grace  of  God  inclines  them  to  do  what  Christ  com- 
mands, because  he  commands  it,  Psal.  cxix.  4.  forecited.  And  lie 
that  does  one  thing,  because  of  the  authority  of  Christ  requiring  it, 
will  endeavour  to  do  all ;  for  the  authority  of  God  is  equal  in  all. 
Jam.  ii.  11.  The  least  coin  that  has  the  king's  stamp  on  it,  is  cur- 
rent among  the  subjects  as  well  as  the  greatest.  The  law  of  Christ 
is  a  chain  of  many  links,  and  he  that  truly  draws  one  to  him,  draws 
all ;  wherefore  the  Jewish  rabbles  say,  "  He  that  saith,  I  receive  the 
whole  except  one  word  only,  despiseth  the  commandment  of  God." 

2.  Because  the  whole  laAv  is  written  on  their  hearts  in  regenera- 
tion, and  not  scraps  of  it  here  and  there,  Ileb.  viii.  10.  The  new 
nature  is  suited  to  whatever  Christ  commands,  because  it  is  his  own 
image  drawn  on  the  soul :  it  answers  the  law  as  the  wax  does  the 
seal.  Hence  it  is  called  a  new  man,  the  new  creature,  wherein  all 
things  are  become  new  :  and  there  is  a  perfection  of  parts,  though 
not  of  degrees. 

3.  Because  Christ  hath  the  chief  room  in  their  hearts  beyond  all 
competitors.  His  interest  with  his  friends  weighs  down  all  other 
interests,  Luke  xiv.  26.  The  world  and  cursed  self  have  the  pre- 
dominant interest  in  the  hearts  of  most  men  :  hence  Christ's  com- 
mands must  give  place  to  theirs,  and  religion  and  conscience  must 
bow  at  the  foot  of  their  desire  to  please  men,  their  covetousness 
pride,  and  passion.  But  in  the  hearts  of  his  friends  all  other 
sheaves  must  bow  to  his,  and  so  the  commands  of  others  must  give 
place  to  the  commands  of  Christ. 

4.  Because  he  is  jealous,  and  the  least  command  of  his  that  is 
slighted  is  displeasing  to  him,  Matth.  v.  19.  And  a  tender  con- 
science will  beware  of  displeasing  him.  Many  a  time  God's  peoi)lo 
find  in  their  experience  the  danger  of  tampering  with  some  bosom 
idol.  It  provokes  him  to  depart,  till  they  return  and  acknowledge 
their  sin,  Tsal.  Ixvi.  18.  Therefore  says  the  spouse,  Cant.  iii.  5. 
"  I  charge  you,  0  ye  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  by  the  roes,  and  by 

q3 


234  Christ's  friends  doers  of 

the  hinds  of  the  field,  that  ye  stir  not  up  nor  awake  my  love,  till 
he  please." 

5.  Lastly,  Because  their  hearts  are  reconciled  to  the  whole  law, 
and  every  part  of  it.  Their  practical  judgment  approves  it  as  good 
in  itself,  and  good  for  them  too,  Psal.  cxix.  128.  "  I  esteem  all  thy 
precepts  concerning  all  things  to  be  right."  And  hence  there  is  a 
sincere  endeavour  to  conform  to  it  in  all  the  parts  thereof.  There 
is  a  transcript  of  God's  image  in  it,  which  the  gracious  soul  longs 
for  the  drawing  of  upon  it ;  so  every  command  as  a  lineament  of 
that  image  must  be  precious  to  them.  Thus  the  character  is 
established. 

II.  The  next  head  is  to  show,  why  this  is  made  the  trying  and 
distinguishing  character  of  the  friends  of  Christ. 

1.  Because  this  hits  the  point  in  which  the  sincere  and  hypocrites 
differ,  whether  they  be  gross  or  close  hypocrites.  Look  on  both  in 
their  profession  of  love  and  friendship  to  Christ,  and  the  hypocrite 
■will  vie  with  the  sincere  in  it.  The  foolish  virgins  have  lamps  as 
■well  as  the  wise ;  the  foolish  man's  building  may  be  as  high  as  the 
wise  builder's  is  ;  the  one  wears  the  external  badge  of  the  Christian 
name,  and  of  the  sacraments,  as  well  as  the  other.  But  follow  them 
to  their  practice,  and  there  they  part. 

The  gross  hypocrite  has  the  name  of  a  Christian,  but  nothing  of 
the  life  and  practice  of  one.  He  will  call  Christ  Lord,  Lord,  but 
makes  no  conscience  of  doing  the  things  that  he  saith.  He  will  cry, 
The  temple  of  the  Lord,  and  yet  will  steal,  murder,  commit  adultery^ 
swear  falsely,  Jer.  vii.  8,  9.  His  profession  is  sacred,  but  his  practice 
is  profane.  He  will  own  Christ  for  his  Lord,  but  in  the  mean  time 
makes  no  bones  of  trampling  his  holy  commandments  under  foot. 
The  sincere  soul  dare  not  do  this  :  since  he  abides  in  Christ,  he  must 
endeavour  to  walk  as  he  also  walked.  He  must  be  obedient  to  his 
Lord,  Head,  and  King. 

The  close  hypocrite  who  does  indeed  many  things  which  Christ 
commands,  so  that  the  world  cannot  determine  him  to  be  insincere  ; 
yet  he  never  does  all  in  known  duty  :  his  obedience  is  always  want- 
ing in  some  material  part ;  and  what  he  does,  he  doth  not  because 
of  the  regard  he  hath  to  the  will  of  Christ,  but  the  regard  he  has  to 
himself.  Whereas  the  sincere  aims  at  and  endeavours  compliance 
with  the  whole  will  of  God,  and  that  because  it  is  his  will,  Acts 
xiii.  22. 

2.  Because  the  reality  of  friendship  to  Christ  does  without  contro- 
versy appear  here.  Solomon  observes,  Prov.  xxvi.  23,  "  Burning  lips, 
and  a  wicked  heart,  are  like  a  potsherd  covered  with  silver  dross." 
Will  any  man  reckon  one  his  friend,  because  he  speaks  him  fair ; 


ALL  HIS  COKMANDS.  235 

while  yet  he  is  ever  injuring  him  egregiously,  traducing  his  name, 
and  venting  mischief  against  him  ?  No ;  a  man  will  look  upon  such 
an  one  as  a  notorious  dissembler,  and  worse  than  a  professed  enemy. 
So  says  the  Lord,  "  Shew  your  faith  by  your  works.  If  ye  love  me, 
keep  ray  commandments.     Love  not  in  word  only  but  in  deed." 

3.  Because  where  Christ's  friendship  to  a  person  takes  effect,  it 
certainly  has  this  efl'ect,  Eph.  v.  25,  26.  How  does  it  appear  that 
Christ  died  for  such  a  person,  that  he  has  justified  him,  &c.  ?  If 
that  man  be  not  holy  in  his  life,  it  cannot  appear ;  if  he  be,  it  ap- 
pears by  his  sanctification.  Tit.  ii.  14.  For  that  was  the  end  of  the 
friendship,  to  bring  back  the  sinner  to  obedience. 

4.  Because  though  the  free  grace  of  God  tends  to  holiness,  Tit.  ii. 
11,  12.  yet  there  is  a  disposition  in  the  children  of  men  to  turn  it 
to  licentiousness,  .Tude,  4.  Therefore  the  apostle  cautions  the  Ga- 
latians,  chap.  v.  13.  "Brethren,  ye  have  been  called  unto  liberty; 
only  use  not  liberty  for  an  occasion  to  the  flesh,  but  by  love  serve 
one  another."  "Wherefore  our  Lord  puts  the  trial  of  faith  on  good 
works,  and  of  his  friendship  on  universal  obedience  to  his  com- 
mands ;  that  men  may  not  by  their  unholy  lives  joined  to  a  holy 
profession,  make  Christ  the  minister  of  sin,  and  deceive  and  destroy 
their  own  souls. 

I  shall  now  make  some  application  of  this  doctrine. 

Use  1.  Of  information.     This  shews  us, 

1.  What  the  life  of  a  Christian  is.  It  is  a  life  of  doing  whatso- 
ever Christ  commands.     And  so  it  is, 

(1.)  A  doing  life,  an  active  not  an  idle  life.  Hence  is  that  ex- 
hortation, Phil.  ii.  12.  "  "Work  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear  and 
trembling ;"  and  that.  Rev.  xiv.  13.  where  we  are  told  the  saints  at 
death  "  rest  from  their  labours,  and  their  works  do  follow  them." 
And  they  have  so  much  to  do,  the  commandment  being  exceeding 
broad,  Psal.  cxix.  96.  that  they  have  no  time  to  be  idle.  Christ 
went  about  doing  good,  and  Christians  must  imitate  him  therein. 
God  has  set  every  one  their  work  and  post,  and  they  must  be  busy 
in  the  work  of  their  general  and  particular  vocation. 

(2.)  A  well  doing  life.  Many  are  busy  enough  doing  mischief: 
but  the  Christian's  life  is  a  life  of  doing  good,  for  God's  honour,  and 
their  own  and  their  neighbour's  good.  Many  do  what  is  good  on 
the  matter,  but  they  do  it  not  well.  The  Christian's  life  is  a  life  of 
doing  good,  from  a  good  principle,  to  a  good  end,  for  a  good  reason, 
and  in  a  good  manner,  1  Tim.  i.  5. 

(1.)  A  watchful  life,  1  Cor.  xvi.  13.  Watch  ye,  says  the  apostle. 
One  will  never  do  whatsoever  Christ  commands  without  watchfulness. 
A  loose  careless  life  will  never  make  it.     If  one  do  not  watch,  they 


236  curist's  friends  doers  of 

■will  let  the  season  of  some  duties  slip ;  tliey  will  go  contrary  to  his 
comiuands. 

(4.)  A  resolute  life.  Eph.  vi.  15.  It  is  not  possible  but  that,  in 
such  an  evil  world,  the  Christian  must  have  some  times  the  trial  of 
advices  and  commands  laid  on  him,  contrary  to  the  commands  of 
Christ.  But  he  must  be  precise  in  his  adherence  to  the  commands  of 
Christ,  say  the  contrary  or  be  displeased  who  will.  So  there  is 
need  of  resoluteness  in  this  case,  and  need  of  a  brow  for  a  bargain. 
"  For  the  fearful,  and  unbelieving,  shall  have  their  part  in  the  lake 
"which  burneth  with  fire  and  brimstone,"  Rev.  xxi.  8. 

2.  That  there  are  few  friends  of  Christ  in  the  world,  his  flock  is 
a  little  flock,  Luke  xii.  32.    It  is  little  wonder  that  there  are  so  many 

.  opposers  of  the  interests  of  Christ,  so  many  neutralists  in  his  cause, 
and  so  many  enemies  to  his  people  and  way  :  for  certainly^  his  friends 

,  are  very  few  in  mumber  :  there  are  so  few  disposed  to  do  whatsoever 
he  commands  them.  If  we  examine  the  number  of  them  by  this 
character,  it  is  but  here  one  and  there  one  will  be  found.  The  most 
part  declare  themselves  none  of  his  friends,  but  his  haters,  John 
XV.  18. 

3.  Sincere  Christians  may  take  comfort  from  this,  whose  con- 
science witnesseth  their  conscientious  regard  to  all  the  commands  of 
Christ,  and  their  sincere  endeavour  to  come  up  to  the  obedience  of 
them  all.  They  are,  and  are  accounted  of  Christ  his  friends.  Though 
in  many  things  they  offend,  yet  in  every  known  duty  they  aim  at 
obedience  ;  and  our  Lord  makes  a  difference  betwixt  weakness  and 
■wickedness.  Hence  David  says,  "  I  have  kept  the  ways  of  the  Lord, 
and  have  not  wickedly  departed  from  my  God,"  Psal.  xviii.  21. 
Though  they  want  not  their  sin  that  easily  besets  them,  yet  their 
consciences  witness  that  they  are  set  against  it  as  well  as  other  sins  : 
and  the  Lord  will  distinguish  between  voluntary  yielding  and  in- 
voluntary, the  reign  and  tyranny  of  sin,  ver.  23.  "  I  was  also  up- 
right before  him,  (says  the  same  holy  man)  and  I  kept  myself  from 
mine  iniquity." 

Let  all  such  as  make  not  conscience  of  universal  obedience  know, 
that  their  j)retences  to  Christ's  friendship  are  in  vain.  For,  says 
he,  "  Why  call  ye  me,  Lord,  Lord,  and  do  not  the  things  which  I 
say  ?"  Luke  vi.  46.  If  your  life  be  not  in  some  measure  suited  to 
that  character,  ye  do  but  deceive  yourselves  thinking  ye  have  that 
privilege.  If  ye  do  not  what  Christ  commands,  but  what  the  devil, 
the  world,  and  your  own  passions  command  you,  theirs  you  are  to 
whom  ye  yield  yourselves  servants  to  obey,  not  Christ's.  Te  are 
self-pleasers,  meu-pleasers  if  the  Avill  of  Christ  is  not  the  reason  of 
your  obedience,  and  does  not  influence  you  to  universal  obedience. 


ALL  UIS  COMMANDS.  237 

5.  Lastly,  The  doctrine  of  free  grace  gives  no  encouragement  to 
looseness  of  life  :  for  there  is  no  separating  of  faith  and  holiness. 
If  ye  be  Christ's  friends  by  faith,  ye  will  be  his  faithful  and  tender 
servants  in  obedience.  Though  ye  are  not  to  gain  heaven  by  works, 
yet  having  the  right  to  it  made  over  to  you  as  his  friends,  you  will 
work  good  works  as  the  native  fruit  of  the  friendship. 

Use  II.  Of  exhortation.  SheAV  yourselves  Christ's  friends  by 
doing  whatsoever  he  commands  you.  And  do  ye  what  Christ  com- 
mands you,  if  you  would  show  yourselves  his  friends, 

1.  In  a  time  of  general  apostasy  and  backsliding  from  the  ways 
of  God,  such  as  our  time  is,  when  the  torrent  of  backsliding  is  run- 
ning with  a  mighty  force.  It  was  the  commendation  of  Noah,  that 
he  "  was  a  just  man  and  perfect  in  his  generations,  and  walked  with 
God,"  Gen.  vi.  9.  So  did  Lot  in  Sodom.  It  is  a  small  thing  to  do 
what  Christ  commands,  when  credit,  and  reputation,  and  multitudes 
are  on  the  side  of  religion  :  but  to  be  best  when  others  are  worst,  to 
be  among  the  few  names  is  the  trial  of  a  friend  of  Christ,  Rev. 
iii.  4.  John  vi.  67-  to  regard  his  commands  when  the  generation  is 
trampling  on  them,  that  is  friendship  indeed,  Psal.  xii.  7. 

2.  Even  when  it  must  be  to  your  temporal  loss,  Ileb.  xi.  35. 
While  Christ  and  the  Avorld  go  together,  hypocrites  will  follow 
him ;  while  they  may  do  the  commands  of  Christ  on  free  cost,  they 
will  do  them  :  but  if  once  their  worldly  interest  interfere,  there 
they  will  stop.  They  have  a  sort  of  love  to  Christ,  but  their  love 
to  their  worldly  interest  is  stronger,  and  so  the  latter  swallows  up 
the  former.  Hence  persecution  drives  many  away  from  Christ ;  and 
when  there  is  no  persecution,  covetousness  will  supply  its  place. 
But  shew  your  sincerity  by  following  the  commands  of  Christ  over 
the  belly  of  all  losses  that  ye  can  meet  with  in  the  world,  Luke 
xiv.  26. 

3.  When  his  hand  is  lying  heavy  on  you  by  crosses  and  afflic- 
tions. The  devil  says  that  Job  is  an  hypocrite,  Job  i.  9,  10. ;  but 
Job  was  regardful  of  God's  commands  even  in  affliction.  It  is  easy 
swimming  while  the  head  is  borne  up ;  and  to  be  for  God  while  ho 
appears  to  be  for  us  in  favourable  dispensations,  is  not  so  hard. 
But  to  be  tender  of  the  authority  of  an  afflicting  God,  to  strive  to 
please  him  in  all  things,  doing  and  suffering,  while  he  is  afflicting, 
crossing,  and  chastising  us,  there  is  the  trial  of  a  friend  of  Christ, 
Job  xxvii.  10.  "  Will  he  delight  himself  in  the  Almighty  ?  will  he 
always  call  upon  God?" 

4.  When  sin  comes  with  a  seen  advantage  in  its  hand,  as  in  the 
case  of  Moses,  Heb.  xi.  24 — 26.  When  the  poison  is  presented  in  a 
golden  cup,  and  there  is  a  seen  advantage  in  sinning,  it  will  readily 


238  cheist's  friends  doers  of 

make  Christ's  pretended  friends  lay  by  their  mask,  and  trample  on 
Christ's  command,  that  they  may  reach  the  bait.  So  Judas  betrays 
Christ  when  he  could  have  thirty  pieces  of  silver  for  it ;  and  Demas 
embraced  the  present  world,  letting  the  world  to  come  slip.  But 
know  ye  that  at  such  a  time  Clirist  is  taking  a  trial  of  your  friend- 
ship ;  and  therefore  see  to  yourselves. 

5.  When  the  sin  that  most  easily  besets  you  comes  in  competition 
with  your  obedience  to  the  commands  of  Christ,  Psal.  xviii.  23. 
When  it  and  the  command  are  in  the  balance,  and  the  command 
weighs  it  down,  it  is  a  hopeful  sign.  Many  who  will  bear  very  fair 
in  many  instances,  are  quite  undermined  when  this  comes  to  be 
their  case.  They  could  raise  their  regard  to  the  command  of  Christ 
above  many  temptations,  but  there  is  one  thing  that  ever  spurns  his 
authority,  Mark  x.  21. 

6.  When  there  is  nothing  to  keep  you  back  from  sin,  but  pure  re- 
gard to  the  command  of  Chi'ist.  Sometimes  holy  providence  brings 
people  into  such  circumstances  for  their  trial.  The  temptation  is 
attended  with  all  advantages  which  the  evil  heart  could  wish,  fair 
occasion,  secrecy,  and  encouragement  to  it  from  every  hand,  but  the 
hand  of  a  holy  God.  So  it  was  in  Joseph's  case,  but  he  shewed  him- 
self a  friend  of  Christ,  saying,  "How  can  I  do  this  great  wicked- 
ness, and  sin  against  God  ?"  Gen.  xxxix.  9.  Many  temptations  are 
resisted  from  some  extrinsic  considerations  :  but  this  is  the  trial  of 
a  friend  of  Christ. 

7.  When  you  are  tempted  to  sin  that  has  such  a  plausible  name 
in  the  world,  that  ye  can  lose  no  credit  by  it,  but  rather  be  in  ha- 
zard of  risking  your  reputation  by  your  making  any  bones  of  it. 
There  are  many  such  sins  which  the  generation  has  stamped  lawful- 
ness upon,  and  is  ready  to  expose  as  needless  scrupulosity  the  ab- 
staining therefrom.  But  conform  not  ye  to  the  world,  Rom.  xii.  2. 
Tenderness  has  often  been  nicknamed  preciseness,  and  God's  people 
been  wondered  at,  "  thinking  it  strange  that  they  run  not  with  them 
to  the  same  excess  of  riot,  speaking  evil  of  them,"  1  Pet.  iv.  4.  But 
if  all  the  world  should  approve  the  practice  and  Christ  disapprove 
it,  Christ's  friends  must  stand  oif  from  it,  "  walking  circumspectly, 
not  as  fools,  but  as  wise,"  Ej)h.  v.  15. 

8.  When  the  tempter  appears  resolute  in  the  temptation,  and 
being  repulsed  renews  the  attack.  Shew  your  regard  to  Christ's 
command  by  a  resolute  and  continued  resistance.  So  Paul  did, 
2  Cor.  xii.  8.  "  For  this  thing  I  besought  the  Lord  thrice,  that  it 
might  depart  from  me."  They  may  have  some  respect  to  Christ's 
command  at  first,  who  being  importuned  will  yield  the  cause  at 
length,  like  Pilate,  who  condemned  Christ  over  the  belly  of  his  con- 
science. 


ALL  HIS  COSOEANDS.  239 

9.  Lastli/,  "When  Christ  is  Ccalling  to  some  more  than  ordinary 
hard  task.  Sometimes  the  Lord  takes  a  trial  of  men  this  way, 
calling  them  to  some  iinordinary  piece  of  obedience.  So  he  did 
with  Abraham,  as  to  the  command  to  sacrifice  his  beloved  son  Isaac. 
And  so  he  did  with  the  rich  young  man,  as  to  the  order  to  sell  all 
that  he  had,  and  give  to  the  poor,  Mark  x.  21,  22. 

I  shall  offer  you  the  following  motives  to  shew  yourselves  Christ's 
friends  by  doing  whatsoever  he  commands  you,  without  reserve  or 
exception. 

1.  Because  all  his  commands  are  the  commands  of  an  absolute 
Lord,  to  whom  we  owe  obedience  in  all  things,  Exod.  xx.  2.  I  am 
the  Lord  thy  God.  We  were  created  by  him,  are  preserved  by  him  ; 
whatever  being  we  have,  or  means  of  life  and  being,  all  are  from 
him,  Acts  xvii.  28.  Therefore  he  has  an  unlimited  power  over  us, 
and  we  ought  to  live,  move,  and  be  for  him,  in  all  things.  And  any 
command  of  his  neglected  is  a  withdrawing  of  due  obedience  from 
him. 

2.  All  his  commands  are  just,  righteous,  and  reasonable,  Psal. 
cxix.  l28.  Men  sometimes  demand  unjust  and  unreasonable  things 
of  their  subjects  ;  but  all  his  ways  are  judgment,  and  his  commands 
just,  Rom.  vii.  12.  He  has  linked  together  our  duty  and  true  in- 
terest :  so  that  he  requires  nothing  of  us,  but  what  is  for  our  good  : 
and  we  cannot  trample  on  any  of  his  commands,  but  we  act  against 
our  real  interest :  and  so  sinning  against  God,  we  sin  also  against 
our  own  souls,  Prov.  viii.  36.  The  interests  of  men's  souls,  and  of 
their  lusts,  are  different  indeed.  Grod's  commands  do  cross  the 
latter,  but  never  the  former. 

3.  We  are  all  of  us  under  covenant-engagements  to  do  whatso- 
ever he  commands  us.  We  have  all  avouched  him  for  our  Lord, 
Luke  vi.  46.  Many  of  us  have  of  late  taken  on  these  engagements 
at  his  table ;  let  us  not  forget  them.  Several  who  have  fallen  off 
from  renewing  their  engagements  in  that  manner,  in  some  former 
years  have  taken  them  solemnly  on  :  let  such  remember  that  their 
disusing  of  that  ordinance  does  not  loose  their  engagements  taken 
on  formerly,  but  they  lie  on  them  before  the  Lord.  And  those  who 
never  yet  sat  down  at  the  Lord's  table,  are  yet  baptized  ?  and  so 
are  firmly  engaged  to  him  as  their  Lord  and  Master,  to  do  whatso- 
ever he  commands  them.  Gal.  iii.  27.  So  that  if  we  do  not,  we 
must  expect  to  be  treated  as  rebels,  apostates,  covenant  breakers,  as 
men  that  cast  oft'  the  yoke  of  Christ,  after  they  have  professed  to 
take  it  on. 

4.  Christ  has  been  the  best  friend  ever  mankind  had  :  he  has  done 
for  sinners  what  no  creature  whatsoever  ever  did  or  could  have  done 


240  Christ's  friends  doers  or 

for  tliem,  John  xv.  13.  Rom.  v.  8.  Look  ye  for  any  share  in  the 
benefit  of  his  death  ;  and  will  ye  refuse  to  obey  him  ?  Remember 
that  word,  Heb.  v.  9.  "  Being  made  perfect,  he  became  the  author  of 
eternal  salvation  unto  all  them  that  obey  him."  If  ever  he  was  a 
Priest  for  you,  he  will  surely  be  your  King  :  if  ye  be  saved  by  his 
blood,  ye  will  surely  be  sanctified  by  his  Spirit. 

5.  He  refused  nothing  that  was  laid  upon  him  for  the  behoof  of 
poor  sinners  ;  but  whatever  Avas  the  will  of  his  Father  for  that 
effect,  he  did  readily  comply  with  it,  Psal.  xl.  7,  8.  "  Lo,  I  come  :  in 
the  volume  of  the  book  it  is  written  of  me  :  I  delight  to  do  thy  will, 
0  my  God  :  yea,  thy  law  is  within  my  heart."  The  hardest  of  com- 
mands were  laid  on  him,  and  the  hardest  sufferings  put  upon  him  : 
but  the  cuj)  given  him  to  drink  he  would  by  no  means  refuse. 
What  are  we  then  that  we  should  make  any  exceptions  in  our  obe- 
dience to  him  ? 

6.  If  ye  do  not  whatsoever  he  commands  you,  but  still  make  some 
exceptions  of  some  things  ye  cannot  comply  with,  ye  will  lose  that 
which  ye  do  :  the  neglected  known  duty  will  spoil  all  the  duties  ye 
perform ;  the  indulged  known  sin  will  mar  all  the  other  pieces  of 
your  reformation.  It  will  be  like  jioison  to  a  cup  of  liquor.  (1.)  It 
will  mar  it  as  to  acceptance  with  God,  Jam.  ii.  10.  "  For  whosoever 
shall  keep  the  whole  law,  and  yet  offend  in  one  point,  he  is  guilty  of 
all."  No  partial  obedience  Avill  ever  be  accei)table  to  God.  He 
must  have  the  whole  man,  the  whole  heart  engaged  in  his  service,  or 
he  will  accept  none  at  your  hand.  Hence  says  the  psalmist,  Psal. 
]xvi.  18.  "  If  I  regard  iniquity  in  my  heart,  the  Lord  will  not  hear 
me."  (2.)  It  mars  it  as  to  the  eternal  reward,  2  John,  8.  Partial 
services  may  indeed  receive  a  temporal  reward,  like  Jehu's  half  re- 
formation :  but  then  there  is  no  more  got  thereby. 

7.  It  is  necessary  to  evidence  your  sincerity,  Psal.  cxix.  6.  "  Then 
shall  I  not  be  ashamed,  when  I  have  respect  unto  all  thy  command- 
ments," says  David.  Universal  obedience  in  a  gospel-sense  is  the 
badge  of  Christ's  real  friends.  Therefore  labour  to  know  your  whole 
duty,  and  readily  comply  with  every  duty  you  know.  "While  ye 
thus  suj)ply  what  is  lackiug  in  your  conversation,  filling  up  all  the 
gaps  ye  can  discern  therein,  ye  will  discover  yourselves  the  true 
friends  of  Christ,  and  you  will  have  much  comfort  and  peace  in  it, 
2  Cor.  i.  12.  while  ye  leave  nothing  unattempted,  Avherewith  your 
heart  may  reproach  you.  This  will  be  a  mean  of  confidence  before 
the  Lord  to  you,  1  John  iii.  21,  "  If  our  heart  condemn  us  not,  (says 
the  apostle)  then  have  we  confidence  towards  God."  But  if  ye  still 
retain  some  sweet  morsel  under  the  tongue,  some  secret  exception 
against  some  part  of  Christ's  yoke,  ye  will  declare  yourselves  none 


ALL  niS  COMMANDS,  241' 

of  Christ's  friends,  but  his  real  haters  and  enemies.  And  it  will 
prove  these  six  sad  things  against  you. 

(1.)  That  ye  are  yet  in  the  black  state  of  nature,  unregenerate  : 
for,  "  If  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature  :  old  things  are 
passed  away,  behold,  all  things  are  become  new,"  2  Cor.  v.  17-  For 
the  new  creature  from  the  time  of  its  birth  is  perfect  in  parts,  though 
not  in  degrees.  It  is  furnished  with  all  its  integral  parts,  though 
none  of  them  are  come  to  their  full  growth.  There  is  indeed  some- 
thing lacking  in  every  part  of  the  new  man,  but  no  part  altogether 
lacking.  And  if  ye  be  not  born  again,  ye  have  no  right  to  the  inhe- 
ritance, John  iii.  3.  "  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the 
kingdom  of  God." 

(2.)  That  whatever  your  attainments  are,  ye  are  but  hypocrites, 
Psal.  xviii.  23.  "  For  sincere  Christians  are  universal  in  their  obe- 
dience, Psal.  cxix.  6.  She  was  the  false  mother  who  would  have  had 
the  child  divided  ;  and  she  is  an  adulteress  that  takes  one  instead  of 
her  husband.  And  they  are  false  to  Christ  who  indulge  themselves 
in  one  known  sin,  whatever  lengths  they  may  otherwise  go.  And 
hypocrites  are  in  a  sad  case,  as  you  may  see,  Rev.  iii.  15, 16.  Matth. 
xxiv.  51. 

(3.)  That  yc  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ ;  for  wherever  he  dwells, 
he  brings  forth  the  fruits  of  holiness,  and  these  are  in  all  goodness, 
Eph.  V.  9.  Where  then  there  is  only  some  and  not  all  goodness, 
there  the  Spirit  is  not :  and  that  cuts  off  all  your  pretensions  to 
Christ,  Rom.  viii.  9.  "  If  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he 
is  none  of  his." 

(4.)  That  ye  are  not  truly  mortified  to  any  thing,  but  under  the 
reigning  power  of  sin  :  for  your  right-eye  sins  remain  untouched. 
"Whereas,  "  They  that  are  Christ's  have  crucified  the  flesh  Avith  the 
aflfections  and  lusts,"  Gal.  v.  24.  True  mortification  is  universal ; 
while  one  member  is  alive,  the  body  is  not  dead  :  death  removes  life 
from  every  i)art  of  the  body,  and  so  does  mortification  with  the  body 
of  sin  and  death.  One  lust  on  the  throne  is  sufficient  to  keep  Christ 
out  of  it.  And  this  binds  over  the  whole  man  to  hell-fire,  Matth. 
V.  29. 

(5.)  That  you  do  not  one  thing  I'ight,  Isa.  i.  11 — 15.  For  it  is 
hereby  evident  that  you  do  nothing  out  of  love  to  God,  or  respect  to 
his  authority  :  because  if  it  were  so,  ye  would  regard  his  authority 
in  that  thing  as  well  as  in  other  things,  and  true  love  to  God  would 
not  allow  the  placing  any  thing  in  his  room. 

(6.)  Lastli/,  That  ye  are  despisers  of  the  whole  law,  and  of  the 
whole  yoke  of  Christ,  James  ii.  10,  11.  "  For  whosoever  shall  keep 
the  whole  law,  and  yet  offend  in  one  point,  he  is  guilty  of  all.     For 


242  Christ's  friends  doers  of  all  his  commands. 

he  that  said,  Do  not  commit  adultery  ;  said  also,  Do  not  kill.  Now 
if  thou  commit  no  adultery,  yet  if  thou  kill,  thou  art  become  a 
transgressor  of  the  law."  As  the  breaking  of  one  link  is  the  break- 
ing of  the  chain ;  so  he  that  despises  the  authority  of  God  in  one 
command,  despises  it  in  all.  What  can  be  expected  then,  but  that 
ye  are  and  will  be  treated  as  enemies  of  God  ?  Luke  xix.  27. 

8.  Lastli/,  Consider  the  glorious  priA'ilege  of  those  who  do  what- 
soever Christ  commands  them.  They  are  his  friends  and  favourites. 
He  was  their  friend  from  eternity :  he  is  their  friend  in  time,  and 
he  will  be  their  friend  for  ever,  when  time  is  gone. 

Now,  if  ye  would  walk  up  to  this  character, 

1.  Read  the  scripture  much,  and  read  it  as  the  rule  of  your  duty, 
as  the  book  of  your  instructions :  For,  "  All  scripture  is  given  by 
inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for 
correction,  for  instruction  in  righteousness  :  that  the  man  of  God 
may  be  perfect,  thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works,"  2  Tim.  iii- 
16, 17.  Some  read  the  Bible  as  it  were  for  mere  reading's  sake  : 
some  that  they  may  be  masters  of  and  able  to  talk  of  scripture-his- 
tory :  but  few  read  to  the  end  they  may  know  what  is  the  will  of 
Christ  as  to  their  walk,  that  they  may  frame  their  life  according  to  it. 

2.  Let  your  heart  lie  open  to  the  discoveries  of  the  will  of  Christ 
either  in  the  written  or  preached  word.  Beware  of  staving  off  con- 
victions of  sin  and  duty,  of  slighting  discoveries  of  the  mind  of  God 
in  matters  of  your  practice  :  but  where  the  Lord  makes  light  to 
shine,  open  your  hearts  to  receive  it,  and  be  not  of  those  that  rebel 
against  the  light. 

3.  Keep  the  word  before  your  eye,  in  the  whole  of  your  conversa- 
tion, knowing  that  whatever  ye  are  doing,  the  word  binds  you  to 
do  it  after  such  a  manner ;  and  labour  ye  to  conform  to  it,  Psal. 
cxix.  9.  As  one  walking  in  the  dark,  fixes  his  eye  on  the  candle 
carried  before  him,  thereby  to  direct  every  step  :  so  do  ye  "  take 
heed  unto  the  sure  word  of  prophecy,  as  unto  a  light  that  shineth 
in  a  dark  place,"  2  Pet.  i.  19.  Let  not  the  world's  good  or  ill 
opinion  of  a  thing  be  what  shall  determine  you,  but  what  the 
Lord's  word  says  of  it,  and  let  that  determine  you  over  the  belly 
of  all  objections,  Mark  x.  15. 

4.  Be  watchful  to  observe  the  seasons  of  duty,  Psal.  i.  3.  To 
every  thing  there  is  a  time,  and  every  thing  is  beautiful  in  its  sea- 
son :  and  if  one  miss  the  season,  he  misses  the  duty  itself  in  many 
cases.  Sometimes  God  puts  opportunity  of  doing  such  a  thing  in 
one's  hand :  if  they  let  it  slip,  they  may  never  have  access  to  it 
again.  Gal.  vi.  10. 

5.  Whatever  ye  are  called  to,  set  about  it  in  faith,  doing  all  in  the 


THE  PRIVILEGE  OF  CHRISt's  FRIENDS.  243 

name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  Col.  iii.  17-  Seeing  your  call  from  the  word, 
apply  yourself  to  it,  in  the  faith  of  the  promise  of  assistance,  2  Tim. 
ii.  1.  Though  it  may  seem  an  easy  thing,  venture  not  upon  it  but  in 
faith  of  strength  for  it  from  the  Lord  :  for  oftimes  when  men  are 
surest  in  their  own  conceit,  they  are  really  loosest.  Though  never  so 
hard,  your  call  being  clear,  go  forward  to  it,  and  on  in  it  in  faith ; 
and  ye  shall  be  carried  through  :  *'  I  can  do  all  things  through ' 
Christ  which  strengtheneth  me,"  says  the  apostle,  Phil.  iv.  13.  And 
again  says  he,  When  I  am  iveak,  then  am  I  strong,  2  Cor.  xii.  10. 

6.  Be  frequent  in  the  thoughts  of  love  to  Christ,  the  shortness 
and  uncertainty  of  your  time,  and  in  breathings  after  j)erfection. 
The  believing  thoughts  of  Christ's  love  will  oil  the  wheels  of  the 
soul  for  the  course  of  obedience.  The  consideration  of  the  shortness 
and  unciertainty  of  your  time  will  be  a  spur  to  diligence,  and  falling 
in  with  occasions  of  serving  the  Lord,  and  will  shew  that  if  your 
work  be  hard,  it  will  not  be  of  long  continuance.  And  the  breath- 
ing after  perfection  will  natively  lead  you  to  be  making  progress. 

7.  Labour  to  get  on  resolution  for  God,  and  ward  off  the  fear  of 
man,  Eph.  vi.  15.  Prov.  xxix.  25. 

8.  Learn  to  live  above  the  world,  to  keep  it  under  your  feet,  and 
not  to  set  your  heart  on  it,  1  Tim.  vi.  10. 

9.  Lastly,  Observe  the  side  where  you  are  weakest,  and  there  set 
double  guards  :  and  be  peremptory  for  victory  over  the  sin  that 
most  easily  besets  you ;  and  to  do  what  Christ  commands  in  that 
part,  Matth.  v.  29. 

DocT.  III.  They  are  the  friends  of  Christ,  who  are  in  a  gospel- 
sense  universal  in  their  obedience  to  his  commands. 

This  is  the  happy  state,  this  is  the  honourable  relation  which  they 
stand  in,  who  are  thus  tender  in  their  practice.  I  have  already 
opened  this  practice  ;  it  remains  only  to  open  up  the  privilege  of 
such,  which  I  offer  in  the  following  particulars. 

1.  Friendship  properly  so  called  is  mutual:  it  stands  not  upon 
one  side  only,  but  is  competent  to  each  of  the  jmrties  who  are  in  the 
bond  of  friendship.  And  Christ's  sincere  servants  are  in  the  bond 
and  state  of  friendship  with  Christ,  John  xv.  15.  /  have  called  you 
friends,  says  he. 

(1.)  Christ  is  their  friend.  Cant.  v.  idt.  He  is  not  only  their 
Lord  and  Master,  but  he  is  their  friend,  lie  professes  himself  their 
friend  whoever  be  their  haters  and  enemies  ;  he  does  the  part  of  a 
friend  to  them,  and  they  have  pitched  on  him  as  their  friend,  and 
may  claim  his  friendship  as  their  privilege,  and  improve  it  to  all 
intents  and  purposes.     This  honour  have  all  the  saints. 


244  THE  PRIVILEGE  OF  CIIRISt's  FRIENDS. 

(2.)  Tliey  aro  Christ's  friends,  James  ii.  23.  Abraham  was  called 
the  friend  of  God.  Most  part  of  tbc  world  are  enemies  to  Christ, 
and  haters  of  him,  for  they  will  not  ho  ruled  by  him,  Luke  xix.  27. 
The  greatest  length  they  are  brought  to  is  to  feign  submission  to 
him,  retaining  their  hatred,  Psal.  Ixxxi.  15.  Only  his  sincere  ser- 
vants are  his  hearty  friends,  as  saitli  the  text.  They  arc  that  part 
of  mankind,  who  really  are,  and  arc  owned  by  him  to  be  his  real 
friends. 

2.  In  friendship  there  is  a  pecular  affection,  regard,  love,  and  es- 
teem, Deut.  xiii.  6. — thy  friend,  which  is  as  thine  own  soid.  And  such 
there  is  between  Christ  and  his  sincere  servants,  1  Cor.  vi.  17-  He 
that  is  joined  to  the  Lord,  is  one  spirit.  They  are  truly  one,  in  the 
strictest  bonds  of  one  spirit. 

(1.)  Christ  has  a  peculiar  affection  and  regard  for  them'.  They 
are  his  darlings,  his  only  ones  in  the  world.  Cant.  vi.  9.  Though 
the  world  count  them  unworthy  of  a  room  among  them,  he  bears 
them  in  his  heart,  Exod.  xxviii.  29.  Though  the  world  hates  them, 
he  has  a  singular  love  to  them,  Joh  xv.  9.  He  is  very  mindful  of 
them,  even  when  they  think  he  has  forgotten  them,  Isa.  xlix.  15, 16. 
He  looks  on  them  as  his  peculiar  treasure,  Psal.  cxxxv.  4.  1  Pet. 
ii.  9 ;  his  jewels,  Mai.  iii.  17 ;  and  therefore  he  has  a  special  con- 
cern for  them  in  a  time  of  common  calamity,  Ezek.  ix.  4 ;  till  Lot 
be  in  Zoar,  Sodom  could  not  be  destroyed.  Gen.  xix.  22.  Hence  is 
that  tender  address,  Isa.  xxvi.  20,  "  Come,  my  people,  enter  thou 
into  thy  chambers,  and  shut  thy  doors  about  thee  :  hide  thyself  as  it 
were  for  a  little  moment,  until  the  indignation  be  overpast." 

(2.)  They  have  a  peculiar  affection  and  regard  for  him,  Psal. 
Ixxiii.  25.  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee  ?  (says  the  psalm- 
ist) and  there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee."  All 
persons  and  things  in  the  world  are  but  loss  and  dung  to  them 
in  comparison  of  Christ,  Phil,  iii.  8.  They  have  seen  a  glory  in  him 
darkening  all  created  excellency  ;  so  that  he  is  dearer  to  them  than 
all  the  comforts  of  life,  yea  than  life  itself,  Luke  xiv.  26. 

3.  lu  friendship  there  is  a  common  interest  of  the  j>arties ;  for  a 
friend  is  as  it  were  another  self.  So  is  there  betwixt  Christ  and  his 
sincere  servants,  1  John  i.  3.  "  Truly  our  fellowship  is  with  the  Fa- 
ther, and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ." 

(1.)  Jesus  Christ  espouses  their  interest,  and  concerns  himself  in 
all  their  concerns.  Acts  ix.  4.  He  takes  part  with  them  against  all 
their  enemies,  and  seconds  them  in  all  rencounters,  whether  with 
Satan,  Luke  xXii.  31,  32,  with  men,  2  Tim.  iv.  17.  or  their  own  lusts, 
2  Cor,  xii.  9.  so  that  there  is  always  more  with  them  than  against 
them.  He  sympathises  with  them  in  all  their  griefs  and  afflictions, 
Zech.  ii.  8.  Isa.  Ixiii.  9. 


THE  PRIVILEGE  OF  CURISt's  FRIENDS.  245 

(2.)  They  espouse  Christ's  interests,  and  concern  themselves  in 
the  matters  of  his  glory :  "  The  zeal  of  thine  house  hath  eaten  mo 
up,"  says  David,  Psal.  Ixix.  9.  What  wounds  his  honour,  wounds 
their  hearts  :  "  llivers  of  waters  run  down  mine  eyes :  because  they 
keep  not  thy  law,  Psal.  cxix.  136.  They  have  a  natural  concern 
for  the  j)rosperity  of  his  kingdom,  and  labour  to  take  part  with  it 
against  whosoever  oppose  it.  So  that  even  when  their  own  private 
case  lies  heavy  on  them,  the  public  interest  of  Christ  does  so  too,  as 
in  David's  case,  Psal.  li.  18. 

4.  In  fiiendship  there  is  a  peculiar  freedom  and  familiarity  which 
the  parties  use  one  with  another,  which  they  use  not  towards  others. 
And  such  there  is  betwixt  Christ  and  his  sincere  servants.  There 
was  one  in  David's  court,  2  Sam.  xv.  7.  another  in  Solomon's, 
1  Kings  iv.  5.  who  was  the  king's  friend,  as  admitted  to  greater 
freedom  with  the  king  than  the  rest  of  the  courtiers.  Such  are  all 
Christ's  sincere  servants, 

(1.)  Christ  treats  them  with  great  familiarity,  the  familiarity  of 
a  fi'ieud,  John  xv.  15.  Ho  visits  them  in  their  lowest  condition, 
and  speaks  a  word  in  season  to  them,  when  their  nearest  friends  on 
earth  can  do  them  no  service,  Psal.  cxxxviii.  3.  Lam.  iii.  57-  He 
brings  them  sometimes  very  near  him,  Cant.  i.  4.  and  communicates 
his  secrets  to  them,  that  are  hid  from  the  rest  of  the  world,  Psal. 
xx^.  14. ;  shews  them  his  glory,  Is.  xxxiii.  17 ;  opens  the  mystery  of 
providence  to  them,  and  helps  them  to  see  love  in  the  darkest  dis- 
pensations, Psal.  cvii.  ult.  ;  and  sometimes  gives  them  a  sight  of 
everlasting  love,  Jer.  xxxi.  3. 

(2.)  They  use  great  familiarity  with  him,  Cant.  vii.  IL  "What- 
ever they  need,  and  at  whatsoever  time,  they  go  to  him  for  it  freely, 
Luke  xi.  5,  6.  Their  most  loathsome  sores  they  can  lay  out  befoi^e 
him,  and  freely  tell  him  all  their  mind,  even  what  they  cannot  com- 
municate to  any  on  earth,  Eph.  iii.  12.  And  if  at  any  time  it  is 
otherwise,  the  fault  lies  in  not  improving  the  privilege  of  their 
friendship. 

5.  Lrtstly,  In  friendship  there  is  mutual  real  friendliness  in  deeds 
of  friendship,  according  to  the  circumstances  of  the  parties,  Prov. 
xviii.  24.  "  A  man  that  hath  friends,  must  shew  himself  friendly." 
Friendship  animates  one  friend  to  do  for  another,  as  they  are  capa- 
ble.   And, 

\st,  Christ  is  very  friendly  to  them.  The  acts  of  his  friendship 
towards  his  sincere  servants  who  can  sufficiently  declare  ?  Many  a 
time  has  he  found  them  in  the  straits,  wherein  none  but  he  could  re- 
lieve them,  and  he  has  befriended  them  therein,  and  he  will  befriend 
them. 

Vol.  V,  B 


246  THE  PRIVILEGE  OF  CHRIST's  FRIEKDS. 

(1.)  He  befriended  them  in  the  everlasting  covenant,  undertaking 
for  them  in  it.  When  they  lay  with  the  rest  of  mankind  in  a  lost 
helpless  state,  there  being  none  in  the  whole  creation  able  to  act  for 
them,  he  befriended  them,  took  on  their  person,  bound  himself  for 
them,  to  pay  their  debt  of  duty  and  punishment.  So  he  became 
Surety  for  his  ruined  friends,  Psal.  xl.  7- 

(2.)  He  befriended  them  in  his  life  and  death  in  the  world.  He 
was  born  holy  for  them,  lived  holy  for  them,  and  died  for  them  on 
the  cross,  John  xv.  13.  Never  was  there  such  an  act  of  friendship 
as  this  among  men,  one  bearing  the  wrath  of  God  in  the  room  and 
stead  of  another.     0  how  he  loved  them  ! 

(3.)  He  befriended  them  in  their  conversion  to  God,  Jer.  xxxi.  3. 
When  they  lay  dead  in  sin,  he  quickened  them ;  when  they  were 
going  away  from  God,  he  brought  them  back  again ;  while  they  re- 
mained in  the  world  lying  in  wickedness,  he  separated  them  for 
himself.  While  the  guilt  of  all  their  sins  lay  on  them,  he  clothed 
them  with  his  righteousness,  and  procured  their  justification  by  his 
blood ;  while  their  sins  had  dominion  over  them,  he  broke  the  yoke 
by  his  Spirit,  &c. 

(4.)  He  befriends  them  all  their  life  long.  On  earth  in  all  tlieir 
necessities,  whoever  proves  their  enemy,  he  takes  them  by  the  hand, 
Psal.  cxviii.  6.  And  he  befriends  them  in  heaven,  pleading  and 
managing  their  cause  there,  1  John  ii.  1.  They  have  a  friend  in 
court  there. 

(5.)  He  befriends  them  at  death  when  no  other  can  do  it,  Psal. 
xxiii.  4.  He  takes  the  sting  out  of  it  before  it  comes  to  them  :  he 
has  another  habitation  provided  for  them,  a  better  mansion,  before 
they  remove  out  of  the  body  :  and  he  sends  his  angels  to  carry  their 
separate  souls  into  Abraham's  bosom.     0  nonsuch  friendship  ! 

(6.)  Lastly,  He  will  befriend  them  at  the  judgment.  He  will 
raise  up  the  bodies  of  his  friends  out  of  the  dust  by  his  Spirit :  he 
will  set  them  on  his  right  hand,  and  adjudge  them  to  the  everlast- 
ing kingdom,  as  the  blessed  of  his  Father. 

2t%  Christ's  sincere  servants  are  friendly  to  him.  But  how? 
Their  goodness  extends  not  to  him ;  they  have  nothing  to  give  him 
but  of  his  own.  But  he  reckons  them  friendly  to  him  in  being 
friendly  to  his  members,  Matth.  xxv.  and  in  a  sincere  obedience  to 
all  his  commandments,  as  saith  the  text. 

I  shall  conclude  all  with  a  very  brief  application. 

Use  I.    Of  lamentation  over  the  case  of  those  who  cannot  be 

brought  to  a  sincere  endeavour  to  comply  with  whatsoever  Christ 

commands  them.     How  many  are  there  who  comply  with  very  little 

that  he  commands  them,  but  in  the  whole  track  of  their  conversation 


THE  PRIVILEGE  OF  CHRIST's  FRIENDS.  247 

shew  a  profane  contempt  of  the  commands  of  Christ  ?  There  are 
many  who  do  many  things,  but  spoil  all,  by  the  woful  exceptions 
they  put  in  to  some  particular  commands,  which  they  can  never  be 
honestly  engaged  in  the  observance  of.  Some  are  swayed  by  their 
carnal  interest,  and  they  cannot  do  such  a  command  of  Christ's,  for 
it  crosses  their  worldly  interest ;  others  cannot  do  another  com- 
mand, for  it  lies  cross  to  their  honour  and  credit :  and  others  can- 
not do  another  command,  for  it  is  contrary  to  their  humour,  &c. 

Ah  !  how  do  such  stand  in  their  own  light,  and  deprive  them- 
selves of  Christ's  friendship  by  the  way  that  they  take  !  Their 
loss  is  inexpressible.  Christ's  friendship  is  what  one  cannot  want, 
but  he  is  ruined  for  time  and  eternity  :  and  wherefore  is  it  lost,  but 
for  a  thing  of  nought  ? 

Use  II.  Of  comfort  and  encouragement  to  the  sincere  servants  of 
Christ,  honestly  addressing  themselves  to  the  obedience  of  all  his 
commands  without  exception. 

1.  This  may  animate  you  to  go  on  in  universal  obedience,  to  stick 
at  nothing  that  Christ  commands,  but  cordially  to  fall  in  with  every 
known  duty.  Our  Lord  takes  it  as  a  sign  and  proof  of  friendship 
to  him,  and  allows  you  to  take  it  as  an  evidence  of  his  friendship  to 
you,  Psal.  cxix.  6. 

2.  It  may  assure  you  of  tenderness  and  compassion  in  that 
wherein  ye  come  short.  Christ's  friendship  makes  your  pardon  sure, 
1  John  ii.  1  ;  it  provides  a  mantle  of  love  to  cast  over  the  infirmities 
of  his  people.  Numb,  xxiii.  21.  and  takes  the  sincere  will  for  the 
deed,  2  Cor.  viii.  12. 

3.  This  may  determine  you  to  pursue  your  duty,  whatever  dis- 
pleasure, ill-will,  and  hatred  of  men  ye  may  incur  for  it,  Heb.  xi. 
27.  If  men  say  in  effect,  If  you  do  such  a  thing  which  Christ  com- 
mands, we  will  reckon  you  enemies  ;  what  may  balance  that  is,  what 
Christ  says,  "  Ye  are  my  friends,  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  command 
you." 

4.  Lastly,  It  may  help  you  to  bear  afflictions,  that  Christ  is  your 
friend.  Nothing  comes  to  you  but  through  his  hand,  John  v.  22. 
So  whatever  your  case  is,  you  are  in  a  friend's  hand,  who  sticketh 
closer  than  a  brother. 


r2 


THE 


DISTINGUISHING     CHARACTERS 


TRUE    BELIEVERS. 


IX.  IN  RELATION  TO  THEIR  WORK  IN  THIS  LIFE,  AND    THEIR  JOURNEY   TO 
THE  OTHER  WORLD.*' 


THE  NATURE  AND  NECESSITY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  WORK. 
ECCLESIASTES  ix.  10. 

Wliaisoever  thy  hand  findcth  to  do,  do  it  with  thy  might  ;  for  there  is 
no  ivork,  nor  device,  nor  knowledge,  nor  -wisdom  in  the  grave  luhither 
thou  goest. 

As  no  man  Lad  more  access  to  know  what  miglit  be  made  of  this 
present  life,  than  Solomon  ;  so  none  gives  us  more  mortifying  ac- 
counts of  it  than  he.  He  shews  it  to  be  short,  uncertain,  and  mixed 
with  a  variety  of  ungrateful  events.  And  thereupon  he  calls  us  to 
make  the  best  use  of  it  we  may,  and  that  it  will  bear.  (1.)  He  will 
have  us  to  take  the  comforts  of  this  life,  in  the  favour  of  God,  ver. 
7 — 9.  "  Gro  thy  way,  eat  thy  bread  with  joy,  and  drink  thy  wine 
with  a  merry  heart ;  for  Grod  now  accepteth  thy  works.  Let  thy 
garments  be  always  white  ;  and  let  thy  head  lack  no  ointment. 
Live  joyfully  with  the  wife  whom  thou  lovest,  all  the  days  of  the 
life  of  thy  vanity,  which  he  hath  given  thee  under  the  sun,  all  the 
days  of  thy  vanity  :  for  that  is  thy  portion  in  this  life,  and  in  thy 
labour  which  thou  takest  under  the  sun."  (2.)  To  ply  the  business 
of  life  while  life  lasts.  So  there  are  comforts  to  be  had  in  life,  and 
there  is  business  to  be  done  in  it.     Happy  are  they  who  taking  the 

*  The  author's  manuscript  bears,  that  the  sermons  on  this  subject  were  begun  to  be 
preached,  July  26,  and  ended  Sept.  27,  1724.  having  during  that  time  also  preached 
from  other  texts. 


THE  NATURE  AND  NECESSITY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  TVORK.  249 

one,  do  the  other.     "  Whatsoever  thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do  it  with 
thy  might,"  &c. 

In  these  words  we  have  two  things. 

1.  An  exhortation  to  ply  the  business  of  life,  while  life  lasts.  No 
man  was  born  to  be  idle,  nor  sent  into  the  world  to  sleep  or  dream 
away  a  lifetime,  but  to  be  doing,  and  doing  good.     And  here  is, 

(1.)  The  business  of  life,  "  Whatsoever  thy  hand  shall  find  to  do 
with  thy  might,"  Heb.  The  work  we  have  to  do  is  a  work  of  many 
pieces,  as  much  as  to  fill  up  evei'y  minute  of  our  short  time  ;  and  no 
part  of  it  is  to  be  neglected,  Whatsoever  thy  hand  shall  find  to  do. 
It  is  determined  two  ways  what  we  have  to  do.  (1.)  What  God 
gives  us  opportunity  for,  what  our  hand  shall  at  any  time  find  to  be 
laid  to  hand  by  our  Creator.  lie  is  our  great  Master,  and  appoints 
every  one  his  particular  work,  by  his  word  and  providence  :  he  lays 
it  to  our  hand  by  giving  us  opportunities.  And  so  it  is  restrained 
to  that  which  is  good.  (2.)  What  God  gives  us  ability  for.  He 
gives  might,  strength  of  body  and  mind,  comforts  and  conveniencies 
of  life,  as  talents  that  we  are  to  trade  with.  And  we  are  not  to 
abuse  these,  but  use  them  for  the  ends  he  gives  them  for. 

(2.)  The  activity  to  be  used  in  this  business  of  life.  Do,  do  it. 
Neglect  not  this  your  work,  put  it  not  off  with  delays,  but  do  you 
timely  and  seasonably,  while  the  time  and  season  lasts.  It  is  but  a 
short  time,  and  therefore  we  must  husband  it  well. 

2.  A  motive  to  i>ress  the  exhortation.  Do,  for  your  doing  time 
will  be  done  shortly :  and  then  if  your  work  be  not  done,  ye  will  be 
for  ever  undone.     And, 

(1.)  Our  life  in  the  world  is  but  a  journeying  to  the  grave,  the 
state  of  the  dead.  Before  we  begin  to  walk  alone,  we  begin  to  go 
to  it,  even  from  the  womb :  and  in  that  journey  there  is  no  stop- 
ping ;  sleep  we  or  wake  we,  we  are  always  going  the  other  step  to- 
wards it.  And  when  a  man  is  in  his  prime,  going  and  living  at  all 
ease,  he  is  still  going  thither.  (2.)  There  is  no  doing  there  ;  if 
your  work  be  not  done  ere  you  come  there,  it  will  never  be  done. 
This  is  the  world  for  working,  and  that  is  the  world  for  the  reward 
of  our  work. 

The  scope  of  the  text  may  be  gathered  up  in  the  two  following 
doctrinal  observations. 

DocT.  T.  It  nearly  concerns  all  men  diligently  to  improve  their 
opi>ortunities  and  abilities  in  doing  their  work  accordingly,  while 
life,  opportunities,  and  abilities  last  with  them. 

DocT.  II.  Our  life  in  this  world  is  a  journey,  a  going  to  the  grave, 

r3 


250  TUB  NATURE  AND  NECESSITY 

to  the  state  of  the  dead,  where  there  is  no  doing  of  our  work  any 
more. 

Each  doctrine  shall  be  handled  in  order. 

DocT.  I.  It  nearly  concerns  all  men  diligently  to  improve  their 
opportunities  and  abilities  in  doing  their  work  accordingly,  while 
life,  opportunities,  and  abilities  last  with  them. 

In  discoursing  from  this  doctrine,  I  shall  shew, 

I.  "What  is  the  work  to  be  done,  while  life,  opportunities,  and 
abilities  last  with  lis. 

II.  What  are  those  opportunities  and  abilities  which  are  to  be 
diligently  improved  in  doing  our  work. 

III.  Imi^rove  the  subject. 

I.  Our  first  business  is  to  shew  what  is  the  work  to  be  done,  while 
life,  opportunities  and  abilities  last  with  us.  In  the  general,  there 
is  a  threefold  work  laid  to  our  hand. 

1.  Work  for  ourselves,  for  our  own  good  and  welfare,  Psal.  xlix. 
18.  Men  ivill  praise  thee,  when  thou  dost  well  to  thyself.  I  put  this  in 
the  first  place,  not  that  it  is  our  chief  work,  more  than  ourselves 
are  to  be  our  chief  end  :  but  that  fallen  man  will  never  work  for 
God  aright,  till  once  he  begin  to  work  for  himself,  laying  his  own 
salvation  to  heart.  We  have  all  work  to  do  for  ourselves  ;  work 
for  this  life,  and  for  eternity.  It  is  duty  to  see  to  the  former,  ac- 
cording to  our  opportunities  and  abilities  ;  but  not  as  most  men  do, 
to  make  it  our  all,  the  whole  business  of  our  life  ;  for  it  is  but  the 
least  part  of  what  we  have  to  do,  Luke  xi.  41,  42.  We  may  say  in 
this  case,  as  Matth.  xxiii.  23.  "  Wo  unto  you  scribes  and  Pharisees, 
hypocrites  :  for  ye  pay  tithe  of  mint,  and  anise,  and  cummin,  and 
have  omitted  the  weightier  matters  of  the  law,  judgment,  mercy, 
and  faith  ;  these  ought  ye  to  have  done,  and  not  to  leave  the  other 
undone." 

2.  Work  for  God,  for  his  honour  and  glory  in  the  world;  1  Cor. 
vi.  20.  Glorify  God  in  your  body,  and  in  your  spirit,  which  are  God's. 
God  is  our  Maker,  and  he  made  us  for  himself ;  therefore  we  should 
live,  move,  and  be  for  him,  Matth.  v.  16.  If  we  are  Christians,  re- 
deemed by  the  blood  of  his  Son,  this  is  a  new  tie  to  this  work,  Phil, 
i.  21.  To  me  to  live  is  Christ.  This  is  little  minded  by  most  men, 
who  never  consider  for  what  use  they  are  in  God's  world,  or  in 
Christ's  church  :  what  they  are  doing  for  God,  wherein  they  are 
serviceable  to  him  in  promoting  his  glory  in  the  world.  Yet  as 
God  is  our  chief  end,  this  is  our  chief  work,  and  it  will  be  enquired 
into  at  the  day  of  accounts ;  and  what  we  did  Avith  our  opportu- 
nities and  abilities  for  glorifying  of  him. 


OF  THE  christian's  WORK.  251 

3.  "Work  for  our  neighbours,  for  their  good  and  welfare  :  accord- 
ing to  the  apostle's  direction,  Phil.  ii.  4.  Look  not  every  inan  on  his 
own  things,  but  every  man  also  on  the  things  of  others.  God  has  made 
men  in  society,  and  knit  them  together  by  the  bond  of  a  common 
human  nature :  and  Christ  has  knit  his  people  together  by  the  ad- 
ditional tie,  one  faith,  one  Spirit,  ^-c. ;  and  has  so  bound  every  man 
to  see  the  good  of  mankind,  and  every  Christian  the  good  especially 
of  fellow-Christians,  Gal.  vi.  10.  He  gives  men  opportunities  and 
abilities  to  benefit  their  fellow-creatures,  and  it  ought  to  be  a  ques- 
tion to  every  one  of  us,  what  use  we  are  for  in  the  world,  towards 
the  good  of  mankind  ?  what  benefit  God's  creatures,  our  fellows, 
have  by  us  ?  what  advantage  Christ's  members  receive  at  our  hand  ? 
This  will  be  taken  special  notice  of  in  the  awful  day  of  accounts,  as 
appears  from  Matth.  xxv. 

God  commands  men  to  see  to  the  temporal  welfare  of  others. 
1  Cor.  X.  24.  Let  no  man  seek  his  own  ;  hut  every  man  another^s  ivealth. 
And  as  the  poor  are  to  look  for  the  welfare  of  the  rich,  so  the  rich 
are  under  the  same  obligation  to  seek  the  good  of  the  poor,  as 
their  fellow-creatures,  and  fellow-Christians.  And  therefore  either 
masters  or  tenants  depopulating  grounds,  and  laying  field  to  field,  to 
the  prejudice  of  the  poorer  sort,  their  mean  of  living  is  no  doubt  a 
crying  oppression  in  the  ears  of  the  Lord  of  hosts,  and  will  bring  a 
curse  on  the  selfish  and  unmerciful  men  who  do  it,  Is.  v.  8 — 10. 
31ay  not  I  do  ivith  mine  own  luhat  I  luill  ?  is  a  saying  competent  to 
Jehovah,  who  is  absolute  Lord  of  the  creatures,  as  having  made 
them  of  nothing ;  but  to  no  man  under  heaven,  no  not  the  highest 
monarch,  who  in  all  his  dealings  is  under  the  law  of  loving  his 
neighbour  as  himself,  and  has  but  a  limited  power  over  what  is  his 
own. 

lie  commands  men  also  to  seek  the  spiritual  good  of  their  neigh- 
bours, Rom.  XV.  2.  Let  every  one  of  us  please  his  neighbour  for  his 
good  to  edification.  And  that  so  much  the  more  as  their  souls  is  pre- 
ferable to  their  bodies.  Hence  it  is,  that  as  soon  as  the  grace  of 
God  reaches  one's  own  heart,  he  is  in  a  mighty  concern  to  get  other 
brands  plucked  out  of  the  fire,  and  to  share  of  that  grace  he  par- 
takes of,  as  did  the  woman  of  Samaria,  John  iv.  It  is  Cain-like  to 
be  unconcerned  for  the  spiritual  good  of  others  :  sure  it  is  devilish 
to  go  about  to  ensnare  and  entrap  others  into  sin,  and  wrestle 
against  their  soul's  good. 

And  thus  we  may  take  up  our  work  we  have  to  do  with  our  op- 
portunities and  abitities  while  they  last,  in  these  two  particulars. 

First,  Salvation-work,  Phil.  ii.  12.  Work  out  your  own  salvation 
with  fear  and  trembling.    "We  came  into  the  world  lost  sinners;  there 


ati  THE  NATURE  AND  NECESSITV 

is  a  possibility  of  our  salvation ;  and  we  may  get  it,  if  wo  will  im- 
prove our  opportunities  and  abilities  for  that  end.  These  opportu- 
nities are  confined  to  the  narrow  compass  of  the  time  of  this  life ; 
and  in  that  time  God  lays  that  work  to  our  hands.  And  it  concerns 
us  all  timely  to  ply  it,  for  we  must  do  it  now  or  never.  There  is 
no  working  of  that  work  in  the  grave,  when  the  candle  of  life  is 
blown  out  at  death  ;  as  the  tree  falls,  it  must  lie  for  ever.  There 
are  many  pieces  of  salvation-work  that  we  must  do,  while  doing- 
time  lasts  with  us.     The  chief  whereof  are  these, 

1.  "We  must  consider  our  ways,  and  come  to  ourselves  by  a  sound 
conviction  of  sin,  the  sin  of  our  nature,  hearts,  and  lives.  This  is  a 
work  not  to  be  delayed,  lest  opportunity  and  ability  slip,  Hag.  i.  7. 
T/ms  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  Consider  your  vjai/s.  Ability  may  be 
taken  from  us  in  this  life,  and  we  rendered  incapable  of  a  solid 
thought.  In  the  other  world  the  opportunity  is  gone.  There  in- 
deed men  will  consider  their  ways,  but  it  will  be  out  of  time.  Now 
is  the  time  for  that  work  of  consideration  while  in  life  and  health. 
Ply  it  then,  and  see  your  ruined  natural  state,  till  it  cause  you  to 
cry,  What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved  ?  Some  go  rambling  through  the 
world  in  a  profane  life,  and  in  a  moment  slip  down  to  the  grave, 
never  considering  till  it  be  out  of  time.  Some  go  sleeping  and 
dreaming  through  the  world  in  ignorance  or  formality,  and  never 
lift  their  eyes  till  in  hell.  But  all  that  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation, 
take  thought  of  their  soul's  state  in  time. 

2.  We  must  come  to  Christ  and  unite  with  him  by  faith;  for 
without  that  there  is  no  salvation.  Heb.  xi.  6.  Here  is  work, 
most  necessary  work  for  us,  to  embrace  Christ  for  all  his  salvation, 
as  held  out  to  us  in  the  gospel ;  to  flee  for  refuge  to  the  Redeemer's 
blood,  and  take  shelter  under  that  covert ;  to  get  from  under  the 
covenant  of  works  and  its  curse,  to  be  personally  instated  in  the 
covenant  of  grace,  and  savingly  interested  in  the  blessings  of  it, 
John  vi.  29.  This  is  the  ivork  of  God  that  ye  believe  on  him  whom  he 
hath  sent.  There  is  now  an  opportunity  for  it ;  Christ  is  offering 
himself  and  his  covenant :  delay  it,  and  the  oppoi'tunity  may  slip 
you  for  ever,  Matth.  xx.  10.  In  the  other  world  there  is  no  begin- 
ning to  believe  unto  salvation. 

3.  We  must  get  out  our  pardon  of  all  our  sins  under  the  broad 
seal  of  heaven.  A  necessary  work  ;  for  without  it  ye  will  perish  in 
your  sins,  Matth.  v.  25.  A  man  whose  life  being  by  the  law  ad- 
judged to  be  taken  from  him,  depended  entirely  on  the  king's  par- 
don, would  lose  no  time  of  suing  for  his  i)ardon,  lest  it  should  come 
too  late.  Now  is  the  time  wherein  heaven's  pardon  is  to  be  had, 
and  in  a  little  that  time  will  be  gone.     In  death  there  is  no  pardon 


OF  THE  CnCISTIAK'S  WOEK.  253 

to  be  had,  uo  removing  of  the  curse.  Yet  how  do  men  trifle  in  this 
matter,  as  if  the  pardon  were  to  wait  till  they  were  ready  to  receive 
it? 

4.  We  miist  be  born  again,  become  new  creatures,  get  new  hearts 
and  a  new  nature,  and  be  renewed  in  all  the  faculties  of  our  souls 
after  the  image  of  God.  Here  is  work  to  do,  Ezek.  xviii.  31.  "  Cast 
away  from  you  all  your  transgressions,  whereby  ye  have  transgres- 
sed, and  make  you  a  new  heart,  and  a  new  spirit ;  for  why  will  ye 
die,  0  house  of  Israel  ?"  This  is  absolutely  necessary  work,  John 
iii.  3.  For  except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of 
God.  And  now  is  the  season  of  the  new  birth  :  but  when  death 
comes  it  is  gone.  There  is  a  mighty  change  in  the  grave  indeed 
whither  we  are  going,  but  there  is  no  saving  change  there.  The 
bodies  that  lie  down  there  full  of  the  sins  of  their  youth,  will  rise 
with  them  again  :  and  the  sinful  souls  that  parted  with  them  at 
death,  will  meet  them  again  in  no  better  plight  at  the  resurrection. 
Ye  must  be  born  again  now  or  never. 

5.  We  must  repent  of  our  sins.  This  is  a  work  absolutely  neces- 
sary, Luke  xiii.  3.  Except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise  perish.  Hea- 
ven's gates  are  bolted  against  impenitent  sinners.  We  must  turn 
from  our  sins  unto  God,  with  hatred  of,  and  hearty  sorrow  for  them, 
otherwise  we  will  die,  we  will  perish  in  them,  Ezek.  xviii.  31,  above 
cited.  And  now  is  the  season  for  repentance  ;  there  is  no  repenting 
in  the  grave.  In  the  other  world  impenitent  sinners  will  doubtless 
change  their  minds,  they  will  regret  from  the  heart  their  graceless 
careless  way  ;  and  they  will  wish  a  thousand  times  that  they  had 
seen  to  themselves  in  time  :  but  their  repentance  there  will  be  their 
torment ;  it  will  be  out  of  time,  not  kindly,  and  Avill  not  be  accepted. 

6.  We  must  mortify  our  lusts.  This  is  not  easy  work,  but  it  is 
absolutely  necessary,  Rom  viii.  13,  "  For,  (says  the  apostle,)  if  ye 
live  after  the  flesh,  ye  shall  die  :  but  if  ye  through  the  Spirit  do 
mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body,  ye  shall  live."  We  must  either  be 
the  death  of  our  lusts,  or  they  will  be  the  death  of  our  souls.  If 
one  of  them  go,  our  life  must  go  for  its  life  ;  even  that  lust  which  is 
most  dear  to  ns,  and  wliich  we  can  most  hardly  part  with,  must  be 
mortified,  Matth.  v.  29.  and  that  work  must  be  done  now  or  never. 
When  death  comes,  there  is  no  more  possibility  of  mortification ; 
there  is  a  bar  drawn  for  ever  betwixt  damned  sinners  and  sancti- 
fying influences.  The  state  of  the  damned  is  inconsistent  with  tho 
fulfilling  of  some  lusts  ;  but  however  they  may  be  kept  from  them, 
to  their  torment,  there  can  be  no  kindly  mortification  of  lusts  there; 
but,  on  the  contrary,  sin  in  the  ruined  soul  will  come  to  its  per- 
fection. 


254  THE  NATURE  AND  NECESSITY 

7.  We  must  live  to  righteousness,  in  works  of  holy  obedience. 
This  is  work  to  fill  our  hands  every  minute  of  our  time,  and  ne- 
cessary work,  John  xv.  14.  "  Te  are  my  friends,  if  ye  do  whatsoever 
I  command  you."  Luke  vi.  46,  "  Why  call  ye  me  Lord,  Lord,  and 
do  not  the  things  which  I  say  ?"  They  who  are  now  idle  in  life, 
will  labour  under  the  weight  of  wrath  for  ever,  without  hope  of  an 
end  of  their  toil.  Now  Christ  shapes  out  our  work  for  us,  and  takes 
a  proof  of  our  obedience  to  him.  If  we  neglect  it  now,  there  will 
be  no  time  hereafter  for  it ;  for  the  other  world  is  that  wherein  men 
receive  the  reward  of  their  works,  and  working  time  is  over  there, 
John  ix.  4. 

8.  We  must  persevere  in  grace  and  good  works  to  the  end.  This 
is  work  absolutely  necessary,  for  such  only  shall  get  the  heavenly 
crown,  Matth.  xxiv.  13.  "  He  that  shall  endure  unto  the  end,  the 
same  shall  be  saved."  Rev.  ii.  10.  "  Be  thou  faithful  unto  death, 
and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life."  There  is  a  danger  of  never 
entering  on  the  way  of  the  Lord,  and  a  danger  of  apostasy  and 
breaking  off  from  it,  when  once  a  pereon  is  entered,  Heb.  x.  38,  39. 
If  death  catch  us  either  of  these  ways,  there  is  no  mending  of  the 
matter  for  ever.  That  is  a  step  off  the  way  that  can  never  be  re- 
covered. 

9.  Lastly,  We  must  die  well.  This  is  a  necessary  piece  of  our  work, 
our  last  work,  on  which  much  depends.  If  it  be  marred,  there  is 
no  coming  back  to  mend  it,  Job  xiv.  14,  "  If  a  man  die,  shall  he  live 
again  ?"  To  die  well  is  to  die  in  the  Lord,  Rev.  xiv.  13  ;  to  die  in 
faith,  Heb.  xi.  13 ;  to  die  in  union  with  Christ,  in  peace  and  favour 
with  God,  within  the  compass  of  the  well-ordered  covenant.  It  is 
not  a  business  to  lay  by  the  thoughts  of  till  the  time  of  it  come  : 
but  the  business  of  our  life  should  be  to  learn  to  die  :  and  we  should 
often  be  essaying  it. 

Secondly,  Our  generation-work.  Acts  xiii.  36,  "  This  is  the  work 
we  have  to  do  for  God  and  the  generation  in  which  we  live,  that  we 
may  be  useful  not  for  ourselves  only,  but  for  our  God  and  fellow- 
creatures,  Rom.  XV.  7.  It  is  remarked  of  Noah,  that  he  was  perfect 
in  his  generations.  There  are,  by  the  wise  dispensation  of  God, 
several  generations  of  men  in  the  world,  one  after  another ;  one 
goes  off  the  stage,  and  another  succeeds.  Each  generation  has  its 
work  assigned  it  by  the  sovereign  Lord  ;  and  each  person  in  the 
generation  has  his  also.  And  now  is  our  time  of  plying  of  ours.  We 
could  not  be  useful  in  the  generation  that  went  before  us  ;  for  then 
we  were  not :  nor  can  we  personally  in  that  which  shall  come  after 
us  ;  for  then  we  shall  be  off  the  stage.  Now  is  our  time  ;  let  us  ply 
it,  and  not  neglect  usefulness  in  our  generation.  This  work  may  be 
reduced  to  these  two  general  heads. 


OP  THE  christian's  woek.  255 

1.  The  duties  of  our  station  and  particular  calling  and  relations 
in  the  world,  1  Cor.  vii.  24.  Every  relation  has  a  train  of  duties 
belonging  to  it,  and  God  lays  these  duties  on  us  as  members  of  so- 
ciety, for  his  glory  and  the  good  of  others.  That  is  the  room  -vrhich 
we  have  to  fill  up  in  the  world,  by  a  conscientious  performance  of 
the  duties  incumbent  on  us,  as  placed  on  such  and  such  a  station  and 
relation.  That  is  to  say,  if  one  is  a  minister,  he  is  faithfully  to  ply 
his  ministerial  work ;  if  a  husband,  a  wife,  a  parent,  &c.  they  are 
faithfully  to  ply  the  work  proper  to  such  relations.  For  there  is  no 
doing  of  these  duties  in  the  grave,  nor  making  up  the  defects  there. 
Then  all  relations  are  dissolved,  and  the  difference  of  stations  is  no 
more.     So  that  these  things  must  be  done  now  or  never. 

2.  Duties  of  special  opportunities  and  abilities,  Gal.  vi.  10.  Some- 
times the  Lord  puts  in  a  man's  hand  a  special  opportunity  of  some 
service,  good  work  :  which  opportunity  if  he  lets  it  slip,  he  may 
possibly  never  have  it  again  all  his  life,  as  Saul  in  the  case  of  the 
Amalekites,  and  as  in  Esau's  case,  Heb.  xii.  17.  So  it  is  men's  wis- 
dom and  duty  to  strike  the  iron  while  it  is  hot,  to  do  the  good  they 
have  opportunity  to  do,  lest  if  they  miss  the  tide,  they  never  have 
access  to  repair  the  defect.  Sometimes  God  gives  men  abilities,  that 
if  they  will,  they  can  do  such  a  good  thing.  If  they  fall  not  in  with 
it  seasonably,  the  time  may  come,  when,  if  they  never  so  fain  would, 
it  is  beyond  their  power,  Heb.  xii.  17- 

He  that  takes  heed  to  these  two  particulars,  does  the  work  of  his 
generation. 

II.  I  proceed  to  shew  what  are  those  opportunities  and  abilities 
which  are  to  be  diligently  improved  in  doing  our  work,  the  work  of 
our  salvation  and  generation.  These  are  all  the  advantages  for 
working,  which  the  Sovereign  Lord  and  Master  puts  in  our  hands, 
with  a  charge  to  improve  them  in  doing  good  with  them,  Luke  xix. 
12,  13.  All  is  from  him,  and  he  has  put  them  in  our  hand  for  his 
own  service  :  and  if  we  misimprove  them,  either  by  doing  ill  with 
them,  or  doing  no  good  with  them,  our  accounts  will  be  with  grief 
and  not  with  joy  ;  for  he  that  gave  us  them  will  call  us  to  an  account 
for  them,  Luke  xvi.  2.  lie  gives  us  these  opportunities  aud  abili- 
ties, not  to  lay  by  us  for  no  use,  and  far  less  to  put  them  to  an  ill 
use  ;  but  to  do  with  them  for  his  glory,  and  our  own  and  others'  good. 

1.  The  time  of  life  is  given  men  to  do  their  work  with,  and  should 
be  improved  accordingly,  John  ix.  4.  I  must  luork  the  ivorks  of  Mm 
that  sent  me,  says  Christ,  luhile  it  is  day.  He  might  have  cut  us  off 
from  the  womb,  and  then  we  would  have  had  no  time  to  do  any 
thing  :  he  might  ere  now  have  laid  us  in  the  dust,  and  then  our 
opportunity  of  working  had  been  over.     But  we  are  still  in  life,  and 


256  THE  TfATURE  AND  NECESSITY 

our  great  business  is  to  make  ready  for  eternity.  It  is  a  precious 
time,  an  uncertain  time,  the  only  time  for  working.  What  use  are 
we  making  of  it  ?  why  should  we  trifle  it  away,  which  when  once 
gone  can  never  be  recalled  ?  How  sad  will  it  be,  if  our  glass  is  run, 
while  our  work  is  undone  ? 

2.  The  day  of  the  gospel ;  precious  gospel-seasons  are  given  us 
for  that  end.  These  make  the  day  of  salvation,  which  need  to  be 
well  improved  while  they  last,  2  Cor.  vi.  2.  Behold,  now  is  the  ac- 
cepted time  ;  behold,  now  is  the  day  of  salvation.  Every  sabbath,  ser- 
mon, communion,  &c.  is  a  fair  opportunity  for  peace  with  God,  seeing 
to  and  advancing  the  soul's  interest.  In  these  the  market  of  free 
grace  is  opened,  and  heaven's  peace  and  pardon  are  proclaimed  to 
rebels.  These  j)recious  seasons  will  not  last  as  to  us,  Christ  will 
call  in  his  ambassadors,  and  how  soon  his  last  call  to  us  may  come, 
we  know  not,  Luke  xiv.  24. 

3.  Seasons  of  the  Spirit's  blowing  are  to  be  thus  improved.  Cant, 
iv.  uU.  Sometimes  the  power  of  God  comes  along  with  ordinances, 
and  Christ  has  sensibly  his  hand  at  the  hole  of  the  lock  of  sinners' 
hearts  ;  convictions  fasten  on  them,  by  the  word  or  providences,  and 
there  is  an  unusual  moving  in  the  sinner's  soul.  0  the  need  of 
striking  in  with  these,  to  work  out  our  salvation  !  Then  is  a  fair 
gale  for  Immanuel's  land,  in  which  should  the  sinner  set  off  for  the 
port  of  heaven,  he  might  surely  at  length  arrive  there.  But  the 
opportunity  may  soon  be  over,  John  iii.  8,  and  not  returning,  then 
lies  wind-bound,  and  cannot  move.  So  that  many  miss  of  heaven 
for  altogether  by  misiraproving  it. 

4.  Fair  occasions  of  doing  good,  and  of  service  to  God,  Gal.  vi.  10. 
Sometimes  the  Lord  gives  men  a  fair  opportunity  of  such  a  piece  of 
service  to  him ;  and  by  his  providence  invites  men  to  embrace  it, 
and  act  for  him  ;  then  they  should  bestir  themselves  in  a  special 
manner.  These  opj)ortuuities  are  many  times  long  kept  open,  and 
yet  not  embraced,  but  delayed  from  time  to  time,  till  in  end  they  go 
out  of  their  hands  ;  the  sheet  is  taken  up  to  heaven,  and  the  door  is 
shut,  Matth.  xxv.  10.     And  then  there  is  no  doing  with  them  more. 

Next,  The  abilities  to  be  thus  improved,  while  they  last  with  us, 
are, 

1.  Soundness  of  mind.  God  has  made  man  a  reasonable  creature, 
given  him  judgment  and  reflection,  a  reasoning  faculty  and  a  me- 
mory ;  which  are  improved  by  education  and  use.  These  may  be  of 
good  use,  while  assisted  with  the  revelation  made  in  the  word.  And 
they  are  to  be  diligently  improved  for  our  main  concern  and  in- 
terest. But  alas  !  how  often  are  they  thrown  away  on  men's  lusts, 
and  confined  to  worldly  interests  !     Now  no  man  has  a  tack  of 


OF  THE  CUKISTIAN's  WORK.  257 

these ;  they  may  be  taken  from  him  while  life  lasts ;  and  yet  with- 
out them  there  is  no  doing  our  work.  The  most  solid  man  or  wo- 
man God  can  smite  with  madness,  or  take  the  exercise  of  their 
reason  from  them ;  and  then  the  party's  state  must  stand,  for  any 
visible  mean,  where  it  was  before  that  came  on ;  they  are  not  ca- 
pable of  altering  it  to  the  better. 

2.  Strength  and  health  of  body.  All  the  duties  of  religion  are 
best  done  when  one  is  in  health  and  strength ;  for  then  the  body  is 
not  a  clog  to  the  soul.  And  several  of  the  duties  of  religion  can 
hardly  be  done  without  it.  A  man  cannot  rise  out  of  a  sick-bed, 
and  go  to  a  sermon  or  a  communion  table,  go  about  the  worship  of 
Crod  in  his  family,  &c.  Yet  alas  !  what  a  deal  of  work  is  laid  uj)  for 
the  sick-bed  and  death-bed,  when  men  are  most  unfit  for  doing  any 
thing  ?  And  in  the  mean  time  youth,  health,  and  strength  are  spent 
in  pursuit  of  the  world  and  lusts.  But  labour  to  make  better  use 
of  them,  some  good  use  of  them  to  eternity ;  for  ere  long  ye  will 
not  have  them  to  make  use  of  at  all :  and  it  will  be  little  comfort 
to  think,  that  when  ye  had  them,  ye  squandered  them  away  in 
vanity,  but  laid  them  not  out  in  your  salvation  and  generation 
work. 

3.  Worldly  substance.  That  is  given  of  Goit  to  be  improved  for 
his  honour :  and  whatever  your  portion  of  it  is,  the  Lord  has  so  far 
made  you  his  stewards,  and  but  stewards  of  it,  who  must  give  an 
account  to  your  Lord,  how  ye  have  used  it.  God  calls  us  to  honour 
him  with  it,  Prov.  ii  9  ;  and  assuredly  the  more  any  has  of  it,  the 
more  it  is  required  of  them  to  lay  out  themselves  for  tlie  honour  of 
God,  as  being  thereby  put  in  the  greater  capacity  to  do  for  the 
honour  of  God  in  the  world,  Luke  xii.  48,  For  unto  whomsoever'  much 
is  given  of  him  shall  he  much  required:  though  ordinarily  the  quite 
contrary  course  is  taken.  And  men  had  need  to  improve  it,  while 
they  have  it,  for  it  is  mighty  uncertain,  Eccl.  xi.  2. 

4.  Lastli/,  Power,  authority,  honour,  reputation  and  respect. 
These  come  from  God,  who  makes  the  difference  in  condition  that  is 
among  men ;  some  more,  some  less  honourable,  some  to  rule,  and 
some  to  be  ruled,  &c,  Psal.  Ixxv.  6,  7.  For  promotion  cometh  neither 
from  the  east,  nor  from  the  west,  nor  from  the  south.  But  God  is  the 
judge :  he  putteth  down  one,  and  setteth  up  another.  And  all  these  he 
gives  to  be  improved  for  himself,  who  is  the  fountain  of  power  and 
honour.  The  more  a  man  has  of  them,  the  more  access  he  has  to 
act  for  God  :  hence  a  word  for  a  good  cause  from  some  will  be  more 
efifectual  than  a  struggle  made  for  it  by  others.  Heavy  then  must 
be  their  accounts  who  make  no  conscience  of  doing  the  great  work 
by  these.    They  are  uncertain,  and  soon  fly  away  too  ;  while  people 


258  THE  IfATURE  AND  NECESSITY 

have  them,  they  would  need  to  improye  them,  lest  God  be  provoked 
to  take  from  them,  that  which  they  would  not  use  for  his  honour, 
but  their  lusts  :  for,  saith  he,  tlicm  that  honour  me,  I  will  honour  ; 
and  they  that  despise  me,  shall  be  lightly  esteemed.,  1  Sam.  ii.  30. 

I  shall  shut  up  this  doctrine  with  an  use  of  exhortation. 

While  life,  opportunites,  and  abilites  last  with  you,  ply  your 
great  work,  the  work  of  your  salvation  and  generation  ;  and  do  not 
delay  it,  but  timely  do  your  work.  For  enforcing  this  exhortation, 
let  me  suggest  the  following  motives. 

Mot.  1.  Your  work  is  great,  and  attended  with  much  difficulty ; 
therefore  work  out  your  salvation  with  fear  and  tremhling,  Phil.  ii.  12. 
If  it  were  a  trifling  business  that  might  be  either  done  or  not  done 
as  one  thought  fit ;  and  when  to  be  done,  done  easily ;  ye  might 
perhaps  cause  it  wait  your  time.  But  surely  your  time  should  wait 
your  work,  and  be  carefully  applied  to  it,  husbanding  it  well.     For, 

\st.  It  is  necessary  work,  and  must  be  done,  or  ye  are  for  ever 
undone,  Luke  x.  42.  One  thing  is  needful.  It  is  work  for  your  own 
salvation,  and  God's  glory  :  and  these  are  of  all  the  most  needful. 
It  is  not  absolutely  necessary  to  your  happiness,  that  ye  be  healthy, 
wealthy,  in  respect  and  honour  in  the  world  :  but  that  ye  be  gracious, 
believing,  patient,  holy,  &c.  that  ye  live  for  God,  and  be  useful  for 
him.  If  ye  sleep  in  your  seed-time,  ye  will  beg  in  harvest ;  if  ye 
do  not  sow,  ye  will  suffer  for  ever. 

2dly,  It  is  difficult  work,  and  not  easily  done ;  hence  says  our 
Lord,  Luke  xiii.  24.  Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate ;  for  many,  I 
say  unto  you,  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able.  Many  doing 
people  will  fall  short,  because  they  do  not  their  work  in  the  right 
manner,  Eccl.  x.  15.  Tea,  they  that  do  best  will  find  enough  ado 
to  get  through  it  safely,  1  Pet.  iv.  18,  and  not  to  mar  it.     Consider, 

(1.)  It  is  heart-doing,  doing  with  the  heart,  Prov.  xxiii.  26. 
Among  men  if  the  work  be  done  with  the  hands,  whether  it  be  with 
the  heart  or  not,  it  is  all  a  case.  But  though  the  tongue  speak  well, 
and  the  feet  carry  the  man  in  good  ways ;  yet  if  the  heart  be  not  at 
the  work,  the  work  is  not  done  to  purpose,  Ezek.  xxxiii.  31. 

(2.)  It  is  undoing  work,  work  wherein  ye  have  to  undo  much  of 
what  is  done,  like  the  pulling  down  what  has  been  wrong  put  up, 
the  opening  out  of  a  raveled  hasp.  (1.)  Your  own  life  is  a  raveled 
business,  much  disorder  has  been  there  ;  ye  have  woven  your  life 
into  a  web  of  sin  and  contrariety  to  the  divine  will :  ye  have  that  to 
open  out  again,  by  faith,  repentance,  and  mortification ;  else  ye  will 
be  swept  away  like  the  spider  in  his  own  web,  with  the  besom  of 
destruction,  Ezek.  xviii.  31.  (2.)  The  way  of  the  generation  ye  live 
in  is  a  raveled  business,  a  conspiracy  against  God  :  ye  must  do  your 


OF  THE  christian's  work.  259 

endeavour  to  iiudo  tliat,  and  to  bring  it  to  rights.  Ye  must  guard 
against  being  catched  in  their  net,  Acts  ii.  40.  Save  yourselves  from 
this  untoward  generation.  Yea,  ye  must  set  yourselves  to  break  and 
undo  it,  for  God's  honour  and  the  good  of  others  :  and  so  ye  must 
strive  against  the  stream,  or  be  carried  headlong  by  it.  And  try  it 
when  ye  will,  ye  will  find  it  hard  work  ;  and  many  times  ye  will 
find  ye  come  little  speed,  Jer.  vi.  29.  Yet  ye  must  not  give  it  over, 
2  Pet.  ii.  8.  but  bear  up  a  testimony  for  God,  Prov.  xxvii.  4 ;  and 
that  is  your  generation-work,  Luke  xxi.  13. 

(3.)  It  is  counter-doing,  doing  a  work  wherein  ye  will  find  many 
doing  against  you,  Matth.  xi.  12.  Apply  yourselves  to  it  when  ye 
will,  ye  will  find  that  it  is  a  labouring  in  the  fire,  where  ye  will  have 
much  ado  to  carry  on  the  work,  over  the  belly  of  opposition. 
(1.)  Satan  will  do  against  you,  1  Pet.  v.  8.  (2.)  The  evil  world  will 
join  issue  with  him,  (3.)  Your  own  corrupt  heart  will  join  issue 
with  both. 

(4.)  It  is  doing  above  your  strength,  your  natural  strength,  2  Cor. 
i.  8.  We  have  work  to  do  which  our  short  arms  cannot  reach,  and 
our  natural  abilities  are  not  sufficient  for.  How  then  can  it  be 
done  ?  Why,  we  must  learn  to  fly  on  borrowed  wings,  and  we 
must  act  with  strength  borrowed  from  the  Mediator,  2  Tim.  ii.  1. 
So  there  is  no  time  to  trifle. 

3Iot.  2.  Ye  have  loud  calls  to  your  work,  and  it  is  dangerous  to 
sit  them,  Psal.  xcv.  7,  8.  Unless  ye  stop  your  ears,  ye  cannot 
miss  to  hear  them.     Ye  have, 

1.  The  call  of  the  word.  God  has  given  you  the  Bible  in  your 
hands,  and  every  page  of  it  bids  you  be  doing  quickly.  He  sends 
his  messengers  with  his  message  to  the  sluggards  on  their  bed,  and 
in  the  name  of  God  it  is  sounded  in  your  ears,  2  Cor.  vi.  2,  "  Behold, 
now  is  the  accepted  time ;  behold,  now  is  the  day  of  salvation." 
Sit  not  the  call,  lest  the  opportunity  slip. 

2.  The  call  of  pinching  need  and  necessity.  The  case  of  your 
bodily  wants  makes  you  to  labour  for  the  meet  that  pcrisheth  ;  and 
doth  not  the  need  of  your  perishing  souls  call  you  aloud  to  see  to 
them,  that  they  be  not  lost?  The  case  of  the  generation,  wherein 
so  much  dishonour  is  done  to  God,  calls  you  aloud  to  lay  out  your- 
self for  God,  Psal.  cxix.  126. 

3.  The  call  of  providence.  If  ye  look  to  the  conduct  of  provi- 
dence towards  yourselves  and  towards  others,  ye  are  warned  to  see 
to  yourself  in  time.  Many  are  dropping  oft'  into  another  world,  and 
the  living  should  lay  it  to  heart. 

4.  The  call  of  conscience.  Heathens  want  not  some  checks  that 
way,  Rom.  ii.  15.     It  is  not  to  be  thought,  but  those  who  live  under 


260  THE  NATURE  AND  NECESSIY 

the  gospel,  have  now  and  then  the  alarms  from  Avithin,  to  get  out  of 
their  bod  of  sloth.  Is  there  not  something  Avithin,  that  says  ye  have 
delayed  long  enough,  and  that  more  delay  may  be  dangerous  ? 

3Iot.  3.  Ye  have  opportunities  and  abilities  put  in  your  hand  for 
to  do  your  work  by  them,  Luke  xix.  13.  God  gives  you  them  to  do 
with  :  Avhy  then  should  yo  not  improve  them  ?  Consider,  I  pray 
you, 

1.  Opportunities  and  abilities  are  God's  free  gifts,  given  to  bo 
improved  for  him  in  his  work,  lie  does  not  light  the  candle  of  your 
life,  and  keep  it  burning,  to  put  it  under  a  bushel,  or  for  you  to  use 
it  against  him.  No  wonder  he  is  provoked  in  wrath  to  take  away 
life,  opportunities  and  abilities  from  them  who  make  no  good  use  of 
them. 

2.  Ye  must  give  an  account  to  God  what  ye  have  made  of  them. 
Luke  xvi.  2 ;  what  use  you  have  made  of  your  years,  your  gospel- 
seasons,  seasons  of  the  Spirit's  blowing,  fair  occasions  of  doing 
good  presented  to  you  :  of  your  soundness  of  mind,  strength  of  body, 
worldly  substance,  power  and  character.  And  it  will  be  a  heavy 
account,  that  so  many  years  have  been  spent  in  God's  world,  and 
nothing  done  by  the  man  for  God  and  for  his  own  soul ;  that  so 
much  health,  strength,  &c.  &c.  has  been  enjoyed,  and  all  expended 
on  the  things  of  the  world,  the  pursuit  of  lusts,  &c. 

3.  The  more  you  have  had  of  them,  and  not  improved,  the  greater 
will  your  condemnation  be,  Luke  xii.  47,  48.  We  are  all  in  the  case 
of  servants  intrusted  by  the  master,  where  some  have  more,  some 
less ;  but  the  more  one  has,  as  on  the  one  hand  his  conveniency  for 
doing  is  greater,  so  on  the  other,  the  not  improving  of  the  greater 
trust  will  make  the  more  heavy  account. 

3Iot.  4.  Ye  are  always  doing  something.  Why,  since  it  is  so, 
will  you  not  do  your  proper,  great,  and  necessary  work  ?  Man's 
life  is  a  continued  train  of  actions,  and  the  soul  of  man,  like  a  watch, 
goes  as  fast  when  she  goes  false,  as  when  she  goes  true.  So,  pro- 
perly speaking,  there  is  no  man  who  does  nothing  at  all  with  his 
opportunities  and  abilites:  but  every  body  does  something  with 
them ;  howbeit  most  men  do  not  do  their  proper  work  with  them. 
So  men  are  guilty  not  only  of  not  improving,  but  of  misimproving, 
their  opportunities  and  abilities.  They  do  with  them  indeed,  but 
they  do  not  that  with  them  which  God  specially  gave  them  for. 

1.  Instead  of  doing  their  great  work  with  them,  they  do  next  to 
nothing  with  them,  like  those,  2  Thess.  iii.  11.  ivorhing  not  at  all.  If 
we  consider  the  business  of  most  men's  life,  with  the  opportunities 
and  abilities  put  in  their  hand  for  doing, ;  we  will  find  that  their 
whole  life  is  such  an  insignificient  piece  of  folly,  as  the  action  of 


OF  THE  christian's  WORK.  261 

that  foolish  einperor,  who  pretended  to  lead  out  an  army  to  fight 
the  enemy,  and  all  he  did  was  to  cause  them  gather  shells  by  the 
sea-side.  In  a  word,  their  life  is  a  continued  trifling ;  always  doing, 
but  never  doing  any  thing  to  the  purpose.  Their  precious  time 
and  abilities  are  spent  in  labouring  for  the  wind  ;  and  that  they 
will  find  when  they  come  to  step  into  another  world,  and  cast  up  the 
account  of  their  gain,  Eccl.  v.  16. 

How  many  may  say,  I  have  been  busy  managing  my  house,  but 
neglected  my  heart ;  gained  silver  and  gold,  but  no  saving  grace ; 
seen  many  harvests  cut  down,  but  mine  own  seed  for  glory  is  not 
sown  yet ;  I  have  been  careful  for  my  body,  but  my  soul  is  yet 
lying  in  a  bleeding,  perishing  case  ?  This  is  but  trifling  to  si>end 
your  time  in  caring  for  your  body,  and  neglecting  your  soul. 

(1.)  Thy  body  is  mortal,  but  thy  soul  immortal.  If  men  were  to 
die  like  beasts,  they  might  live  like  beasts,  eat,  drink,  sleep,  and 
work.  But  thy  soul  will  remain  in  life,  when  thy  body  dies  :  when 
thy  tongue  begins  to  falter  in  thy  mouth,  and  thou  canst  scarcely 
speak  an  articulate  word,  it  will  bo  vigorous  :  when  friends  are 
closing  thine  eyes,  it  will  be  going  off  to  compear  before  the  tribunal 
of  God. 

(2.)  Thy  soul  craves  more  than  the  body.  While  the  body  is 
living,  a  little  will  serve  its  back  and  belly :  and  when  dead  a  few 
feet  of  earth,  which  none  will  grudge  it.  But  nothing  less  than  an 
infinite  good,  that  is,  God  himself,  can  satisfy  the  soul.  He  was  a 
fool  who  said,  "  Soul,  thou  hast  much  goods  laid  up  for  many  years ; 
take  thine  ease,  eat,  drink,  and  be  merry."  Luke  xii.  19. 

(3.)  Thy  sonl  is  of  far  more  worth  than  the  body.  It  is  a  spiri- 
tual, immortal  substance,  not  to  be  laid  in  the  balance  with  the 
cottage  of  clay.  The  soul  is  the  diamond  in  the  ring,  the  jewel  in 
the  cabinet,  the  dignified  honourable  inhabitant  in  the  cottage  of 
clay,  Matth.  xvi.  26. 

What  do  they  then  but  trifle,  who  are  busy  about  the  many 
things,  forgetting  the  one  thing  needful  ?  They  are,  in  their  man- 
ner of  life,  like  the  spider,  that  spends  its  own  bowels  to  make  up 
its  web  :  and  when  all  is  done,  at  one  stroke  of  a  besom  the  poor 
spider  is  either  killed  in  its  own  web,  or  by  it  drawn  to  death. 

2.  Instead  of  doing  their  great  work  with  them,  they  do  worse 
than  nothing  with  them,  they  do  mischief  with  them,  Hos.  xi.  2.  and 
xiii.  6.  Hence  Solomou  remarks,  that  "  the  prosperity  of  fools  de- 
stroys them  ;"  and  the  apostle  remarks,  that  "  the  gospel  is  the  sa- 
vour of  death  unto  death  to  many."  They  who  do  not  improve 
their  opportunities  and  abilities  for  God's  honour  and  their  own  sal- 
vation, cannot  miss  to  improve  them  to  God's  dishonour  and  their 

YoL.  V.  s 


262         THE  NATURE  AND  NECESSITY  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  WORK. 

own  destruction  :  for  the  soul  of  man  is  of  nature  too  active  to  be 
doing  nothing  at  all :  so  if  it  be  not  doing  good,  it  will  be  doing 
evil,  for  it  must  be  doing  something.  If  the  matter  were  weighed 
in  an  even  balance,  it  would  be  found,  that  many  are  at  as  much 
pains  to  ruin  their  own  souls,  as  might  possibly  serve  to  save  them, 
if  they  would  but  turn  their  pains  to  run  in  another  channel. 
Many  a  rack  Satan  puts  men  on  in  his  service,  which  the  way  of 
duty  would  set  men  free  from,  Job  xxiv.  15 — 17-  Jeremiah  testi- 
fies, they  weary  themselves  to  commit  iniquity,  Jer.  ix.  5.  See  Psal. 
vii.  14.  Hab.  ii.  13. 

Now,  since  ye  are  still  doing  something  with  your  opportunities 
and  abilities,  why  will  ye  not  do  what  ye  should  do  with  them  ? 
Ye  are  running  in  a  race,  why  do  ye  not  run  in  the  right  way, 
rather  than  in  the  wrong?  "We  may  say  in  some  sense,  that  God 
does  not  call  you  to  do  more  work  than  ye  do  ;  but  other  work, 
your  great  work. 

3Iot.  5.  Your  opportunities  and  abilities  for  doing  will  not  last ; 
but  they  will  be  short-lived.  We  have  a  day,  and  it  is  but  a  day 
we  have,  Luke  xix.  42.  an  hireling's  day,  that  is  soon  over.  Job  vii.  1. 
Time  runs  with  a  rapid  course,  and  carries  with  it  all  our  opportu- 
nities and  abilities  for  doing  our  work.  Our  life  is  but  a  vapour, 
that  soon  evanisheth  ;  a  shadow  that  flees  away,  a  handbreadth 
soon  passed  over.     So, 

1.  You  must  now  or  never  do  your  work,  John  ix.  4.  "Working- 
time  will  soon  be  gone.  How  can  we  be  at  ease,  while  so  much  time 
is  over,  and  so  little  of  our  work  by  hand  ?  Yet  are  not  the  sha- 
dows of  the  evening  stretching  out  on  many,  while  yet  they  have 
been  in  no  due  concern  where  to  take  up  their  eternal  lodging  ? 

2.  If  the  work  we  have  to  do  be  sore,  it  will  not  be  longsome. 
He  that  is  tired  with  his  journey  may  be  refreshed,  while  he  sees  he 
is  near  the  end.  The  saints'  afflictions  are  but  for  a  moment,  their 
weeping  but  for  a  night :  the  watchmen  will  be  called  in  from  their 
posts. 

3Iot.  6.  It  is  utterly  uncertain  to  you  when  they  shall  come  to  an 
end.  "We  are  tenants  at  will,  have  no  tack  of  our  life,  and  know 
not  how  soon  you  may  be  called  off^,  Matth.  xxiv.  44,  46.  So  a  mo- 
ment's delay  here  may  be  an  eternal  loss.  Our  abilities  may  be  at 
an  end,  before  our  time.  However  our  time  is  uncertain  as  to  the 
end  of  it,  but,  end  when  it  will,  there  will  be  no  more  opportunity 
nor  ability  for  doing. 

3Iot.  7.  Our  time  when  once  gone  can  no  more  be  recalled,  no 
more  than  the  candle  burnt  to  snuif  can  be  lighted  again.  It  is 
bald  in  the  hindhead,  and  there  is  no  bringing  of  it  back.  As  the 
tree  falls,  so  it  must  lie. 


man's  life  a  journey  to  the  aRAA^E.  263 

Mot.  last.  If  our  great  work  be  not  done  in  time,  we  are  undone 
for  ever.     If  time  is  lost,  our  eternal  salvation  is  lost. 

DocT.  II.  Our  life  in  this  world  is  a  journey,  a  going  to  the  grave, 
to  the  state  of  the  dead,  where  there  is  no  doing  of  our  work  any- 
more. 

In  discoursing  from  this  doctrine,  I  shall, 

I.  Consider  this  journey  we  are  on. 

II.  Shew  that  there  is  no  doing  of  our  work  any  more,  when  once 
we  are  come  to  our  journey's  end,  to  the  state  of  the  dead. 

III.  Make  some  improvement  of  each  head  separately. 

I.  I  shall  consider  this  journey  we  are  on.  And  hero  we  may 
take  a  view  of, 

1.  The  point  where  we  begin  our  journey.  We  begin  it  from  the 
womb,  from  the  first  moment  of  our  receiving  life  there.  As  soon 
as  we  become  living  souls  in  the  womb,  we  begin  our  journey  to  the 
grave.  For  then  we  are  sinful  creatures,  Psal.  li.  5.  and  therefore 
dying  creatures.  So  we  are  going  this  journey,  before  we  can  set  a 
foot  on  the  ground,  yea  before  we  see  the  light  of  this  world. 

2.  The  point  where  it  is  ended.  The  term  to  which  we  are  going, 
is  the  grave,  the  state  of  the  dead.  The  travellers  never  halt  till 
they  be  there.  That  is  the  place  where  all  men  meet  from  all  the 
different  places  of  the  world.  It  is  the  house  appointed  for  all  living, 
Job  XXX.  23.  Their  baiting-houses  by  the  way  may  be  very  differ- 
ent, as  a  palace,  and  a  cottage,  but  the  lodging-house  at  the  end  of 
the  journey  is  one.     They  lie  down  alike  in  the  dust. 

3.  The  journeying  or  travelling  itself  is  the  motion  between  these 
two  points :  and  that  is  our  living  in  this  world.  What  is  our  liv- 
ing here  ?  It  is  not  a  rest ;  that  is  not  to  be  expected  here.  It  is  a 
motion,  a  journeying  motion.  And  it  is  just  a  journeying,  a  going 
from  the  womb  to  the  grave ;  a  coming  from  the  womb  of  our  mo- 
ther woman,  and  going  in  again  to  the  womb  of  our  mother  earth, 
Job  i.  21.     That  is  the  life  we  have  here. 

4.  The  place  we  go  through  in  our  journey  to  the  grave  in  this 
present  world ;  where  the  sun  rising  and  setting  makes  days  and 
nights,  where  are  so  many  springs  and  harvests,  summers  and  win- 
ters in  our  time ;  and,  what  is  of  all  most  remarkable,  where  God 
.sends  his  messengers  to  meet  us  in  our  journey,  to  direct  us  to  the 
road,  by  which  we  may  get  safe  to  the  journey's  end.  Many  look 
on  this  world  as  their  resting-place,  Psal.  xlix.  11.  and  so  as  their 
resting-place,  Luke  xii.  19.  But  it  is  but  our  journeying-place, 
which  we  travel  through ;  like  a  town  in  a  traveller's  road,  who 
comes  in  at  the  one  end  of  it,  and  goes  out  at  the  other,  Eccl.  i.  4. 

s2 


264  man's  life  a  journey  to  the  grave. 

Therefore  the  godly  take  it  so,  confessing  that  they  are  strangers  and 
pilgrims  on  the  earth,  Heb.  xi.  13. 

5.  The  way  we  make  in  this  journey  is  our  time.  Some  have  a 
longer,  some  a  shorter  way  to  their  journey's  end.  But  look  back, 
and  so  much  time  as  is  over  your  head,  so  much  way  have  ye  made, 
and  the  nearer  ye  are  to  the  end.  Time  goes,  yea  flies  away,  and  as 
it  goes,  you  quickly  cut  the  way,  so  that  it  grows  every  moment 
shorter  and  shorter,  and  you  are  nearer  the  grave. 

6.  The  several  stages  in  our  way,  which  accordingly  are  to  some 
more,  to  others  fewer,  are  to  all  but  a  very  few,  whereby  we  may 
know  that  it  is  not  a  long  journey. 

(1.)  The  first  stage  is  infancy,  that  wherein  the  journey  is  begun. 
While  we  are  in  that  first  stage,  we  are  going  indeed  to  the  grave, 
but  poor  we  know  not  in  the  mean  time  whither  we  are  going. 
Then  we  are  under  a  necessity  of  dying,  but  know  not  that  we  must 
die,  nor  know  we  any  thing  of  the  state  of  the  dead ;  and  therefore 
can  do  nothing  to  prepare  for  it.  Our  concern  in  that  stage  is  first 
confined  to  meat,  and  then  extends  to  clothing,  but  no  farther. 

(2.)  The  second  stage  is  childhood,  wherein  we  are  more  advanced 
in  our  journey.  Then  do  we  begin  to  be  informed,  that  there  is  such 
a  thing  as  dying,  as  a  heaven  and  a  hell.  But  how  rude  are  our 
notions  of  these  things  in  that  stage,  and  how  unwelcome !  They 
are  like  a  dream  to  us,  consisting  of  misshapen  imaginations.  How 
hard  is  it  to  be  able  to  have  any  tolerable  conception  of  the  way  to 
be  saved,  or  so  much  as  to  conceive  aright  of  the  work  we  have  to 
do !  How  little  of  the  work  can  then  be  done  till  that  stage  be 
over  ?  Things  of  the  world  are  more  natural ;  yet  in  that  stage  it 
is  hard  to  ply  to  them,  or  to  any  thing  but  such  trifles  as  will  be  the 
scorn  of  our  riper  years.  So  there  are  two  stages  over  ere  we  have 
well  begun  to  know  where  we  are,  and  what  we  have  to  do.  The 
morning  is  gone. 

(3.)  The  next  stage  is  youth,  which  is  the  forenoon  of  our  day ; 
the  stage  of  our  way,  wherein  we  begin  to  know  ourselves  entering 
into  this  world.  But  how  doth  vanity  and  folly  fill  up  that  period 
of  man's  life,  that  the  going  through  it  is  turned  into  a  play  or  a 
dream,  if  not  into  a  fit  of  madness  in  wickedness,  casting  off  all 
bands,  unless  it  be  in  some  whom  grace  early  reacheth.  They  think 
they  have  a  great  part  of  their  way  before  them,  and  reckon  it  need- 
less to  be  as  yet  much  concerned  about  the  journey's  end,  though 
two  stages  are  over  before  that,  and  they  will  soon  find  themselves 
past  that  stage  too.  So  true  it  is,  that  childhood  and  yoxith  are  va- 
nity, Eccl.  xi.  10. 

(3.)  The  fourth  stage  is  middle  age,  in  which  the  foam  of  youth  is 


man's  life  a  joukney  to  the  grave.  265 

fallen,  and  the  infirmities  of  old  age  have  not  yet  overtaken  the 
man,  and  is  therefore  called  the  best  estate,  Psal.  xxxix.  5.  Now  he 
is  in  best  case  in  point  of  wisdom  and  management.  His  thoughts 
are  ripened,  and  his  strength  is  fit  for  executing  the  product  of  these 
his  riper  thoughts.  But  how  is  he  then  wrapt  up  in  a  thicket  of 
cares  of  this  world,  that  often  he  cannot  find  the  way  out  seriously 
to  consider  his  latter  end  ?  But  this  also  is  soon  over,  and  he 
quickly  arrives  at  the 

(5.)  Last  stage,  old  age.  Then  his  sun  is  remarkably  turned,  it 
is  fast  declining,  and  he  remembers  the  days  of  his  youth  and  mid- 
dle age  as  waters  that  pass  away.  They  sometimes  run  full ;  but 
now  that  brook  is  di-ied  up.  If  his  judgment  continues  firm,  yet  he 
is  ordinarily  beset  with  infirmities  of  body,  whereby  he  is  rendered 
more  unfit  for  action  :  and  sometimes  judgment  and  memory  fail  too. 
The  tabernacle  is  going  down,  till  at  length  it  lie  along  on  the  earth, 
to  rise  no  more  till  the  heavens  be  no  more.  So  the  days  come 
wherein  men  have  no  pleasure :  and  then  quickly  the  mourners  go 
about  the  streets ;  the  man  is  at  his  journey's  end. 

These  are  the  few  stages  in  our  way :  but  it  is  but  a  few  that  see 
them  all.  Some  find  the  end  of  the  journey  in  the  first  stage,  some 
in  the  second,  8^-c. 

7.  Lastly,  The  steps  we  make  in  our  way  on  this  journey.  Every 
breathing  we  make,  every  pulse  that  beats,  is  a  step  in  the  way. 
■Whether  we  sleep  or  wake,  our  breath  and  blood  are  going :  and  so 
we  are  going  on  toward  the  grave.  Infinite  wisdom  has  determined 
how  often  we  shall  breathe  in  and  out  the  air,  how  often  our  blood 
shall  go  the  round  in  our  bodies,  and  what  number  of  pulses  it  shall 
make.  These  are  continued  one  on  the  back  of  another,  as  so  many 
steps  by  which  this  journey  is  made.  And  at  length  the  last  pulse 
beats,  the  last  breathing  is  made,  whereby  one  gives  up  the  ghost : 
and  that  is  the  last  step,  and  so  we  are  at  our  journey's  end. 

I  shall  now  make  some  improvement  of  this  first  head. 

Use  I.  Of  information.  Is  our  life  in  this  world  a  journey,  a  go- 
ing to  the  grave  ?  then, 

1.  This  life  is  a  transitory,  passing  thing,  that  will  not  last,  but 
will  soon  be  over,  Job  viii.  9.  Form  right  notions  of  life  from  this ; 
you  will  find  it  is  but  a  short  preface  to  a  long  eternity ;  an  incon- 
siderable point  between  two  extremes,  the  womb  and  the  grave ;  so 
short,  that  Solomon  passes  it  by  in  his  assigning  a  time  to  every 
thing,  Eccl.  iii.  2. 

2.  The  state  of  the  dead,  and  what  lies  beyond  it,  is  our  state  of 
continuance,  which  we  are  to  be  mainly  concerned  for.  This  life  is 
our  journeying ;  at  the  end  of  our  journey  we  will  find  the  place  of 

s3 


266  man's  life  a  journey  to  the  grate. 

our  abode.  The  grave  is  our  long  home,  heaven  or  hell  our  eternal 
home.  This  world  is  but  the  passage,  as  through  a  strange  country 
to  our  home.  Therefore  Job  was  in  the  right,  to  render  himself  fa- 
miliar with  it,  chap.  xvii.  14.  I  have  said  to  corruption,  Thou  art  my 
father:  to  the  ivorm,  Thou  art  my  mother,  and  my  sister. 

3.  Man  at  his  best  estate  is  vanity.  Consider  him  in  his  prime, 
when  his  health  and  strength  are  at  their  meridian,  death  is  gaining 
ground  of  him  :  however  stately  he  goes,  he  is  going  towards  the 
grave,  however  little  he  thinks  of  it.  While  he  riseth,  he  doth  but 
swell  like  a  bubble  of  water,  which  in  a  moment  is  broken  and  gone. 

4.  There  is  great  need  to  see  how  we  improve  it,  that  we  misspend 
it  not,  Matth.  v.  25.  We  came  into  this  world  without  any  thought 
of  our  own,  how  to  be  provided  for  in  it.  But  wo  to  us  in  the  other 
world,  if  we  take  not  thought  while  we  are  in  the  way. 

Use  2.  Of  exhortation  to  several  things.  Is  our  life  a  journey  to 
the  grave,  to  the  state  of  the  dead  ?  then, 

1.  Acquaint  yourselves  timely  with  the  God  and  Lord  of  that 
land,  and  make  up  your  peace  and  friendship  with  him,  that  when 
ye  come  there,  ye  may  be  treated  as  his  friends,  and  not  as  his  ene- 
mies. Job  xxii.  21.  Acquaint  noiu  thyself  luith  him,  and  be  at  peace: 
thereby  good  shall  come  unto  thee.  For  if  that  be  neglected  while  we 
are  in  the  way,  sad  will  be  our  lot  at  the  end  of  the  journey,  Matth. 
V.  25.  Grod  is  now  willing  to  be  at  peace  with  us  in  his  Son,  who  is 
Lord  of  that  land,  has  the  keys  of  hell  and  of  death,  Rev.  i.  18.  and  is 
now  oifering  himself  and  his  salvation  to  us,  Rev.  xxii.  17.  yea  of- 
fering himself  in  a  marriage-covenant,  Hos.  ii.  16;  Matth.  xxii.  4. 
It  will  then  be  our  wisdom,  to  see  that  our  Maker,  the  Lord  of  that 
place,  be  our  Husband  now :  and  then  be  sure  he  will  see  well  to 
us  there. 

2.  Be  sure  to  take  the  safe  road  in  that  journey ;  and  beware  of 
the  road  of  destruction.  All  the  world  is  on  the  journey ;  but  they 
are  divided  into  two  companies,  taking  two  different  roads,  the  road 
of  eternal  life,  and  the  road  of  eternal  death.  The  safe  road  is  the 
way  of  holiness,  Isa.  xxxv.  8.  An  high  way  shall  be  there,  and  it  shall 
be  called  the  rvay  of  holiness,  i.  e.  the  holy  way,  viz.  Christ  the  per- 
sonal way,  John  xiv.  6.  and  gospel  holiness  and  obedience,  the  real 
way.  Col.  ii.  6.  It  is  a  strait  way,  that  will  not  allow  room  for 
the  sinful  latitude  which  corrupt  nature  affects,  and  therefore  ye 
will  get  but  little  company  upon  it.  The  road  of  destruction  is  the 
way  of  sin,  the  way  of  unbelief  and  unholiness.  It  is  a  broad  way, 
and  there  the  multitude  goes :  there  go  the  profane,  there  the  gross- 
ly ignorant,  there  the  mere  moralist,  there  the  gross  and  closs  hypo- 
crite, Matth.  vii.  13,  14.  Take  your  marks  of  the  way  by  the  word, 
Psal.  xvii.  4. 


man's  life  a  jouenet  to  the  geave.  267 

3.  Associate  yourselves  Avith  those  on  the  safe  road,  and  beware 
of  chusing  for  your  companions  those  on  the  broad  way,  Prov.  xiii. 
20;  Psal.  xvi.  3.  Travellers  desire  company  in  their  journey;  but 
then  they  chuse  those  who  are  going  their  road,  not  those  who  are 
going  a  contrary  one.  If  they  do,  one  may  conclude  that  they  have 
left  their  road  for  love  of  company.  And  many  sad  instances  of 
this  there  are  on  this  journey,  1  Cor.  xv.  33.  Hence  many  some- 
times hopeful,  by  the  society  they  chuse,  first  turn  untender,  then 
loose  professors,  and  at  last  apostates  :  and  so  fall  from  the  threshold 
of  heaven,  down  to  the  pit,  Psal.  cxxv.  ult. 

4.  Beware  of  forgetting  that  ye  are  on  a  journey,  travellers, 
strangers,  and  pilgrims  in  the  Avorld,  Heb.  xi.  13.  This  world  that 
we  go  through  is  very  charming  to  the  corrupt  heart ;  insomuch  that 
many  come  to  be  so  taken  with  it,  that  they  think  themselves  at 
home  in  it.  And  so  they  mind  nothing  but  building  tabernacles  in 
it,  resting  and  solacing  themselves  therein.  They  seek  no  better 
home,  they  desire  no  better,  Phil.  iii.  19.  and  so  they  are  ruined 
when  they  awake  out  of  their  dream,  if  they  awake  not  timely.  But 
see  that  ye  count  heaven  your  home,  the  world  the  place  of  your 
pilgrimage,  and  your  present  life  your  journey  homeward. 

5.  Beware  of  loading  yourselves  in  your  journey,  Heb.  xii.  1. 
Men  on  a  journey  will  be  very  loath  to  carry  needless  weights  about 
them,  but  endeavour  what  they  can  to  be  as  light  and  expedite  as 
may  be.  But  alas  !  most  men  on  this  journey  think  never  to  get 
enough  on  their  back  ;  and  what  is  it  ?  just  a  backful  of  thick  clay, 
Hab.  ii.  6.  a  defiling  load  of  the  world.  Men  lade  themselves  this 
way,  still  grasping  at  more  and  more  of  the  world,  laying  field  to 
field,  till  they  are  just  overwhelmed  with  the  business  of  this  life, 
and  by  anxiety  about  the  things  of  the  world,  and  undue  eagerness, 
whether  they  have  little  or  much.  They  go  best  through  the  world, 
that  lade  themselves  least  with  it,  2  Cor.  vii.  29 — 31. 

6.  Take  heed  of  carrying  along  with  you  such  things  as  are  apt 
to  entangle  you  in  the  road,  and  cause  you  to  fall,  Heb.  xii.  1.  Let 
us  lay  aside  every  weighty  and  the  sin  xuliich  doth  so  easily  beset  us.  A 
metaphor  taken  from  long  garments,  that  cannot  miss  to  retard  one 
on  a  journey.  Unmortifled  lusts  are  these  entangling  things,  especi- 
ally the  predominant  one.  In  our  way  there  are  many  stumbling 
blocks,  and  these  dispose  us  to  fall  over  them.  In  it  are  many 
snares,  and  these  catch  men  by  their  unmortifled  lusts,  as  thorns  in 
the  way  catching  hold  of  the  traveller's  loose  garments.  And  many 
a  mire  are  sinners  by  this  means  cast  down  in,  who  do  not  by  faith, 
mortification,  and  watchfulness,  gird  up  the  loins  of  their  mind. 

7.  Let  not  afflictions,  crosses,  and  hardships  in  this  world  sink 


2U8  man's  life  a  journey  to  the  grave. 

too  deep  with  you:,  for  you  are  neither  to  fstay  with  it  nor  thera, 
1  Cor.  vii.  30.  Ye  are  on  a  journey,  not  in  your  place  of  continu- 
ance. You  need  the  less  to  value  the  frowns  of  a  present  world ; 
for  ere  long  ye  will  be  beyond  them,  and  both  the  smiles  and  frowns 
of  it  will  be  buried  in  oblivion.  The  consideration  of  our  short  and 
uncertain  time  in  the  world,  would  be  an  excellent  antidote  against 
immoderate  sorrow  ;  for  we  are  here  but  as  actors  in  a  play,  where 
it  is  no  great  matter  whether  one  be  the  king  or  the  peasant ;  for 
in  a  little  time  the  fable  is  ended,  and  each  appears  in  the  station 
he  really  is. 

8.  Learn  to  fetch  your  comforts  in  your  journey  from  the  i^lace 
ye  are  going  to,  the  other  world,  Heb.  xi.  13.  And  the  doctrine  of 
the  gospel  contained  in  the  Bible  is  the  storehouse  of  these  com- 
forts, and  faith  is  the  mean  whereby  to  draw  them  out,  Psal.  xciv. 
19.  and  xvii.  13.  The  believing  meditation  of  the  better  world,  is 
the  best  stay  for  the  traveller's  heart,  under  the  toil  and  hardships 
of  the  way.  There  is  such  a  thing  as  the  traveller's  song,  to  be  sung 
by  the  way.  David  had  learned  it,  and  he  tells  you  where,  Psal. 
cxix.  54.  Thy  statutes  have  been  my  songs  in  the  house  of  my  pilgrim- 
age. 

9.  Be  not  solicitious  for  great  things  in  the  world,  but  be  content 
with  what  Providence  lays  to  your  hand,  Jer.  xlv.  4,  5.  Being  on 
a  journey,  it  is  no  great  matter  though  your  accommodations  be  not 
pompous.  Men  on  a  road  do  not  expect  feasts,  nor  do  they  value 
them.  A  traveller's  dinner  is  soon  over ;  he  takes  as  he  comes  to, 
for  he  may  not  stay.  0  that  we  could  learn  the  lesson,  and  labour 
to  secure  ease  and  fulness  to  ourselves  in  the  place  whither  we  are 
going,  and  keep  up  a  holy  indifference  as  to  our  entertainment  on 

the  road. 

10.  Correct  your  vain  imaginations  and  conclusions,  in  all  con- 
ditions of  life,  by  a  lively  faith  of  his  truth.  In  a  time  of  prospe- 
rity, men  are  apt  to  be  full  of  towering  imaginations,  Psal.  xlix.  11 ; 
they  feed  themselves  with  golden  dreams,  put  adversity  far  from 
their  thoughts,  still  reckoning  on  to-morrow,  and  that  to-morrow 
will  be  as  this  day.  But  correct  the  mistake  ;  ye  are  on  a  journey, 
and  may  be  at  the  end  of  it  ere  ye  are  aware.  In  adversity  the 
man  is  apt  to  say.  It  Will  never  be  over  :  but  that  is  a  mistake  too  ; 
for  our  sorrows  as  well  as  our  joys  here  are  short  lived,  and  Avill  soon 
be  at  an  end. 

11.  Lastly,  Let  preparation  for  death  be  the  main  business  of 
your  life.  For  your  abiding  happiness  and  misery  depends  on  what 
issue  your  journey  takes :  and  now  is  the  time,  the  only  time  to 
fix  that  point.     He  that  lives  in  Christ  shall  die  in  him,  and  dying 


man's  life  a  journey  to  the  grave.  269 

ill  hiiu  be  happy  for  ever.  And  he  who  gets  not  into  Christ  while 
he  lives,  will  find  the  door  shut  when  he  is  dead,  and  no  more  access 
to  salvation.  Therefore  prepare  in  time.  See  to  yonr  state,  that 
ye  be  in  that  respect  fit  to  die ;  that  ye  be  out  of  your  natural 
state,  and  brought  into  a  state  of  grace.  And  watch,  and  enure 
yourselves  to  a  dying  frame,  that  ye  may  be  always  as  on  the  wing 
for  your  departure. 

II.  The  next  thing  to  be  considered  is.  That  there  is  no  doing  of 
our  work  any  more,  when  once  we  are  come  to  our  journey's  end,  to 
the  state  of  the  dead. 

There  are  two  things  that  will  set  this  in  a  clear  light. 

1.  Then  our  day  is  gone,  and  the  night  is  come,  John  ix.  4.  The 
state  of  the  dead  is  called  a  night,  because  the  darkness  of  the  night 
puts  an  end  to  working,  as  the  light  of  the  day  gives  an  opportunity 
for  it.  "When  death  is  come,  the  sun  of  the  gospel  is  set  on  the 
man  ;  and  to  those  who  burnt  day-light  while  they  had  it,  God  will 
not  set  up  a  ucav  light  in  the  grave,  which  is  "  the  land  of  dark- 
ness, and  the  shadow  of  death  ;  a  land  of  darkness,  as  darkness 
itself,  and  of  the  shadow  of  death,  without  any  order,  and  where 
the  light  is  as  darkness,"  Job  ix.  21,  22. 

2.  Than  the  sentence  for  eternity  is  passed  on  men.  The  next 
step  after  death  is  to  the  tribunal  of  God,  where  men  are  judged  and 
sentenced  according  to  their  deeds  done  in  the  flesh,  Heb.  ix.  27.    So, 

(1.)  The  time  of  God's  patience  with  impenitent  sinners  is  at  an 
end.  The  door  is  shut,  Matth.  xxv.  10.  The  mercy  and  goodness 
of  God  opens  a  door  of  grace  for  sinners  for  term  of  life,  long-suft'er- 
ing  patience  keeps  it  open  during  that  time  ;  but  the  term  of  life 
being  expired,  the  door  is  shut,  sinners  can  be  waited  on  no  longer, 
justice  takes  place. 

(2.)  Our  probationary  time  is  at  an  end,  and  our  state  is  fixed  un- 
alterably for  all  the  ages  of  eternity,  Luke  xv.  26.  While  men's  life 
in  this  world  lasts,  they  are  on  their  trials  for  another  world :  but 
Bentence  being  passed  after  death,  they  are  brought  to  a  fixed  point 
of  happiness  or  misery. 

I  shall  conclude  this  subject  with  some  improvement  of  this  head. 

Use  I.  Of  information.     Hence  we  may  learn, 

1.  That  the  time  of  our  life  in  this  world  is  exceedingly  precious ; 
it  is  a  golden  spot,  more  to  be  valued  by  a  guilty  creature  than  all 
the  wealth  of  the  world,  as  being  the  opportunity,  and  the  only  oppor- 
tunity for  settling  the  business  of  our  eternal  salvation.  Then  the 
Lord  is  on  a  throne  of  grace  for  us,  then  is  the  time  of  his  dispensing 
pardons,  then  is  the  time  of  the  ship  of  the  gospel  lying  in  our 
harbour,  bound  for  Immanuel's  land,  ready  to  take  in  passengers ; 


270  man's  life  a  joueney  to  the  grave. 

which  if  it  once  hoist  sail,  and  set  off  to  sea,  the  passengers  are  for 
ever  left  hopeless  on  the  shore.  0  how  inexcusable  are  men  trifling 
away  their  precious  hours  ! 

2.  That  the  moment  of  death  is  of  vast  consequence,  inasmuch  as 
it  is  the  concluding  point  of  our  working  time,  the  time  of  our  trial, 
immediately  succeeded  by  an  unalterable  state  in  eternal  happiness 
or  misery.  For  as  the  tree  then  falls,  it  must  lie  for  ever.  If  one 
prays,  communicates,  &c.  wrong  at  a  time,  he  may  have  access  to 
mend  it :  but  once  dying  wrong,  there  is  no  helping  of  that. 

3.  Happy  they  who  dispatch  their  work  timely,  while  they  are  in 
the  land  of  the  living :  for  their  work  is  done,  before  working  time 
is  over,  Rev.  xiv.  13.  "When  they  come  to  die,  they  have  no  more 
ado  but  to  die,  and  that  of  itself  is  suSicient  work  to  fill  one's  hand. 

4.  Sad  is  the  case  of  those  who  misspend  their  time,  whose  life  is  at 
an  end,  before  their  great  work  for  eternity  is  done.  For  their  case 
is  hopeless,  since  there  is  no  doing  of  their  great  work  then  any 
more. 

Use  2.  Of  exhortation.  "What  ye  have  to  do,  do  quickly,  without 
delay.     And, 

1.  Do  your  salvation-work  without  delay,  Phil.  ii.  12.  Te  are 
by  nature  lost  sinners,  but  by  grace  ye  may  be  saved.  But  none  can 
expect  to  be  brought  into  a  state  of  salvation  in  a  morning  dream. 
The  work  of  faith,  repentance,  regeneration,  and  mortification,  is 
not  easy.  Give  yourselves  no  rest,  till  once  ye  are  brought  into  a 
state  of  peace  with  God,  till  ye  have  once  shot  the  gulf  as  to  con- 
demnation, and  your  eternal  haj)piness  be  secured.  Then  will  ye 
live  holily  and  happily ;  and  come  death  when  it  will,  your  great 
work  is  done,  ye  are  habitually  prepared  for  it.  If  otherwise,  death 
may  take  you  unawares,  and  in  a  moment  make  you  for  ever  miser- 
able. 

2  Do  the  work  of  your  generation  without  delay.  Consider  what 
is  the  work  of  your  station  and  relation,  the  work  for  God  and  the 
good  of  others  that  providence  puts  an  opportunity  in  your  hand  to 
do :  and  do  it  quickly ;  for  if  ye  delay  it,  the  opportunity  may  be 
for  ever  taken  out  of  your  hand.     Consider, 

(1.)  To  put  off  your  great  work  to  another  time  yet  to  come,  is 
inconsistent  with  a  sincere  purpose  of  setting  about  it,  1  Pet.  2.  3. 
Who  having  burning  coals  in  his  bosom,  would  put  ofl'  throwing  them 
out  till  a  more  convenient  season,  another  hour,  or  another  minute  ? 
He  that  is  not  fit  to-day,  will  be  less  so  to-morrow. 

(2.)  The  longer  ye  delay,  the  harder  will  your  work  be,  when  it 
comes  to  the  setting  to.  Sin  is  like  a  water,  the  farther  from  the 
head,  the  deeper,  and  the  harder  to  get  over.     The  longer  ye  con- 


man's  life  a  journey  to  the  gkave.  271 

tinue  in  sin,  the  heart  grows  harder,  the  understanding  more  blind, 
the  will  more  perverse,  and  the  alfections  more  carnal. 

(3.)  Lastly,  It  is  most  foolish  and  unreasonable  to  delay.  How 
can  one  delay  a  work  till  to-morrow,  which  must  be  done,  else  he 
is  ruined  for  ever,  when  he  is  not  sure  of  another  hour  ?  Jam.  ir. 
13.  14.  "  Go  to  now,  ye  that  say,  To-day  or  to-morrow  we  will  go 
into  such  a  city,  and  continue  there  a  year,  and  buy,  and  sell,  and 
get  gain  :  whereas  ye  know  not  what  shall  be  on  the  morrow :  for 
what  is  your  life  ?  It  is  even  a  vapour,  that  appeareth  for  a  little 
time,  and  then  vanisheth  away."  Remember  what  was  said  to  the 
rich  man,  Luke  xii.  20.  "  Thou  fool,  this  night  thy  soul  shall  be  re- 
quired of  thee :  then  whose  shall  those  things  be  which  thou  hast 
provided  ?"  I  hope  we  are  agreed  about  the  necessity  of  your  dis- 
patching your  great  work  :  the  only  question  is.  When?  God  says, 
To-day.  Reason  says  so  too ;  for  to-morrow  is  not  yours.  The  con- 
clusion then  is,  Do  it  immediately.     Up  then  and  be  doing. 


THE 

DISTINGUISHING     CHARACTERS 

OP 

TRUE    BELIEVERS. 


X.    IN  RELATION  TO  THE  HAPPY  EFFECT  OF    CHRIST'S  GOOD-WILL  IN  THE 
WORD  OF  GRACE.* 


Luke  xix.  5. 
Zaccheus, make  haste,  and  come  down :  for  to-day  I  must  abide  at  thy 

house. 

Though  oiir  sun  of  the  gospel  at  this  clay  is  a  winter  sun,  having 
light,  but  little  heat,  ye  and  we,  ministers  and  people,  must  be  doing. 
It  is  good  to  be  in  Christ's  way :  he  loves  to  surprise  sinners  with  a 
cast  of  free  grace :  whereof  we  have  a  notable  instance  in  the  text. 
Christ  passing  through  Jericho,  and  a  great  throng  being  about 
him,  Zaccheus  is  taken  with  a  mighty  desire  to  see  hira :  but  being 
a  little  man,  and  our  Saviour  but  of  an  ordinary  stature,  not  like  Saul, 
who,  by  the  height  of  his  stature  overtopping  all  about  him,  might 
have  been  seen  by  a  little  man  even  in  a  crowd ;  (God  shewed  in 
Christ  of  how  little  value  such  things  are,)  he,  to  satisfy  his  curiosity, 
ran  before,  and  gets  up  into  a  tree,  to  see  what  like  a  man  he  was. 
In  his  Bible,  and  in  Christ's  doctrine  and  miracles,  he  might  have 
seen  liim  by  an  eye  of  faith  to  be  the  Son  of  God  and  Saviour  of  the 
world :  but  he  was  spiritually  blind.  He  had  no  particular  business 
with  him ;  he  was  healthy  and  wealthy,  and  felt  no  need  of  him ; 
otherwise  he  would  have  cried  to  him,  as  the  blind  man  did,  Jesus, 
thou  Son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  me,  Luke  xviii.  38.  He  only  wanted 
a  sight  of  a  man  so  talked  of. 

*  This   Sermon  was  preached  at  Ettrick,  June  11,   1727,  immediately  before  the 
administration  of  the  Lord's  supper. 


THE  HAPPY  EFrECT  OF  CHRIST'S  GOOD-WILL,  ETC.  273 

Christ  coming  to  the  place  makes  a  halt,  for  there  was  the  time 
and  place  for  the  dawning  of  everlasting  love  on  Zaccheus.     And, 

1.  He  gives  him  a  look,  and  fixes  his  eyes  on  him ;  a  sign  that  he 
had  a  serious  purpose  about  him.  Such  a  look  set  Peter's  heart  a- 
meltiug ;  and  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  but  this  place  surprised 
Zaccheus,  made  his  heart  move  out  of  its  place,  and  set  it  a-trembling, 
not  knowing  but  instantly  he  might  make  h«i  drop  down  dead  off 
the  tree  before  the  multitude,  considering  how  severely  God  threa- 
tened gazing  at  mount  Sinai,  and  how  dear  it  cost  those  of  Bethshe- 
mesh  for  looking  into  the  ark. 

2.  lie  gives  him  a  word,  a  word  of  grace,  no  less  surprising  than 
the  look,  which  instantly  changed  and  transported  his  trembling 
heart,  "  Zaccheus,  make  haste,  and  come  down ;  for  to-day  I  must 
abide  at  thy  house.' "  That  it  was  such  a  word,  a  savingly-effectual 
call  to  him,  joyfully  closed  with  by  faith,  ver.  6.  appears  from  (1.) 
The  visible  effect  of  it  in  true  repentance,  ver.  8.  "  Behold,  Lord, 
(says  he,)  the  half  of  my  goods  I  give  to  the  poor :  and  if  I  have 
taken  any  thing  from  any  man  by  false  accusation,  I  restore  him 
fourfold."  (2.)  The  testimony  of  Christ  as  to  his  faith,  ver.  9. 
"  And  Jesus  said  unto  him.  This  day  is  salvation  come  to  this  house, 
forasmuch  as  he  also  is  the  sou  of  Abraham."  Say  uot,  that  there 
is  nothing  here  but  about  coming  down  from  a  tree ;  for  Christ's 
word  is  like  himself,  that  has  a  glory  in  it  not  to  be  perceived  but 
by  the  spiritual  eye.  So  it  is  with  the  word  of  the  gospel  to  this  day; 
they  whose  eyes  are  opened,  and  hearts  touched  with  it,  see  a  glory 
and  feel  a  power  in  it  that  is  hid  to  all  the  multitude  beside.  "Where- 
fore the  sense  of  these  words  was  a  compound  one,  made  uj)  of  an 
external  part,  lying  open  to  the  view  of  the  whole  multitude  that 
heard  them,  and  an  internal  part,  mystical  and  secret,  and  clear  to 
Zaccheus,  however  hid  from  others.  They  are  like  Jonathan's  crying 
after  the  lad,  Make  speed,  haste,  stay  not.  Of  whom  it  is  said,  And 
Jonathan'' s  lad  gathered  up  the  arrows,  and  came  to  his  master.  But 
the  lad  knew  not  any  thing:  only  Jonathan  and  David  knew  the  matter, 
1  Sam.  XX.  38,  39.     In  the  words  then, 

1.  There  is  an  open  display  of  the  grace  and  good- will  of  a  Savi- 
our to  Zaccheus  in  particular,  proposed  to  him  to  be  believed  and 
credited.     And  it  consists  of  two  parts. 

(1.)  Christ's  readiness  and  willingnesss  to  meet  with  him,  to  re- 
ceive and  be  received  by  him :  so  the  grace  of  union  with  Christ  was 
proposed  to  him.  This  was  couched  in  these  words,  Zaccheus  come 
down ;  as  if  he  had  said,  "  Zaccheus,  come  away  to  me,  I  wait  you 
here  to  receive  and  be  received  by  you.  There  is  a  thronging  about 
me,  but  whatever  is  of  them,  I  have  a  particular  good-will  to  you." 


274  THE  HAPPY  EFFECT  OF  CHRISt's  GOOD-WILL 

(2.)  Christ's  inviting  himself  to  Zaccheus'  house,  and  so  a  desire 
and  design  of  communion  with  him,  though  he  was  a  sinner,  such  a 
sinner  as  many  in  that  multitude  would  abhor  being  his  guest.  But 
he  shows  a  good-will  to  him,  to  come  over  all  that,  to  entertain  and 
be  entertained  by  him. 

2.  There  is  a  peremptory  call  to  him  to  embrace  this  grace  and 
goodwill,  proposed  t(tJiim  to  be  complied  with,  Zaccheus,  make  haste, 
come  down,  viz.  to  me.     And  here  there  is, 

(1.)  How  it  was  to  be  embraced,  viz.  by  Zaccheus's  coming  to 
Christ.  A  bodily  motion  was  in  this  case  necessary,  but  the  spiri- 
tual motion  of  the  soul  by  faith  was  the  great  thing  aimed  at.  Be- 
lieving the  grace  and  good-will  of  Christ  displayed  to  him  in  Christ's 
word  of  grace,  he  is  required  to  betake  himself  to  it,  by  trusting  on 
it  for  his  salvation,  as  heaven's  security  granted  him,  and  claiming 
and  using  it  as  his  own,  in  all  the  effects  thereof  in  communion  with 
him  whose  grace  it  is. 

2.  The  manner  of  the  coming  required.  [1.]  It  is  a  coming  down. 
Zaccheus  was  sitting  on  high,  and  looking  down  on  Christ,  when 
Christ  began  with  him.  So  is  every  sinner  before  the  good  work  is 
begun  on  them.  But  the  word  of  power  calls  them  down  from  their 
heights  ;  and  coming  to  Christ  is  coming  down  from  them.  Humi- 
liation of  soul  is  twisted  with  true  faith,  and  runs  through  the  whole 
of  it.  [2.]  A  speedy  coming  down,  Make  haste,  &c.  "  Haste  as  if 
the  tree  were  breaking  and  falling  with  your  weight,  and  you  could 
not  sit  safe  there  one  moment  longer."  Whatever  off-puts  the  sin- 
ner makes  as  to  coming  to  Christ,  while  the  heart  is  not  touched 
with  the  power  of  grace,  as  soon  as  efficacious  grace  touches  it,  the 
sinner  can  no  longer  resist,  but  comes  to  Christ  like  a  sandy  brae 
sliding  down  in  a  break. 

The  doctrine  I  observe  from  the  words  is, 

DocT.  When  Christ  and  the  sinner  have  the  happy  meeting  for 
union  and  communion,  Christ  gives  the  sinner  a  word  of  grace,  that 
discovers  a  good-will  in  him  to  the  sinner  in  particular,  and  hales  the 
sinner  down  from  his  heights  away  to  the  Lord  Jesus.  Thus  the 
happy  meeting  is  brought  about. 

In  handling  this  doctrine,  I  shall  consider, 

I.  The  Lord's  discovering  a  good-will  to  the  sinner  by  a  word  of 
grace. 

II.  The  Lord's  haling  down  the  sinner  from  his  heights  to  him- 
self by  his  word  of  grace. 

III.  Apply  in  an  use  of  exhortation. 

I.  I  am  to  consider  the  Lord's  discovering  a  good-will  to  the  sin- 
ner by  a  word  of  grace.     This  ye  may  take  up  in  these  five  things. 


TO  A  SINNER  IN  THE  WORD  OE  GRACE.  275 

1.  The  word  of  the  law  goes  before  the  word  of  grace  to  the  sin- 
ner. Zaccheus  got  a  piercing  look,  before  he  got  the  word  of  grace. 
The  holy  law  glances  into  the  dark  soul,  and  awakens  it :  the  Sinai 
lightnings  lighten  the  sinner  who  was  going  on  in  darkness,  and 
give  him  a  broad  view  of  the  holiness  of  God,  the  spirituality  of  the 
law,  the  sinfulness  of  his  life,  heart,  and  nature,  Psal.  1.  21.  "  These 
things  hast  thou  done,  and  I  kept  silence  (says  God  to  the  sinner) : 
thou  thoughtest  that  T  Avas  altogether  such  a  one  as  thyself:  but  I 
will  reprove  thee,  and  set  them  in  order  before  thine  eyes."  The 
word  of  grace  is  not  valid  without  this  previous  eft'ect  of  the  law. 

2.  The  sinner  begins  to  fear  a  design  of  ruin  upon  him.  There- 
fore the  law  is  called  the  ministration  of  death,  2  Cor.  iii.  7.  The 
prodigal  presently  cries,  /  pcvish.  Guilt  lying  on  the  conscience 
stings,  and  makes  secret  whispers  within  the  man's  breast,  that  fill 
him  with  jealousies  of  a  design  in  heaven  for  his  destruction,  as  we 
find  in  the  case  of  the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness,  Numb.  xvii.  10, 
12.  "  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses,  Bring  Aaron's  rod  again,  be- 
fore the  testimony,  to  be  kept  for  a  token  against  the  rebels ;  and 
thou  shalt  quite  take  away  their  murmurings  from  me,  that  they  die 
not.  And  the  children  of  Israel  spake  unto  Moses,  saying.  Behold, 
we  die,  we  perish,  we  all  perish."  And  this  may  haunt  the  man 
like  a  ghost  many  a  day;  and  can  hardly  miss  to  do  so,  after  an 
awakening,  till  the  soul  come  to  Christ  by  believing. 

3.  The  Lord  sends  the  gospel  to  the  fearful  jealous  sinner.  That 
is  the  word  of  grace,  wherein  Christ's  love  and  good-will  to  self-de- 
stroying sinners  is  held  forth.  And  it  is  a  i)roper  mean  to  cure  the 
sinner  of  his  secret  jealousies  of  him,  and  to  bring  him  to  believe  his 
good-will  towards  him.  There  he  is  represented  as  Saviour  of  the 
world  by  office,  and  consequently  as  his  Saviour,  1  John  iv.  14.  We 
have  seen  and  do  testify,  says  the  apostle,  that  the  Father  sent  the  Son 
to  he  the  Saviour  of  the  ivorld  ;  an  endearing,  heart-quieting  charac- 
ter :  the  good  design  of  his  coming  in  that  character,  John  xii.  47- 
I  came  not  to  judge  the  luorld,  but  to  save  the  luorld :  and  of  his  Fa- 
ther's sending  him,  John  iii.  17.  For  God  sent  not  his  Son  into  the 
world  to  condemn  the  world  ;  but  that  the  world  through  him,  might  be 
saved:  his  good-will  to  the  work  of  their  salvation,  1  Tim.  ii.  3,  4. 
"  For  this  is  good  and  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God  our  Saviour ; 
who  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved,  and  to  come  unto  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth."  Yea,  there  down-right  promises  of  life  and  salvation 
to  sinners  indefinitely  are  held  forth  as  Christ's  legacies  left  them  to 
be  enjoyed  by  believing  and  applying  them;  hence  says  the  apostle, 
Heb.  iv.  1.  "Let  us  fear,  lest  a  promise  being  left  us  of  entering 
into  his  rest,  any  of  you  should  seem  to  come  short  of  it."     Nay,  the 


276  THE  HAPPY  EFFECT  OP  CHRIST's  GOOD-WILL 

benefits  contained  in  these  promises  are  declared  to  be  so  far  tlieirs, 
that  they  may  come  to  Christ  as  their  own  Savionr,  and  take  posses- 
sion of  them  by  faith,  as  their  own  mercies,  1  John  y.  11.  This  is 
the  record,  that  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life :  and  this  life  is  in  his 
Son. 

4.  The  Lord  makes  the  word  of  grace  touch  the  sinner's  parti- 
cular case.  The  blessed  words  of  the  gospel  holding  in  general  to 
the  man,  are  like  so  many  arrows  flying  over  his  head  :  he  thinks 
they  may  be  very  trne  to  others,  but  he  finds  them  not  directed  to 
him  ;  and  the  good-will  in  them,  he  thinks,  is  to  others,  but  not  to 
him.  At  length  the  word  touches  his  particular  case,  as  surely  as 
if  such  a  word  had  been  put  in  the  bible  just  for  him,  or  as  if  the 
minister  had  known  his  case,  and  were  speaking  just  to  him.  Zac- 
cheus,  says  Christ;  he  names  him  as  if  they  had  been  acquainted. 
Hence  the  spouse  relates  in  her  case,  Cant.  iii.  3,  4,  "  The  watch- 
men that  go  about  the  city  found  me  :  to  whom  I  said,  Saw  ye  him 
whom  my  soul  loveth  ?  It  was  but  a  little  that  I  passed  from  them, 
but  I  found  him  whom  my  soul  loveth."  Thus  the  sinner  perceives 
that  Christ  has  something  to  say  to  him. 

5.  Lastly,  The  Lord  opens  and  applies  the  word  of  grace  secretly 
to  the  sinner  in  particular,  though  it  be  spoken  to  all  in  general ; 
which  is  as  it  were  an  internal  word.  This  is  called  the  demonstra- 
tion of  the  Spirit,  1  Cor.  ii.  4.  Christ  breathes  grace  and  good-will 
to  sinners  in  the  gospel :  but  they  cannot  perceive  it,  men  cannot 
make  them  see  it :  but  the  Spirit  demonstrates  it  to  them  power- 
fully. He  shines  on  the  word  of  the  grace  of  the  gospel,  and  illus- 
trates it,  on  the  dark  mind  of  the  sinner,  and  illuminates  it,  so  that 
he  sees  that  word  of  grace  and  the  good-will  in  it  is  really  to 
him  in  particular,  and  firmly  believes  it,  ver.  5.  the  Spirit  with  the 
word  attesting  the  good-will  of  Christ  to  the  sinner  in  the  word  of 
his  grace.  Thus  the  same  Spirit,  who  before  applied  the  doctrine  of 
the  law  to  the  sinner  in  particular,  for  his  conviction,  applies  the 
gospel  to  him  in  particular,  to  bring  him  to  Christ  by  faith.  And 
the  effect  of  it  is,  he  believes  the  gospel  with  a  particular  applica- 
tion of  the  grace  and  good-will  in  it  to  himself,  howbeit  it  may  be 
attended  with  doubts  and  fears  still,  Mark  is.  24.  Lord,  I  believe  ; 
help  thou  mine  unbelief.  But  the  faith  of  Christ's  good-will  to  the 
sinner  is  so  far  above  the  doubts  of  it,  that  it  hales  the  sinner  down 
from  all  his  heights  to  Jesus  Christ  and  this  is  his  free  grace,  to  ven- 
ture his  all  there. 

II.  I  proceed  to  consider  the  Lord's  haling  down  the  sinner  from 
his  heights  to  himself  by  his  word  of  grace  :  which  we  may  take  up 
in  these  four  things. 


TO  A  SINNER  IN  THE  WORD  OF  GRACE.  277 

1.  The  soul  is  humbled  by  it,  and  tumbled  down  to  the  dust  of 
Christ's  feet.     And  this  appears  in  these  things. 

(1.)  The  soul  finds  it  has  nothing  but  the  grace  and  good- will  of 
Christ,  left  to  it,  to  trust  to  now,  either  for  a  rest  to  the  conscience 
or  to  the  heart.  All  its  law-righteousness,  all  its  big  expectations 
of  satisfaction  from  the  creature,  tumble  down  like  a  shooting  brae 
under  its  feet,  Jer,  xvi.  19.  The  Gentiles,  says  the  prophet,  shall  come 
unto  thee  from  the  ends  of  the  earth,  and  shall  say,  Surely  our  fathers 
have  inherited  lies,  vanity,  and  things  wherein  there  is  no  profit. 

(2.)  The  soul  sees  its  utter  unworthiuess  of  Clirist  and  liis  grace, 
that  it  has  nothing  to  commend  it  to  him,  Matth.  viii.  8.  Lord,  says 
the  centurion  to  Christ,  /  am  not  tuorthy  that  thou  shouldst  come  under 
my  roof;  and  wonders  at  the  matchless  freedom  of  grace  to  such  a 
wretched  creature.  The  glory  of  Christ  and  of  his  grace  and  good- 
will shines  so  bright,  that  it  sinks  the  sinner  to  nothing  in  his  own 
eyes. 

(3.)  The  soul  is  content  of  Christ  on  any  terms,  and  with  Paul 
says,  Lord,  u'hat  ivilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?  Acts  ix.  6.  The  man  used 
to  be  off  and  on  with  Christ  before ;  he  would  be  his  on  such  terms, 
but  not  on  such  terms :  but  all  the  exceptions  and  reserves  are 
thrown  by  now,  and  now  he  would  have  Christ  and  his  grace  at  any 
rate. 

2.  The  soul  is  drawn  by  it,  John  xii.  32.  L,  if  L  he  lifted  up  from 
the  earth,  will  draiv  cdl  men  unto  me.  There  is  grace  in  the  Media- 
tor's lips,  heavenly  oratory  which  the  sinner  can  no  more  resist. 
His  former  backwardness  is  killed  with  Christ's  good-will  appearing 
in  the  word  of  grace  :  he  is  a  captive  to  the  love  of  Christ. 

3.  The  soul  is  impressed  with  divine  authority  by  it,  requiring  it 
to  believe  on  Christ,  1  John  iii.  23.  This  is  his  commandment.  That 
we  shoidd  believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  The  sinner  sees 
glorious  Christ  held  forth  to  him  in  that  word,  and  feels  not  only 
upon  his  heart  the  weight  of  absolute  need  pressing  him  forward,  but 
also  upon  his  conscience  the  weight  of  the  authority  of  heaven 
pressing  him  forward  ;  and  as  by  the  former  he  may  not,  by  the 
latter  he  dare  not  but  embrace  him,  over  the  belly  of  felt  unworthi- 
uess. 

4.  Lastly,  The  soul  is  hastened  by  it  to  Christ,  Psal.  Ixviii.  31. 
Ethiopia  shall  soon  stretch  out  her  hands  unto  God.  The  sinner  puts 
off  not  a  moment  longer,  but  comes  freely  away  to  Christ,  like  water 
that  has  got  a  free  vent,  Is.  ii.  2.  All  nations  shall  flow  unto  it. 
The  soul  lets  go  all  its  other  holds,  and  casts  itself  on  the  Mediator's 
grace  and  good-will  in  the  word  of  grace  for  all,  and  holds  by  that, 

Vol.  V.  T 


278  THE  UAPPT  EFFECT  OF  CHRIST's  GOOD-WILL 

resolved  never  to  let  that  hold  go.  Thus  Christ  and  the  sinner 
meet. 

I  come  now  to  apply  this  in  an  use  of  exhortation,  in  two 
branches. 

First,  If  ever  ye  would  have  union  and  communion  with  Christ, 
discern  now  and  believe  the  grace  and  good-will  of  Christ  towards 
you  in  particular,  in  the  word  of  his  grace  which  he  is  sending  you 
this  day,  viz.  the  gospel.  Do  not  think  that  he  is  overlooking  you, 
however  sinful  and  miserable  your  case  is  ;  but  open  your  eyes  and 
see,  and  believe  him  breathing  grace  and  good-will  to  you  in  parti- 
cular. 

Object.  What  warrant  have  I  to  believe  Christ's  good-will  to  me. 
who  am  a  poor  unholy  creature  ?  Ans.  If  ye  were  holy,  sanctified 
by  faith,  you  might  believe  not  only  his  good-will  to,  but  compla- 
cency in  you.  But  as  it  is,  you  have  a  warrant  to  believe  his  good- 
will to  you,  since  he  is  holding  out  himself  to  you  to  be  believed  on 
as  one  \fho  justijies  the  ungodly,  Rom.  iv.  5.  washes  the  unclean  in 
his  own  blood,  seeks  and  saves  the  lost. 

1.  I  ask  you.  Are  ye  not  warranted  to  believe  the  gospel?  Mark 
i.  16.  Can  ye  believe  the  gospel,  and  not  believe  Christ's  grace  and 
good- will  to  sinners  of  mankind  ?  Surely  not ;  for  it  is  the  word  of 
his  grace.  Then  I  ask,  Can  ye  think  ye  are  not  required  to  believe 
more  than  devils  believe  ?  they  believe  the  gospel  in  the  general,  and 
Christ's  good-will  to  sinners  of  mankind,  but  not  to  them  :  and  this  is 
that  which  fills  them  with  rage  against  him  and  them.  Therefore 
ye  are  required  to  believe  it  with  particular  application  to  your- 
selves, namely,  Christ's  good-will  to  you. 

2.  The  venom  of  unbelief  lies  in  making  God  a  liar,  not  believ- 
ing the  record  that  God  hath  given  of  his  Son,  1  John  v.  10.  But 
the  most  desperate  unbelievers  believe  Christ's  good-will  to  sinners 
in  general,  but  not  to  them  in  particular :  therefore  Christ's  good- 
will to  them  in  particular  is  a  truth,  and  it  is  their  crying  sin  and 
ruin  that  they  will  not  believe  it. 

3.  It  is  impossible  to  believe  on  Christ  for  salvation,  unless  we  be- 
lieve his  good-will  to  us  in  particular ;  therefore  since  ye  are  war- 
ranted for  the  one,  John  iii.  16.  ye  are  for  the  other. 

Object.  But  how  is  it  possible  for  me  to  see  Christ's  good  will  to 
to  me,  seeing  I  can  neither  look  into  his  heart,  nor  into  the  decree 
of  election  ?  Ans.  How  do  you  see  an  honest  man's  good-will  to 
you,  since  you  cannot  look  into  his  heart,  nor  see  what  thoughts  he 
had  towards  you  when  you  were  in  the  womb  ?  Do  you  not  see  it 
in  his  words  and  carriage  to  you  ?  So  you  may  see  Christ's  good 
will  to  you  in  his  word  of  grace  and  dealing  with  you.     He  declares 


TO  A  SINNER  IN  THE  WORD  OF  GRACE.  279 

he  came  to  save  the  world,  John  xii.  47.  consequently  to  save  you  who 
are  of  that  society.  Is  not  that  good-will  to  you  ? — to  save  that  which 
luas  lost,  Luke  xix.  10.  and  you  are  lost.  He  is  come  in  the  cha- 
racter of  Saviour  of  the  world,  1  John  iv.  14.  and  therefore  he  is 
become  your  Saviour.  He  holds  out  to  you  his  righteousness,  his 
promise  to  be  believed  on  by  you  for  your  salvation.  Is  not  that 
good-will  ? 

Object.  But  there  is  not  a  word  of  me  in  particular  in  the  gospel. 
Ans.  There  is  just  as  much  of  you  in  particular  in  the  promise  of 
of  the  gospel,  as  there  is  in  the  curse  of  the  law.  John  iii,  16,  "  God 
so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only-begotten  Son,  that  whoso- 
ever believeth  in  him,  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life," 
is  a  proposition  as  universal  as  Gal.  iii.  10,  "  Cursed  is  every  one 
that  continueth  not  in  all  things  which  are  written  in  the  book  of 
the  law  to  do  them."  But  the  natural  conscience  of  sin  helps  to  be- 
lieve the  latter,  but  makes  it  hard  to  believe  the  former. 

Object.  But  there  is  one  thing  I  can  never  get  over,  and  when  I 
would  be  most  serious,  then  it  is  sure  to  be  upon  me  :  so  I  think  the 
Lord  has  even  left  it  to  be  a  secret  sign  that  he  has  no  good-will 
to  me,  and  that  I  must  perish  in  the  end.  Atis.  If  that  thing  be 
the  burden  of  your  soul,  as  it  seems  to  be,  you  will  be  making 
recourse  to  Christ's  blood  and  Spirit  against  it ;  and  though  you 
lose  many  battles,  you  will  certainly  be  victorious  in  the  war.  See 
the  case  of  the  apostle  Paul,  Rom.  vii.  21,  24,  25.  "  I  find  a  law, 
that  when  I  would  do  good  evil  is  present  with  me.  0  wretched  man 
that  I  am  !  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?  I 
thank  God,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  The  evil  design  of  the 
divine  dispensation  in  leaving  it,  is  a  malicious  insinuation  of  the 
serpent,  Matth.  xxv.  24.  to  discredit  the  gospel.  But  the  gospel 
gives  you  an  honourable  account  of  it,  2  Cor.  xii.  8,  9.  "  For  this 
thing  I  besought  the  Lord  thrice,  (says  Paul)  that  it  might  depart 
from  me.  And  he  said  unto  me.  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee  :  for 
my  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weakness."  To  see  a  poor  creature 
maintaining  an  obstinate  battle  with  the  serpent,  after  many  a  fall 
rising  with  the  tear  in  his  eye,  and  falling  to  it  again,  declares  the 
power  of  grace  more  than  his  going  with  an  even-up  back  during  the 
chaining  of  the  enemy,  would  do. 

Secondly,  If  ever  ye  would  have  union  and  communion  with 
Christ,  come  down  then  from  your  heights,  and  receive  Christ  brea- 
thing good-will  to  you,  trusting  on  his  grace  and  good-will  in  the 
word  for  your  salvation.     And, 

1.  Come  down  from  the  height  of  your  expectations  from  the  law, 

t2 


280  THE  HAPPY  EFFECT  OF  CHIIIST's  QOOn-WLLlj,  ETC. 

your  ovm  righteousness,  whatever  ye  can  do  or  suffer :   and  receive 
Christ  for  righteousness,  for  a  rest  to  your  conscience. 

2.  Come  down  from  the  height  of  your  expectations  from  the  crea- 
ture, and  receive  Christ  for  a  rest  to  your  lieart. 

3.  Lastly/,  Come  down  from  the  height  of  your  jealousies  of  Christ, 
by  which  ye  are  climbing  up  to  heaven  presumptuously,  and  breaking 
in  to  God's  secret  things,  and  receive  Christ  who  is  down  here  in  his 
word  of  grace,  breathing  good-will  to  you.  Hearken  to  what  the 
apostle  says,  "  The  righteousness  which  is  of  faith  speaketh  on  this 
wise.  Say  not  in  thine  heart.  Who  shall  ascend  into  heaven  ?  (that 
is,  to  bring  Christ  down  from  above) :  or,  Who  shall  descend  into 
the  deep  ?  (that  is,  to  bring  up  Christ  again  from  the  dead).  But 
what  saith  it  ?  The  word  is  nigh  thee,  even  in  thy  mouth,  and  in 
thy  heart :  that  is,  the  word  of  faith  which  we  preach,"  Rom.  x.  6, 
7,  8.  Make  haste  down,  or  ye  will  fall  headlong  into  the  pit  ;•  for 
the  law  will  not  bear  your  weight,  the  creature  will  fail  you,  and 
the  sheet  of  the  gosi)el,  wherein  Christ's  grace  and  good-will  to  you 
is  spread  out,  will  be  drawn  up  to  heaven,  and  ye  will  see  no  more 
of  it  for  ever. 


THE 

DISTINGUISHING     CHARACTERS 

OF 

TRUE    BELIEVERS. 

XI.   IN  RELATION  TO  THEIR  ENTERINa  INTO  REST  IN  CHRIST.* 


Hebrews  iv.  3. 
For  tue  tvhich  have  believed  do  enter  into  rest. 

Our  Lord  Jesus  has  been  inviting  you  to  come  to  him  by  believing, 
and  many  have  professed  to  give  him  the  hand.  Here  is  a  touch- 
stone whereby  ye  may  try,  whether  ye  have  believed  indeed  or  not : 
For  we  which  have  believed  do  enter  into  rest. 

In  ver.  1.  the  apostle  had  exhorted  the  Hebrews  to  take  heed  and 
fear  lest  they  missed  or  fell  short  of  the  blessed  rest,  of  which  they 
had  the  promise  left  them  in  the  gosjiel.  This  he  enforceth  from 
this  consideration,  that  they  were  in  the  same  state  with  respect  to 
it,  as  the  ancient  Israelites  to  Canaan.  On  the  one  hand,  as  the 
Israelites  had  the  promise  of  Canaan,  but  lost  it  through  their  not 
believing  the  promise,  ver.  2 ;  so  we  have  the  gospel,  the  promise  of 
the  spiritual  rest ;  but  if  we  believe  not,  we  will  never  enter  into  it, 
but  fall  as  the  body  of  Israel  in  the  wilderness.  On  the  other 
hand,  as  Caleb  and  Joshua  who  believed  the  promise  of  Canaan,  did 
enter  into  it ;  so  we  believers  do  enter  into  the  spiritual  rest.  Thus 
you  see  the  connection  of  the  text  with  the  two  preceding  verses. 

In  the  words  we  have  two  things  to  be  considered. 

1.  A  sweet  experience  declared.  We  do  enter  into  rest.  It  is  an 
experience  of  a  si)iritual  and  heavenly  benefit ;  whereof  Caleb  and 
Joshua's  experience  was  the  type.  Josh.  xix.     And  here  consider, 

(1.)  The  benefit  experienced;  that  is,  res*.     Rest  is  a  sweet  thing, 

*  The  sermons  ou  this  subject  were  preached  at  Ettrick,  begun  June  18,  1727,  tho 
Lord's  day  immediately  following  the  administration  of  the  Lord's  supper  there. 

T  3 


282  BELIEVERS  ENTERING  INTO  REST  IN  CHRIST. 

as  all  weary  labourers  do  know.  But  of  all  rest,  soul-rest  is  the 
sweetest :  and  sucli  is  this.  The  rest  here  meant  is  the  rest  held 
forth  in  the  promise  of  the  gospel,  ver.  1,  2.  And  if  ye  ask  where 
it  is  found  ?  it  is  not  in  heaven  only,  for  the  believer  enters  into  it 
now  :  but  it  is  in  Christ,  whether  in  earth  or  heaven.  This  appears 
from  the  sinner's  entering  into  it  by  faith,  the  nature  of  the  rest, 
ver.  10.  the  apostle's  opposing  believers'  partaking  of  Christ,  to 
unbelievers'  losing  their  part  in  Canaan,  chap.  iii.  14.  and  is  agree- 
able to  the  promise  of  the  gospel,  Matth.  xi.  28.  "  Come  unto  me,  all 
ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest." 

(2.)  The  experience  of  that  benefit.  We  do  enter.  He  says  not, 
We  shall  enter,  viz.  at  death  ;  but  in  the  present  time,  We  do  enter. 
The  believer's  rest  is  not  altogether  put  off  to  another  life.  It  is 
not  complete  indeed,  till  we  come  to  heaven  ;  but  it  is  begun  here, 
we  are  entering  into  it,  and  do  enter.  And  the  very  entrance  of 
the  rest  is  sweet. 

2.  The  parties  in  whose  name  this  experience  is  declared.  We 
which  have  believed,  viz.  in  Christ.  Unbelievers  still  remain  in  their 
restless  condition,  but  faith  in  Christ  lays  the  soul  to  rest.  Christ 
is  the  resting-place  of  poor  sinners :  and  faith  uniting  the  soul  to 
Christ,  the  soul  enters  into  rest  in  him. 

The  words  afford  the  following  doctrine. 

DocT.  They  who  have  truly  believed  in  Christ,  do  enter  into  rest 
in  him. 

Here  I  shall, 

I.  Shew  who  they  are  that  have  truly  believed. 

II.  Consider  the  entering  of  those  that  have  believed  into  rest  in 
Jesus  Christ. 

III.  Apply  the  whole. 

I.  I  am  to  shew  who  they  are  that  have  truly  believed.  I  am  not 
here  to  enter  on  the  nature  of  faith  at  large  :  only  with  a  view  to 
the  gospel-message  sent  you  last  day,  I  am  to  shew  who  have  be- 
lieved in  two  particulars. 

First,  They  who  have  believed,  have  believed  the  grace  and  good 
will  of  Christ  to  them  in  particular,  held  forth  in  his  word  of  grace 
to  them,  viz.  a  good-will  to  save  them  from  sin  and  wrath.  Behold 
the  echo  of  the  believing  soul  to  the  word  of  grace,  2  Tim.  i.  15. 
"  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ 
Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners ;  of  whom  I  am  chief." 
Christ  has  been  at  much  pains  to  shew  his  good-will  to  you  and 
every  one  of  you  in  particular :  I  ask  you,  Do  ye  now  believe  it  ? 
or  are  ye  not  as  yet  convinced  of  it  ?  There  are  three  sorts  of  un- 
believers in  this  point. 


BELIEVERS  ENTERING  INTO  REST  IN  CHRIST.  283 

1.  Those  wlio  do  not  believe  what  the  gospel  holds  ont  as  good-will, 
to  be  good-will  to  them.  Such  unbelievers  are  all  carnally  secure 
sinners,  unwilling  to  part  with  their  lusts  ;  Jer.  ii.  25.  "  Thou  saidst, 
There  is  no  hope.  No,  for  I  have  loved  strangers,  and  after  them 
will  I  go."  If  Christ  in  his  gospel  should  shew  a  good-will  to  make 
them  healthy,  and  wealthy,  and  well  in  the  world,  they  could  be- 
lieve that  to  be  good-will  to  them :  or  if  he  could  restrict  his  good- 
will to  the  keeping  them  out  of  hell,  when  they  die.  But  all  that  is 
said  of  good-will  to  them  otherwise,  they  look  on  as  idle  tales,  Psal. 
iv.  6.  And  so  they  ti'eat  as  airy  notions,  what  they  have  no  heart 
for,  Prov.  xvii.  16.  Nay,  when  they  look  on  it  in  earnest,  they 
take  it  for  ill-will,  to  rob  them  of  what  they  have  most  delight  in, 
Rom.  vii.  7-  Because  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God  ;  for  it 
is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be.  Gal.  iv. 
16.  "  Am  I  therefore  become  your  enemy,  because  I  tell  you  the 
truth  ?" 

2.  Those  who  do  not  believe  the  grace  and  good-will  of  Christ  to 
them  to  be  pure  grace  and  good-will.  Such  unbelievers  are  all  un- 
humbled  souls  :  they  have  never  got  a  true  sight  of  their  own  ex- 
ceeding sinfulness  and  utter  unworthiness  ;  so  it  is  easy  for  them  to 
believe  Christ's  good-will  to  them,  for  they  never  saw  any  difficulty 
in  that.  How  shall  I  put  thee  among  the  childi^en  ?  But  then  it  is  not 
grace  and  good-will,  but  due  good-will  to  them,  that  they  believe  : 
and  that  is  not  divine  faith,  Rom.  iv.  4,  5,  16.  wrought  by  the  Spirit. 

3.  Those  who  do  see  their  own  sinfulness,  that  they  cannot  see 
nor  believe  Christ's  grace  and  good-will  to  them.  Such  unbelievers 
are  awakened  sinners,  on  whom  the  law  has  its  effect,  but  not  the 
gospel,  Isa.  liii.  4.  They  have  a  jealousy  of  Christ  reigning  in  them, 
that  they  cannot  believe  that  ever  his  heart  can  be  towards  them. 
And  so  however  they  may  believe  the  truth  of  the  gospel  as  to 
others,  they  believe  it  not  with  respect  to  themselves. 

Now  all  these  are  unbelievers,  who  have  not  entered  into  rest, 
but  continue  restless.  They  do  not  believe  the  gospel,  receive  not 
Christ's  testimony,  John  iii.  32.  make  God  a  liar,  1  John  v.  10,  11. 
They  go  no  farther  in  their  belief  of  the  gospel  than  devils,  Mark 
i.  24,  25. 

Quest.  By  what  characters  may  they  be  known,  who  have  be- 
lieved in  this  point  ? 

Ans.  1.  They  have  believed  Christ's  grace  and  good-will  to  them, 
over  the  belly  of  staring  guilt,  and  felt  unworthiness,  Luke  xv.  18. 
Convinced  that  the  Lord  would  have  been  just,  and  done  them  no 
wrong,  to  have  set  himself  against  them  for  ever ;  they  have  yet  be- 
lieved his  unhired  good-will  to  them  held  forth  in  his  word  of  grace . 
so  their  faith  stands  on  the  foot  of  mere  grace,  pure  grace. 


284  BELIEVERS  ENTERING  INTO  REST  IN  CHRIST, 

2.  They  have  believed  his  grace  and  good-will  towards  the  draw- 
ing thera  out  of  the  miry  clay  of  their  sinfulness,  as  well  as  out 
from  the  rolling  waves  of  guilt,  the  curse,  and  eternal  wrath.  For 
this  is  the  good-will  of  Christ  testified  in  the  gospel,  ]\Iatth.  i.  21. 
He  shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins  ;  and  faith  believes  that  good- 
will as  held  forth  in  the  gospel.  So  they  reckon  it  good-will  to 
them,  that  they  may  be  made  holy,  that  the  power  of  sin  be  broken 
in  them,  and  believe  such  a  good-will  to  them  in  Christ  .Tesus. 
They  would  as  fain  be  sanctified,  as  one  would  be  freed  from  his 
running  sores,  and  believe  the  great  Physician's  good-will  to  their 
cure,  Micah  vii.  19.  "  Ue  will  turn  again,  he  will  have  compassion 
upon  us :  he  will  subdue  our  iniquities  :  and  thou  wilt  cast  all  their 
sins  into  the  depths  of  the  sea." 

3.  The  only  foundation  of  their  belief  of  it,  is  the  faithfulness  of 
God  in  his  word  of  grace,  Gal.  iii.  2.  "  This  only  would  I  learn  of 
you.  Received  ye  the  Spirit  by  the  works  of  the  law,  or  by  the  hear- 
ing of  faith  ?"  They  see  so  much  of  their  own  vileness,  that  if  men 
or  angels  had  said  it,  they  could  not  have  believed  it :  but  because 
they  see  God  himself  has  said  it,  they  cannot  but  believe  it.  The 
Spirit  of  God  has  demonstrated  to  them  Christ's  good-will  in  the 
word  of  the  gospel,  and  that  that  word  is  God's  own  word  :  so  they 
are  overcome  into  a  belief  of  it.  So  the  word  of  the  gospel  is  the 
anchor  of  their  souls,  which  they  hold  by  alone,  whatever  waves 
come  on  them  to  beat  thera  off  from  that  their  belief. 

4.  Lastly,  They  have  betaken  themselves  to  the  grace  and  good- 
will of  Christ  in  his  word  of  grace,  and  laid  all  their  weight  over 
upon  it.  "Whatever  jealousies  of  Christ's  good-will  were  hanging 
about  them,  proceeding  from  conscience  of  guilt,  and  Satan's  subtile 
insinuations  ;  they  have  broke  through  them  all,  and  cast  themselves 
into  the  arms  of  free  grace,  Mark  ix.  34.     This  brings  to 

The  Second  particular.  They  who  have  believed,  have  believed  on 
Christ  as  their  own  Saviour  for  life  and  salvation  to  them.  Acts 
XV.  11.  "  We  believe  that,  through  the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  we  shall  be  saved."  Thus  believing  the  Son,  and  believing 
on  the  Son,  believing  the  gospel,  and  receiving  and  resting  on 
Christ,  are  inseparably  connected,  John  iii.  36.  "  He  that  believeth 
on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life  :  and  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son, 
shall  not  see  life."  They  who  believe  the  gospel,  testifying  Christ's 
grace  and  good-will  to  them  in  particular,  cannot  but  receive  and 
rest  on  Christ  breathing  that  good-will  towards  them ;  as  you  see 
was  exemplified  in  Zaccheus,  Luke  xix.  6.  He  made  haste,  and  came 
down,  and  received  him  joyfully.  Their  reigning  jealousy  being  cured 
by  their  faith  of  the  word  of  his  grace,  they  cannot  but  throw  them- 
selves into  the  arms  of  his  grace,  and  embrace  him  as  their  all. 


BELIEVERS  ENTERING  INTO  REST  IN  CHRIST.  285 

This  believing  lies  precisely  in  trusting  on  him  as  our  Saviour  : 
the  sinner  trusting  to  the  report  of  his  good- will  to  him,  trusts  on 
hira  accordingly  for  all,  Is.  xxvi.  4.  Psal.  ii.  ult.     And  so  he, 

1.  Commits  himself  to  hira,  as  one  doth  quietly  commit  himself  to 
an  able  person,  whose  good-will  to  him  he  believes,  Psal.  x.  14.  The 
poor  committeth  himself  unto  thee,  Heb.  leaves  upon  thee.  The  sinner 
sees  his  case  in  itself  to  be  desperate,  but  hearing  of  the  Saviour  able 
to  save  to  the  uttermost,  and  believing  his  good-will  to  him,  com- 
mits and  rolls  himself  on  him. 

2.  He  expects  salvation  from  him  according  to  the  word  of  his 
grace.  Acts  xv.  11.  forecited.  For  the  gospel  is  a  promise  held 
forth  to  sinners  to  be  believed,  a  promise  of  life  and  salvation,  Heb. 
iv.  1 ;  and  faith  trusting  the  promise,  expects  the  accomplishment 
of  it. 

And  the  sinner  believing  on  Christ,  betakes  himself  to  him  only, 
wholly,  and  for  ever. 

(1.)  He  renounces  utterly  all  expectations  of  rest  to  his  conscience 
from  the  law,  and  betakes  himself  to  a  crucified  Clirist  for  it,  Phil, 
iii.  3.  All  his  doings  and  sufferings  are  quitted  in  point  of  confi- 
dence in  them  before  the  Lord ;  and  he  lays  his  weight  allenarly  on 
the  blood  and  righteousness  of  Christ.  The  infinity  of  the  person 
persuades  him  of  the  efficacy  of  these  for  acceptance,  and  the  word 
of  promise  satisfies  him  of  Christ's  good-will  to  ai)ply  them  to  him. 

(2.)  He  renounces  utterly  all  expectations  of  rest  to  his  heart 
from  the  world,  and  his  lusts,  and  betakes  himself  to  a  full  Christ 
for  it,  Jer.  xvi.  19.  The  world  has  aj^peared  vain  and  empty,  it 
has  given  the  man  many  disappointments,  and  he  will  trust  it  no 
more ;  he  says.  There  is  no  hope  from  that  quarter.  His  sinful 
lusts  have  appeared  deceitful ;  looking  for  a  rest  in  them,  he  has 
found  himself  as  among  lions'  dens,  and  on  mountains  of  lepords. 
"Wherefore  he  takes  Christ  for  a  rest  to  his  restless  heart,  for  all 
and  instead  of  all :  Psal.  Ixxiii.  25.  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven 
but  thee  ?  and  there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I  desire  besides 
thee." 

Thus  the  sinner  believing  does  enter  into  rest,  rests  in  Christ 
as  his  choice,  never  to  make  another  choice,  to  take  any  person  or 
thing  in  his  stead ;  rests  in  him  as  a  complete  portion,  sensible  that 
there  in  enough  in  him  to  make  him  happy. 

II.  I  shall  consider  the  entering  of  those  that  have  believed  into 
rest  in  Jesus  Christ.     And  herein  I  shall  shew, 

1.  "What  is  supposed  in  that  those  who  have  believed  do  enter 
into  rest. 

2.  "What  is  that  rest  in  Christ  which  they  do  cuter  into. 


286  BELIEVERS  ENTERINO  INTO  REST  IN  CHRIST. 

3.  What  is  the  import  of  their  entering  into  that  rest  in  Christ. 

4.  How  the  soul  is  entered  into  rest  in  the  way  of  believing. 
First,  I  am  to  shew  what  is  supposed  in  that  those  who  have  be- 
lieved do  enter  into  rest. 

First,  Those  who  have  not  believed,  are  in  a  state  of  restlesness. 
Unbelievers  are  restless  creatures,  Is.  Ivii.  20.  Till  the  soul 
come  to  Christ,  it  can  never  get  true  rest :  one  may  take  rest  as  well 
on  the  top  of  a  mast,  as  get  it  in  an  ungodly,  unregenerate,  uncon- 
verted state.     Those  out  of  Christ  have, 

1.  A  restless  station,  an  insecure  standing,  Deut.  xxviii.  65,  66. 
"  And  among  these  nations  shalt  thou  find  no  ease,  neither  shall  the 
the  sole  of  thy  foot  have  rest :  but  the  Lord  shall  give  thee  there  a 
trembling  heart,  and  failing  of  eyes,  and  sorrow  of  mind.  And  thy 
life  shall  hang  in  doubt  before  thee,  and  thou  shalt  fear  day  and 
night,  and  shalt  have  none  assurance  of  thy  life."  It  is  by  faith 
only  that  one's  feet  come  to  be  set  on  a  rock.  Sinners  out  of  Christ 
are  like  those  who  are  standing  on  the  earth  quaking  under  them, 
like  those  who  are  leaning  on  a  broken  reed  :  for  how  can  they  have 
sure  footing,  who  are  lying  open  to  the  wrath  of  God,  and  are  every 
moment  in  hazard  of  dropping  into  the  pit  ?  John  iii.  tdt. 

2.  A  restless  labouring,  Matt.  xi.  28.  The  reigning  lusts  keep 
them  always  busy ;  for  they  have  many  mouths  to  feed,  many  task- 
masters to  please,  who  are  under  the  command  of  unmortified  lusts, 
Jer.  ix.  5.  They  have  hard  work  to  squeeze  their  satisfaction  out 
of  the  husks  of  the  empty  creation,  Hab.  ii.  13.  And  if  conscience 
is  awakened,  they  have  hard  labour,  in  the  fiery  region  of  the  law, 
to  keep  pace  with  it,  and  work  a  righteousness  in  which  they  may 
stand  before  a  just  God,  Rom.  x.  3.  It  is  a  restless  labouring,  for 
they  can  never  reach  the  end  of  their  work  ;  for  reigning  lusts  will 
never  cease  craving,  the  creature  will  never  satisfy,  nor  the  law 
justify. 

3.  A  restless  wandering.  God  is  the  place,  the  resting  place  of 
the  soul,  Psal.  xc.  1.  "  Lord,  thou  hast  been  our  dwelling-place  in 
all  generations."  Adam  and  all  his  posterity  in  him  left  this  place; 
so  the  soul  not  returned  to  God  by  Christ,  is  in  a  wandering  state, 
Prov.  xxvii.  8.     "  As  a  bird  that  wandereth  from  her  nest ; 

4.  A  restless  burden-bearing,  Matth.  xi.  28.  There  is  a  load  of 
guilt  on  them,  which  they  cannot  shake  oflf,  John  vii.  24 — of  servi- 
tude to  reigning  lusts,  which  they  cannot  free  themselves  of,  2  Tim. 
iii.  6. — of  law-duties  bound  on  them  under  tlie  pain  of  the  curse, 
while  it  has  no  promise  of  strength  wherewith  to  perform  them, 
which  they  can  neither  bear  nor  be  freed  from,  Gal.  iv.  24, — 26. — 
of  curses,  which  they  are  continually  increasing.  Gal.  iii.  10. — and 
of  wrath  lying  on  them,  John  iii.  ult.  and  heaped  up,  Rom.  ii.  5. 


BELIEVERS  ENTERING  INTO  REST  IN  CHRIST,  287 

5.  Lastly,  A  restless  eternal  state  abiding  them,  2  Thess.  i.  7,  8, 
9.  They  that  take  not  up  their  rest  in  Christ  now,  will  have  no  rest 
hereafter  :  for  their  worm  will  7iever  die,  nor  their  fire  he  quenched. 
As  they  have  no  solid  rest  in  this  world,  they  will  have  no  rest  at 
all  in  the  other  world. 

Secondly,  Restless  souls  may  be  laid  to  rest  in  Jesus  Christ,  Matt. 
xi,  28.  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour,  and  are  heavy  laden, 
and  I  will  give  you  rest,"  The  whole  race  of  mankind  being  put  off 
their  rest  by  Adam's  fall,  whoso  will  may  return  to  their  rest  in 
Christ,  by  him  returning  to  God.  For  the  rest  that  men  are  seek- 
ing, but  cannot  get  in  their  lusts,  in  the  creature,  and  in  the  law, 
may  be  found  in  Christ,  In  him  the  soul  may  sweetly  repose  itself; 
being  safe  fi'om  the  fear  of  evil,  and  having  all  in  him  to  answer  its 
needs. 

Lastly,  It  is  by  faith  the  restless  soul  is  laid  to  rest  in  Christ, 
Rom.  XV,  13.  "  Now  the  God  of  hope  fill  you  with  all  joy  and  peace 
in  believing."  The  word  was  i)ut  off,  and  is  kept  off  its  rest,  by  the 
disturbance  given  by  the  tempter :  he  goes  about,  and  will  let  none 
of  them  rest,  that  he  can  get  hindered.  God  has  sent  us  the  gospel, 
as  a  song  to  sing  poor  sinners  to  rest  in  a  Saviour,  Psal.  xxxvii.  7 ; 
and  it  is  so  efficacious  for  that  end,  that  all  that  hear  it  by  faith, 
are  really  led  to  rest  in  him,  though  they  had  been  raging  like  mad- 
men, as  Manasseh  and  Paul. 

Secondly,  I  proceed  to  show  what  is  that  rest  in  Christ,  which 
they  who  do  believe  enter  into.  It  is  twofold,  spiritual  and  hea- 
venly, initial  and  complete. 

First,  They  who  have  believed,  do  enter  into  spiritual  rest,  which 
is  their  initial  or  begun  rest.  Though  they  should  get  little  more 
rest  for  their  bodies,  till  they  rest  in  the  grave ;  they  enter  into 
soul-rest,  Matth.  xi.  39.  they  get  rest  for  their  souls  in  Christ.  And 
none  that  knows  what  soul-trouble  is,  but  they  will  value  it  more 
than  any  rest  out  of  heaven.     And  they  can  enter  iato, 

1.  A  rest  of  the  understanding.  The  mind  of  man  is  a  restless 
thing ;  and  though  it  is  always  seeking  and  searching,  it  can  never 
find  where  to  rest,  till  the  soul  come  to  Christ,  and  there  it  comes  to 
the  utmost  jjoint  and  so  rests.  Now,  the  minds  of  those  that  have 
believed,  do  enter  into, 

(1.)  A  rest  of  persuasion  and  assurance  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel, 
1  Thess.  i.  6,  "  Our  gospel  came  not  unto  you  in  word  only,  but  also 
in  power,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  in  much  assurance."  There 
is  a  root  of  Atheism  and  incredulity  in  the  minds  of  men  by  nature : 
the  gospel  is  brought  to  them,  but  they  cannot  believe  it,  Isa.  iii.  1. 
It  is  enforced  upoa  them  with  many  clear  arguments,  ready  to  cap- 


288  BELIEVERS  ENTERING  INTO  REST  IN  CHRIST. 

tivato  their  assent :  but  still  at  best  they  remain  fluctuating  about 
it ;  sometimes  they  are  almost  persuaded,  and  anon  the  vain  mind 
recoils.  Hence  they  are  here  and  there  in  their  resolutions,  course 
of  life,  &c.  Thus  they  remain  restless  in  their  minds  about  it,  till 
the  Spirit  demonstrating  it,  works  faith  in  them  :  and  then  they 
rest  assured  of  it,  as  of  what  they  see  and  feel. 

(2.)  A  rest  suflicient  to  make  men  happy.  The  whole  blind  world 
is  in  quest  of  that,  and  they  are  rambling  up  and  down  in  great  con- 
fusion seeking  it ;  while  they  know  not  where  it  is.  One  runs  to  the 
profits,  others  to  the  pleasures  of  the  world  for  it ;  but  can  never  find 
it  in  the  whole  round  of  creation  to  which  they  go  for  it.  But  Christ 
being  seen  by  an  eye  of  faith,  the  mind  is  at  rest  from  the  weary 
search  :  the  soul  has  found  the  one  pearl,  and  cries  out,  I  have 
found,  I  need  seek  no  farther,  John  i.  45 ;  here  is  enough  for  me. 

(3.)  A  rest  of  the  highest  estimation,  Psal.  Ixxiii.  25.  forecited. 
Natural  men  are  in  a  constant  hurry  this  way,  they  never  rest  in 
this  i)oint.  They  will  most  esteem  that  to-day,  which  they  will 
loath  and  think  very  little  oflT  to-morrow.  What  we  had  the  highest 
value  for  in  infancy,  we  care  not  for  in  childhood ;  in  childhood,  we 
despise  in  youth,  &c.  In  a  word,  natural  men  are  all  their  days 
like  children,  that  value  the  newest  toy  most.  But  when  men  be- 
lieve, the  highest  estimation  is  fixed  on  Christ,  1  Pet.  ii.  7.  Unto 
you  rvhich  believe  he  is  precious :  and  though  thousands  of  objects  come 
after  him,  he  preserves  his  transcendent  excellency  in  the  believer's 
eyes.  His  mind  is  at  rest  there,  though  the  greatest  hardships  come 
with  him,  their  highest  value  for  him  is  not  sunk. 

2.  A  rest  of  the  will.  The  will  is  a  restless  faculty  of  the  soul ; 
it  goes  hither  and  thither,  and  can  never  be  brought  to  rest,  till  the 
soul  comes  to  Christ.  Unstable  as  ivater,  may  be  its  motto,  for  what 
he  wills  to-day,  he  will  not  to-morrow.  But  the  will  of  those  who 
have  believed  doth  enter  into, 

(1.)  A  rest  of  full  liking  to  and  contentedness  with  Christ,  Psal. 
ex.  3.  Thy  people  shall  be  willing  in  the  day  of  thy  power.  The  unbe- 
liever never  saw  the  object  in  which  he  could  so  rest.  However 
pleased  he  was  with  it,  it  wanted  still  some  one  thing  or  other  to 
him  :  the  creature,  in  itself ;  and  Christ  himself,  with  respect  to 
their  mind.  Hence  he  could  never  find  rest  to  his  will.  But  they 
who  believe  do  enter  into  this  rest :  they  have  at  length  fallen  on 
an  object  that  fully  pleaseth  them  ;  there  is  nothing  in  him  which 
they  would  have  away,  and  there  is  nothing  out  of  him  that  they 
would  have  in.  Cant,  v  xdt.     He  is  altogether  lovely. 

(2.)  A  rest  of  chief  design  and  purpose,  namely,  so  partake  of 
Christ,  and  enjoy  God  in  him,  which  is  man's  chief  end,  Psal.  Ixxiii. 


BELIEVERS  ENTERING  INTO  REST  IN  CHRIST.  289^^ 

25.  Unbelievers  are  still  changing  their  pai'ticular  chief  designs, 
they  alter  their  minds  in  them,  and  cannot  rest :  but  faith  sets  the 
soul  to  rest  in  one  thing,  which  it  will  chiefly  pursue  while  breath 
lasts,  Psal.  xxvii.  4,  and  what  that  is,  the  apostle  tells,  Phil,  iii.  8, 
"  Tea  doubtless,  and  I  count  all  things  but  loss,  for  the  excellency  of 
the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord :  for  whom  I  have  suffered 
the  loss  of  all  things,  and  do  count  them  but  dung  that  I  may  win 
Christ." 

(3.)  A  rest  of  final  choice,  Psal.  Ixxiii.  25.  The  soul  that  is  out 
of  Christ  is  light  of  conceit,  and  given  to  changes  :  but  they  that 
have  made  their  choice,  and  closed  their  eyes  never  to  chuse  another, 
acquiescing  in  the  choice  of  Christ  for  a  portion.  Hence  they  deny 
ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  as  a  woman  espoused  to  a  husband 
can  no  more  admit  the  addresses  of  former  suitors.  Tit.  ii.  12,  13. 

3.  A  rest  of  the  conscience.  A  disturbed  conscience  is  a  heavy 
companion,  Prov.  xviii.  14.  and  there  is  no  sound  rest  for  it,  but  in 
Christ.  The  consciences  of  some  are  asleep,  yea  those  of  some  are 
seared ;  but  that  is  no  kindly  rest  for  them.  They  will  certainly 
be  awakened  sooner  or  later,  and  conscience  makes  some  frightful 
starts  in  that  sleep.  The  awakened  conscience  smarts  sore  as  by  a 
deep  wound,  Acts  ii.  37-  and  that  wound's  becoming  incurable,  is  the 
gnawing  worm  in  hell.  The  first  way  men  go  for  rest  in  this  case  is 
to  the  law,  making  a  healing  plaister  of  their  duties  to  apply  to 
their  sore  :  but  there  is  no  I'est  there,  the  thunder  of  its  curses  being 
redoubled.  But  the  consciences  of  those  who  have  believed,  do 
enter  into, 

(1.)  A  rest  of  ease,  Rom.  xv.  13.  The  soul  that  was  in  a  storm 
before,  comes  to  enjoy  a  calm  by  believing,  just  according  to  the 
measure  of  believing.  In  the  awakened  fired  conscience,  guilt  fer- 
ments, and  casts  it  into  a  fever  ;  by  believing  the  soul  gets  the  con- 
science purged,  Heb.  ix.  14.  and  so  there  is  a  cool  of  that  fever, 
chap.  X.  2.     Faith  brings  the  tossed  soul  to  an  anchor  in  Christ. 

(2.)  A  rest  of  refreshment,  comfort,  and  establishment:  there  is 
not  only  'peace,  but  joy  in  believing,  according  o  the  measure  thereof^ 
Rom.  XV.  13.  The  same  conscience  that  stung  the  man  before,  cheers 
him  now;  that  brought  the  dread  of  Grod  as  an  enemy,  brings  in 
kindly  thoughts  of  God  through  Christ,  finding  kindly  rest  in  the 
righteousness  of  a  Redeemer  apprehended  by  faith. 

Indeed  so  far  as  faith  is  mixed  without  doubting,  the  rest  will  be 
mixed  with  unquietness.  And  if  faith  were  perfect,  the  rest  would 
be  perfect  too.  But  if  the  hand  of  faith  tremble,  taking  and  holding 
the  grip,  so  much  will  be  wanting  of  the  ease  and  comfort  of  consci- 
ence. 


290  BELIEVBRa  BNTERINO  INTO  REST  IN  CHRIST. 

4.  A  rest  of  heart  and  affections,  Psal.  cxvi.  7-  This  is  a  rest  the 
soul  can  never  find  till  it  come  to  Christ :  for  still  the  heart  of  man 
is  craving,  at  the  rate  the  whole  creation  cannot  answer  it,  and  there- 
fore is  kept  restless.  But  the  hearts  of  those  who  have  believed,  do 
enter  into, 

(1.)  A  rest  of  satisfaction,  Phil.  iv.  18.  The  soul  being  by  faith 
set  on  the  breasts  of  the  divine  consolations,  has  enough.  Gen.  xxxiii. 
11.  It  finds  Christ  an  object  commensurable  to  its  boundless  desires, 
nothing  to  be  desired  without  him,  nothing  beyond  him,  Psal,  Ixxiii. 
25.  The  whole  compass  of  wordly  comforts  could  never  match  the 
heart ;  there  was  still  something  wanting  which  the  heart  desired. 
But  now  it  is  matched  in  a  satisfying  object. 

(2.)  A  rest  of  settled  abode,  Psal.  xc.  1.  so  that  it  goes  no  more 
abroad,  as  it  was  wont,  among  the  creatures  for  satisfaction, 
John  iv.  14.  Having  Christ,  it  has  enough  within  itself,  Prov.  xiv. 
14.  and  therefore  can  rest  satisfied  even  when  the  streams  abroad 
are  dried  up,  Hab.  iii.  17,  18.  why  ?  because  the  fountain  is  with  it. 
Christ,  as  the  husband  of  the  soul,  becomes  a  covering  of  its  eyes. 

(3.)  A  rest  of  holy  calmness,  Matth.  xi.  29.  While  the  soul  is  out 
of  Christ,  the  heart  and  aflfections  are  like  a  troubled  sea :  unmorti- 
fied  lusts  and  passions  fight  therein  like  contrary  winds  blowing  ; 
one  passion  drives  the  heart  this  way,  anon  another  comes  and 
drives  it  that  way,  Jam.  iv.  1.  'But  the  soul  believing  in  Christ, 
the  turbulent  rout  of  unruly  lusts  is  cashiered,  and  the  soul  gets  a 
cool  of  that  fever,  Rom.  vi.  14.  Sm  shall  not  have  dominion  over  you. 
Then  is  fulfiled  that  promise,  Isa.  xi.  6.  The  luolf  also  shall  dwell 
luith  the  latnb,  and  the  leopard  shall  lie  down  with  the  kid:  and  the  calf, 
and  the  young  lion,  and  the  fatling  together,  and  a  little  child  shall  lead 
them. 

(4.)  A  rest  of  holy  security  as  to  the  issue  of  all  that  concerns 
them,  2  Tim.  1.  12.  *'  I  know,  (says  Paul)  whom  I  have  believed, 
and  I  am  persuaded  that  he  is  able  to  keep  that  which  I  have  com- 
mitted unto  him  against  that  day."  Faith  brings  the  news  from 
heaven,  on  all  events,  that  we  will  be  well  in  the  end.  Luther, 
when  any  cloud  of  troubles  appeared  to  be  gathering,  used  to  say, 
*'  Come  let  us  sing  the  46th  psalm."  For  faith  can  make  a  rest  in 
the  midst  of  trouble,  building  its  nest  in  the  promise,  John  xvi.  ult. 
"  These  things  I  have  spoken  unto  you,  that  in  me  ye  might  have 
peace.  In  the  world  ye  shall  have  tribulation  :  be  of  good  cheer,  I 
have  overcome  the  world." 

And  thus  the  soul  ceaseth  from  its  own  works,  Heb.  iv.  10 ;  and 
hath  a  spiritual  sabbath  begun. 

Secondly,  Those  who  have  believed,  do  enter  into  heavenly  rest  at 


BELIEVERS  ENTERING  INTO  REST  IN  CHRIST.  291 

length.  Tins  is  the  rest  completed.  The  grave  is  made  a  resting 
place  for  their  bodies  for  a  while  ;  but  the  soul  rests  in  Abraham's 
bosom  at  death  till  the  resurrection.  And  then  the  soul  and  body- 
together  will  have  an  everlasting  complete  rest  there  together.  All 
I  say  of  it  is  in  these  two  things. 

1.  All  the  mixture  of  disquiet  and  uneasiness  that  remains  in  the 
rest  of  believers  here,  shall  then  be  taken  away.  The  soul  rest  in 
Christ  here  is  not  without  some  mixture  of  disquiet,  because  of  the 
imperfection  of  faith.  There  is  a  remaining  darkness  in  their 
minds,  and  rebellion  in  their  will :  the  rest  of  their  conscience  in 
Christ  may  be  assaulted  with  doubts  and  fears ;  and  the  rest  of  their 
hearts  in  him  interrupted  by  the  sallies  of  corruption.  But  accord- 
ing to  the  gosj)el,  God  judgeth  of  them  according  to  the  bent  of  their 
soul. 

2.  The  rest  begun  here  shall  be  screwed  up  to  a  height  there. 
Their  minds  being  enlightened  with  the  light  of  glory,  their  wills 
perfected  in  holiness,  their  consciences  quieted  by  the  decisive  sen- 
tence from  the  tribunal,  and  their  hearts  satisfied  with  full  enjoy- 
ment, will  give  them  a  more  profound  rest  in  Christ  than  we  can 
imagine. 

Thirdly,  I  i>roceed  to  shew  what  is  the  import  of  their  entering 
into  that  rest  in  Christ.     It  imports, 

1.  Sinners  before  they  believe  have  a  toiled,  restless,  uneasy  life 
of  it,  Matth.  xi.  28.  No  wonder,  for  they  are  God's  enemies,  the 
law's  criminals,  sin's  slaves,  and  Satan's  drudges.  In  vain  do  men 
reject  religion,  because  it  will  not  suffer  them  to  be  idle :  for  the 
servants  of  sin  are  as  busy  as  the  servants  of  God  can  be  for  their 
hearts.  The  watch  goes  as  fast  when  wrong,  as  when  right :  and 
the  Lord  does  not  put  more,  but  other  work  in  people's  hands.  The 
soul  of  man  is  always  doing  and  active,  right  and  wrong. 

2.  All  that  believe  are  wearied,  outwearied  people,  that  find  they 
need  rest,  and  would  fain  have  it,  Isa.  xxviii.  12.  This  is  the  rest 
wherewith  ye  may  cause  the  weary  to  rest,  and  this  is  the  refreshing. 
Never  a  soul  will  come  to  Christ,  till  it  be  so  wearied,  that  its  legs 
are  able  to  carry  it  no  further,  Jer.  ii.  24.  So  being  quite  tired  out, 
it  lies  down  at  his  door.  They  are  outwearied  of  the  vain  world;  it 
Las  disappointed  them  so  often,  that  they  say.  There  is  no  hope. 
They  are  outwearied  of  their  deceitful  lusts,  for  they  find  there  is 
no  satisfying  of  them.  They  see  there  is  no  rest  for  them  there.  If 
ye  were  never  thus  wearied,  ye  have  never  yet  entered  into  this  rest. 

3.  They  see  and  believe  there  is  a  rest  in  Christ  for  them.  The 
gospel  is  a  word  in  season  to  the  ivcary,  Isa.  1.  4.  there  it  is  they  Jind 
r-est  to  their  souls,  Matth.  xi.  28.     They  see  Christ  as  the  shadow  of  a 


292  BELIEVERS  ENTERING  INTO  REST  IN  CHRIST. 

great  rock  in  the  tveary  land,  and  conclude,  that  if  tlicy  can  get  there, 
they  will  get  rest.  It  is  the  Spirit  of  God  that  discovers  Christ  as 
a  resting-place  for  the  sinner ;  for  the  soul  remaining  in  its  natural 
blindness,  is  so  far  from  it,  that  it  represents  Christ  in  quite  con- 
trary colours. 

4.  They  corae  to  him  as  a  resting-place,  by  believing  on  him, 
Matth.  xi.  28  ;  Isa.  xi.  10.  They  throw  themselves  into  the  arms  of 
his  grace,  take  hold  of  his  covenant,  and  receive  him  for  their  eter- 
nal resting-place,  to  abide  in  him  for  ever,  desiring  nothing  without 
or  beyond  him,  Psal.  Ixxiii.  25.  as  having  all  in  him  for  their  safety 
and  provision,  Psal.  cxlii.  5.  So  the  weary  soul  takes  up  its  lodg- 
ing in  Christ,  saying,  All  ray  wants  be  on  thee. 

5.  They  compose  themselves  for,  and  set  themselves  to  rest  in 
him,  Psal.  cxvi.  7-  They  seek  their  rest  in  him,  as  a  wearied  man 
gone  to  bed  seeks  rest  there.  They  give  over  seeking  rest,  either  to 
their  consciences  in  the  law,  or  to  their  hearts  in  the  world,  or  their 
wills  in  their  lusts :  but  what  they  were  seeking  before  in  all  these, 
they  seek  now  in  Christ  alone,  Psal.  xlv.  10. 

6.  They  are  active  to  get  rest  in  Christ.  Entering  speaks  acti- 
vity, and  that  lies  in  the  exercise  of  faith.  They  who  have  believed, 
do  by  believing  enter  into  rest :  by  the  first  act  of  faith  the  soul  is 
brought  into  the  resting  place,  by  the  continued  actings  of  faith  the 
soul  enters  into  rest  in  him.  So  faith  is  called  a  resting  on  the 
Lord,  2  Chron.  xiv.  11.  in  the  Lord,  Psal.  xxxvii.  7.  And  as  far  as 
the  exercise  of  faith  is  intermitted,  so  far  the  entering  into  rest  in 
Christ  is  interrupted. 

7.  They  find  a  begun  rest,  but  not  complete ;  they  are  entered 
into  it ;  though  they  are  not  yet  come  to  the  perfection  of  it,  yet 
they  are  in  the  way  to  it.  Such  is  the  difference  betwixt  the  rest  of 
faith,  and  the  rest  of  sight  and  sense.  Hence  they  are  easily  dis- 
turbed, too  easily  put  off  their  rest  by  temptations  and  trials ; 
whereas  in  heaven  they  can  be  no  more  disturbed  in  the  least. 

8.  Lastly,  The  believer  all  his  life  long  here,  is  but  entering  into 
that  rest :  We  do  enter.  The  Israelites  were  forty  years  a-entering 
into  Canaan,  after  they  came  out  of  Egypt.  And  from  the  moment 
of  the  first  believing,  till  the  soul  comes  to  glory,  it  is  but  entering 
into  rest ;  entering  being  but  an  initial  and  imperfect  action.  Hence 
they  that  have  come  to  Christ,  are  still  said  to  be  coming,  1  Pet.  ii. 
4.     But  at  length  they  shall  have  it  full  and  complete. 

Fourthly,  I  come  now  to  shew  how  the  soul  is  entered  into  rest 
in  the  way  of  believing,  or  the  influence  of  faith  to  bring  and  lay 
the  soul  to  rest.  This  is  a  mystery  to  the  blind  world :  no  body  can 
truly  know  the  rest  of  the  soul  in  Christ,  but  those  that  have  expe- 


BELIETERS  ENTERING  INTO  REST  IN  CHRIST.  293 

rienced  it ;  nor  the  influence  of  faith  that  way,  but  those  that  have 
felt  it ;  though  they  may  talk  rationally  about  it,  and  preach  it. 

1.  Faith  discovers  Christ  as  the  only  object  commensurable  to  the 
desires  of  the  soul,  Psal.  Ixxiii.  25.  Men  employ  the  eyes  in  their 
head  to  discover  among  the  creatures  something  they  may  rest  in ; 
the  eyes  of  their  mind,  and  these  go  to  what  they  never  saw,  and 
dress  up  a  thousand  airy  nothings  to  themselves :  but  all  these  leave 
the  mau  disappointed,  so  that  he  must  go  on  to  a  new  search,  and  so 
can  never  rest.  But  the  eye  of  faith  beholds  through  the  glass  of 
the  gospel  Christ  as  such  an  object,  a  full  and  complete  match  for 
the  heart ;  so  that  the  man  sees  he  needs  seek  no  farther,  and  so  he 
rests. 

2.  Faith  takes  possession  of  Christ,  as  such  an  object  oifered  to 
the  soul ;  knits  with  him  in  a  marriage-covenant,  by  trusting  on  him 
for  all  to  itself,  John  i.  12 ;  Psal.  ii.  idt.  So  it  enters  the  soul  to 
rest,  as  a  wife  in  the  house  of  her  husband,  who  has  now  made  her 
final  choice.  The  man  that  was  seeking  goodly  pearls,  having  dis- 
covered the  one  pearl,  purchases  that,  and  seeks  no  more,  Matth. 
xii.  45,  46.  A  beggar  may  see  an  estate,  which,  if  he  had  it,  would 
be  enough  for  him ;  but  that  sight  cannot  cause  him  to  give  over  his 
begging :  but  if  one  should  make  it  over  to  him,  and  he  thereupon 
takes  possession,  he  will  rest,  and  beg  no  more. 

3.  Faith  draws  the  sting  of  guilt  out  of  the  conscience,  and  so  en- 
ters the  soul  to  rest,  Rom.  iii,  24,  25.  Lay  a  man  down  in  the  soft- 
est bed,  the  quietest  room,  a  thorn  sticking  in  his  finger,  he  cannot 
rest  till  the  thorn  be  pulled  out.  Guilt  is  a  thorn  in  the  conscience ; 
but  faith  applying  the  blood  of  Christ  to  the  wound,  the  thorn  is 
drawn  cut,  Heb.  ix.  14.  It  cast  him  in  a  spiritual  fever,  but  he  is 
healed,  Isa.  xxxiii.  ult. 

4.  Faith  sets  the  soul  in  safety,  Prov.  i.  tdt.  If  a  man  have  never 
so  many  conveniencies  for  resting,  but  sees  himself  still  in  danger  of 
his  life,  how  can  he  rest?  Job  xi.  18.  In  such  danger  are  all  unbe- 
lievers, and  they  can  have  no  rest,  but  when  the  dead  sleep  is  in 
their  eye.  But  as  soon  as  the  soul  believes,  all  is  safe,  Rom.  viii.  1. 
Faith  brings  the  soul  under  the  covert  of  blood,  where  not  a  drop  of 
wrath  can  pass;  and  within  the  bond  of  the  covenant  of  peace, 
where  the  noise  of  war  is  heard  no  more.  Pardon  and  peace  give 
safety  for  quiet  rest. 

5.  Faith  mortifies  and  breaks  the  power  of  reigning  lusts.  Acts 
XV.  9.  "While  they  abide  in  their  force,  there  can  be  no  rest,  more 
than  in  the  troubled  sea :  but  faith  brings  a  calm,  mortifying  those 
lusts,  that  fight  in  and  against  the  soul.  Faith  knitting  the  soul  to 
Christ  as  the  head,  in  whom  is  lodged  the  fulness  of  the  Spirit  of 

YoL.  V.  u 


294  BELIEVERS  ENTERING  INTO  REST  IN  CHRIST. 

holiness,  cannot  miss  of  sanctifying  influence,  Acts  xxvi.  18.  And 
the  more  vigorous  and  strong  faitli  is,  the  virtue  of  the  death  of 
Christ  for  the  death  of  lusts  is  the  more  partaken  of.  Hence  it 
brings  the  soul  to  rest,  freeing  it  from  the  hellish  noise  that  unmor- 
tified  lusts  were  wont  to  make ;  and  from  the  violent  tosses  that 
they  gave  the  soul  among  them,  so  that  it  could  not  rest. 

6.  Faith  cures  the  soul  of  the  dog-like  appetite,  that  painful  hun- 
ger and  thirst  which  the  eating  of  the  forbidden  fruit  left  in  all 
mankind.  Lay  one  never  so  soft,  if  hunger  be  gnawing  him,  and 
thirst  scorching  him,  he  cannot  rest.  Such  is  the  case  of  all  unbe- 
lievers, they  are  hungering  and  thirsting  for  satisfaction  from  the 
creature  :  they  eat  of  the  husks,  but  they  are  never  satisfied  ;  they 
drink  of  the  puddled  waters,  but  their  thirst  is  not  quenched.  Hence 
Christ  calls  them  to  him,  "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to 
the  waters,  and  he  that  hath  no  money ;  come  ye,  buy  and  eat,  yea, 
come,  buy  wine  and  milk  without  money,  and  without  price.  Where- 
fore do  ye  spend  money  for  that  which  is  not  bread?  and  your 
labour  for  that  which  satisfieth  not  ?  hearken  diligently  unto  me, 
and  eat  ye  that  which  is  good,  and  let  your  soul  delight  itself  in 
fatness,"  Isa.  Iv.  1,  2.  And  faith  taking  of  the  hidden  manna,  the 
waters  of  life,  that  hunger  and  thirst  is  cured,  John  iv.  14.  and  the 
soul  rests. 

7-  Faith  contracts  the  desires  of  the  soul  into  one  point,  Psal. 
xxvii.  4.  "  One  thing  have  I  desired  of  the  Lord,  that  will  I  seek 
after,  that  I  may  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  all  the  days  of  my 
life,  to  behold  the  beauty  of  the  Lord,  and  to  enquire  into  his  tem- 
ple." The  unbeliever's  heart  is  divided,  nay  it  is  split  in  a  thou- 
sand pieces  as  it  were ;  for  many  are  the  cravings  of  the  heart 
naturally :  but  the  thing  necessary  for  the  soul  is  but  one,  Luke 
X.  ult.  One  thing  is  needful.  He  that  lies  down  wanting  many 
things  to  make  him  easy,  how  can  he  rest  when  his  mind  is  going 
out  on  one  want  after  another  ?  Faith  makes  the  desires  to  be  con- 
tracted into  this  one,  that  the  soul  may  rest  in  Christ. 

8.  Faith  sees  it  hath  a  fulness  in  Christ  enough  to  answer  all  its 
needs  :  and  hence  the  language  thereof  is,  /  have  all,  and  abound, 
Phil.  iv.  18.  Pressing  wants  which  one  knows  not  of  supply  for, 
breed  anxiety,  and  anxiety  disturbs  and  keeps  from  rest :  but  faith 
discerning  a  full  supply  for  the  man  in  Christ,  lays  him  to  rest. 
There  is  the  fulness  of  a  Godhead  in  him,  and  so  they  are  complete  in 
him,  Col.  ii.  9,  10.  Though  a  man  have  nothing  in  hand  to  answer 
the  demands  of  his  creditors,  if  he  has  bills  and  bonds  of  a  friend  of 
his,  to  whom  he  can  never  come  wrong,  he  is  easy  :  so  the  soul, 
whatever  its  wants  be,  knowing  it  has  enough  in  Christ,  rests  satis- 
fied that  they  shall  be  all  supplied  out  of  his  exuberant  fulness. 


BELIEVERS  ENTERINa  INTO  REST  IIST  CHRIST.  295 

9.  Lastly,  Faith  leaves  all  on  Christ,  Psal.  x.  14.  The  poor  leaveth 
Jihnself  on  thee,  Heb.  Hannah  was  very  restless  a  while,  but  praying 
in  faith,  and  leaving  her  case  to  the  Lord,  she  was  easy,  1  Sam.  i.  18. 
Believers  are  travelling  through  the  wilderness,  but  they  have  a 
guide  whom  they  can  trust,  and  that  makes  them  easy,  Phil.  iv.  6,  7- 
The  beliver  sometimes  racks  and  distresses  himself,  upon  this  and  the 
other  strait  and  difficulty ;  and  many  unbelieving  hows  and  whys  go 
through  his  heart ;  and  he  is  like  a  man  that  in  a  dark  and  pathless 
wilderness  has  lost  sight  of  his  guide  :  but  when  the  eye  of  faith 
clears,  all  these  are  silenced ;  and  fixing  on  a  promise,  he  gets  a  cool 
of  that  fever  :  he  trusts  on  the  power,  wisdom,  and  truth  of  Christ. 

I  shall  now,  in  the  last  place,  apply  this  subject  in  some  practical 
uses. 

Use  I.  Of  information.     Hence  learn, 

1.  That  Jesus  Christ  is  a  resting-i)lace  for  the  weary,  Matt.  xi.  28. 
By  faith  the  soul  comes  to  him,  and  there  finds  a  rest.  What  rest 
Noah  found  in  the  ark,  when  the  deluge  was  on  the  earth  ;  the  man- 
slayer  in  the  city  of  refuge,  otherwise  in  hazard  of  his  life ;  the  Is- 
raelites in  Canaan  after  their  bondage  in  Egypt;  that  Jesus  Christ 
will  give  to  believers  in  him,  Isa.  xi,  10.  To  it  shall  the  Gentiles  seek, 
and  his  rest  shall  he  glorious. 

2.  True  faith  is  an  active  and  efficacious  thing.  It  lays  the  rest- 
less soul  to  rest.  It  is  efficacious  on  the  conscience,  and  heart,  and 
all  the  faculties  of  the  soul ;  and  therefore  cannot  but  be  so  on  the 
life  too.  Gal.  v.  6.  Faith  ivorJceth  hy  love.  That  faith  which  is  idle 
and  inefficacious,  making  no  change  on  the  heart  and  life,  is  but  dead, 
and  Avill  leave  the  soul  in  death,  Jam.  ii.  17-  True  faith  uniting 
the  soul  to  Christ  the  fountain  of  life,  partakes  of  the  Spirit  of  life 
in  him,  and  so  is  a  working  faith. 

3.  The  way  of  believing  is  the  way  to  solid  rest.  All  weary  souls 
should  take  this  way,  so  should  they  attain  the  rest  they  would  fain 
have.  This  is  the  way  to  the  wilderness  rest,  where  the  soul  rests  in 
Christ  amidst  all  the  present  tosses  of  a  present  life,  John  xvi.  ult. 
and  to  the  heavenly  rest,  where  they  shall  have  a  profound  peace  not 
to  be  disturbed  any  more,  Rev.  xxi.  25. 

4.  Those  who  have  believed,  may  see  what  course  to  take  at  any 
time  when  their  rest  is  disturbed.  They  must  renew  the  actings  of 
faith  on  Christ.  This  is  a  sovereign  remedy,  (1.)  When  their  inward 
peace  of  conscience  is  marred,  through  a  sense  of  unpardoned  guilt 
lying  on  them.  The  same  faith  that  applying  the  blood  of  Christ  to 
the  soul,  drew  the  sting  out  of  the  conscience  before,  will  do  the  same 
again.  (2.)  When  corruption  stirring  and  prevailing  in  the  soul, 
distui'bs  its  rest.     Nothing  is  more  effectual  to  quench  the  hellish 

u2 


296  BELIEVERS  ENTERING  INTO  REST  IN  CHRIST. 

fire  blown  up  in  the  heart,  than  the  exercise  of  faith,  Acts  xv.  9. 
And  at  no  time  is  the  exercise  of  faith  out  of  season,  Psal.  Ixii.  8. 
Trust  in  Mm  at  all  times,  j)articularly  at  such  a  time,  saying  with 
David,  Psal.  Ixv.  3.  Iniquities  prevail  against  me:  as  for  our  trans- 
gressions, thou  shalt  purge  them  away.  (3.)  When  one  is  under  a  pres- 
sure of  outward  trouble,  faith  will  carry  the  soul  to  a  hiding-place, 
Isa.  xxxii.  2.  and  relieving  the  soul  by  the  comfort  of  the  promise, 
will  make  it  go  easily  under  the  burden. 

Use  II.  Of  trial.  Hereby  ye  may  try  whether  ye  have  truly  be- 
lieved in  Christ  or  not ;  for  they  who  have  believed  do  enter  into  rest 
in  him.  And  by  this  touch-stone  we  may  sort  the  hearers  of  the  gos- 
pel. 

1.  Those  who  have  never  yet  found  the  object,  in  which  their  heart 
could  take  up  its  eternal  rest,  but  are  still  seeking  it  among  the  crea- 
tures, are  unbelievers.  That  is  an  evidence  they  are  in  their  natural 
state,  still  wandering  on  the  mountains  of  vanity,  and  Christ  has  ne- 
ver been  discovered  savingly  to  them,  John  iv.  10. 

On  the  other  hand,  those  who  have  seen  such  a  ti'anscendent  glory 
and  excellency  in  Christ,  as  has  put  an  end  to  their  searching  out 
for  a  satisfying  object,  and  brought  them  to  make  a  final  choice  of 
Christ  as  fully  satisfying,  they  are  true  believers.  For  they  are 
come  to  a  point  in  the  main  thing,  Psal.  Ixxiii.  25. ;  they  have  found 
the  one  pearl,  else  they  had  not  given  over  their  former  vain  search. 

2.  Those  whose  pretended  closing  with  Christ  has  never  made 
them  cease  from  their  own  works,  but  they  are  still  living  the  loose, 
licentious,  carnal  life  they  led  before,  are  unbelievers,  Heb.  iv.  10. 
They  who  continue  in  the  devil's  drudgery,  yielding  still  their  mem- 
bers instruments  of  unrighteousness  unto  sin,  are  not  entering  into 
this  holy  rest,  but  abiding  at  their  restless  labour. 

But  such  as  having  closed  with  Christ  have  given  over  their  for- 
mer work,  dying  unto  sin,  and  living  to  God  as  those  that  are  alive 
from  the  dead,  are  true  believers.  Their  faith  is  proved  true,  as 
being  a  fountain  of  sanctification.  Their  lives  are  actually  purged 
from  the  gross  pollutions  of  the  world,  whereby  they  difter  from  the 
profane ;  and  they  are  wrestling  against  the  pollutions  of  the  heart 
whereby  they  differ  from  hypocrites,  1  John  iii.  3.  Psal.  xxiv.  3,  4. 

3.  Those  who  fall  away  from  Christ  in  heart  or  life,  have  not  tru- 
ly believed,  1  John  ii.  19.  There  are  branches  in  Christ  that  rest 
not  in  him,  but  are  taken  away,  because  they  never  truly  knit  with 
him,  John  xv.  2.  (1.)  There  is  a  falling  away  from  Christ  in  heart : 
that  is,  when  those  who  haA^e  pretended  to  yield  themselves  to  the 
Lord,  keep  up  their  profession,  and  a  form  of  duties,  to  satisfy  their 
consciences  :  but  in  the  mean  time  it  is  the  vain  world  and  their  de- 


BELIEVERS  ENTERINa  INTO  REST  IN  CHRIST.  29? 

ceitful  lusts  whence  they  fetch  all  their  satisfaction  to  their  hearts, 
like  those,  Isa.  iv.  1.  who  said,  We  will  eat  our  bread,  and  wear  our 
own  apparel:  only  let  us  he  called  hy  thy  name,  to  take  away  our  re- 
proach. (2.)  In  life  and  conversation,  which  readily  follows  the 
other,  so  that  they  return  by  degrees  to  their  former  sinful  courses ; 
turning  as  loose  and  licentious  as  ever,  if  not  more  so.  Of  these  it 
is  said,  that  it  had  been  better  for  them  not  to  have  hiown  the  way  of 
righteousness,  than  after  they  have  known  it,  to  turn  from  the  holy  com- 
mandment delivered  xmto  them,  &c.  2  Pet.  ii.  21,  22. 

But  those  who  continue  with  Christ  in  heart  and  life,  are  true  be- 
lievers, John  viii.  31.  "  If  ye  continue  in  my  word,  then  are  ye  my 
disciples  indeed."  Such  a  contiuuance  argues  them  to  have  knit 
with  the  flock;  the  storms  blow,  but  they  ai-e  founded  on  the  rock, 
therefore  they  stand.  Their  continuance  with  him  shews,  they  have 
entered  into  rest  with  him. 

Case.  But  alas !  my  heart  continues  very  restless,  and  ill  to 
guide  ;  it  is  unstable  as  water,  I  cannot  get  it  to  rest  in  Christ  as  I 
would  have  it.  Ans.  What  of  that  rest  is  obtained  here  is  an  enter- 
ing into  it,  a  beginning  of  it,  and  endeavour  after  it,  rather  than  a 
full  rest.  The  Christian  is  in  that  case  rather  like  one  that  is  going 
to  sleep,  that  has  his  startiugs  now  and  then,  than  like  one  who  is 
sound  asleep.  Though  he  cannot  rest  as  he  would  desire  in  Christ, 
yet  still  he  abides  within  the  resting-place,  does  not  turn  his  back 
on  Christ,  and  take  up  his  rest  in  the  world  and  his  lusts  again ; 
like  a  sick  man  who  may  change  many  seats,  yet  still  abides  within 
his  own  house,  and  goes  not  abroad  leaving  it.  So  the  Christian  is 
habitually,  and  in  respect  of  endeavour,  resting  in  Christ :  and  the 
Lord  will  reckon  that  a  true  rest  in  him,  2  Cor.  viii.  12.  "  For  if 
there  be  first  a  willing  mind,  it  is  accepted  according  to  that  a  man 
hath,  and  not  according  to  that  he  hath  not."  Psal.  xxvii.  4. 
"  One  thing  have  I  desired  of  the  Lord,  that  will  I  seek  after,  that 
I  may  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  all  the  days  of  my  life,"  No 
body  while  here  wants  their  wandering  fits  :  but  happy  they  who 
are  like  the  dove  sent  out  of  the  ark,  ever  restless  till  she  came 
back ;  not  like  the  raven,  who  finding  no  carrion  to  feed  on,  re- 
turned no  more. 

Use  III.  Of  exhortation.  Ye  who  profess  to  have  believed  in 
Christ,  rest  in  him,  and  so  evidence  your  faith.  For  motives,  con- 
sider, 

1.  There  is  no  need  ye  should  go  to  any  other  quarter  for  what  ye 
need  :  For  it  pleased  the  Father,  that  in  him  should  all  fulness  dwell, 
Col.  1.  19.  There  is  nothing  ye  can  want,  but  ye  have  it  in  him; 
Thou  art  my  refuge,  says  David,  and  my  portion  in  the  land  of  the  liv- 

u3 


298  BELIEVERS  ElirTERINft  INTO  REST  IN  CIIEIST. 

ing,  Psal.  cxlii.  5.  There  is  no  case  ye  can  be  in,  but  there  is  a 
suitable  remedy  for  it  in  hira.  lie  that  rests  in  Christ,  having 
Christ  in  him,  has  all  within  himself. 

2.  There  is  no  true  rest  to  be  found  out  of  Christ,  John  vi.  67,  68. 
He  is  the  life,  and  without  him  there  is  nothing  but  death  ;  he  is  all 
in  all,  and  without  hira  there  is  nothing  but  emptiness ;  he  is  the 
rest,  and  without  him  there  is  nothing  but  wandering. 

3.  It  dishonours  him  highly  not  to  rest  in  him.  It  gives  out  an 
ill  report  of  him  to  the  world,  whereby  his  name  may  be  blasphemed, 
as  if  there  were  not  enough  in  him  to  satisfy  in  all  cases.  It  is 
such  an  indignity  as  it  would  be  to  a  husband,  that  his  spouse  were 
hanging  about  the  doors  of  her  former  suitors. 

4.  Your  not  resting  in  him  will  evidence  your  hypocrisy  :  Will  he 
delight  himself  in  the  Almighty  ?  says  Job  of  the  hypocrite ;  Will  he 
always  call  iipon  God  ?  Job  xxvii.  10.  Ye  will  be  apostates  and 
backsliders,  whose  latter  end  will  be  worse  than  the  beginning ;  for 
the  unclean  spirit  returning  comes  with  seven  devils  worse  than 
himself. 

5.  Lastly,  Rest  in  him  now,  and  ye  shall  rest  with  him  for  ever : 
but  if  ye  forsake  him,  he  will  cast  you  off,  and  ye  will  fall  there 
where  there  is  no  rest  for  the  ages  of  eternity.  And  it  will  aggra- 
vate your  condemnation,  that  ye  might  have  been  well,  if  ye  could 
but  have  rested  in  Christ. 


A    VIEW 


THIS  AND  THE  OTHEK  WORLD ; 


WITH  THE 


STATE  OF  SAINTS  AND  SINGERS  IN  BOTH,  CONTRASTED. 


PARTICULARLY   DESCRIBING    THE 


SOLEMN  ENTRANCE  WHICH  THE  SOUL  MAKES 


THE  OTHER  WORLD  AT  DEATH, 


IN  SEVERAL  PKACTICAL  DISCOURSES. 


THE 

STATE  AND  CHAEACTER  OF  BELIEVEES, 

AS 

THEY  ARE  OP  GOD,  WITH  THEIR  KNOWLEDGE 

THEREOF,  ILLUSTRATED  ;    AND  A    DESCRIPTION    OP   THE    UNREGENERATE 

WORLD  LYING  IN  WICKEDNESS. 

Several  sermons  preached  at  Ettrick,  in  the  end  of  the  year  1728, 
and  beginning  of  1729. 


1  John  v.  19. 
And  we  know  that  we  are  of  God,  and  the  whole  world  lieth  in  mcked- 


As  it  was  said  to  Rebekah,  Gren.  xxv.  23.  Two  nations  are  in  thy 
womb,  and  two  manner  of  people  shall  he  separated  from  thy  bowels — 
and  the  elder  shall  serve  the  younger  ;  so  it  may  be  said  in  the  text. 
Two  manner  of  people  are  here,  to  one  of  which  all  of  us  do  belong, 
viz.  those  that  are  of  God,  and  those  that  are  of  the  world.  The 
latter  is  the  elder,  and  shall  serve  the  younger,  Psal.  xlix.  14.  The 
upright  shall  have  dominion  over  them  in  the  morning. 

1.  There  is  a  people,  that  though  they  are  in  the  world,  are  not  of 
it,  but  separated  from  it :  And  tve  knoiu  that  lue  are  of  God.  Here 
consider,  (1.)  The  original  of  that  people  :  They  are  of  God  ;  that 
is,  begotten  and  born  of  God,  regenerate  persons,  born  again.  They 
are  a  heavenly  people  in  respect  of  their  extract,  born  from  above, 
2  Pet.  i.  4.  (2.)  Who  they  are  in  particular.  We  are  they,  ive  be- 
lievers in  Christ.  Those  that  having  received  the  call  of  the  gospel 
to  come  out  of  the  world  lying  in  wickedness,  have  by  faith  em- 
braced the  call  and  come  away,  John  i.  12,  13.  2  Cor.  v.  17.  (3.) 
The  knowledge  they  have  of  their  original :  We  knoiv  that  we  are  of 
God.  "We  are  not  only  regenerate,  but  we  know  that  we  are  so. 
Not  that  all  of  them  know  so  much,  but  some  of  them  do  :  there 
may  be  children  so  young,  that  they  know  not  their  father's  and 
mother's  names  ;  but  the  elder  children  know  them  very  well.  This 
comes  in  here  for  the  comfort  of  believers  against  the  sin  unto 
death,  ver.  16.  which  the  regenerate  cannot  fall  into,  ver.  18. 

2.  There  is  another  people,  who  are  not  of  God,  but  are  quite 


302  DOCTRINES  FROM  THE  TEXT. 

distinct  from  those  that  are  so.  Here  consider,  (1.)  "Who  they  are, 
the  world,  that  is,  the  unregenerate  ;  these  are  the  people  distinct 
from,  yea,  in  an  opposite  interest  to,  the  people  of  God.  It  is  plain, 
the  world  is  taken  here,  not  for  the  place,  but  for  the  men  of  the 
place,  and  these  not  the  strangers  and  pilgrims  in  it,  but  the  na- 
tives who  have  no  other  but  a  worldly  birth,  and  who  are  in  it  as  at 
home  in  their  own  country.  The  phi'ase  is  taken  from  the  Old 
Testament,  where  the  church  is  called  the  sons  of  God,  Gen.  vi.  4. 
those  without  the  church,  the  earth,  Gen.  xi.  1.  in  opposition  to  hea- 
ven ;  being  the  earthly  men  in  opposition  to  the  heavenly  men  ; 
men  whose  birth,  temper,  and  manner  of  life  are  all  worldly.  (2.) 
The  character  of  this  people  :  they  are  lijhig  in  wickedness,  or  in  the 
wicked  one,  viz.  the  devil.  They  are  lying  in  sin,  in  the  guilt  and 
filth,  and  under  the  reigning  power  of  it,  and  so  under  the  power  of 
the  devil.  They  are  not  rising  and  wrestling  out  of  it,  but  they  are 
lying  in  it,  sleeping,  dead,  and  bui'ied  in  it.  (3.)  The  extent  of  this 
character  ;  it  belongs  to  them  all,  the  whole  luorld.  There  are  many 
differences  among  those  of  the  unregenerate  world ;  some  of  them 
are  professors,  some  profane,  but  the  former  as  well  as  the  latter 
are  lying  in  wickedness. 

That  I  may  give  you  some  view  of  this  text,  in  its  different 
branches,  I  shall  essay  to  open  up  the  three  following  points  of  doc- 
trine therefrom,  viz. 

DocT.  I.  All  true  believers  are  of  God,  and  so  separated  from  the 
world  lying  in  wickedness. 

DocT.  II.  People's  being  of  God,  and  separated  from  the  world 
lying  in  wickedness,  is  what  may  be  known  by  themselves. 

DocT.  III.  The  whole  unregenerate  world  lieth  in  wickedness. 

DocT.  I.  All  true  believers  are  of  God,  and  so  separated  from  the 
world  lying  in  wickedness. 

In  handling  this  point,  I  shall  shew, 

I.  How  true  believers  are  of  God. 

II.  How,  as  they  are  of  God,  regenerate  persons,  they  are  sepa- 
rated from  the  world  lying  in  wickedness. 

III.  Make  improvement. 

I.  I  am  to  shew  how  true  believers  are  of  God.  One  is  said  to  be 
of  God  two  ways : 

1.  By  creation;  and  so  all  things  are  of  God,  Rom.  xi.  36.  Thus 
the  devils  themselves  are  of  God  as  their  Creator,  and  so  is  the 
world.  But  this  is  not  the  being  of  God  here  meant.  They  may  be 
God's  creatures,  who  nevertheless  are  the  children  of  the  devil . 


HOW  BELIEVERS  ARE  OF  GOD.  303 

2.  By  generation,  as  a  son  is  of  a  father.     And  this  is  twofold. 

Ixt,  Eternal  generation  :  so  Christ  alone  is  of  God,  John  vi.  46. 
Psal.  ii.  7-  He  is  the  Son  of  God  by  generation  of  the  person  of  the 
Father,  having  the  same  numerical  divine  essence  eternally  and  ne- 
cessarily communicated  to  him  from  the  Father.  Hence  he  is  self- 
existent,  independent,  and  equal  with  the  Father,  John  v.  26.  Phil, 
ii.  6.     Neither  is  this  meant  here. 

2c?/[j/,  Temporal  generation,  called  regeneration,  which  is  a  work  of 
God's  grace  on  the  souls  of  men,  resembling  natural  generation. 
And  thus  believers,  and  none  else,  are  of  God,  John  i.  12,  13.  and 
viii.  47.  W"e  are  all  born  from  below  naturally ;  but  we  must  be 
born  from  above  spiritually,  if  we  see  heaven,  John  iii.  3.  Except  a 
man  he  born  again  [marg. /ro)n  above]  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God. 
All  the  elect  are  born  so,  sooner  or  later.  They  naturally  lie  in  the 
foul  womb  of  the  world  with  others,  but  the  power  of  divine  grace 
separates  them  therefrom. 

The  work  of  regeneration  is  held  forth  under  a  double  notion, 
shewing  the  regenerate  to  be  of  God. 

(1.)  It  is  a  being  begotten  of  God,  1  John  v.  18.  He  that  is  begotten 
of  God,  keepcth  himself,  and  that  ivicked  one  toucheth  him  not.  God 
himself  is  the  Father  of  the  new  creature  :  it  is  of  no  lower  original. 
The  incorruptible  word  of  the  gospel  is  the  seed  of  it.  Jam.  i.  18. 
1  Pet.  i.  23,  25.  A  word  is  cast  into  the  heart,  which  by  the  efficacy 
of  the  Spirit  changes  one  into  a  new  nature.  It  is  done  by  means 
of  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  ver.  3.  Christ  lay  in  this  womb  of  the 
earth  in  the  grave,  as  a  public  person  having  satisfied  justice,  he  was 
raised,  came  forth  of  the  grave,  as  the  first-born  from  the  dead ;  and 
in  virtue  thereof  the  dead  elect  are  raised  out  of  their  grave  of  sin, 
as  the  next  born  from  the  dead. 

And  this  notion  of  regeneration  speaks  the  parties  themselves  to 
have  no  hand  in  it,  more  than  a  child  hath  in  its  own  generation. 
So  that  as  regenerate,  they  are  wholly  of  God  ;  and  owe  their  being 
in  grace  to  him  purely,  not  to  their  own  free  will. 

(2.)  It  is  a  being  born  of  God,  1  John  v.  18.  Whosoever  is  born  of 
God  sinneth  not.  By  his  Spirit  alone  the  new  creature  is  formed  in 
all  its  parts,  and  brought  forth  into  the  new  world  of  grace,  John 
iii.  5.  And  this  notion  of  it  speaks  the  parties  to  receive  life  by  the 
Spirit,  and  to  be  brought  forth  to  act  that  life  ;  and  none  other  but 
the  Spirit  to  be  the  cause  thereof,  John  i.  13. 

Now  by  this  means,  viz.  regeneration,  believers  are  of  God. 

1.  As  partaking  of  the  divine  nature,  as  the  child  doth  of  the  na- 
ture of  the  parent,  2  Pet.  i.  4.  There  is  a  fulness  of  grace  lodged 
in  the  man  Christ,  out  of  which  they  receive  grace  for  grace,  and  so 


304  HOW  BELIEVERS  ARE  SEPARATED  PROM  THE  WORLD. 

with  him  partake  of  the  divine  nature,  being  made  one  spirit,  or  of 
one  spiritual  and  divine  nature  with  him.  Even  as  they  received  a 
corrupt  nature  derived  to  them  from  Adam,  by  which  they  were  ori- 
ginally of  the  wicked  one. 

2.  As  bearing  the  image  of  God,  in  knowledge,  righteousness,  and 
holiness.  By  regeneration  they  are  like  him ;  and  if  it  were  perfect, 
they  would  be  perfectly  like  him.  For  in  regeneration  Christ  is 
formed  in  them,  Gal.  iv.  19.  that  is,  they  are  the  image  of  the  man 
Christ,  who  is  the  image  of  the  invisible  God. 

3.  As  being  of  his  family,  Eph.  iii.  14,  15.  and  that  not  as  ser- 
vants only,  but  as  children,  2  Cor.  vi.  17,  18.  The  new  birth  is  a 
high  birth ;  by  it  the  sinner  is  a  member  of  the  family  of  heaven  ; 
God  is  his  Father,  Christ  is  his  elder  brother,  and  the  angels  and 
saints  are  his  brethren. 

4.  As  owing  their  new  being  to  him  only  in  the  efficacy  of  his 
grace,  Eph.  ii.  10,  For  lue  are  his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ 
Jesus  unto  good  works.  Our  natural  being  we  owe  in  part  to  our  pa- 
rents, Heb.  xii.  9.  but  our  gracious  being  to  God  only.  That  we 
are  men,  we  owe  it  to  him,  in  the  efficacy  of  his  creating  power ;  and 
that  we  are  saints,  we  owe  it  to  him,  in  the  efficacy  of  his  quicken- 
ing and  renewing  grace.  Gal.  iv.  28.  Now  we,  brethren,  as  Isaac  was, 
are  the  children  of  promise. 

II.  I  shall  shew  how  belieyers,  as  they  are  of  God,  regenerate 
persons,  are  separated  from  the  world  lying  in  wickedness.  Nega- 
tively, 

1.  Not  in  respect  of  place,  1  Cor.  v.  9,  10.  They  are  still  in  the 
world,  and  must  be  till  the  Lord  call  them  home ;  though  they  are 
not  of  the  world.  God  could,  in  the  moment  of  conversion,  have 
transported  converts  into  heaven,  taken  them  out  of  the  world  for 
good  and  all ;  but  he  has  seen  meet  for  their  trial,  and  the  glory  of 
the  power  of  his  grace,  to  keep  them  in  the  world  a  while  ;  and  yet 
to  keep  them  separate  from  it. 

2.  Not  in  respect  of  gathering  them  into  pure  unmixed  societies 
for  worship.  There  are  no  such  visible  church-societies  in  the  world, 
Matth.  xiii.  28 — 30.  Separating  from  the  world  lying  in  wicked- 
ness is  not  such  an  easy  things  as  visible  church  separating  ;  they 
may  be  forward  enough  to  that,  who  are  yet  with  the  world  lying  in 
wickedness,  Jude,  19.  and  may  go  from  party  to  party  in  the  visible 
church,  who  are  still  of  the  world's  party,  not  of  God.  But  posi- 
tively, the  regenerate  as  such  are  separated  from  the  world. 

1.  In  respect  of  their  being  broken  off  from  that  corrupt  mass,  and 
become  a  part  of  a  new  lump.  Adam  falling  left  all  mankind 
earthly  men,  bearing  his  corrupt  image ;  Christ  is  become  a  second 


INSTRUCTIONS  FROM  THE  DOCTRINE.  30S 

Adam,  the  head  of  heavenly  men,  bearing  his  image,  1  Cor.  xv.  47, 
48.  Now  the  regenerate  are  separated  from  the  former  society,  and 
become  members  of  the  latter,  through  regenerating  grace.  They 
are  become  members  of  Christ's  mystical  body,  of  the  invisible 
church,  a  distinct  though  invisible  society. 

2.  Their  being  delivered  from  under  the  power  of  the  god  of  this 
world,  viz.  Satan,  Acts  xxvi.  18.  Satan  is  the  god  of  this  world ; 
the  wicked  are  led  by  him  at  his  will ;  he  works  effectually  in  them, 
and  blinds  their  minds,  2  Cor.  iv.  3,  4.  But  the  regenerate  are  got 
out  from  under  his  subjection,  delivered  from  his  kingdom.  Col.  i.  13. 
He  is  indeed  an  enemy  to  molest  them,  but  not  their  king  that 
reigns  over  them ;  his  involuntary  prisoners  they  may  be  for  a  time, 
but  they  are  no  more  his  willing  subjects. 

3.  Their  having  a  Spirit,  even  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelling  in  them, 
which  the  world  have  not,  Rom.  viii.  9  ;  Jude,  19.  When  Lazarus's 
spirit  entered  again  into  his  body,  he  was  separated  from  the  con- 
gregation of  the  dead ;  and  when  a  dead  sinner  gets  the  Si)irit  of 
Christ  breathed  into  him,  he  is  separated  from  the  world,  as  much 
as  the  living  from  the  dead. 

4.  Lastly,  Their  having  a  disposition,  frame,  bent,  and  cast  of 
heart  and  soul,  opposite  to  that  of  the  world ;  so  that  they  are  as 
much  separated  from  the  world,  as  enemies  are  one  from  another, 
Gen.  iii.  15.  Hence  they  are  in  their  great  designs,  aftections, 
course  and  manner  of  life,  non-conformists,  and  opposites  to  the 
world :  as  opposite  as  Caleb  and  Joshua  were  to  their  unbelieving 
countrymen.  Numb.  xiv.  24. 

From  this  doctrine,  we  may  learn  the  following  things. 

1.  This  speaks  the  dignity  of  believers.  They  ai-e  the  truly  hon- 
ourable ones,  as  being  of  God ;  they  are  the  excellent  of  the  earth. 
What  avails  it  that  men  can  boast  of  their  honourable  extract  in  the 
world,  while  it  still  remains  true,  that  they  are  of  their  father  the 
devil  ?  The  beggar  on  the  dunghill  being  of  God,  is  more  honoura- 
ble than  the  wicked  king  sitting  on  his  throne,  attended  with  all  the 
majesty  of  a  kingdom. 

2.  It  speaks  the  privilege  of  believers.  Every  one  will  care  and 
provide  for  his  own :  be  sure  God  will  then  take  special  concern 
about  believers,  Matth,  vi.  31,  32.  Therefore  take  no  thought,  sai/ing, 
What  shall  lue  eat  ?  or  what  shall  ive  drink  ?  or  wherewithal  shall  we  be 
clothed  ?  (For  after  all  these  things  do  the  Gentiles  seek)  for  your  hea- 
venly Father  knoiveth  that  ye  have  need  of  all  these  things.  But  many 
such,  ye  may  say,  are  sorrily  provided  for.  Ans.  Ye  are  too  hasty 
in  such  a  judgment,  Heb.  xi.  16.  God  is  not  ashamed  to  he  called  their 
God  ;  for  he  hath  prepared  for  them  a  city.      Every  one  will  protect 


306  WHAT  KNOWLEDGE  MAY  BE  HAD 

his  own  too;  God  will  then  protect  believers,  and  lie  will  avenge  all 
their  quarrels.  There  is  never  an  nnkindness  done  to  them,  but  he 
will  resent  it,  as  ye  will  see  from  Christ's  procedure  with  the  wicked 
at  the  last  day,  Matth.  xxv.  There  is  not  a  hard  word  spoken  to 
them,  nor  a  wrong  look  given  them,  but  he  will  cause  their  enemies 
to  pay  for  it. 

3.  It  speaks  the  duty  of  believers.  Carry  yourselves  as  becomes 
your  dignity  and  j)rivilege,  as  those  that  are  of  God.  Trust  him 
with  all  your  concerns,  in  all  your  straits;  walk  tenderly  before 
him,  remembering  that  your  follies  reflect  dishonour  on  him  ye  be- 
long to ;  and  that  ye  are  to  evidence  your  being  of  God,  by  your 
steering  another  course  than  the  world  lying  in  wickedness. 

4.  Lastly,  It  shews  the  self  deceit  of  unbelievers,  pretenders  to 
a  saving  interest  in  God,  while  in  the  mean  time  they  are  lying 
together  with  the  world  in  wickedness.  How  can  they  be  of  God, 
who  are  not  separated  from  the  world,  but  walking  according  to  the 
course  thereof,  in  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  the  lust  of  the  eyes,  and  the 
pride  of  life. 

But  I  proceed  to  the  second  doctrine  from  the  text. 

DocT.  II.  People's  being  of  God,  and  separated  from  the  world  lying 
in  wickedness,  is  what  may  he  knoivn  by  themselves.  We  know  that  tve 
are  of  God,  says  the  apostle.  There  is  a  people  in  the  world,  yet 
not  of  the  world,  but  separated  from  it ;  and  they  may  see  that  they 
are  such. 

In  ti'eating  this  subject,  I  shall  shew, 

I.  What  knoAvledge  may  be  had  of  this. 

II.  Make  some  practical  improvement. 

I.  I  am  to  shew  what  knowledge  may  be  had  of  this.  That  one  is 
of  God,  and  separated  from  the  world  lying  in  wickedness. 
There  are  three  ways  of  coming  to  the  knowledge  of  a  thing. 

1.  By  our  senses,  as  we  know  fire  to  be  hot,  and  ice  to  be  cold. 
But  this  matter  cannot  be  known  that  way.  The  grace  of  God,  and 
the  spiritual  privileges  of  believers,  are  not  the  objects  of  sense. 
Indeed,  if  separation  from  the  world  were  just  a  separating  from  one 
party  and  joining  with  another  in  church-society  ;  we  might  know  it 
by  sense  ;  but  it  is  not  so. 

2.  By  extraordinary  revelation,  visions,  voices,  or  impressions. 
Such  things  have  been,  as  in  Abraham's  case.  Gen.  xvii.  1,  2.  But 
that  dispensation  is  ceased,  the  canon  of  the  scripture  being  com- 
pleted, jind  we  referred  to  it,  as  unto  a  more  sure  word  of  prophecy, 
2  Pet.  i.  19.     It  was  never  known  to  all,  though  all  are  required  to 


OF  people's  BEIlftt  OF  GOD.  307 

know  this,  ver.  10.  Assurance  then  of  one's  being  in  a  state  of 
grace,  may  he  attained  without  extraordinary  revelation. 

3.  By  rational  evidence,  as  seeing  a  house,  we  know  it  has  been 
built  by  some  one;  seeing  the  world,  we  know  that  it  has  been  cre- 
ated of  God ;  because  they  could  not  make  themselves.  So  men 
may  know  themselves  to  be  of  God,  by  giving  diligence  to  make  their 
calling  and  election  sure,  2  Pet.  i.  10.     Two  things  concur  here. 

1st,  Spiritual  discerning,  a  spiritual  sight,  taste,  or  feeling  of  the 
things  of  God,  in  ourselves  or  others,  1  Cor.  ii.  14.  It  is  the  total 
want  of  this  in  some,  that  makes  them  deceive  themselves;  they 
have  no  spiritual  discerning,  to  distinguish  between  God's  people 
and  the  world;  so  they  are  like  men  in  the  dark,  that  know  not 
where  they  are,  nor  whither  they  are  going.  And  the  weakness  of 
this  discerning  in  many  of  God's  people,  robs  them  of  the  comfort 
they  might  have. 

tldlt/,  Spiritual  reasoning  on  scripture  grounds,  1  John  v.  13. 
These  things  have  I  written  unto  you  that  believe  on  the  name  of 
the  Son  of  God ;  that  ye  may  know  that  ye  have  eternal  life,  and 
that  ye  may  believe  on  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God.  The  word  is 
the  rule,  which  pronounces  of  men's  state  in  the  general ;  by  spiri- 
tual discerning  believers  see  in  themselves  or  others,  those  things 
concerning  which  the  scripture  pronounces ;  and  by  spiritual  reason- 
ing they  come  to  know  by  these  means  that  they  are  of  God,  and 
separated  from  the  world  lying  in  wickedness.  Now,  by  way  of  ra- 
tional evidence,  one  may  know  this  of  a  two-fold  object. 

1.  Of  others.  One  may  know  that  others  are  of  God,  and  sepa- 
rated from  the  world,  discerning  the  image  of  God  shining  forth  in 
them,  and  hence  gathering  that  they  are  of  God,  and  not  of  the 
world.  So  the  apostle  in  the  text  speaks  of  others  as  well  as  him- 
self. There  is  a  spiritual  discerning  in  that  case,  as  Barnabas  saw 
the  grace  of  God  in  the  converts  at  Antioch,  Acts  xi.  23,  And  this 
knowledge  is  supposed  in  the  command  of  loving  one  another,  given 
to  God's  people ;  for  how  can  men  love  others  as  of  God,  if  they 
cannot  know  them  to  be  so  ? 

2.  Of  themselves.  A  true  believer  may  know  himself  to  belong 
to  God,  and  not  to  the  world.  So  the  apostle  says  in  the  text,  "We 
know  that  we  are  of  God.  There  are  such  marks  of  distinction  be- 
twixt the  two  societies  fixed  in  the  word,  that,  by  spiritual  discern- 
ing and  reasoning,  one  that  is  of  God  may  be  satisfied,  that  he  is 
really  of  God,  and  needs  not  be  always  in  the  dark  in  that  point. 

But  betwixt  that  knowledge  concerning  one's  self  and  others, 
there  is  this  remarkable  difierence. 

Is^,  In  the  case  of  others,  we  can  have,  by  rational  evidence,  only 


308  WHAT  KNOWLEDGE  MAY  BE  HAD,  ETC. 

a  judgment  of  charity,  not  of  certainty,  without  extraordinary  reve- 
lation, such  as  Ananias  had  with  respect  to  Paul,  Acts  ix.  15.  This 
is  founded  upon  probable  appearance  of  the  grace  of  God  in  them, 
which  yet  may  be  but  an  appearance.  Ilence  the  best  of  men  may 
be  deceived  in  their  opinion  of  others,  as  Philip  was  with  Simon 
Magus.  The  devil's  goats  may  be  taken  for  Christ's  sheep,  by  very 
discerning  Christians.     Of  this  I  would  say, 

(1.)  We  should  not  be  rash  in  giving  or  refusing  that  judgment, 
but  hold  pace  with  the  appearance  or  non-appearance  of  the  grace 
of  God  in  them.  We  are  bid  to  beware  of  men  ;  for  we  are  told  all 
men  are  liars  :  and  many  a  fair  outside  there  is,  where  there  is  a 
foul  inside,  that  a  little  trial  discovers ;  therefore  we  ought  not  to 
have  the  persons  of  any  in  admiration.  On  the  other  side,  the  grace 
of  God  may  dwell  with  much  dross;  therefore  we  are  to  beware  lest 
we  trample  the  jewel  under  foot,  because  it  lies  in  a  dunghill. 

(2.)  The  love  bestowed  on  hypocrites  is  not  all  lost,  and  therefore 
it  is  safest  erring  on  the  charitable  side.  A  man  may  love  Christ 
in  a  hypocrite ;  not  that  Christ  dwells  in  any  such,  but  that  what 
we  bestow  on  any  for  Christ's  sake,  whether  they  really  deserve  it 
or  not,  will  not  lose  its  reward,  Mark  ix.  41.  And  by  the  rule  of 
charity,  we  are  obliged  to  put  the  best  construction  on  our  neigh- 
bour's state  and  way  that  they  can  reasonably  bear,  1  Cor.  xiii.  7. 
One  had  better  judge  ten  hypocrites  sincere,  for  that  may  be  duty, 
than  one  sincere  person  a  hypocrite. 

(3.)  Let  us  carry  our  judgment  of  others  no  farther  than  that  of 
charity,  and  not  pretend  to  a  certainty,  which  is  not  competent  to 
us  in  that  case,  but  to  God  only.  He  alone  is  the  searcher  of  hearts, 
without  the  knowledge  of  which  an  absolute  certainty  cannot  be 
attained.  Keeping  within  our  own  bounds,  the  deceit  discovered  in 
the  world  would  brangle  us  the  less,  as  being  not  inconsistent  with 
the  judgment  that  we  formed. 

2dly,  In  our  own  case,  we  may  have  by  rational  evidence  a  judg- 
ment of  certainty,  without  extraordinary  revelation.  We  may  in 
an  ordinary  way,  if  we  really  belong  to  God,  be  infallibly  assured 
of  it.  The  reason  of  the  difference  is  plain ;  we  see  the  open  actions 
and  carriages  of  others,  but  we  cannot  know  the  secret  springs  of 
them,  the  principles,  ends,  and  manner  of  them,  upon  which  the  main 
stress  lies  ;  but  we  may  know  these  things  in  ourselves.  What 
moves  ourselves  so  to  walk,  we  can  assuredly  know ;  but  what  moves 
others,  we  cannot  know  that. 

This  is  clear  from  the  following  grounds. 

(1.)  A  true  child  of  God  may  assuredly  know  his  relative  state  in 
the  favour  of  God.     Though  he  cannot  open  the  sealed  books  of  the 


trSE  OF  EXHOKTATION",  309 

decrees,  and  read  his  name  at  first  hand  in  the  decree  of  election ; 
yet  by  comparing  the  word  of  Grod  in  the  Bible,  and  the  work  of 
God  in  his  own  soul ;  he  may  know  himself  to  be  one  of  the  elect, 
2  Pet.  i.  10.  Heb.  vi.  11.  to  be  one  of  those  for  whom  Christ  died, 
and  of  the  family  of  God,  Rom.  viii.  16,  17- 

(2.)  He  may  discern  in  himself  real  grace,  and  know  that  he  be- 
lieves in  Christ,  as  sure  as  he  breathes,  2  Tim.  i.  12.  and  loves  him, 
so  that  he  can  appeal  to  Omniscience  for  the  truth  thereof,  as  Peter 
did,  John  xxi.  15.  And  knowing  that  all  who  believe  in  Christ,  and 
love  the  Lord,  arc  of  God,  separated  from  the  world,  and  shall  never 
be  suffered  to  mix  with  them  again,  he  may  conclude  so  of  himself 
with  the  greatest  certainty. 

(3.)  All  the  saints  have  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  Rom.  viii.  9.  And 
it  is  the  office  of  the  Spirit  to  lead  them  into  all  truth,  and  particu- 
larly to  shine  upon  his  own  work  in  the  soul,  1  Cor.  ii.  12;  and  so 
to  be  a  joint  witness  with  their  own  spirits  to  their  adoption  into  the 
family  of  God,  Rom.  viii.  16 ;  to  be  a  seal,  which  is  designed  to  en- 
sure, Eph.  iv.  30;  and  an  earnest  too,  which  is  both  a  part  of  the 
price,  and  a  pledge  of  the  whole,  2  Cor.  v.  5. 

(4.)  The  effects  of  faith  sometimes  produced  by  it  in  the  saints 
confirm  this.  Such  is  the  boldness  and  confidence  they  sometimes 
have  with  God,  Eph.  iii.  12.  rejoicing  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God, 
Rom.  V.  2.  which  is  sometimes  unspeakable,  1  Pet.  i.  8.  So  that 
they  can  cheerfully  undergo  sufterings,  Ileb.  x.  34.  All  which  ne- 
cessarily presupposeth  their  knowing  themselves  to  be  of  God. 

(5.)  Lastly,  The  examples  of  the  saints  make  it  plain,  as  Job  xix, 
25 — 27.  "  For  I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  and  that  he  shall 
stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth.  And  though  after  my  skin, 
worms  destroy  this  body,  yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God;  whom  I 
shall  see  for  myself,  and  mine  eyes  shall  behold,  and  not  another; 
though  my  reins  be  consumed  within  me."  Psal.  xxiii.  ult.  "  Surely 
goodness  and  mercy  shall  follow  me  all  the  days  of  my  life  ;  and  I 
will  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  for  ever."  2  Tim.  iv.  8.  "  Hence- 
forth there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness,  which  the 
Lord  the  righteous  judge  shall  give  mo  at  that  day ;  and  not  to  me 
only,  but  unto  all  them  also  that  love  his  appearing."  This  know- 
ledge is  what  has  been  reached,  and  therefore  yet  may  be  so. 

IL  For  practical  improvement  of  this  point,  I  exhort  you  to  be 
concerned  to  know,  whether  ye  are  of  God,  separated  from  the 
world,  or  not.  Take  that  matter  under  serious  consideration.  To 
press  you  thereto,  consider, 

1.  We  are  all  of  us  naturally,  and  by  our  first  birth,  of  the  world 
lying  in  wickedness,  Eph.  ii.  2,  3.     No  question  but  we  were  once 

Vol.  Y.  X 


310  USE  OF  EXHORTATION. 

joined  to  the  wicked  world,  as  kindly  members  thereof;  all  the 
question  is,  Whether  we  be  separated  from  them,  or  not  ?  It  is  by 
a  second  birth  that  we  are  of  God,  if  at  all.  What  experience 
have  we  of  that  ? 

2.  The  world  lying  in  wickedness  is  the  society  appointed  to  des- 
truction, as  in  a  state  and  course  of  enmity  against  God,  Eph.  ii.  3. 
Therefore  all  that  are  to  be  saved,  arc  delivered  and  gathered  out 
of  it.  Gal.  i.  4.  Wo  to  them  that  are  left  in  it,  for  they  will  perish 
in  the  ruins  of  it.  David  prays,  "  Gather  not  my  soul  with  the 
wicked."  But  they  that  are  not  gathered  out  of  them  in  life,  cannot 
miss  to  be  gathered  with  them  in  death  ;  being  eternally  left  in  the 
guilt  and  filth  of  their  wickedness,  where  the  worm  dieth  not,  and 
the  fire  is  not  quenched. 

3.  Many  deceive  themselves  in  this  matter,  as  the  foolish  virgins, 
Matth.  XXV.  Christ's  flock  is  certainly  a  little  flock,  Luke  xii.  32. 
Matth.  V.  13,  14.  Yet  there  are  but  very  feAV  who  do  not  hope  to 
share  with  them ;  for  a  ruining  imnciple  obtains,  That  if  we  be  not 
notoriously  profane,  it  will  be  well  with  us  in  the  end ;  as  if  the 
devil  could  dwell  in  none,  whose  name  is  not  Legion.  They  that 
have  a  form  of  religion,  bitild  on  that ;  and  others  build  on  the 
mercy  of  God.  They  consider  not,  how  very  unlikely  it  is,  that 
they  shall  leap  out  of  Delilah's  lap  into  Abraham's  bosom ;  and 
therefore  they  trouble  not  themselves  with  separating  from  the  world 
lying  in  wickedness. 

4.  Death  is  approaching  ;  and  if  it  were  come,  there  will  be  no 
separating  more  from  the  world.  There  are  two  parts  of  that  world, 
the  one  within,  the  other  without  the  line  of  mercy.  The  latter  lies 
on  the  other  side  of  death.  And  death  separates  the  unregenerate 
from  the  former  part  indeed,  but  it  fixes  them  for  ever  among  the 
other  part  that  is  quite  hopeless. 

5.  It  is  uncertain  when  death  comes  to  us,  and  how,  Matth.  xxiv. 
42.  People  of  all  ages  and  sizes  die,  and  death  fixes  all  in  an  un- 
alterable state.  A  death-bed  is  not  to  be  trusted  to  ;  for  death  may 
surprise  you  without  getting  one ;  and  though  ye  get  it,  it  may  be 
very  useless  for  soul  business,  whether  through  raving  or  extreme 
tossing.  At  best  it  is  hardly  the  fit  time  of  being  new  born,  when 
a-dying. 

6.  Lastly,  It  is  an  excellent  and  useful  thing  to  know  our  state  in 
this  point.  For  if  we  find  that  we  are  not  of  God,  but  of  the  world, 
we  are  awakened  to  see  to  it  in  time.  If  we  find  that  we  are,  it  is 
what  makes  both  a  comfortable  life,  in  the  midst  of  troubles  from 
the  world ;  and  a  fruitful  life,  inflaming  the  heart  with  love,  hum- 
bling the  soul,  and  strengthening  it,  and  fitting  both  to  live  and  to 
die. 


CHARACTERS  OF  THOSE  THAT  ARE  OF  GOD.  311 

For  your  help  in  this  inquiry,  consider  the  following  signs,  marks, 
and  characters  of  those  that  are  of  God,  separated  from  the  world. 

Characters  of  those  that  are  of  God. 

First,  They  are  such  as  have  fled  from  the  world  to  Jesus  Christ 
as  a  refuge,  Heb.  vi.  18.  They  have  seen  danger  in  it,  in  a  work  of 
conviction  ;  and  safety  from  it  in  Christ,  in  a  work  of  saving  illumi- 
uation.  Such  are  of  God,  and  none  other,  as  is  manifested  from  that 
gospel-call,  2  Cor.  vi.  17,  1 8,  "  Wherefore  come  out  from  among 
them,  and  be  ye  separate,  saith  the  Lord,  and  touch  not  the  unclean 
thing ;  and  I  will  receive  you,  and  will  be  a  Father  unto  you,  and  ye 
shall  be  my  sons  and  daiighters,  saith  the  Lord  Almighty."  The  se- 
cure, and  strangers  to  Christ,  are  yet  in  the  world  lying  in  wickedness. 

1,  Seen  danger  in  the  world  has  made  them  flee  from  it.  They 
have  come  out  of  it,  as  Lot  out  of  Sodom,  under  conviction  that 
destruction  from  the  Lord  was  waiting  it.  They  have  heard  and 
believed  the  report  of  the  word  about  it,  saying,  as  Rev.  xviii.  4. 
"  Come  out  of  her,  my  people,  that  ye  be  not  partakers  of  her  sins, 
and  that  ye  receive  not  of  her  plagues."  They  have  got  an  awaken- 
ing that  has  frightened  them  from  staying  longer  with  them,  not- 
withstanding of  the  multitude  abiding  at  ease  therein,  the  discerning 
of  which  makes  many  easy  in  their  stay  in  it. 

2.  Seen  safety  in  Christ  has  brought  them  to  him,  in  a  way  of 
believing,  Acts  xv.  11,  "  But  we  believe  that  through  the  grace  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  we  shall  be  saved."  They  have  seen  him  to 
be  the  Christ,  in  whom  the  fulness  of  hai)piness  is  lodged  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  world,  1  John  v.  1.  They  have  discovered  in  him  a 
glory  darkening  all  the  world's  glory,  and  so  have  made  the  ex- 
change as  of  husks  for  bread,  Matth.  xiii.  45,  46. 

Secondly,  They  are  coming  away  with  Christ  from  the  world  in 
their  daily  walk,  answering  his  call.  Can,  iv.  8.  "  Come  with  me 
from  Lebanon,  my  spouse,  with  me  from  Lebanon."  After  Israel 
came  out  of  Egypt,  they  went  not  back  to  it,  to  the  brick  kilns,  and 
the  flesh-pots ;  but  they  marched  through  the  wilderness.  Those 
that  are  separated  from  the  world  in  regeneration,  are  still  separating 
from  it,  in  progressive  sanctification,  labouring  to  keep  themselves 
unspotted  from  the  world.  They  are  not  of  God  then,  who  having 
once  had  something  like  conversion,  make  that  stand  for  all,  and 
never  endeavour  to  be  separating  more  and  more  from  the  world. 

There  are  three  things  that  make  them  still  to  be  coming  away 
from  the  world. 

1.  It  grows  no  better  in  their  eyes,  in  any  of  its  shapes,  whatever 
it  grows  worse  ;  so  they  continue  their  separation  and  march,  coming 

x2 


312  CUARACTEKS  OF  THOSE  THAT  ARE  OF  GOD. 

up  from  the  wiklerness,  Cant.  viii.  5.  Some  people  get  a  fright  of 
the  world  some  time  ;  and  the  ways  of  the  world  appear  to  them 
dangerous  ways.  But  that  fright  goes  off,  and  tlie  ways  of  the  world 
look  more  gay  to  them  ;  and  they  being  hardened  by  the  deceitful- 
ness  of  sin,  even  go  back  again,  and  settle  down  in  the  world  lying 
in  wickedness  in  one  shape  or  another,  that  be  like  them. 

2.  There  are  two  contrary  principles  in  them,  an  earthly  one  and 
a  heavenly  one,  grace  and  corruption.  Gal.  v.  17.  If  they  had  only 
the  earthly  principle,  they  would  settle  still  with  the  world,  they 
could  not  come  away  at  all.  If  they  had  only  the  heavenly  ijrinciple, 
they  would  be  quite  separated  from  the  world,  and  their  march  from 
it  would  be  at  an  end.  But  having  both,  the  one  puts  them  in  con- 
tinual hazard  of  the  unclean  thing,  and  the  other  prompts  them  to 
be  making  away  from  it. 

3.  They  have  peremptorily  left  their  old  rest,  and  are  not  yet 
come  to  their  new  rest,  therefore  they  must  be  moving.  They  have 
left  the  city  of  destruction,  but  they  are  not  come  yet  to  the  city 
of  God,  the  New  Jerusalem,  Heb.  iv.  9,  11.  They  are  come  out  of 
Egypt,  but  they  are  not  yet  come  to  Canaan  ;  but  they  are  on  their 
wilderness  march,  minded  to  hold  on,  while  apostates  are  for  re- 
turning to  Egypt  again. 

Thirdly,  They  are  non-conformists  to  the  world,  Rom.  xii.  2.  They 
do  not  conform  themselves  to  the  course  of  the  world,  Eph.  ii.  2. 
Hence  they  are  indeed  the  world's  wonder,  and  at  length  the  object 
of  their  reproach  and  spite,  1  Pet.  iv.  4.  Wherein  they  think  it 
strange  that  you  run  not  with  them  to  the  same  excess  of  riot, 
speaking  evil  of  you.  They  dare  not  do  what  the  world  makes  no 
bones  of;  they  hate  the  courses  that  the  world  is  fond  of;  and  take 
pleasure  in  those  things  that  are  tasteless  and  sapless  to  the  world. 
Being  of  God,  it  must  be  so ;  for, 

1.  They  are  of  another  country  than  the  world,  being  heavenly 
men,  born  from  above.  They  are  pilgrims  and  strangers  here ;  how 
then  can  they  miss  not  to  be  conformed  to  the  natives  ?  Indeed  if 
they  were  to  settle  among  them,  and  to  be  naturalized,  forgetting 
the  heavenly  country,  they  would  fall  in  with  their  ways  and 
courses,  as  apostates  do.  But  they  are  only  travelling  through  the 
world,  and  therefore  it  is  not  strange  they  quite  differ  in  their  lan- 
guage, habit,  and  manners,  fi*om  the  natives  of  the  world. 

2.  They  are  of  another  nature  than  the  men  of  the  world,  being 
partakers  of  the  divine  nature,  2  Pet.  i.  4.  Some  men  differ  in  their 
natural  constitutions  so,  that  what  is  one  man's  meat  is  another's 
poison.  But  the  new  nature  in  the  regenerate  differs  farther  from 
the  old  corrupt  nature  in  the  world.     Grace  gives  the  hearts  of  men 


CHARACTERS  OF  THOSE  THAT  ARE  OF  GOD.  313 

a  new  set,  hangs  a  new  bias  on  them,  so  that  they  dearly  love  what 
themselves  before  hated,  and  hate  what  before  they  loved.  The 
new  nature  and  the  old  course  are  inconsistent.  One  must  quit  the 
latter,  or  all  pretence  to  the  former. 

This  non-conformity  lies  not  only  in  not  doing  what  the  world 
does,  but  in  doing  another  way  than  the  world  does  in  that  which 
they  both  do.  So  in  those  things  which  they  both  do,  there  is  still 
a  non-conformity  to  the  world,  which  is  seen  in  these  three  things. 

1.  In  natural  actions,  as  eating  and  drinking,  8fc.  They  that  are 
of  God  must  do  these  as  well  as  they  that  are  of  the  world ;  yet  the 
former  do  not  conform  to  the  latter  in  the  way  of  doing  them.  The 
way  of  the  world  in  these  things  is  merely  selfish  and  carnal,  to  gra- 
tify a  lust  or  appetite,  without  any  eye  to  God  in  them,  to  his  com- 
mand, his  glory,  or  to  the  fitting  of  them  to  serve  God  in  their  sta- 
tion, Zech.  vii.  6.  "  When  ye  did  eat,  and  when  ye  did  drink,  did 
ye  not  eat  for  yourselves,  and  drink  for  yourselves  ?"  (Matth.  xxiv. 
38.)  Hence  conscience  has  with  them  nothing  to  do  in  the  getting, 
or  in  the  using  of  these  things. 

But  they  that  are  of  God  will  take  their  religion  to  their  bed  and 
to  their  board,  and  regulate  themselves  therein  according  to  the  dic- 
tates, not  of  carnality,  but  conscience,  1  Cor.  x.  31.  The  satisfying 
the  necessities  of  the  body,  will  not  be  to  them  the  ends  of  their  liv- 
ing, but  the  means  of  living,  their  end  being  to  live  to  God;  and 
therefore  these  things  will  be  cut  and  carved  as  they  may  best  con- 
tribute to  that  end,  1  Thess.  iv.  4,  5. 

2.  In  civil  actions,  as  working,  bargaining,  guiding  a  family,  ser- 
ving, 8)C.  The  way  of  the  world  in  these  things,  is  to  haA^e  no  res- 
pect to  the  command  or  honour  of  God  in  them,  to  shuffle  out  the 
directions  in  their  Bible  from  them,  as  a  thing  having  no  concern  in 
these  matters,  Luke  xvii.  28  ;  to  have  no  single  eye  to  seek  the 
good  of  those  they  have  to  do  with,  but  to  please  themselves ;  or  at 
best  to  be  men-pleasers,  not  God  pleasers  in  these  things  :  to  count 
exact  truth  and  uprightness  needless  nicety. 

But  those  that  are  of  God  dare  not,  will  not,  nay  abhor  to  con- 
form themselves  to  that  way  of  the  world.  They  will  carry  their 
religion  into  their  callings,  worldly  business,  and  relations,  1  Cor. 
vii.  23,  24.  They  will  look  on  God  as  the  principle,  whoever  is  the 
less  principle  party  they  have  to  do  with,  Prov.  iii.  6.  Tlie  end  of 
regeneration  is  the  restoring  of  sinners  to  conformity  unto  the  rnle 
of  righteousness,  whereof  the  sum  is  love  to  God  and  our  neighbour, 
shewing  itself  in  sincere  endeavours  to  honour  God,  and  to  be  bene- 
ficial to  mankind,  1  John  iii.  10.  In  this  the  children  of  God  are 
manifest,  and  the  children  of  the  devil ;  whosoever  doth  not  righte- 

X  3 


314  CHAKACTERS  OF  THOSE  THAT  ARE  OF  OOD. 

ousness,  is  not  of  God,  neither  he  that  lovcth  not  his  brother." 

3.  In  religious  actions.  It  is  not  hare  praying,  hearing,  ^'c.  that 
mil  distinguish  one  from  the  world  lying  in  wickedness  ;  for  all 
that  religion  is  found  among  them  too.  But  they  hare  a  way  of 
their  own  in  it,  holding  with  the  form,  but  denying  the  power, 
2  Tim.  iii.  5.  contenting  themseh^es  with  bodily  exercise,  while 
strangers  to  the  spirituality  of  duties,  Matth.  xv.  8.  seeking  them- 
selves in  them,  not  God,  Matth.  vi.  2.  making  a  shelter  of  them 
wherein  to  sin  more  at  ease,  Prov.  vii.  14,  15;  and  putting  them  in 
Christ's  room,  by  confidence  in  them,  Rom.  x.  3. 

But  those  that  are  of  God  conform  not  to  that  way  of  religion. 
For  to  the  regenerate  it  is  not  a  piece  of  art,  but  of  new  nature  ;  re- 
ligion is  a  thing  that  their  new  nature  leads  them  to.  And  what  is 
natural  people  will  still  aim  at  the  perfection  of,  and  so  they  will 
study  the  j)0wer  of  godliness.  And  being  of  God,  they  will  natively 
seek  the  enjoyment  of  God,  as  the  infant  seeks  to  suck  the  breasts 
of  the  mother  that  bare  it;  and  they  will  seek  the  destruction  of  sin 
by  their  religion,  as  being  a  contrary  principle  thereto ;  and  it  will 
natively  carry  them  out  of  themselves  to  Christ  for  all,  since  he  is 
the  life  of  the  new  creature.  See  their  character,  Phil,  iii.  3.  "  We 
are  the  circumcision,  which  worship  God  in  the  spirit,  and  rejoice  in 
Christ  Jesus,  and  have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh." 

Fourthly,  They  are  in  a  state  of  opposition  to  the  world  lying  in 
wickedness.  This  is  i^lain  from  Gen.  iii.  15.  "  And  I  will  put  en- 
mity between  thee  and  the  woman,  and  between  thy  seed  and  her 
seed."  Jam.  iv.  4.  The  two  parties  are  like  the  company  of  two 
armies  engaged  against  one  another.  "When  by  regenerating  grace 
one  comes  out  from  among  them,  he  is  not  only  separated  from 
them,  but  set  up  in  opposition  to  them.     This  says  negatively, 

1.  Those  that  are  of  God  are  not  the  friends  of  the  world,  taking 
part  with  them  against  those  that  are  of  God.  There  are  some  not 
without  pretences  to  religion,  but  as  to  matters  of  practice  they  are 
still  upon  the  loose  side ;  they  will  plead  for  Baal,  and  give  squint 
strokes  at  tender  holy  walking.  They  will  declaim  against  hypo- 
crisy, being  tongue  tacked  against  profaneness ;  they  have  a  vail  to 
throw  over  the  gross  abominations  of  the  licentious,  but  they  will 
rip  up  the  infirmities  of  the  weak ;  they  have  a  tongue  soft  as  wool 
for  the  credit  of  the  scandalous  and  profane,  but  piercing  like  a 
sword  into  the  serious.  Let  these  read  the  sentence  of  the  Spirit  of 
God,  excommunicating  them  out  of  the  communion  of  saints,  James 
iv.  4.  Ye  adulterers  and  adulteresses,  know  ye  not  that  the  friend- 
ship of  the  world  is  enmity  with  God ;  whosoever  therefore  will  be 
a  friend  of  the  world,  is  the  enemy  of  God. 


CHAEACTEES  OF  THOSE  THAT  AEE  OF  GOD.  315 

2.  They  are  not  neuters  in  the  quarrel  with  the  world  lying  in 
"wickedness.  There  are  some  who  think  that  they  do  very  well,  if 
they  do  nothing  against  the  cause  of  religion ;  but  to  act  against  the 
cause  of  wickedness  in  the  world,  is  none  of  their  business,  it  belongs 
not  to  theni,  not  considering  what  Solomon  says,  Prov.  xxviii.  4, 
"  They  that  forsake  the  law,  praise  the  wicked  ;  but  such  as  keep 
the  law,  contend  with  them."  They  think  to  keep  peace  with  God, 
and  with  the  world  lying  in  wickedness  too ;  but  they  are  mistaken, 
it  will  not  do.  "Whoever  they  be  that  are  not  content  to  list  them- 
selves under  Christ's  banner,  to  oppose  and  act  against  the  world 
lying  in  wickedness,  Christ  denounces  them  enemies  to  him,  Matth. 
xii.  30,  "  He  that  is  not  with  me,  is  against  me  ;  and  he  that  gather- 
etli  not  with  me,  scattereth  abroad." 

How  can  it  be  but  that  those  who  are  of  God  are  in  a  state  of  op- 
position to  the  world  lying  in  wickedness  ? 

(1.)  The  object  of  their  love  is  the  object  of  the  world's  hatred, 
which  cannot  miss  to  produce  this.  God  in  Christ  is  the  principal 
object  of  the  love  of  the  regenerate,  and  him  the  world  hates,  John 
XV.  18.  and  they  shew  it  in  their  hatred  of  his  image,  in  his  ordin- 
ances, his  people,  and  especially  in  his  law,  because  there  it  is  most 
lively  expressed.  And  can  any  thing  be  more  natural,  than  for  a 
son  to  be  in  a  state  of  opposition  to  his  Father's  haters  and  enemies  ? 
Psal.  cxxxis.  21.  namely,  to  oppose  them  in  their  opposition,  that  is, 
their  sin,  not  their  persons. 

(2.)  They  are  under  opposite  heads,  betwixt  whom  there  is  an  ir- 
reconcilable war,  Christ  and  the  devil,  Michael  and  the  dragon. 
This  war  was  proclaimed  in  paradise,  Gen.  iii.  15.  and  will  never 
end,  but  in  tlie  destruction  of  the  one  party.  Nobody  can  be  neuter 
in  such  a  case,  but  do  make  opposition.  The  arms  of  the  parties  are 
indeed  very  different.  The  world  acts  against  those  that  are  of  God, 
by  persecutions,  reproaches,  mockings,  contempt  and  hatred  of  their 
persons,  looseness  of  life,  trampling  on  the  laws  and  honour  of  God  ; 
the  regenerate  act  against  the  world  lying  in  wickedness  :  by  hatred 
of  their  ways,  loving  their  persons,  testifying  against  them,  endea- 
vouring to  reclaim  them,  rowing  against  the  stream  in  a  tender  walk, 
mourning  and  praying  for  them.  They  that  are  not  so  engaged 
against  the  world,  are  not  of  God. 

(3.)  The  interest  of  the  two  societies  is  downright  opposite  ;  so 
opposite  that  the  one  cannot  be  advanced  but  on  the  ruin  of  the 
other.  The  spreading  of  holiness  is  the  interest  that  the  one  is  pur- 
suing, the  promoting  of  sin  is  the  interest  pursued  by  the  other ; 
these  are  as  opposite  as  light  and  darkness.  And  it  is  as  sure  that 
every  man  and  woman  is  acting  in  this  life  to  the  promoting  of  one 


816  CIIAKACTERS  OF  THOSE  THAT  ARE  OF  GOD. 

of  these  two  in  the  world,  as  that  every  person  and  thing  will  act 
agreeable  to  its  own  nature,  Micah  iv.  5.  For  all  people  will  walk 
every  one  in  the  name  of  his  God,  and  we  will  walk  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord  our  God  for  ever.  And  therefore  those  that  are  of  God 
are  in  a  state  of  opposition  to  the  world  lying  in  wickedness. 

Fiftlili),  There  is  a  bond  of  brotherly  love,  whereby  they  are  knit 
together  among  themselves,  as  children  of  one  family.  By  this  one 
may  know  himself  to  belong  to  the  family  of  God,  1  John  iii.  14. 
"  We  know  that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto  life,  because  we 
love  the  brethren  ;"  and  by  it  as  a  badge  on-lookers  may  know  they 
belong  to  it,  John  xiii.  35.  "  By  this  shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are 
my  disciples,  if  ye  love  one  another."  So  that  it  is  a  sign  that  casts 
its  light  both  inward  and  outward.  The  certainty  hereof  appears 
from  several  considerations. 

1.  They  all  love  God  their  common  Father,  love  his  image,  pres- 
sing to  be  like  him  as  their  main  aim.  Hence,  since  all  the  rege- 
nerate do  bear  God's  image  as  begotten  of  him,  they  must  love  them 
also,  1  John  v.  1.  "  Every  one  that  loveth  him  that  begat,  loveth 
him  also  that  is  begotten  of  him."  The  love  of  God  natively  draws 
after  it  the  Christian  love  of  those  that  are  of  God. 

They  have  forsaken  the  world  for  the  society  of  the  saints  ;  and  as 
the  married  woman  forsakes  her  father's  house,  and  joins  herself 
into  the  house  of  her  husband,  thenceforth  to  look  upon  the  interest 
thereof  as  her  interest ;  so  in  the  spiritual  marriage  with  Christ  and 
regeneration,  the  soul  comes  home  to  the  society  of  the  saints  for 
good  and  all,  in  opposition  to  the  world,  cordially  falling  in  with 
the  call  given,  Psal.  xlv.  10.  "  Hearken,  0  daughter,  and  consider, 
and  incline  thine  ear  ;  forget  also  thine  own  people,  and  thy  father's 
house." 

3.  The  natural  enmity  against  the  seed  of  the  woman  that  is  in- 
separable from  the  seed  of  the  serpent,  evinceth  this.  Gen.  iii.  15. 
In  every  unregenerate  man  there  is  a  natural  enmity  against  a  holy 
God,  his  holy  Christ,  and  his  holy  seed ;  their  natures  being  as  con- 
trary as  fire  and  water,  that  it  is  impossible  ever  they  should  be,  as 
such,  lovely  in  one  another's  eyes.  And  in  regeneration,  the  ser- 
pentine nature  is  changed,  the  enmity  removed,  and  consequently 
this  love  to  the  saints  is  fixed  in  its  room,  as  a  necessary  consequent 
of  the  new  nature. 

4.  As  God  is  love,  the  devil  is  a  mass  of  hatred  and  malice 
against  God  and  man,  so  the  two  parties  partake  of  their  natures 
respectively.  God  bears  a  common  love  to  his  creatures,  so  as  to 
do  them  good,  and  a  special  love  to  the  saints  ;  and  those  that  are 
of  God,  accordingly  have  implanted  in  them  a  principle  of  love,  of 


CHARACTERS  OF  THOSE  THAT  ARE  OF  GOD.  317 

good  will  and  beneficence  to  mankind,  Luke  vi.  35.  but  a  special 
love  of  delight  in  the  saints,  Psal.  xvi.  3.  Gal.  vi.  10.  Satan  bears 
a  hatred  against  men,  especially  holv  men ;  but  most  of  all  he  hates 
God ;  so  his  seed  hate  one  another,  Tit.  iii.  3.  and  more  keenly  hate 
the  heavenly  seed,  and  that  because  of  their  hatred  wherewith  most 
of  all  they  are  irreconcileable  to  God,  John  xv.  18. 

Object.  Where  are  there  greater  heats  and  oppositions,  than 
among  the  different  parties  in  the  church  ?  where  then  is  the 
brotherly  love  by  which  all  are  pretended  to  be  knit?  Answ.  There 
is  a  difference  betwixt  the  visible  church,  and  those  that  are  of  God. 
In  the  visible  church  are  many  who  are  still  of  the  world  lying  in  , 
wickedness,  and  they  bring  with  them  into  the  church,  their  natural 
enmity,  hatred,  and  unchristian  spirit,  and  exercise  it  in  the  things 
of  God,  to  the  marring  of  the  purity,  beauty,  and  peace  of  it.  But 
this  hellish  fire  belongs  to  the  spirit  of  the  world,  and  the  blame  of 
kindling  it  lies  at  the  door  of  the  world.  And  if  the  church,  though 
imperfect  were  freely  separated  from  the  world  lying  in  wickedness, 
it  would  be  a  lovely  and  loving  society  far  beyond  what  it  is.  I 
own  that  these  things  are  incident  to  those  that  are  of  God,  as  in 
the  contention  between  Paul  and  Barnabas,  Acts  xv.  39.  and  the 
reason  is,  the  remains  of  the  spirit  of  the  world  in  them  are  not  yet 
purged  away  ;  but  the  cause  of  the  quarrel  is  not  what  they  con- 
ceive to  be  likeness,  but  unlikeness  to  God ;  and  notwithstanding 
all  their  jarrings,  they  will  still  love  them  as  they  appear  to  have 
the  image  of  God  on  them  ;  for  whatever  they  differ  in,  they  agree 
in  that.     Wherefore  we  may  lay  down  these  conclusions, 

1.  They  that  are  of  God  love  the  society  of  the  regenerate,  con- 
sidered as  a  holy  society,  separated  from  the  world  lying  in  wicked- 
ness, Heb.  xii.  22.  The  picture  of  that  society  drawn  in  the  Bible, 
is  beautiful  in  their  eyes,  more  alluring  to  them  than  the  richest, 
most  powerful,  and  most  gay  and  splended  society  in  the  world ; 
and  therefore  they  desire  more  to  be  of  it,  than  of  any  other  what- 
soever. The  grace  in  it  glisters  more  in  their  eyes  than  gold  in  the 
world  ;  and  so  it  is  not  with  others,  1  John  ii.  15.  Cant.  i.  7. 

2.  They  love  particular  saints  of  their  acquaintance  for  what  like- 
ness to  God  appears  in  them,  2  John  ii.  2.  There  are  many  tlungs 
about  the  children  of  God,  that  may  move  love  to  them  in  a  child  of 
the  devil,  their  relation,  usefulness,  and  agreeableness  in  several 
things  to  them  !  but  their  spiritual  beauty  in  conformity  to  the  holy 
Jesus,  is  a  motive  and  ground  of  love  to  them,  not  in  the  unregenerate, 
but  in  the  regenerate  partakers  of  the  same  divine  nature.  Upon  that 
score  the  serpentine  enmity  rises  in  the  one,  and  love  in  the  other. 

3.  They  love  all  the  saints  without  exception,  so  far  as  they  can 


318  CHAKACTER3  OF  THOSE  THAT  ARE  OF   GOD. 

take  them  up  to  be  so,  Eph.  i.  15.  They  will  never  confine  their 
love  to  a  party,  to  whom  God  has  not  confined  his  grace,  nor  to  such 
as  are  attended  with  worldly  advantages,  despising  the  rest  on  whom 
the  world  particularly  frowns,  Psal.  cxix.  63.  If  they  should  do  so, 
they  would  evidence  that  it  is  not  God  they  love  in  them,  but  them- 
selves ;  that  it  is  not  the  advantages  they  have  as  the  darlings  of 
heaven,  but  of  the  world.  But  whatever  defects  are  about  them, 
the  appearance  of  God's  grace  in  them  will  supply  them  all,  to  the 
rendering  them  lovely  in  the  eyes  of  those  that  are  of  God,  though 
not  to  others,  whereby  they  are  tried  and  cast. 

4.  The  more  gracious  and  holy  any  are,  the  more  will  they  be 
loved  of  them.  For  the  more  of  the  cause  there  is  in  any,  the  more 
there  must  be  of  the  eftect.  And  hence  it  is,  that  the  most  tender  and 
holy  Christians  are  at  once  the  objects  of  the  greatest  love  of  the 
regenerate,  and  the  world's  greatest  hatred.  Many  can  endure 
holiness  while  it  remains  dim  and  obscure  in  men.  that  sj)it  venom 
against  it,  where  it  shines  clear ;  so  formal  hypocrites  are  like  the 
owl  that  can  come  abroad  in  the  twilight,  but  cannot  endure  the 
light  of  the  sun  :  an  eminent  instance  were  the  Pharisees  to  Christ. 

5.  Lastly,  The  more  any  have  of  the  world's  hatred  for  their  op- 
position to  it,  they  will  love  them  the  more.  As  fire  burns  keenest 
in  the  sharpest  frost,  so  it  has  always  been  observed,  that  the  love 
of  the  godly  to  one  another  was  strongest,  when  the  world's  hatred 
of  them  was  most  keen.  So  dangerous  it  is  to  be  found  joining  the 
torrent  of  the  world  against  serious  godly  ones. 

Slxthhj,  Their  hearts  are  kindly  disposed  towards  the  holy  law. 
As  the  old  corrupt  nature  reigning  in  the  uuregenerate  fills  them  with 
enmity  against  it,  Rom.  viii.  7-  so  the  new  nature  in  them  kindly 
plies  and  bends  towards  it,  Psal.  cxix.  97.  The  reason  is,  the  image 
of  God  expressed  in  the  law  is  begun  to  be  drawn  on  their  souls,  so 
that  their  new  nature  and  the  holy  law  point  both  one  way,  Ileb. 
viii.  10.  It  is  true,  there  is  a  resistance  and  aversion  of  the  unre- 
newed part ;  but  that  is  not  total,  and  there  is  a  gracious  principle 
that  condemns  it,  Rom.  vii.  22,  23.     Hence, 

1.  They  willingly  take  on  the  yoke  of  obedience,  and  go  under 
it,  because  it  is  agreeable  to  their  new  nature,  1  John  v.  3.  "  For 
this  is  the  love  of  God,  that  we  keep  his  commandments ;  and  his 
commandments  are  not  grievous."  Christ's  yoke  is  a  galling  yoke 
to  the  necks  of  the  men  of  the  world,  because  their  is  no  suitablencs 
of  their  nature  to  it :  they  spurn  it,  their  hearts  rise  against  it ; 
fain  would  they  be  quit  of  it,  that  they  might  take  their  swing  ac- 
cording to  their  lust.  But  it  is  not  so  to  those  who  are  of  God, 
Matth.  xi.  29,  30.  Fain  would  they  be  rid  of  their  lusts,  but  not  of 
the  law,  Rom.  vii.  24. 


CHAEACTEES  OP  THOSE  THAT  AEE  OF  GOD.  319 

2.  tliey  are  universal  in  their  obedience  to  their  knowledge,  Psal. 
cxix.  6.  "  Then  shall  I  not  be  ashamed,  when  I  have  respect  unto  all 
thy  commandments."  "When  there  is  an  artificial  bending  towards 
the  law,  upon  a  particular  design,  there  is  a  picking  and  choosing  of 
the  parts  thereof  most  agreeable  to  one's  circumstances  ;  hence  some 
fall  in  with  duty  to  God,  but  make  no  conscience  of  their  duty  to 
men  ;  others  fall  in  with  personal  duty,  but  make  no  conscience  of 
relative  duties  ;  they  comply  with  duties  of  commanding,  but  make 
no  conscience  of  duties  of  subjection :  for  the  one  they  can  digest, 
but  not  the  other.  But  where  the  bent  is  new  and  natural,  there  will 
be  a  falling  in  with  the  whole,  since  the  whole  is  agreeable  to  the  new 
nature,  and  is  of  a  piece,  and  laid  on  by  the  same  authority,  James 
ii.  10,  11. 

'Lastly,  They  overcome  the  world,  1  John  v.  4.  "  "Whatsoever  is 
born  of  God,  overcometh  the  world  ;  and  this  is  the  victory  that 
overcometh  the  world,  even  our  faith."  Having  separated  from  the 
world,  it  will  pursue  them,  as  the  Egyptians  did  Israel,  and  it  will 
have  a  war  with  them,  encountering  them  with  its  smiles  and  frowns; 
but  whatever  way  it  attacks  them  they  overcome  ;  though  they  may 
lose  in  particular  battles,  yet  they  are  the  overcomers  in  the  main. 
And, 

1.  They  overcome  its  smiles,  holding  fast  by  their  God,  religion,  and 
duty,  in  the  face  of  a  smiling  world.  Job  i.  1 — 5.  Many  a  man  that 
sometimes  seemed  to  be  separated  from  the  world,  is  brought  by  the 
warm  sun  of  worldly  prosperity  to  drop  off  his  garments  of  religion 
and  a  tender  walk,  and  plunge  himself  into  the  way  of  the  world 
lying  in  wickedness.  And  there  is  no  question  but  worldly  pros- 
perity is  given  to  men  for  their  trial,  as  well  as  adversity ;  and 
many  come  foul  off  in  it,  Prov.  i.  32.  But  those  who  are  once  truly 
separate  will  overcome. 

2.  They  overcome  its  frowns,  holding  fast  by  their  God,  religion, 
and  duty,  as  sweet,  though  the  world  turn  never  so  sour,  Uab.  iii. 
17,  18.  "Although  the  fig-tree  shall  not  blossom,  neither  shall  fruit 
be  in  the  vines,  the  labour  of  the  olive  shall  fail,  and  the  fields  shall 
yield  no  meat,  the  flock  shall  be  cut  off  from  the  fold,  and  there 
shall  be  no  herd  in  the  stalls ;  yet  I  will  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  T  will 
joy  in  the  God  of  my  salvation."  The  sour  world  gets  the  day  of 
many,  by  sucking  the  sap  out  of  religion  to  them,  rendering  the 
word  of  promise  and  spiritual  comforts  tasteless  to  them  ;  so  that 
though  when  the  world  gave  them  comfort,  they  had  some  comfort 
in  religion  too  ;  yet  when  the  world's  comforts  are  dried  up,  the 
comforts  of  religion  are  gone  too,  Exod.  vi.  9.  That  says  the  Avorld 
was  the  main  pillar  on  which  their  comfort  stood.     But  though  the 


320      WHY  THE  UNKEGENERATE  AEE  CALLED  THE  WORLD. 

world  may  prevail  to  brangle  thus  with  them  that  are  of  God,  yet 
they  will  not  be  quite  overcome,  but  will  be  overcoraers  in  the  case  ; 
shewing  that  they  are  in  hope  of  something  bettor  than  what  they 
have  lost,  that  there  is  something  for  which  they  can  part  with  all 
to  obtain  it,  and  that  there  is  a  fountain  running  while  the  world's 
cisterns  are  dry. 

I  proceed  now  to  consider  the  last  doctrine,  namely, 

DocT.  III.  The  whole  unregenerate  world  lieth  in  wickedness. 

In  handling  this  subject,  we  shall, 

I.  Shew  why  the  society  of  the  unregenerate  is  called  the  world. 

II.  Offer  some  description  of  the  unregenerate  world. 

III.  Make  improvement. 

I.  I  am  to  shew  why  the  society  of  the  unregenerate  is  called  the 
world.  It  is  plain  here,  that  though  the  regenerate  really  are  in 
this  world,  as  well  as  the  unregenerate  ;  yet  the  unregenerate  are 
by  the  Spirit  of  God  called  the  world,  in  contradistinction  to  the 
regenerate,  as  if  they  possessed  the  earth  alone,  and  no  other  were 
mixed  with  them  in  it.     The  reasons  are, 

1.  They  are  the  main  body  of  the  world ;  and  so  few  of  the  other 
sort  are  mixed  with  them,  that  they  alter  not  the  denomination, 
John  i.  10.  He  was  in  the  world,  and  the  world  was  made  by  him, 
and  the  world  knew  him  not.  The  regenerate  are  but  here  one  and 
there  one,  but  the  unregenerate  aj^pear  in  multitudes ;  the  former 
are  but  as  gleanings,  the  latter  as  the  harvest.  What  safety  can 
men  propose  then  in  the  way  of  the  multitude,  the  course  of  the 
world  ? 

The  scripture  is  plain  in  this,  Matth.  vii.  13,  14.  "  Enter  ye 
in  at  the  strait  gate ;  for  wide  is  the  gate,  and  broad  is  the  way  that 
leadeth  to  destruction,  and  many  there  be  which  go  in  thereat ;  be- 
cause strait  is  the  gate,  and  narrow  is  the  way  Avhich  leadeth  unto 
life,  and  few  there  be  that  find  it."  Luke  xiii.  24.  "  Strive  to  enter 
in  at  the  strait  gate ;  for  many,  I  say  unto  you,  will  seek  to  enter  in, 
and  shall  not  be  able."  Christ's  flock  is  a  very  little  flock,  in  com- 
parison of  the  devil's  herd,  Luke  xii.  32.  And  it  is,  alas  !  demon- 
strable beyond  contradiction.  Dividing  the  world  into  thirty  parts, 
nineteen  of  them  are  possessed  by  Pagan  idolaters,  who  know  not 
the  true  God;  six  by  Jews,  Turks,  and  Saracens;  so  five  only  re- 
main which  profess  Christianity.  Thus  Christians  by  profession  are 
but  five  to  twenty-five.  Of  these  five  two  are  reckoned  to  be  of  the 
Greek  church,  much  sunk  in  ignorance,  and  the  other  three  idola- 
trous Pai)ists  and  Protestants.  And  among  Protestants,  how  many 
are  openly  profane  or  grossly  ignorant,  having  no  tolerable  shew  of 


WHY  THE  UNREaENERATE  ARE  CALLED  THE  WORLD.      321 

piety  ?   how  many  are  mere   formalists,   strangers  to  the  work  of 
grace,  and  exercises  of  godliness  ? 

2.  They  are  the  natives,  others  are  but  strangers  among  them,  and 
such  are  not  counted  in  a  general  denomination  of  a  society.  They 
are  in  the  scripture-style,  the  inhabitants  of  the  world,  Isa.  xxvi.  18. 
of  the  earth  and  sea.  Rev.  xii.  12.  as  being  the  natives  of  it,  having 
their  birth  and  breeding  only  of  the  world.  The  regenerate  are 
sojourners  among  them,  pilgrims  and  strangers  among  them,  Heb. 
xi.  13. 

3.  Their  spirit,  temper,  and  disposition,  chief  aims  and  designs, 
are  all  worldly,  there  is  nothing  heavenly  in  them,  Psal.  xvii.  14. 
Their  souls  are  indeed  of  heavenly  original  ;  but  they  are  sunk,  like 
a  pearl  in  a  mire,  in  the  profits,  pleasures,  vanities,  and  cares  of  the 
world.  Hence  they  are  called  flesh,  as  if  they  had  no  spirit  in  them, 
John  iii.  6.  and  are  said  to  be  in  the  flesh,  Rom.  viii.  8.  For  they 
can  relish  nothing  but  what  is  fleshly  or  worldly;  their  views  are 
confined  within  the  compass  of  the  present  world ;  on  these  things 
they  value  themselves ;  and  in  eff'ect  their  souls  have  resigned  them- 
selves slaves  to  their  bodies,  and  their  consciences  to  their  senses ; 
being  an  effect  in  their  bodies  as  salt  only  to  keep  them  from  rotting. 

4.  They  are  the  lower  part  of  the  rational  kind,  the  dreggy  part 
of  the  creation.  Therefore,  whereas  the  church  is  called  heaven, 
and  the  regenerate  sons  of  God,  heavenly  men  ;  they  are  called  the 
earth,  children  of  men,  earthly  men.  Gen.  xi.  1.  and  vi.  2.  1  Cor.  xv. 
48.  For  as  when  the  Spirit  moved,  and  the  divine  word  passed  upon 
the  shapeless  mass  at  the  beginning,  the  finer  parts  went  upward,  or 
off  from  the  dreggy  gross  part,  which  remaining  lowest  was  called 
earth ;  so  the  word  and  Spirit  passing  on  the  mass  of  mankind,  that 
part  thereof  which  is  thereby  regenerate  gets  a  new  nature,  ascends 
in  their  designs  and  aims,  and  at  length  become  equal  with  the 
angels,  Luke  xx.  36 ;  and  the  unregenerate  part  that  is  left  below, 
being  earthly,  sensual,  devilish ;  for  the  time  are  like  the  beasts, 
following  their  fleshly  appetite,  as  dogs  and  swine  the  grossest  of 
them  ;  and  in  the  end  are  thrust  down  into  the  place  of  devils. 

5.  Lastly,  Because  all  in  the  world  without  exception  are  origin- 
ally of  their  kind,  unregenerate,  John  iii.  6.  Even  the  elect  them- 
selves are  once  unregenerate ;  they  who  are  now  of  God,  were  some- 
time of  the  unregenerate  world,  Tit.  iii.  3.  So  that  irregeneracy  is 
the  state  of  all  the  world  originally,  in  which  state  all  lie  in  wicked- 
ness, Psal.  xiv.  3.  Only  those  that  are  of  God  have  heard  Heaven's 
voice,  as  saying,  Come  up  hither,  and  so  have  been  separated  from 
the  world.  But  the  society  they  come  from  is  still  the  world  lyiug 
in  wickedness. 


322  THE  UNREGENEKATE  WORLD  DESCRIBED. 

A  Description  of  tub  TJnregenerate  "World. 

II.  The  second  head  proposed  was,  to  offer  some  description  of  the 
unregenerate  world.  We  have  seen  some  of  the  characters  of  tlioso 
that  are  of  God,  I  shall  now  lay  before  you  a  view  of  the  world  ly- 
ing in  wickedness.  That  world  is  (as  it  were  two  hemispheres) 
twofold. 

1.  The  lower  world  lying  in  wickedness.  That  is  the  region  of 
death,  eternal  death  ;  the  lake  of  fire  ;  the  i)it,  the  abyss  of  hell. 
The  inhabitants  thereof  are  the  devils,  and  the  souls  of  the  damned, 
who  have  lived  and  died  in  their  unregenerate  state,  and  will  con- 
tinue for  ever  in  it. 

2.  The  upper  world  lying  in  wickedness.  That  is  the  land  of  the 
living,  this  present  evil  world,  made  up  of  all  those  who  are  living 
in  their  unregenerate  state,  the  black  state  of  nature,  strangers  to 
Christ  and  the  power  of  godliness.  It  is  the  upper  unregenerate 
world  we  are  to  sj)eak  of,  not  the  lower,  when  we  have  observed  that 
they  are  but  one  world  in  different  circumstances. 

1st,  The  lower  and  upper  unregenerate  world  are  indeed  one 
world,  one  kingdom  of  Satan,  one  family  of  his.  As  it  is  but  one 
family  of  saints  that  is  in  heaven  and  earth,  Eph.  iii.  15 ;  so  it  is  but 
one  family  of  sinners  that  is  in  hell  and  on  earth.  Therefore  those 
here  are  declared  children  of  hell,  as  well  as  those  that  are  there, 
Matth.  xxiii.  15.  of  the  devil,  John  viii.  44.  So  men  dying  unre- 
generate, go  to  their  own  place.  Acts  i.  25 ;  and  though  they  change 
their  place,  they  change  not  their  society,  being  gathered  with  those 
in  death,  in  society  with  whom  they  lived. 

2dli/,  But  only  they  are  in  different  cii'cumstances. 

(1.)  The  state  of  the  one  is  alterable,  as  of  those  who  are  upon  a 
trial ;  of  the  other  unalterable,  as  those  on  whom  a  definitive  sentence 
is  passed ;  this  is  held  forth  in  the  case  of  the  rich  man  and  his  five 
brethren,  Luke  xvi.  25 — 28.  Those  of  them  here  are  upon  their  way 
in  their  travel,  and  may  change  their  route,  and  go  heaven-ward  ; 
the  other  are  at  their  journey's  end,  and  can  move  no  more  from 
their  place. 

(2.)  So  the  case  of  the  one  is  not  without  hope,  but  that  of  the 
other  absolutely  hopeless.  They  are  both  prisoners  ;  but  the  one 
are  prisoners  of  hope,  Zech.  ix.  12 ;  but  the  earth  with  her  bars  is 
about  the  other  for  ever.  There  is  a  gulf  fixed  between  heaven  and 
them,  impassable.  Here  they  are  in  darkness  indeed,  but  it  is  not 
outer  darkness,  as  in  the  case  of  the  damned.  Here  the  voice  of  the 
turtle  is  heard,  but  there  nothing  but  yelling. 

(3.)  And  lastly,  Here  they  lie  in  wickedness  with  some  ease  and 


THE  PARTS  OF  THE  UNKEGENERATE  WORLD.  323 

pleasure :  there  tliey  lie  in  it  with  none  at  all.  Their  pleasurable 
sins  are  there  at  an  end,  Rev.  xviii.  14.  Nothing  of  them  remains 
with  tlieni,  but  the  guilt  of  them,  and  cutting  remorse  for  tliem ;  the 
sweet  of  their  cup  is  drunk  out,  and  nothing  remains  but  the  bitter 
dregs.  One  encourages  another  here,  and  men  please  themselves 
with  the  multitudes  going  their  way ;  but  there  the  throng  is  far 
greater ;  for  whereas  there  are  some  constantly  dropping  oft'  here, 
the  wicked  of  all  generations  are  there,  and  none  return ;  yet  the 
more  the  worse,  Luke  xvi.  28. 

But  now  as  to  the  upper  unregenerate  world,  we  shall  first  con- 
sider the  j)arts,  and  then  the  state  thereof. 

I.  The  Parts  of  the  JInregenerate  World. 
First,  The  religious  part  of  it,  that  is  as  the  heavens  in  that 
world.  Wonder  not  that  we  speak  of  the  religious  part  of  the 
world  lying  in  wickedness;  for  there  is  some  religion,  but  of  the 
wrong  stamp,  in  that  world,  and  one  part  of  it  is  exalted  above  ano- 
ther, as  the  heaven  above  the  earth,  Matth.  xi.  23.  This  makes 
them  appear  like  the  regenerate,  in  the  outward  man,  having  a  form 
of  godliness,  and  imitating  the  saints  in  their  outward  actions  and 
behaviour,  2  Tim.  iii.  5. ;  being  formalists,  hypocrites,  tares  among 
the  wheat,  but  still  strangers  to  a  Avork  of  grace ;  and  so  much  the 
farther  that  they  have  a  shew  of  it,  Matth.  xxi.  31.  Two  things 
bring  religion  into  the  world  lying  in  wickedness,  where  there  is  no 
regeneration. 

1.  A  natural  conscience,  which  dictates  that  there  is  a  God,  a  dif- 
ference betwixt  good  and  evil,  rewards  and  punishments  after  this 
life,  Eom.  ii.  15.  Though  this  is  wrestled  down  in  some  of  that 
world,  that  it  has  very  little  power  with  them ;  yet  with  others  that 
are  no  more  regenerate  than  they,  it  is  improved,  by  the  light  of  the 
gospel  in  the  word,  by  good  education,  consideration,  and  thought; 
so  that  they  prove  morally  serious,  regular  in  their  lives,  embracing 
the  external  parts  of  religion,  though  unregenerate. 

2.  Interest,  which  sways  the  men  of  the  world  to  it  several  ways. 
In  some  times  and  places  religion  is  fashionable,  gains  men  credit 
and  reputation ;  so  they  embrace  it  for  their  credit,  as  the  Pharisees 
did,  Matth.  vi.  2.  In  some  cases  worldly  advantages  and  profits  at- 
tend it,  and  that  bait  draws  many  Avorldly  men  to  it,  as  it  did  the 
multitude  to  Christ  for  the  loaves,  John  vi.  26,  27.  And  then  its 
declared  eternal  advantages  follow  it,  salvation  from  the  wrath  of 
God,  and  heaven's  happiness;  and  a  carnal  sight  of  these  things 
draws  many,  who  are  merely  selfish  in  their  pursuit,  as  was  the  case 
of  that  multitude,  who  said,  ver.  34.  "  Lord,  evermore  give  us  this 
bread." 


324  THE  PARTS  OF  TUB  UNREGENERATE  WORLD. 

Secondly,  The  moral  part  of  it,  who  are  like  the  air  in  that  world, 
not  rising  so  high  as  the  former,  nor  sunk  so  low  as  the  other  in  im- 
morality and  profaneness.  These  are  they  who  keep  oif  from  reli- 
gion and  the  profession  of  it  and  from  gross  profanity  too.  They 
are  civil  and  neighbourly  men ;  just,  honest,  and  upright  in  their 
dealings  between  man  and  man ;  and  despise  religion  from  the  fraud 
and  deceit  of  some  whom  they  see  profess  it,  Matth.  xviii.  7-  Some 
such  there  have  been  among  Heathens,  and  some  among  Christians. 
Two  things,  besides  natural  conscience  and  interest,  bring  in  mora- 
lity into  the  world  lying  in  wickedness. 

1.  Civil  society,  by  which  means  men  may  live  at  peace  in  the 
world,  and  be  protected  from  injuries;  for  this  cause  men  combine 
together  in  societies,  appoint  government,  governors,  and  laws  over 
themselves,  which  must  establish  morality,  without  which  society 
cannot  consist.  And  for  this  cause  government  is  a  great  mercy, 
external  order  being  kept  among  men  by  that  means.  Without  it 
there  would  be  no  living  in  the  world,  but  the  weak  would  be  swal- 
lowed up,  and  all  filled  with  violence,  rapine,  and  outrage. 

2.  Natural  modesty  and  temper,  in  respect  of  which  there  is  a 
great  difference  among  even  worldly  men.  "Whatever  internal  or 
external  cast  it  be  owing  to,  it  is  evident,  there  is  a  certain  simpli- 
city, candour,  integrity,  and  benevolence  in  some,  whereby  they  dif- 
fer, from  others  that  have  a  cast  of  a  spirit  to  fraud,  disingenuous- 
ness,  pride,  imperiousness,  and  violence,  and  yet  the  former  are  of 
the  world,  as  well  as  the  latter ;  and  so  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and 
in  the  bond  of  iniquity. 

Thirdly  and  lastly.  The  immoral  part  of  it.  These  are  the  earth 
and  sea  in  that  world,  the  grossest  part  of  it  all,  whose  conversation 
is  neither  bounded  with  religion  or  morality,  but  is  just  vile,  irreli- 
gious, and  immoral  as  occasion  serves.  This  is  the  far  greatest  part 
of  that  world,  and  in  it  abound  gross  abominations,  which  bring 
God's  wrath  on  lands  and  churches.  The  abominations,  therein  ap- 
pearing are  innumerable.  See  1  Cor.  vi.  9  ;  Gal.  v.  19 — 21 ;  Tit. 
iii.  3.     Two  things  concur  to  fill  the  world  with  immorality. 

1.  The  corruption  of  human  nature,  the  natural  bent  of  which  lies 
to  all  enormities.  This  was  the  spring  of  the  flood  of  wickedness, 
and  of  water,  that  overflowed  the  old  world.  Gen.  vi.  5.  The  heart 
of  man  is  a  depth  of  wickedness,  that  casts  it  forth  as  a  fountain 
doth  its  waters  ;  and  then  it  gets  leave  to  run  freely  without  re- 
straint, it  sends  forth  plentifully,  Mark  vii.  21,  22.  For  from  within, 
out  of  the  heart  of  men,  proceed  evil  thoughts,  adulteries,  fornica- 
tions, murders,  thefts,  covetousness,  wickedness,  deceit,  lascivious- 
ness,  an  evil  eye,  blasphemy,  pride,  foolishness. 


THE  PARTS  OP  THE  UNREGENERATE  WORLD.  325 

2.  Occasions  of  sin  and  temptations  thereto,  wliicli  offer  them- 
selves thick  in  this  evil  world  ;  because  the  multitude  is  of  that 
sort,  Matth.  xviii.  7-  Snares  are  strewed  every  where,  and  e very- 
temptation  going  in  the  world  has  a  lust  in  the  heart  akin  to  it,  that 
tends  so  natively  to  unite,  that  it  is  hard  to  keep  them  at  meeting 
from  closest  embraces. 

And  there  are  two  sorts  that  are  most  exposed  to  temptations,  the 
rich  and  the  poor,  which  make  them  generally  speaking  to  be  of 
the  immoral  part  of  the  world,  though  there  want  not  some  of  both 
sorts  that  are  not  so.  This  Agur  observed  long  ago,  Prov.  xxx.  8, 
9.  "  Remove  far  from  me  (says  he)  vanity  and  lies ;  give  me  nei- 
ther poverty  nor  riches,  feed  me  with  food  convenient  for  me ;  lest  I 
be  full,  and  deny  thee,  and  say.  Who  is  the  Lord  ?  or  lest  I  be  poor, 
and  steal,  and  take  the  name  of  my  God  in  vain." 

1st,  The  wealth  of  the  rich  makes  immorality  abound  among  them. 
It  swells  the  heart  in  pride,  and  fills  them  with  admiration  of  them- 
selves; it  ministers  much  fuel  to  their  lusts,  and  affords  them  occa- 
sions of  fulfilling  them.  The  natural  vanity  of  the  heart  and  mind, 
has  a  broad  field  to  rove  about  in,  so  that  they  are  apt  to  forget 
themselves  and  think  their  circumstances  give  them  an  allowance  to 
make  themselves  vile,  and  that  the  laws  of  God  and  man  are  not 
made  but  for  to  hold  the  poorer  sort,  Prov.  xxx.  9.  Ilence  our 
Lord  says,  Matth.  xix.  23,  24.  "  Yerily  I  say  unto  you,  that  a  rich 
man  shall  hardly  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  "  And  again 
I  say  unto  you.  It  is  easier  for  a  camel  to  go  through  the  eye  of  a 
needle,  than  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God."  And 
Says  the  apostle,  1  Cor.  i.  26.  "  Ye  see  your  calling,  brethren,  how 
that  not  many  wise  men  after  the  flesh,  not  many  mighty,  not  many 
noble  are  called."  They  are  to  be  pitied  for  their  snares  and  temp- 
tations. 

2dli/,  The  poor,  those  who  are  in  extreme  poverty.  Among  them 
also  immorality  remarkably  abounds.  Their  condition  deprives 
them  of  many  advantages  others  have.  They  are  generally  neglec- 
ted in  their  education,  all  their  care  being  to  get  to  put  in  their 
mouths.  They  have  rarely  the  advantage  of  good  company.  Their 
pinching  circumstances  embitter  their  spirits,  that  they  relish  not 
the  things  of  God,  and  afford  many  snares  and  temptations  to  disho- 
nesty, lying,  falsehood,  and  all  manner  of  wickedness,  whereby  they 
may  think  to  better  their  outward  circumstances.  And  when  they 
turn  idle,  and  vague  up  and  down,  their  case  readily  turns  most 
hopeless,  Prov.  xxx.  9.  forecited,  Jer.  v.  4.  "Therefore  have  I  said, 
Surely  these  are  poor,  they  are  foolish ;  for  they  know  not  the  way 
of  the  Lord,  nor  the  judgment  of  their  God." 

Vol.  V.  Y 


326  THE  STATE  OF  THE  UNREGENERATE  WORLD. 

Hence  may  "be  seen  the  reason  why  the  greatest  regularity  of  life 
is  found  among  those  of  the  middle  sort,  though  some  of  them  are 
immoral  too.  They  want  the  snares  and  teraptatious  of  the  rich  on 
the  one  hand,  and  of  the  poor  on  the  other.  They  have  neither  the 
full  idleness  of  the  one,  nor  the  poverty  and  idleness  of  the  other. 

If  wo  compare  the  immoral  part  of  the  world  lying  in  wickedness 
with  the  other  two,  though  it  is  true  they  are  all  of  the  same  world, 
and  will  perish  if  they  be  not  separated  from  it ;  yet  the  religious 
and  moral  have  the  advantage  of  the  immoral. 

1.  In  this  life,  in  many  respects.  They  walk  more  agreeable  to 
the  dignity  of  human  nature,  than  the  immoral,  who  are  more  akin 
to  the  brutes,  being  led  by  their  brutal  passions  and  affections  even 
as  they.  They  are  more  useful  and  beneficial  to  mankind ;  whereas 
the  immoral  are  the  pests  of  human  society,  working  mischief  to  one 
or  other.  They  have  more  inward  quiet,  and  are  not  put  on  the 
rack,  that  immorality  brings  on  men,  to  compass  their  mischievous 
designs,  to  cover  their  deeds,  and  defend  them.  And  so  they  have 
more  outward  safety,  their  regular  lives  being  a  fence  to  them,  both 
from  danger  without  and  within. 

2.  In  the  life  to  come.  Though  the  world,  the  unregenerate 
world's  religion  and  morality  will  not  bring  thera  to  heaven,  yet  it 
will  make  them  a  softer  hell  than  the  immoral  shall  have,  Rev.  xx. 
12,  13.  And  no  man  can  doubt  but  works  of  morality  are  not  so  ill 
as  works  of  immorality ;  unsanctified  soberness  is  not  so  bad  as  re- 
velling and  open  profaneness.  It  is  true,  hypocrites  shall  have  a 
hot  part  in  hell ;  but  can  one  imagine  that  their  throwing  off  the 
mask,  and  giving  themselves  the  swing,  will  make  an  easier  part  ? 
No  ;  Rev.  xxi.  8.  "  The  fearful,  and  unbelieving,  and  the  abominable, 
and  murderers,  and  whoremongers,  and  sorcerers,  and  idolaters,  -and 
all  liars,  shall  have  their  part  in  the  lake  which  burneth  with  fire 
and  brimstone ;  which  is  the  second  death."  No  doubt  the  more 
light  men  sin  against,  their  condemnation  will  be  the  more  aggra- 
vated ;  but  certainly  it  will  be  sorer  for  immoral  Pagans  than  moral 
ones,  for  immoral  Christians  than  moral  ones,  where  the  worm  never 
dieth,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched.  Conscience  will  have  less  guilt, 
and  not  so  deep,  to  charge  on  the  one  as  on  the  other. 

II.   The  State  of  the  Unregenerate  World. 

Having  seen  the  parts  of  that  world,  we  are  next  to  view  the 
state  of  these  parts ;  and  that  is,  the  whole  world  lieth  in  wicked- 
ness, the  moral  as  well  as  immoral  part,  and  the  religious  as  well  as 
the  other.  It  is  the  common  state  of  the  whole  unregenerate  world ; 
whatever  differences  are  among  them,  they  all  agree  in  this,  they 
are  lying  in  wickedness.     In  speaking  to  this,  I  shall, 


TnE  STATE  OF  THE  UNREGENERATE  ■WORI.D.  327 

1.  Confirm  and  evince  the  truth  of  it  in  the  general. 

2.  Explain  this  state  of  the  unregenerate  Avorld,  their  lying  in 
wickedness. 

First,  I  am  to  confirm  and  evince  the  truth  of  the  doctrine  in  the 
general. 

First,  Satan  is  the  god  of  the  whole  unregenerate  world  ;  how  can 
it  miss  then  to  be  wholly  lying  in  wickedness?  2  Cor.  iv.  4.  It  is 
the  honour  aud  advantage  of  the  regenerate,  that  God  is  their  God, 
Heb.  viii.  10;  but  the  unregenerate  world  is  apostate  from  God,  and 
have  taken  Satan  in  his  room,  giving  him  the  homage  they  owe  to 
God.  Now  Satan  is  the  god  of  the  unregenerate  world  lying  in 
wickedness, 

1.  In  respect  of  his  god-like  power  over  them ;  which  we  may 
take  up  in  these  particulars. 

(1.)  The  sovereignty  of  it.  The  unregenerate  world  is  Satan's 
dominion,  whereof  he  is  jmnce,  John  xii.  31.  and  xiv.  30.  Though 
he  is  under  check  and  control  of  heaven,  and  the  most  fearful  ven- 
geance is  abiding  him  from  the  Lord,  yet  he  is  a  sovereign  prince 
among  them,  ruling  more  absolutely  than  any  prince  in  this  world 
doth  his  subjects,  2  Tim.  ii.  26.  None  of  them  all  have  their  sub- 
jects so  much  at  their  beck,  as  he  has  the  men  of  the  world. 

(2.)  The  rivalship  of  it,  being  set  up  and  managed  just  to  confront 
the  kingdom  of  God  among  men.  Though  Satan  is  the  most  miser- 
able thing  of  the  whole  creation ;  yet,  by  a  peculiar  pride  and  spite 
against  God,  he  sets  up  directly,  and  immediately  against  God  and 
his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  whose  kingdom  the  regenerate  are.  And  his 
rival  kingdom  is  the  unregenerate  world.  Between  these  is  the 
lasting  enmity,  Gen.  iii.  15.  and  these  are  the  opposite  kingdoms 
that  can  never  mis,  Psal.  xii.  7;  and  the  design  of  the  gospel  is  to 
pull  down  Satan's  kingdom,  Acts  xxvi.  18;  Col.  i.  13. 

(3.)  The  extent  of  it,  reaching  over  the  whole  world,  from  one 
end  of  the  earth  to  the  other.  All  the  power  that  ever  the  Chal- 
dean, Persian,  Grecian,  and  Roman  monarchs  had,  never  reached 
but  over  a  part  of  the  world ;  but  the  power  of  the  devil  reaches 
over  all  countries,  wherever  unregenerate  men  are. 

(4.)  The  nature  of  it.  He  receives  external  worship  from  many 
in  the  world,  having  many  whole  nations  at  his  devotion.  But  from 
the  whole  unregenerate  Avorld  he  receives  the  subjection,  homage, 
and  obedience  of  the  inner  man ;  and  that  is  peculiarly  due  to  God; 
Eph.  ii.  2.  "  Wherein  in  time  past  ye  walked  according  to  the 
course  of  this  world,  according  to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air, 
the  spirit  that  now  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience."  Men 
of  greatest  eminency  over  others  can  only  pretend  to  rule  their  out- 

t2 


328  THE  STATE  OF  THE  UNREC4ENERATE  WORLD. 

ward  man ;  the  soul,  the  inner  man,  must  be  left  to  God ;  and  that 
Satan  usurps  in  the  unrcgencrate  world.  He  entered  into  Judas 
moving  him  to  betray  Christ,  filled  the  hearts  of  Ananias  and 
Sapphira  to  lie  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  ^c. 

2.  In  respect  of  his  prime  origination  of  their  corruption.  As  from 
God  men  have  their  nature,  whereby  they  are  men,  and  their  new 
nature  whereby  they  are  regenerate  men ;  so  from  the  devil  men 
have  all  the  corruption  and  sin  of  their  nature,  whereby  they  are  un- 
regenerate  men ;  wherefore  as  men  owe  themselves  to  God,  as  men 
and  Christians ;  so  they  are  owing  to  the  devil,  as  they  are  unrege- 
nerate  men  lying  in  wickedness,  See  John  xiv.  30.  He  hath  of  his 
own  in  them.     Hence, 

(1.)  The  devil  is  the  common  father  of  the  unregenerate  world  as 
such.  It  is  owing  to  him  as  the  procreating  cause  thereof.  It  was 
the  spawn  of  the  old  serpent  conveyed  by  the  first  sin  into  human  na- 
ture, that  corrupted  all  mankind.  Hence  men  are  said  to  be  of  him, 
1  John  iii.  12.  and  of  him  as  a  child  is  of  a  father,  John  viii.  44. 
So  the  world  lying  in  wickedness  is  called  our  father's  house  or  fa- 
mily, Psal.  xlv.  10.  And  not  only  are  notoriously  wicked  persons, 
but  all  the  unregenerate  called  children  of  the  devil,  1  John  iii.  10; 
as  bearing  his  image,  John  viii.  44.  "  Ye  are  of  your  father  the  de- 
vil, and  the  lusts  of  your  father  ye  will  do." 

(2.)  Their  continuation  in  that  their  state,  they  have  from  him 
also.  God  preserves  by  his  providence  all  that  his  own  hands  made, 
and  the  divine  preservation  is  in  eftect  a  continued  creation.  But 
since  the  corruption  of  the  world  is  originally  from  the  devil,  not 
from  God ;  the  maintenance  of  it  comes  the  same  way.  So  Satan 
upholds  that  world  by  his  power,  and  he  is  incessant  in  his  working 
for  that  end. 

This  gives  a  very  dismal  view  of  the  unregenerate  world  ;  it  is  not 
God's  world,  but  the  devil's  world,  deriving  its  original  from  him, 
and  over  which  he  has  the  power  of  a  god.  Whence  we  must  see, 
that  it  is  surely, 

(1.)  The  mire  of  sin,  in  which  the  miserable  inhabitants  must  be 
continually  wallowing ;  for  nothing  doth  so  much  please  the  god  of 
that  world.  He  is  an  enemy  to  all  good,  and  as  far  as  his  power 
reaches,  no  good  can  have  ijlace.  The  dust  is  his  meat,  and  so  a  life 
of  sin  is  a  wallowing  in  the  mire. 

(2.)  The  region  of  death  and  destruction,  which  God  will  certainly 
destroy,  if  once  he  had  his  own  out  of  it.  For  Christ  came  to  de- 
stroy the  works  of  the  devil. 

Secondly,  Spiritual  darkness,  thick  darkness,  is  over  the  whole  of 
that  world,  Eph.  v.  8.  how  can  any  thing  but  works  of  darkness  be 


THE  STATE  OF  THE  UNEEGENERATE  WORLD.  329 

found  in  it  ?  The  Egyptian  darkness  was  an  emblem  of  this,  they 
had  a  thick  darkness,  only  in  Goshen  there  was  light ;  so  the  Egyp- 
tians rose  not  from  their  place  to  do  business,  Exod.  xx.  22,  23. 
Consider, 

1.  The  sun  went  down  on  all  mankind  in  Adam's  transgressing 
the  covenant;  the  light  of  God's  countenance  was  then  withdrawn, 
and  so  there  was  a  terrible  eclipse,  witness  Adam's  hiding  himself 
from  the  presence  of  God,  and  all  men  naturally  following  his  foot" 
steps  in  that. 

2.  The  unregenerate  world  remains  as  Adam  left  them,  the  Sun  of 
righteousness  Jesus  Christ  is  not  yet  arisen  to  them,  Mai.  iv.  2,  3. 
Though  he  has  spread  abroad  his  light  in  the  world,  it  is  not  yet 
come  into  their  hearts.  They  know  him  not,  they  have  not  yet  re- 
ceived the  saving  illumination  of  his  Spirit. 

Their  state  in  point  of  darkness  concludes  them  under  sin,  far 
from  all  good. 

(1.)  They  are  in  darkness.  Acts  xxvi.  18.  Every  unregenerate 
man  sits  in  darkness,  Matth.  iv.  Iti.  lie  is  like  a  captive  or  prisoner 
in  a  dark  dungeon,  where  no  light  comes.  The  smoke  of  the  opened 
pit  that  was  let  into  the  world  by  sin,  makes  thick  darkness  there, 
and  that  is  I'ound  about  every  man  till  converting  grace  scatter  it. 

(2.)  They  are  under  the  power  of  darkness.  Col.  i.  13.  They  are 
not  like  those  that  are  in  the  dark,  but  can  come  out  when  they 
please  into  the  light ;  but  they  are  under  the  power  of  it,  as  in 
chains  of  darkness.  No  human  art  can  remove  the  darkness  of  a 
natural  state,  nay  it  retains  its  power  over  them  in  the  midst  of 
gospel  light.     God  alone  can  dispel  it,  2  Cor.  iv.  6. 

(3.)  The  powers  of  hell  rule  in  that  darkness,  Eph.  vi.  12.  "When 
the  night  comes  on,  the  wild  beasts  come  out  of  their  dens,  and  range 
abroad ;  and  so  the  dark  world  is  Satan's  walk,  where  he  goes  about 
like  a  roaring  lion.  Hence  it  comes  to  pass,  that  if  any  light  begin 
to  peep  in,  Satan  presently  stops  it,  2  Cor.  iv.  3,  4.  Thus  convictions 
are  stifled,  and  resolves  of  reformation  fly  up  as  dust. 

(4.)  It  is  a  darkness  of  blindness ;  they  really  have  not  eyes  to  see 
with,  Deut.  xxix.  4.  A  child  of  God  may  be  in  the  dark  at  a  time, 
but  then  he  will  come  forth  at  length  into  the  light,  and  will  see ; 
but  every  unregenerate  man  is  spiritually  blind.  Rev.  iii.  17-  the 
darkness  has  blinded  him,  1  John  ii.  11.  He  wants  a  faculty  of 
discerning  spiritual  things  in  their  true  natures,  1  Cor.  ii.  14.  Their 
understanding  is  darkened. 

(5.)  The  light  in  the  unregenerate  world  is  darkness,  Matth.  vi. 
23.  That  is,  it  is  a  false  light  which  quite  misrepresents  things,  so 
they  call  good  evil,  and  evil  good.     Hence  to  them  the  vanities  of 

y3 


330  THE  STATE  OF  THE  UNRBGENERATE  WORLD. 

a  present  world  are  substantial,  and  the  treasure  hid  in  the  field  of 
the  gospel  is  but  a  trifle.  And  because  they  tliink  they  sec,  their 
case  is  more  hopeless,  as  Christ  said  to  the  Pharisees,  John  ix.  41, 
**  If  ye  were  blind  ye  should  have  no  sin ;  but  now  ye  say.  We  see  ; 
therefore  your  sin  remaincth." 

(6.)  Lastly^  There  is  a  continual  night  in  the  unregenerate  world, 

1  Thcss.  V.  5.  There  is  an  eternal  day  in  heaven,  no  night  there ; 
with  the  regenerate  the  day  is  broken ;  but  with  the  unregenerate 
the  black  and  dark  night  still  remains,  Isa.  viii.  20.  From  all  which 
it  appears,  that  they  lie  in  sin,  as  prisoners  in  a  dungeon ;  and  that 
an  unconverted  state  is  the  suburbs  of  hell,  where  there  is  outer 
darkness. 

Thirdly,  They  are  all  lying  under  the  curse.  Gal.  iii.  10.  For  not 
being  in  Christ,  they  are  under  the  law  as  a  Covenant  of  works, 
Rom.  iii.  19.  It  is  the  regenerate  only  that  are  delivered  from  it, 
Rom.  viii.  1.  "  There  is  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ 
Jesus."      Hence  all  the  unregenerate  are  declared  out  of  Christ, 

2  Cor.  V.  17.  and  debarred  out  of  heaven,  John  iii.  3.  And  what- 
ever differences  may  be  among  them  as  to  their  way  and  walk,  the 
curse  goes  over  their  whole  world.  Now  this  proves  that  they  are 
lying  in  wickedness  two  ways. 

1.  In  that  the  curse  always  implies  wickedness.  A  holy  God 
will  lay  none  under  the  curse  of  the  law,  but  such  as  are  lying  under 
sin.  It  is  wickedness  that  draws  the  curse  after  it ;  and  the  latter 
could  have  had  no  place  in  the  world,  till  once  the  former  made  way 
for  it.  So  being  children  of  wrath  by  nature,  proves  us  to  be  in  a 
state  of  corruption  by  nature. 

2.  While  it  lies  on,  sin  and  wickedness  retain  their  strength, 
1  Cor.  XV.  56.  "  The  strength  of  sin  is  the  law."  The  reason  is, 
the  curse  on  a  sinner  effectually  bars  all  sanctifying  influences  from 
heaven ;  so  that  it  is  not  possible  that  the  sinner  can  rise  up  from 
his  state  of  sin,  while  in  that  case.  When  the  fig-tree  was  cursed, 
it  withered  away;  and  so  does  the  world  in  wickedness  under  the 
curse.  Therefore  faith  is  the  only  Avay  to  holiness ;  for  by  it  alone 
the  sinner  is  united  to  Christ,  and  justified,  whereby  the  curse  is 
removed ;  and  then  he  is  sanctified,  or  brought  out  of  his  state  of 
wickedness. 

Fourthly,  They  are  all  dead  in  sin,  Eph.  ii.  1.  There  was  a  great 
cry  in  Egypt,  when  there  was  one  dead  in  every  family  ;  but  the  un- 
regenerate world  is  all  dead  together.  God,  the  life  of  the  soul,  is 
departed  from  them  ;  they  are  alienated  from  the  life  of  God,  their 
speech  is  laid,  and  their  spiritual  senses  are  bound  up.  So  that 
world  is  the  region  of  the  shadow  of  death.  There  is  this  difference 
indeed, 


•THE  STATE  OF  THE  UNREaENERATE  WORLD.  33l 

1.  Some  are  dead  and  rotten  ;  these  are  the  immoral  part  of  the 
world,  who  by  their  profane  lives  are  as  intolerable  to  sober  men, 
as  a  stinking  carcase  ;  whose  conversation,  by  reason  of  their  pro- 
fanity, is  like  the  opening  of  an  unripe  grave,  Rom.  iii.  13.  there- 
fore compared  to  dogs  and  swine. 

2.  Some  are  embalmed  dead ;  these  are  the  moral  and  religions 
part  of  the  world.  A  form  of  godliness,  the  study  and  practice  of 
moral  virtue,  is  to  them  as  the  embalming  of  the  dead  corpse,  though 
they  cannot  put  spiritual  life  in  a  soul.  So  that  these  also  are  dead 
still,  and  lying  dead  in  sin,  though  they  smell  not  so  rank  as  the 
profane  and  immoral. 

Lastly,  They  are  all  destitute  of  every  principle  of  holiness,  and 
there  cannot  be  an  effect  without  a  cause  of  it ;  there  can  be  no  acts 
of  holiness  without  a  principle  to  proceed  from.     They  are  destitute, 

1.  Of  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  he  dwells  not  in  them,  Jude,  19.  compare 
1  Cor.  ii.  14.  All  true  sanctification  according  to  the  scripture  is 
by  the  Spirit;  it  is  his  taking  possession  of  the  soul  that  looses  the 
bands  of  sin  and  death,  Rom.  viii.  2.  and  he  dwells  in  all  that  are 
Christ's,  ver.  9.  But  they  are  possessed  by  the  spirit  of  the  world, 
which  is  opposite  to  the  Spirit  of  Grod,  and  has  contrary  effects, 
1  John  iv.  5.  They  are  of  the  world  ;  therefore  speak  they  of  the 
world,  and  the  world  heareth  them. 

2.  They  are  destitute  of  the  new  nature  ;  it  is  by  regeneration 
the  new  man  is  framed  ;  in  the  unregenerate  is  the  old  man  alone, 
which  is  corrupt  with  his  deeds,  Eph.  iv.  22.  Since  then  the  tree  is 
not  good,  how  can  the  fruit  be  good  ?  If  the  new  nature  is  totally 
wanting,  how  can  there  be  the  actions,  life,  and  conversation  of  the 
new  frame  ? 

3.  They  are  destitute  of  faith.  And  without  that  there  can  be 
nothing  acceptable  to  God,  Heb.  xi.  6.  Feigned  faith  they  may 
have ;  but  true  faith  they  have  not ;  for  that  unites  with  Christ,  and 
makes  a  new  creature. 

4.  Lastly,  Love,  the  immediate  principle  of  all  acceptable  obedi- 
ence, is  wanting  in  them  ;  for  that  proceeds  from  faith,  and  faith 
works  by  it.  They  cannot  love  God,  they  have  not  believed  in  him, 
for  these  go  together.  And  where  no  love  is,  there  can  be  no  holy 
obedience. 

Secondly,  I  come  now  to  explain  this  state  of  the  unregenerate 
world,  there  lying  in  wickedness.     And  we  shall  consider, 

1.  What  of  wickedness  they  lie  in. 

2.  How  they  lie  in  it. 

1.  I  am  to  consider  what  of  wickedness  they  lie  in.  All  the  un- 
regenerate world  lies. 


332  THE  STATE  OF  THE  UNEEaEITEEATE  WORLD. 

First,  In  a  state  of  sin  and  wickedness,  Acts  viii.  23.  I  perceive 
that  thou  art  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  in  the  bond  of  iniquity. 
Their  state  before  the  Lord  is  a  sinful  and  wicked  state  ;  they  have 
never  been  washed,  nor  purged  from  their  sin.  They  are  all  over 
sinful  and  wicked,  as  over  head  and  ears  in  the  mire.  Rev.  iii.  17- 
This  we  take  up  in  two  things. 

First,  Their  nature  is  wholly  corrupted  with  sin  and  wickedness, 
Matth.  vii.  18.  Some  of  them  may  have  a  fair  shew  outwardly,  but 
inwardly  they  are  all  overspread  with  the  leprosy  of  sin,  wholly 
corrupt,  John  iii.  6.  The  infection  by  the  first  sin  has  gone  over  the 
whole  man,  from  the  crown  of  the  head  to  the  sole  of  the  foot. 
And  the  cure  has  never  yet  been  begun  in  them,  as  having  never 
been  touched  with  regenerating  grace.  Even  the  saints'  nature  is 
corrupt,  but  they  are  renewed  in  part ;  but  the  unregenerate  are 
wholly  corrupted  in  the  whole  man,  Isa.  viii.  10 ;  there  is  not  the 
least  stroke  of  purity  in  them,  Tit.  i.  15. 

I.  Their  souls  in  all  their  faculties  are  overspread  with  sin,  and 
wholly  corrupted. 

(1.)  Their  mind  and  understanding  is  wretchedly  vitiated.  It  is 
overwhelmed  with  gross  darkness  as  to  spiritual  things,  Eph.  iv. 
17,  18.  Darkness  is  over  all  that  region  ;  it  is  the  land  of  darkness 
and  shadow  of  death,  where  the  very  light  is  darkness ;  so  that  they 
cannot  receive  the  things  of  God,  more  than  a  blind  man  the  light 
of  the  sun,  1  Cor.  ii.  14.  So  unbelief  reigns  there,  they  cannot  be- 
lieve, for  they  cannot  see,  Eph.  ii.  2. 

(2.)  Their  will  is  wholly  perverse  and  rebellious  against  God, 
neither  plying  nor  able  to  ply  to  the  will  of  God,  Rom.  viii.  7-  The 
wrong  set  it  got  by  the  fall,  it  keeps  ;  and  nothing  less  than  creat- 
ing power  can  give  it  a  new  set.  What  God  wills  not,  that  they 
will,  and  what  he  wills,  they  will  not ;  so  that  the  holy  law  has  an 
irritating  effect  on  them.  It  is  called  a  stony  heart ;  break,  it  may, 
but  bow  it  cannot,  till  melted  down  by  regenerating  grace. 

(3.)  Their  affections  are  all  in  disorder,  Jer.  xvii.  9.  There  is  no 
moderating  of  them,  by  religion  and  reason,  but  they  are  turbulent 
and  unmanageable,  Jer.  ii.  23,  24.  They  are  wretchedly  misplaced ; 
they  love  what  they  should  loath,  and  loath  what  they  should  love. 
They  can  keep  no  measure,  they  run  to  evil,  and  what  is  good  is 
against  the  grain  with  them.  They  are  monsters  in  spiritual 
things ;  their  hearts  are  where  their  feet  should  be,  on  the  world, 
and  their  heels  lifted  up  against  heaven. 

(4.)  Their  conscience  is  in  miserable  plight.  Tit.  i.  15.  It  is  un- 
fit to  do  its  office  truly  for  want  of  saving  illumination.  Hence  it  is 
a  lax  conscience,  that  lets  many  evils  pass  without  any  check  at  all, 


STATE  OF  THE  UNREGENERATE  WORLD  EXPLAINED.  333 

being  silent  and  senseless ;  but  as  to  gross  sins,  in  checking  wbicli 
it  becomes  through  custom  in  them  very  remiss  and  easy.  And  if 
at  any  time  it  be  awakened,  it  is  easily  bribed  or  boasted  to  silence. 

2.  The  body  partakes  of  that  corruption,  by  communication  with 
the  sinful  soul.  It  incites  to  sin;  is  a  house  wherein  the  soul  finds 
many  a  snare  spread  for  it;  so  that  many,  to  gratify  their  senses 
and  bodily  appetites,  make  shipwreck  of  their  souls.  Therefore 
the  apostle  says,  "  I  keep  under  my  body,  and  bring  it  into  subjec- 
tion ;  lest  that  by  any  means  when  I  have  preached  to  others,  I  my- 
self should  be  a  castaway,"  1  Cor.  ix.  27.  It  serves  the  soul  in 
much  sin,  with  the  members  thereof  instruments  of  unrighteousness, 
Rom.  vi.  13.  The  eyes  and  ears  are  windows  whereat  death  comes 
into  the  soul ;  the  tongue  an  unruly  evil  ;  the  lips  unclean,  the 
throat  an  open  sepulchre  ;  the  feet  swift  to  mischief ;  and  the  belly 
made  a  god,  not  only  by  them  that  feed  delicately,  but  those  that 
live  on  coarse  fair,  Zech.  vii.  6. 

Secondly,  Their  lives  and  conversations  are  wholly  corrupted. 
Psal.  xiv.  3.  For  the  fountain  being  poisoned,  no  pure  streams 
can  come  forth  from  thence,  Matth.  xii.  34.  The  conversation  of 
unregeuerate  men  is  one  continued  course  of  error,  and  wandering 
out  of  the  way  of  God's  commandments.  Some  of  them  are  nearer 
the  way  than  others  of  them,  but  all  of  them  are  quite  otf  it,  Psal. 
xiv.  3.  "Whether  they  move  slow  or  fast,  they  are  out  of  course, 
Eccl.  X.  15.  For  many  of  their  actions  are  ill  in  themselves,  in  the 
very  matter  of  them  condemned  by  the  law  of  God,  and  which  they 
never  truly  repent  of.  All  of  them  are  wrong  in  the  manner,  the 
best  of  them  are  marred  in  the  making,  through  the  want  of  right 
principles,  motives,  and  ends. 

Secondly,  The  whole  unregeuerate  world  lies  under  the  dominion 
and  reigning  power  of  sin  and  wickedness,  Rom.  vi.  17.  Even  in 
the  regenerate  sin  dwells,  as  a  troublesome  guest ;  but  it  has  lost 
the  throne  in  the  heart.  But  in  the  unregeuerate,  it  has  full  sway, 
and  is  the  sovereign  commanding  principle  in  them.  There  are  two 
things  that  evidence  this. 

1.  Sin  is  in  them  in  its  full  strength  and  vigour,  and  therefore 
rules  and  commands  all.  The  strength  of  sin  is  the  law,  1  Cor.  xy. 
56.  and  they  are  under  the  law,  under  it  as  a  covenant  of  works, 
and  therefore  under  the  curse.  And  wherever  the  curse  lies,  there 
sin  remains  in  its  strength  and  power ;  and  there  is  no  cutting  off 
the  locks  of  siu,  and  breaking  the  power  of  it,  but  by  removing  the 
curse,  and  delivering  from  the  law  as  a  covenant,  Rom.  vi.  14. 

2.  It  possesses  them  alone  without  an  opposite  principle.  The 
old  man  of  sin  has  not  only  the  possession  of  every  part,  but  of  the 


334  STATE  OF  THE  UNREGENERATE  WORLD  EXPLAINED. 

■whole  of  every  part,  there  being  no  principle  of  grace  brought  in 
upon  it  to  counteract  it.  In  the  regenerate  there  is  a  corrupt  prin- 
ciple indeed,  called  the  flesh  ;  but  it  reigns  not,  because  there  is  an 
opposite  principle  brought  in  upon  it  to  resist  it.  Gal.  v.  17.  But 
the  unregenerate  are  -wholly  flesh,  John  iii.  6.  So  they  are  like  the 
dead  man,  where  death  bears  full  sway  ;  in  the  other  death  and  dis- 
ease are  struggling  for  the  mastery. 

Thirdly,  They  lie  in  the  habitual  practice  of  sin  and  wickedness, 
Psal.  xir.  1.  "  The  fool  hath  said  in  his  heart,  there  is  no  God;  they 
are  corrupt,  they  have  done  abominable  works,  there  is  none  that 
doeth  good."  Where  sin  reigns  in  the  heart,  one's  course  of  life 
cannot  be  otherwise ;  if  the  eye  be  evil,  the  whole  body  must  be  full 
of  darkness.  Where  the  old  corrupt  nature  remains  in  its  vigour, 
it  is  impossible  but  the  life  and  conversation  must  be  corrupt  too. 
It  is  true,  there  is  a  great  difference  of  life  and  practice  among  the 
men  of  the  world ;  but  that  all  the  unregenerate  lie  in  the  practice 
of  sin  and  wickedness,  however  they  diff'er  in  the  kinds  of  it,  is  clear 
from  the  following  considerations. 

First,  The  bent,  strain,  and  course  of  their  life  is  quite  wrong, 
Eph,  ii.  1,  2.  They  are  ofi^  from  the  mark;  Adam  led  us  all  off"  the 
road,  and  they  are  not  brought  to  it  again.  However  quickly  they 
move  at  any  time,  they  are  always  like  an  arrow  shot  beside  the 
mark,  a  traveller  that  is  off  his  road,  Eccl.  x.  15.  They  are  a  com- 
pany of  Avanderers,  straying  sheep,  wandering  on  the  mountains  of 
vanity,  1  Pet.  ii.  ult.  though  they  go  their  sundry  ways,  Isa.  liii.  6 ; 
some  wandering  in  the  wilderness  of  formality,  others  in  the  mires 
and  bogs  of  profanity.  But  all  have  sinned  and  come  short  of  the 
glory  of  God,  Rom.  iii.  23. 

Secondly,  Any  good  they  do  is  accidental,  even  as  a  wanderer  in 
his  course  of  wandering  may  stumble  sometimes  on  the  road ;  but  it 
is  not  the  product  of  their  main  scope  and  aim.  So  the  Danites 
consulted  God  as  to  their  way,  not  that  they  were  seeking  an  occa- 
sion of  it,  but  an  occasion  met  them,  Judges  xviii.  5.  So  some  ex- 
pound that  passage,  Lev.  xxvi.  23.  If  ye  will  not  be  reformed  by 
me  by  these  things,  but  will  walk  contrary  to  me,  &c.  Unregener- 
ate men  may  do  good  ;  but  it  is  by  the  by  only,  as  it  happens  to 
suit  with  their  particular  humours  and  interests  ;  for  self  is  the 
dead  sea  with  them,  wherein  all  is  swallowed  up ;  and  they  are  un- 
converted. 

Tkirdly,  The  best  things  they  do  are  sin,  unapproved,  unaccepted 
of  God,  Prov.  XV.  8.  The  sacrifice  of  the  wicked  is  an  abomination 
to  the  Lord,  Isa.  Ixvi.  3.  "  He  that  killeth  an  ox,  is  as  if  he  slew  a 
man ;  he  that  sacrificeth  a  lamb,  as  if  he  cut  off  a  dog's  neck ;  he 


STATE  OF  THE  UNEEGENEKATE  WORLD  EXPLAINED.  335 

that  offereth  an  oblation,  as  if  he  offered  swine's  blood  ;  he  that 
burueth  incense,  as  if  he  blessed  an  idol."  They  reckon  wrong, 
dividing  their  actions  into  good  works  and  ill  works  ;  they  are  en- 
tirely divided  into  glistering  sins,  and  black  and  dark  sins ;  and 
what  they  call  their  good  works,  are  but  glistering  sins.  For  they 
are  not  done  in  faith  ;  and  whatsoever  is  not  of  faith,  is  sin,  Rora. 
xiv.  ult.  Their  sinful  unregenerate  state  corrupts  all,  as  a  tainted 
vessel  doth  the  liquor  poured  into  it,  Hag.  ii.  11 — 14.  Their  actions 
materially  good,  are  really  evil,  as  wrong  in  the  in-iuciples,  manner, 
and  end. 

Lastly,  "Whatever  good  an  unregenerate  man  does,  he  still  lives 
in  the  allowed  practice  of  some  sin  without  repenting  or  forsaking  it. 
Let  him  have  never  so  many  good  things  about  him,  there  is  still 
one  thing  lacking,  that  mars  all,  Mark  x.  21.  This  will  be  evident, 
if  ye  consider, 

1.  That  an  universal  and  impartial  respect  to  the  commands  of 
God,  is  a  mark  of  the  regenerate,  Psal.  cxix.  9.  "Then  shall  I  not 
be  ashamed,  when  I  have  respect  unto  all  thy  commandments." 
This  bears  that  in  the  case  of  others  there  is  always  some  exception, 
they  never  go  along  with  the  holy  law  without  reserve.  There  is 
always  something  in  Christ  that  offends  them,  that  they  stick  at, 
and  cannot  go  down  with  them,  Matth.  xi.  6. 

2.  Sin's  reign  being  still  entire  in  them,  it  must  have  some  lust  or 
other  for  its  sceptre  to  command  by,  Rom.  vi.  12.  The  current  or 
channel  of  a  water  may  be  altered  ;  but  as  long  as  the  fountain  is 
not  dried  up,  it  will  have  some  channel  to  run  in.  A  man's  parti- 
cular predominant  may  alter ;  but  while  unregenerate,  he  will  always 
have  some  predominant,  that  shall  command  all. 

3.  The  heart  of  man  must  needs  hang  on  at  one  door  or  other  for 
rest  to  itself.  Faith  carries  the  soul  to  take  up  its  rest  in  God, 
Heb.  iv.  3.  But  the  unregenerate  being  unbelievers,  do  not  make 
God  their  rest :  therefore  without  controversy  they  will  be  found 
about  the  creature's  door,  seeking  their  rest  there.  So  the  heart  has 
still  some  secret  haunt  of  lust  or  other,  that  it  can  never  be  driven 
away  from. 

That  haunt  of  the  heart  will  be  found  in  one  of  two. 

\st,  In  the  desires  of  the  flesh,  Eph.  ii.  3.  There  the  grosser  part 
of  the  world  do  nestle,  who  live  as  if  they  were  nothing  but  flesh, 
and  had  nothing  but  the  body,  and  a  present  life,  to  care  for.  And 
here  one  of  two  things  will  readily  be  found  the  reigning  sin  of  the 
unregenerate. 

1.  Covetousness  and  worldly  mindedness.  There  is  in  the  world 
the  lust  of  the  eye,  the  gains  and  profits  of  a  present  world ;   and 


336  STATE  OF  THE  UNBEftENERATE  WORLD  EXPLAINED. 

there  many  an  nnsauctified  heart  lias  its  secret  liannt,  ever  minding 
earthly  things,  Phil.  iii.  19.  Here  is  the  bait  for  the  rich  and  the 
poor,  the  main  stream  of  their  cares  runs  there,  the  one  for  increas- 
ing, the  other  for  getting :  some  by  lawful  means,  but  immoderately 
used,  others  right  or  wrong.  But  that  is  instead  of  God  to  them, 
1  John  ii.  15;  and  therefore  it  is  called  idolatry,  Col.  iii.  5. 

2.  Sensuality.  There  is  in  the  world  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  the 
pleasures  of  sense,  and  carnal  appetite  ;  and  there  many  an  unre- 
newed heart  has  its  secret  haunt,  that  it  can  by  no  means  be  kept 
out  of.  There  may  be  many  good  things  about  them  ;  but  their 
running  issue  there  can  never  be  stopt.  The  pleasures  of  sense  are 
better  to  them,  than  all  the  pleasures  of  communion  with  God ;  and 
they  are  instead  of  it  to  them,  2  Tim.  iii.  4,  5.  Hence  some  are 
voluptuous  epicures,  whose  belly  is  their  god  ;  some  fleshly  slaves, 
abandoned  to,  and  wholly  in  the  power  of  their  fleshly  lusts. 

2dli/,  Or  in  the  desires  of  the  mind,  Eph.  ii.  3.  There  is  in  the 
•world  the  pride  of  life  too ;  and  there  the  more  refined  part  of  the 
iinregenerate  world  do  nestle.  And  here  are  several  things  that 
■will  be  found  reigning  sins  of  the  unregenerate,  the  haunts  of  their 
unrenewed  hearts. 

1.  Reigning  prifle  and  self-conceit,  2  Tim.  iii.  2.  Having  never 
had  a  kindly  work  of  humiliation  wrought  on  them,  the  natural 
height  of  their  spirit  is  unbroken.  If  they  have  any  natural  or  ac- 
quired excellencies  about  them,  they  admire  themselves  in  these,  and 
take  it  very  ill  if  others  do  not  do  so  too.  If  they  happen  to  obtain 
any  religious  or  moral  excellences,  their  case  then  becomes  most 
hopeless,  that  publicans  and  harlots  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven before  them  :  for  their  unrenewed  hearts  have  no  ballast  for 
that  sail. 

2.  Bitterness  of  spirit,  showing  itself  in  malice  and  revenge 
against  those  they  think  have  injured  them.  The  unregenerate 
"world  is  the  region  of  malice  and  bitterness,  as  peo^jled  by  the  seed 
of  the  serpent.  Tit.  iii.  3,  "  For  we  ourselves  also,  (saith  the  apostle 
Paul,)  were  sometimes  foolish, — living  in  malice  and  envy,  hateful, 
and  hating  one  another."  This  temper  of  spirit  is  more  the  nature 
of  the  unregenerate  than  generally  we  are  aware  of.  The  contrary 
disposition  is  the  badge  of  the  family  of  God,  Matt.  v.  44,  45.  "  But 
I  say  unto  you,  Love  your  enemies,  bless  them  that  curse  you,  do 
good  to  them  that  hate  you,  and  pray  for  them  that  despitefully  use 
you,  and  persecute  you  ;  that  ye  may  be  the  children  of  your  Father 
which  is  in  heaven,  for  he  maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on 
the  good,  and  sendeth  rain  on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust."  An  un- 
forgiving disposition  is  a  sign  of  an  unforgiven  state,  Matth.  vi.  14, 


STATE  OF  THE  UNREGEXERATE  WORLD  EXPLAINED.  337 

15.  Therefore  there  were  none  more  spiteful  and  malicious  than 
the  Pharisees,  because  there  were  none  farther  from  a  state  of  par- 
don with  God.  When  grace  comes,  it  turns  lions  into  lambs,  Isa. 
xi.  6 ;  and  has  a  benign  influence  to  the  good  of  mankind,  Rom, 
xiii.  10. 

3.  Reigning  vanity  of  mind,  Eph.  iv.  17-  All  the  unrcgenerate 
world  having  left  God,  follow  after  vanity;  for  there  is  no  niids, 
1  Sam.  xii.  21.  They  are  all  in  the  dark,  groping  here  and  there 
for  rest  to  their  hearts  among  the  creatures  ;  they  find  it  not,  but  a 
thousand  disappointments  cause  them  not  to  give  over.  They  are 
like  a  sick  man  on  his  bed,  turning  every  where  for  ease,  and 
tossing;  only  never  turning  to  God  in  Christ.  The  sick  heart  has 
this  and  the  other  fair  i)romise  made  to  it,  to  give  it  ease  ;  for  that 
end  the  world  makes  a  mighty  stir  about  meat,  clothes,  building, 
planting,  doing  and  undoing  again,  turning  upside  down,  changing 
and  tacking  about ;  and  all  in  vain,  without  finding  rest. 

4.  Natural  enmity  against  God,  Rom.  viii.  7-  The  unregenerate 
world  is,  in  the  language  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  a  generation  of  vipers, 
Matth.  iii.  7-  And  the  seed  of  the  serpent  have  all  their  venomous 
nature  unchanged  in  them,  whatever  shapes  or  form  of  religion,  or 
morality  has  cast  them  into.  And  this  their  natural  enmity  against 
God  appears  in  two  things. 

(1.)  A  reigning  enmity  against  the  power  of  godliness,  wherever 
it  appears.  Acts  xiii.  10.  Unrenewed  professors  of  religion  may 
very  well  like  religion  of  the  stamp  of  their  own,  and  may  have  as 
much  zeal  as  could  burn  up  others  that  are  not  of  their  way  ;  but  to 
heaven  shall  hell  be  as  soon  reconciled,  as  they  to  real  godliness  in 
the  power  thereof,  as  it  expresseth  the  image  of  Christ.  And  there- 
fore there  are  none  more  virulent  against  the  most  serious  godly 
than  they,  against  those  whose  life  is  likest  Christ's  on  earth. 

(2.)  An  irreconcilable  enmity  to  the  law,  and  the  holiness  it  re- 
quires, Rom.  viii.  7-  The  image  of  God  was  most  lively  expressed 
on  the  man  Christ,  and  in  his  holy  life  when  on  earth  the  world  saw 
it ;  and  it  no  sooner  appeared,  than  the  natural  enmity  of  the  un- 
regenerate world  appeared  against  God,  in  the  treatment  they  gave 
to  him,  until  they  had  him  persecuted  to  the  death.  Now  the  most 
lively  expression  of  the  image  of  God,  to  be  seen  on  earth,  is  in  the 
holy  law ;  but  darkness  and  light  may  as  soon  be  reconciled,  as  the 
unregenerate  heart  to  the  law.     This  appears,  if  ye  consider, 

(1.)  There  is  never  an  unrenewed  heart  for  the  whole  law,  but  at 
most  to  pick  and  chuse  in  it.  Their  shoulders  can  never  away  with 
the  whole  yoke  of  Christ.  Seek  all  the  unrcgenerate  world,  ye  shall 
ao  sooner  find  one  that  is  for  fulfilling  all  God's  will,  than  one  after 


338  STATE  OF  THE  UXREGE3!rERATE  WORLD  EXPLAINED. 

God's  own  heart,  Acts  xiii.  22.  Some  or  other  of  his  commands  aro 
always  grievous  to  them,  and  that  they  can  by  no  means  bear. 

(2.)  The  law  brought  close  home  to  the  unregenerate  has  an  irri- 
tating power  on  them,  Rom.  viii.  9.  The  more  they  are  girded  with 
the  holy  commandment,  the  more  they  sting  against  it ;  the  closer 
it  is  applied  to  them,  the  farther  they  flee  from  it.  It  is  like  the 
stirring  of  the  ant's  nest,  and  the  fretting  of  the  serpent,  that  causes 
it  spit  its  venom.  Hence  the  more  means  of  grace  many  have,  they 
arc  the  more  vile  ;  as  the  more  the  sun  beats  on  the  dunghill,  its 
stench  is  the  greater. 

(3.)  Akin  to  this  is  the  enmity  of  the  world  against  the  ministers 
of  Christ,  which  all  ages  and  places  have  given  pregnant  instances 
of.  The  true  reason  of  it  is  their  office,  an  office  ungrateful  to  the 
world,  to  declare  the  laws  of  Heaven,  John  xv.  20,  21.  "  Remember 
that  word  that  I  said  unto  you.  The  servant  is  not  greater  than  his 
lord.  If  they  have  persecuted  me,  they  will  also  persecute  you  ;  if 
they  have  kept  my  saying,  they  will  keep  yours  also.  But  all  these 
things  will  they  do  unto  you  for  my  name's  sake,  because  they  know 
not  him  that  sent  me."  Hence  the  current  of  spite  against  them,  as 
against  stewards  who  are  to  execute  in  a  family  the  orders  of  the 
head  thereof  which  are  very  unacceptable.  Thus  men  being  touched 
in  their  sore  places,  are  irritated ;  yea,  if  providence  frown  upon 
men,  their  ill  nature  is  ready  to  appear  against  them  ;  because  the 
unhumbled  heart  frets  against  the  Lord,  and  so  it  rebounds  on  his 
servants  standing  in  that  relation  to  him. 

5.  Selfishness,  2  Tim.  iii.  2.  Men  shall  be  lovers  of  their  own 
selves.  It  is  among  the  first  lessons  Christ  puts  in  the  hands 
of  his  scholars,  to  deny  themselves ;  importing  that  all  unregene- 
rate men  are  overgrown  with  selfishness.  Man  falling  off  from 
Grod,  set  up  himself  as  his  chief  end ;  and  hence  comes  no  due 
concern  for  the  honour  of  God,  nor  for  the  good  of  others ;  but  all 
swallowed  up  in  concern  for  themselves ;  driving  forward  to  that 
end  over  both  the  one  and  the  other.  Now  grace  corrects  this  dis- 
position, bringing  men  out  of  the  circle  of  self  in  which  they  were 
confined.     This  selfishness  appears. 

(1.)  In  their  worldly  management,  where  it  swallows  up  neigh- 
bour-love, as  in  a  devouring  gulf,  Phil.  ii.  20,  21.  Hence  no  due 
sympathy  with  the  afflicted,  their  sorrows  no  allay  to  their  joys ; 
yea  a  secret  satisfaction  in  the  crosses,  losses,  and  afflictions  of 
others,  that  the  sorrows  of  others  are  matter  of  joy  and  triumph  to 
them,  Prov.  xxiv.  17,  18.  Envying  and  grudging  at  the  prosperity 
of  others,  undermining  them  in  their  afi'airs,  not  standing  to  drive  on 
their  own  interest  on  the  ruin  of  their  neighbours  ;  a  scandalous 
cruel  practice,  which  God  is  this  day  visibly  contending  for. 


STATE  OF  THE  UXREGENEEATE  WOELD  EXPLAINED.  339 

(2.)  In  their  religious  management,  -where  it  swallows  up  the  love 
of  God  in  Christ,  like  a  devouring  gulf,  Phil.  ii.  21.  Hence  no  due 
concern  for  the  honour  of  God  in  the  world,  no  mourning  for  the 
sins  of  others,  but  a  careless  Gallio-like  temper  whether  the  in- 
terests of  religion  sink  or  swim.  No  rejoicing  in  the  glorifying  of 
God,  where  they  themselves  cannot  pretend  to  a  share  ;  an  ill  eye 
on  the  good  of  others,  and  hardly  a  good  word  to  spare  for  it,  but  a 
readiness  to  detract  from  it  and  sully  it,  unless  they  be  of  their 
party  and  way ;  in  that  case  they  find  room  for  it,  because  there  is 
room  for  self  there,  Phil.  i.  15 — 18. 

6.  Lastly,  Unbelief.  This  is  the  common  sin  of  all  the  unre- 
generate  world  (John  iii.  18,  19.)  that  hear  the  gospel.  They  may 
escape  a  mire  of  pollution,  that  others  fall  into,  who  are  yet  sunk 
over  head  and  ears  here.  It  is  a  sin  that  is  the  need-nail  to  all 
others,  John  vii.  24.  and  yet  such  a  spiritual  sin,  that  it  is  hardly 
discerned  ;  it  not  being  of  the  nature  of  those  sins  that  a  natural 
conscience  boggles  at.     But  all  the  unregenerate  live  in  it. 

(1.)  They  do  not  truly  believe  the  gospel,  Isa.  liii.  1.  There  is  a 
report  sent  from  another  woi-ld,  of  life  and  salvation  for  sinners 
through  Christ ;  they  do  not  contradict,  they  say  they  believe  it, 
nay  they  think  they  believe  it ;  but  in  reality  they  believe  it  not. 
For  to  quit  the  enjoyment  of  their  lusts,  and  the  pursuit  of  the  vain 
world,  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  the  lust  of  the  eye,  and  the  pride  of  life, 
is  in  their  eyes  to  quit  certainty  for  uncertain  hope.  Any  faith 
they  have  of  it  is  but  superficial  ;  for  it  is  risen  without  the  root  of 
saving  illumination,  and  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit,  1  Cor.  ii. 
4,  5.  Matth.  xvi.  17- 

(2.)  They  have  never  been  brought  freely  away  to  Christ,  in  the 
way  of  believing,  for  all,  John  i.  12,  13.  All  the  proposals  of  the 
gospel  made  to  them,  have  never  prevailed  farther  than  to  make 
them  almost  Christians,  they  have  not  felt  the  day  of  power  to  make 
them  willing,  Psal.  ex.  3.  Men  have  drawn  them,  conscience  has 
pressed  them  ;  but  they  have  not  felt  the  Father's  drawing  yet. 
Two  things  evince  this. 

(1.)  They  are  not  yet  come  freely  away  out  of  themselves,  to 
Christ,  for  a  rest  to  their  consciences,  Phil.  iii.  3.  They  have  never 
yet  died  to  the  law,  and  therefore  cannot  be  married  to  Christ, 
Rom.  vii.  4.  They  are  not  poor  in  spirit,  Matth.  v.  3.  There  is 
something  left  them  still  of  their  own,  which  though  they  cannot 
trust  to  before  God  for  altogether,  yet  they  can  in  part.  They  are 
never  brought  freely  out  of  their  own  righteousness,  Rom.  x.  3. 

(2.)  They  are  not  come  freely  away  from  the  creature  into  Christ, 
for  a  rest  to  their  hearts,  Heb.  iv.  3.      They  have  never  seen  the 


340  STATE  OF  THE  UJfREGENERATE  WORLD  EXPLAINED. 

fulness  in  Christ,  that  he  should  be  the  one  thing  desired  by  them ; 
but  in  their  way  Christ  may  bear  the  weight  somewhat  for  a  rest  to 
their  consciences,  but  the  heart  can  have  no  rest  but  in  the  crea- 
ture ;  for  they  say,  as  Isa.  iv.  1,  "  We  will  eat  our  own  bread,  and 
wear  our  own  apparel ;  only  let  us  bo  called  by  thy  name,  to  take 
away  our  reproach."  He  is  not  the  one  pearl  to  them,  for  which 
all  is  to  be  sold. 

(3.)  They  do  not  live  by  faith,  which  is  the  only  true  Christian 
life,  Gal.  ii.  20.     So  far  from  it,  that, 

(1.)  Sense,  and  not  faith,  is  their  guide  in  their  way,  quite  con- 
trary to  the  Christian  course,  2  Cor.  v.  7-  "  We  walk  by  faith,  not 
by  sight."  The  constant  cry  of  the  unregenerate  world  is,  "  Who 
will  shew  us  any  good?"  Psal.  iv.  6.  and  nothing  is  good  in  their 
eyes  but  sensible  good.  So  the  things  that  are  seen,  and  present, 
are  valued  and  pursued  ;  things  that  are  not  seen,  and  future,  are 
slighted  as  uncertain. 

(2.)  Self,  and  not  Christ,  is  what  they  lean  to  for  carrying  them 
on  their  way.  The  life  of  faith  is  a  leaning  on  Christ,  Cant.  viii.  5. 
But  instead  of  that,  the  unregenerate  lean  on  their  own  stock,  their 
self-wisdom  for  management,  their  self-strength  for  performance, 
and  their  self-worth  for  acceptance. 

Thus  it  appears,  that  they  still  live  in  the  allowed  practice  of 
some  sin  or  other.     Now, 

1.  The  effect  thereof  is,  that  that  one  thing  mars  all  to  them,  in 
point  of  acceptance ;  and  keeps  them  in  a  state  of  death,  Mark  x. 
21.  While  one  sin  is  allowedly  kept,  no  good  they  do  can  be  ac- 
cepted of  God,  Psal.  Ixvi.  18.  It  is  as  poison  poured  into  a  cup, 
which  goes  through  all.  And  it  effectually  concludes  them  in  a 
state  of  death ;  for  an  offending  right  eye  or  right  hand  puts  the 
whole  body  in  hazard  of  perishing,  Matth.  v.  29,  30.  One  leak  may 
sink  the  ship.  Abimelech  the  son  of  Gideon's  concubine,  slew  his 
seventy  brethren  the  sons  of  the  wives. 

2.  The  reason  hereof  is,  that  one  sin  is  kept  in  the  allowed  prac- 
tice thereof,  evidencetli  that  any  good  done  by  such  a  one,  is  not 
done  out  of  love  to  God,  and  regard  to  his  holy  law,  but  from  some 
self  end.  For  if  the  authority  of  God  upon  any  command  were 
sufficient  to  recommend  the  obedience  of  it  to  a  man,  it  would  re- 
commend all  the  commands  '.to  him,  because  all  bear  the  same  im- 
press of  divine  authority,  James  ii.  10,  11. 

Fourthly,  The  whole  unregenerate  world  lies  under  the  guilt  of 
sin,  the  guilt  of  revenging  wrath,  Rom.  iii.  19.  Now  we  know  that 
what  things  soever  the  law  saith,  it  saith  to  them  who  are  under 
the  law,  that  every  mouth  may  be  stopped,  and  all  the  world  may 


STATE  OF  THE  UNREGEXERATE  WORLD  EXPLAINED.  341 

become  guilty  before  God.  By  the  sanction  of  the  law,  guilt  follows 
sin ;  the  creature  sinning  becomes  liable  to  wrath ;  there  is  a  bond 
wreathed  about  their  neck,  by  which  they  may  be  drawn  to  suffer. 
Hence  sin  is  called  a  debt,  because  as  it  is  the  taking  away  of  obe- 
dience due,  it  binds  to  suffer  punishment  accordingly.  That  we  may 
have  a  view  of  their  state  under  the  guilt  of  sin,  consider, 

1.  It  is  the  guilt  of  eternal  wrath  they  lie  under,  being  bound 
over  thereto  by  the  curse,  Gal.  iii.  10.  The  regenerate  may  be  un- 
der guilt  too  ;  but  it  is  only  the  guilt  of  fatherly  anger  ;  there  is  no 
curse,  no  revenging  Avrath  in  their  case,  Rom.  viii.  1.  But  the  un- 
regenerate  are  under  a  bond  of  guilt  binding  them  to  suffer  in  hell 
to  the  complete  satisfaction  of  justice. 

2.  The  guilt  of  their  original  sin  they  were  born  with,  is  still  ly- 
ing on  them,  Eph.  ii.  3. — And  were  by  nature  the  children  of  wrath, 
even  as  others.  They  came  into  the  world  condemned  men  ;  and  not 
being  in  Christ,  the  sentence  is  never  reversed,  though  the  execution 
is  delayed.  They  have  not  the  king's  pardon,  though  they  are  yet 
spared,  and  easy  as  if  there  were  no  quarrel. 

3.  Every  actual  transgression,  in  heart,  lip,  or  life,  by  omission, 
or  commission,  brings  on  new  guilt  of  that  kind  on  them.  Gal.  iii. 
10.  "  Cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things  which 
are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them."  So  the  guilt  of 
their  sins  is  added  to  the  guilt  of  their  original  sin ;  and  as  many 
actual  sins  as  they  are  chargeable  with,  so  many  pilars  there  are  of 
that  cord  of  death  on  them.  As  they  repeat  their  sins,  the  law  re- 
peats its  curse. 

4.  An  unregenerate  man  can  do  nothing  but  what  is  sin,  Matth. 
vii.  18.  Accordingly  God  testifies  of  them  that  there  is  none  that 
doeth  good,  no  not  one,  Rom.  iii.  12.  His  nature  being  wholly  cor- 
rupt, all  his  actions  are  corrupt  too ;  his  natural  actions,  Zech.  vii. 
6.  his  civil  actions,  Prov.  xxi.  4.  and  his  religions  actions,  Prov.  xv. 
8.     So  that  in  all  tliey  do,  they  contract  new  guilt.  Hag.  ii.  14. 

5.  Man  is  a  busy  creature,  still  doing.  And  none  are  more  bus^ 
than  the  unregenerate  that  can  do  no  good,  Isa.  Ivii.  20.  "  The  wick- 
ed are  like  the  troubled  sea,  when  it  cannot  rest,  whose  waters 
cast  up  mire  and  dirt."  The  heart  of  man  is  like  the  watch,  that 
may  go  as  fast  going  wrong,  as  when  going  right :  it  is  still  em- 
ployed about  vanity  or  vileness;  and  every  imagination  is  evil. 
Gen.  vi.  5. 

6.  Lastly,  All  their  guilt  sticks  with  them,  nothing  of  it  goes  off, 
being  out  of  Christ,  Eph.  ii.  1.  Believers  are  daily  contracting 
guilt,  it  is  true ;  but  then  they  are  daily  getting  it  removed  too, 
through  daily  application  of  the  blood  of  Christ  by  faith,  as  the  liv- 

VoL.  V.  z 


342  STATE  OF  THE  UNREGENEKATE  WORLD  EXPLAINED. 

ing  man  is  putting  off  nastiness  from  him ;  whereas  all  abides  with 
the  nnregenerato  world,  as  the  vermin  on  the  dead  corpse  that  can 
put  off  none. 

Now  put  all  these  together,  and  what  a  dreadful  lair  has  the  un- 
regenerate  world  in  the  guilt  of  sin  !  Floods  of  guilt  are  still  rol- 
ling in  on  them,  as  the  waters  are  running  continually  into  the  sea; 
hut  whereas  the  sea  lets  out  of  its  waters  that  it  receives  in,  they 
keep  all  the  floods  of  guilt  that  roll  in  on  them.  So  the  longer  they 
lire,  they  are  the  more  miserable,  because  the  more  guilty. 

Lastly,  The  whole  unregenerate  world  lies  in  the  filth  and  pollu- 
tion of  sin,  Tit.  i.  15.  Unto  them  that  are  defiled  and  unbelieving, 
is  nothing  pure ;  but  even  their  mind  and  conscience  is  defiled.  Sin 
is  a  defiling  evil,  it  pollutes  the  sinner  in  the  sight  of  God,  defacing 
his  image  in  the  soul,  and  rendering  him  unlike  God.  God  is  glori- 
ous in  holiness,  this  holiness  he  has  expressed  in  his  law,  and  sin  is 
the  quite  contrary  of  that  holiness.  So  that  God  can  no  more  cease 
to  abominate  it,  than  to  delight  in  his  own  image,  Hab.  i.  13 ;  Jer. 
xliv.  4. 

1.  Their  natural  defilement  and  pollution  which  they  were  born 
in,  still  remains,  Psal.  li.  5.  for  they  are  not  born  again  of  the  water 
and  the  Spirit.  An  emblem  of  their  case  ye  have  in  Ezek.  xvi. 
The  whole  soul  of  their  frame  is  unclean,  polluted,  and  unlike  God, 
Tit.  i.  15. 

2.  Every  actual  transgression,  or  omission,  or  commission,  leaves 
a  new  stroke  of  pollution  on  them,  rendering  them  more  unlike  God, 
Rom.  iii.  13.  So  that  their  spiritual  uncleanness  is  ever  increasing, 
and  the  longer  they  live,  they  do  but  contract  the  more  defilement. 

3.  Lastly,  All  sticks  on  them,  nothing  of  their  old  or  new  defile- 
ment is  removed ;  because  they  were  never  washed  in  the  laver  of 
regeneration,  Ezek.  xxii.  24.  And  what  a  wretched  case  must  that 
be,  where  new  filth  is  still  coming  on  the  soul,  but  none  going  off  ? 

II.  I  shall  now  shew  how  the  unregenerate  world  lies  in  wicked- 
ness. They  lie  in  it  in  the  most  hopeless  case ;  which  we  may  take 
up  in  three  things.     They  lie, 

1.  Bound  in  it,  Acts  viii.  bound  in  it  like  prisoners,  Isa.  Ixi. 
1.  They  are  in  chains  of  guilt,  which  they  cannot  break  oft';  there 
are  fetters  of  strong  lusts  upon  them,  which  hold  them  fast.  Satan 
has  overcome  them,  and  brought  them  into  bondage;  and  though 
they  see  their  case  is  wrong,  though  a  natural  conscience  witnesseth 
their  hazard ;  yet  they  cannot  leave  it,  but  go  on  like  an  ox  to  the 
slaughter,  and  a  fool  to  the  correction  of  the  stocks. 

2.  Asleep  in  it,  Eph.  v.  14.  They  have  drunk  of  the  intoxicating 
cup,  and  are  fast  asleep,  though  within  the  sea  mark  of  vengeance. 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  THE  UNREGENEEATE  ■\TOELD,  ETC.  243 

Though  some  times  they  are  made  to  start  in  their  sleep,  by  passing 
convictions  like  a  stitch  in  the  side ;  yet  there  is  no  awakening  of 
them,  by  all  the  alarms  they  get  from  the  word,  froni  providence, 
and  their  own  conscience.  If  tliey  are  at  any  time  moved  by  these, 
yet  they  quickly  fall  over  asleep  again. 

3.  Lastlt/,  Dead  in  it,  Eph.  ii.  1.  A  natural  life,  through  the 
union  of  a  soul  with  their  body,  they  have ;  but  their  spiritual  life 
is  gone,  the  union  of  their  souls  with  God  being  quite  broken,  Eph. 
iv.  18.  The  image  of  God  on  the  soul,  the  principal  of  vital  holy 
actions,  is  away  from  them  ;  so  they  lie  in  wickedness,  breathless  and 
motionless,  ready  to  be  buried  out  of  God's  sight. 

The  Doctrine  of  the  Ilnregenerato  tvorld  lying  in  Wickedness,  applied. 

Use  I.  Of  information.     See  here. 

First,  The  spring  and  fountain  of  the  abounding  sin  in  our  day : 
The  whole  world  lies  in  wickeducss  ;  and  wickedness  proceedeth  from 
the  wicked,  1  Sam.  xxiv.  13.  What  but  wickedness  can  be  expected 
in  a  wicked  world  ?  The  unregenerate  bear  the  far  greater  bulk  in 
the  land,  as  in  the  world ;  and  they  are  lying  in  wickedness.  Here 
then  is  the  opened  fountain  of  the  great  deep,  that  has  brought  on 
a  deluge  of  wickedness.     Hence, 

1.  The  apostacy  in  principles,  men  departing  from  the  faith,  and 
bringing  in  damnable  heresies.  The  infidelity  of  this  generation  has 
gone  to  a  monstrous  height ;  contempt  of  revealed  religion  has  fear- 
fully spread.  The  doctrine  of  the  grace  of  Christ  is  despised;  and 
the  doctrine  of  the  person  of  Christ  is  rudely  attacked ;  the  founda- 
tions that  were  left  in  safety  in  the  time  of  Prelacy,  yea  under  Pop- 
ery, are  now  overturned."  So  has  the  wickedness  of  the  world  ly- 
ing in  wickedness  broke  out  in  our  day. 

2.  Apostacy  in  practice.  There  is  a  deluge  of  profanity  gone  over 
the  land ;  men  have  loosed  the  bridle  to  their  lusts,  opened  the  sluice 
to  their  wickedness,  and  there  is  no  stopping  of  it  by  men's  endea- 
vours, Psal.  cxix.  126.  "  It  is  time  for  thee.  Lord,  to  work;  for 
they  have  made  void  thy  law."  All  ranks  have  corrupted  their 
ways  in  church  and  state  ;  that  they  are  like  to  wear  out  serious 
godliness,  and  the  saints  of  the  Most  High.  And  the  generation  is 
remarkably  worse  than  their  father's,  more  loose,  and  regardless  of 
all  that  is  good. 

Secondly,  The  spring  of  all  the  miseries  that  are  lying  on  us,  and 
we  are  threatened  with.    The  world  is  lying  in  wickedness,  and  there- 


*  The  author  refers  to  the  revival  of  Arianism  in  England  by  Doctor  Clarke,  and  in 
Scotland  by  Professor  Simpson. 

z2 


344  THE  DOCTKINE  OF  THE  UJfREGENERATE  WOELD 

fore  lies  in  misery  ;  for  God  is  a  sin-hating  and  sin-revenging  God. 
It  is  the  sin  and  wickedness  of  the  generation,  that  has  brouglit  on 
the  decay  of  trade,  and  is  impoverishing  the  country,  for  a  witness 
against  the  inisimprovcment  of  a  thriving  condition.  To  that  is 
owing  the  j^resent  straitness,  and  diminishing  of  our  ordinary  food ; 
for  the  abuse  of  fulness  in  luxury,  sensuality,  and  lasciviousness; 
the  desolating  of  the  ilocks,  for  men's  oppressing  one  another ;  the 
great  sickness  and  death  in  families  wherewith  the  Lord  is  afflicting 
us.  And  these  look  but  like  the  beginning  of  sorrows,  for  there  is 
EO  turning  to  the  hand  that  smiteth. 

Let  not  men  harden  themselves  in  the  case,  because  it  seems  to 
fare  as  ill  with  saints  as  sinners.     For, 

1.  It  is  God's  ordinary  way  in  his  proceedings  against  a  land,  to 
begin  with  his  own  house  and  family,  Ezek.  ix.  6.  For  though  they 
are  not  of,  yet  they  are  in  the  world,  and  contract  infection,  so  that 
with  them  also  there  are  sins  against  the  Lord.  And  because  the 
Lord  has  a  kindness  for  them,  they  get  the  brim  of  the  cup,  Zech.  i. 
11,  12. 

2.  But  it  is  a  sign  for  ill  to  the  world  lying  in  wickedness.  And 
of  a  long  time  we  have  had  that  sign,  of  particular  strokes  directed 
against  those  that  are  the  most  serious,  1  Pet.  iv.  17,  18,  For  the 
time  is  come  that  judgment  must  begin  at  the  house  of  God  ;  and  if 
it  first  begin  at  us,  what  shall  the  end  be  of  them  that  obey  not  the 
gospel  of  God  ?  and  if  the  righteous  scarcely  be  saved,  where  shall 
the  ungodly  and  the  sinner  appear  ?  If  God's  own  people  drink  of 
the  cup  of  judgment,  the  world  lying  in  wickedness  shall  pledge  them, 
and  drink  after,  Jer.  xxv.  27,  29.  And  the  former  getting  the  brim, 
the  dregs  will  fall  to  the  latter,  Psal.  Ixxv.  8.  And  thus  God's 
own  prophets  have  been  signs  to  a  people  with  whom  God  had  a  con- 
troversy, Ezek.  xxiv.  Thus  Ezekiel  is  i:nto  you  a  sign ;  according 
to  all  that  he  hath  done,  shall  ye  do ;  and  when  this  cometh,  ye  shall 
know  that  I  am  the  Lord. 

3.  Lastly,  Though  in  the  outward  course  of  providence  all  falls 
alike  to  all,  yet  the  cross  of  the  saint  is  better  than  the  crown  of 
the  sinner,  Isa.  liii.  10,  11.  "Say  ye  to  the  righteous  that  it  shall 
be  well  with  them,  for  they  shall  eat  the  fruit  of  their  doings.  "Wo 
unto  the  wicked,  it  shall  be  ill  with  him ;  for  the  reward  of  his  hands 
shall  be  given  him,"  Rom.  viii.  28.  "And  we  know  that  all  things 
work  together  for  good,  to  them  that  love  God,  to  them  who  are  the 
called  according  to  his  purpose,"  Prov.  i.  32.  "  The  prosperity  of 
fools  shall  destroy  them." 

Thirdly,  It  is  not  strange  to  find  men  of  the  world  lying  in  the 
habitual  practice  of  some  abomination ;  for  the  whole  world  lieth  in 


LYING  IN  VTICKEDNESS,  APPLIED.  345 

wickedness.  Men  will  carry  themselves  agreeable  to  their  state  of 
regeneracy  or  irregeneracy ;  and  to  find  unregenerate  men  lying  in 
this  and  the  other  wickedness,  is  no  more  strange  than  to  find  fish 
swimming  in  the  water,  and  birds  flying  in  the  air;  it  is  their  element. 

1.  Accordingly  some  lie  in  open  wickedness,  declaring  their  sin 
as  Sodom,  Isa.  liii.  9.  For  where  men  cannot  restrain  them,  they 
are  at  liberty,  becanse  they  have  no  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes. 
Their  Inst  is  their  law  in  these  things,  and  they  go  so  far  in  the 
road  as  their  feet  will  carry  them,  doing  evil  as  they  may  or  can. 

2.  Some  lie  in  some  secret  wickedness,  which  they  get  kept  secret 
from  the  open  view  of  the  world,  and  for  the  eye  of  a  jealous  God 
that  mars  them  not,  Ezek.  viii.  12,  "  Son  of  man,  hast  thou  seen 
what  the  ancients  of  the  house  of  Israel  do  in  the  dark,  every  man 
in  tl'.e  chambers  of  his  imagery  ?  for  they  say,  The  Lord  seeth  ns 
not,  the  Lord  hath  forsaken  the  earth."  This  evil  world  has  a  loath- 
some aspect  as  it  is,  for  all  the  covering  of  abominations  in  it ;  but 
were  the  secret  abominations  in  it  brought  out  to  men's  knowledge, 
the  secret  frauds  and  cheats,  whoredoms,  adultei-ies,  and  lascivious- 
ness,  murders,  thefts,  &c.  set  in  the  light,  how  much  more  loathsome 
would  the  world  appear  ?  Eph.  v.  12.  For  it  is  a  shame  even  to 
speak  of  those  things  which  are  done  of  them  in  secret.  But  two 
things  are  certain, 

(1.)  Where  the  fountain  of  sin  is  not  stopt  by  regenerating  grace, 
it  must  needs  have  its  main  stream  running  in  the  practice  of  some 
one  wickedness  or  other,  Rom.  vi.  12.  An  unregenerate  man's  pre- 
dominant sin  may  indeed  be  changed  ;  but  he  shall  sooner  cease  to 
breathe,  than  to  have  some  one  running  issue  or  other.  And  that 
will  always  be  his  neckbreak  here,  that  will  part  betwixt  Christ  and 
him,  Mark  X.  21,22;  and  that  will  be  the  most  terrible  gnawing 
worm  in  the  conscience  hereafter. 

(2.)  "Whether  it  be  an  open  or  secret  wickedness,  it  will  be  called 
at  length  before  a  tribunal,  where  there  will  be  no  shifting  of  com- 
pearance, defeating  of  probation,  nor  stopping  execution.  Acts  xvii. 
31.  "  He  hath  appointed  a  day  in  the  which  he  will  judge  the  world 
in  righteousness,  by  that  man  whom  he  hath  ordained."  Rom.  xiv. 
10.  "  We  shall  all  stand  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ." 
There  the  most  secret  pieces  of  wickedness  shall  be  discovered  be- 
fore all  the  world,  Eccl.  xii.  ult.  "  For  God  shall  bring  every  work 
into  judgment,  with  every  secret  thing,  whether  it  be  good,  or 
whether  it  be  evil.  Prov.  xxvi.  26,  "  Whose  hatred  is  covered  with 
deceit,  his  wickedness  shall  be  shewed  before  the  whole  congrega- 
tion." And  the  most  daring  transgressor  shall  be  made  to  stand 
trembling,  Eccl.  si.  9.  "  Rejoice,  0  young  man,  in  thy  youth,  and 

z  3 


346  THE  DOCTRINE  OP  THE  UNREGENERATE  WORLD 

let  tliy  heart  cheer  thee  in  the  days  of  thy  youth,  and  walk  in  the 
ways  of  thy  heart,  and  in  the  sight  of  thine  eyes ;  but  know  thou, 
that  for  all  these  things  God  will  bring  thee  into  judgment." 

Foxu-tJihj,  The  world  must  be  an  infectious  society  ;  it  must  be  a 
pestilential  air  that  is  breathed  in  it,  and  wickedness  in  it  must  be 
of  a  growing  and  spreading  nature.  For  the  whole  world  lieth  in 
wickedness.     Ilenco, 

1.  Unregenerate  men,  if  they  get  not  a  cast  of  saving  grace  to 
change  their  nature,  will  undoubtedly  grow  worse  and  worse,  2  Tim. 
iii.  13.  As  that  which  lies  in  the  dunghill,  rots  the  more  the  longer 
it  lies ;  so  men  lying  in  irrcgeneracy,  in  wickedness,  the  longer 
they  live  their  case  is  the  more  hopeless.  How  evidently  is  this 
seen,  in  there  being  some  hope  of  some  while  they  are  yet  young, 
yet  not  being  converted  then,  they  grow  at  length  to  a  j)itch  that 
there  is  no  dealing  with  them  ? 

2.  Unregenerate  men  are  snares  and  neckbrcaks  one  to  another, 
serving  to  advance  the  growth  of  wickedness  in  one  another,  !Mattli. 
■xviii.  7-  As  in  a  dunghill  one  part  serves  to  rot  another,  so  is  it  in 
the  world  lying  in  Avickedness.  The  ill  example  of  some  en- 
courages others,  and  so  the  elder  corrupt  the  younger,  especially 
when  they  go  about  to  train  them  up  in  the  ways  of  wickedness. 

3.  They  are  snares  even  to  the  godly.  It  is  hard  to  come  near  a 
mire  or  dunghill  and  not  be  defiled.  There  was  a  suffocating  vapour 
arose  from  the  high  priest's  hall,  that  made  Peter  fall  a  denying  his 
Master.  This  made  the  Psalmist  say,  "  \Yo  is  me,  that  I  sojourn 
in  Mesech,  that  I  dwell  in  the  tents  of  Kedar,"  Psal.  cxx.  5. 

Hence  we  may  learn, 

(1.)  They  have  a  hard  task  in  hand,  whose  business  it  is  to  deal 
with  the  world  lying  in  wickedness,  in  order  to  their  reformation  ; 
for  the  longer  they  lie  in  their  wickedness  they  are  the  more 
strengthened  in  it,  their  hearts  are  the  more  hardened,  their  consci- 
ences more  seared,  and  the  bands  of  wickedness  grow  stronger. 
And  then  one  helps  another  in  an  ill  course,  they  unite  and  combine 
to  strengthen  one  another  in  wickedness.  So  that  it  is  a  heavy 
task. 

(2.)  The  danger  of  ill  company,  1  Cor.  xv.  32.  "  Evil  communica- 
tions corrupt  good  manners."  The  wicked  world  is  a  dangerous  so- 
ciety, and  has  been  ruining  to  many.  How  many  have  been  ruined, 
by  their  being  educated  and  living  amongst  those  of  the  world  lying 
in  wickedness,  never  having  an  opportunity  of  good  company,  where 
they  might  see  or  get  good  ?  How  many  have  been  ruined  by  their 
falling  into  ill  company,  after  hopeful  beginnings  ?  The  stream  of 
our  nature  runs  the  wrong  way,  so  the  world  lying  in  wickedness 


.( 

LYING  IN  WICKEDNESS,  APPLIED.  347 

rows  with  the  stream,  and  so  is  successful  in  working  sinners'  ruin, 
Prov.  xiii.  20,  "  He  that  walketh  with  wise  men,  shall  be  wise;  but 
a  companion  of  fools  shall  be  destroyed." 

Fifthly,  This  accounts  for  the  uneasy  life  that  the  serious-godly 
have  in  the  world.  The  whole  world  lieth  in  wickedness.  Our 
Lord  Jesus  had  an  uneasy  life  in  it,  and  so  will  all  his  followers 
have  to  the  end.  The  church  in  the  world  is  like  a  lily  among 
thorns  ;  however  the  world  may  caress  its  own,  the  serious-godly 
will  not  get  leave  to  forget  that  they  are  from  home  while  in  it; 
strangers  and  pilgrims  ;  that  they  arc  in  a  wilderness.  How  can 
their  life  in  it  miss  to  bo  uneasy  ?     For  unto  them, 

1.  It  is  a  loathsome  world,  where  their  eyes  must  behold  abomi- 
nations that  they  cannot  help,  Hab.  i.  3.  "  Why  dost  thou  shew  me 
iniquity,  and  cause  me  to  behold  grievance  ?  for  spoiling  and  vio- 
lence are  before  me  ;  and  there  are  that  raise  up  strife  and  conten- 
tion." However  the  swine  of  this  world  may  delight  to  wallow  in 
their  own  mire,  and  to  lie  in  their  own  dunghill  ;  yet  to  heaven-born 
souls,  the  stench  arising  from  that  dunghill  must  needs  be  noise- 
some.  Hence  says  the  prophet,  Jer.  ix.  2.  "  Oh,  that  I  had  in  the 
wilderness  a  lodging-place  of  way-faring  men,  that  I  might  leave 
ray  people,  and  go  from  them  ;  for  they  be  all  adulterers,  an  as- 
sembly of  treacherous  men." 

2.  It  is  a  vexatious  world ;  the  temper  of  the  parties  is  so  differ- 
ent, so  opposite,  that  they  can  never  hit  it,  but  must  needs  be  heavy 
one  to  another.  As  the  way  of  the  godly  is  uneasy  to  the  world,  so 
the  way  of  the  world  is  uneasy  to  them,  makes  them  many  a  sorrow- 
ful day  and  heavy  heart,  and  draws  many  a  sigh  and  groan  from 
them,  as  in  Lot's  case,  2  Pet.  ii.  7,  8.  And  the  uneasiness  arising 
from  that  quarter  makes  heaven  more  desirable,  as  to  burdened  men 
groaning. 

3.  It  is  an  ensnaring  world,  wherein  snares  of  all  sorts  are  going, 
and  they  are  many  times  catched  in  the  trap  ere  they  are  aware, 
2  Tim.  iii.  1,  2.  This  know  also,  that  in  the  last  days  perilous 
times  shall  come.  For  men  shall  be  lovers  of  their  own  selves,  co- 
vetous, boasters,  proud,  blasphemers,  disobedient  to  parents,  un- 
thankful, unholy,  &c.  The  v/orld  lying  in  wickedness  lays  snares 
for  them,  that  by  drawing  them  into  their  courses,  they  may  make 
them  like  themselves.  And  at  all  times  they  are  in  hazard  by 
them,  either  by  omission  of  necessary  duty,  or  commission  of  sin. 

4.  It  is  a  world  wherein  wickedness  thrives  apace  as  in  its  native 
soil,  but  any  good  has  much  ado  to  get  up  its  head,  Jer.  iv.  22. 
"  For  my  people  is  foolish,  they  have  not  known  me,  they  are  sot- 
tish children,  and  they  have  none  understanding ;  they  are  wise  to 


348  THE  DOCTRINE  OP  THE  UNEEGENERATE  WORLD,  ETC. 

do  evil,  but  to  do  good  they  have  no  knowledge."  The  ground 
being  cursed,  thistles  and  thorns  grow  up  of  their  own  accord  ;  but 
after  much  labour  for  the  seed-corn,  the  husbandman  has  but  a  sorry 
increase.  So  the  work  of  wickedness  goes  on  with  speed  ;  but  0 
how  hard  is  it  to  make  a  good  work  take  !  The  most  prudent  man- 
agement can  hardly  carry  a  good  work,  but  one  sinner  destroyeth 
much  good,  Eccl.  ix.  ult. 

SicMj/,  This  accounts  for  the  frightful  end  this  visible  world  will 
make,  by  the  general  conflagration,  2  Pet.  iii.  10.  There  is  a  curse 
on  it,  for  the  wickedness  in  it,  that  once  deluged  it,  it  will  in  the 
end  burn  it  up.  It  has  been  a  stage  of  wickedness,  and  will  be 
pulled  down;  a  sink  of  abominations,  and  will  be  overthrown.  The 
creatures  groan  in  it,  under  the  abuse  of  them  to  the  serving  of  the 
lusts  of  men  ;  they  must  be  delivered. 

Lastly,  This  shews  the  dangerous  state  of  the  unregenerate  world ; 
they  lie  in  wickedness.     Therefore, 

1.  They  now  lie  under  wrath,  hanging  in  the  threatening  and 
curse  which  is  over  their  heads,  Eph.  ii.  8.  Being  in  the  region  of 
wickedness,  it  is  the  region  of  wrath,  John  iii.  nit.  They  are  in  a 
state  of  wrath,  it  is  on  them  and  theirs. 

2.  They  will  perish  under  that  wrath,  whoever  continue  and  come 
not  out  from  among  them.  For  the  world  now  lying  in  wickedness, 
will  sink  down  into  the  pit,  and  lie  eternally  under  their  guilt  and 
filth,  ]\Iatth.  XXV.  ult.  Rev.  xx.  14,  15. 

Use  II.  Of  exhortation. 

1.  To  all  I  would  say,  Search  and  try  what  society  ye  belong  to, 
whether  ye  are  still  of,  or  separated  from,  the  world  lying  in  wick- 
edness. It  is  certain,  we  are  all  naturally  of  the  world ;  there  is 
no  coming  out  of  it,  but  by  regenerating  grace  ;  and  being  come, 
ye  will  have  taken  another  route.  What  has  been  already  said, 
particularly  on  the  first  clause  of  the  verse,  touching  the  mai'ks  and 
characters  of  those  that  are  of  God,  and  so  separated  from  the  world, 
may  serve  to  discover  your  state  in  this  point. 

2.  To  saints  separated  from  the  world,  I  would  say, 

(1.)  Do  not  much  wonder  at  the  harsh  entertainment  ye  meet 
with  in  it.  Yalue  not  the  frowns  of  the  world  lying  in  wickedness  ; 
and  think  not  strange  of  frowns  of  providence  on  you  while  ye  are 
in  it.  For  it  will  never  be  quite  well  with  the  family  of  God,  while 
they  are  here  in  the  same  place  with  the  world. 

(2.)  Watch  against  it  while  ye  are  in  it,  as  being  in  hazard  of 
sins  and  snares  in  a  world  lying  in  wickedness.  Be  not  secure  ; 
knowing  that  your  adversary  the  devil,  as  a  roaring  lion,  walketh 
about  seeking  whom  he  may  devour,  1  Pet.  v.  8. 


THE  TEXT  EXPLAINED.  349 

(3.)  Look  homeward,  and  long  to  be  with  Christ ;  where  you 
shall  be  for  ever  out  of  the  reach  of  all  evil,  and  enjoy  such  peace 
and  freedom  as  your  enemies  can  disturb  no  more. 

3.  Lastit/,  To  sinners  of  the  world  lying  in  wickedness,  I  would 
say,  Come  out  from  among  them,  and  bo  separated,  as  ye  would  not 
be  ruined  with  them,  and  perish  eternally  in  their  destruction. 
But  of  this  in  the  next  discourse. 


THE  DIVINE  CALL  TO  SINNERS  TO  COME    OUT  FROM  AMONG  THE 
WORLD  LYING  IN   WICKKDNESS,  EXPLAINED  AND  URGED. 

Several  Sermons  preached  at  Ettrick,  in  1729. 


1  John  v.  19. 

The  whole  world  lieth  in  wickedness. 

2  Cor.  Ti.  17. 

Wherefore  come  out  from  among  them,  and  be  ye  separate,  saith  the 
Lord,  and  touch  not  the  unclean  thing  ;  and  I  will  receive  you. 

Ye  have  had  a  frightful  description  of  the  world  lying  in  wicked- 
ness. "We  come  now  to  press  the  exhortation  to  come  out  of  it,  in 
the  words  of  this  compared  text.     In  which  we  have, 

1.  The  gospel-call  to  sinners,  Come  out  from  among  them.  For 
whereas  the  words  are  taken  out  of  Isa.  lii.  11.  it  is  plain  the  pro- 
phet there  speaks  of  the  days  and  preaching  of  the  gospel,  though 
with  an  eye  to  the  deliverance  from  Babylon,  ver.  7 — 10.  In  it  we 
have, 

(1.)  The  substance  of  the  duty  that  sinners  are  called  to,  Come  out 
from  among  them,  viz.  the  world  lying  in  wickedness,  whereof  Baby- 
lon was  an  emblem,  as  the  Jews  were  of  the  elect.  Babylon  was  the 
mother  of  abominations,  and  devoted  to  destruction  ;  so  the  world 
lying  in  wickedness  is.  To  come  out  from  among  them,  is  to  come 
out  of  your  natural  state,  unto  Christ  by  faith  ;  that  is  the  only  way 
to  come  out  from  among  them.  And  that  the  text  aims  at  no  less, 
is  evident, — that  adoption  into  God's  family  is  thereupon  promised. 

(2.)  The  touchstone  of  sincerity  in  it.  Be  ye  separate.  Right 
coming  out  from  among  the  world  lying  in  wickedness,  is  a  coming 
out  from  among  them  freely  and  for  altogether.  A  withdrawing  for 
a  time,  the  relation  standing  will  not  do;  nor  a  halting  between  two ; 


350  THE  IMPORT  OP  TUK  CALL  TO  COME 

there  must  be  a  total  separation,  by  going  quite  to  the  other  side, 
and  setting  up  against  them.  Thus  the  apostle  explains  the  double 
call  to  depart,  Isa.  liii.  11.  Depart  ye,  depart  ye,  going  still  farther 
and  farther  from  them,  till  the  great  gulf  be  fixed  betwixt  you  and 
them. 

(3.)  A  necessary  direction  for  the  right  managing  of  your  coming 
away, — Touch  not  the  unclean  thing.  They  are  an  unclean  society, 
like  a  leprous  person  :  consult  not  with  them,  but  be  resolute  with- 
out tampering  with  them.  Every  thing  among  them  is  unclean ; 
take  up  none  of  it  to  carry  with  you,  as  Rachel  did  her  father's 
images.  Be  afraid  of  every  person  and  thing  in  the  world  lying  in 
wickedness,  as  of  fire. 

2.  The  gospel  off"er  and  promise,  to  be  accomplished  on  complying 
■with  the  call,  I  will  receive  you.  I  the  Lord  Christ  will  take  you 
in.  Be  not  afraid  that  ye  shall  be  at  any  loss  in  the  case ;  such  re- 
fugees shall  have  the  borders  of  the  Lord's  land,  the  gates  of  his 
house  opened  to  them. 

Now  the  doctrine  of  these  texts  thus  compared,  is, 

DocT.  There  is  a  call  from  the  Lord  to  sinners,  to  come  out  from 
among  the  world  lying  in  wickedness,  and  leave  them. 

In  handling  this  point,  I  shall, 

I.  Shew  some  things  implied  in  it. 

II.  Shew  what  is  the  sinner's  coming  out  from  among  the  world 
lying  in  wickedness. 

III.  Consider  the  call  from  the  Lord  to  come  out  from  among 
them. 

IV.  Lastli/,  Apply  the  whole. 

I.  I  shall  shew  some  things  implied  in  the  doctrine.     It  implies, 

1.  The  world  lying  in  wickedness  is  a  society  hateful  to  the  Lord, 
else  he  would  not  call  to  come  out  from  among  them.  They  may 
please  themselves,  as  if  they  only  were  the  people.  The  region  of  a 
natural  state  has  the  cloud  of  wrath  abiding  upon  it,  John  iii.  ult. 
They  are  a  society  whom  God  abhors  as  unclean  :  a  people  of  God's 
indignation,  as  being  his  enemies ;  and  against  whom  he  will  have 
war  for  ever  that  shall  end  in  their  destruction,  or  rather  never  end. 

2.  Sinners,  ye  are  all  by  nature  in  among  them,  and  of  them  ;  else, 
why  is  the  call.  Come  out  from  among  them  ?  Whoever  has  not 
heard  this  call,  and  come  out  from  among  them  in  conversion,  is 
among  them  yet,  John  viii.  44.  I  told  you  there  are  iu  the  world 
lying  in  wickedness,  the  lower  and  the  upper  world  ;  but  both  these 
make  but  one  world,  the  devil  is  the  head  of  both  ;  and  if  a  few  years 
were  gone,  they  will  be  both  turned  into  one,  and  all  the  inhabitants 
housed  under  one  roof,  Matth.  xxv.  41.     Therefore  unconverted  sin- 


OUT  PROM  THE  WORLD.  351 

ners  are  as  sure  among  them  as  the  damned. — Sinners,  ye  are  child- 
ren of  hell,  a  prison-house,  a  dark  house,  a  miserable  house,  Matth. 
xxiii.  15.  As  long  as  ye  are  among  them,  ye  are  like  the  house, 
and  like  the  father  of  it :  he  is  a  fallen  creature,  lying  in  wicked- 
ness, his  nature  is  enmity  against  God;  so  art  thou  and  thine  :  and 
though  thou  put  a  fair  face  on,  by  a  form  of  godliness  :  no  marvel, 
for  Satan  himself  is  transformed  into  an  angel  of  light,  2  Cor.  xi. 
14. 

3.  Great  is  the  danger  of  abiding  among  them,  Isa.  lii.  11.  De- 
part ye,  depart  ye,  go  ye  out  from  thence,  touch  no  unclean  thing, 
go  ye  out  of  the  midst  of  her.  There  are  three  special  emblems  of 
the  wretched  world  lying  in  wickedness,  and  the  danger  of  abiding 
among  them,  to  which  this  call  may  have  reference.  One  is  Baby- 
lon doomed  to  destruction,  Psal.  cxxxvii.  8.  See  the  call  to  leave 
her,  Jer.  li.  6.  Flee  out  of  the  midst  of  Babylon,  and  deliver  every 
man  his  soul ;  be  not  cut  off  in  her  iniquity  ;  for  this  is  the  time  of 
the  Lord's  vengeance  ;  he  will  render  unto  her  a  recompence.  Rev. 
xviii.  4.  Come  out  of  her  my  people,  that  ye  be  not  partakers  of 
her  sins,  and  that  ye  receive  not  of  her  plagues.  Another  is  Sodom, 
which  fire  from  heaven  was  abiding  the  call  Lot  got  to  get  out  of 
it,  ye  have  Gen.  xis.  15.  Arise, — lest  thou  be  consumed  in  the  ini- 
quity of  the  city.  It  was  set  forth  for  an  example  Jude,  7.  suffer- 
ing the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire.  A  third  is  the  tents  of  Dathan 
and  Abiram,  which  were  to  be  swallowed  up  of  the  earth.  The  call 
to  the  congregation  to  get  up  from  about  them,  ye  have  Numb.  xvi. 
26.  "  Depart  I  pray  yon,  from  the  tents  of  these  wicked  men,  and 
touch  nothing  of  theirs,  lest  ye  be  consumed  in  all  their  sins." 
Which  is  applied  to  gospel-hearers,  2  Tim.  ii.  19.  "  Let  every  one 
that  nameth  the  name  of  Christ  depart  from  iniquity."  Ye  can  have 
no  more  safe  staying  there  than  ye  could  have  had  in  these,  believe 
it  or  not. 

4.  It  is  possible  ye  may  get  away  from  among  them.  If  ye  were 
once  down  in  the  lower  world  lying  in  wickedness,  it  will  be  impos- 
sible ever  to  get  out  from  among  them  more ;  this  call  has  nothing 
ado  with  that  part  of  them.  But  ye  are  yet  in  the  upper  world 
lying  in  wickedness,  where  Christ  has  his  lower  house,  with  a  com- 
mission to  fill  it  out  of  those  of  them  that  are  lying  there.  And  for 
this  cause  the  call  sounds  iu  your  ears  this  day.  Psal.  xlv.  10, 
"  Forget  thine  own  people,  and  thy  father's  house."  Luke  xiv.  23, 
"  Compel  them  to  come  in,  that  my  house  may  be  filled."  Come 
away  before  your  feet  slip, — ye  may  get  away  though  never  so 
far  on. 

5.  God  has  some  amongst  them  that  shall  not  get  leave  to  stay, 


352  THE  IMPOllT  OF  THE  CALL  TO  COME,  ETC. 

for  he  would  never  send  out  such  a  call  altogether  in  vain.  No ; 
there  is  an  elect  number  among  them,  on  whom  the  call  shall  be  ef- 
fectual, sit  it  Avho  will,  2  Tim.  ii.  19.  "  The  foundation  of  God 
standeth  sure,  having  this  seal,  Tlie  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are 
his."  Satan  may  get  leave  to  keep  a  reprobate  world,  but  the  sheep 
of  Christ,  purchased  with  his  blood,  cannot  be  lost,  John  x.  16. 
"Other  sheep  I  have,  which  arc  not  of  this  fold;  them  also  I  must 
bring,  and  they  shall  hear  my  voice."  There  is  a  secret  mark  on 
some  of  the  strayed,  and  they  shall  be  made  to  come  out  from  among 
the  rest.  Let  this  encourage  you  to  come  away,  standing  as  fair  as 
others  to  get  help  from  heaven  to  make  your  escape. 

6.  Ye  will  be  very  welcome  to  Christ  from  among  them,  Psal. 
xlv.  10,  11.  "Hearken,  0  daughter,  and  consider,  and  incline  thine 
ear;  forget  also  thine  own  people,  and  thy  father's  house.  So  shall 
the  King  greatly  desire  thy  beauty."  They  tliat  come  uncalled  sit 
unserved  ;  but  ye  need  not  fear,  the  Master  calleth  you.  It  is  what 
you  have  his  word  on,  "  I  will  receive  you."  Do  not  say,  "  Alas,  I 
need  never  think  that  Christ  will  receive  me ;  for  I  have  been  a 
poor,  worldly,  carnal  creature,  savouring  nothing  but  the  world;" 
no,  the  call  supposes  that,  that  ye  are  among  them.  "  But  I  am 
deep  in  wickedness ;"  yet  welcome,  if  ye  have  even  been  among  the 
very  worst  of  them,  come  from  among  them,  and  welcome,  1  Cor.  vi. 
9,  10,  11. 

7.  Ye  will  not  be  carried  away  from  amongst  them  against  your 
will.  No  ;  if  ye  come  not  voluntarily  upon  your  own  feet,  ye  will 
get  lea.ve  to  stay  and  perish  among  them  ;  Psal.  ex.  3.  "  Thy  peoj)le 
shall  be  willing  in  the  day  of  thy  power."  Christ  will  have  none 
but  willing  subjects,  such  as  submit  by  choice,  not  by  force.  Com- 
pel them ;  but  how  ?  as  men  are  compelled  to  a  feast,  by  most  ear- 
nest entreaties,  importunity,  ^c.  but  not  otherwise.  They  that  will 
needs  lie  still  in  their  wickedness  with  the  world,  they  will  get  their 
will  with  a  vengeance ;  they  will  not  be  forced  from  the  society  they 
chuse. 

8.  Ye  will  not  be  carried  away  sleeping  from  among  them  nei- 
ther; ye  must  awake,  hear  the  call,  and  set  down  your  feet  to  make 
your  escape.  Some  say,  they  can  do  nothing,  they  cannot  convert 
themselves,  and  they  hope  for  grace  afterward.  So  they  make  soft 
their  pillow,  sleep  securely,  and  will  do  nothing.  But  if  ye  were 
willing  to  come  away  from  among  the  world  lying  in  wickedness,  ye 
would  stretch  out  the  withered  hand,  ye  would  try  the  lame  leg,  take 
the  help  of  offered  grace,  and  take  no  rest  till  ye  were  got  away. 

9.  Ye  need  not  expect  their  good  will  to  the  parting.  The  call  is 
directed  to  you,  without  noticing  them ;   for  it  is  certain  they  will 


AYHAT  IS  THE  SINNER's  COMIXG  OUT  FROM  THE  "WORLD.  353 

never  let  you  out  from  among  them,  as  long  as  tliey  are  able  to  keep 
you.  Therefore  ye  must  be  resolute  and  peremptory,  Matth.  xi.  12. 
"  The  kingdom  of  heaven  suflereth  violence,  and  the  violent  take  it 
by  force."  Hell's  flatteries  and  threatcnings  will  all  be  plied  to 
keep  you  among  them ;  but  stop  your  ears,  and  look  not  behind  you, 
as  the  angels  enjoined  Lot,  when  they  had  brought  him  out  of 
Sodom,  Gen.  xiv.  17- 

10.  Lastly,  Ye  will  be  received  of  the  Lord  into  the  society  of 
the  clean  and  holy,  Heb.  xii.  22 — 24.  One  part  of  them  is  perfectly 
clean,  as  to  the  other  their  cleansing  is  begun,  John  xiii.  8 ;  but  all 
are  but  one  family;  the  former  the  elder  children,  in  the  upper 
rooms ;  the  latter  the  younger,  in  the  lower  rooms  ;  the  whole 
headed  by  Christ. 

11.  I  come  now  to  shew  what  is  the  sinner's  coming  out  from 
among  the  world  lying  in  wickedness. 

Negatively,  1.  It  is  not  a  sinner's  going  out  of  this  world.  That 
is  brought  about  by  death,  whether  we  will  or  not ;  and  they  that 
die  in  the  Lord,  they  are  indeed  absolutely  separated  from  the  world 
lying  in  wickedness.  But  they  that  die  out  of  Christ,  they  are  for 
ever  thereby  fixed  in  the  world  lying  in  wickedness.  Since  they  are 
not  come  out  from  among  them  here,  they  are  put  in  among  them 
there,  their  souls  gathered  with  the  wicked  in  death,  with  whom 
they  gathered  themselves  in  life. 

2.  It  is  not  a  coming  out  from  among  the  immoral  part  of  the 
world  lying  in  wickedness,  and  joining  in  with  the  professors  of  re- 
ligion, in  a  visible  church-state.  For  there  is  a  moral  and  religious 
part  too  of  the  world  lying  in  wickedness;  and  those  that  are  of 
these  parts  are  as  sure  among  them,  as  the  immoral  are.  In  a  word, 
nothing  short  of  true  conversion  and  a  saving  change,  is  a  coming 
out  from  among  them. 

Positively,  It  is  a  spiritual,  gracious  motion  of  the  soul  unto 
Jesus  Christ,  and  is  the  very  same  with  eff'ectual  calling,  which  is 
the  work  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ  on  these  ordained  to  eternal  life. 
"We  may  take  it  up  in  these  four  steps, 

First,  The  sinner's  coming  to  a  true  sense  of  his  own  state  and 
case  among  them ;  and  this  he  is  brought  to  in  a  work  of  conviction, 
John  xvi.  18.  And  when  he  is  come,  he  will  reprove  the  world  of 
sin,  and  of  righteousness,  and  of  judgment.  Those  of  the  world  ly- 
ing in  wickedness  are  under  spiritual  blindness,  they  know  neither 
what  they  are,  nor  where  they  are  in  very  deed ;  and  one  must  be 
brought  to  himself,  before  he  come  out  from  among  them;  otherwise 
he  will  not  stir.     Now  the  coming  sinner, 

1.  He  comes  to  be  fully  persuaded,  that  he  is  among  them,  and 


354  WHAT  IS  THE  SINNEE's  COMING  OUT  FROM  THE  WOKLD. 

out  of  the  family  of  God,  LuTce  xv,  17-  Ho  gets  a  dismal  view  of  a 
natural  state,  of  the  case  of  the  unregcnerate  world,  of  tlie  world 
lying  in  wickedness ;  and  he  sees  himself  in  the  midst  of  them  ;  so 
he  is  like  one  awaking  out  of  a  dream,  aud  seeing  himself  beset 
about.     So  there  are  two  things  here, 

1st,  He  gets  a  frightful  view  of  the  world  lying  in  wickedness,  as 
a  society  in  most  miserable  case.  The  world  lying  in  wickedness, 
that  was  in  his  eyes  before  like  a  paradise,  a  garden  of  pleasure,  a 
sort  of  safety,  appears  in  quite  other  colours,  as  a  Babel  of  confu- 
sion, a  wilderness  of  emptiness,  a  Sodom  of  wickedness,  and  tents  of 
Dathan  to  be  swallowed  up.     He  sees  it  to  be  a  society, 

(1.)  Lying  in  wickedness,  under  the  guilt,  pollution,  and  dominion 
of  sin,  contrary  to  God,  and  hateful  unto  him,  Eph.  ii.  12;  a  society 
abominable  in  the  eyes  of  a  holy  God,  however  pleasant  in  the  eyes 
of  one  another ;  wherein  there  neither  is  nor  can  be  any  thing  good 
or  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  the  great  King. 

(2.)  Laid  open  to  destruction  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  Eph. 
ii.  12.  He  sees  the  curse  lying  on  it,  and  binding  it  over  to  reveng- 
ing wrath,  and  in  virtue  thereof  certainly  to  be  destroyed.  The 
flaming  sword  appears,  wherever  he  turns  his  eyes,  ready  to  cut  off 
the  miserable  inhabitants. 

2dli/,  He  gets  a  frightful  view  of  his  own  case,  as  being  among 
them,  lying  in  wickedness,  and  lying  open  to  destruction,  Luke  xv. 
17.  He  sees  his  own  sinfulness,  is  convinced  of  the  sinfulness  of  his 
own  life,  heart,  and  nature  ;  and  sees  his  lost  and  undone  case  under 
the  wrath  of  God,  and  curse  of  the  law,  Rom.  vii.  9. 

2.  He  comes  to  be  fully  persuaded,  that  there  is  no  abiding  for 
him  among  them,  as  Peter's  hearers  were,  Acts  ii.  37.  and  the 
Philippian  jailor.  Acts  xvi.  30.  He  sees  he  is  ruined  for  ever,  if  he 
get  not  away  from  among  them.  Time  was  when  he  could  not  think 
of  parting  from  among  them  ;  but  could  get  no  rest  among  them ; 
seeing  every  moment  the  city  of  destruction  ready  to  be  overthown, 
and  himself  to  be  swallowed  up  in  the  ruins. 

This  is  a  new  sight,  that  one  gets,  not  by  the  sight  of  the  eyes, 
but  from  the  word,  by  the  Spirit  acting  as  a  Spirit  of  bondage  on 
the  soul  and  conscience  ;  awakening,  convincing,  and  persuading 
into  a  firm  belief  of  the  report  of  the  law,  with  application  to  one's 
own  particular  case. 

Secondly,  The  sinner's  coming  to  see  a  better  state  and  case  for 
him,  with  Christ  and  his  company,  Luke  xv.  17.  If  the  convinced 
sinner  did  not  see  a  refuge,  where  he  might  be  in  safety,  he  would 
sink  in  despair ;  but  the  Lord  timely  opens  his  eyes,  as  he  did 
Hagar's  to  see  the  well,  when  the  child  was  laid  by  for  dead.  And 
he  sees, 


WHAT  IS  THE  SINNEK's  COMING  OUT  FE03I  THE  "WOKLD.  355 

1.  Full  safety  for  him  there,  if  he  could  get  in  among  them,  Luke 
XV.  17.  The  soul  gets  a  view  of  Christ  in  the  transcendent  glory  of 
his  person  and  office  ;  sees  him  an  able  and  sufficient  Saviour,  Heb. 
vii.  25.  having  a  fulness  of  merit,  for  procuring  him  the  pardon  of 
his  greatest  and  most  numerous  sins  ;  and  of  Spirit,  for  sanctifying 
him,  and  subduing  the  strongest  lusts. 

2.  Free  access  for  him  to  get  in  among  them,  Jer,  iii.  22.  He  be- 
holds the  gates  of  the  city  of  refuge  cast  open  to  receive  him,  and 
hears  the  voice  of  the  Lord  crying  to  him  to  turn  in  thither,  Zech. 
ix.  12.  He  believes  Christ  to  be  not  only  an  able,  but  a  willing  Sa- 
viour, willing  to  receive  him ;  otherwise  he  would  never  come  away. 

This  sight  is  given  by  the  Spirit,  demonstrating  the  word  of  the 
gospel  to  the  soul,  1  Cor.  ii.  4,  5.  He  shews  it  convincingly  to 
be  the  infallible  word  of  the  eternal  Grod,  and  his  word  to  the 
sinner  in  particular.  He  brightens  the  glass  of  the  gospel,  so 
that  in  it  they  clearly  see  the  glory  of  the  Lord  Christ,  which  they 
never  saw  before.     And  here  they  discover  in  him, 

(1.)  A  rest  to  their  consciences,  not  to  be  got  in  the  fiery  region 
of  the  law,  Heb.  ix.  14.  "  How  much  more  shall  the  blood  of  Christ, 
who  through  the  eternal  Spirit,  oifered  himself  without  spot  to  God, 
purge  your  consciences  from  dead  works  to  serve  the  living  God  ?" 
The  conscience  stung  with  guilt  cannot  be  quieted  with  an  imperfect 
righteousness,  that  comes  not  up  to  the  law  demands  of  perfect 
obedience  and  satisfaction ;  but  the  gospel  reveals  Christ's  righte- 
ousness, Rom.  i.  17.  a  broad  cover,  that  salve  which  applied  makes 
a  sick  conscience  hale,  Isa.  xxxiii.  ult. 

(2.)  A  rest  to  their  hearts,  not  to  be  got  in  the  barren  region  of 
the  creation,  Psal.  Ixxiii.  25.  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee  ? 
and  there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee."  The  soul 
being  a  spiritual  substance  immortal,  can  never  rest  fully  in  the  en- 
joyment of  temporal  things  ;  they  are  neither  sufficient  for  it,  nor 
certain.  But  iu  Christ  there  is  a  fulness,  and  that  is  inexhaustible  ; 
and  so  the  man  sees  him  as  commensurable  to  the  desires  of  the 
soul. 

Thirdly,  The  sinner's  coming  to  be  willing  to  come  out  from 
among  the  world,  and  to  come  in  to  Christ  and  his  company,  Psal. 
ex.  3.  "  Thy  people  shall  be  willing  in  the  day  of  thy  power."  Sin- 
ners naturally  are  unwilling  to  come  away  out  of  the  world  lying  in 
wickedness,  and  to  come  to  Christ ;  it  is  as  much  against  the  grain 
with  them,  as  for  the  fishes  to  come  out  of  the  water  to  dry  land. 
They  like  their  master,  their  work,  and  their  company  there ;  they 
would  never  leave  them,  if  they  could  but  see  how  to  put  up  Avith 
them.     They  have  a  heart  aversion  and  enmity  to  Christ,  and  his 


356         WHAT  IS  THE  sinner's  coming  out  from  the  world. 

company,  liis  way,  and  his  law.     But  the  Spirit  makes  them  willing, 
renewing  their  will,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  26,     And  they  become, 

1.  Rationally  and  deliberately  willing  to  come  out  from  among 
them,  the  soul  being  moved  thereto  with  the  greatest  reason.  A 
drawing  there  is  in  the  case,  but  no  force,  only  strong  persuasion, 
Gen.  ix.  27.  It  is  no  blind  impulse  brings  men  to  Christ ;  it  is  no 
rash  and  inconsiderate  adventure,  but  the  cost  is  counted  ere  this 
building  is  begun.  Where  it  is  otherwise,  men  soon  shew  that  they 
are  still  among  them,  for  all  the  bustle  they  seemed  to  make  to  be 
away. 

2.  They  are  absolutely  willing,  content  on  any  terms,  as  Paul 
was,  Acts  ix.  6.  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?"  Many 
could  be  willing  on  such  and  such  terms,  if  they  could  get  leave  to 
pick  and  chuse,  if  it  were  that  such  a  j)articular  lust  only  might  be 
spared,  if  as  to  such  a  duty  they  might  be  excused ;  but  they  that 
are  willing  indeed  are  absolutely  willing,  willing  at  any  rate. 

3.  They  are  willing  for  the  present,  nothing  else  answers  the  gos- 
pel-call, Heb.  iv.  7.  "To-day,  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice,  harden  not 
your  hearts."  Felix  was  willing,  but  for  an  after  time,  not  for  the 
present ;  so  many  young  sinners  are  willing  to  come  out  from  among 
the  world  lying  in  wickedness,  if  once  they  were  past  their  youth, 
and  come  of  age ;  and  the  aged,  if  they  were  come  to  a  death-bed. 
But  the  coming  sinner  is  willing  to  come  out  from  among  them  this 
moment. 

4.  Lastly,  They  are  peremptorily  willing :  it  is  not  a  thing  only 
they  are  willing  to  do,  but  they  are  peremptory  they  will  do  it. 
They  are  not  only  content  to  leave  them,  but  they  may  not,  dare 
not,  will  not  stay  longer  with  them,  cost  what  it  will.  They  are 
willing,  as  the  slayer,  to  be  in  the  city  of  refuge ;  for,  by  their  con- 
viction and  saving  illumination,  they  see  there  is  safety  there,  and 
nowhere  else. 

Fourthly,  The  last  step  is  the  sinner's  joining  himself  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  head  of  the  society  opposite  to  the  world  ly- 
ing in  wickedness,  Jer.  1.  5.  which  implies  two  things. 

1.  An  actual  renouncing  of  the  world  lying  in  wickedness,  and 
all  that  is  therein.  Job  xxxiv.  32.  "  That  which  I  see  not,  teach  thou 
me ;  if  I  have  done  iniquity,  I  will  do  no  more."  He  renounces  his 
relation  to  that  society,  their  work,  their  way  and  course,  resolute 
to  bid  an  eternal  farewell  thereto,  and  to  stay  no  longer  among 
them,  come  what  will.  Though  a  Red  sea  be  before  him,  he  knows 
not  how  to  get  through,  he  is  peremptory  not  to  return  to  Egypt. 

2.  A  receiving  and  resting  on  Christ  for  all,  John  i.  12.  "  As 
many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave  he  power  to  become  the  sons  of 


OF  THE  CALL  TO  COME  OUT  FROM  THE  WORLD.         357 

God,  even  to  tliera  that  believe  on  his  uarae."  They  sell  all  to  buy 
the  field ;  part  with  all  for  the  oue  pearl.  Christ  is  held  forth  in 
the  gospel  as  a  full  and  satisfying  portion,  as  a  rest  to  the  conscience, 
and  a  rest  to  the  heart ;  and  faith  closes  the  eyes  to  all  others,  and 
takes  him  as  such  in  the  word  of  the  gospel-offer,  Psal.  Ixxii.  24. 

Hereby  the  soul  is  knit  to  Christ,  becomes  a  member  of  his  mysti- 
cal body,  Eph.  iii.  17.  By  this  means  there  is  a  spiritual  marriage 
betwixt  Christ  and  the  soul  entered  into ;  Christ  becomes  the  be- 
liever's; and  the  believer  his,  only,  wholly,  and  for  ever.  Cant.  ii. 
16.  "  My  beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am  his."  So  they  are  one  spirit 
with  Christ,  1  Cor.  vi.  17. 

And  thus  the  sinner  is  effectually  out  from  among  them,  no  more 
of  their  number,  no  more  in  their  state  and  case  ;  he  is  brought  into 
another  opposite  society,  whose  communion  is  with  the  Father 
and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  Though  thereafter  he  is  indeed  in  the 
world,  yet  he  is  no  more  of  it;  and  though  he  is  yet  out  of  heaven, 
he  is  really  of  the  family  there. 

III.  I  proceed  to  consider  the  call  from  the  Lord  to  come  out  from 
among  them.     And, 

1.  The  ground  in  law  that  it  is  founded  on,  is  the  eternal  agree- 
ment of  the  glorious  Trinity  for  man's  salvation.  The  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  having  undertaken  to  do  and  die  for  and  instead  of  an  elect 
world,  and  his  merit  being  sufficient  for  the  redemption  of  the  whole 
world ;  the  Father  was  so  well  pleased  with  his  undertaking  and 
performance,  that  he  made  him  the  ordinance  of  heaven  for  salvation 
to  all  that  would  believe  ;  he  gave  him  a  kingdom  to  be  raised  out 
of  the  world  lying  in  wickedness.  And  thereon  the  call  is  founded, 
Matt.  xxii.  4.     All  things  are  ready,  come  unto  the  marriage. 

2.  This  call  was  drawn  up  and  recorded  in  the  Bible,  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  that  it  might  not  be  only  a  call  by  word  of  mouth  that  pass- 
eth,  but  in  writing  that  is  permanent,  which  the  called  may  have 
occasion  to  consult  when  they  please,  Isa.  Iv.  1.  "  Ho,  every  one  that 
thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that  hat  i  no  money ;  come 
ye,  buy,  and  eat ;  yea,  come,  buy  wine  and  milk  without  money,  and 
without  price."  The  whole  Bible  is  a  declaration  of  this  call,  with 
promises  to  those  that  answer  it,  and  threatenings  against  them  that 
refuse  it.  So  the  truth  and  reality  tliereof  is  sealed  by  the  blood  of 
Christ,  the  blood  of  the  testament. 

3.  It  is  given  in  the  gospel  by  Jesus  Christ,  with  the  consent  of 
his  Father  and  Spirit.  The  Father  has  sent  him  to  call  sinners  to 
come  out  from  among  the  world  lying  in  wickedness.  The  Spirit 
says,  Come.  A  whole  Trinity  invites  them  to  come  away,  not  will- 
ing that  the  captive  exiles  should  die  in  the  pit,  Ezek.  xviiii.  23. 

Vol.  V.  2  a 


358  THE  DOCTRINE  AITLIED  FOR  INFORMATIOX. 

4.  It  is  directed  to  meu,  sons  of  men,  Prov.  viii.  4,  "  Unto  you, 
0  men,  1  call  and  my  voice  is  to  the  sons  of  men."  It  is  not  to 
fallen  angels  ;  they  are  left  to  lie  still  in  their  wickedness,  without 
remedy,  and  to  reckon  for  it  at  last.  But  it  is  addressed  to  the  des- 
cendents  of  fallen  Adam  iu  this  world,  without  exception  of  great, 
yea  the  greatest  of  sinners.  Rev.  xsii.  17.  Whosoever  will,  let  him 
take  the  water  of  life  freely."  Isa.  i.  18.  "  Come  now,  and  let  us 
reason  together,  saith  the  Lord ;  though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they 
shall  be  white  as  snow ;  though  they  be  red  like  crimson,  they  shall 
be  as  wool."  Though  they  have  continued  never  so  long  among  them, 
and  be  never  so  signalized  among  them,  they  are  welcome  to  come 
away  from  among  them. 

5.  It  was  the  Son  of  God  in  person,  that  first  proclaimed  this  call, 
in  paradise.  Gen.  iii.  15.  Afterwards  taking  on  our  nature,  and  ap- 
pearing in  the  world  in  our  flesh,  he  spent  the  time  of  his  public 
ministry  in  calling  sinners  to  come  out  from  among  the  world  lying 
in  wickedness,  Heb.  ii.  3.  though  they  were  but  few  that  came  away 
upon  that  his  call,  Isa.  liii.  1. 

6.  He  continues  to  call  sinners  thereto,  by  his  messengers,  the 
ministers  of  the  gospel,  that  call  them  in  his  name,  2  Cor.  v.  20. 
And  this  is  our  work  to  call  you  to  come  away  out  from  among  the 
world  lying  in  wickedness.  We  are  the  voice,  he  is  the  caller,  Luke 
X.  16.  For  even  now  when  he  is  in  heaven,  he  speaketh  to  you  by 
us,  Heb.  xii.  25. 

7.  Lastly,  It  is  in  this  world  only  the  call  takes  place,  Matth. 
xxviii.  18,  19.  As  for  those  who  are  gone  into  the  other  world,  the 
call  can  reach  them  no  more ;  they  are  prisoners  without  hope.  But 
while  ye  are  here,  the  call  is  to  yon,  particularly  in  the  public  as- 
semblies, Prov.  i.  20,  21.  "  Wisdom  crieth  without,  she  uttereth 
her  voice  in  the  streets ;  she  crieth  in  the  chief  places  of  concourse, 
in  the  oi>enings  of  the  gates ;  in  the  city  she  uttereth  her  words,"  (^-c. 

I  come  now  to  the  improvement  of  this  subject. 
Use  I.     Of  information.     This  lets  us  see, 

1.  Where  we  are  all  by  nature,  even  in  the  world  lying  in  wicked- 
ness, being  real  members  of  that  sinful  and  miserable  society.  This 
is  our  native  country,  we  are  all  natives  of  the  world  lying  in  wick- 
edness, by  our  first  birth.  It  is  only  by  conversion  and  the  new 
birth,  that  we  come  out  from  among  them,  and  are  naturalized  in 
the  heavenly  country.  Think  on  this,  ye  young,  or  aged,  strangers 
to  a  work  of  conversion;  and  know  where  ye  are. 

2.  Ye  cannot  abide  among  them,  but  in  rebellion  against  the  call 
of  God.  By  this  gospel  ye  are  summoned  in  the  Lord's  name  to 
come  out  from  among  them ;  and  if  after  that,  ye  take  it  on  you  to 


EXHORTATION  TO  COME  OUT  FROM  THE  M'ORLD.  359 

stay,  ye  do  it  upon  yonr  peril,  incurring  the  displeasure  of  Heaven, 
not  only  for  your  being  among  them,  but  your  refusing  to  come  out 
from  among  them. 

3.  The  sin  of  gospel-hearers  abiding  among  them,  is  fearfully  ag- 
gravated, and  therefore  will  be  fearfully  punished.  Every  new  gos- 
pel-call is  a  new  call  from  the  Lord  to  you  to  come  out  from  among 
them.  How  inexcusable  will  they  then  be,  that  give  a  deaf  ear  to 
them  all  ?  Matth.  xi.  21,  22.  "  Wo  unto  thee,  Chorazin,  wo  unto 
thee,  Bethsaida;  for  if  the  mighty  works  which  were  done  in  you, 
had  been  done  in  Tyre  and  Sidon,  they  would  have  repented  long 
ago  in  sackcloth  and  ashes.  But  I  say  unto  you,  It  shall  be  more 
tolerable  for  Tyre  and  Sidon  at  the  day  of  judgment  than  for  you." 

4.  Lastly,  Ye  will  surely  be  welcome  to  Christ,  coming  out  from 
among  them  ;  for  he  will  never  put  away  them  whom  he  calls  to 
him,  John  vi.  37.  "  Him  that  cometh  to  me,  I  will  in  no  Avise  cast 
out."  His  call  is  not  only  your  warrant  to  come,  but  as  such  it  is 
an  ensurance  of  your  welcome,  Mark  x.  49.  "And  Jesus  stood  still, 
and  commanded  him  to  be  called ;  and  they  call  the  blind  man, 
saying  unto  him.  Be  of  good  comfort,  rise ;  he  calleth  thee." 

Use  II.  Of  exhortation.  0  sinners,  seeing  it  is  so,  that  the  whole 
world  lieth  in  wickedness,  and  there  is  a  call  from  the  Lord  to  sin- 
ners to  come  out  from  among  them,  hearken  ye  this  day  to  the  call, 
and  come  out  from  among  them,  all  and  every  one  of  you. 

This  is  a  point  of  the  greatest  weight,  and  therefore  I  shall, 

1.  Branch  out  the  exhortation  more  particularly,  that  ye  may  not 
be  in  the  dark  as  to  what  ye  are  called  to. 

2.  Address  it  to  several  sorts  of  sinners,  that  it  may  be  the  more 
closely  brought  home  to  the  conscience. 

3.  Urge  it  with  some  motives,  that  so  it  may  be  pressed  upon  you. 

4.  Consider  the  hinderances  or  impediments  that  keep  men  from 
coming  out  from  among  the  world  lying  in  wickedness,  that  so  they 
may  be  removed  out  of  the  way. 

First,  To  branch  out  the  exhortation  more  particularly,  I  lay  it 
before  you  in  these  four  branches, 

First,  0  sinner,  believe  it  firmly,  and  consider  it  seriously,  that 
the  unregenerate,  unconverted  world  is  a  sink  of  sin  and  wickedness, 
and  doomed  to  destruction.  This  is  infallible  truth,  1  John  v.  19. 
**  The  whole  world  lieth  in  wickedness."  John  iii.  ult.  "  He  that 
believeth  not  the  Son,  shall  not  see  life  ;  but  the  wrath  of  God  abid- 
eth  on  him."  Matth.  xviii.  3.  "  Except  ye  be  converted,  and  become 
as  little  children,  ye  shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 
John  iii.  3.  "  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the  king- 
dom of  God."     If  ye  be  not  let  into  a  view  of  this,  to  see  that  society 

2  a2 


360         EXHORTATION  TO  COME  OUT  FROM  THE  WORLD. 

a  most  sinful  and  dangerous  one,  we  will  but  beat  the  air  in  calling 
you  to  come  out  from  among  them.  Open  then  the  eyes  of  your 
minds,  and  see  by  the  light  of  God's  word,  the  state  of  the  uncon- 
verted world.     See, 

1.  The  sinfulness  of  it,  how  they  lie  in  their  sin,  original  and  ac- 
tual, in  the  guilt  of  all  their  sins,  in  the  pollution  of  them,  under  the 
dominion  of  sin,  and  in  the  practice  of  sin,  doing  nothing  but  what 
is  sin,  incapable  to  do  any  thing  good  or  acceptable  in  God's  sight. 
They  are  a  Sodom  for  filthiness  ;  they  are  a  company  of  spiritual 
lepers,  set  out  without  the  camp  of  the  saints  where  the  Lord  dwell- 
eth  and  walketh  ;  of  dead  men,  whose  beauty,  sense,  and  motion  is 
gone,  and  on  whose  souls  living  lusts  are  preying,  like  so  many 
worms  on  the  carcase  in  the  grave. 

2.  The  misery  of  it ;  how  they  lie  under  the  curse,  Gal.  iii.  10. 
with  Rom.  iii.  19.  under  the  displeasure  and  wrath  of  God.  A  black 
cloud  of  wrath  hangs  over  them  continually,  John  iii.  ult.  It  never 
clears;  smiles  of  common  providence  they  may  have,  whereby  tem- 
poral mercies  are  laid  on  their  hands,  as  victuals  to  the  condemned 
man  are  carried  into  the  prison  till  his  execution  :  but  one  smile  of 
special  favour  and  love  they  never  have,  Psal.  vii.  11,  "  God  is 
angry  with  the  wicked  every  day."  Some  drops  of  wrath  still  fall- 
ing on  them,  sinking  though  silently  into  their  souls  ;  and  the  full 
shower  and  pouring  out  of  the  cloud  is  abiding  them. 

Secondly,  Be  convinced,  0  sinner,  that  thou  art  among  them ;  that 
their  case  is  thy  case,  and  thy  part  and  lot  is  among  them ;  that 
thou  art  sinful  and  miserable  with  them.  It  is  the  ruin  of  many, 
that  they  do  not  see,  and  will  not  see,  that  they  are  among  them  ; 
and  therefore  they  cannot  come  out  from  among  them.  Rev.  iii.  17, 
"  Because  thou  sayest,  I  am  rich,  and  increased  with  goods,  and  have 
need  of  nothing  :  and  knowest  not  that  thou  art  wretched,  and  mi- 
serable, and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked."  Matth.  ix.  12,  "  They 
that  be  whole  need  not  a  physician,  but  they  that  are  sick."  Are 
there  not  many  of  you,  who  have  never  seen  this  to  this  day  ?  But 
if  ye  have  not  seen  it,  either  ye  are  sanctified  from  the  womb,  or 
that  is  a  certain  sign  ye  are  among  them  still.  And,  0  how  many 
have  seen  themselves  among  them,  that  yet  were  never  freely 
brought  out  from  among  them,  but  after  some  awakening  have  just 
lain  down  where  they  were  among  them  before  ?  But  oh  !  oi)en 
your  eyes,  young  sinners,  and  old  sinners,  and  see  yourselves  among 
them,  before  you  see  yourselves  among  them  in  the  lower  world, 
where  there  is  no  coming  out. 

Thirdly,  Be  convinced  that  you  cannot  safely  abide  one  moment 
longer  among  them ;  see  the  rock  hanging  over  your  head,  ready  to 


EXHOKTATIOIT  TO  REYERAL  SORTS  OF  SINTfERS.  361 

fall  every  moment,  and  to  crush  you  to  pieces;  see  the  snares,  fire, 
and  brimstone,  ready  to  be  rained  down  on  you  in  that  state,  Psal. 
xi.  6.  Many  think  that  it  is  not  safe  indeed  to  die  among  them,  but 
that  yet  they  may  safely  live  a  while  longer  among  them.  This 
ruins  many,  Avhile  delaying  from  time  to  time  they  are  surprised 
into  destruction. 

Lastly,  Make  away  speedily  from  among  them  by  conversion  into 
God  in  Christ,  Ezek.  xxxiii.  11,  "Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  from  your  evil 
ways,"  That  is,  believe  and  repent,  so  coming  unto  God  by  Christ. 
By  faith  we  unite  with  Christ,  the  head  of  the  opposite  society,  and 
so  return  unto  God  ;  and  by  repentance  we  return  unto  our  duty. 
This  is  the  coming  out  from  among  them  we  call  you  to. 

Secondly,  I  would  address  this  exhortation  and  call  to  several 
sorts  of  sinners  among  you.     Come  out  from  among  them, 

1.  Ye  that  have  all  your  days  been  at  ease  in  the  world  lying  in 
wickedness,  never  considering  that  ye  were  there,  nor  concerned  how 
to  get  out  from  among  them.  Open  your  eyes  at  length,  know  your 
natural  state  ;  see  yourselves  children  of  hell,  heirs  of  wrath ;  sleep 
no  longer,  but  look  about  you,  see  your  danger,  and  come  away, 
Prov.  vi.  9,  "  How  long  wilt  thou  sleep,  0  sluggard?  when  wilt  thou 
arise  out  of  thy  sleep  V 

2.  Ye  that  having  once  been  awakened,  have  fallen  asleep  again, 
and  look  on  that  former  fright  as  a  dream.  Know  that  the  danger 
you  sometime  saw,  was  most  real,  and  represented  your  true  case ; 
and  it  was  through  the  slight  of  Satan,  ye  were  brought  to  take  the 
armies  of  heaven  advancing  against  you,  for  the  shadows  of  the  moun- 
tains. Wherefore  bestir  yourselves  again,  take  second  thoughts, 
and  come  away. 

3.  Apostates  and  backsliders,  who  sometime  were  on  the  way 
coming  out  from  among  them,  but  have  now  turned  back,  and  fallen 
afresh  to  the  way  of  the  world  lying  in  wickedness.  Your  case  is 
very  dangerous,  Heb.  x.  38,  "  If  any  man  draw  back,  my  soul  shall 
have  no  pleasure  in  him."  Remember  Lot's  wife,  who  was  turned 
into  a  pillar  of  salt,  for  looking  back  to  Sodom,  after  she  had  got 
out  of  it.  But  our  Lord  is  giving  you  a  new  call,  Jer.  iii.  22,  "  He- 
turn,  ye  backsliding  children,  and  I  will  heal  your  backslidings." 
Hearken  to  it,  or  ye  are  doubly  ruined. 

4.  Ye  that  are  halting  betwixt  two  opinions,  in  a  doubt  whether 
to  come  out  from  among  the  world  lying  in  wickedness,  or  not  yet. 
Conscience  is  pressing  you  forward,  corruption  is  pulling  you  back  ; 
you  hear  one  voice  or  whisper,  saying.  To-day  if  ye  will  hear  his 
voice,  harden  not  your  hearts  ;  another  saying,  Not  yet,  there  will 
be  time  enough  after.     Know  this  last  is  the  language  from  hell 

2  A  3 


362  THE  EXHORTATION  PRESSED  "WITH  MOTIVES. 

among  tliem  ;    0  heed  it  not,  but  come  away  as  from  fire  that  will 
burn  you  up. 

5.  Ye  that  have  been  often  aiming  at  coming,  but  yet  have  never 
come  away  freely.  0  make  a  thorougli  separation  from  them  at 
last ;  out  with  the  right  eye,  off  with  the  offending  right  hand.  Let 
no  beloved  lust  be  spared  ;  leave  not  a  hoof  behind  you.  It  is  sad 
to  miss  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  when  one  is  not  far  from  it ;  to 
fall  into  the  pit,  from  the  threshold  of  heaven. 

6.  Lastly,  All  ye  that  have  any  mind  for  heaven,  or  the  favour  of 
God  in  time  or  eternity,  come  out  from  among  the  world  lying  in 
wickedness.  All  that  have  any  concern  for  your  own  souls,  and 
■would  not  perish  for  ever.  0  set  away  from  among  them,  nearer  to 
Christ. 

Thirdly,  Let  me  now  urge  the  following  motives  to  press  the  ex- 
hortation and  call. 

General  motives.  It  is  a  most  miserable  case  to  be  among  the 
world  lying  in  wickedness ;  the  sight  whereof  is  enough  to  frighten 
one.  However  secure  sinners  please  themselves  in  being  among 
them,  yet  never  could  one  that  was  in  a  den  of  lions,  inclosed  among 
serpents  or  other  venomous  creatures,  be  more  desirous  to  be  from 
among  them;  than  God's  elect  to  be  out  of  the  world  lying  in 
wickedness,  when  once  the  Spirit  has  opened  their  eyes,  Luke  xv. 
17,  IB.  Acts  ii.  37.  I  would  point  out  the  misery  of  the  case  of 
being  among  them. 

1.  There  is  nothing  pure  or  clean  among  them.  Touch  not  the 
unclean  thing  ;  i.  e.  meddle  with  nothing  that  belongs  to  them  ;  for 
they  and  all  theirs  are  unclean,  Tit.  i.  15.  There  are  souls  and  ra- 
tional faculties  among  them,  but  they  are  all  defiled  and  loathsome 
before  God ;  there  is  no  spiritual  beauty  or  likeness  to  God  among 
them.  There  are  works  they  call  good  among  them  ;  but  they  are 
all  vile  and  loathsome  in  the  sight  of  God,  Psal.  xiv.  1.  There  are 
prayers  and  praises  among  them,  but  they  are  but  like  the  opening 
an  unripe  grave,  Rom.  iii.  13.  There  are  among  them  fair  promises 
and  engagements  to  duty,  but  they  are  but  abominable  deceit,  ib. 
There  is  meddling  with  holy  things  among  them,  but  see  Isa.  Ixvi.  3. 
"  He  that  killeth  an  ox  is  as  if  he  slew  a  man ;  he  that  sacrificeth  a 
lamb,  as  if  he  cut  off  a  dog's  neck,"  &c.  For  they  cannot  please 
God  till  they  come  out  from  the  world  lying  in  wickedness,  Heb. 
xi.  6. 

2.  There  is  no  spiritual  health  or  soundness  among  them.  We 
may  say  of  them,  as  Isa.  i.  6.  "  From  the  sole  of  the  foot  even  unto 
the  head,  there  is  no  soundness  in  it ;  but  wounds,  and  bruises,  and 
putrifying  sores;    they   have    not  been    closed,  neither  bound  up, 


THE  EXHORTATION"  PRESSED  WITH  MOTIVES.  36S 

neither  raollified  with  ointment."  However  little  need  they  find  of 
the  Physician  of  souls,  they  are  all  sick,  deadly  sick,  as  unpardoned 
sinners ;  though  most  of  them  are  delirious,  and  know  not  their 
sickness,  Matth.  iv.  12,  13.  Isa.  xsxiii.  ult.  Their  x>lague-sores  of 
sin  are  running  on  them  continually  ;  none  of  them  want  a  running 
issue  of  some  predominant  lust,  that  can  never  be  got  stopt. 

3.  There  is  a  deadly  infection  among  them  ;  so  that  to  be  among 
them  is  to  be  in  a  pest-house,  where  one  draws  in  death  with  the 
disease  prevailing  among  them,  1  Cor.  xv.  33.  Every  one  of  them 
is  a  root  of  bitterness,  which  springing  up  is  ready  to  defile  many, 
Heb.  xii.  15.  Therefore  Solomon  observes,*  that  one  sinner  de- 
stroyeth  much  good,  Eccl.  ix.  ult.  The  stream  of  their  ungodly  ex- 
ample, and  corrupt  conversation,  sickens  some,  and  kills  others 
outright;  wounds  the  godly,  and  ruins  those  of  their  own  sort. 

4.  There  is  nothing  but  darkness,  gross  darkness  among  them, 
for  the  Day-star  is  not  yet  arisen  into  their  hearts,  Isa.  Ix.  2.  They 
sit  in  darkness  and  the  shadow  of  death  ;  they  are  darkness  itself, 
Eph.  V.  1.  for  they  are  blind  souls,  Rev.  iii.  17.  Though  the  light 
of  the  gospel  shines  about  them,  it  hath  not  shined  into  their  hearts  ; 
they  think  they  see  ;  for  though  they  are  void  of  the  light  of  grace, 
they  have  the  light  of  reason  ;  but  that  is  darkness  in  them,  Matth. 
vi.  23.  So  they  see  not  where  they  are,  nor  whither  they  go,  1  John 
ii.  11. 

5.  There  is  no  part  with  Christ  among  them,  Eph.  ii.  12.  There 
is  a  rich  purchase  made  by  the  Mediator,  and  he  has  taken  all  be- 
lievers into  fellowship  with  him,  1  John  i.  3 ;  but  the  world  has  no 
share  with  them  ;  no  share  in  the  righteousness,  peace,  pardon,  and 
title  to  heaven.  They  share  with  the  society  of  the  first  Adam,  in 
their  sin  and  misery  ;  but  not  with  the  society  of  the  second  Adam. 
Hence  they  are  unwashen,  unjustified,  and  ixnsauctified. 

6.  There  is  nothing  but  rank  poverty  among  them.  Whatever 
wealth  they  may  have  for  their  bodies,  in  respect  to  their  souls  they 
are  poor  to  an  extremity.  Rev.  iii.  17-  whereof  there  are  three  glar- 
ing evidences. 

(1.)  They  are  poor  naked  souls,  ib.  The  best  raiment  among 
them  to  cover  their  spiritual  nakedness,  is  rags,  filthy  rags,  the  rags 
of  their  own  righteousness ;  they  have  nothing  else  to  cover  their 
shame  before  the  Lord  ;  and  that  will  never  do  it,  but  leave  them 
naked  to  their  shame. 

(2.)  They  are  poor  starving  souls ;  there  is  nothing  among  them 
to  feed  on  but  empty  husks,  that  which  is  not  bread,  and  satisfieth 
not.  Only  Christ  is  bread  for  the  soul,  only  a  God  in  Christ  can 
satisfy  the  cravings  thereof.      Dust  is  their  meat  with  the  serpent ; 


364  THE  EXHORTATIOIT  PRESSED  WITH  MOTIVES. 

they  feed  on  the  empty  hnsks  of  the  creature,  and  so  do  but  fill  the 
belly  with  the  east-wind. 

(3.)  They  are  drowned  in  debt  to  justice,  and  have  nothing  where- 
with to  pay.  Sin  is  that  debt,  and  there  is  no  forgiving  the  debt, 
while  one  is  among  them.  Acts  iii.  19,  "  Repent  ye  therefore,  and 
be  converted,  that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out."  It  is  a  debt  that, 
however  long  it  lie  over,  will  be  exacted ;  it  will  be  jiursued  for, 
and  that  on  the  debtor's  expence.  And  they  have  no  saving  in- 
terest in  the  great  Cautioner. 

7.  There  is  no  peace  with  God  among  them,  2  Cor.  vi.  14 — 17. 
"  What  fellowship  hath  righteousness  with  unrighteousness  ?  and 
what  communion  hath  light  with  darkness  ?  and  what  concord  hath 
Christ  with  Belial  ?"  &c.  Sooner  shall  light  and  darkness  agree, 
than  a  holy  God,  and  the  world  lying  in  wickedness.  Nay,  they 
are  a  society  with  whom  God  has  declared  that  he  will  have  war  for 
ever.  Is.  Ivii.  ult.  "  There  is  no  peace,  saith  my  God,  to  the  wicked." 
Those  in  the  lower  world  lying  in  wickedness,  are  roaring  under  the 
felt  enmity  of  God  against  them  ;  while  those  in  the  upper  world 
lying  in  wickedness  may  be  enjoying  a  profound  peace.  But  the 
latter  as  well  as  the  former  stands  as  marks  to  the  arrows  of  God's 
wrath,  Deut.  xxix.  19,  20.  As  long  as  thou  art  among  them,  thoa 
art  in  a  state  of  enmity  with  God,  Rom.  viii.  7-  Luke  xix.  27. 

8.  They  have  no  sound  bond  of  peace  among  themselves.  Tit. 
iii.  3.  God  alone  is  the  centre  of  true  unity,  and  where  men  are 
broke  oif  from  God,  they  will  be  found  at  the  bottom  broke  off  from 
one  another,  as  altogether  selfish,  and  having  their  unruly  passions 
nnmortified,  which  make  them  uneasy  both  to  themselves  and  others. 
And  hence  faith  in  Christ  is  the  early  restorer  of  true  peace  and 
love  among  men.  Tliat  peace  and  love  that  is  between  companions 
in  sin,  will  without  peradventure  break  out  in  rage  and  hatred. 

9.  There  is  a  curse  among  them,  the  curse  of  God  and  of  his  bro- 
ken law,  Gal.  iii.  10.  They  are  under  the  law,  and  it  makes  its 
way  among  them,  Rom.  iii.  19.  This  makes  them  a  society  of 
cursed  children,  cursed  in  their  persons,  and  in  all  theirs.  By  this 
means  they  are  a  society  separated  to  evil ;  and  that  curse  will  pull 
down  the  roof  upon  their  heads  at  length,  as  it  brought  on  the  de- 
luge, bringing  in  the  general  conflagration,  and  will  lie  a  sinking 
weight  on  them  for  ever. 

10.  There  is  a  cloud  of  wrath  hanging  over  their  head,  and  the 
head  of  every  one  among  them,  John  iii.  ult.  While  ye  are  among 
them,  your  state  is  a  state  of  wrath;  ye  are  ever  under  Heaven's 
displeasure,  Psal.  vii.  11.  Ye  dwell  under  mount  Sinai,  where  the 
fire  of  wrath  is  flashing ;   and  though  sleeping  there,  ye  are  secure ; 


HINDEBANCES  CONSIDERED  AND  REMOVED.  365 

yet  ye  will  no  sooner  be  awakened,  than  ye  will  see  the  lightnings, 
hear  the  thunders,  and  the  voice  of  the  trumpet  waxing  louder  and 
louder.  Therefore  I  would  say  as  Dent.  i.  6.  "  Ye  have  dwelt  long 
enough  in  this  mount." 

11.  Death  reigns  among  them,  Matth.  iv.  16.  They  are  a  com- 
pany of  condemned  criminals,  John  iii.  18.  that  know  not  how  soon 
their  sentence  may  be  executed.  They  are  all  in  a  dying  condition, 
they  have  got  their  deaths  wounds,  and  are  pining  away  in  their 
iniquity.  Nay  they  are  dead  already,  God  is  departed  from  them. 
0  why  will  ye  continue  in  the  congregation  of  the  dead  ?  Come  out 
from  among  them. 

12.  There  is  no  good  to  be  found  among  them,  Psal.  xiv.  1.  They 
are  corrupt  trees,  and  cannot  bring  forth  good  fruit.  There  is  no- 
thing among  them  but  sin  :  for  there  is  no  faith  among  them. 
"What  has  the  name  of  good  hearts,  good  works  is  but  so  in  appear- 
ance, not  in  reality ;  for  what  good  can  be  there,  where  the  nature 
is  totally  corrupt  ? 

13.  All  evil  is  to  be  found  among  them.  The  unrenewed  heart  is 
a  depth  of  wickedness ;  and  in  the  world  lying  in  wickedness  all 
manner  of  wickedness  is  to  be  found.  Much  of  it  appears  now,  yet 
much  is  hid;  but  at  length  all  will  be  seen. 

14.  Lastly,  They  are  not  to  stay  here,  but  will  all  be  down  in  the 
lower  world  at  length,  Rev.  xx.  14,  15.  There  are  some  dropping 
down  to  it  daily,  yet  the  rest  remain  secure ;  but  all  will  be  hurried 
down  together  to  it  at  the  last  judgment.  What  a  fearful  cry  was 
there  at  Dathan  and  Abiram's  down  going  ?  Numb.  xvi.  34.  What 
then  will  the  cry  be,  when  the  whole  world  lying  in  wickedness  shall 
go  down  together  ?  Therefore  I  say  to  you,  as  Numb.  xvi.  26.  "  De- 
part, I  pray  you,  from  the  tents  of  these  wicked  men,  and  touch  no- 
thing of  theirs,  lest  ye  be  consumed  in  all  their  sins." 

Fourthly,  I  shall  now  consider  the  impediments  hindering  men 
to  come  out  from  among  the  world  lying  in  wickedness,  and  keeping 
them  among  them. 

First,  Want  of  consideration,  Luke  xv.  17.  They  ramble  through 
the  world,  walking  at  adventures,  and  are  not  so  just  to  their  own 
souls  as  seriously  to  take  under  consideration  their  spiritual  state 
and  case.  They  seek  not  these  thoughts ;  and  if  at  any  time  they 
bear  in  themselves  upon  them,  they  shift  them.     Hence, 

1.  They  have  no  just  view  of  the  corruption  and  danger  of  the 
world  lying  in  wickedness.  Though  it  is  abominable  in  the  eyes  of 
God,  it  is  a  beauty  in  theirs ;  though  it  is  a  Sodom  to  be  destroyed, 
they  see  nothing  but  safety,  Mai.  iii.  15.  Why,  they  view  it  in  a 
false  light,  they  consider  it  not,  as  represented  in  the  word,  which 
alone  can  eive  a  true  notion  of  it. 


366  UINDEEANCES  CONSIDEEED  AND  REMOVED. 

2.  They  discern  not  themselves  as  true  members  of  the  world  ly- 
ing in  wickedness.  They  form  to  themselves  a  notion  of  the  wicked, 
whereby  those  only  that  are  monsters  of  wickedness  are  reckoned  of 
that  sort ;  not  considering,  that  all  the  unrcgenerate  are  of  them  in 
God's  account,  even  though  moral,  or  having  a  form  of  godliness. 
And  though  they  be  immoral,  vicious,  and  profane,  they  think  them- 
selves not  of  the  number,  because  there  are  some  worse  than  they. 

3.  They  see  not  the  need  of  coming  out  from  among  the  world  ly- 
ing in  wickedness,  Matth.  ix.  12,  13.  Their  eyes  being  withheld 
from  a  sight  of  their  own  danger  among  them,  how  can  they  be 
moved  to  make  an  escape  ?  Will  a  man  flee  that  apprehends  no 
pursuit?     No;  they  will  be  secure,  if  not  mockers. 

Now,  to  remove  this  impediment,  hearken  to  the  divine  call.  Hag. 
i.  7.  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  Consider  your  ways."  Stand, 
sinner,  young  or  old,  and  consider  where  you  are,  what  you  are  do- 
ing, where  your  present  course  is  like  to  land  you  in  eternity.  You 
can  consider  of  the  trifles  of  a  present  world,  why  not  consider  your 
soul's  case,  and  the  concerns  of  another  world  ?  Want  of  consider- 
ation allows  present  ease,  but  it  lays  a  foundation  for  eternal  pain. 
Careless  souls  now,  will  sink  themselves  into  deep  consideration 
through  eternity,  which  makes  the  worm  that  never  dies.  Where- 
fore I  give  you  three  advices. 

1.  Take  some  time  x>urposely  for  consideration  of  these  matters; 
pray  and  think  in  earnest  about  them,  Psal.  cxix.  59.  They  are  too 
weighty  to  be  successfully  managed  by  fleeting  and  occasional  con- 
sideration. 

2.  Consider  them  according  to  the  word  of  God,  Psal.  cxix.  9. 
Lay  aside  all  other  rules  of  judging,  as  the  course  of  this  world,  the 
opinions  of  the  men  of  this  world,  Sfc.  and  consider  purely  what  the 
Bible  says  in  the  case ;  for  it  is  not  by  the  former,  but  the  latter, 
you  are  to  be  judged,  and  sentenced. 

3.  Pursue  this  consideration,  till  you  have  discovered  clearly 
your  state  as  it  is,  according  to  the  word.  And  be  not  loath  to  ad- 
mit'conviction ;  for  to  see  the  disease  is  the  first  step  to  the  cure. 
And  then  you  have  gained  that  sight,  when  you  see  an  absolute  ne- 
cessity of  getting  out  from  among  them  without  delay. 

Secondly,  The  pleasures  of  the  world,  Luke  viii.  14.  These  are 
the  Syren  songs  that  arrest  many,  that  they  cannot  come  away  from 
the  world  lying  in  wickedness.  They  are  the  silken  cords  by  which 
they  are  tied  down  among  them,  as  fast  as  by  iron  chains.  These 
gripe  them  by  the  heart,  so  that  remembering  them,  their  very 
hearts  fail  to  think  of  coming  away  from  among  them. 

The  pleasures  of  sense,  seeing,  hearing,  tasting,   smelling,   and 


UINDEEAXCES  COXSIDEEED  AND  REMOVED.  367 

feeling,  are  ruining  snares  to  the  souls  of  most  men.  The  lust  of 
the  eye,  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  and  the  pride  of  life,  keep  many  away 
from  God,  for  men  naturally  are  lovers  of  pleasures  more  than 
lovers  of  God,  2  Tim.  iii.  4.  Now  the  world  lying  in  wickedness, 
giving  up  themselves  to  these,  bless  themselves  in  their  enjoyment, 
and  men  cannot  think  of  coming  out  from  among  them. 

1.  Unlawful  pleasures  bewitch  them,  as  of  drunkenness,  gluttony, 
nncleanness,  Prov.  xxiii.  ult. ;  Luke  xvi.  19,  23 ;  Prov.  vii.  22,  23. 
There  is  a  particular  pleasure  corrupt  nature  has  in  breaking  over 
the  hedge  of  the  divine  law,  which  makes  forbidden  fruit  more 
pleasing  than  what  is  allowed,  Prov.  ix.  17,  18.  They  will  there- 
fore rather  venture  the  eternal  ruin  of  their  souls,  than  come  out 
from  among  them  and  forego  these. 

2.  Even  lawful  pleasures  fetter  them,  and  lull  them  asleep  among 
them,  Luke  xvii.  27.  One  may  abide  within  the  boundaries  of  law- 
ful things,  and  yet  have  the  heart  so  bewitched  with  them,  that  they 
may  prove  effectual  snares.  There  is  much  of  that  which  is  counted 
innocent  mirth  and  pleasure,  and  is  so  in  itself,  that  yet  becomes 
criminal,  as  taking  the  place  of,  and  diverting  from  the  main  thing. 

To  break  this  snare,  and  remove  this  impediment,  consider, 

1.  The  pleasures  of  this  world  are  deceitful;  and  as  they  are 
snares  to  the  soul,  they  end  in  bitterness,  Prov.  xiv.  13.  They  are 
Satan's  busked  hooks,  wherewith  he  first  allures,  and  then  ruins 
many  a  poor  soul.  They  are  his  green  and  soft  paths  leading  to 
destruction ;  and  the  pleasures  of  sin  will  be  bitterness  in  the  end, 
come  what  will. 

2.  This  life  is  to  us,  not  the  time  of  pleasure,  but  the  time  of 
trial  and  probation  for  another  world.  Brute  creatures  enjoy  the 
pleasures  of  sense  they  are  capable  of,  more  than  the  most  voluptu- 
ous man  doth  ;  for  these  are  the  utmost  of  what  they  can  obtain ; 
and  when  they  are  dead,  they  are  done.  But  God  made  man  for  a 
more  refined  sort  of  pleasure,  in  the  enjoyment  of  himself.  Man 
sinned  and  forfeited  that,  and  God  has  proposed  a  new  way  for  his 
recovering  it,  the  way  of  faith.  And  now  we  are  on  our  trials  for 
it  to  be  had  iu  another  world ;  and  in  denying  ourselves  to  the  plea- 
sures of  sin  and  sense,  lies  a  great  part  of  that  trial,  2  Tim.  ii.  3. 
Can  ye  expect  two  summers  in  one  year;  an  easy,  soft  life  of  plea- 
sure here,  and  hereafter  too  ?     Such  expectation  is  in  vain. 

3.  Consider  the  life  of  Christ  and  his  saints,  and  the  life  of  the 
wicked  going  to  destruction.  Which  of  them  was  it  that  had  the 
life  of  worldly  pleasure,  immersed  in  the  pleasures  of  sense,  living 
at  ease  for  the  flesh?  Was  it  the  saints?  No;  Luke  ix.  23,  "If 
any  man  will  come  after  me,  says  Christ,  let  him  deny  himself,  and 


368  UINDERANCES  CONSIDERED  AND  REMOVED. 

take  up  his  cross  daily,  and  follow  me."  Was  it  Christ  ?  No ;  Isa. 
liii.  3.  "  He  is  despised  and  rejected  of  men,  a  man  of  sorrows  and 
acquainted  with  grief."  Was  it  the  wicked  that  had  the  life  of 
pleasure  ?  Yes  ;  see  Job  xxi.  7 — 14,  "  Wherefore  do  the  wicked 
live,  become  old,  yea,  are  mighty  in  power  ?  Their  seed  is  esta- 
blished in  their  sight  with  thera,  and  their  ofl'spring  before  their 
eyes.  Their  houses  are  safe  from  fear,  neither  is  the  rod  of  God 
upon  them.  Their  bull  gendereth  and  faileth  not,  their  cow  calveth, 
and  casteth  not  her  calf.  They  send  forth  their  little  ones  like  a 
flock,  and  their  children  dance.  They  take  the  timbrel  and  harp, 
and  rejoice  at  the  sound  of  the  organ.  They  spend  their  days  in 
■wealth,  and  in  a  moment  go  down  to  the  grave.  Therefore  they  say 
unto  God,  Depart  from  us  ;  for  we  desire  not  the  knowledge  of  thy 
"ways."  Psal.  Ixxiii.  4 — 12.  "  For  there  are  no  bands  in  their  death  ; 
but  their  strength  is  firm.  They  are  not  in  trouble  as  other  men; 
neither  are  they  plagued  like  other  men.  Therefore  pride  compass- 
eth  them  about  as  a  chain  ;  violence  covereth  them  as  doth  a  gar- 
ment. Their  eyes  stand  out  with  fatness  ;  they  have  more  than 
heart  could  wish.  They  are  corrupt,  and  speak  wickedly  concerning 
oppression  ;  they  speak  loftily.  They  set  their  mouth  against  the 
heavens ;  and  their  tongue  walketh  through  the  earth.  Therefore 
his  people  return  hither ;  and  waters  of  a  full  cup  are  wrung  out  to 
thera.  And  they  say,  How  doth  God  know  ?  and  is  there  knowledge 
in  the  Most  High  ?  Behold,  these  are  the  ungodly,  who  prosper  in 
the  world,  they  increase  in  riches."  The  decision  is  plainly  made, 
Luke  xvi.  25.  in  the  case  of  the  rich  man  and  Lazarus  ;  the  former 
received  his  good  things  in  his  life  time,  and  the  latter  evil  things. 
The  way  of  providence  in  that  matter  has  been,  that  the  slaughter- 
oxen  have  had  the  greatest  ease,  and  been  best  fed. 

4.  The  pleasures  of  sin  and  the  world,  put  the  mouth  out  of  taste 
to  the  pleasures  of  communion  with  God,  1  Pet.  ii.  11.  By  them  the 
Spirit  is  quenched,  and  good  motions  heaven-wards  are  stifled. 
Therefore  it  is  the  Lord  inures  his  people  to  hardness,  because  that 
makes  them  value  the  consolations  of  God,  which  the  soft  and  de- 
licious life  would  make  them  neglect. 

5.  Lastly,  Were  it  not  better  to  break  these  chains  of  worldly 
pleasures  now  and  escape,  than  to  remain  in  them,  and  lie  down  in 
sorrow  for  ever?  Isa.  1.  ult.  It  was  by  the  pleasures  of  sense  that 
mankind  was  ruined  at  first,  Gen.  iii.  6  ;  and  for  that  the  second 
Adam  paid  for  the  elect,  in  his  bitter  suff'erings,  when  he  was  de- 
prived of  all  that  could  be  grateful  to  his  senses  aud  contrariwise 
was  exposed  to  the  wrath  of  God,  and  the  rage  of  men  and  devils. 
That  life  will  have  a  bitter  reckoning  in  the  other  world,  when  men 


niNDERAXCES  CONSIDERED  AND  REMOVED.  369 

are  divested  of  their  bodies  till  the  last  day,  aiid  theu  raised  up  for 
eternal  punishment  against  that  day. 

Therefore  I  would  advise  you  to  leave  these  things  in  time,  and 
to  be  resolute  to  break  through  that  bond,  Matth.  v.  29.  If  thy 
right  eye  offend  thee,  pluck  it  out,  and  cast  it  from  thee,  for  it  is 
profitable  for  thee  that  one  of  thy  members  should  perish,  aud  not 
that  thy  whole  body  should  be  cast  into  hell. 

Thirdli/,  A  prejudice  against  religion  is  a  very  unpleasant  thing, 
Matth.  XXV.  24.  "  Then  he  which  had  received  one  talent,  came  and 
said.  Lord,  I  knew  thee  that  thou  art  an  hard  man,  reaping  where 
thou  hast  not  sown,  aud  gathering  where  thou  hast  not  stawcd." 
Mai.  iii.  13.  "  Ye  said  also.  Behold  what  a  weariness  is  it,  and  ye 
have  snuffed  at  it,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts."  This  is  an  impediment 
that  stands  in  the  way  of  many  ;  they  think  that  if  they  should 
come  out  from  among  the  world  lying  in  wickedness,  they  may  for 
ever  after  bid  farewell  to  all  pleasure,  to  taste  it  no  more  ;  they 
must  spend  their  days  in  sorrow,  aud  never  see  a  joyful  hour  more. 
This  is  what  they  can  by  no  means  do ;  and  thei'efore  come  after 
what  will,  they  must  abide  among  them.     But, 

1.  Suppose  that  were  true  of  religion,  whether  is  it  easier  to  spend 
a  life-time  in  a  constant  cloud  of  sorrow  till  death,  or  to  spend  an 
eternity  so  after  death  ?  If  men  had  no  view  at  all  beyond  death, 
it  would  be  more  tolerable  for  them  to  make  the  inost  pleasurable 
they  could  of  a  present  life  ;  but  since  there  is  a  life  of  pleasure  or 
torment  in  another  world,  it  is  most  absurd  for  eviting  of  momen- 
tary sorrows  aud  hardships,  to  throw  themselves  into  endless  misery. 

2.  But  it  is  absolutely  false,  a  rash,  ill  grounded  prejudice,  where- 
with men  are  possessed  against  religion  ;  and  it  is  fostered  by  Satan, 
and  the  deluded  world.  It  is  contrary  to  the  plain  testimony  of 
God  in  Chribt,  Prov.  iii.  17.  "  Her  ways  are  ways  of  pleasantness, 
and  all  her  paths  are  peace."  Matth.  xi.  28 — 30.  "  Come  unto  me, 
all  ye  that  labour,  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest. 
Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly 
in  heart ;  aud  ye  shall  find  rest  unto  your  souls.  For  ray  yoke  is 
easy,  and  my  burden  is  light."  It  is  contrary  to  the  experience  of 
the  saints  in  all  ages,  John  viii.  56.  "  Your  father  Abraham  rejoiced 
to  see  my  day ;  and  he  saw  it  and  was  glad."  Psal.  iv.  7.  "  Thou 
hast  put  gladness  in  my  heart,  more  than  in  the  time  that  their  corn 
and  their  wine  increased."  1  John  v.  3.  "  For  this  is  the  love  of 
God,  that  we  keep  his  commandments ;  and  his  commandments  are 
not  grievous."  And  it  is  contrary  to  the  nature  of  things,  which  of 
themselves  lead  quite  otherwise,  Isa.  Ivii.  20,  21.  "But  the  wicked 
are  like  the  troubled  sea,  when  it  cannot  rest,  whose  waters  cast  up 


370  niNDEUANCES  CONSIDERED  AND  RE.VOVED. 

inire  and  dirt.  There  is  no  peace  saith  my  God  to  the  wicked."  Com- 
pared with  2  Cor.  i.  12,  "  Our  rejoicing  is  this,  the  testimony  of  our 
conscience,  that  in  simplicity  and  godly  sincerity,  not  with  fleshly 
wisdom,  but  by  the  grace  of  God,  we  have  had  our  conversation  in 
the  world,  and  more  abundantly  to  you  wards."  But  here  lies  your 
mistake. 

(1.)  You  know  and  can  conceive  of  no  otlicr  pleasures,  but  those 
of  the  world,  sense,  and  sin  ;  but  there  is  another  kind  of  pleasure, 
that  is  spiritual,  which  religion  affords,  that  none  know  but  those 
who  have  tasted  it,  Prov.  xiv.  10.  There  are  rivers  of  pleasure  in 
heaven,  but  your  worldly  pleasures  are  not  there  ;  and  there  are  in 
religion  pleasures  of  that  kind,  in  the  Lord's  lifting  up  the  light  of 
his  countenance  upon  his  people,  and  putting  gladness  in  their 
hearts,  Psal.  iv.  6,  7 ;  in  seeing  one's  name  written  in  heaven,  Luke 
X.  20 ;  and  in  the  approbation  of  conscience,  2  Cor.  i.  12.  It  is  your 
want  of  a  new  nature,  that  ye  cannot  relish  these  new,  refined,  un- 
dreggy  pleasures. 

(2.)  You  think  all  pleasures  are  noisy,  like  those  of  the  revellers 
and  jovial  ones  of  the  earth;  but  it  is  not  so.  Rev.  ii.  17.  "  To  him 
that  overcometh  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  hidden  manna,  and  will 
give  him  a  white  stone,  and  in  the  stone  a  new  name  written,  which 
no  man  knoweth,  saving  he  that  receiveth  it."  The  deepest  waters 
run  most  still,  and  so  do  the  deepest  joys ;  hence  even  in  worldly 
concerns,  deep  joy  is  not  expressed  by  laughter,  which  is  used  only 
on  trifling  occasions.  And  of  all  joys  and  pleasures,  those  of  religion 
lie  most  inward. 

(3.)  You  form  your  notion  of  religion,  by  the  outward  appear- 
ance of  some  that  profess  it,  who  are  of  a  heavy  disposition.  But 
you  ought  to  form  it  by  the  scripture,  and  not  by  the  appearance  of 
some  of  its  professors,  from  whence  you  may  draw  the  most  fright- 
ful notion  of  it ;  but  the  art  of  hell  is  in  this,  leading  you  from  the 
view  of  cheerful  Christians,  to  settle  on  those  that  are  not  so.  But 
after  all,  ye  may  be  deceived  in  them,  for  the  countenance  is  not 
always  an  exact  representor  of  what  is  within  ;  witness  the  mirth 
and  jollity  of  many,  whose  heart  feels  stings,  and  lashes  in  the  time. 
But  what  notion  have  you  formed  of  religion,  from  the  appearance 
of  the  man  Christ,  who  was  a  man  of  sorrows,  of  whose  weeping  you 
read  sometimes,  of  his  rejoicing  once,  but  of  his  laughing  never  ? 

3.  Consider,  whether  the  way  of  religion,  or  the  way  of  the  world, 
affords  the  most  ground  for  joy  and  pleasure  ?  This  will  be  no  hard 
question  to  an  impartial  inquirer.  The  one  is  the  way  to  a  state  of 
favour  with  God,  peace,  &c.  here  ;  the  other  keeps  one  under  his 
wrath ;  the  one  is  the  way  to  be  eternally  happy,  the  other  to  be 


HINDEKANCES  CONSIDEEED  AND  REMOVED,  371 

eternally  miserable.  "Wherefore  bring  ye  no  sorrow  with  you  into 
religion,  nor  spring  of  it ;  and  ye  will  find  none  in  religion.  But 
it  teaches  men  to  be  sorrowful  in  time  for  what  is  just  ground  of 
sorrow,  and  will  produce  it  sooner  or  later  in  all. 

4.  Lastly,  The  very  sorrows  that  religion  puts  men  to,  are  better 
than  the  world's  joys  and  pleasures.  These  last  are  a  spring  of  sor- 
row, and  will  end  in  it,  Luke  vi.  25,  "  Wo  unto  you  that  laugh 
now  ;  for  ye  shall  mourn  and  weep."  They  may  end  in  it  here, 
either  in  the  way  of  bitter  repentance,  or  in  the  way  of  bitter  afflic- 
tion, which  will  render  all  the  former  pleasures  of  sin  tasteless, 
leaving  nothing  of  them  but  the  sting  ;  or  surely  in  the  life  to  come. 
Whereas  the  sorrows  of  religion,  be  they  never  so  deep,  make  way 
for  joy  here,  and  hereafter  too,  ver.  21.  "  Blessed  are  ye  that  weep 
now  for  ye  shall  laugh." 

Fourthli/,  The  cares  of  the  world,  Luke  viii.  14.  These  are  a 
thicket  whereby  men  are  entangled  in  the  world  lying  in  wicked- 
ness, till  they  cannot  get  away.  The  clay  idol  bewitches  them,  that 
they  have  neither  heart  nor  hand  for  coming  out  from  among  them. 
These  cares  are  a  net,  wherein  the  feet  of  poor  and  rich  are  held 
fast ;  for  the  frowning  and  smiling  world  are  each  of  them  apt  to 
crave  inordinate  care.  They  hinder  in  so  far  as  they  enhance  the 
whole  man  :  and  so, 

1.  They  fix  the  heart  to  the  world  as  the  main  thing,  and  so  keep 
it  back  from  Grod,  Matth.  vi.  24.  "  No  man  can  serve  two  masters  ; 
for  either  he  will  hate  the  one,  and  love  the  other  ;  or  else  he  will 
hold  to  the  one,  and  despise  the  other.  Ye  cannot  serve  God  and 
mammon."  Hence  covetousness  is  called  idolatry,  inasmuch  as 
thereby  the  world  and  its  good  things  are  put  in  Christ's  room, 
loved,  desired,  and  followed  after  more  than  he. 

2.  They  leave  no  room  for  a  due  concern  about  spiritual  things, 
Luke  X.  41,  42.  "  Martha,  Martha,  thou  art  careful,  and  troubled 
about  many  things  ;  but  one  thing  is  needful,"  This  and  the  other 
worldly  thing,  one  on  the  back  of  another,  challenges  their  care  and 
concern,  keeps  their  hearts  and  hands  ever  full,  that  due  care  for 
their  souls  cannot  get  entered.  Hence  the  lives  of  many  are  spent 
in  a  continual  hurry,  never  getting  leave  to  think  seriously  ;  and  it 
fares  with  them  as  with  the  man  in  the  parable,  1  Kings  xx.  39, 
40.  "  As  the  king  passed  by,  he  cried  unto  the  king  ;  and  he  said. 
Thy  servant  went  out  into  the  midst  of  the  battle,  and  behold,  a 
man  turned  aside,  and  brought  a  man  unto  me,  and  said.  Keep  this 
man  ;  if  by  any  means  he  be  missing,  then  shall  thy  life  be  for  his 
life,  or  else  thou  shalt  pay  a  talent  of  silver.  And  as  thy  servant 
was  busy  here  and  there,  ho  was  gone." 


372  IIINDERANCES  CONSIDEUED  AND  REJfOVED. 

3.  Tliey  leave  tliera  no  gust  nor  relish  for  spiritual  tilings  ;  they 
make  thera  tasteless  to  them,  so  that  nothing  relishes  with  them,  but 
carnal  worldly  things.  The  smiling  world  has  this  effect,  Job  xxi. 
13,  14.  "  They  spend  their  days  in  wealth — Therefore  they  say  unto 
God,  Depart  from  ns  ;  for  wo  desire  not  the  knowledge  of  thy 
ways."  And  the  frowning  world  has  it  too,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
Israelites  under  their  oppression  in  Egypt,  Exod.  vi.  9.  "  They 
hearkened  not  unto  Moses,  for  anguish  of  spirit,  and  for  cruel 
bondage." 

To  remove  this  hinderance,  consider, 

1.  The  shortness  of  your  time,  and  how  in  a  little  ye  will  be  be- 
yond all  the  things  of  the  present  evil  world,  to  have  no  more  use 
for  them  for  ever,  1  Cor.  vii.  29,  30,  31.  "  But  tliis  I  say,  brethren, 
the  time  is  short.  It  remaineth,  that  both  they  that  have  wives,  be 
as  though  they  had  none  ;  and  they  that  weep,  as  though  they  wept 
not;  and  they  that  rejoice,  as  though  they  rejoiced  not;  and  they 
that  buy,  as  though  they  possessed  not ;  and  they  that  use  this  world  ; 
as  not  abusing  it ;  for  the  fashion  of  this  world  passeth  away." 
Death  approaches,  and  the  frowns  of  the  world  can  annoy  you  no 
more,  and  its  smiles  be  in  no  more  stead  to  you.  Why  do  ye  take 
so  great  care  about  what  is  to  last  so  short  while  ?  Why  is  not 
your  short  time  better  filled  up  ? 

2.  Consider  what  will  be  the  issne  of  the  cares  of  the  world  hin- 
dering you  to  come  out  from  among  the  world  lying  in  wickedness. 
Ye  will  lose  your  souls  in  that  throng  of  care  for  the  present  life, 
and  no  advantage  in  the  world  will  quit  the  cost  of  that,  Matth. 
xvi.  26.  "  For  what  is  a  man  profited,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole 
world,  and  lose  his  own  soul  ?  or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange 
for  his  soul  ?  Ye  have  eternity  challenging  your  care,  of  which  if 
ye  continue  careless,  death  will  bring  you  into  a  surprising  plunge. 

3.  You  quite  mistake  your  measures  for  your  own  interest,  taking 
a  burden  on  yourself,  that  might  be  borne  without  you,  Psal.  Iv.  22. 
Your  true  way  would  be  to  come  out  from  among  the  world  lying  in 
wickedness,  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  leave  it  to  him  to  care  for  you, 
which  would  not  be  in  vain,  1  Pet.  v.  7.  "  Casting  all  your  care 
upon  him,  for  he  careth  for  you." 

Fifthly,  111  company  and  their  influence  hinders  many.  It  was 
Paul's  advantage,  that  when  God  called  him,  he  conferred  not  with 
flesh  and  blood.  Gal.  i.  16.  For  the  world  lying  in  wickedness,  will 
never  be  content  that  any  of  their  own  sliould  leave  them ;  there- 
fore the  call  is,  Psal.  xlv.  10.  "  Forget  thine  own  people,  and  thy 
father's  house."  Satan  has  his  agents  in  the  world,  that  will  be  at 
all  pains  to  entangle  them  among  them  that  would  be  away.  And 
they  do  it, 


iriNDERANCES  CONSIDERED  AND  REMOVED.  373 

1.  By  their  example  casting  off  the  fear  of  God,  indulging  them- 
selves in  sinful  liberty,  and  so  cast  a  stumbling  block  before  others, 
Matth.  xviii.  7-     And, 

2.  By  their  influence  otherwise,  advising,  enticing,  and  encourag- 
ing them  to  sin,  Prov.  i.  10.     Acting  Satan's  part. 

To  remove  this  hinderancc,  consider, 

1.  You  have  God's  call  to  come  away ;  and  it  will  be  a  sorry  ex- 
cuse for  your  disobedience,  that  others  by  their  example  and  influ- 
ence hindered  you.  Acts  iv.  19.  "  Whether  it  be  right  in  the  sight 
of  God,  to  hearken  unto  them  more  than  unto  God,  judge  ye."  You 
ought,  at  the  call  of  your  Maker,  to  come  away  iu  spite  of  all  the 
bad  company  that  beset  you. 

2.  Open  your  eyes  and  see  their  danger  as  well  as  your  own. 
Believe,  that  the  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  heaven  agaiust  all 
ungodliness,  and  unrighteousness  of  men,  Rom.  i.  18.  and  you  will 
be  obliged  to  make  away,  as  the  Israelites  from  the  tents  of  Dathan 
and  Abiram. 

3.  It  will  be  no  comfort  to  you  in  the  end,  to  be  ruined  together 
with  ill  company,  and  by  their  influence.  Their  sin  is  great,  but 
they  will  leave  you  to  answer  for  yourselves,  and  bear  your  own  pu- 
nishment, Prov.  ix.  12.  And  the  society  of  companions  in  sin,  in 
hell,  will  be  bitter,  as  appears  from  Luke  xvi.  27,  28.  "  I  pray  thee, 
father,  that  thou  wouldest  send  him  to  my  father's  house ;  for  I 
have  five  brethren ;  that  he  may  testify  unto  them,  lest  they  also 
come  into  this  place  of  torment." 

Lastly,  Delays  are  a  great  hinderance :  Prov.  vi.  9,  10,  11.  "How 
long  wilt  thou  sleep,  0  sluggard  ?  when  wilt  thou  arise  out  of  thy 
sleep  ?  Yet  a  little  sleep,  a  little  slumber,  a  little  folding  of  the 
hands  to  sleep.  So  shall  thy  poverty  come  as  one  that  travaileth, 
and  thy  want  as  an  armed  man."  Men  deceive  themselves  with  off 
puts,  and  the  prospect  of  much  time  before  them.  To  remove  this 
obstruction,  consider, 

1.  The  longer  you  delay,  it  will  be  the  harder  to  get  away  from 
among  them.  Sin  gathers  strength  by  delay  of  repentance ;  as  the 
waters,  the  farther  they  are  from  the  head,  the  greater  do  they 
grow.  The  heart  becomes  harder,  the  mind  blinder,  the  will  more 
perverse,  the  aft'ections  more  carnal. 

2.  Your  time  is  uncertain ;  you  know  not  if  ever  you  will  see  the 
term-day  to  which  you  put  oft'.  How  many  are  there  that  drop  into 
eternity  ere  ever  they  are  aware  ?     The  present  time  only  is  yours. 

3.  Suppose  you  should  see  the  time  you  put  off  to,  Ood  may  -with- 
hold grace  from  you,  Luke  xiv.  24.  "  For  I  say  unto  you,  that  none 
of  these  men  which  were  bidden,  shall  taste  of  my  supper."     Take 

Vol.  Y.  2  b 


374  HINDERANCES  CONSIDERED  AND  REMOVED. 

the  alarm  therefore  in  time,  and  strike  in  with  the  opportunity  ye 
now  have,  Isa.  Iv.  6.  "  Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  he  may  be  found, 
call  ye  upon  him  while  he  is  near." 

Lastly,  It  is  a  base  spirit  that  puts  you  on  to  delay ;  it  bewrays 
the  predominant  love  of  sin,  and  shews  ye  have  no  regard  to  God 
for  himself;  otherwise  ye  would  not  hesitate  one  moment  to  obey 
his  call.  Wherefore  we  beseech  you  to  consider  the  matter,  and  de- 
lay no  longer ;  let  a  regard  to  the  authority  of  God,  and  a  view  of 
his  matchless  excellencies  in  Christ;  let  a  sense  of  gratitude  for  the 
divine  patience,  and  the  love  ye  bear  to  your  own  souls ;  let  every 
consideration,  whether  from  the  terrors  of  God's  everlasting  wrath, 
or  the  comforts  of  his  everlasting  love,  unite  to  move  you  speedily 
to  come  out  from  among  the  world  lying  in  wickedness,  to  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  the  glorious  Head  of  the  society  separated  from  the 
world.  So  coming,  ye  shall  find  welcome — "  I  will  receive  you,  and 
will  be  a  Father  unto  you,  and  ye  shall  be  my  sons  and  daughters, 
saith  the  Lord  Almighty." 

And  now  to  conclude.  Ye  have  had  the  picture  of  the  world  lying 
in  wickedness  drawn  before  you,  and  the  call  to  come  away  out  from 
among  them.  It  is  like  these  may  appear  as  idle  tales  to  some, 
and  they  may  be  as  one  that  mocked.  Gen.  xix.  14.  But  if  ye  come 
not  away  out  from  among  them,  ye  will  perish  among  them,  and  the 
more  fearfully  that  ye  have  been  so  solemnly  warned. 


THE  BELIEVER'S  HUNDREDFOLD  IN  THIS  LIFE  CONSIDERED;  AND 
A  VIEW  OF  THE  REALITY,  PARTS,  INHABITANTS,  PASSAGE  INTO, 
AND  STATE  OF  MEN  IN  THE  WORLD  TO  COME. 

Several  Sermons  preached  at  Ettrick,  in  1729. 


Mark  x.  30. 
He  shall  receive  an  hundredfold  now  in  this  time,  houses,  and  brethren, 
and  sisters,  and  mothers,  and  children,  and  lands,  with  persecutions ; 
and  in  the  ivorld  to  come,  eternal  life. 

Ye  have  heard  much  of  this  present  evil  world,  and  have  been  called 
to  come  away  out  from  among  them.  I  come  now  to  tell  you,  that 
there  is  another  world  beyond  it,  into  which  we  must  all  go ;  a  view 
of  wliich  may  be  of  use  to  stir  us  up  to  come  out  from  among  the 
world  lying  in  wickedness,  and  to  make  us  more  indifferent  about 
the  smiles  and  frowns  of  this  world. 


THE  TEXT  AND  CONTEXT  EXPLAINED.  375 

The  text  is  a  part  of  an  encouragement  to  saints  under  worldy  los- 
ses. The  remote  occasion  of  it  was,  a  view  of  a  man  ruined  with 
worldly  prosperity,  whose  wealth  in  the  world  was  the  neck-break 
of  his  soul ;  and  such  examples  are  never  rare,  ver.  17 — 22.  (1.)  He 
was  a  young  man,  Matth.  xix.  20.  and  a  ruler,  Luke  xviii.  18. 
"Worldly  wealth  and  honour  are  great  snares  to  people,  especially  to 
the  young,  who  are  raw  and  of  little  experience  in  the  vanity 
of  the  world.  (2.)  He  was  nevertheless  in  some  concern  for  another 
world,  ver.  17-  "  Good  master,  what  shall  I  do  that  I  may  inherit 
eternal  life  T'  For  all  the  temptations  hanging  about  him,  he  consi- 
sidered  that  there  was  a  life  after  this,  and  that  he  could  not  carry 
his  wealth  and  honour  with  him  thither.  Hence  though  he  took 
Christ  but  for  a  good  man,  he  was  very  respectful  to  him,  he  cast 
himself  into  his  company,  he  kneeled  to  him  as  one  desirous  to  have 
his  blessing;  he  proposes  a  weighty  question  to  him  about  another 
world.  It  is  a  pity  that  any  thing  in  this  world  should  put  that  out 
of  one's  head  and  heart. 

(3.)  But  he  was  a  conceited  man,  uuhumbled,  unacquainted  with 
his  own  weakness,  and  thought  he  could  do  well  enough,  if  he  knew 
what.     Self  conceit  mars  many  good  motions,  and  spoils  them  all. 

Our  Lord  for  his  humiliation,  sets  before  him,  (1.)  The  holiness  of 
God,  ver.  18.  "  And  Jesus  said  unto  him.  Why  callest  thou  me 
good ;  there  is  none  good  but  one,  that  is  God."  A  view  of  the 
goodness  and  holiness  of  God  is  fit  to  humble  sinners,  and  let  them 
into  a  view  of  their  own  badness  and  unholiness,  Isa.  vi.  5.  (2.)  The 
holy  law,  ver.  19.  Thou  knowest  the  commandments,'  Do  not  commit 
adultery,  Do  not  kill,  Do  not  steal.  Do  not  bear  false  witness.  De- 
fraud not,  Honour  thy  father  and  mother.  The  law  in  its  holy  com- 
mandments is  a  looking  glass  wherein  to  see  our  defilement  and 
sinfulness.  He  pitches  on  those  of  the  second  table,  for  in  these 
lies  the  trial  of  the  sincerity  of  professors  of  religion.  He  begins 
with  the  command  forbidding  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  then  pride,  pas- 
sion, and  revenge,  covetousness,  8fc.  For  the  law  in  these  things 
speaks  to  all  alike,  young  and  old,  great  and  small. 

The  youth  hereupon  gives  an  account  of  himself,  ver.  20.  Master, 
all  these  have  I  observed  from  my  youth  ;  in  which,  though  he  dis- 
covers his  ignorance  of  the  spirituality  of  the  law,  and  his  self-jus- 
tifying temper ;  yet  withal  he  shews,  that,  notwithstanding  of  his 
circumstances  in  the  world,  he  had  been  kept  from  the  gross  pollu- 
tions of  it.  He  had  been  no  rambling  youth,  but  kept  within  the 
bounds  of  decency.  It  seems,  though  he  had  not  grace,  he  had  edu- 
cation. 

Christ  brings  the  trial  close  to  him,  in  his  predominant,  the  love 

2b  2 


376  THE  TEXT  AND  CONTEXT  EXPLAINED. 

of  the  world,  ver.  21.  "  Then  Jesus  beholding  him,  loved  him,  and 
said  unto  him,  One  thing  thou  lackcst ;  go  thy  way,  sell  whatsoever 
thou  hast  and  give  to  the  poor ;  and  thou  shalt  have  treasure  in  hea- 
ven ;  and  come  take  up  thy  cross,  and  follow  me."  He  had  many 
good  things  that  were  lovely  in  him,  but  he  wanted  a  heart  weaned 
from  the  world,  and  knit  to  God  in  Christ ;  and  that  want,  he  is 
told,  behoved  to  be  made  up,  if  ever  he  would  see  heaven.  Obs.  1. 
They  may  have  many  things  good  about  them,  where  one  thing  lack- 
ing mars  all.  2.  "Whoever  would  have  a  happy  portion  in  another, 
must  be  ready  to  part  with  the  good  things  of  this  world  at  Christ's 
call,  and  submit  to  its  evil  things.  Though  this  is  hard  to  flesh  and 
blood,  it  is  a  constitution  of  heaven  not  to  be  altered. 

The  issue  of  this  trial  was  sad,  he  parted  with  Christ  and  heaven ; 
since  he  could  not  have  them  on  easier  terms,  he  behoved  to  quit 
them ;  for  these  terms  he  could  not  digest,  ver.  22.  "  And  he  was 
sad  at  that  saying,  and  went  away  grieved ;  for  he  had  great  posses- 
sions." His  great  possessions  were  his  great  snare.  The  good 
things  of  this  world  part  betwixt  Christ  and  many. 

The  use  Christ  makes  of  this  sad  event,  for  the  disciples'  instruc- 
tion, ver.  23.  "  And  Jesus  looked  round  about,  and  saith  unto  his 
disciples.  How  hardly  shall  they  that  have  riches  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  God  !"  Obs.  1.  Though  riches  make  an  easy  life  in  this 
world,  they  make  hard  work  for  the  party  that  has  them  to  get  into 
a  better  world.  2.  The  ruining  effects  saints  may  see  that  world's 
wealth  has  on  men  generally,  should  make  them  sit  down  contented 
with  the  small  share  of  it  which  providence  lets  come  into  their 
hands,  q.  d.  Now  see  what  world's  wealth  does. 

The  disciples  being  surprised  herewith,  (1.)  Christ  explains  what 
he  had  said,  ver.  24.  "  But  Jesus  answereth  again,  and  saith  unto 
them,  Children,  how  hard  is  it  for  them  that  trust  in  riches,  to  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  God  !"  Obs.  It  is  hard  for  men  to  have  world's 
wealth,  and  not  to  trust  in  it  as  their  portion  and  happiness,  to  bring 
out  of  it  their  satisfaction,  which  they  should  seek  in  God.  (2.)  He 
confirms  it  by  a  proverbial  saying  of  a  thing  of  a  difficulty  next  to 
impossibility,  ver.  25.  "  It  is  easier  for  a  camel  to  go  through  the 
eye  of  a  needle,  than  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God."  The  gate  of  life  is  narrow,  the  world's  wealth  is  like  the 
burden  on  the  camel's  back. 

The  disciples  are  astonished  at  this ;  they  might  observe  what  a 
great  snare  poverty  was  to  many,  and  if  it  was  so  with  riches  too, 
they  say,  "Who  then  can  be  saved  ?  ver.  26.  The  consideration  of 
the  mischief  the  world  does,  on  the  one  hand  with  its  frowns,  and  on 
the  other  with  its  smiles,  makes  salvation  appear  very  difficult. 


THE  TEXT  EXPLAINED.  377' 

Our  Lord  tells  them,  that  what  is  impossible  to  nature  is  possible 
to  God.  The  power  of  his  grace  can  so  loose  the  heart  from  the 
world,  that  it  shall  not  be  able  to  bewitch  a  man  with  all  its  snares, 
nor  hinder  him  from  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  "Witness  Abraham, 
Job,  Joseph,  &c.  who,  though  rich  men,  were  yet  truly  religious,  and 
attained  to  heavenly  happiness. 

Follows  the  immediate  occasion  of  the  words  of  the  text.  Peter 
shews  how  he  and  the  rest  had  behaved  in  such  a  trial,  as  proved 
fatal  to  that  man ;  they  had  left  all  they  had  in  the  world  at 
Christ's  call,  and  followed  him,  ver.  28.  See  Matth.  iv.  18 — 20. 
It  was  not  much  they  had  to  leave  for  him  ;  but  it  was  by  the  power 
of  grace  they  were  brought  to  part  with  it,  little  as  it  was.  That  is 
it  that  makes  the  difference.  Now  he  is  desirous  to  know  the  issue 
of  that,  and  what  they  were  to  expect  at  his  hand ;  and  Christ  al- 
lows his  people  to  persuade  themselves,  that  they  shall  not  be  losers 
at  his  hand.  And  therefore  whatever  weakness  might  be  in  Peter's 
question,  our  Lord  directly  answers  it,  in  a  liberal  promise  to  all  his 
followers  of  a  saflicient  upmaking  of  all  that  they  lose  for  him.  In 
which  we  have, 

1.  The  losers  to  whom  Christ  gives  security,  for  upmaking  of 
their  loss.     And  here  consider, 

1st,  What  kind  of  losers  they  are.  It  is  not  every  kind  of  losers ; 
some  lose  their  worldly  good  things  for  their  lusts'  sake,  squander- 
ing away  the  same  on  their  lusts,  and  by  their  criminal  negligence ; 
or  they  are  justly  taken  from  them  in  an  ill  cause  for  their  crimes  ; 
these  are  not  they.  But  they  that  quit  with  any  thing  for  Christ's 
sake,  and  the  gospel's ;  the  Lord  by  his  call  bids  them  give  up  with 
it,  and  they  at  his  call  quit  their  grip  ;  they  cannot  keep  it,  and  keep 
the  road  of  the  gospel  too ;  and  therefore  that  they  may  not  go  off 
the  road  of  the  gospel,  they  quit  what  they  have.  These  are  the 
losers. 

2dly,  "What  kind  of  loss  it  is  that  Christ  puts  his  people  to.  It 
is  not  the  loss  of  spiritual  benefits  and  privileges,  and  their  portion 
in  another  world;  but  only  worldly  good  things.  (1.)  He  may  call 
them  to  leave  house  and  hold,  and  they  must  leave  it  for  his  sake, 
with  all  the  conveniencies  they  had  in  their  own  house  before.  If 
they  have  not  left  them  where  to  lay  their  head,  he  bids  them  not 
ride  a  ford  he  rode  not  before  them,  Matth.  viii.  20.  "  The  foxes 
have  holes,  and  the  birds  of  the  air  have  nests ;  but  the  Son  of  man 
hath  not  where  to  lay  his  head."  If  they  be  forced  to  hide  in  dens 
and  caves  of  the  earth,  they  fare  not  worse  than  the  worthies  men- 
tioned, Ileb.  xi.  38.  (2.)  Their  relations,  and  the  comfort  they  had 
in  them,  brethren,  sisters,  father,  mother,  wife,  and  children.     lie 

2b  3 


378  TUE  TEXT  EXPLAINED. 

may  carry  away  their  relations  from  them  by  death,  or  otherwise 
Ijrovidentially  separate  them  from  them,  or  deprive  them  of  the 
comfort  of  them  though  they  be  with  them,  and  make  them  a  cross 
to  them.  Or  he  may  carry  them  away  from  their  relations,  that 
they  have  not  access  to  the  comfort  they  might  otherwise  have  in 
them.  In  all  these  cases  they  are  losers  for  Christ  that  give  up 
with  them  at  his  call  to  follow  him.  (3.)  Their  lands,  and  all  the 
profits  and  advantages  flowing  from  them.  Even  the  king  is  served 
by  the  field ;  but  Christ  must  be  served  with  the  field  itself  given  up 
to  him,  when  he  calls  for  it;  whether  it  be  theirs  in  property,  or 
only  in  the  use.     They  must  give  up  their  claim  to  him  at  his  call. 

2.  "What  is  secured  to  these  losers  for  Christ  ?     Double. 

1st,  Something  in  hand,  a  hundredfold  now  in  this  time.  The 
term  of  this  upmaking  is  in  this  world,  now  in  this  time.  Our  Lord 
does  indeed  reserve  the  greatest  upmaking  to  another  world ;  but  he 
does  not  put  off"  his  people  with  nothing  in  the  time  :  No,  there  is  a 
settlement  for  the  present  made  upon  them,  to  bear  the  expence  of 
their  journey,  and  to  bear  up  their  hearts  till  they  get  their  portion. 
And  that  is  a  hundredfold,  namely,  of  what  they  lost  for  him,  viz. 
houses,  8fc.  It  is  plain,  it  cannot  be  meant  of  a  hundredfold  in 
kind ;  that  is  not  possible  in  the  case  of  father  and  mother ;  but  in 
value;  i.  e.  they  shall  get  what  will  be  a  hundred  times  the  value  of 
all  they  lost  for  him.  For  instance,  do  they  lose  a  house  for  him  ? 
they  shall  get  what  will  be  worth  a  hundred  houses,  Sfc.  But  there 
is  an  appurtenance  of  this  hundredfold,  that  may  keep  from  dream- 
ing of  world's  ease  for  all  that,  with  persecutions.  All  times  of  the 
church  are  not  times  of  public  persecution ;  but  this  secures  them, 
that  go  the  times  as  they  will,  they  shall  never  get  the  good-will  of 
the  world  lying  in  wickedness.  Satan  and  his  agents  will  always  be 
at  them,  one  way  or  other. 

2dli/,  Something  in  hope.  Here  is,  (1.)  The  term  and  place  of  it, 
in  the  world  to  come.  (2.)  What  they  will  get  there,  eternal  life. 
This  plainly  bears,  [1.]  That  there  is  a  world  to  come,  another  world 
than  this.  The  world  properly  signifies  an  age,  or  duration.  And 
being  in  opposition  to  the  age  of  this  world,  or  times  of  its  duration, 
it  signifies  the  age  of  eternity.  It  is  used  also  for  the  world  itself, 
Heb.  i.  2.  And  being  to  come,  it  diff"ers  from  the  present  world. 
[2.]  That  the  world  to  come  is  the  place  and  time  where  and  when 
men  are  to  get  the  full  reward  of  their  works ;  and  therefore  men  go 
into  that  world,  when  they  have  done  with  this ;  and  are  not  done 
when  dead.  Lastly/,  That  such  losers  for  Christ  shall  in  that  world 
get  eternal  life,  when  others  shall  get  eternal  death  there ;  for  if  in 
that  world  were  only  eternal  life,  it  had  been  needless  to  say  more 
than  that  they  should  go  into  that  world. 


HO"W  CHEIST  CALLS  TO  GIVE  UP  WITH  'WOKLDLY  COMFORTS.        379 

3.  The  security  itself,  Christ's  own  word,  *'  Verily  I  say  unto 
you,"  ver.  29.  A  security  that  carnal  men  cannot  trust,  but  all  be- 
lievers take  it  for  good  security. 

Before  I  come  to  the  main  thing  intended,  I  will  speak  somewhat 
to  the  hundredfold  in  this  life,  from  the  following  doctrine,  viz. 

DocT.  Our  Lord  Jesus  has  given  security,  for  a  hundredfold  with, 
a  burden  in  this  life,  to  them  who  for  his  sake  and  the  gospel's, 
leave  and  give  up  with  their  worldly  good  things  and  enjoyments, 
at  his  call. 

In  discoursing  from  this  doctrine,  we  shall  consider, 

I.  The  parties  to  whom  the  security  is  made. 

II.  The  hundredfold  secured  to  such  losers. 

III.  The  burden  going  along  with  the  hundredfold,  with  persecu- 
tions. 

lY.  The  security  given  for  the  hundredfold  to  the  losers  for 
Christ's  sake  and  the  gospel's. 

V.   Make  application. 

I.  We  shall  consider  the  parties  to  whom  the  security  is  made. 
Two  things  will  set  this  in  due  light ;  viz.  An  inquiry, 

1.  How  Christ  calls  people  to  leave  and  give  up  with  any  worldly 
comforts  and  enjoyments  they  have  had. 

2.  "What  it  is  at  Christ's  call  to  leave  and  give  up  with  them  for 
his  sake  and  the  gospel's. 

First,  I  am  to  inquire  how  Christ  calls  people  to  leave  and  give 
up  with  any  worldly  comforts  and  enjoyments  they  have  had. 

First,  When  we  cannot  keep  them  without  sin.  When  we  are 
brought  to  that,  that  we  must  either  lose  them,  or  sin  against  God  ; 
must  either  part  with  them,  or  part  with  a  good  conscience ;  be  sure 
then  Christ  is  saying,  Give  up  with  them,  leave  them  for  me.  And 
so  it  is  in  four  cases. 

1.  In  the  case  of  persecution,  or  the  violence  of  evil  men  reducing 
us  to  that  strait.  Thus  confessors'  goods  were  called  for  by  Christ, 
Heb.  X.  34.  and  the  lives  of  the  martyrs,  chap.  xi.  35.  And  they 
parted  with  them,  as  Joseph  dropt  his  mantle,  when  he  could  not 
keep  it  and  his  chastity  too.  If  there  had  been  a  fair  way  to  have 
preserved  the  substance  and  the  life,  and  a  good  conscience  too,  they 
would  not  have  been  required  ;  but  as  they  could  not  preserve  a 
good  conscience  with  the  possession  of  them,  therefore  they  were 
called  to  part  with  both  substance  and  life. 

The  same  holds  in  the  case  of  illegal  violence,  when  men  are  re- 
duced to  such  a  strait  by  the  violence  of  evil  men  in  common  life  ; 
that  loss  is  on  the  one  hand,  sin  on  the  other ;  that  is  a  providential 


380         HOW  ClIKIST  CALLS  TO  GIVE  UP  WITH  WORLDLY  COMFORTS. 

eall  to  give  up  with  worldly  good  things  and  enjoyments,  1  Cor.  vi. 
6,7. 

2.  In  the  case  of  justice.  It  is  a  divine  command,  "  Owe  no  man 
any  thing,  but  to  love  one  another,"  llom.  xiii.  8.  What  justice 
requires  us  to  part  with,  God  requires  us  to  part  with ;  for  the 
righteous  Lord  loveth  righteousness,  Psal.  xi.  7-  And  to  keep  it  is 
robbery,  because  in  justice  it  is  not  ours,  but  another's.  And  there- 
fore no  man  can  reckon  any  more  his  own,  than  what  remains  to 
him  after  payment  of  his  just  debts,  2  Kings  iv.  1,  7.  To  this 
belongs, 

3.  The  case  of  restitution  of  goods  unjustly  got.  What  we  have 
unjustly  got,  is  not  ours  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  therefore  God  calls 
to  restore  it,  Luke  xix.  8.  And  the  sin  of  the  taking  it  away,  is  not 
forgiven  while  it  is  kept.  And  where  it  is  so,  God  often  forces  it 
out  of  the  hand  of  them  or  theirs,  taking  away  more  with  it,  Job  xx. 
10,  15.  For  a  little  of  that  sort  is  a  moth  among,  and  worms  one 
out  of  much. 

4.  In  the  case  of  charity.  It  is  the  divine  command  to  improve 
our  worldly  substance  for  the  honour  of  God,  Prov.  iii.  9.  and  to 
relieve  the  wants  of  the  poor  and  needy,  according  to  our  ability, 
and  their  need.  God  has  made  us  stewards,  and  the  truly  poor  his 
receivers,  Prov.  xix.  17.  The  sturdy  beggars  are  indeed  the  re- 
proach of  our  land,  and  eat  the  meat  out  of  the  mouths  of  those  that 
are  poor  indeed  ;  their  idleness  is  their  sin,  and  the  sin  of  the  go- 
vernment that  suffers  them  to  be  idle,  2  Thess.  iii.  10.  and  their 
vagabond  life  is  their  sin  and  punishment,  Psal.  cix.  10.  But  the 
truly  poor,  that  fain  would,  but  are  not  able,  or  cannot  have  access 
to  do  for  themselves,  God  obliges  others  to  help  them,  even  though 
they  be  straitened  themselves,  2  Cor.  viii.  2,  "  In  a  great  trial  of 
affliction,  the  abundance  of  their  joy,  and  their  deep  poverty, 
abounded  unto  the  riches  of  their  liberality."  Eph.  iv.  28,  "  Let 
him  that  stole,  steal  no  more ;  but  rather  let  him  labour,  working 
with  his  hands  the  thing  which  is  good,  that  he  may  have  to  give  to 
him  that  needeth."     See  Prov.  xxi.  13. 

Secondly,  When  he  himself  is  providentially  taking  them  away 
from  us.  Sometimes  he  lays  worldly  good  things  to  one's  hand ;  at 
other  times  he  returns  and  takes  them  away,  and  then  doubtless  he 
says.  Give  them  up  to  me.  Job  saw  this  in  his  own  experience, 
chap.  i.  21,  "  Naked  came  I  out  of  my  mother's  womb,  (says  be,)  and 
naked  shall  I  return  thither ;  the  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath 
taken  away ;  blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord."  And  this  the  Lord 
does  in  two  cases. 

1.  In  the  case  of  providential  losses,  when  the  things  themselves 


THE  CHARACTER  OP  THE  LOSERS  FOR  CHRISt's  SAKE.  381 

are  by  holy  providence  taken  away.  Thus  the  Lord  swept  away 
Job's  substance,  his  children,  and  his  health  too.  At  whatever  time 
Grod  thus  is  pulling  from  us,  we  are  called  to  open  our  hearts  to  quit 
them,  and  let  go  our  grip  of  them.  In  that  case  God  is  sending  to 
us  as  he  did  to  the  owner  of  the  ass,  Matth.  xxi.  1 — 3,  "  The  Lord 
hath  need  of  them ;"  and  we  shall  entertain  his  send  as  that  man, 
who  straightway  sent  the  ass  and  the  colt. 

2.  In  the  case  of  providential  restraints,  when  the  comfort  of  the 
things  is  taken  away,  though  themselves  remain.  Thus  the  Lord 
took  away  Job's  comfort  in  his  acquaintance,  friends,  and  domestics, 
there  was  an  embargo  laid  upon  them,  that  they  had  not  power  to 
be  comfortable  to  him,  but  on  the  contrary  were  a  cross  to  him,  Job 
xix.  13 — 16.  Yea,  in  his  own  wife,  who  j)roved  unkind  to  him,  ver. 
17.  and  a  snare  and  a  cross  to  him,  chap.  ii.  9.  No  person,  no 
thing,  can  be  to  us  other  than  what  God  makes  it  to  be ;  and  some- 
times God,  for  one's  trial,  squeezes  the  sap  out  of  their  creature- 
comforts,  and  so  calls  them  to  quit  their  comfort  in  them. 

Secondly,  I  come  to  shew  what  it  is  at  Christ's  call  to  leave  and 
give  up  with  them  for  his  sake  and  the  gospel's.  And  thus  we  will 
see,  who  they  are  to  whom  this  security  is  made.  It  lies  in  three 
things. 

First,  Discerning  of  heaven's  call  to  give  up  with  them,  2  Sam. 
xvi.  10.  None  can  leave  any  thing  at  God's  call,  when  he  discerns 
no  call  from  him  for  that  effect.  There  is  a  generation  who  like  the 
dog  snarl  at  the  stone,  but  look  not  to  the  hand  above  that  cast  it. 
In  their  losses  they  blame  this  or  that  person,  this  and  that  unlucky 
accident :  but  they  consider  not  God's  hand  over-ruling  them,  and 
by  these  things  taking  trial  of  them,  Psal.  xxviii.  5.  We  should 
see  him  first  mover  in  all  the  losses  that  befal  us. 

Secondly,  Loving  of  Christ  and  the  gospel  more  than  the  world, 
and  all  that  is  in  it :  for  that  i^erson  or  thing  for  whose  sake  we 
leave  any  thing,  must  needs  be  more  beloved  than  that  thing.  This 
is  the  habitual  temper  of  soul,  from  whence  that  action  doth  proceed, 
to  be  found  in  all  believers,  Luke  xvi.  26.  and  them  only,  1  John  ii. 
15.  And  unless  the  heart  be  once  moulded  into  this  frame  through 
faith,  it  is  not  to  be  expected  that  one  will  truly  quit  any  worldly 
good  for  Christ's  sake  and  the  gospel's,  whatever  they  may  do  for 
their  own  sake. 

Thirdly,  Heart  and  hands  quitting  grips  of  them,  out  of  love  to 
Christ  and  the  gospel,  Ueb.  x.  34,  "  Ye — took  joyfully  the  si)oiling 
of  your  goods."  The  call  clears  to  them,  that  they  must  part  either 
with  Christ  or  the  world  in  that  instance :  and  laying  the  two  in  the 
balance,  Christ  and  the  gospel  downweigh  the  worldly  thing,  and 


382  THE  CUARACTER  OF  THE  LOSEUS  FOR  CIIRIST's  SAKE. 

they  quit  it  to  hold  them  fast ;  not  only  giving  it  up  with  the  hand, 
which  may  bo  done  against  one's  will,  but  with  the  heart.  So  that 
this  is  a  religious,  holy  parting  therewith,  an  act  of  Christian  resig- 
nation and  self-denial.  Hence  we  may  state  the  character  of  the 
losers  to  whom  the  hundredfold  is  secured,  in  the  following  parti- 
culars. 

1.  They  are  true  believers,  who  have  taken  Christ  and  the  pro- 
mises of  the  gospel  for  their  portion,  their  all,  Psal.  cxix.  57,  "  Thou 
art  my  portion,  0  Lord."  In  vain  is  it  exi)ected,  that  the  heart 
will  ever  quit  its  grip  of  the  world,  till  it  takes  grip  of  Christ  and 
the  promise  of  the  gospel.  Therefore  faith  is  called  buying,  wherein 
the  party  gets  as  good  as  he  gives.  Rev.  iii.  18.  Matth.  xiii.  45,  46. 
And  indeed  in  the  day  of  the  soul's  closing  with  Christ,  it  gives  up 
with  all  things  in  the  world,  and  takes  Christ  for  them  all,  Luke 
xiv.  26.     And  to  such  the  hundredfold  is  secured. 

2.  In  all  their  losses  they  take  God  for  their  party,  and  yield  the 
things  to  him,  as  Job  did,  chaj).  i.  21.  forecited.  They  say  as  Eli 
did,  1  Sam.  iii.  18.  "  It  is  the  Lord ;  let  him  do  what  seemeth  him 
good." 

They  have  a  faith  of  the  divine  providence  with  application  to 
themselves,  knowing  that  nothing  can  befal  them,  but  as  he  orders 
it ;  they  know  that  he  is  just  in  all  his  ways,  and  does  them  no 
wrong,  whatever  wrong  may  be  done  them  by  men :  yea,  that  he  is 
good,  and  punishes  them  as  they  well  deserve.  Therefore  they  sub- 
mit to  him,  saying  as  the  church.  Lam.  iii.  22.  "  It  is  of  the  Lord's 
mercies  that  we  are  not  consumed,  because  his  compassions  fail  not;" 
and  as  Hezekiah,  Isa.  xxxix.  ult.  "  Good  is  the  word  of  the  Lord 
which  thou  hast  spoken."  And  thus  delivering  up  their  comforts 
to  him,  he  will  restore  them  an  hundredfold,  as  in  Job's  case. 

3.  They  yield  up  the  things  into  the  hand  he  directs,  be  that 
what  it  will.  Whether  he  take  away  immediately  by  his  own  hand, 
or  by  the  hands  of  men,  right  or  wrong  ;  the  intimation  of  his  will 
is  sufficient  to  them,  as  it  was  to  Job,  chap.  i.  21.  though  the  devil 
and  his  agents  were  instrumental  in  these  losses.  They  look  above 
second  causes,  and  take  their  loss  out  of  the  hand  of  the  first  cause, 
which  employs  what  second  causes  he  sees  meet.  If  men  look  not 
to  God  in  these  cases,  they  cannot  expect  that  he  will  make  up  what 
is  not  given  him. 

4.  They  leave  and  give  up  with  them,  to  keep  the  road  of  duty  in 
obedience  to  his  command,  Heb.  xi.  25.  It  is  their  care  to  keep 
their  worldly  enjoyments  as  valuable  gifts  of  God,  and  not  to  waste 
them  by  riot  or  negligence  ;  but  it  is  their  greater  care  to  keep 
themselves  in  the  love  of  God,  and  in  the  way  of  holy  obedience. 


THE  HUNDREDFOLD  SECURED  TO  TUE  LOSERS.  383 

And  therefore  when  they  cannot  do  both  together,  they  quit  the  for- 
mer, and  cleave  to  the  latter.  Such  losers  God  will  make  up,  (Ileb. 
xi.  26,  26,)  that  will  rather  lose  their  substance,  than  a  inire  con- 
science ;  that  will  rather  suffer  than  sin  against  him. 

5.  They  seek  their  rest  and  comfort  in  him  under  all  their  losses, 
and  in  the  promise  of  the  gospel,  Psal.  xxvii.  10.  By  an  eye  of  faith 
they  see  a  fulness  in  Christ  and  the  promise  ;  that  is  sufficient  to  bear 
up  under  all  they  can  lose  in  the  world  :  they  discern  a  treasure  in 
heaven,  which  is  not  liable  to  be  lost.  And  in  the  faith  thereof 
they  quit  their  worldly  comforts,  Heb.  x.  34.  taking  God's  promises 
in  the  gospel  for  their  heritage,  in  which  they  may  rejoice  in  the 
want  of  worldly  things,  Zeph.  iii.  12.  What  makes  men  hold  such 
a  greedy  grip  o  f  the  world,  is,  that  they  see  not,  how  if  they  lose  it, 
the  want  can  be  made  up :  but  faith  looses  that  difficulty. 

6.  They  are  submissive  under  their  losses,  maintaining  their  love 
to  an  afflicting  God,  and  their  esteem  of  the  gospel  under  all  their 
losses,  2  Sam.  xv.  25,  26.  They  will  not  cast  out  with  God  and  the 
gospel  for  world's  enjoyments,  nor  think  the  worse  of  him,  because 
he  takes  back  his  own,  or  denies  them  what  he  is  not  obliged  to  give 
thera.  If  such  thoughts  rise  in  their  hearts,  they  will  wrestle 
against  them,  mourn  over  them,  condemn  themselves  for  them,  and 
return  to  their  temper.  The  contrary  disposition  prevailing  in 
proud  hearts,  Satan  blows  the  coal,  and  oft-times  it  has  a  desperate 
and  fearful  issue ;  as  in  Ahithophel  and  others. 

7.  They  will  take  no  sinful  method  to  prevent  their  losses,  nor 
yet  to  recover  thera,  or  shift  under  them.  "When  life  lay  at  stake 
with  those  worthies  mentioned,  Heb.  xi.  35.  they  would  not  accept 
deliverance  on  any  sinful  terms  ;  when  Joseph  was  sold  for  a  slave, 
lie  would  not  buy  his  freedom  with  defiling  his  conscience.  That  is 
losing  for  Christ's  sake  and  the  gospel's,  and  them  that  so  lose,  Christ 
will  make  up  ;  when  they  that  go  out  of  God's  ways  into  sinful 
ways,  which  honour  not  God,  but  the  devil,  either  for  preventing  or 
recovering,  will  find  their  loss  doubled  by  these  means. 

8.  Lastly,  The  more  that  created  streams  are  dried  up,  the  more 
closely  they  will  seek  after  the  fountain,  1  Tim.  v.  5.  It  is  for  this 
very  cause  the  Lord  trysts  his  own  people  Avith  crosses  and  losses ; 
as  Absalom  set  Joab's  corn-field  on  fire,  the  Lord  caused  a  burden 
to  be  blown  off  the  back  of  his  people,  that  they  may  run  their  race 
more  speedily  ;  dries  up  a  stream  of  comfort  in  a  created  person  or 
thing,  that  they  may  come  with  greater  appetite  to  the  fountain  of 
comfort. 

II.  The  next  head  is  to  consider  the  hundredfold  secured  to  such 
losers.  This  is  not  an  hundredfold  in  kind,  but  an  hundredfold  in 
value.     Such  as, 


384  THE  HUNDREDFOLD  SECURED  TO  THE  LOSERS. 

First,  The  peace  and  pleasurable  reflection  on  the  way  of  losing 
it,  2  Cor.  i.  12.  When  the  losses  of  untender  unholy  men  leave  a 
sting  behind  them,  in  that  they  find  they  have  lost  for  their  lusts' 
sake  ;  theirs  shall  afford  them  a  pleasure,  that  their  losses  come  not 
that  way,  but  in  a  cleanly  providential  way,  by  the  hand  of  God 
taking  a  trial  of  them,  what  they  can  lose  and  part  with  for  him. 
This  is  an  hundredfold  more  ;  for, 

1.  This  peace  is  a  Christian,  spiritual  benefit,  flowing  from  the 
Spirit's  leading,  of  a  man  in  the  way  of  God ;  therefore  more  valu- 
able than  the  having  of  temporal  good  things,  which  is  a  common 
benefit.  He  may  thus  reflect,  "  Had  I  been  left  to  the  swing  of 
ray  lusts,  I  might  have  sustained  all  this  loss  by  my  sinful  hand 
bringing  it  on ;  but  0  how  am  I  obliged  to  preventing  grace  !" 

2.  Such  losing  is  a  piece  of  honour  that  God  puts  on  his  people, 
1  Pet.  iv.  14.  "Whatever  impossibility  there  is  to  reconcile  this  with 
the  world's  false  notions  of  honour ;  according  to  the  scripture  and 
reason,  it  is  certainly  an  honour,  to  have  some  considerable  thing  in 
the  world,  and  a  heart  to  part  with  for  Christ,  Heb.  xi.  And  there- 
fore we  expect  that  the  greatest  sufferings  for  Christ,  will  have  the 
richest  incomes  in  the  other  world. 

Secondly,  The  cordial  satisfaction  in  the  way  of  j)arting  Avith  it. 
There  are  two  things  meeting  here,  which  make  an  hundredfold 
more  to  spring  up  in  the  way  of  satisfaction. 

1.  The  consideration  that  Christ  will  condescend  to  take  such  a 
token  of  our  love  off  our  hand,  Acts  v.  41.  It  is  obligement  to  the 
lover,  that  the  beloved  party  will  accept  a  token  of  his  love ;  though 
by  that  means  he  has  less  in  his  hand  than  his  rival,  from  whom 
such  a  thing  is  not  taken,  he  has  more  in  hope.  All  is  the  Lord's, 
and  that  he  will  take  any  thing  off  our  hand  as  a  token,  will  be  in 
the  eyes  of  humble  souls  a  great  condescension. 

2.  The  consideration  of  the  Lord's  giving  a  heart  to  part  with  it 
to  him.  Every  serious  soul  will  value  this  a  hundred  times  more 
than  the  having  of  the  thing  parted  with,  1  Chron.  xxix.  14.  For 
the  latter  is  but  a  common  gift,  but  the  former  a  gift  of  special 
grace,  Phil.  i.  29.  And  there  is  far  more  of  the  love  of  God  in  the 
one  than  in  the  other ;  for  it  argues  special  love. 

Thirdly,  Contentment  with  the  low  and  afflicted  lot.  All  the 
abundance  of  the  world  cannot  give  contentment;  but  losers  for 
Christ's  sake  and  the  gospel's  have  their  worldly  loss  made  up  with 
a  gain  in  the  frame  of  their  spirit.  A  spirit  suited  to  one's  lot, 
brought  down  to  the  afllicted  condition,  is  a  hundredfold  more  than 
what  is  lost.  That  is  a  valuable  lesson,  Phil.  iv.  12,  "  In  all  things 
I  am  instructed,  both  to  be  full  and  to  be  hungry,  both  to  abound 


THE  HUNDREDFOLD  SECURED  TO  THE  LOSERS.  385 

and  to  suffer  need ;"  to  have  one's  thirst  abated,  as  their  drink  is 
dried  up  ;  to  have  their  desires  narrowed  as  their  enjoyments  are, 
Psal.  xxsvii.  19.     This  is  an  hundredfold  ;  for, 

1.  Contentment  with  a  little  is  more  valuable  by  far,  than  even 
contentment  with  much.  For  it  is  more  difficult  to  reach,  and 
speaks  more  of  the  reality  and  strength  of  grace,  Psal.  xxxvii.  16. 
It  is  a  good  exchange,  when  what  is  taken  off  our  comforts,  is  made 
up  in  adding  to  the  contented  frame  of  spirit. 

2.  The  narrowing  of  the  desires  of  worldly  comforts,  is  better 
than  the  enlarging  of  one's  possessions  and  enjoyments.  For  the 
former  is  cutting  short  of  our  lusts,  the  other  food  to  them. 

Fourthly,  A  particular  care  of  heaven  about  them  for  their  sup- 
ply, 1  Pet.  V.  7.  Losers  for  Christ  have  in  all  ages  been  the  pecu- 
liar objects  of  heaven's  care  and  concern,  to  their  upbearing  and 
throughbearing,  John  xiv.  18.  "I  will  not  leave  you  comfortless." 
And  none  have  been  better  seen  to  than  the  children  of  providence, 
■who  have  been  as  the  lilies  clothed  better  than  Solomon  in  all  his 
glory.  Hence  an  afflicted  lot  of  saints  has  been  the  time  of  greatest 
experience  ;  and  they  have  had  richest  incomes,  when  living  from 
hand  to  mouth,  Rom.  v.  3,  4.     This  is  an  hundredfold,  for, 

1.  The  suitableness  of  it  to  their  real  needs,  Matth.  vi.  32.  They 
have  a  promise,  Phil.  iv.  19,  "  My  God  shall  supply  all  our  need, 
according  to  his  riches  in  glory  by  Christ  Jesus ;"  and  God,  who  is 
their  Father,  is  a  good  judge  of  what  these  needs  are,  and  will  see 
to  suit  providential  supplies  unto  them.  He  has  all  in  hand,  and  is 
able ;  he  loves  them  tenderly,  and  will  give  them  what  is  good. 

2.  The  seasonableness  of  it.  Providential  favourable  casts  in  this 
case  are  double  gifts  from  the  timing  of  them,  as  being  laid  in  in  a 
nick  of  time,  when  they  may  be  most  useful,  as  in  Mordecai's  case. 

3.  From  both  these  they  bear  an  impression  and  character  of  the 
divine  care  and  love,  so  that  though  for  the  matter  of  them  they 
have  very  small  things,  yet  the  image  and  superscription  they  bear 
will  make  them  of  much  bulk.  Thus  Esau's  countenance  was  a  vast 
mercy  in  Jacob's  esteem,  Gen.  xxxiii.  10.  And  many  a  thing,  which 
some  would  account  a  mere  trifle,  has  filled  a  saint  with  joy. 

Quest.  How  can  that  be  ?  Ans.  On  these  reasonable  grounds. 
(1.)  The  things  coming  as  an  answer  of  prayer.  A  straitened  lot  in 
the  world,  makes  God's  children  carry  even  their  smaller  matters  to 
their  prayers ;  and  there  are  answers  of  prayer  in  these  cases.  (2.) 
Coming  as  an  accomplishment  of  a  promise  depended  on  by  faith. 
The  promise  comes  as  low  as  to  the  bread  and  the  water.  And  the 
sap  of  a  promise  is  matter  of  joy,  though  it  were  but  a  drop. 

Fifthly,  A  particular  allowance  of  communion  with  God,  and  ac- 


386  THE  HUNDREDFOLD  SECURED  TO  THE  LOSERS. 

cess  to  him  in  duties,  made  to  these  losers  ;  that  as  their  trials  are 
greater  than  those  of  others,  their  supports  may  be  conformable, 
Cant.  i.  7.  "  Tell  me,  0  thou  whom  ray  soul  loveth,  where  thou  feed- 
est,  where  thou  makest  thy  flock  to  rest  at  noon."  Not  that  they 
would  get  these  however  they  carry  themselves,  but  that  the  Lord 
has  allowed  it  them  being  duly  exercised  by  their  trials,  which  was 
sealed  by  Paul's  experience,  2  Cor,  xii.  10.  "  I  take  pleasure  in  in- 
firmities, in  repi'oaches,  in  necessities,  in  persecutions,  in  distresses 
for  Christ's  sake  ;  for  when  I  am  weak,  then  am  I  strong."  This 
is  agreeable  to, 

1.  The  goodness  of  God,  that  where  he  closes  the  door  of  the 
creature  fastest  on  his  people,  he  opens  his  own  the  wider ;  and  that 
they  who  find  the  world  deafest  to  their  cries,  find  him  most  ready 
to  answer  them. 

I.  To  their  exigence.  The  drying  up  of  created  streams  of  com- 
fort, makes  people  more  sensible  of  their  need  of  the  fountain,  and 
to  thirst  the  more  for  it.  And  those  that  are  most  pinched  with 
sense  of  need,  will  readily  come  best  speed  at  the  throne  of  grace. 
Luke  i.  53,  "  He  hath  filled  the  hungry  with  good  things,  and  the 
rich  he  hath  sent  erai)ty  away." 

3.  To  the  experience  of  the  saints  in  all  ages.  Those  who  have 
had  or  were  to  get  the  greatest  trials,  were  they  that  had  the  largest 
portion  of  spiritual  enjoyments  falling  to  their  share.  And  the 
greatest  suff"erers  and  losers  have  been  the  greatest  gainers  in  that 
respect,  as  in  the  case  of  Jacob,  Joseph,  &c. 

Now  this  is  an  hundredfold  :  for, 

1.  Communion  with  God  is  better  than  the  best  things  the  world 
can  aff'ord  ;  one  of  the  kisses  of  his  mouth  is  preferable  to  all  the 
treasure  the  world  casts  into  one's  lap,  Psal.  iv.  6,  7-  This  made 
confessors  take  joyfully  the  spoiling  of  their  goods,  and  made  mar- 
tyrs joyfully  meet  death,  made  Paul  and  Silas  sing  in  the  prison, 
and  the  three  children  easy  in  the  fiery  furnace. 

2.  It  is  heaven  on  earth.  Rev.  ii.  17,  "  To  him  that  overcometh 
will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  hidden  manna."  The  saints  carried  to 
glory  leave  all  their  worldly  enjoyments  behind  them,  as  Elijah 
dropt  his  mantle  ;  and  they  miss  them  not  there,  getting  full,  imme- 
diate, uninterrupted  communion  with  God  instead  of  all ;  more  than 
we  miss  the  star-light,  when  the  sun  shines  in  his  meridian  bright- 
ness.    And  communion  with  God  here  is  a  foretaste  of  heaven. 

3.  Access  to  God  in  duties,  eases  God's  people  of  a  burden  of 
care,  getting  it  cast  over  on  the  Lord,  whereby  they  are  sustained 
under  their  losses,  Psal.  Iv.  22.  Many  a  time  the  children  of  God 
have  gone  to  duty  sore  bowed  down  under  divers  pressures,  and 


OF  THE  BURDEN  ATTENDING  THE  HUNDREDFOLD.  387 

have  come  away  with  the  load  taken  off  their  spirits,  as  in  the  case 
of  Hannah,  1  Sara.  i.  18.  So  that  what  was  as  a  mountain  before, 
becomes  like  a  mole-hill.  And  it  is  an  hundredfold  better  to  be 
strengthened  from  above  to  go  lightly  under  a  burden,  than  to  have 
it  taken  off. 

4.  It  makes  them  find  the  sweetness  of  the  Bible,  and  suck  the 
sweet  of  the  promises,  Psal.  cxix.  49,  50.  "  Hemember  the  word  unto 
thy  servant,  upon  which  tliou  hast  caused  me  to  hope.  This  is  my 
comfort  in  my  affliction  ;  for  thy  word  hath  quickened  me."  While 
world's  ease  makes  the  heart  fat  as  grease,  insensible  to  the  con- 
solations of  the  word  ;  affliction  with  access  to  God  under  it,  causes 
the  word  relish  with  the  soul,  makes  a  sweetness  to  be  felt  in  those 
parts  of  the  word  where  it  was  not  felt  before. 

Lastly,  The  spiritual  good  effects  whereof  worldly  losses  are  the 
causes  and  occasion,  being  sanctified.     Such  are  especially, 

1.  Weanedness  from  the  world,  Psal.  cxxxi.  3.  "  My  soul  is  even 
as  a  weaned  child."  The  Lord's  laying  gall  and  wormwood  on  the 
breasts  of  the  creature,  is  a  blessed  means  to  wean  them  therefrom ; 
his  setting  fire  to  their  nest  in  the  world,  moves  them  to  seek  their 
rest  in  God,  Cant.  iv.  8.  This  makes  them  long  to  be  home,  and  to 
be  looking  heavenward,  and  mending  their  pace. 

2.  Seeking  to  get  their  wants  made  up  in  Christ.  The  world's 
frowns  make  them  more  solicitous  for  his  smiles  ;  while  worldly 
comforts  are  plucked  from  them,  they  endeavour  the  more  to  fasten 
their  gripes  on  him,  making  a  blessed  exchange  of  the  world  for 
Christ,  Heb.  iii.  17,  18.  This  makes  them  many  times  to  say,  "  I  had 
perished  unless  I  had  believed,"  being  driven  to  their  spiritual  good 
by  afflictions. 

3.  Lastly,  Living  by  faith,  Psal.  xxvii.  13.  "  I  had  fainted,  unless 
I  had  believed  to  see  the  goodness  of  the  Lord  in  the  land  of  the 
living."  When  created  streams  are  dried  up,  people  must  either 
fetch  in  their  comfort  from  another  quarter,  or  they  must  want.  For 
this  cause  God  sweeps  away  from  his  people,  many  times,  their  com- 
forts of  sense,  that  they  may  learn  to  live  on  the  j)romise  by  be- 
lieving. 

III.  I  shall  now  consider  the  burden  going  along  with  the 
hundredfold,  with  persecutions ;  it  implies  three  things. 

1.  That  in  the  course  of  worldly  losses  and  troubles,  the  hundred- 
fold shall  be  made  forthcoming  to  them,  Ileb.  x.  34.  "  Ye  took  joy- 
fully the  spoiling  of  your  goods,  knowing  in  yourselves  that  ye  have 
in  heaven  a  better  and  an  enduring  substance."  The  Lord  will  not 
leave  his  people  comfortless,  while  matters  are  on  a  run  against 
them.     But  as  Satan  and  an  ill  world  are  taking  away  from  them 


388  THE  DOCTRINE  APPLIED. 

on  the  one  hand,  he  will  be  laying  in  to  them  on  the  other.  While 
the  world  closeth  its  doors  on  them,  God  will  open  his  to  them. 

2.  That  the  hundredfold  in  this  life,  doth  not  secure  the  receivers, 
as  to  worldly  ease  thereafter.  An  end  of  troubles  in  this  world  is 
not  to  be  expected  while  we  are  in  it :  but  though  the  shower  has 
been  great  and  long,  the  clouds  will  return  after  the  rain  ;  and  after 
one  loss  another  will  come,  that  a  new  trial  may  be  taken  of  the 
Lord's  people.  However  much  they  have  endured,  they  must  expect 
to  meet  with  more.  A  change  of  troubles  there  may  be,  but  there 
will  be  no  end  till  the  great  change  come. 

Lastly^  However,  no  worldly  losses  nor  troubles  shall  be  able  to 
stop  the  course  of  the  hundredfold.  Let  them  be  never  so  weighty, 
the  Lord  can  let  in  what  will  downweigh  them  all,  Hab.  iii.  17,  18. 
"  Although  the  fig-tree  shall  not  blossom — yet  will  I  rejoice  in  the 
Lord,  I  will  joy  in  the  God  of  my  salvation,"  So  that  let  the  cloud 
be  never  so  thick,  the  eye  of  faith  may  see  how  to  get  through  it; 
for  God  lays  no  trial  on  his  people,  without  allowing  them  sufl&cient 
furniture  for  bearing  it. 

IV.  The  security  given  for  the  hundredfold  to  the  losers  for 
Christ's  sake  and  the  gospel's.  Concerning  which  observe  these  two 
things. 

1.  It  is  Christ's  own  security.  He  has  engaged  for  it  to  his  peo- 
ple. And,  (1.)  He  is  able,  for  he  is  the  great  Trustee  of  the  cove- 
nant, in  whose  hands  all  the  benefits  of  the  covenant  are  lodged,  to 
distribute  them  to  poor  sinners,  Matth.  xi.  27.  (2.)  He  is  faithful, 
and  cannot  break  his  engagement,  for  he  is  truth  itself ;  and  it  is 
impossible  that  he  should  fail. 

2.  It  is  the  security  of  his  word ;  he  has  given  his  word  on  it. 
And  that  requires  faith  in  us,  viz.  That  we  trust  to  that  security  for 
the  hundredfold,  so  shall  it  be  made  forthcoming. 

I.  I  shall  now  shut  up  this  subject  with  a  word  of  improvement. 
Use  I.  Of  information.     This  doctrine  lets  us  see, 

1.  That  even  an  afflicting  God  is  a  bountiful  God,  ready  to  deal 
bountifully  with  us,  in  our  most  straitening  circumstances.  What- 
ever he  calls  you  to  part  with  for  him,  he  is  ready  to  give  you  more 
and  better  in  its  stead.  Think  not  then  that  he  is  a  hard  master. 
For  however  short  by  the  head  he  sees  meet  to  hold  you,  it  is  your 
own  fault  if  ye  be  not  gainers  by  all  worldly  losses  and  troubles, 
2  Chron.  xxv.  9. 

2.  Here  is  the  mystery  of  the  sweet  peace  and  joy  that  martyrs, 
confessors,  and  others  have  had  in  their  trials  and  afflictions,  Heb. 
X.  34.  They  enjoyed  the  hundredfold.  And  therefore  they  prefer- 
red Christ's  Cross  to  the  world's  crown ;  they  would  not  accept  of 


THE  IMPORT  OF  ANOTHER  WORLD  THAN  THIS,  ETC.  389 

deliverance  on  sinful  terms,  because  so  they  would  have  forfeited 
the  hundredfold.  Whatever  trouble  without  their  crosses  and  losses 
brought  on  them,  the  hundredfold  gave  them  a  peaceful  calm  within. 
Use  II.  Labour  to  manage  your  losses  and  crosses  in  a  world,  so 
as  you  may  gain  the  hundredfold.     And, 

1.  Learn  to  sit  loose  to  the  world,  and  all  things  and  persons  in 
it,  that  at  Christ's  call  ye  may  be  ready  to  part  with  them,  or  your 
comfort  in  them,  Luke  ix.  23.  Let  them  hang  loose  about  you,  that 
on  occasion  ye  may  easily  drop  them.  It  is  the  gluing  of  our  affec- 
tions to  them,  that  makes  it  so  hard  for  us  to  part  with  them. 

2.  Whatever  way  they  are  taken  from  you,  or  withheld  from  you, 
make  God  himself  your  party,  and  quit  them  to  him,  for  his  sake 
and  the  gospel's.  Job  i.  21.  Thus  God  will  be  the  party  receiver 
from  you,  and  you  may  look  that  he  will  recompence  you.  Though 
you  have  mismanaged  that  already,  yet  there  is  room  to  help  it,  re- 
penting of  your  unwillingness  to  part  with  them,  and  your  not  quit- 
ting them  to  him.  Let  the  heart  now  quit  its  hankering  after  them 
again,  for  his  sake ;  and  all  Avill  be  set  right. 

3.  Trust  him  in  the  promise  of  the  hundredfold ;  believe  that  he 
will  make  up  your  losses  accordingly,  if  not  in  kind,  yet  in  value : 
and  assuredly  ye  shall  not  be  disappointed,  Rom.  ix.  ult,  "  Whoso- 
ever believeth  on  him,  shall  not  be  ashamed." 

Lastly,  Seek  of  him  the  hundredfold  according  to  his  promise,  and 
wait  for  it  in  the  use  of  means.  In  the  leaving  worldly  enjoy- 
ments for  him,  ye  make  an  exchange,  taking  Christ  instead  of  what 
you  lose ;  now  pursue  that,  that  ye  may  have  that  comfort  from  him, 
and  much  more,  than  ye  have  lost. 

I  shall  proceed  to  the  main  point  I  intend  to  discourse  on  from  the 
text,  viz. 

DocT.  There  is  another  world  than  this,  a  world  to  come,  wherein 
men  will  receive  their  part  for  eternity. 

This  is  an  awful  subject,  and  what  we  know  very  little  about :  yet 
so  much  is  revealed  concerning  it,  as  God  saw  necessary,  though 
not  to  satisfy  our  curiosity,  yet  for  our  salvation.  In  speaking  to  it, 
I  shall, 

I.  Shew  some  things  imported  in  this. 

II.  Confirm  the  being  of  another  world,  a  world  to  come,  wherein 
men  shall  receive  their  part  for  eternity. 

III.  Essay  to  give  some  view  of  the  other  world. 

IV.  Make  application  of  the  whole. 

I.  I  am  to  shew  some  things  imported  in  this  doctrine,  That  there 
YoL.  V.  2  c 


390  THE  IMPORT  OF  ANOTHER  WORLD  TITAN  THIS, 

is  another  world  than  this,  a  world  to  come,  wherein  men  will  re- 
ceive their  part  for  eternity.     It  imports, 

1.  That  this  world  is  a  place  wherein  men  receive  their  part  only 
for  time.  The  parts  and  portions  distributed  by  divine  providence 
in  it,  are  very  different;  some  are  high,  others  low;  some  rich, 
others  poor  ;  some  healthy,  others  sickly  ;  some  in  prosperity,  others 
in  adversity  ;  some  spend  their  days  in  pleasure,  others  eat  with 
pleasure.  But  all  these  things  are  only  for  a  time ;  these  different 
states  are  only  to  last  for  a  certain  number  of  years,  which  being  ex- 
pired, things  shall  be  set  on  a  quite  different  footing  in  the  other 
world.     So, 

(1.)  The  smiles,  comforts,  and  advantages  of  this  world  that  any 
do  enjoy,  will  in  a  little  time  have  an  end.  It  is  a  pity,  that  any 
should  value  themselves  upon  them.  They  are  but  the  conveniences 
they  have  in  the  inn,  in  their  way  to  the  other  world,  and  are  nei- 
ther eternal  nor  pledges  of  welfare  in  eternity,  Luke  xii.  19, — 21. 

(2.)  The  afflictions,  crosses,  and  miseries  of  this  world,  will  shortly 
have  an  end  too.  As  the  summer-warmth  therefore  will  not  last, 
neither  will  its  winter-blasts.  Both  the  saint  and  the  sinner  will 
quickly  remember  them  as  waters  that  fail ;  the  one  exchanging 
them  in  the  other  world  with  eternal  joys,  the  other  with  eternal 
sorrows. 

2.  That  our  main  concern  lies  in  the  world  to  come  ;  for  there  our 
eternal  state  is  to  be  settled,  there  we  are  to  have  our  portion  for 
eternity.  As  is  the  weight  of  eternity  to  time,  so  is  the  world  to 
come  to  the  present  world ;  and  as  time  will  be  swallowed  up  in  eter- 
nity, so  ought  our  temporal  concerns  to  be  engaged  in  concern  about 
the  world  to  come.     It  is  fearful  heedlessness  to  behave  otherwise. 

3.  Men  must  pass  out  of  this  world  into  the  other  world,  from  out 
of  the  world  we  see,  into  the  world  we  see  not ;  otherwise  there 
could  be  no  receiving  our  part  in  it. 

(1.)  We  must  all  leave  this  world,  and  that  passage  is  by  death. 
That  is  the  way  of  all  flesh,  Psal.  Ixxxix.  48.  "  What  man  is  he 
that  liveth,  and  shall  not  see  death  ?  Death  is  our  going  hence,  Psal. 
xxxix.  ult.  And  our  whole  life  is  a  journey  through  the  world,  to 
the  end  of  which  journey  we  come  at  death,  Eccl.  ix.  10.  However 
unwilling  men  may  be  to  leave  the  world,  no  art  nor  might  can  al- 
ter the  statute,  Heb.  ix.  27.     "  It  is  appointed  unto  men  once  to  die." 

(2.)  We  are  not  done  when  dead.  We  do  not  cease  to  be,  when 
we  cease  to  breathe  in  this  world ;  neither  do  we  cease  to  act,  when 
all  bodily  motion  fails  with  us.  We  leave  our  dead  bodies  to  our 
friends,  for  them  to  lay  up  in  the  grave  in  the  lower  parts  of  this 
earth,  but  we  pass  away  from  among  them,  for  the  soul  is  the  man; 


■WHEREIN  MEN  RECEIVE  THEIR  PART  FOR  ETERNITY.  391 

and  they  cannot  keep  us  still,  nor  can  ^ye  abide ;  but  dropping  the 
mantle  of  the  body,  -we  fly  away. 

(3.)  We  enter  then  into  the  other  -world;  as  at  our  birth  we  are 
born  of  our  mothers  into  this  world,  at  our  death  we  are  born  into 
the  world  of  spirits.  That  world  which  we  now  hear  of,  we  will  then 
see ;  and  that  state  we  are  now  making  forward  to,  we  will  then  ar- 
rive at.  When  we  are  lost  to  our  friends  we  leave  behind  us  weep  ■ 
ing,  we  will  be  found  of  others  before  us,  and  perceived  as  new 
incomers  into  their  world. 

4.  This  world  itself  passeth  away,  the  other  world  will  abide  for 
ever ;  the  age  of  the  one  is  but  time,  that  of  the  other  is  eternity ;  so 
the  former  gives  place  to  the  latter. 

(1.)  This  world  is  passing,  1  Cor.  vii.  31.  1  John  ii.  17-  It  is  long 
since  it  began,  and  it  will  have  an  end.  Its  glass  is  running,  and 
the  last  sand  thereof  will  run  out  at  length ;  the  sun  and  moon  are 
by  the  appointment  of  God  to  make  so  many  rounds,  and  then  time 
comes  to  an  end,  and  the  fabric  of  this  evil  world  is  dissolved. 
There  was  a  curse  laid  on  it  for  man's  sin  ;  that  deluged  it  with 
water  once  ;  and  in  the  end  will  burn  it  up  with  fire.     So, 

[1.]  The  weary  land  to  the  godly  will  vanish  out  of  their  sight; 
the  waste  howling  wilderness,  wherein  they  had  many  a  heavy  heart, 
for  their  own  sins  and  miseries,  and  those  of  others,  they  will  see 
no  more  for  ever.  It  is  a  world  that  will  not  mend,  but  spurns  all 
means  of  amendment ;  it  will  be  destroyed  at  length,  they  looking 
on  and  seeing  the  vengeance. 

[2.]  The  land  whereon  the  wicked  set  their  hearts,  as  the  only 
pleasant  land,  will  sink  under  their  feet,  and  leave  them  to  drop 
into  the  pit  of  destruction  in  the  other  world.  It  is  the  stage  of 
their  wickedness  now ;  but  God  will  take  it  down ;  it  is  the  sink  of 
sin,  but  it  will  be  burnt  up.  And  they  that  took  it  for  their  portion, 
will  perish,  and  their  portion  with  them. 

(2.)  The  other  world  will  abide  for  ever ;  for  there  men  live  eter- 
nally, and  therefore  it  must  be  eternal.  The  seat  of  the  blessed  was 
never  defiled  by  men's  sin,  therefore  there  will  be  no  passing  away 
of  it,  even  when  the  visible  heavens  shall  be  dissolved,  which  afford 
light  and  covering  to  sinful  man ;  and  the  seat  of  the  damned 
will  abide  for  ever;  for  there  the  everlasting  fire  into  which  they 
are  condemned,  will  be  kept  on ;  and  there  is  the  place  of  everlast- 
ing punishment.  So  in  a  sort,  it  will  be  for  evermore  the  world  to 
come,  in  the  sense  that  conservation  is  a  continued  creation.  Hence, 
[1.]  Entering  in  the  other  world,  men  are  at  the  end  of  their  jour- 
ney, at  their  utmost  point ;  they  are  no  more  travellers,  but  at  their 
liome,  their  everlasting  home,  Rev.  iii.  12.  Luke  xvi.  26.     There  is 

2  c  2 


392        THE  NOTION  OF  THE  OTHER  WORLD  IN  GENERAL. 

no  coming  back  again  into  this  world,  and  there  is  no  passing  out  of 
that  world  into  another,  for  there  is  none  to  succeed  to  it. 

[2.]  Whatever  men's  portion  in  that  world  is,  it  is  sure  ;  for  it  is 
an  abiding  world.  jMen's  portion  in  this  world  cannot  be  sure,  be- 
cause the  world  itself  is  not  so ;  it  is  like  the  foam  on  the  water, 
which  is  liable  to  perishing,  because  the  -water  itself  is  still  in  mo- 
tion ;  but  that  world  is  not  liable  to  passing  away;  happy  are  they 
who  lay  up  for  themselves  treasures  in  hea\^en. 

5.  Lastly,  Men  are  to  receive,  each  one  at  length,  his  part  for  eter- 
nity. What  we  get  now  in  hand,  is  but  for  time  :  worldly  good 
things  are  so,  and  even  the  grace  given  now  is  the  provision  given  for 
our  journey  through  time,  and  is  liable  to  many  changes,  if  not  in 
itself  as  real  inherent  grace,  yet  as  to  the  sense  thereof  as  relative 
grace  ;  but  when  we  come  to  the  other  world,  we  will  receive  what 
falls  to  our  lot  for  all  the  ages  of  eternity.     Hence, 

(1.)  Men's  being  is  to  be  continued  through  eternity.  God  was 
from  eternity,  and  will  be  to  eternity  ;  we  had  indeed  a  beginning  of 
our  being,  but  it  will  have  no  end.  Our  being  in  this  world  will  soon 
come  to  an  end  ;  but  when  we  cease  to  be  in  this  world,  we  will  be 
in  the  other.  Though  the  body  is  mortal,  the  soul  is  immortal,  and 
will  never  cease  to  be.  Death  will  dissolve  the  union  betwixt  soul 
and  body ;  but  it  will  not  touch  the  soul  to  put  an  end  to  it. 

(2.)  Our  state  in  the  other  world  will  continue  for  ever,  as  it  is 
fixed  and  determined  at  death,  Eccl.  xi.  3.  If  we  die  in  the  favour 
of  God,  we  will  never  lose  it :  if  we  die  out  of  it,  we  will  never  re- 
cover it;  for  our  state  in  the  other  world  will  be  eternal.  Now,  if 
we  be  wrong,  we  may  yet  get  right  again ;  but  there  is  no  mending 
of  our  state. 

(3.)  Lastly,  Our  great  work  now  then  must  be  to  have  a  happy 
part  secured  for  us  there.  Were  it  believed,  that  the  moment  is 
abiding  us,  wherein  we  shall  be  set  down  in  an  unalterable  state ; 
there  could  not  be  so  little  care  about  it,  to  have  it  right.  But  alas! 
the  din  of  this  world,  will  not  suffer  the  report  from  the  other  world 
to  take  place  with  us. 

II.  I  shall  confirm  the  being  of  another  world,  a  world  to  come, 
wherein  men  shall  receive  their  part  for  eternity.  And  to  establish 
the  notion  of  that  world  in  the  general,  consider, 

1.  There  is  an  invisible  world  actually  in  being,  namely,  the 
world  of  spirits,  distinct  from  our  visible  world,  Heb.  i.  2 ;  Col.  i. 
16.  Invisible  it  is,  not  in  respect  of  the  inhabitants  thereof,  for  the 
saints  that  are  there  are  in  light,  and  even  the  rich  man  in  hell  is 
said  to  see  Lazarus  in  Abraham's  bosom ;  but  in  respect  of  us  who 
are  in  the  world,  it  is  invisible.     This  is  that  other  world,  into 


THE  NOTION  OF  THE  OTHER  WORLD  IN  GENERAL.  393 

which,  we  say,  the  souls  of  men  do  pass,  going  out  of  this  world  by 
death. 

This  is  the  world  to  come  spoken  of  in  the  text,  of  which  heaven 
the  seat  of  the  blessed  is  a  part.  For  it  is  evident,  that  it  is  in  hea- 
ven the  losing  saints  shall  receive  eternal  life,  even  in  the  heaven 
that  now  is ;  and  that  their  heavenly  eternal  life  is  not  put  off  till 
the  last  day,  Phil.  i.  23;  Luke  xxiv.  51 ;  2  Cor.  v.  1. 

The  only  difficulty  now  is,  how  that  world  now  in  being,  can  be 
called  the  world  to  come.  To  which  it  is  answered,  that  it  is  so  cal- 
led in  respect  to  us,  who  have  now  no  part  or  place  in  it,  as  in  this 
world,  but  at  death  are  to  get  it.  So  that  though  in  itself  it  is  come 
already,  yet  as  to  us  it  is  to  come.     Further, 

2.  That  world  will  at  the  end  of  time  be  extended,  to  the  compre- 
hending of  the  new  heavens  and  new  earth,  which  will  take  place 
after  the  conflagration  of  this  world.  That  there  will  be  a  passing 
away,  an  end  of  this  world,  apj)ears  from  1  John  ii.  17.  a  perishing 
of  it,  Psal.  cii.  25,  26.  and  that  it  will  be  by  fire,  2  Pet.  iii.  10 ;  and 
that  God  will  create  new  heavens  and  earth  upon  the  back  of  that, 
ver.  13.  ''Nevertheless  we,  according  to  his  promise,  look  for  new 
heavens,  and  a  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness."  These 
will  be  a  new  world,  not  belonging  to  this  world,  which  then  will  be 
gone,  but  to  the  other  world,  the  world  to  come. 

And  in  respect  of  this  addition,  the  other  world  is  the  world  to 
come,  which  is  not  now  in  being.  And  so  the  world  to  come  will 
comprehend  all,  even  that  space  which  this  world  now  takes  up. 
And  thus  the  now  invisible  world  will  be  enlarged,  like  a  house 
whose  rooms  are  enlarged  by  taking  down  the  partitions. 

3.  In  that  world  there  will  be  a  quite  new  state  of  men  and 
things,  1  John  ii.  17-  "  The  world  passeth  away  and  the  lust 
thereof;  but  he  that  doth  the  will  of  God,  abideth  for  ever,"  Rev. 
xxi.  4.  "  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes;  and  there 
shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow,  nor  crying,  neither  shall 
there  be  any  more  pain :  for  the  former  things  are  passed  away." 
As  is  the  difference  betwixt  men  and  their  business  on  a  journey, 
and  when  come  to  their  journey's  end ;  so  will  the  difference  be  of 
the  state  of  men  and  things  then,  from  what  they  are  now.  The 
other  world  brings  along  with  it  another  state,  and  so  constitutes  a 
change,  which  is  our  change  by  way  of  eminency.  Job  xiv.  14.  As 
all  the  changes  we  meet  with  in  this  world,  fall  short  of  the  change 
we  make  when  we  come  out  of  the  belly  into  the  light  of  this  world ; 
which  would  give  us  the  greatest  surprise,  had  we  the  full  use  of 
reason  then ;  so  all  the  changes  we  are  acquainted  with  now,  as 
from  health  to  sickness,  or  from  sickness  to  health,  ^c.  must  needs  fall 

2  c  3 


394         THE  BKIKG  OF  THE  OTHER  WORLD  EXPLAINED. 

short  of  the  change  that  we  will  undergo,  entering  the  other  world. 
Now  to  evince  the  being  of  another  world,  a  world  to  come,  consi- 
der, 

1.  The  scripture  expressly  mentions  a  world  to  come.  So  in  our 
text,  and  Matth.  xii.  32.  "  Whosoever  speaketh  against  the  Holy 
Ghost,  it  shall  not  be  forgiven  him,  neither  in  this  world,  neither  in 
the  world  to  come."  Eph.  i.  21.  "  Far  above  all  principality,  and 
power,  and  might,  and  dominion,  and  every  name  that  is  named,  not 
only  in  this  world,  but  also  in  that  which  is  to  come."  What  doubt 
then  can  they  entertain  of  it,  that  believe  the  scriptures  to  be  the 
word  of  God  ?  I  own,  the  world  to  come  is  sometimes  in  scripture 
used  for  the  state  of  the  church  under  the  gospel,  as  Heb.  ii.  5. 
"  For  unto  the  angels  hath  he  not  put  in  subjection  the  world  to 
come,  whereof  we  speak."  But  it  is  not  always  so  used,  Eph.  i.  21, 
just  cited.  And  where  it  is  so  used,  it  is  borrowed  frora  the  pro- 
phets of  the  Old  Testament,  who  spoke  of  the  gospel  church  under 
the  notion  of  a  new  world,  Isa.  Ixv.  17.  to  the  end.  But  then  it 
must  also  be  owned,  that  the  prophets  in  such  passages  had  also  the 
other  world  in  view,  and  from  thence  borrowed  their  expressions  for 
the  gospel-church,  which  still  confirms  the  being  of  a  world  to  come. 
Hence  Peter,  2  epist.  iii.  13.  forecited,  proves  it  from  Isa.  Ixv.  17. 
"  For  behold,  I  create  new  heavens,  and  a  new  earth  :  and  the  for- 
mer shall  not  be  remembered,  nor  come  into  mind.  And  such  com- 
pound senses  of  passages  are  usual  with  the  prophets,  as  Isa.  xxvi. 
10.  "  Thy  dead  men  shall  live,  together  with  my  dead  body  shall 
they  arise."  Hos.  vi.  2.  "  After  two  days  will  he  revive  us,  in  the 
third  day  he  will  raise  us  up,  and  we  shall  live  in  his  sight."  So 
Rev.  vi.  12,  &c.  and  vii.  9,  &c. 

2.  The  scripture  so  speaks  of  the  world  we  are  in,  as  it  supposes 
the  being  of  another.  The  scripture  usually  calls  it,  not  simply  the 
world,  but  this  world,  as  Jam.  ii.  5 ;  1  John  iii.  17-  and  iv.  17-  this 
present  world,  2  Tim.  iv.  10 ;  Tit.  ii.  12.  Now  why  should  it  be 
called  this  world,  if  there  were  not  another  world  ?  and  this  present 
world,  if  there  were  not  a  world  to  come  ?  Yea,  this  and  the  other 
world  are  expressly  opposed,  Luke  xx.  34,  35  ;  Eph.  i.  21;  this  time, 
and  the  world  to  come,  in  the  text;  this  world,  and  eternal  life, 
John  xii.  25.  All  which  plainly  declare,  that  there  is  another  world 
than  this. 

3.  There  are  beings  who  are  not  inhabitants  of  our  world ;  there- 
fore there  is  a  world  invisible  to  us,  whereof  they  ai'e  inhabitants. 
The  man  Christ  was  in  our  world  for  some  time,  but  now  is  no  more 
in  it,  John  xvi.  11.  But  somewhere  he  must  be,  and  it  is  plain  he 
is  gone  out  of  this  world  into  the  other  world  to  his  Father,  John 


THE  BEING  OF  ANOTHER  WORLD  PROVED.  395 

xiii.  1.  There  are  angels,  good  and  bad,  which  belong  not  to  our 
world,  as  appears  from  their  appearances  and  actings  recorded  in 
scripture ;  and  the  denial  of  them  by  the  Sadducees  is  condemned, 
Acts  xxiii.  8.     Therefore  thei-e  is  another  world  they  belong  to. 

4.  The  nature  of  death  and  the  immortality  of  the  soul  evince  this 
point.  Death  is  going  out  of  this  world,  Psal.  xxxix.  ult.  Job  xiv.  2. 
John  xiii.  1.  not  in  respect  of  our  bodies,  which  are  laid  up  in  it,  but 
in  respect  of  our  souls,  that  then  return  to  God  who  gave  them: 
There  must  then  be  another  world  into  which  they  go.  Death  dissolves 
the  union  betwixt  the  soul  and  the  body,  and  the  body  into  parts  of 
which  it  is  made  up ;  but  it  cannot  dissolve  the  soul  into  parts, 
which  is  a  simple  spirit ;  but  being  loosed  from  the  body,  and  leav- 
ing this  world,  there  must  be  another  world  that  it  is  received  into. 
This  is  plain  from  tlie  parable,  Luke  xvi.  where  Lazarus  dying  is 
said  to  be  carried  into  Abraham's  bosom,  and  the  rich  man  being 
dead  and  buried  is  said  to  be  in  hell! 

5.  It  is  evident  that,  in  this  world,  it  is  generally  best  with  the 
wicked,  and  worst  with  the  godly.  Look  abroad  and  see  into  whose 
hands  is  the  wealth,  honour,  and  ease  of  this  world  mostly  given? 
Have  not  the  wicked  the  greatest  share  of  these  by  far  ?  And  are 
not  adversity  and  various  afflictions  in  this  world,  in  a  special  man- 
ner the  lot  of  the  godly  ?  1  Cor.  xv.  19.  Do  not  many  wicked  ones 
prosper  on  to  the  end,  without  any  remarkable  punishment  before 
the  world  ?  and  many  godly  go  with  a  bowed  down  back  to  the 
grave,  without  any  lemarkable  change  into  prosperity?  Now  con- 
sider withal  the  justice  and  holiness  of  God,  his  goodness,  wisdom, 
and  love  to  his  people.  -And  thence  you  will  be  obliged  to  con- 
clude, that  there  is  another  world,  a  world  to  come,  wherein  all  odds 
shall  be  made  even,  wherein  it  shall  be  perfectly  well  with  the 
righteous,  and  ill  with  the  wicked.  It  is  inconsistent  with  the  di- 
vine perfections,  that  it  should  be  otherwise.  "What  wise  or  good 
governor  will  heap  favours  on  ill  men  his  enemies  ?  and  bear  hard 
on  good  men  his  friends,  always  ?  If  he  do  it  at  a  time,  it  must  be 
for  trial  only,  but  it  will  not  be  always  so. 

6.  Conscience  within  men  bears  witness  to  this  truth,  that  there 
is  another  world,  rewards  and  punishments  after  this  life.  How 
many  good  and  wise  men  have  suffered  death  and  most  exquisite  tor- 
ments here,  in  the  hope  of  happiness  in  another  world  ?  Heb.  xi. 
HoAv  many  wicked  and  ungodly  have  been  under  the  greatest  ter- 
rors, in  the  view  and  expectation  of  misery  there  ?  These  have 
seized  men  for  crimes  the  world  knew  not  of,  and  men  who  have 
been  in  no  hazard  of  punishment  from  men.  And  so  natural  to  men 
is  this  notion  of  another  world,  that  there  are  few  or  no  nations  on 


396  THE  BEING  OF  ANOTHER  WORLD  PROVED. 

the  earth,  however  barbarous,  that  have  not  had  it.  What  is  it 
men  are  so  afraid  of  at  death,  or  in  the  view  of  death,  but  their 
state  in  another  world  ? 

7.  Wherefore  did  God  make  man  ?  capable  of  a  happiness  he 
never  reaches  in  this  world.  Surely  he  made  him  for  his  own  glory ; 
but  how  little  glory,  how  much  dishonour  has  he  by  him  here  ? 
Surely  God  made  not  man  in  vain  ;  therefore  there  is  another  world, 
where  God  will  have  his  glory  of  man,  and  the  lovers  of  God  will 
reach  the  happiness  they  are  capable  of.     Consider, 

(1.)  All  men  desire  immortality,  or  an  eternal  being  in  a  happy 
state.  This  is  so  woven  into  our  very  nature,  that  we  can  never 
absolutely  put  it  away  from  us,  but  in  every  state  of  man  it  has 
been  with  him ;  therefore  it  is  from  God  the  author  of  nature.  Tet 
it  is  evident,  this  cannot  be  obtained  here  ;  nevertheless  it  is  not  iu 
vain,  for  that  consists  not  with  the  goodness  of  God,  that  it  should 
be  so  ;  therefore  there  is  another  world  in  which  it  may  be  satisfied. 
(2.)  Where  the  grace  of  God  has  touched  the  heart,  there  is 
framed  by  the  Spirit  an  earnest  desire  of  the  perfect  enjoyment  and 
glorifying  of  God,  Rom.  viii.  23.  2  Cor.  v.  2.  These  are  not  to  be 
obtained  in  this  world ;  therefore  there  is  another  world  in  which 
they  shall ;  for  it  cannot  be  that  God  would  create  such  an  appetite 
after  perfection  in  his  saints  never  to  be  satisfied.  The  work  of 
grace  is  carried  on  in  the  soul  by  degrees,  through  the  Spirit ;  and 
it  cannot  be  that  God  will  leave  his  work  imperfect.  It  is  not  per- 
fected here ;  therefore  there  is  another  world  where  it  will  be  per- 
fected, where  they  shall  perfectly  enjoy  and  glorify  God. 

(3.)  Where  grace  reaches  not  now,  men  continue  till  death  in  a 
state  of  sin,  dishonouring  God ;  therefore  there  is  another  world  in 
which  God  will  have  his  glory  of  such  men  ;  for  God  cannot  fall 
short  of  his  end  in  making  them.  Now  there  is  no  beginning  of  a 
work  of  grace  after  death,  Eccl.  xi.  3.  that  these  should  glorify  him 
actively  in  a  state  of  happiness  there  ;  therefore  they  shall  glorify 
him  there  passively  in  a  state  of  misery. 

(4.)  The  dignity  of  our  nature  as  made  rational  souls,  quite  above 
the  beasts  that  perish ;  akin  to  the  angelic  tribe,  yea  made  after 
God's  own  image  at  first ;  must  needs  bear  us  in  hand,  that  as  we 
consist  of  one  part  not  of  the  nature  of  the  earth,  but  a  spiritual 
substance  ;  so  we  are  not  to  perish  with  the  earth,  but  will  at  length, 
since  we  are  not  to  stay  here,  be  inhabitants  of  another  world. 

8.  There  are  not  wanting  emblems  of  another  world  after  this,  to 
teach  us  it  by  the  eye,  as  well  as  by  the  ear.  There  was  a  pure 
and  undefiled  world  that  Adam  was  brought  into,  wherein  was  para- 
dise, by  which  heaven  is  expressed  in  scripture.     This  quickly  went 


A  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  OTHER  AVORLD.  397 

out  of  sight.  And  a  defiled,  sinful,  miserable  world  succeeded, 
much  like  what  it  is  now,  that  lasted  long.  That  old  world  was  de- 
stroyed by  the  waters  of  the  flood,  and  a  new  world  succeeded  to  it 
thereafter.  An  emblem  of  the  destroying  of  this  by  fire,  and  ano- 
ther world  coming  in  its  room.  There  was  the  state  of  the  world 
under  the  law,  and  the  state  thereof  under  the  gospel,  that  was  long 
prophesied  of  under  the  name  of  the  world  to  come,  befoi'e  it  came. 
And  even  the  constant  revolutions  of  winter  and  summer,  night  and 
day,  may  serve  for  memorials  of  the  great  change  of  this  world,  with 
another  world  to  come. 

Lastly,  The  world  cannot  be  fulfilled,  if  there  be  not  a  world  to 
come ;  for  sure  in  many  parts  thereof  it  is  not  fully  accomplished  in 
this  world.  Now  it  is  more  sure  than  heaven  and  earth,  and  must 
be  completely  fulfilled  ;  and  therefore  there  is  a  world  to  come  in 
which  it  must  be  so,  that  the  veracity  of  God  may  be  entire. 

(2.)  The  promises  of  the  word  are  far  from  being  fully  accom- 
plished in  this  world  ;  and  therefore  they  who  by  faith  betake 
themselves  to  them  for  their  portion,  must  not  only  live  in  faith, 
but  die  in  faith,  Heb.  xi.  13.  In  this  world  there  is  a  begun  ac- 
complishment of  them ;  but  certain  it  is,  that  God's  people  have 
always  vastly  more  in  hope,  than  in  hand,  1  Cor.  ii.  9.  But  their 
faith  and  hope  should  be  vain,  were  there  not  a  world  to  come. 

(2.)  The  threatenings  of  the  word  are  not  fully  accomi>Iished  in 
this  world  neither.  Many  ungodly  men  live  and  die  in  peace,  as 
far  as  tiff  world  can  discern,  Job  xxi.  18.  Psal.  Ixxiii.  3,  4.  Yet 
most  terrible  things  are  denounced  against  them  in  the  word  ;  and 
that  they  are  not  accomplished  in  this  world,  is  an  infallible  proof, 
that  there  is  another  world  in  which  they  shall. 

A  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  OTHER  WORLD. 

III.  Having  evinced  the  being  of  another  world,  a  world  to  come, 
we  shall  now  essay  to  give  some  view  of  that  world.  And  here  we 
are  much  in  the  dark,  knowing  but  very  little  of  the  subject ;  and 
therefore  it  is  a  very  scanty  view  we  can  pretend  to  give  of  it.  The 
reasons  hereof  are, 

1.  We  are  while  in  this  body  creatures  of  sense,  and  ranch  of  the 
knowledge  we  have  arises  from  our  senses  ;  but  thither  our  senses 
cannot  reach.  "We  see,  and  hear,  and  feel  much  of  this  woi'ld  lying 
in  wickedness,  whereby  we  are  in  a  capacity  to  judge  thereof;  but 
in  respect  of  these  our  senses,  and  all  other,  that  world  is  as  if  it 
were  not  at  all ;  so  that  those  who  are  immersed  in  sense,  void  of 
faith,  heed  not  the  world.      There  are  loud  songs  of  joy  and  praise 


398  REASONS  OF  OUR  OBSCURE  VIEWS  OP  THE  OTHER  WORLD. 

among  tlie  saints  in  that  world,  and  liowlings  among  the  damned 
there  ;  but  listen  we  as  wc  will,  we  can  hear  neither.  There  is  shin- 
ing glory  in  one  part  of  it,  and  darkness  and  misery  in  the  other ; 
but  neither  of  them  can  our  eyes  perceive. 

2.  The  communication  betwixt  our  world  and  it,  is  stopt  beyond 
the  power  of  men  to  open  it.  Men  have  opened  a  communication 
betwixt  us  and  the  most  remote  parts  of  this  world  ;  they  have  found 
means  to  pass  the  vast  oceans  between  them  and  us,  to  go  to  them 
that  dwell  in  the  utmost  parts,  and  to  return  and  give  us  descrip- 
tions of  their  part  of  the  world,  and  the  manner  of  the  inhabitants. 
But  the  invisible  world  remains  yet  the  unknown  laud  to  us,  and 
will  do  so  to  the  end.  There  is  a  passage  to  it,  but  not  at  our  will 
neither  ;  but  there  is  no  passage  back  again  to  us.  All  of  us  have 
friends  and  acquaintance  there  before  us,  but  no  more  communica- 
tion betwixt  them  and  us,  than  others. 

3.  Though  there  have  been  apparitions  of  inhabitants  of  that 
world,  unto  some  of  our  world,  both  of  good  angels  and  of  saints, 
Matth.  xxvii.  53,  and  of  evil  angels,  Matth.  iv.;  yet  it  is  observable, 
that  these  were  quite  extraordinary,  and  happened  but  to  very  few; 
that  men  are  very  unable  to  bear  the  sight  even  of  good  angels,  or 
to  converse  with  them,  Dan.  viii.  17,  18 ;  and  that  the  accounts  they 
have  brought  concerned  men's  duty,  or  events  to  befal  in  this  world, 
and  not  to  give  them  descriptions  of  the  other  world  whence  they 
came.  And  if  at  any  time  evil  spirits  have  offered  reports  of  that 
kind,  they  cannot  be  depended  on,  for  the  devil  is  "  a  lia^  and  the 
father  of  it,"  John  viii.  44.  And  apparitions  of  the  dead  are  very 
suspicious;  and  it  is  like  Satan  offers  in  that  kind  many  illusions, 
as  is  thought  he  did  in  the  case  of  the  apparition  of  Samuel,  1  Sam. 
xxviii. 

4.  The  Lord  has  made  the  revel.itions  concerning  the  other  world 
but  sparingly  in  the' word,  from  whence  we  get  our  notices  of  it. 
There  is  as  much  there  discovered  about  it,  as  is  necessary  for  ns  to 
know  for  our  salvation.  The  happiness  of  the  inhabitants  of  one 
part  of  it,  and  the  misery  of  the  other,  are  in  the  general,  plainly 
laid  before  us,  to  stir  us  up  to  our  duty,  to  see  timely  how  to  be 
right  posted  there ;  but  certainly  there  is  a  vail  drawn  over  many 
particulars  concerning  it,  which  we  will  never  be  able  while  here  to 
dvaw  by,  1  Kings  x.  7.  Besides,  we  are  slow  of  understanding  what 
is  revealed  about  it. 

Lastly,  There  is  indeed  a  disproportion  between  our  present  facul- 
ties and  the  clear  and  distinct  notions  of  tlie  other  world.  As  to 
heaven's  happiness,  there  is  a  plain  and  pointed  testimony,  1  Cor.  ii. 
9,  "  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the 


A  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  OTHER  WORLD.  399 

heart  of  man,  the  things  which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love 
him."  The  eye  sees  many  things  that  the  hands  cannot  reach,  the 
ear  hears  more  than  the  eye  sees ;  but  the  heart  conceives  more  than 
is  either  seen  or  heard,  yet  cannot  reach  that.  The  same  may  be 
said  of  the  misery  of  hell,  it  is  beyond  our  conception.  When  Paul 
was  caught  up  to  the  third  heaven,  he  heard  unspeakable  words, 
which  it  is  not  lawful  [marg.  possible]  for  a  man  to  utter,"  2  Cor.  xii. 
4,  An  evidence  hereof  is,  that  the  notices  given  us  of  the  other 
world,  are  much  in  the  way  of  similitudes  taken  from  things  we  are 
acquainted  with,  as  heaven  a  glorious  city,  hell  a  burning  lake. 
Our  Lord  gives  the  reason,  John  iii.  12,  "  If  I  have  told  you  earthly 
things,  and  ye  believe  not,  how  shall  ye  believe  if  I  tell  you  of  hea- 
venly things  ?"  So  our  notions  of  these  things  are  like  those  of 
children  of  what  they  never  saw,  1  Cor.  xiii.  11,  12. 

Wherefore  the  little  I  can  or  will  adventure  to  say  on  tliat  world, 
shall  be  comprised  in  a  few  heads. 

1.  The  parts  of  the  other  world. 

2.  The  inhabitants  of  it. 

3.  The  passage  into  it. 

4.  The  state  of  men  in  it. 

I.    0/  the  Parts  of  the  Other  World. 

That  vast  world  is,  according  to  the  scripture,  divided  into  two, 
and  but  two  parts,  heaven  the  seat  of  the  blessed,  and  hell  the  seat 
of  the  damned.  A  purgatory,  or  place  of  a  middle  state  between 
these,  there  is  none ;  for  scripture  mentions  but  two  places,  into  one 
of  which  souls  separated  from  their  bodies  do  pass,  Luke  xvi.  22,  23. 
And  accordingly  there  are  but  two  ways,  the  one  to  life,  the  other 
to  destruction,  Matth.  vii.  13,  14.  Besides,  the  sins  of  believers  are 
fully  purged  away  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  the  scripture  knows 
no  other  purgative  of  sin,  1  John  i.  7-  Heb.  x.  14,  17.  Unbelievers 
die  in  their  sins  without  hope,  Prov.  xiv.  13.  The  saints  are  happy 
immediately  after  death.  Rev.  xiv.  13.  Therefore  Paul  desired  to 
be  dissolved,  Phil.  i.  23,  "  For  we  know,  (says  he,)  that  if  our  earthly 
house  of  this  tabernacle  were  dissolved,  we  have  a  building  of  God, 
an  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens,"  2  Cor.  v.  1. 

I  shall  speak  a  word  of  these  two  parts. 

FIRST,  The  one  part  of  the  other  world  is  heaven,  the  empyreal 
heaven,  the  seat  of  the  blessed.  Concerning  which,  under  the  guid- 
ance of  scripture-light,  we  may  consider  three  things  of  it  as  a  j)art 
of  the  other  world. 

First,  What  it  is ;  for  that  it  is  can  be  refused  by  none  who  own 
the  scripture,  and  the  being  of  another  world. 


400  A  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  OTHER  WOKLD. 

1.  It  is  a  real  definite  place.  I  think  tliey  refine  too  much  on  the 
scripture  expression  that  deny  a  local  heaven,  and  confine  it  to  the 
notion  of  a  state.  Our  Lord  expressly  calls  it  a  place,  John  xiv.  2, 
"  In  my  Father's  house  are  many  mansions ;  if  it  were  not  so,  I 
would  have  told  you :  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you."  And  the 
hody  of  Christ  is  contained  in  it,  Acts  iii.  21.  and  the  bodies  of  some 
saints,  Enoch  and  Elias,  are  already  in  it,  and  the  bodies  of  all  the 
elect  shall  be  in  it;  and  bodies  must  needs  be  circumscribed  in  a 
place. 

It  is  a  definite  place,  and  not  every  where,  where  Grod  is.  It  is 
not  on  earth,  for  earth  and  heaven  are  opposed,  Psal.  cxv.  15;  Col. 
iii.  1.  And  betwixt  it  and  hell  a  gulf  is  fixed,  that  it  reaches  not 
thither,  Luke  xvi.  26.  And  though  finite  spirits  that  are  perfect  are 
in  it,  yet  it  cannot  contain  God,  who  is  not  only  omnipresent,  but 
immense,  1  Kings  viii.  27.  therefore  it  is  a  place  that  hath  its 
bounds.     Hence, 

2.  It  is  a  created  thing;  for  it  is  the  throne  of  God,  Isa.  Ixvi.  1. 
his  house  and  dwelling,  John  xiv.  2.  therefore  is  not  God,  but  created 
by  him  ;  since  whatsoever  is,  is  either  the  Creator  or  a  creature.  The 
scripture  is  express,  that  God  made  it,  Heb.  xi.  10.  "  For  he  looked 
for  a  city  which  hath  foundations,  whose  builder  and  maker  is  God." 
And  whereas  it  is  said  to  be  not  made  with  hands,  2  Cor.  v.  1.  Heb. 
ix.  24.  that  denies  it  only  to  be  made  by  men,  as  houses  here  are, 
and  the  tabernacle  was. 

Moreover,  it  was  created  within  the  six  days,  and  therefore  is  not 
to  be  imagined  to  have  been  long  before  this  world,  much  less  from 
everlasting,  Exod.  xx.  11.  No;  but  it  was  created  the  first  day, 
and  was  absolutely  the  first  thing  that  was  created.  Gen.  i.  1.  Ac- 
cordingly the  inhabitants  thereof,  the  angels,  created  with  it,  are 
said  to  have  shouted  at  laying  the  foundation  of  the  earth.  Job 
xxxviii.  4,  7.  Agreeable  to  all  which  it  is  said  to  have  been  "  pre- 
pared from  the  foundation  of  the  world,"  Matth.  xxv.  34. 

Secondly,  "Where  it  is.  As  to  this  point,  the  situation  thereof, 
the  scripture  is  plain  in  two  things. 

1.  That  it  is  upward  from  us  who  are  in  this  visible  world.  For 
it  is  the  dwelling  of  God,  and  where  the  man  Christ  hath  his  seat, 
and  that  is  on  high,  Psal.  cxiii.  5,  "  Who  is  like  unto  the  Lord  our 
God,  who  dwelleth  on  high  ?"  Heb.  i.  3,  "  When  he  had  by  himself 
purged  our  sins,  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high." 
Col.  iii.  1,  "  If  ye  then  be  risen  with  Christ,  seek  those  things  which 
are  above,  where  Christ  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of  God."  Christ 
coming  thence  into  our  world  at  first,  is  said  to  come  down  from  it, 
John  iii.  13;  and  at  his  second  coming,  he  will  descend  from  it,  and 


OF  HEAVEN.  401 

be  met  by  tbe  saints  in  the  air,  1  Thess.  iv.  16,  17.  So  when  he 
went  to  it  after  his  resurrection,  he  is  said  to  have  been  carried  up 
into  it,  Luke  xxiv.  41.  taken  up,  gone  up,  a  cloud  receiving  him  out 
of  the  disciples'  sight.  Acts  i.  9,  10. 

2.  That  it  is  above  all  the  visible  heavens,  sun,  moon,  and  stars. 
For  the  heaven  which  is  the  seat  of  the  blessed,  is  the  same  heaven 
where  the  man  Christ  is,  John  vii.  24,  and  xiv.  3.  therefore  they  are 
said  to  be  with  Christ,  Phil.  i.  23.  with  the  Lord,  1  Thess.  iv.  17. 
But  the  place  where  Christ  is,  is  above  and  far  above  all  the  visible 
heavens,  Eph.  iv.  10.  Therefore  it  is  above  them  all.  IlenCe  the 
scripture  calls  it  the  third  heaven,  2  Cor.  xii.  2.  It  speaks  of  a 
threefold  heaven.  (1.)  The  airy  heaven,  wherein  the  clouds  are, 
Gen.  vii.  11.  and  the  fowls  fly,  Gen.  i.  20.  hence  called  the  clouds 
of  heaven,  and  the  fowls  of  heaven.  (2.)  The  starry  heaven,  where 
are  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars,  Gen.  i.  14, 16.  called  therefore  the  host 
of  heaven,  Deut.  xvii.  3.  (3.)  The  third  heaven  above  all  these, 
which  is  that  of  the  blessed. 

Thirdly,  What  sort  of  a  place  it  is,  as  to  the  qualities  thereof. 
A  particular  description  thereof  is  beyond  the  reach  of  mortals, 
1  Cor.  ii.  9.  It  is  observable,  that  Moses  does  no  more  but  mention 
it,  Gen.  i.  and  then  proceeds  to  the  description  of  the  earth  and  vis- 
ible heavens,  their  parts,  and  how  they  were  created ;  thus  drawing 
a  vail  over  the  highest  heavens,  not  to  be  removed  till  we  come 
there.  Only  some  general  notices  of  it  appear  through  the  vail,  in 
the  light  of  the  world,  which  we  shall  observe.     It  is, 

1.  A  holy  place,  Psal.  xv.  1.  the  holy  of  holies,  or  the  holiest  of 
all,  Heb.  ix.  8.  in  allusion  to  the  place  in  the  tabernacle  and  temple 
so  called.  This  lower  world  is  the  open  court  as  it  were,  the  starry 
heaven  the  holy  place ;  but  the  third  heaven  the  holy  of  holies,  into 
which  Christ  at  his  ascension  as  our  High  Priest  is  entered,  Heb. 
ix.  12.  and  has  opened  the  country  into  it  for  us  also,  chap.  x.  19. 

Here  this  world  lies  in  wickedness,  there  the  other  world  shines 
in  holiness.  Here  is  no  clean  thing,  there  is  no  unclean  thing.  Rev. 
xxi.  27.  It  is  the  holy  Jerusalem,  ver.  10.  There  is  nothing  there 
but  what  is  holy,  perfectly  holy  ;  even  the  spirits  of  just  men  must 
be  made  perfect,  ere  they  enter  there  ;  and  for  others,  they  can 
never  breathe  the  air  of  that  holy  land,  but  are  kept  without,  chap. 
xxii.  15. 

2.  A  most  lightsome  place.  It  is  all  light.  Col.  i.  12.  The  sun 
in  his  brightness  makes  this  world  pleasant ;  but  then  all  looks  aw- 
ful and  gloomy  again  in  the  night,  and  there  is  always  night  in  some 
place  of  it.  But  there  is  no  night,  no  darkness  there.  Rev.  xxi.  5. 
The  seat  of  the  blessed  enjoys  an  eternal  day ;  for  the  light  thereof 


402  A  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  OTHER  WORLD. 

is  not  made  by  sun  and  moon  circling  abont  it,  as  here ;  they  would 
be  as  needless  there,  as  the  light  of  a  candle  in  the  brightest  sun- 
shine here.  And  such  light  it  is,  as  mortal  eyes  cannot  behold 
it,  1  Tim.  vi.  16. 

3.  A  most  glorious  place,  Psal.  Ixxiii.  25.  How  glorious  would  a 
king's  palace  on  earth,  with  all  its  rich  furniture,  appear  to  us  ? 
But  should  all  the  glory  of  all  the  palaces  on  earth  be  brought  to- 
gether into  one,  how  much  more  would  that  appear  glorious  ?  and 
we  are  allowed  that  thought  to  help  us  to  conceive  of  heaven,  Rev. 
xxi.  24,  "  The  kings  of  the  earth  do  bring  their  glory  and  honour 
into  it."  For  it  is  the  palace  of  the  King  of  kings,  Psal.  xlv.  15. 
where  he  keeps  his  court.  Nay,  it  is  his  throne,  Isa.  Ixvi.  1,  "  Thus 
saith  the  Lord,  The  heaven  is  my  throne,  and  the  earth  is  my  foot- 
stool." How  glorious  must  that  throne  be,  that  has  such  a  footstool? 
So  glorious  that  it  would  absolutely  confound  us  mortals  with  its 
dazzling  glory  and  splendour.  Job  xxvi.  9. 

4.  A  most  rich  place.  We  know  the  riches  of  far  countries,  by 
the  rich  things  brought  out  of  them  to  our  country :  now  every  va- 
luable thing  comes  from  thence.  Jam.  i.  17,  "  Every  good  gift,  and 
every  perfect  gift  is  from  above,  and  cometh  down  from  the  Father 
of  lights."  Every  inhabitant  there  is  a  king,  with  a  crown  on  his 
head,  a  sceptre  in  his  hand,  and  royal  treasures  to  support  his 
dignity  ;  for  heaven  is  a  crowning  city,  whose  merchants  are  princes, 
whose  traffickers  are  the  honourable  of  the  earth,  to  allude  to  Isa. 
xxiii.  8.  There  the  "  gates  are  of  pearl,  and  the  street  of  pure  gold," 
Rev.  xxi.  21.  It  is  rich  in  its  affording  all  things  within  itself, 
ver.  7.  "  He  that  overcometh  shall  inherit  all  things,  and  I  will  be 
his  God,  and  he  shall  be  ray  son." 

5.  A  most  pleasing  place.  How  can  it  be  otherwise,  considering 
the  light,  glory  and  riches,  that  must  needs  make  it  a  most  beauti- 
ful and  lovely  place  ?  therefore  it  is  called  paradise,  2  Cor.  xii.  4. 
There  a  river  of  pleasures  runs,  enough  to  satisfy  all  the  inhabi- 
tants, Psal.  xxxvi.  8;  but  no  surfeiting,  for  there  are  no  dreggy 
pleasures  there.  These  we  mortals  can  have  no  distinct  notions  of; 
the  best  guess  to  be  made  of  them  is,  by  the  foretastes  of  heaven  in 
the  joy  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  sometimes  afforded  believers. 

A  most  spacious  place,  John  xiv.  2.  "  In  my  Father's  house  are 
many  mansions."  It  is  shown  us  not  only  under  the  notion  of  a 
large  house,  but  of  a  country,  yea  a  kingdom.  If  the  airy  heaven 
is  more  spacious  than  our  earth,  which  it  surrounds,  and  the  starry 
heaven  than  the  airy  heaven,  wliat  can  we  think  of  the  third  heaven 
that  is  above  them  all  ?  Being  a  real  place,  it  cannot  be  immense 
indeed,  it  is  measurable,  but  we  find  it  is  measured  by  an  angel,  not 


OF  HEAVEN.  -403 

by  a  man,  Rev.  xxi.  9,  15.  And  how  can  it  be  otherwise  than  of  a 
vast  place,  that  is  to  be  the  happy  abode  of  all  the  saints  with  the 
angels,  containing  the  bodies  of  all  saints  that  have  been,  or  shall 
be  to  the  end  of  the  world  ? 

Lastly,  A  place  liable  to  no  shock  or  change.  The  apostle  inti- 
mates to  us,  that  it  is  a  continuing  city,  Ileb.  xiii.  14.  that  will  stand 
when  all  this  world  is  laid  in  ashes ;  a  city  that  hath  foundations, 
chap.  xi.  10.  viz.  which  shall  never  be  overturned ;  a  kingdom  that 
cannot  be  moved,  TTeb.  xii.  28.  even  when  the  visible  heavens  and 
earth  shall  be  shaken,  so  as  to  be  shaken  all  asunder.  Therefore 
it  is  eternal,  2  Cor.  v.  1. 

Inf,  1.  Let  God's  people  be  put  to  suffer  for  him  what  they  will, 
they  can  never  be  losers  at  his  hand,  Ileb.  xi.  16.  "  God  is  not  as- 
shamed  to  be  called  their  God  ;  for  he  hath  prepared  for  them  a 
city."  Suppose  they  be  turned  out  of  house  and  hold,  pinched  with 
cold,  hunger,  thirst,  and  nakedness,  loaded  with  reproach,  suffer  the 
most  exquisite  torments  unto  death  ;  they  are  not  losers  at  his  hand ; 
he  may  Avell  put  them  to  all  these,  and  yet  maintain  and  shew  his 
special  love  to  them,  having  such  a  place  provided  for  them  in  the 
other  world,  where  all  will  be  abundantly  made  up.  And  they  had 
need  of  much  here,  that  are  like  to  have  no  part  there ;  for  have 
what  they  will,  it  is  impossible  it  can  make  up  their  loss. 

2.  Lift  your  eyes,  0  sinners,  from  off  all  worldy  glory,  and  stay 
your  pursuit  of  it;  there  is  a  glory  of  heaven,  in  the  view  of  which 
it  would  all  disappear,  like  as  the  stars  do  at  the  rising  of  the  sun. 
Alas  !  the  glory  which  takes  with  most  of  us,  is  that  which  Laban's 
sons  so  highly  esteemed.  Gen.  xxxi.  1.  a  great  stock,  riches,  and 
wealth  ;  they  see  no  glory  so  attractive  as  that.  But  if  ye  are  the 
children  of  God,  the  glory  of  the  city  above  will  darken  it  in  your 
eyes.  0  set  your  eyes  and  hearts  on  that  glorious  city,  Heb.  xi.  10, 
The  earth  in  its  most  beautiful  spots  is  the  work  of  God's  hands, 
but  the  visible  heavens  of  his  fingers,  Psal.  viii.  3.  but  of  the  seat  of 
the  blessed  he  is  the  artist,  Heb.  xi.  10.  Gr.  as  if  the  Omnipotent 
had  used  a  peculiar  art  in  making  of  that. 

3.  See  the  necessity  of  holiness,  Heb.  xii.  14.  "Without  holiness 
no  man  shall  see  the  Lord."  Psal.  xv.  1.  "Lord,  who  shall  abide 
in  thy  tabernacle  ?  who  shall  dwell  in  thy  holy  hill  ?"  The  unholy 
may  get  room  in  this  world,  and  the  chief  rooms ;  but  there  is  no 
room  for  them  in  the  other  world,  but  without  the  gates  of  heaven 
in  outer  darkness.  If  there  be  no  holiness  here,  there  will  be  no 
happiness  hereafter ;  the  dogs  and  swine  come  not  into  that  holy 
place. 

4.  How  inexpressibly  happy  shall  they  be  that  get  thither  ?   to 


404  A  DESCRIPTION  OP  THE  OTHER  WORLD. 

eujoy  the  light  there,  behold  the  glory,  possess  the  riches,  drink  of 
the  refined  pleasures,  walk  at  liberty  in  that  spacious  place,  and  en- 
ter into  happiness  there  where  there  is  no  change  ?  The  faith  of 
this  could  not  miss,  if  lively,  to  cause  them  sing  the  triumph  before 
the  victory. 

Lastly,  What  an  unspeakable  loss  must  the  loss  of  heaven  be  ? 
If  there  were  no  more  for  hell,  it  might  be  most  heavy.  So  great  as 
heaven's  happiness  is,  so  great  will  their  loss  be,  who  come  short  of 
it. 

SECONDLY,  The  other  part  of  the  other  world  is  Hell,  the  seat 
of  the  damned.  Concerning  which,  considered  as  a  part  of  the 
other  world,  we  shall,  under  the  guidance  of  scripture-light,  inquire 
into  three  things. 

First,  What  it  is  ?  That  there  is  a  hell  as  well  as  a  heaven,  one 
who  believes  the  scripture  cannot  doubt.     As  to  what  it  is,  we  say, 

1.  It  is  a  real  definite  place  also.  There  is  a  local  hell,  as  well 
as  heaven ;  the  scripture  expressly  calls  it  a  place.  Acts  i.  25. — ■ 
"  that  he  {viz.  Judas)  might  go  to  his  own  place."  And  it  hath  its 
bounds  whereby  it  is  seperated  from  heaven,  Luke  xvi.  26.  There 
the  spirits  of  wicked  men  separated  from  their  bodies,  are  detained 
as  in  prison,  1  Pet.  iii- 19,  20 ;  and  there  their  bodies  being  reunited 
to  their  souls  at  the  last  day,  will  be  shut  up,  Matth.  xxv.  4L 

2.  Hence  it  is  a  created  thing  also,  ib.  But  when  it  was  created, 
I  cannot  say,  no  express  mention  being  made  of  it  by  Moses  in  the 
history  of  the  creation.  Only  it  is  of  old,  Isa.  xxx.  ult.  And 
whereas  it  is  evident  that  the  angels  were  fallen  very  early,  and,  I 
think,  by  the  first  day  of  man's  creation ;  they  found  it  ready  for 
them  upon  their  sinning,  2  Pet.  ii.  4.  This  concludes  it  to  hare 
been  made  within  the  six  days. 

Secondly,  Where  it  is  ?  This  question  we  cannot  pretend  to  sa- 
tisfy, the  scripture  not  being  clear  in  this  point.  It  is  our  business 
to  know  how  to  escape  it,  rather  than  to  dispute  where  it  is.  Two 
things  in  the  general  seem  plain  about  it. 

1.  That  it  is  without  the  boundaries  of  the  heaven  which  is  the 
seat  of  the  blessed.  Hence  it  is  called  outer  darkness,  Matth.  vii. 
12.  It  is  without  the  gates  of  the  holy  city.  Rev.  xxiii.  14,  15.  the 
place  of  his  glorious  presence,  as  Cain  was  cast  out  from  his  pre- 
sence, 2  Thess.  i.  9. 

2.  That  it  is  down  or  beneath  in  respect  of  heaven,  the  seat  of  the 
blessed;  for  so  the  scripture  still  speaks  of  it  as  below.  Caper- 
naum exalted  to  heaven,  was  to  be  brought  down  to  hell,  Matth.  xi. 
23.  the  fallen  angels  were  cast  down  into  it,  2  Pet.  ii.  4.  *'  The  way 
of  life  is  above  to  the  wise,"  says  Solomon,  "  that  he  may  depart 


OF  HELL.  405 

from  hell  beneath,"  Prov.  xv.  24.  And  says  God,  "  A  fire  is  kind- 
led in  mine  anger,  and  shall  burn  unto  the  lowest  hell,"  Dent,  xxxii. 
22.  Accordingly  it  is  called  the  deep,  Luke  viii.  31.  the  bottomless 
pit,  Rev.  ix.  1.  the  motion  from  which  is  ascending  or  coming  up, 
chap.  xi.  7. 

Where  it  is  more  particularly,  I  think,  the  scripture,  doth  not 
clearly  shew.     It  is  certain  it  is,  be  where  it  will. 

Thirdly,  What  sort  of  a  place  it  is,  as  to  the  qualities  thereof? 

1.  It  is  an  unholy  and  unclean  place,  as  much  as  any  place  can 
be  so.  There  meet  together  all  the  dregs  of  the  creation,  persons 
and  things,  sin  and  all  the  eflTects  thereof  with  the  sinners.  Rev.  xx. 
14,  15.  Now  there  is  much  of  that  uncleanness  upon  the  earth ;  but 
the  earth  will  be  purged  and  purified  at  length,  and  all  gathered  to- 
gether there. 

2.  It  is  a  place  of  horrible  darkness,  called  therefore  outer  dark- 
ness, Matth.  viii.  12.  Light  is  sweet ;  but  it  is  the  land  of  darkness, 
as  darkness  itself;  there  is  the  blackness  of  darkness,  Jude,  13. 
chains  of  darkness,  2  Pet.  ii.  4.  where  I  think  there  is  an  allusion 
to  the  Egyptian  darkness,  Exod.  x.  22,  23.  and  the  mist  of  darkness, 
2  Pet.  ii.  17.  No  sun,  moon,  nor  star  light  appear  there,  no  candle 
shines  there ;  and  whatever  fire  is  there,  it  is  scorching  heat  without 
light,  for  those  who  having  the  light  chose  to  walk  in  darkness. 

3.  It  is  a  most  dismal  and  melancholy  place,  a  place  of  "  weeping, 
wailing,  and  gnashing  of  teeth,"  Luke  xiii.  28.  Nothing  pleasant  is 
to  be  found  there ;  no  pleasures  of  the  mind,  no  pleasures  of  sense 
are  there.  It  is  a  lake,  yet  there  is  not  a  drop  of  water  in  that  lake 
to  cool  the  tongue  ;  it  is  a  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone.  It  is  a  pit,  a 
bottomless  pit.  What  heart  can  conceive  the  horror  of  such  a  place, 
or  what  dreary  place  or  dungeon  in  the  world  can  be  a  sufficient  em- 
blem of  it  ? 

4.  It  is  a  place  of  torment,  Luke  xvi.  24 ;  it  is  therefore  repre- 
sented by  Topliet,  or  the  valley  of  Hinnom,  from  whence  it  hath  its 
name  in  the  New  Testament,  in  which  place  the  idolaters  burnt  their 
children  in  the  fire,  and  beat  drums  that  they  might  not  hear  their 
shrieks.  There  the  damned  find  themselves  gnawn  wit!i  the  worm 
that  never  dies,  scorched  with  the  fire  that  is  never  quenched. 
There  men  pay  dear  for  the  pleasures  of  sin,  which  they  sometimes 
swam  in,  being  punished  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord. 

5.  It  is  a  fast  and  firm  place,  whence  there  is  no  escaping.  It  is 
God's  prison-house,  where  he  keeps  his  criminals  in  chains  till  the 
judgment  of  the  great  day,  1  Pet.  iii.  19.  and  2  Pet.  ii.  4.  There  is 
a  gulf  fixed  that  none  can  pass,  to  get  out  of  that  place  into  the  seat 

Vol.  V.  2d 


406  A  DEScnrpTioN  or  the  other  world. 

of  tlie  blessed ;  but  when  one  is  once  tliere,  no  slight  nor  might  can 
obtain  liberty  any  more. 

Lastly,  It  is  an  everlasting  place.  Whether  there  may  be  any 
change  of  it  by  the  general  conflagration,  or  not,  we  do  not  know  ; 
but  certain  it  is,  that  if  it  be,  it  will  be  to  the  worse,  and  hell  shall 
be  for  ever  as  well  as  heaven,  for  the  fire  there  will  be  everlasting, 
Matth.  XXV.  41.  and  the  chains  of  darkness  there  are  everlasting, 
Jude,  6.  There  the  worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched  ; 
Therefore  the  place  where  they  shall  be  or  are,  is  everlasting. 

Inf.  1.  God  is  a  just  God,  and  a  most  dreadful  hater  and  avenger 
of  sin,  Hab.  i.  13.  He  has  given  incontestible  evidences  of  it  in  this 
world ;  but  in  the  other  world  he  gives  such  evidence  as  carries  off 
all  doubt  of  it  from  the  sinner.  As  looking  up  into  heaven  the  seat 
of  the  blessed,  you  may  see  God's  love  to  holiness  ;  so  looking  down 
to  hell  the  seat  and  place  of  the  damned,  you  may  see  what  fiery 
indignation  he  has  against  sin.  How  keen  must  that  hati'ed  of  it  be 
in  him,  who  has  prepared  such  a  place  for  the  punishment  of  it  ? 

2.  God  may  well  suff"er  sinners  to  pass  unpunished  and  prosper 
for  a  while,  without  any  the  least  imputation  on  his  holiness  and 
justice.  For  he  sees  the  sinner's  day  is  coming,  the  place  is  pre- 
pared where  his  holiness  and  justice  will  be  sufliciently  vindicated. 
Indeed  if  there  were  no  other  world  than  this,  or  no  hell  in  the 
other  world  for  sinners,  justice  would  necessarily  require  that  they 
should  be  punished  in  this  life.  But  since  there  is  a  reckoning  with 
them  on  the  other  side,  the  accounts  may  lie  doi-mant  while  they  are 
here,  with  safety  of  justice. 

3.  The  pleasures  and  profits  of  sin  are  dear  bought,  in  whatever 
measure  any  do  enjoy  them,  Matth.  xvi.  26.  "  For  what  is  a  man 
profited,  if  he  should  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  soul  ? 
or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  ?"  It  is  abso- 
lutely impossible  that  ever  any  thing  gained  here  should  be  able  to 
quit  the  cost  of  such  a  lodging  after  death.  If  one  should  be  kept 
in  greatest  extremity  during  this  life,  heaven  would  make  up  all ; 
but  if  all  the  imaginable  pleasures  and  profits  of  this  world  should 
be  heaped  together  upon  one,  they  could  never  be  sufiicient  hire 
for  going  to  such  a  place. 

Lastly,  The  misery  of  the  damned  is  inexpressible,  but  certainly  it 
is  little  believed.  0  what  must  the  case  of  those  be,  whose  unholy 
lives  have  now  lodged  them  in  that  unclean  place  !  how  will  they 
take  with  the  blackness  of  darkness  there  !  How  can  they  bear  up 
in  that  dismal  place  !  endure  the  torments  there,  seeing  no  way  to 
escape  ?  How  must  it  cut  them,  to  think  that  there  they  must  be 
for  ever  !  Yet  how  unconcerned  are  we,  that  we  go  not  into  that 
place  of  torment ! 


OP  THE  NEW  HEAVENS  AND  TUE  NEW  EAUTII.         407 

These  are  the  two  parts  of  the  other  world,  heaven  and  hell.  And 
between  them  there  is  a  great  gulf  impassable  fixed,  Luke  xvi.  26. 
The  nature  of  it  we  know  not,  further  than  that  thereby  all  passage 
betwixt  the  two  parts  of  the  other  world  is  stopt.  Betwixt  this 
world  and  the  other  there  is  a  passage  ;  but  betAvixt  the  parts  of 
the  other  world  there  is  none,  and  there  never  will  be  any,  for  it  is 
fixed.  So  the  inhabitants  of  each  part  are  unalterably  seated,  that 
they  cannot  remove  from  tlie  one  to  the  other  for  ever,  which  makes 
the  happiness  of  the  one,  and  the  misery  of  the  other,  eternal. 

These  are  the  present  parts  of  the  other  world.  There  is  another 
part  of  it  which  is  future,  and  Avill  be  added  thereto  after  the  last 
judgment,  viz.  the  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth,  to  be  made  by 
the  omnipotent  hand  after  the  general  conflagration.  Is.  Ixv.  17- 
"  Behold,  I  create  new  heavens,  and  a  new  earth."  2  Pet.  iii.  12, 
13.  "  We,  according  to  his  promise,  look  for  new  heavens,  and  a 
new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness,"  Rev.  xxi.  1.  "  And  I  saw 
a  new  heaven,  and  a  new  earth."  Of  the  nature  and  use  of  these 
we  know  very  little.     Only, 

1.  They  will  be  an  appurtenance  of  heaven  the  seat  of  the  bles- 
sed, 2  Pet.  iii.  13.  As  this  world  now  is  an  appurtenance  of  hell,  as 
being  a  world  lying  in  wickedness ;  so  that  will  be  an  appurtenance 
of  heaven,  as  an  inferior  world  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness.  It 
will  be  the  court  of  the  temple  above,  having  such  a  relation  to  hea- 
ven, as  the  court  of  Israel  and  the  court  of  the  priests  to  the  temple 
house,  Isa.  Ixvi.  22.  *'  The  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth,  which  I 
will  make,  shall  remain  before  me,  saith  the  Lord."  So  did  the 
court,  Exod.  xxix.  42.  "  This  shall  be  a  continual  burnt-offering 
throughout  your  generations,  at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of  the 
congregation,  before  the  Lord ;  where  I  will  meet  you,  to  speak 
there  unto  thee."  2  Chrou.  i.  6.  "  And  Solomon  went  up  thither 
to  the  brasen  altar  before  the  Lord,  which  was  at  the  tabernacle  of 
the  congregation,  and  offered  a  thousand  burnt-offerings  upon  it." 

2.  They  will  be  a  very  glorious  heaven  and  earth,  far  more  glorious 
than  those  that  now  we  have.  This  is  intimated  by  the  newness  of 
them.  The  heavens  and  earth  that  now  are,  are  like  an  old  garment, 
Psal.  cii.  26.  sullied  and  rent :  but  they  will  be  splendid  and  beau- 
tiful as  a  new  one.  The  day  of  their  creation  is  the  day  of  restora- 
tion of  all  things,  viz.  into  their  primitive  glory  and  splendour.  Acts 
iii.  21.  and  that  with  such  an  advantage,  the  former  shall  not  be  re- 
membered, in  respect  of  the  surpassing  glory,  Isa.  Ixv.  17. 

3.  They  will  be  pure  and  incorrupt,  Rom.  viii.  21.  "  The  crea- 
ture itself  also  shall  be  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  corruption, 
into  that  glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of  God."     There  will  be  no 

2d2 


4U8  A  BESCRIPTION  01'  THE  OTHER  AA^ORLD. 

noisome  vapour  tlicro,  nothing  offensive  to  the  eye,  smell,  or  ear,  or 
touch  ;  but  all  will  be  grateful  to  the  senses  of  glorified  bodies.  Rev. 
xxi.  4,  5,  "  There  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow,  nor  cry- 
ing, neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain  ;  for  the  former  things 
are  passed  away.  And  he  that  sat  upon  the  throne,  said,  Behold,  I 
make  all  things  new."  All  the  eflects  of  sin  on  the  creature  shall 
be  purged  away,  and  as  it  were  swept  off  into  the  lake  of  fire.  Rev. 
XX.  14.  That  earth  will  be  holy  ground,  in  a  more  strict  sense  than 
the  ground  of  the  temple  of  Jerusalem  was  ;  nothing  touching  there, 
that  is  defiling,  and  therefore  nothing  to  purge  aAvay  there.  Com- 
pare Rev.  xvi.  16 — 19. 

4.  They  will  belong  to  the  saints  without  any  partnership  of  the 
wicked  in  them,  2  Pet.  iii.  13,  "  We  look  for  new  heavens  and  a 
new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness."  The  wicked's  heaven 
and  earth  will  then  be  away,  consumed  with  fire,  and  those  of  the 
godly  succeed,  wherein  they  can  have  no  part  with  them.  The  do- 
minion over  the  creatures  lost  by  Adam,  and  purchased  again  for 
the  saints  by  Christ,  is  not  fully  restored  in  this  life  ;  but  it  is  pro- 
mised, and  shall  then  be  restored  in  the  other  world.  Abraham 
had  the  promise  of  being  heir  of  the  world,  Rom.  iv.  13.  and  the 
meek  have  the  promise  of  inheriting  the  earth,  Matth.  v.  5.  and  that 
alone  and  in  profound  peace,  Psal.  xxxvii.  9 — 11.  which  hath  not 
its  full  accomplishment  but  in  the  new  earth. 

5.  They  will  be  of  use  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  delight  of 
the  saints.  These  were  the  design  and  end  of  the  first  heavens  and 
earth,  which  were  made  all  very  good  ;  but  that  design  of  them  was 
mari'ed  by  sin.  Therefore  in  the  restitution  of  all  things,  that  de- 
sign shall  take,  Rom.  viii.  20,  21.  God  will  set  them  as  monuments 
of  his  glory,  looking-glasses  of  his  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness. 
They  are  so  now,  Psal.  xix.  1.  but,  by  reason  of  our  blindness,  the 
end  is  not  obtained :  but  then  the  eyes  of  the  saints  shall  be  cleared, 
and  the  looking-glass  brightened ;  and  so  the  Creator  shall  have 
his  glory.  And  they  will  serve  for  the  delight  of  the  saints,  Isa. 
Ixv.  17,  18.  "  Behold,  I  create  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth  ;  and 
the  former  shall  not  be  remembered,  nor  come  into  mind.  But  be 
you  glad  and  rejoice  for  ever  in  that  which  I  create  :  for  behold,  I 
create  Jerusalem  a  rejoicing,  and  her  people  a  joy."  God  himself 
will  be  their  chief  delight,  with  the  glory  of  the  highest  heavens, 
but  the  new  heavens  and  earth  will  be  their  secondary  delight. 

And  none  must  think,  that  upon  this  there  must  be  an  interrup- 
tion of  their  heavenly  joy  and  happiness  ;  for  suppose  them  to  be 
sometimes  bodily  on  the  new  earth,  which  2  Pet.  iii.  13.  seems  to 
favour,  it  will  be  but  as  coming  to  their  country  seat,  and  they  will 


OF  THE  NEW  HEAVENS  AND  THE  NEW  EARTH. 


409 


still  have  the  glorious  presence  of  God  with  them,  for  the  new  hea- 
vens and  earth  shall  stand  at  liis  face,  Isa.  Ixvi.  22.  Heb.  as  the 
court  of  the  temple  did.  There  will  be  no  withholding  the  face  of 
his  throne  there,  as  now,  Job  xxvi.  9. 

Lastly,  They  will  remain  for  ever,  Isa.  Ixvi.  22.  That  glorious 
fabric  shall  stand  for  ever  :  it  will  never  Avax  old,  it  shall  never  be 
shaken  in  the  least,  nor  taken  down.  A  beginning  it  will  have,  but 
no  end.  There  will  be  no  deluge,  nor  conflagration  of  the  new  hea- 
vens and  earth. 

Inf.  1.  As  we  go  through  this  world  towards  the'other,  there  is 
great  need  to  take  heed  that  we  do  not  mistake  our  way,  taking  the 
way  to  hell  instead  of  the  way  to  heaven.  For  wherever  our  way 
lands  us,  there  we  are  fixed.  If  one  instead  of  going  to  one  city, 
should  mistake  his  way  and  go  to  another,  he  seeing  his  mistake 
might  go  out  of  the  wrong  way  to  the  right  one,  and  so  retrieve  his 
error ;  but  when  one  is  once  landed  in  hell,  there  is  no  retrieving  of 
that  mistake,  there  is  no  getting  over  the  gulf  betwixt  it  and  heaven. 

2.  The  unhinging  of  the  creation  will  be  remedied,  and  the  abused 
creatures  will  be  delivered  and  restored  to  their  primitive  end. 
Ungodly  men  abuse  these  visible  heavens  and  earth  to  the  dishonour 
of  God  and  service  of  their  lusts ;  whereby  the  creation  groans 
under  them.  But  God  will  put  an  end  to  that,  destroying  this 
abused  and  polluted  fabric,  and  rear  up  a  new  one,  where  no  abuse 
can  have  place  for  ever,  but  God  shall  be  glorified. 

3.  They  make  more  haste  than  good  speed  that  set  their  hearts 
on  this  earth  to  inherit  it.  For  whatever  speed  they  come  therein, 
their  inheritance  will  be  burnt  up,  it  will  not  last ;  the  earth  that 
will  last,  where  one  may  make  a  sure  purchase,  belongs  to  the  world 
to  come,  and  particularly  to  heaven,  and  will  be  the  inheritance  of 
the  saints  only,  Psal.  xxxvii.  9,  "  For  evil  doers  shall  be  cut  off,  but 
those  that  wait  upon  the  Lord,  they  shall  inherit  the  earth." 
Therefore  it  is  undoubtedly  better  to  wait  for  our  part  by  faith, 
than  to  press  for  it  in  hand  here. 

4.  God's  people  have  no  reason  to  grudge  and  be  uneasy,  however 
small  a  portion  they  have  of  this  earth ;  nor  yet  to  despond  on  the 
view  of  the  wickedness  done  upon  it.  For  there  is  a  new  heaven 
and  earth  coming  more  glorious  than  this,  in  which  they  shall  not 
be  hampered,  but  enjoy  it  all  Avith  all  freedom  as  the  lords  of 
it.  And  there  shall  be  no  sin  nor  disorder  in  it,  no  injustice  or  op- 
pression, no  ill  neighbourhood  ;  nothing  but  righteousness  dwelling 
there. 

5.  Lastly,  Hell  will  be  a  close  prison,  there  will  be  no  getting  out 
of  it  for  ever.     There  is  an  impassible  gulf  betwixt  heaven  and  it; 

2d3 


410  A  DESCKIPTION  OF  THE  OTHER  WORLD. 

the  new  heavens  and  earth  will  be  an  appurtenance  of  heaven ;  and 
therefore  the  prisoners  there  can  no  more  get  out  to  the  new  earth, 
than  to  the  highest  heaven.  Nay,  neither  devils  nor  men  will  bo 
able  to  come  from  thence  to  set  a  foot  upon  that  earth,  however  they 
range  through  this.  So  losing  heaven,  they  will  lose  the  earth  too. 
Thus  far  for  the  parts  of  the  other  world. 

II.    Of  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Other  World. 

"We  have  seen  the  parts  of  the  other  world,  let  us  now  consider 
the  inhabitants  of  these  parts.     And, 

FIRST,  The  inhabitants  of  the  upper  part,  viz.  heaven.  These 
are, 

1.  Grod  himself,  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  Matth.  vi.  9. 
God  is  every  where  present,  and  immense :  but  there  he  is  as  a  king 
in  his  palace,  on  his  throne.  There  he  manifests  his  glory  in  a  man- 
ner inconceivable  to  us  mortals :  and  by  his  glorious  presence  makes 
the  happiness  of  the  creatures,  who  being  there  see  his  face.  How 
glorious  is  a  palace  when  the  king  is  in  it  with  his  court !  In  hea- 
ven the  great  King  of  the  world  keeps  his  court. 

2.  The  man  Christ.  He  was  sometime  an  inhabitant  of  our  world, 
and  when  he  was  in  it  had  not  where  to  lay  his  head  :  now  he  is 
there,  and  will  be  there  to  the  end  of  the  world.  Acts  iii.  21.  sitting 
on  the  right  hand  of  God,  as  the  heir  of  all  things.  And  there  he 
will  be  for  evermore,  1  Thess.  iv.  17-  He  has  there  an  inconceivable 
glory,  even  of  his  blessed  body,  Phil.  iii.  21.  In  his  transfiguration 
on  earth,  "his  face  did  shine  as  the  sun,  and  his  raiment  was  white 
as  the  light,"  Matth.  xvii.  2.  How  gloriously  must  it  then  shine  in 
heaven ! 

3.  The  holy  angels,  Matth.  xxiv.  36.  These  are  glorious  crea- 
tures, natives  of  the  place,  pure  spirits  that  never  sinned,  waiting 
about  the  throne,  ready  to  execute  the  commands  of  God  and  Christ 
their  head.  They  are  of  a  nature  superior  to  man ;  but  full  they 
are  of  love  and  good-will  to  us,  witness  their  song,  Luke  ii.  14.  at 
our  Saviour's  birth  ;  and  our  nature  is  exalted  above  theirs  in  Christ, 
so  that  they  are  ministering  spirits  to  the  heirs  of  salvation,  Heb.  i. 
ult.  Their  number  we  know  not,  but  there  must  needs  be  vast  num- 
bers of  them,  considering  the  scripture-account,  Dan.  vii.  10.  even 
such  as  is  innumerable  to  us  in  this  state,  Heb.  xii.  22.  See  Matth. 
xxvi.  53. 

Lastly,  The  souls  of  all  departed  saints  are  there,  now  perfected, 
Heb.  xii.  23.  There  are  the  blessed  souls  of  all  the  holy  patriarchs, 
prophets,  and  apostles,  and  of  all  the  godly  that  have  been  in  the 


OF  THE  INHABITANTS  OF  THE  OTHER  WORLD.  411 

world  since  the  beginning ;  thither  all  the  godly  that  now  are  in  the 
world,  yea  and  all  that  shall  be  to  the  end  of  the  world,  shall  cer- 
tainly go  and  dwell  for  ever.  Enoch  and  Elias  are  there  sonl  and 
body;  and  so  shall  all  the  saints  be  after  the  last  judgment,  shining 
in  glory,  as  the  stars  of  the  firmament. 

SECONDLY,  The  inhabitants  of  the  lower  part  of  the  other 
world,  li:.  hell.     These  are, 

1.  The  devil  and  his  angels,  Matth.  xxv.  41.  all  of  them  with  the 
prince,  called  the  prince  of  the  devils,  chap.  xii.  24.  fallen  angels, 
2  Pet.  ii.  4.  These  are  most  wicked  and  unclean  spirits,  enemies  to 
God  and  Christ,  Matth.  xiii.  39.  2  Cor.  vi.  15.  and  to  mankind, 
therefore  called  Satan  or  an  adversary ;  subtle  as  a  serpent  and 
mischievous,  false  and  deceiving,  malicious  and  cruel,  murderers  and 
roaring  lions,  desperate  without  hope  for  ever.  The  number  of  them 
is  without  question  vast,  a  legion  of  them  being  in  one  man,  Luke 
viii.  30.  They  are  not  so  fixed  to  their  eternal  abode  as  yet,  but 
that  this  world  is  full  of  them,  so  as  no  man  wants  a  tempter  carry- 
ing his  hell  about  with  him  ;  but  they  will  be  fixed  at  length  in  their 
place,  which  they  themselves  are  sure  of,  Luke  viii.  31.  Jam.  ii.  19. 

2.  The  souls  of  the  wicked  departed,  Luke  xvi.  23.  There  is 
their  habitation  as  of  prisoners  in  a  pit,  1  Pet.  iii.  19.  These  also 
are  wicked  spirits,  having  been  by  death  driven  away  in  their 
wickedness  ;  and  now  absolutely  desperate,  without  the  least  gleam 
of  hope  ;  from  which  must  needs  issue  their  arriving  there  at  a 
height  of  wickedness  agreeable  to  their  state.  Their  number  also  is 
vast,  being  all  that  have  lived  and  died  in  their  natural  state  from 
the  beginning  of  the  world,  and  will  be  increased  with  all  that  shall 
so  live  and  die  to  the  end. 

Inf.  1.  Heaven's  happiness  must  needs  be  unspeakable,  in  respect 
of  the  society  there.  The  saints  going  thither  shall  no  more  be  in  a 
lonely  condition,  but  have  the  pleasant  society  of  other  saints  per- 
fected, holy  angels,  the  man  Christ,  .and  God  himself.  The  society 
of  saints  here  is  very  comfortable,  how  much  more  the  general  as- 
sembly of  them  in  heaven  ?  There  are  the  angels,  the  courtiers  of 
the  great  King  burning  with  love  to  God,  and  warm  love  to  the 
saints.     Yea  there  is  the  tabernacle  of  God  with  men.  Rev.  xxi.  3. 

2.  Hell's  horror  must  be  unspeakable  also,  in  regard  of  the  so- 
ciety there.  The  appearance  of  one  evil  spirit  now  strikes  the  chil- 
dren of  men  with  terror ;  but  who  can  conceive  the  horror  of  being 
cast  into  one  prison,  with  the  damned  crew,  to  hear  the  hissings  of 
these  serpents,  the  roarings  of  these  devouring  lions,  the  weeping, 
wailing,  and  gnashing  of  the  teeth  of  the  wicked  sunk  in  despair  ? 
and  that  for  ever ! 


412  A  DESCRIPTION  OF  TUE  OTHER  WORLD. 

3.  The  two  parties  now  wearied  of  one  another,  will  be  fairly 
parted  in  the  other  world,  never  to  come  together  again.  The  godly- 
are  weary  of  the  society  of  the  wicked.  The  Psalmist  finds  himself 
as  dwelling  in  Mesech  and  Kedar,  Psal,  cxx.  5.  "  Among  lions, 
among  them  that  are  set  on  fire,  even  the  sons  of  men,  whose  teeth 
are  spears  and  arrows,  and  tjieir  tongue  a  sharp  sword,"  Psal.  Ivii. 
4;  and  therefore  wishes  for  wings  to  flee  away  from  them,  Psal.  . 
Iv.  6.  "  0  that  I  had  wings  like  a  dove  !  for  then  would  I  fly  away 
and  be  at  rest."  Death  will  give  these  wings  to  them,  that  will 
carry  them  away  quite  from  among  them.  Jeremiah  desired  a  lodge 
in  the  wilderness,  that  he  might  leave  his  people ;  but  now  he  has 
got  a  lodging  in  heaven,  where  he  can  no  more  be  uneasy  from  them, 
Jer.  ix.  2. 

The  wicked  are  weary  of  the  society  of  the  godly ;  they  desire  it 
not,  they  are  hampered  with  it,  it  is  a  burden  to  them.  They  will 
be  quit  of  it  in  the  other  world,  where  they  will  see  their  faces  no 
more,  but  afar  off  in  Abraham's  bosom,  and  at  the  last  day  in  the 
air  on  Christ's  right  hand.  The  unpassable  gulf  will  be  between 
the  one  and  the  other  for  ever. 

4.  True  lovers  of  the  saints  and  holy  society  will  be  satisfied  at 
length  ;  and  the  lovers  of  the  company  of  the  ungodly  will  get  their 
heart's  fill  of  it.  There  is  great  stress  laid  upon  our  love  of  the 
godly  for  their  godliness,  Christians  for  Christ's  sake,  1  John  iii.  14. 
"  We  know  that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto  life,  because  we 
love  the  brethren."  Such  will  never  get  enough  of  their  society  here  ; 
but  there  they  shall  be  led  into  an  unmixed  society  of  saints  where 
is  not  one  wicked  person,  not  one  sinner;  and  herewith  they  should 
not  comfort  themselves,  while  they  dwell  in  the  tents  of  Kedar. 
Their  is  great  stress  also  laid  on  the  love  of  ill  company,  Prov.  xiii. 
20. — "  but  a  companion  of  fools  shall  be  destroyed."  Such  will  get 
a  fill  of  it,  when  they  come  to  the  other  world,  to  the  society  where- 
in is  not  one  gi'acious  person  ;  when  they  shall  be  bundled  together 
in  punishment  with  those,  with  whom  they  have  been  bundled  to- 
gether in  sin,  Matth.  xiii.  30. 

Lastly,  As  ye  would  choose  your  habitation  in  the  other  world, 
choose  your  way  now  ;  for  it  is  impossible  that  one  way  can  lead  to 
both.  The  way  of  faith  and  holiness  leads  to  heaven,  the  way  of 
unbelief,  unholiness,  and  licentiousness  leads  to  hell,  Matth.  vii.  13, 
14,  "  Enter  ye  in  at  the  strait  gate,"  &c.  Do  not  think  ye  can  enter 
into  life  by  the  broad  gate  ;  for  "  without  holiness  no  man  shall  see 
the  Lord,"  Heb.  xii.  14.  Ye  will  join  yourselves  to  those  now,  with 
whom  ye  will  be  joined  for  ever  ;  therefore  says  the  apostle  to  the 
believing  Hebrews,  "  Ye  are  come  unto  mount  Zion,  and  unto  the 


OF  THE  PASSAGE  INTO  TUE  OTHER  WORLD.  413 

city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and  to  an  innumer- 
able company  of  angels,"  &c.  Heb.  xii.  22 — 24.  and  says  Solomon, 
"  He  that  walketh  with  wise  men  shall  be  wise  ;  but  a  companion 
of  fools  shall  be  destroyed,"  Prov.  xiii.  20. 

III.   Of  the  i^cissage  into  the  other  world. 

As  to  the  passage  of  unbodied  spirits,  to  wit,  angels  good  or  bad, 
who  sometimes  are  here,  and  depart  again  into  the  other  world,  we 
inquire  not  about  it.  But  the  passage  into  the  other  world  for  us 
mortals,  is  what  we  are  concerned  to  know.  Paul  had  a  passage 
into  it  extraordinary  for  a  visit;  how  that  was,  in  or  out  of  the 
body,  he  himself  could  not  tell.  It  is  for  habitation,  the  passage 
into  it,  for  our  lasting  abode,  that  concerns  us.     It  is  twofold. 

First,  One  extraordinary,  by  a  translation  of  soul  and  body  into 
it.  There  have  been  three  unquestionable  instances  of  it,  viz. 
of  Enoch  before  the  law.  Gen.  v.  24.  Heb.  xi.  5.  of  Elijah  carried 
up  by  a  whirlwind  into  heaven,  2  Kings  ii.  11.  under  the  law  ;  and 
of  Christ  himself,  who  is  said  to  have  been  taken  up.  Acts  i.  9. 
But  these  were  altogether  extraordinary. 

Secondly,  The  ordinary  passage  is  by  death,  whether  in  the  upper 
or  lower  part  of  the  other  world,  as  appears  from  the  parable  of  the 
rich  man  and  Lazarus,  Luke  xvi.  Hence  death  is  called  a  going 
hence,  Psal.  xxxix.  ult.  a  departing,  Luke  ii.  29.  viz.  out  of  this 
world,  John  xiii.  1.  Death  dissolving  the  union  betwixt  the  soul 
and  the  body,  the  soul,  like  a  bird  on  the  opening  of  the  cage,  gets 
away,  and  goes  into  the  other  world,  departing  either  into  heaven 
or  hell,  2  Cor.  v.  1.  Phil.  i.  23.  Luke  xvi.  22,  23.  Of  this  passage 
we  know  little,  and  can  only  say  these  few  things. 

1.  It  is  a  quick  passage,  by  which  the  soul  is  soon  wafted  over 
and  landed  on  the  other  side.  Whatever  be  the  distance  betwixt 
us  and  either  part  of  the  other  world,  as  it  is  certain  it  is  a  vast 
distance  betwixt  us  and  the  highest  heavens,  yet  the  departed  soul 
soon  passes  it  over,  and  is  in  its  place  there,  as  appears  from 
Christ's  saying  to  the  penitent  thief,  Luke  xxiii.  43,  "  To-day  shalt 
thou  be  with  me  in  paradise  ;"  where  the  journey  was  not  begun 
till  three  o'clock  afternoon,  ver.  44,  46,  but  accomplished  that  day. 
And  there  is  no  question,  but  it  is  much  the  same  to  the  other  part, 
which  is  the  lower  part  of  the  other  world. 

2.  Tlic  passengers  are  not  left  alone  in  it ;  but  as  at  our  coming 
forth  of  the  womb  into  this  world,  there  are  some  people  of  this 
world  ready  to  receive  us,  and  dispose  of  us ;  so  at  our  going  out  of 
this  world  into  the  other,  there  are  some  of  that  world  to  receive  os, 


414  A  DESCKIPTION  OF  THE  OTHER  WORLD. 

and  attend  us.      So  that  however  unknown  the  road  is  to  us,  we 
will  not  be  alone  in  it.     And, 

1st,  As  to  the  souls  of  the  godly  passing  into  heaven,  it  is  clear 
that  it  is  so  with  them  ;  and  that, 

(1.)  The  Lord  Jesus  himself  is  with  them.  The  general  promise 
secures  this,  Heb.  xiii.  5,  "  I  will  never  leave  thee,  nor  forsake 
thee."  David  was  confident  of  it,  Psal.  xxiii.  4,  "  Yea,  though  I 
walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil; 
for  thou  art  with  me,  thy  rod  and  thy  staff  they  comfort  me."  This 
was  typified  by  the  ark's  going  before  the  people  into  Jordan,  and 
staying  there  till  they  were  all  gone  safe  over.  At  the  birth  of  the 
gracious  soul  into  the  world,  the  Lord  Jesus  himself  is  the  party 
that  receives  it.  Acts  vii.  59. 

(2.)  That  good  angels  are  with  them  for  their  convoy.  They 
attend  them  in  their  life,  doing  them  many  good  offices  unperceived, 
having  a  charge  over  them,  Psal.  xci.  11,  "He  shall  give  his  angels 
charge  over  thee,  to  keej^  thee  in  all  thy  ways."  And  can  one  ima- 
gine that  they  will  be  wanting  to  them  on  such  a  non-such  occasion  ? 
If  they  are  to  keep  them  in  all  their  ways,  surely  they  will  not 
leave  them  alone  in  their  way  betwixt  the  two  worlds.  They  are 
ministering  spirits  to  the  apparent  heirs  of  salvation,  Heb.  i.  ult. 
Surely  these  heirs  will  not  want  their  ministration,  when  they  are 
to  enter  their  inheritance. 

They  will  carry  them  to  heaven,  Luke  xvi.  22.  And  this  may 
serve  to  account  for  the  quickness  of  their  passage,  being  carried 
by  angels  who  for  their  speedy  motions  are  said  to  fly,  Isa.  vi.  2,  6. 
Dan.  ix.  21.     Compare  Psal.  civ.  4.  Ezek.  i.  14. 

2dl(/,  As  to  the  souls  of  the  wicked  passing  into  hell,  that  matter 
is  not  so  very  clear.  The  scripture  speaks  not  of  the  rich  glutton's 
attendants  into  his  place  in  the  other  world,  Luke.  xvi.  22,  23.  plainly 
intimating,  that  no  comfortable  or  honourable  attendance  is  for 
them.  But  yet  it  gives  hints  of  their  attendance  by  ill  angels  or 
devils.  Job  xxxiii.  22.  and  is  positive  that  they  are  driven  away, 
Prov.  xiv.  32.  And  how  can  it  be  imagined,  but  the  roaring  lion, 
who  is  still  going  about  seeking  whom  he  may  devour,  will  be  ready 
to  receive  the  prey  when  it  is  coming  to  his  mouth  ? 

3.  It  will  be  a  strange  and  sitrprising  passage.  How  strange 
will  it  be  to  the  soul  to  find  itself  in  a  moment  unbodied,  that  its 
body  lies  dropt  in  such  a  place,  and  it  has  no  more  communication 
with  it !  There  Avill  be  surprises  of  wonder,  at  the  sudden  change 
in  itself,  and  at  the  objects  about  it  which  it  never  saw  before.  The 
godly  soul  will  be  surprised  with  joy,  in  the  happy  change,  the 
blessed  attendants  ;  and  the  wicked  with  horror  at  the  unhappy 
change  and  the  frightful  society  it  now  enters  into. 


OF  THE  PASSAGE  INTO  THE  OTHER  WOULD.  415 

Lastly,  A  passage  where  there  is  no  repassing.  It  is  without 
coming  back  till  the  great  day.  The  godly  would  not,  and  the 
wicked  shall  not  be  able  to  return.  It  is  a  passage  we  have  no  ac- 
cess to  make  trial  of,  but  once  entering  upon  it,  go  forward  for  good 
and  all,  Heb.  iv.  27. 

Now  when  the  soul  is  passed  and  gone  into  the  other  world,  the 
body  still  remains  in  this,  being  laid  up  in  the  grave  till  the  last 
day.  But  there  it  lies  dead  and  motionless,  having  no  more  portion 
in  what  is  done  under  the  sun.  But  the  body  also  must  pass  into 
the  other  world,  and  all  mankind  shall  be  inhabitants  of  that  world 
at  length  in  their  bodies,  as  well  as  their  souls.  Of  this  we  may 
note  these  few  things. 

1.  The  time  appointed  for  it  is  the  last  day.  Then,  and  not  till 
then  shall  the  bodies  of  men  be  transported  thither,  Matth.  xxv.  ult. 
They  must  sleep  in  the  dust,  till  the  end  of  the  world,  Job  xiv.  12. 
and  then  be  removed  into  the  other  world,  for  eternal  inhabitants, 
not  to  remove  any  more. 

2.  Then  shall  they  be  raised  up  out  of  their  graves  for  that  pas- 
sage, their  souls  being  reunited  to  their  bodies ;  so  shall  they  awake 
out  of  their  long  sleep,  Dan.  xii.  2.  Christ  shall  come  again  to 
judgment,  and  the  trumpet  shall  sound,  at  which  all  the  dead  shall 
arise,  their  souls  being  by  his  mighty  power  returned  into  and 
united  again  to  their  bodies,  John  v.  28,  29.  Then  they  shall  rise 
to  take  their  last  farewell  of  this  present  woi'ld. 

3.  They  shall  be  gathered  together  by  the  ministry  of  angels  into 
two  companies,  the  one  to  pass  into  the  upper  part,  the  other  into 
the  lower  part  of  the  other  world,  Mark  xiii.  27.  Mat.  xiii.  40,  -ll. 
Thus  every  grave  .shall  be  emptied  then,  no  place  in  the  earth  or 
sea  shall  hold  back  any  of  its  dead.  Rev.  xx.  13.  and  being  brought 
forth,  none  of  them  shall  be  lost  by  the  way  unto  the  place  where 
the  judgment  will  be,  all  shall  be  brought  thither,  Rom.  xiv.  10. 
good  and  bad,  from  all  corners  of  the  earth  and  sea. 

4.  The  fair  company  of  Christ's  sheep  shall  be  caught  up  from 
this  cursed  earth  never  to  set  a  foot  on  it  more,  into  the  clouds,  and 
there  in  the  air  be  set  on  Christ's  right  hand,  1  Thess.  iv.  17.  Thus 
they  are  so  far  in  their  way  to  the  other  world.  And  the  reprobate 
goats  shall  be  left  standing  on  their  own  earth,  upon  Christ's  left 
hand,  Matth.  xxiv.  40.  the  nearer  perhaps  to  their  part  of  the  other 
world.  And  this  will  be  the  last  station  that  ever  they  will  have 
upon  it. 

6.  Christ  will,  by  a  sentence  from  the  throne,  adjudge  the  righte- 
ous unto  the  upper  part  of  the  other  world,  after  due  cognisance 
taken  of  their  case,  Matth.  xxv.  34.  "  Then  shall  the  King  say  unto 


416  A  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  OTHER  WORLD. 

thera  on  his  right  hand,  Come  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the 
kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world."  And 
by  a  sentence  from  the  same  he  will  adjudge  the  wicked  into  the 
lower  part  of  it,  ver.  41.  "  Then  shall  he  say  also  to  them  on  the 
left  hand,  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared 
for  the  devil  and  his  angels."  So  there  is  no  more  use  for  this  world, 
but  saints  and  sinners  must  leave  it  now,  having  got  their  route  for 
the  other  world. 

Lastly,  Immediately  the  wicked  pass  away  into  hell  in  one  com- 
j)any  together,  there  to  receive  eternal  punishment ;  and  then  the 
godly  having  seen  them  turn  their  backs  and  go  awiay,  do  go  off  into 
heaven  with  Christ.  And  then  comes  the  general  conflagration,  suc- 
ceeded with  the  creation  of  the  new  heavens  and  earth. 

Inf.  1.  Death  is  a  matter  of  the  higliest  importance  to  all,  as 
being  the  passage  into  the  other  world.  As  none  of  us  can  miss  to 
die,  so  none  of  us  can  miss  to  pass  out  of  this  world  into  the  other. 
Ah  !  why  then  are  we  so  unmindful  of  it  ?  Why  do  we  not  set  our- 
selves more  to  prepare  ourselves  for  it  ?  Why  are  we  so  much  con- 
cerned for  this  world  that  we  must  leave,  and  so  little  for  that  world 
we  must  depart  to  ?  Pass  we  must,  but  cannot  return  :  what  is  but 
once  to  be  done,  had  need  to  be  well  done. 

2.  Tliough  dying  is  in  itself  an  awful  thing,  yet  to  the  godly  it  is 
most  safe  and  comfortable.  They  have  a  happy  lodging  on  the 
other  side,  and  they  will  get  a  joyful  convoy  thither.  To  look  into 
the  waters  is  frightful ;  but  they  have  a  firm  ground  to  the  believers, 
and  they  are  not  so  deep  as  they  look  to  be.  It  is  an  awful  thought, 
to  think  of  that  moment  when  the  soul  drops  the  body,  and  passes 
into  the  other  world ;  but  Christ  is  ready  to  receive  the  believer's 
soul,  and  the  angels  to  welcome  and  attend  it  into  their  world  of 
bliss. 

3.  Death,  however  dreadful  it  is  in  itself,  is  far  more  dreadful  in 
its  consequences  to  the  ungodly.  Were  there  no  more  for  them  but 
to  die,  and  so  to  be  done,  or  cease  to  be,  it  would  be  more  tolerable. 
But  the  horrible  place  they  pass  into  in  the  other  world,  the  fright- 
ful state  abiding  them  there,  is  fearful  beyond  expression.  What 
moment  they  are  expiring,  they  are  waited  for  of  the  destroyers,  to 
be  driven  away  in  their  wickedness. 

Lastly,  All  of  us  have  certainly  greater  interest  and  concern  in 
the  other  world  than  in  this.  For  here  we  are  but  passengers,  there 
we  will  be  eternal  inhabitants.  And  not  only  is  the  greatest  con- 
cern for  our  souls  there,  but  even  our  bodies  too. 


OF  THE  STATE  OF  SEPARATE  SOULS  IN"  HEAVEN".        41? 

ly.   Of  the  state  of  "men  in  the  other  world. 

I  proceed  now  to  the  last  head  I  proposed  to  consider,  namely, 
The  state  of  men  in  the  other  world.  And  in  handling  of  this 
weighty  subject,  two  things  must  be  inquired  into. 

1.  The  state  of  separate  souls  in  the  other  world. 

2.  The  state  of  soul  and  body  reunited. 
Of  both  which  in  order. 

I.   Of  the  State  of  separate  Souls  in  the  other  world. 

The  state  of  separate  souls  commences  at  death,  whereby  the  se- 
paration is  made,  and  continues  until  the  resurrection,  when  the  soul 
and  body  are  reunited.  Which  state  therefore  can  have  no  place, 
where  death  has  not  place,  as  in  those  whom  Christ  coming  again 
will  find  alive  on  the  earth.     For  clearing  of  this  branch,  we  shall, 

1.  Inquire  into  the  state  of  separate  souls  in  the  other  world  in 
general. 

2.  Consider  the  different  states  of  separate  souls  in  the  ditFerent 
parts  of  that  world. 

I.  We  shall  inquire  into  the  state  of  separate  souls  in  the  other 
world  in  general.     And, 

1.  They  are  in  a  state  of  activity,  and  not  asleep,  without  life, 
sense,  understanding,  and  action,  as  some  profane  men  would  have 
it.  That  is  the  state  of  the  body  indeed  after  death,  but  not  of  the 
soul,  which  is  of  a  spiritual  and  active  nature.  The  separate  souls 
of  the  saints  are  not  asleep  but  with  the  Lord,  2  Cor.  v.  8  ;  Phil,  i. 
23.  whereby  the  scripture  expresseth  a  state  of  happiness,  1  Thess. 
iv.  17-  Neither  are  the  separate  souls  of  the  ungodly  asleep,  as  is 
evident  from  the  case  of  the  rich  man  in  hell,  Luke  xvi.  23 — 25. 

2.  They  are  totally  and  finally  removed  from  the  business  of  this 
world,  Eccl.  ix.  6.  Whatever  their  activity  be,  they  act  no  more  in 
those  things  that  are  the  aff'airs  of  this  life.  Death  puts  an  end  to 
all  that  with  them,  Psal.  cxlvi.  4.  and  therefore  they  are  said  to  rest 
from  their  labours,  being  freed  from  the  business  and  troubles  of 
this  life.  Accordingly,  whatever  they  possessed  while  hero  in  life, 
their  interest  therein  is  expired,  Luke  xii.  20.  However  careful  and 
busy  they  have  been  in  these,  death  puts  a  final  stop  thereto  in  a 
moment. 

3.  Their  activity  is  wholly  intellectual  aud  spiritual,  as  that  of 
the  angels  good  or  bad,  Matth.  xxii.  30.  They  are  then  divested  of 
their  bodies,  and  so  can  use  them  no  more  than  if  they  had  no  man- 
ner of  concern  in  them.  The  body  furnishes  all  men  with  a  busi- 
ness, what  to  eat  aud  drink,  wherewith  to  be  clothed,   where  to 


418  A  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  OTHER  WORLD. 

lodge,  how  to  provide  for  themselves  and  families ;  and  this  is  the 
whole  business  of  many.  But  in  the  other  world  all  that  is  scored 
off.  Only  the  spiritual  faculties,  of  understanding,  conscience,  will, 
and  memory,  last ;  and  those  will  alford  them  employment  and  con- 
tinual action,  Luke  xvi.  25. 

4.  Their  knowledge  is  exceedingly  enlarged,  their  faculties  are 
cleared  beyond  what  they  were  in  this  life,  either  to  their  happiness 
or  misery.  The  clay  body  being  fallen  down  from  about  the  soul,  it 
will  see  far  more  clearly  than  before.  The  mist  that  arose  from 
this  vain  world  unto  them,  will  then  be  scattered.  The  other  world 
they  only  heard  of  before,  they  will  then  see,  and  know  the  truth 
of  what  was  reported  from  the  word,  by  their  own  experience. 
"Whatever  be  the  ignorance  prevailing  in  this  world,  there  is  none 
there  but  will  know  at  another  rate  than  now,  Avhat  God,  Christ, 
sin,  &c.  are. 

5.  They  are  in  a  social  state,  and  not  solitary,  they  are  in  com- 
pany with  other  sjtirits.  The  other  world  is  doubtless  a  throng 
world,  thronger  than  this,  whether  we  view  it  in  the  upper  or  lower 
part ;  for  there  all  past  generations  of  men  are,  here  is  one  genera- 
tion only.  The  saints  go  into  a  blessed  society,  Heb.  xii.  7-  and  the 
wicked  have  their  numerous  society  in  the  other  world  too,  Luke 
xvi.  28. 

Lastly,  They  are  in  a  determinate  unalterable  state,  and  can  ne- 
ver change  seats  more,  Luke  xvi.  29.  Now  we  are  in  a  state  of 
trial  in  this  world,  but  in  the  other  world  they  are  at  their  journey's 
end.  The  tree  is  fallen,  and  must  lie  for  ever  as  it  has  fallen.  In 
heaven  there  is  no  need  of  repentance,  and  in  hell  there  is  no  place 
for  it.  Death  determines  our  eternal  state.  If  one  is  well  in  the 
other  world,  he  is  well  for  ever;  if  he  is  ill  there,  he  is  so  for  ever. 

II.  Let  us  now  consider  the  different  states  of  separate  souls  in 
the  different  parts  of  the  other  world,  viz.  heaven  and  hell. 

FIRST,  Of  the  state  of  separate  souls  in  heaven. 

1.  They  ai'e  perfect  in  holiness  there,  Heb.  xii.  23.  In  death 
dropping  their  bodies,  they  drop  also  the  body  of  sin  and  death, 
that  they  may  enter  the  new  Jerusalem  where  no  unclean  thing  can 
enter.  Then  there  is  a  full  application  of  the  blood  of  Christ  to 
them,  which  in  a  moment  makes  them  perfectly  clean.  So  there 
they  shine  in  the  glory  of  the  perfection  of  the  divine  image  in  thera. 
There  is  no  more  darkness  in  their  minds,  rebellion  in  their  wills,  or 
carnality  in  their  affections.  The  guilt,  power,  defilement,  and  in- 
dwelling of  sin,  are  wholly  and  for  ever  removed. 

2.  They  are  in  a  state  of  rest  there,  xiv.  13.  Their  wearisome 
toil  and  labour  which  they  had  with  the  troubles  of  this  world,  is  at 


OF  THE  STATE  OF  SEPAEATE  SOULS  IN  IIEATEX.  419 

an  end,  never  to  return ;  the  weary  work  they  had  in  fighting 
against  sin,  their  watching,  mourning,  groaning,  8^c.  thereby  occa- 
sioned, are  all  away.  They  are  got  through  the  weary  wilderness 
and  Jordan,  and  are  now  seated  in  Canaan  above.  The  victory  is 
obtained,  and  the  sword  is  laid  by. 

3.  They  are  with  the  Lord  there,  2  Cor.  v.  8.  They  have  the 
glorious  presence  of  God  and  Christ  there.  That  Jesus  in  whom 
they  believed,  and  whom  their  soul  loved  while  unseen,  they  see 
now,  for  they  are  with  him,  Phil.  i.  23.  That  God  to  whom  their 
souls  tended  in  faith  and  love  while  here,  they  are  now  admitted  to 
see  his  face,  which  is  the  privilege  of  the  inhabitants  in  heaven, 
Matth.  xviii.  10.  1  Cor.  xiii.  12.  They  see  all  of  him  necessary  to 
satisfy  a  soul,  and  they  see  him  as  their  own  God,  and  hence  arise 
perfect  ease,  rest,  and  satisfaction  ;  and  they  no  more  miss  the  com- 
forts and  conveniences  of  this  life  than  one  does  a  candle  when  the 
sun  shines  in  his  meridian  brightness. 

4.  They  are  in  a  family  of  love  there.  Heaven  is  the  place  of 
love,  and  there  it  will  endure  for  ever,  when  faith  is  turned  into 
sight,  and  hope  to  enjoyment,  1  Cor.  xiii.  8.  No  society  can  be 
happy  without  a  bond  of  love ;  and  there  is  so  little  love  in  this 
world,  that  it  is  a  miserable  world ;  but  all  flames  with  love  in  the 
other  world ;  God  lets  out  his  love  to  the  saints  there,  and  they 
flame  in  love  to  him  again.  They  live  in  love  with  the  angels,  and 
warm  is  that  love  which  these  now  ministering  spirits  bear  to  the 
heirs  of  salvation,  and  which  these  heirs  have  one  to  another  in  that 
world.  Hence  is  Abraham's  bosom.  For  there  holiness  is  per- 
fected, and  their  love  both  to  God  and  one  another. 

5.  They  are  in  a  state  of  joy,  pleasure,  and  delight  there,  Psal. 
xvi.  ult.  Matth.  xxv.  21.  While  we  are  here,  there  is  a  difliculty  of 
joy  entering  into  us,  we  are  so  beset  with  causes  of  sorrow ;  but 
there  the  saints  are  entered  into  joy;  there  is  an  ocean  of  joy  there, 
nothing  but  joy  wheresoever  they  look.  They  had  their  weeping 
time  here,  now  they  are  comforted  ;  never  a  sorrowful  thought  can 
take  place  with  them  more.  The  dreggy  pleasures  of  sin  and  sense 
are  not  there,  but  spiritual  pleasures  are  there  in  fulness ;  and  these 
doubtless,  are  the  far  more  exquisite,  as  our  souls  are  more  pene- 
trating than  our  senses. 

6.  They  are  in  a  state  of  holy  exercise  there.  Rev.  iv.  8.  Hea- 
ven's rest  is  not  a  lazy  rest  of  idleness,  but  it  is  a  sabbath's  rest, 
wherein  they  are  employed  in  pleasurable  and  refreshful  exercises ; 
therefore  they  are  said  to  walk  with  him  in  white,  to  be  led  to  liv- 
ing fountains  of  waters.  Their  proper  work  is  praise ;  there  they 
sing  the  new  song,  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  their  own  eternal  de- 
light. 


420  A  DESCnTPTION  OF  THE  OTHER  ■VTORLB. 

7.  They  know  that  their  happiness  shall  never  be  lost  or  dimini- 
shed, however  it  may  be  enlarged,  llev.  xxi.  5.  So  they  are  per- 
fectly secure  there,  as  in  a  state  of  unalterable  felicity.  Thus  the 
view  of  the  endless  ages  of  eternity  must  give  them  a  new  pleasure 
and  satisfaction,  upon  every  reflection  thereon  :  while  they  know  it 
will  spin  out  their  happiness  for  ever. 

8.  Lastly,  They  have  the  comfortable  expectation  of  the  additional 
happiness  waiting  them  at  the  last  day.  Now  they  have  the  first 
fruits  of  bliss,  and  they  see  the  full  harvest  is  coming,  Rev.  vi.  11. 
The  separated  souls  of  the  saints  arc  in  firm  expectation  of  their  re- 
union with  their  bodies,  and  the  glorious  resurrection  of  the  body ; 
their  meeting  the  Lord  in  the  air  in  their  bodies,  their  standing  on 
his  right  hand,  and  receiving  the  final  sentence,  "  Come,  ye  blessed 
of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you,  from  the  foun- 
dation of  the  world." 

SECONDLY,  The  state  of  separate  souls  in  hell. 

1.  They  are  in  a  settled  state  of  sin  there,  Prov.  xiv.  32.  "  Tlie 
wicked  is  driven  away  in  his  wickedness."  They  are  in  a  state  of 
sin  here,  it  is  true ;  but  then  it  is  not  such  a  settled  state,  but  they 
may  get  out  of  it.  There  are  offers  of  Christ  made  to  them,  whereby 
their  guilt  may  be  removed,  8^c.  But  then  their  guilt,  defilement, 
the  dominion,  and  indwelling  of  sin,  are  left  on  them  never  to  be 
removed.  Then  is  said  concerning  them,  "  He  that  is  unjust,  let  him 
be  unjust  still;  and  he  which  is  filthy,  let  him  be  filthy  still,"  Rev. 
xxii.  11.  There  are  no  off"ers  of  the  despised  blood  and  Spirit  of 
Christ  there,  no  voice  of  a  Saviour  and  salvation.  The  backsliders 
are  there  filled  with  their  own  ways. 

2.  They  are  in  prison  there,  reserved  to  the  judgment  of  the  great 
day,  1  Pet.  iii.  19.  There  was  a  time  wherein  they  ran  on  in  a 
course  of  crimes  against  God,  who  suff'ered  them,  some  longer,  some 
shorter,  while,  but  death  came  and  arrested  them,  and  the  souls  of 
the  criminals  were  committed  to  the  prison  in  hell,  out  of  which 
there  is  no  escape.  There  they  are  prisoners  in  the  pit,  with  the 
filth  of  their  sin  as  their  prison  garments  on  them,  never  to  be 
changed. 

3.  They  are  in  a  state  of  torment  there,  Luke  xvi.  23.  They  took 
their  rest,  while  they  should  have  been  busy  for  salvation  ;  and  now 
they  have  no  rest.  Rev.  xiv.  11.  They  slept  in  seed-time,  and  they 
are  left  in  a  starving  condition  now.  Wrath  from  the  Lord  lias 
seized  them,  as  his  enemies,  and  is  let  in  in  floods  into  their  souls. 
They  have  a  memory,  wherewith  now  they  can  call  to  mind  what 
way  they  passed  the  time  of  this  life ;  they  have  a  conscience  that 
is  now  awake,  and  is  to  them  a  never-dying  worm.     Nothing  now 


OF  THE  STATE  OF  SEPARATE  SOULS  IK  HELL.  421 

remains  with  them  of  their  sins,  but  what  is  tormenting;  all  plea- 
surable passions  are  now  rooted  out  of  them,  and  tormenting  ones 
only  remain. 

4.  They  are  in  a  state  of  desperation  there,  Matth.  xxii.  13. 
"  Bind  him  hand  and  foot,  and  take  him  away,  and  cast  him  into 
outer  darkness :  there  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth." 
They  had  some  hopes  while  here ;  though  they  were  but  false  hopes, 
they  made  them  easy.  But  now  all  hope  is  plucked  up  by  the  roots 
with  them,  and  it  is  not  possible  they  can  hope  any  more.  And  0 
how  cutting  must  the  despair  be  in  hell,  it  being  absolute  !  While 
men  are  here,  when  all  hopes  of  the  removal  of  trouble  are  cut  off, 
they  know  that  death  is  coming,  and  that  will  end  it.  But  they 
that  are  in  the  other  world  know  that  their  state  is  eternal,  and  de- 
spair for  ever.  This  cannot  fail  to  heighten  their  sin,  being  no  more 
in  circumstances  for  counterfeiting  love  to  God,  or  regard  to  his 
commandments. 

Lastly,  They  have  the  fearful  expectation  of  the  additional  misery 
waiting  them  at  the  last  day.  It  seems  to  be  pretty  plain,  that  the 
damned  are  not  quite  so  miserable  now,  as  they  will  be  after  the  re- 
surrection and  last  judgment  for  ever.     For, 

1st,  This  may  be  gathered  from  scripture  testimony.  The  rich 
man  in  the  parable,  Luke  xvi.  was  afraid  of  further  torments,  ver. 
28.  The  devils  are  cast  down  to  hell,  2  Pet.  ii.  4 ;  but  there  they 
are  reserved  unto  judgment,  as  malefactors  reserved  in  prison  till 
the  day  of  execution ;  and  they  are  in  expectation  of  a  time  of  fur- 
ther torment,  Matth.  viii.  29.  and  tremble  in  view  of  it.  Jam.  ii.  19. 
And  at  the  last  day,  reprobate  men  must  depart  with  thera  into  the 
same  fiery  torments,  Matth.  xxvi.  41.  and  consequently  into  greater 
than  they  now  have. 

^dly,  It  appears  from  the  very  nature  of  the  thing.  For  whereas 
their  bodies  are  now  at  ease  in  the  grave,  they  also  must  then  be 
tormented.  So  they  must  needs  be  in  fearful  expectation  of  the 
sounding  of  the  last  trumpet,  the  resurrection  of  their  bodies,  their 
station  at  the  Judge's  left  hand,  and  the  dreadful  final  sentence,  and 
the  execution  thereof.  So  the  diff'erence  seems  to  be  betwixt  their 
present  and  future  state,  as  betwixt  malefactors  in  chains  in  the 
dungeon,  and  their  being  led  forth  to  execution. 

The  reasons  hereof  are, 

(1.)  At  the  end  of  the  world,  there  is  to  be  a  general  judgment, 
wherein  they  are  to  receive  their  final  sentence  ;  and  there  must  be 
something  reserved  to  bo  the  effect  thereof,  that  was  not  before. 
Then  wrath  comes  on  to  the  uttermost,  as  being  the  time  of  the  last 
pouring  out  of  the  indignation,  appearing  in  the  general  conflagra- 
YoL.  V.  2  b 


422  A  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  OTHER  WORLD. 

tion,  and  sweeping  away  all  sin  and  effects  of  sin  from  aj^other 
quarters,  into  hell  with  the  damned  themselves,  Rev.  xx.  M.  So 
that  these  things  now  scattered  through  the  creation,  will  be  gathered 
together,  and  lodged  in  and  with  them. 

(2.)  The  cup  of  the  sin  of  the  damned  may  be  yet  a  filling  up  to 
the  last  day.  I  mean  not  this  as  their  personal  sinning  in  hell,  but 
as  to  their  current  guilt  in  this  world,  when  they  are  away  out  of  it, 
for  which  they  must  then  answer;  for  a  man's  sin  may  be  living  and 
active,  when  he  is  dead  and  gone ;  as  the  observation  of  all  ages 
testifies,  seeing  the  world  much  the  worse  of  some  that  are  dead  and 
away  out  of  it.  Is  not  Adam's  sin,  which  has  run  more  than  five 
thousand  years  in  the  world  already,  running  still  and  infecting  his 
posterity,  and  will  to  the  world's  end  !  for  which  he  needed  a  par- 
don and  has  no  doubt  got  it. 

It  is  a  certain  truth,  that  rational  agents  are  accountable  for  the 
native  consequences  of  their  actions,  Exod.  xxi.  33,  34.  And  it  is 
as  certain,  that  there  may  be  a  train  of  mischievous  consequences 
following  men's  sin  in  the  world  after  they  are  departed ;  and  can 
one  imagine  that  wicked  men  shall  not  be  made  to  answer  for  these  ? 
Should  one  lay  a  train  for  blowing  up  a  house,  which  yet  should  not 
work  till  he  were  got  many  miles  off;  or  one  give  poison  to  another, 
which  yet  should  not  kill  till  some  years  after ;  would  not  such  be 
held  murderers,  and  punished  accordingly  ?  No  doubt  of  it.  So  is 
the  case  here. 

There  are  four  cases  particularly  among  others,  wherein  men's 
guilt  may  be  increased  after  they  are  dead,  and  their  accounts  en- 
larged against  the  great  day. 

[1.]  Their  being  authors  of  any  evil,  springs  of  mischief,  as  Jero- 
boam was,  2  Kings  xvii.  22,  23.  Inventers  of  evil  things  are  branded 
with  ignominy  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  however  they  may  pride  them- 
selves therein.  Such  are  contrivers  and  makers  of  wicked  laws, 
whereby  multitudes  are  driven  to  sin ;  introducers  of  ill  customs 
into  nations,  congregations,  or  families,  whereby  a  course  of  sin  is 
set  a-going,  and  the  older  it  grows  gathers  the  more  strength,  and 
may  last  many  generations,  perhaps  to  the  end  of  time.  But  all  the 
sin  and  misery  following  on  such  actions,  will  be  chargeable  on  the 
author. 

[2.]  The  case  of  injustice,  whether  by  stealing,  cheating,  oppres- 
sion, or  defrauding  any  manner  of  way,  where  restitution  is  not 
made,  especially  where  men  leave  such  ill-gotten  goods  to  theirs  af- 
ter them.  For  this  is  a  continued  stream  of  injustice  running  from 
time  to  time,  for  right  can  never  rise  from  wrong  in  the  sight 
of  God,     And  the  loss  and  misery  thereby  coming  to  the  children 


OF  THE  STATE  OF  SOUL  AND  BOBY  REUNITED.  423 

and  friends  of  the  injured  from  generation  to  generation,  is  still 
cliarge?ible  on  the  unjust  man,  till  restitution  is  made.  Job  xs.  9, 10. 
This  may  account  for  apparitions  of  persons  departed,  ordering  res- 
titution. 

[3.]  The  case  of  companionship  in  sin,  such  as  is  the  case  of 
drunkards,  unclean  persons,  and  all  social  sinners,  who  ruin  others 
together  with  themselves :  for  at  their  door  the  ruin  of  their  com- 
panions in  sin  must  lie,  if  they  be  ruined.  Therefore  the  rich  man 
in  hell  wished  his  five  brethren  might  get  repentance,  Luke  xvi.  27, 
28.  knowing  that  while  they  did  not  repent,  he  was  chargeable  with 
their  ruin  ;  and  that  would  increase  his  torment,  if  he  should  have 
the  blood  of  their  souls  to  answer  for  too,  at  the  last  day,  Matth. 
xiii.  30.  for  in  burning  bundles,  each  stick  makes  the  other  burn  the 
more  keenly. 

[4.]  Lastly,  The  case  of  ill  example,  Matth.  xviii.  7.  They  who 
in  words,  actions,  or  behaviour,  set  an  ill  copy  to  others,  they  will 
not  readily  in  a  sinful  world  miss  some  to  write  after  them,  follow- 
ing their  criminal  example.  But  the  more  followers  they  get,  the 
greater  will  be  their  guilt ;  and  the  longer  they  are  followed,  the 
longer  will  their  accounts  run  on,  even  as  long  as  they  are  followed, 
though  dead  and  gone.  And  it  is  often  seen,  that  the  ill  example 
of  parents  especially  runs  in  a  train  of  sin  from  generation  to  gene- 
ration. 

Thus  it  is  evident,  that  the  cup  of  the  sin  of  the  damned  may  be 
increasing  or  filling  up  after  death;  and  if  so,  their  torment  will  be 
increased  accordingly  against  the  day  of  final  reckoning.  And  they 
may  know  their  sin  to  be  still  going  on  in  the  world,  while  it  is  not 
in  their  power  to  stop  its  course ;  and  thei'efore  they  cannot  miss 
fearful  expectations  of  additional  misery  against  the  last  day. 

Thus  far  of  the  state  of  separate  souls  in  the  other  world. 

II.   Of  the  State  of  Soul  and  Body  reunited,  hi  the  other  World. 

Having  spoken  of  the  state  of  separate  souls  in  the  other  world, 
we  come  now  to  inquire  into  the  state  of  soul  and  body  reunited. 
And  for  clearing  of  this  also,  we  shall, 

1.  Inquire  into  the  state  of  reunited  souls  and  bodies  in  general. 

2.  Consider  the  difierent  states  of  reunited  souls  and  bodies,  in 
the  other  world. 

I.  "We  are  to  inquire  into  the  state  of  reunited  souls  and  bodies, 
or  whole  men,  in  the  other  world,  in  general.  This  state  takes 
place  after  the  resurrection,  general  judgment,  conflagration,  and 
departure  of  the  righteous  and  wicked,  each  into  the  respective 

2  E  2 


424  A  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  OTIIEK  WORLD. 

places  of  their  eternal  abode  in  the  other  world,  and  continues  for 
ever.     And  we  may  view  it  in  the  following  particulars. 

1.  They  shall  be  in  a  state  of  living  for  ever  and  ever.  As  sepa- 
rate souls  do  not  sleep,  from  death  till  the  resurrection ;  so  the  soul 
and  body  then  reunited  shall  never  be  dissolved  again  ;  so  the  whole 
man  shall  be  in  life  for  ever  from  the  moment  of  the  resurrection ; 
there  will  be  no  graves  in  the  other  world,  but  the  great  one,  hell, 
where  all  the  wicked  will  be  together  buried  alive.  That  the  saints 
in  heaven  will  ever  live,  is  evident.  That  the  damned  in  hell  will  be 
eternally  alive  too,  appears  from  this  that  their  punishment  of  sense 
there  will  be  without  end,  Matth.  xxv.  ult.  with  ver.  41.  Rev.  xx. 
10.  It  is  true,  the  state  of  the  damned  is  called  a  state  of  death, 
and  eternal  destruction ;  but  it  is  so  called  only  in  opposition  to  a 
happy  life  and  state  of  salvation.  Their  life  will  be  a  death ;  they 
will  be  ever  dying,  but  never  die  out ;  otherwise  their  pain  of  sense 
could  not  be  eternal.  So  it  is  in  the  other  world,  where  we  are  to 
live  indeed,  to  live  without  dying. 

2.  We  will  live  there  in  the  same  bodies  we  live  in  here.  The 
very  term  resurrection  implies  this.  If  there  were  other  bodies  that 
were  to  be  made  for  us,  that  would  be  a  creation,  but  not  a  resurrec- 
tion of  the  body.  It  is  this  mortal,  this  vile  body,  that  will  be 
raised  for  us  to  live  in  there,  1  Cor.  xv.  53.  Phil.  iii.  21.  Besides, 
it  is  inconsistent  with  the  divine  equity,  that  the  bodies  of  the 
saints,  the  temples  of  his  Spirit,  that  were  employed  in  his  service, 
should  be  left  in  the  dust,  and  other  bodies  glorified ;  and  that  the 
bodies  that  sinned  should  lie  at  ease,  and  other  bodies  suffer  in  hell. 
And  surely  it  is  as  easy  for  Omnipotence  to  raise  the  old  body,  as 
create  a  new  one. 

3.  But  we  will  live  there  without  the  means  of  life,  now  in  use 
with  us.  Now  the  body  that  is  to  die  must  be  daily  held  up  by  the 
appointed  means  of  life ;  the  clay  tabernacle  needs  more  mud  and 
earth  to  patch  it  up  with  every  now  and  then.  But  in  the  other 
world  our  bodies  will  be  supported  without  them.  There  will  be  no 
use  of  meat  and  drink  there,  1  Cor.  vi.  13.  The  saints  in  glory 
shall  be  satisfied  without  them,  Rev.  vii.  16.  "  They  shall  hunger  no 
more,  neither  thirst  any  more ;"  and  the  damned,  even  those  that 
had  their  full  tables  and  fine  liquors,  whatever  need  they  may  have 
of  them,  shall  not  for  ever  have  the  favour  of  a  drop  of  water,  Luke 
xvi.  Now  much  time  is  spent  by  saints  and  sinners  in  sleep ;  but 
there  will  be  no  sleeping  there,  Rev.  iv.  8.  and  xiv.  11.  They  are 
miserable  men  who  know  no  other,  or  better  comforts  than  these. 

4.  The  business  and  affairs  of  this  life  have  no  place  there.  So- 
lomon observes,  that  all  the  labour  of  man  is  for  his  mouth,  Eccl.  vi. 


OF  THE  STATE  OF  SOUL  AND  BODY  REUNITED.  425 

7.  But  though  we  will  have  our  bodies  there,  there  will  be  no  eat- 
ing and  drinking  there ;  and  that  will  cut  off  that  labour  there ; 
there  will  be  no  ploughing,  sowing,  and  reaping,  and  other  business 
depending  thereon.  There  will  be  no  business  there  for  clothing, 
aud  housing.  There  is  a  quite  new  state  of  matters  there,  Rev.  xxi. 
5.  The  affairs  of  this  life  are  for  our  trial  in  the  way ;  but  then  we 
will  be  come  to  our  journey's  end ;  and  our  entertainment  there  will 
be  a  reward  according  to  our  works  done  here. 

6.  Earthly  relations  will  be  dissolved  there,  death  puts  an  end  to 
them.  Job  iii.  18,  19.  and  they  will  not  be  made  up  again  at  the  re- 
surrection, Matth.  xxii.  30.  There  will  be  a  general  levelling  in  the 
other  world;  no  difference  left  among  men,  but  what  piety  or 
wickedness  has  made.  There  the  servant  and  the  master  will  be 
alike  in  other  respects,  and  every  burdened  one  will  bear  his  own 
burden  alone.  There  will  be  no  more  husband  and  wife  there ;  for 
then  the  mystery  of  God  is  finished,  and  the  number  is  made  up  to 
receive  no  further  addition. 

6.  We  will  be  separated  and  sorted  there  into  two  very  different 
societies,  places,  and  states,  Matth.  xxv.  nit.  Now  persons  and 
things  in  this  world,  good  and  bad,  are  mixed,  as  in  a  corn-field 
where  grow  wheat  and  tares  together ;  but  in  the  other  world  there 
will  be  no  such  mixture ;  every  one  will  be  disposed  of  there  in  the 
due  order,  to  be  with  Christ  or  with  the  devil,  in  heaven  or  hell, 
perfectly  happy  or  completely  miserable.  And  each  part  of  that 
world  will  be  stocked  with  inhabitants  vastly  more  numerous  than 
ever  this  world  was ;  since  all  generations  of  the  righteous  will  be 
in  heaven,  and  all  generations  of  the  wicked  will  be  in  hell. 

7.  There  will  be  no  communication  or  intercourse  betwixt  the  two 
societies,  Luke  xvi.  19,  The  saints  in  heaven  will  know  the  misery 
of  the  damned,  and  the  damned  will  know  the  happiness  of  the 
saints,  as  appears  from  that  parable ;  but  there  will  be  no  passage 
from  the  one  place  to  the  other.  The  impassable  gulf  between  them 
will  bar  all  communication.  The  saints  will  not  desire  to  go  into 
the  place  and  company  of  the  damned :  and  the  pit  with  her  bars 
will  be  about  the  damned  for  ever,  that  they  cannot  get  out  into  the 
place  and  society  of  the  saints. 

Lastly,  Our  first  state  there  will  be  eternal,  Matth.  xxv.  ult. 
There  will  be  no  end  of  the  happiness  of  the  saints,  and  no  end  of 
the  misery  of  the  damned.  The  world  to  come  will  ever  be  so  ; 
when  millions  of  ages  are  past,  it  will  bo  as  far  from  an  end  as  at 
its  beginning,  for  it  will  have  no  end. 

Inf.  Let  us  look  forward  unto  the  life  we  are  to  have  in  the 
other  world  after  the  resurrection,  and  consider  that  the  manner  of 

2  e3 


426  A  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  OTUER  WORLD. 

life  we  have  here  is  passing,  Let  them  no  more  be  our  main  ques- 
tions, What  shall  we  eat  ?  What  shall  we  drink  ?  and,  Where- 
withal shall  we  be  clothed  ?  for  the  time  will  come  when  these 
things  shall  be  in  eternal  disuse.  Let  us  not  sink  our  minds  into 
the  affairs  of  this  life  ;  for  a  little  time  will  put  an  end  to  them. 
Let  us  improve  the  relations  we  stand  in  for  our  personal  well-being 
in  another  world,  and  beware  xhey  be  not  ruining  snares  to  us.  Let 
us  now  separate  ourselves  from  this  world  lying  in  wickedness,  as 
we  would  not  be  eternally  separated  with  them  from  the  society  of 
the  saints. 

IL  We  shall  now  consider  the  different  states  of  reunited  souls 
and  bodies  in  the  other  world  ;  namely,  in  heaven  and  hell.      And, 

FIRST,  Of  the  state  of  men,  soul  and  body,  in  heaven.  In  the 
general,  they  will  be  in  a  state  of  complete  happiness  of  the  whole 
man  there.  Betwixt  death  and  the  resurrection,  they  are  happy, 
but  incompletely;  the  one  half  of  the  man,  the  soul,  is  happy  ;  but 
the  other  half  of  the  man,  the  body,  lies  in  the  dust.  But  the 
bodies  of  the  saints  being  raised  at  the  last  day,  they  will  be  com- 
pletely happy  in  the  whole  man. 

1.  They  will  be  in  an  iuconceivably-happy  place  there,  Rev.  xxi. 
10,  11.  We  spoke  something  of  the  place  already;  but  certainly 
it  is  a  place  happy  beyond  what  we  can  conceive  while  here.  It  is 
a  paradise  for  pleasure,  a  kingdom  for  spaciousness,  a  palace  for 
splendour  and  glory,  and  a  Father's  house  for  kindness.  The  most 
pleasant  places  of  this  world  are  but  a  wilderness  in  comparison 
with  it,  a  strange  country  to  the  saints. 

2.  They  will  be  in  eternal  uninterrupted  light  there.  Truly  light 
is  sweet,  and  a  pleasant  thing  it  is  for  the  eyes  to  behold  the  sun  . 
but  how  much  more  sweet  must  the  light  of  heaven  be,  that  so  far 
outdoes  the  light  of  the  sun,  that  our  mortal  bodies  which  bear  the 
one,  are  not  able  for  the  other  ?  1  Tim.  vi.  16.  And  no  wonder,  for 
it  is  not  the  sun,  but  the  Lamb,  not  the  rays  of  light  from  the  sun  or 
moon,  but  the  glory  of  God  himself,  that  lightens  heaven.  Rev.  xxi. 
23.  Hence  there  is  no  night  there,  no  darkness  for  ever,  but  an 
eternal  day.  Our  sun  cannot  enlighten  our  whole  globe  at  once, 
but  when  it  is  day  in  one  hemisphere,  it  is  night  in  the  other.  But 
what  can  set  bounds  to  the  glory  of  an  infinite  God,  that  lightens  it  ? 

3.  They  will  be  free  from,  and  beyond  the  reach  of  all  evil  there. 
There  will  be  no  hazard  from  within,  and  none  from  without,  Rev. 
xxi.  25.  They  will  be  free  of  sin  there  ;  there  will  be  no  body  of 
death  to  molest  them  in  that  place ;  they  will  have  no  inclination 
to  sin  more ;  no  temptation  can  reach  them  there ;  nay  there  is  no 
possibility  of  their  sinning  there  being  confirmed  in  a  state  of  per- 


or  THE  STATE  OF  MEN,  SOUL  AND  BODY,  IN  UEAVEN.  4:27 

fection  through  the  merit  of  Christ.  They  will  be  freed  from  all 
their  troubles  and  sufferings  there ;  they  are  beyond  the  reach  of 
derils  and  wicked  men,  and  the  time  of  the  Lord's  trying  them  is 
over  and  ended. 

4.  There  are  no  wants  to  them  there,  Rev.  vii.  16.  They  have  a 
needy  life  of  it  here,  but  there  all  their  wants  will  be  made  up. 
Their  long  complaints  will  then  be  eternally  silenced.  There  will  be 
no  wants  of  the  things  of  this  life,  more  than  of  a  candle  in  the 
brightest  sunshine ;  there  will  be  no  wants  of  spiritual  enjoyments, 
no  desertions,  or  hiding  of  God's  face  there.  There  are  many  things 
in  this  world  that  will  not  be  in  heaven ;  but  all  that  they  will  or 
can  desire,  will  be  there  for  them,  and  therefore  they  can  be  in  no 
want  there.  There  would  be  wants  in  heaven  to  the  wicked,  whose 
desires  are  not  regulated  ;  so  that  they  could  not  be  happy  there. 
But  there  will  be  none  to  the  saints. 

5.  All  imperfections  and  badges  of  imperfection  shall  be  done 
away  there.  "Whatever  denotes  the  imperfection  of  our  state  here, 
shall  be  removed  there  ;  insomuch  that  the  ordinances  of  preaching 
the  word,  the  sacraments,  &c.  shall  be  honourably  laid  aside,  even 
as  the  scaffolding  is  taken  down  when  the  house  is  built;  the  occa- 
sional graces  of  the  Spirit,  such  as  patience,  &c.  duties,  such  as 
watching,  mourning,  for  sin,  &c.  are  laid  aside,  as  the  sword  when 
the  war  is  over.  Faith  is  turned  into  sight,  and  hope  into  enjoy- 
ment. 

6.  There  will  be  a  confluence  of  all  good  in  their  state  there,  ne- 
cessary to  make  them  completely  happy. 

1st,  The  constitution  of  their  bodies  will  be  heavenly,  1  Cor.  xv. 
43.  So  that  the  case  of  the  saints'  bodies  will  in  that  world  be  as 
far  preferable  to  their  case  now,  as  heaven  is  to  earth.  Their 
bodies  now  are  a  spring  of  much  sin,  sorrow,  and  trouble  to  them ; 
but  then  will  their  bodies  be  advanced  into  a  state  of  perfect  happi- 
ness, as  well  as  their  souls. 

This  will  come  to  pass,  through  the  reforming  of  their  bodies  in 
the  likeness  of  Christ's  glorious  body,  at  the  resurrection,  Phil.  iii. 
21.  The  bodies  of  all  are  now  fashioned  in  the  likeness  of  the  first 
Adam,  and  of  him  fallen,  1  Cor.  xv.  47,  48.  for  he  is  the  father  of 
us  all,  the  father  of  our  flesh,  Acts  xvii.  26.  And  so  our  bodies  are 
mortal,  inglorious,  weak,  and  earthly,  like  his.  But  the  bodies  of 
believers  are  melted  down  in  a  grave,  till  they  are  reduced  to  dust 
again,  and  every  the  least  lineament  of  Adam's  image  is  gone ;  then 
at  the  resurrection  Christ  takes  their  dust  and  forms  it  into  a  body 
like  unto  his  own,  the  body  of  the  second  Adam  ;  and  in  this  new 
fashion  and  frame  it  continues  for  ever  after  in  the  other  world. 
So  the  bodies  of  the  saints  will  be, 


428  A  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  OTHEE  AVOKLD. 

(1.)  Incorruptible  there,  1  Cor.  xv.  42.  as  the  body  of  Christ  is. 
They  will  be  no  more  liable  to  death  nor  diseases.  No  pains,  nor 
uneasiness  can  allcct  them  any  more ;  nothing  will  be  about  tliem 
for  ever  that  may  create  loathing  to  themselves  or  others ;  neither 
will  they  be  liable  to  be  worn  with  age  ;  but  they  will  be  in  perfect 
soundness  for  ever. 

(2.)  They  will  bo  glorious  bodies  there,  1  Cor.  xv.  43.  The  in- 
habitants of  heaven  will  all  of  them  be  beauties,  perfect  beauties, 
without  a  metaphor.  They  are  now  all  glorious  within,  though 
some  of  them  be  hard  favoured,  and  others  of  them  deformed,  natu- 
rally or  accidentally;  then  they  will  be  all  glorious  without  too ; 
not  only  beautiful  in  their  faces,  but  the  whole  body  over,  Matth. 
xiii.  43,  "  Then  shall  the  righteous  shine  forth  as  the  sun,  in  the 
kingdom  of  their  Father."  There  will  be  a  heavenly  glory  on  their 
whole  bodies,  making  them  amiable  and  lovely,  surpassing  the  most 
framed  beauties  now  as  the  light  of  the  sun  doth  the  shining  of  a 
candle.  This  will  be  their  clothing,  and  other  clothing  they  will 
need  none,  2  Cor.  v.  2. 

(3.)  They  will  be  powerful  and  strong  bodies,  1  Cor.  xv.  43.  All 
flesh  now  is  grass,  weak  and  withering :  but  there  will  be  no  weak- 
ness nor  weariness  there ;  nay,  the  now  weak  and  feeble  saint  shall 
be  as  David,  and  David  as  the  angel  of  God.  How  else  would  they 
be  fit  for  the  eternal  weight  of  glory,  for  continual  uninterrupted 
exercise  ?  1  Cor.  xv.  50.  The  strongest  man  would  be  unable  to 
bear  the  heavenly  glory ;  the  clay  tabernacle  in  its  present  state 
would  fly  all  in  pieces  ;  but  they  will  be  able  to  bear  it. 

(4.)  They  will  be  spiritual  bodies,  1  Cor.  xv.  44.  They  will  be 
true  bodies  still,  but  endowed  with  spirit-like  qualities.  They  will 
be  no  more  clogs  to  the  soul,  but  as  ready  and  fit  for  the  exercise  of 
heaven,  as  if  they  were  spirits.  Naturalists  observe,  that  bodies 
the  more  they  are  raised  from  the  earth  towards  heaven,  the  lighter 
they  become ;  surely  then  when  they  are  in  the  highest  heaven,  their 
weight  and  ponderousness  must  be  gone.  They  are  spiritual  bodies. 
2dly,  Their  souls  in  their  bodies  will  shine  in  their  purity  and 
perfection  of  the  divine  image,  1  John  iii.  2,  "  When  he  shall  ap- 
pear, we  shall  be  like  him  ;  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is."  At 
death  the  souls  of  the  saints  are  so  glorified,  however  inglorious  they 
were  while  in  the  body.  But  being  housed  again  in  their  glorified 
bodies,  they  will  retain  their  heavenly  lustre  for  ever,  shining  there 
as  the  candle  through  the  lantern.     And  here, 

(1.)  Their  understanding  will  be  perfect  for  ever,  1  Cor.  xiii.  12. 
"  Now  we  see  through  a  glass,  darkly ;  but  then  face  to  face ;  now  I 
know  in  part ;    but  then  shall  I  know  even  as  also  I  am  known." 


OF  TIIEWfATE  OF  MEN,  SOUL  AND  BODY,  IN"  HEAVEN".  429 

No'judre  scales  of  ignorance  will  then  bo  on  the  eyes  of  their  under- 
gte«i)4ing.  Their  capacity  will  he  enlarged,  to  know  God  and  his 
works. 

(2.)  Their  will,  will  bo  perfectly  conformed  to  the  will  of  God, 
find  completely  satisfied,  having  all  that  they  would  have,  and  as 
they  would  have  it.  Then  will  be  said  to  every  saint,  without  limi- 
tation, "  Be  it  unto,  thee  eyea  as  thou  wilt."  They  shall  never 
know  more  ^hat;  j4;  i?  tobe  balked  Qf  their  will  for  ever.  Psal. 
xvii.  ult.  "  As  for  me  I  will  behold  thy  face  in  righteousness ;  I 
shall  b6;satri»ffed/wh^  I  awake,'  with  thy  likeness." 

(3.)  Their  at¥eeti0»s  shall  all  be  perfectly  heavenly.  All  uneasy 
and  uilpl^easaijf  aftectio»g  will  be  discarded  there  ;  no  sorrow  shall 
evei"  spring  up  ifl-them  wore.  Rev.  xxi.  4,  "  God  shall  wipe  away  all 
tears  from  their  eyes;  and  there  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither 
gorrow  aor  crying,  ^neithet  ghall  there  be  any  more  pain."  All 
earthly  affections  shall  be  for  ever  laid  aside  ;  the  dregginess  of 
them  makes  them'untneet  for  the  heavenly  state;  and  they  shall  no 
more  be  able  to  pick  on  them,  than  our  dunghills  can  on  the  sun, 
Matth.  xxii.  30,  "  For  in  the  resurrection  they  neither  marry,  nor 
are  given  in  marriage ;  but  are  as  the  angels  of  God  in  hea\^en." 
They  will  be  all  love,  loving  God  in  perfection,  and  all  persons  and 
things  else  in  him  only. 

(4.)  Their  memory  of  things  past  will  be  fresh.  It  will  be  so  with 
the  damned  in  hell,  Luke  xvi.  25,  28.  And  how  can  it  be  doubted 
as  to  the  saints  in  heaven,  in  a  state  of  perfection  ?  No  sorrowful 
reflection  indeed  can  have  place  in  their  state,  but  things  sometimes 
sorrowful  will  be  remembered  with  joy  in  the  deliverance  therefrom. 
And  the  looking  back  into  their  wilderness-state,  their  stormy 
voyage  through  the  sea  of  this  world,  will  fill  them  with  wonder  and 
praise.  They  will  remember  the  times,  places,  means,  and  instru- 
ments of  their  acquaintance  with  Christ,  and  communion  with  God 
in  the  world,  by  whicli  they  have  been  brought  to  all  that  happiness, 
Luke  xvi.  9.  1  Thess.  ii.  19. 

(5.)  Lastly,  They  will  have  an  executive  faculty  answering  to 
their  will.  Now  the  spirit  may  be  willing,  but  the  flesh  is  weak;  so 
that  they  cannot  do  what  they  fain  would ;  but  find  themselves  like 
a  bird  with  a  stone  tied  to  its  foot,  that  aims  to  fly,  but  cannot. 
But  there  they  shall  be  able  to  put  in  execution  whatever  they  will 
do  or  desire  to  do. 

3c%,  They  will  be  happy  in  the  glorious  society  of  heaven,  being 
joint  inhabitants  with  them  there. 

(1.)  Thoy  will  have  the  society  of  one  another  there,  being  all 
gathered  together  into  one  lovely  company,  the  general  assembly  of 


430  A  DESCKIPTION  Or  THE  OTHER  WOULD. 

the  first  born,  Heb.  xii.  21.  All  the  saints  that  from  the-  beginning 
to  the  end  of  the  world  shall  have  lived  in  any  part  of  the  earth, 
will  bo  altogether  there,  an  innumerable  multitude  of  the  redeemed, 
all  shining  ones.  And  since  they  are  in  a  state  of  perfection,  I 
wonder  how  it  can  be  questioned,  but  they  will  know  one  another, 
their  friends  and  acquaintance  on  earth,  and  get  new  acquaintance 
and  knowledge  of  those  at  least  that  have  been  most  eminent  in  the 
church  on  earth  ;  or  how  the  use  of  speech  and  conversation  among 
them  can  be  doubted. 

(2.)  They  will  have  the  society  of  the  holy  angels  there,  Heb.  xii. 
22.  They  will  be  no  more  afraid  of  angels,  when  they  themselves 
are  become  their  equals,  Luke  xx.  36.  But  they  will  join  them  in 
the  heavenly  choir,  singing  their  hallelujahs.  And  whether  angels 
shall  assume  airy  bodies  for  conversing  with  the  saints  or  not,  there 
is  no  reason  to  think  that  they  will  be  in  a  place  with  the  angels, 
and  yet  incapable  of  conversing  with  them. 

(3.)  They  will  have  the  society  of  the  man  Christ  there,  1  Thess. 
iv.  17,  "  So  shall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord."  They  will  see  him 
with  their  bodily  eyes,  who  loved  them,  and  gave  himself  for  them : 
they  will  see  that  very  body  that  was  for  them  crucified  without  the 
gates  of  Jerusalem.  They  will  see  him  there  shining  in  inconceiv- 
able glory,  as  their  Lord,  Saviour,  and  Redeemer ;  and  compass  his 
throne  for  ever  with  songs  of  salvation. 

Lastly,  They  will  have  the  presence  and  full  enjoyment  of  God  in 
Christ  there.  Rev.  xxi.  7,  "  He  that  overcometh  shall  inherit  all 
things,  and  I  will  be  his  God,  and  he  shall  be  my  son."  Here  is  the 
highest  pinnacle  of  the  saints'  happiness  in  heaven ;  without  this 
they  cannot  be  happy  completely,  no  not  in  heaven ;  and  in  the  full 
enjoyment  of  him,  they  will  be  so  happy,  that  it  is  impossible  they 
can  desire  more  for  the  satisfying  of  them.  For  he  is  an  ocean  of 
unbounded  perfection.     It  lies  in  two  things. 

[1.]  They  will  enjoy  God  in  Christ,  by  sight  of  the  divine  glory, 
to  the  complete  satisfying  of  their  understanding,  Matth.  v.  8, 
"  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart :  for  they  shall  see  God."  The  sight 
they  will  have  of  the  divine  glory  is  a  full  and  clear  knowledge  of 
God,  to  the  utmost  of  their  enlarged  capacities,  as  by  seeing  face  to 
face.  Rev.  xxii.  4.  1  Cor.  xiii.  12.  What  heart  can  conceive  the 
happiness  of  being  freely  let  into  the  view  of  the  infinite  divine  per- 
fections !  Men  have  a  mighty  satisfaction  in  the  sight  of  taking 
objects,  as  a  curious  garden,  a  splendid  palace ;  but  we  are  swallowed 
up  when  we  think  of  being  let  into  the  view  of  the  infinite  divine 
perfections,  where  there  must  be  something  always  new. 

[2.]   They  will  enjoy  God  in  Christ,  by  experience  of  the  divine 


OP  THE  STATE  OF  MEN,  SOUL  AND  BODY,  IN  HEAVEN.  431 

goodness,  to  the  complete  satisfying  of  their  will,  Rev.  vii.  16,  17, 
"  They  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst  any  more  ; — for  the 
Lamb  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  shall  feed  them,  and  shall 
lead  them  unto  living  fountains  of  waters."  There  is  an  all-fulness 
of  goodness  in  Grod,  an  inexhaustible  fountain  of  it,  and  they  shall 
have  an  unrestrained  particiimtion  of  it,  Psal.  xxxvi.  8,  9,  "  They 
shall  be  abundantly  satisfied  with  the  fatness  of  thy  house  ;  and  thou 
shalt  make  them  drink  of  the  river  of  thy  pleasures.  For  with  thee 
is  the  fountain  of  life ;  in  thy  light  shall  we  see  light."  Rev.  xxi. 
3,  "  Behold  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  he  will  dwell 
with  them,  and  they  will  be  his  people,  and  God  himself  shall  be 
with  them,  and  be  their  God."  He  will  make  of  his  goodness  to 
flow  into  them  for  ever,  and  there  shall  be  nothing  to  hinder  them 
from  all  of  it  they  can  desire.  And  it  is  impossible  they  can  desire 
any  thing  beyond  it. 

Stilly,  They  will  have  a  fulness  of  joy  there,  Psal.  xvi.  11.  Rivers 
of  pleasures  run  in  Immanuel's  land.  Joy  unspeakable  shall  fill 
their  hearts  for  ever,  and  appear  in  the  countenances,  where  never 
again  shall  the  least  cloud  of  sorrows  sit  down.  Now  is  the  soAving 
time  of  tears,  but  then  is  the  reaping  time  of  joy  ;  and  that  harvest 
wherein  they  bring  back  their  sheaves  rejoicing,  will  never  be  over. 

bthli/,  All  their  happiness,  joy,  and  glory,  they  will  have  eternally 
through  Christ,  as  the  great  means  of  communication  betwixt  God 
and  them,  Rev.  xxi.  23.  "  And  the  city  had  no  need  of  the  sun, 
neither  of  the  moon  to  shine  in  it;  for  the  glory  of  the  Lord  did 
lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the  light  thereof."  They  will  continue 
for  ever  members  of  Christ,  and  members  as  members  must  needs 
live  by  communication  with  the  head.  So  that  the  immediate  en- 
joyment of  God  in  heaven,  is  to  be  understood  only  in  opposition  to 
the  intervening  of  outward  means. 

Qthly,  There  will  be  degrees  of  glory  among  them,  1  Cor.  xv.  41, 
42.  "  There  is  one  glory  of  the  sun,  and  another  glory  of  the  moon, 
and  another  glory  of  the  stars  :  for  one  star  differeth  from  another 
star  in  glory.  So  also  is  the  resurrection  of  the  dead."  The  re- 
ward will  be  according  to,  though  not  for  their  works ;  and  they 
who  have  glorified  God  most  by  suffering  or  acting  for  him,  will  be 
the  more  highly  advanced  in  glory  by  him,  Luke  xix.  17,  19.  How- 
beit  all  of  them  will  have  what  they  can  hold,  the  least  as  well  as 
the  greatest,  as  when  bottles  of  different  sizes  are  filled. 

Ithly,  They  shall  be  perfectly  sure,  that  this  their  happy  state 
shall  last  for  ever.  They  know  it  now  by  faith  in  the  word,  how 
can  they  doubt  of  it  then  in  a  state  of  perfection  ?  Their  having 
any  doubt  of  it  could  not  but  breed  some  anxiety,  inconsistent  with 
perfect  happiness. 


432  A  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  OTHER  WORLD. 

Lastly,  Then  shall  the  chief,  last,  or  farthest  end  of  man,  be 
reached.  And  that  is  the  glory  of  God,  for  which  end  they  are 
made  completely  happy,  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  God,  Prov.  xvi. 
4  ;  Rom.  xi.  ult.  So  being  made  perfectly  happy,  they  will  answer 
that  end  in  glorifying  God,  by  loving,  praising,  and  serving  him 
perfectly,  to  all  eternity,  Psal.  Ixxxvi.  12,  13.  "  I  will  praise  thee, 

0  Lord  my  God,  with  all  my  heart :  and  I  will  glorify  thy  name  for 
evermore.  For  great  is  thy  mercy  toward  me ;  and  thou  liast  de- 
livered my  soul  from  the  lowest  hell."     Rev.  vii.  9,  10.  "  After  this 

1  b^iheld,  and  lo,  a  great  multitude,  which  no  man  could  number, 
of  all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and  people  and  tongues,  stood  before 
:t^he  throne,  and  before  the  lamb,  clothed  with  white  robes,  and  palms 
in  th&ir  hands;  and  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying,  Salvation 
to  our  God  which  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb<" 
Yer.  15.  "  Therefore  are  they  before  the  throne  of  God,  and  serve 
J»im  day  and  night  in  his  temple  ;  and  he  that  sitteth  in  tlie  throne 
sh^ll  dwell  among  them."  Chap.  xxii.  3.  "  And  there  shall  be  no 
more  curse  ;  but  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb  shall  be  in  it ; 
and  his  servants  shall  serve  him. 

Inf.  1.  Eye  hath  not  seen,  ear  hath  not  heard,  neither  have  en- 
tered into  the  heart  of  man,  the  things  which  God  hath  prepared  for 
them  that  love  him.  He  is  the  best  of  masters,  whatever  hardships 
his  servants  be  put  to  here.     Heaven  will  make  amends  for  all. 

2.  They  who  are  truly  godly  do  best  consult  not  only  the  welfare 
of  their  souls,  but  of  their  bodies  too.  The  way  of  faith  and  holi- 
ness is  the  way  to  reach  the  cure  of  all  maladies  at  length  ;  it  is  the 
way  to  get  a  sound  body,  with  all  the  advantages  of  strength,  come- 
liness, liveliness,  &c. 

Lastly,  The  faith  of  this  should  arm  believers  against  the  terror 
of  death  and  the  grave.  Why  not  melt  down  the  old  crazy  vessel, 
to  be  new  shaped  ? 

SECONDLY,  Let  us  next  view  the  state  of  men,  soul  and  body 
in  hell.  Having  viewed  the  state  of  men  after  the  resurrection  in 
the  happy  part  of  the  other  world,  we  must  now  consider  the  state 
of  men  after  the  resurrection  in  the  regions  of  horror  in  the  other 
world.  An  awful  subject !  but  necessary.  That  part  of  mankind 
that  shall  justly  be  doomed  to  that  part  of  the  other  world,  will  be 
absolutely  miserable  there.  Concerning  which  these  following 
things  may  be  considered. 

1.  They  will  be  totally  and  finally  separated  from  God  there,  ex- 
communicated from  his  presence,  Matth.  xxv.  41.  Now  they  say  to 
God,  "  Depart  from  us,"  while  he  is  following  them  with  mercy  and 
offers  of  peace  ;  then  they  will  be  wholly  and  for  ever  put  away. 


or  THE  STATE  OP  MEN,  SOUL  AND  BODY,  IN  HELL.  433 

And  this  is  the  punishment  of  loss.   There  are  these  six  things  in  it. 

(1.)  They  will  have  no  part  in  the  habitation  of  the  just,  Matth. 
viii.  11,  12.  They  will  have  no  footing  in  the  better  country,  no 
seat  in  the  mansions  of  glory.  They  will  lose  heaven,  the  seat  of 
the  blessed ;  and  while  the  godly  are  taken  within  the  city,  they 
cannot  enter  the  gates,  but  must  lodge  without  for  ever,  Rev.  xxi.  15. 

(2.)  They  will  be  excommunicated  from  the  presence  of  the  saints, 
and  have  no  share  in  the  happy  society.  They  cared  not  for  their 
company  here,  if  it  was  not  to  serve  a  turn  ;  and  there  they  shall  be 
freely  parted  for  ever.  The  company  of  the  righteous  being  gone 
into  the  marriage,  the  door  is  bolted  against  them,  that  they  cannot 
get  in,  no  not  if  it  were  to  lie  among  their  feet,  Matth.  xxv.  10. 

(3.)  They  will  be  excluded  from  the  presence  of  the  holy  angels. 
They  will  have  at  the  resurrection  a  terrible  meeting  with  them, 
Matth.  xiii.  49.  and  a  more  dreadful  parting  with  them,  ver.  50. 
never  to  meet  again.  It  is  another  kind  of  angels  with  whom  they 
must  eternally  lodge. 

(4.)  They  will  be  locally  separated  from  the  man  Christ.  They 
shall  never  come  into  the  place  where  he  shines  in  his  glory.  He 
will  effectually  order  their  getting  away  out  of  his  presence,  by  a 
terrible  voice  from  his  throne,  Matth.  xxv.  41.  "  Depart  from  me,  ye 
cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels." 
And  they  shall  go  away  one  way,  and  he  another  with  his  saints ; 
and  they  shall  never  meet  again.  However  he  courted  them  in  this 
world,  and  they  still  fled  from  him,  and  would  have  none  of  him, 
they  will  never  have  a  good  word  for  them  or  to  them,  from  him  any 
more. 

(5.)  They  will  be  relatively  separated  from  God  the  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Grhost.  They  cannot  be  locally  separated  from  him,  who 
is  every  where  jiresent,  in  hell  as  well  as  in  heaven,  Psal.  cxxxix.  8. 
But  there  will  be  a  relative  separation,  in  an  eternal  blocking  up 
of  all  comfortable  communication  between  Grod  and  them ;  as  when 
parties  break  up  a  treaty  of  peace,  and  part  with  hostile  mind,  pro- 
claiming war  against  one  another.  Now  though  God  is  not  their 
God  by  covenant,  yet  he  is  their  Benefactor,  and  they  get  much  be- 
nefit by  that  relation,  Luke  vi.  35.     But  then  it  is  broke  off  for  ever. 

Lastly,  They  will  be  for  ever  under  a  total  eclipse  of  all  light  of 
comfort  and  ease  spiritual  and  bodily,  Matth.  xxii.  13.  "Bind  him 
hand  and  foot,  and  take  him  away,  and  cast  him  away  into  outer 
darkness ;  there  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth."  Hos.  ix. 
12.  "  Wo  also  to  them  when  I  depart  from  them."  Whatever  good 
thing  in  body  or  mind  they  now  enjoy  is  from  God,  as  the  light  is 
from  the  sun  ;  and  therefore  God  totally  withdrawing  from,  it  is  im- 


434  A  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  OTHER  -WORLn. 

possible  that  any  thing  good  or  comfortable  can  remain  with  them  ; 
but  even  as  when  there  is  but  one  chink  in  a  house  to  let  in  the 
light,  and  that  is  stopt,  there  must  needs  be  a  total  darkness. 

2.  They  will  be  miserable  both  in  body  and  soul  there  ;  for  they 
must  depart  into  everlasting  fire,  Matth.  xxv.  41.  How  can  it  be 
otherwise  in  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone,  as  it  is  called  ?  Rev. 
XX.  10. 

As  to  the  state  of  their  bodies  there,  though  they  be  new-framed 
of  their  dust,  yet  it  will  be  to  no  advantage  but  to  fit  them  for  a 
state  of  eternal  misery.  And  we  may  take  a  view  of  it  in  these 
three  things. 

(1.)  Their  bodies  will  be  base,  inglorious,  and  loathsome,  Dan. 
xii.  2.  "  And  many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall 
awake — some  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt."  Isa.  Ixv.  24. 
"  And  they  shall  go  forth,  and  look  upon  the  carcases  of  the  men 
that  have  transgressed  against  me ;  for  their  worm  shall  not  die, 
neither  shall  their  fire  be  quenched,  and  they  shall  be  an  abhorring 
unto  all  flesh."  No  beauty  can  possibly  be  found  in  them  there,  but 
their  countenance  will  be  for  ever  ghastly  and  frightful,  as  in  the 
pangs  of  the  second  death.  They  will  be  like  so  many  dead  carcases 
there  for  unsightliness,  while  death  preys  on  them  there  buried  out 
of  the  sight  of  all,  in  the  pit  of  destruction. 

(2.)  There  will  be  no  health  nor  soundness  in  them  there.  How 
can  there  be  in  bodies  suffering  the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire  ? 
"What  hale  side  can  one  have  to  turn  him  to,  swimming  in  a  lake  of 
fire  ?     They  will  be  in  torments,  Luke  xvi.  23. 

(3.)  Yet  will  they  be  of  such  a  constitution  as  to  bear  up,  and  not 
faint  away  under  their  torments  there,  Matth,  xxv.  ult.  They  will 
ever  be  in  the  pangs  of  death,  but  never  die  out.  The  power  of  God 
will  keep  them  up  in  that  case,  that  they  shall  not  have  the  favour 
of  fainting  nor  dying  out. 

As  to  the  state  of  their  souls  in  their  bodies  there. 

(1.)  Their  minds  or  understandings  will  be  fitted  to  carry  on 
their  misery  there.  They  will  be  impressed  there  with  clear  no- 
tions of  things,  that  here  they  either  know  not,  or  would  not 
know;  but  then  they  will  only  be  so  known  as  to  aggravate  their 
misery,  Luke  xvi.  23,  "  And  in  hell  he  lift  up  his  eyes — and  seeth 
Abraham  afar  off",  and  Lazarus  in  his  bosom."  They  will  know 
then  what  God  is,  Christ,  sin,  heaven,  hell,  and  this  world  then 
past.  Their  minds  will  then  be  fixed  and  active  ;  fixed  on  their 
misery,  and  active  in  turning  it  about  in  all  its  shapes,  without  pos- 
sibility of  diversion  from  the  thoughts  of  it.  The  impressions  of 
wrath  will  be  deep  there. 


OF  THE  STATE  OF  MEN,  SOTJL  ASH  BODY,  IS  HELL.  435 

(2.)  Their  will,  as  it  will  for  ever  continue  enmity  against  God, 
so  it  will  be  crossed  for  ever  by  him.  What  they  would,  they  shall 
never  obtain;  and  what  they  would  not,  shall  be  eternally  bound  on 
them.  In  the  state  of  trial  they  would  needs  have  their -will,  and 
many  times  they  got  it;  but  they  will  get  it  no  more,  when  once 
there  ;  the  will  of  God  will  resist  it  for  ever.  Hence  there  is  no 
rest  for  them,  Rev.  xiv.  11. 

(3.)  Their  affections  will  all  be  tormenting,  Matth.  xxii.  13, 
"  There  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth."  All  pleasant 
passions,  whether  of  one  kind  or  another,  will  then  be  rooted  out : 
no  joy  nor  delight  in  any  object  whatsoever  will  spring  up  with 
them  any  more.  But  they  will  be  brim-full  of  sorrow,  racked  with 
anxiety,  filled  with  horror,  galled  with  fretfulness,  and  darted 
through  with  despair,  Rev.  xvi.  21.  Their  souls  stocked  with  strong 
lusts,  and  sinful  habits  contracted  in  their  life,  will  be  left  to  pine 
on  in  them  for  ever  ;  eagerly  desiring  to  have  them  gratified,  but  no 
gratification  of  them  possible.  So  they  will  be  under  an  eternal 
gnawing  hunger  after  something  to  satisfy  the  large  cravings  of 
their  sinful  wretched  souls  ;  but  there  will  be  nothing  to  be  had  for 
ever  for  that  end,  Luke  xvi.  25. 

(4.)  Their  consciences  will  ever  be  awake  there,  and  witness  to 
their  faces  that  they  are  justly  ruined,  and  have  ruined  themselves, 
Matth.  xxii.  12.  It  will  present  to  them  their  sins  through  the 
whole  course  of  their  life,  and  cut  them  with  remorse  for  them.  It 
will  upbraid  them  with  their  unbelief,  witness  against  them  that 
they  were  warned,  but  would  not  hearken.  And  so  it  will  be  in 
them  a  gnawing  worm  that  dieth  not. 

(5.)  Their  memories  will  be  fresh  there,  Luke  xvi.  25.  Sins 
sometimes  buried  and  out  of  mind  with  them,  will  be  called  to  mind 
with  all  their  aggravating  circumstances.  They  will  have  a  galling 
and  cutting  remembrance  of  the  pleasures  of  sin,  which  they  some- 
time thought  themselves  happy  in  ;  of  the  profits  of  sin  that  they 
sometimes  hugged  themselves  in.  Times,  places,  means,  instru- 
ments, when,  where,  and  by  which  they  were  ruined,  or  might  have 
been  brought  into  a  state  of  salvation,  will  all  be  remembered 
there. 

Lastly,  The  wrath  of  God  will  sink  into  their  souls  there,  Psal. 
cix.  18.  Vindictive  justice  will  make  inconceivable  impressions  on 
them,  that  will  melt  their  souls  like  wax  in  the  midst  of  their 
bowels.  Some  of  God's  own  people  have  felt  some  drops  of  wrath 
here,  that  if  they  had  continued  but  a  little  longer,  they  would  have 
fainted  away  under  them.  What  will  the  full  shower  of  it  be  in 
hell,  where  every  stone  of  that  hail  is  the  weight  of  a  talent  ?  Rev. 
xvi.  21. 


436  A  DESCKIPTION  OP  THE  OTHER  tTORtD. 

3.  They  will  be  shut  up  in  outer  darkness  there,  Matth.  xxii.  13. 
Hell  is  the  place  of  outer  darkness.  It  is  so  called  in  opposition  to 
the  glorious  light  that  the  saints  within  heaven  do  enjoy.  The  Jews 
had  their  marriage-suppers  by  night,  and  so  while  the  guest-chamber 
was  filled  with  lights,  there  was  nothing  but  darkness  without.  So 
while  the  saints  are  in  heaven,  in  eternal  light  at  the  marriage 
supper  of  the  Lamb,  the  damned  are  without  in  darkness.  It 
must  be  so ;  for  light  is  sweet  to  the  eyes,  and  nothing  sweet  can  be 
there.  When  Christ  suifered  on  the  cross,  there  was  an  eclipse  for 
the  same  reason.  But  it  went  off,  for  Christ  overcame  death  ;  but 
the  eclipse  in  hell  can  never  go  off.  And  the  darkness  there  is  a 
deep  darkness,  it  is  the  mist  of  darkness  that  never  clears,  2  Pet. 
ii.  17.  the  blackness  of  darkness,  Jude,  13.     Hence, 

(1.)  Dismal  and  melancholy  must  the  state  of  the  damned  be,  in 
that  region  of  horror,  where  is  not  the  least  comfortable  gleam  of 
light  to  their  eyes.  As  there  is  no  night  in  heaven,  but  eternal 
day,  so  there  is  no  day  in  hell,  but  an  eternal  night,  an  everlasting 
gloom.  If  there  were  no  more  in  it,  it  would  be  terrible  never  to 
see  the  light. 

(2.)  They  will  not  range  up  and  down  as  vain  men  now  do  in 
the  world,  diverting  themselves  with  this  and  the  other  object. 
There  is  nothing  to  be  seen  there  to  please  the  eye.  The  Egyptian 
darkness  was  an  emblem  of  it,  which  gives  the  reason  of  the  phrase, 
chains  of  darkness,  as  was  before  observed.  And  accordingly  the 
damned  are  said  to  be  bound  hand  and  foot,  Matth.  xxii.  13.  in 
which  j)Osture  one  cannot  range  from  place  so  place,  but  at  most 
toss  and  roll  himself  like  a  sick  man  on  his  bed. 

4.  They  will  have  the  society  of  devils  there,  being  shut  up  with 
them  in  the  same  pit  of  destruction,  Matth.  xxv.  41.  Rev.  xx.  10. 
As  the  saints  in  heaven  shall  be  happy  in  the  society  of  God  him- 
self, Christ,  and  his  holy  angels ;  so  will  the  damned  be  miserable 
in  the  society  of  the  devil  and  his  angels.  How  dreadful  would  it 
be  to  dwell  in  the  pleasantest  spot  of  the  earth  haunted  by  the  ap- 
paritions of  devils  ?  how  much  more  than  all  that  to  be  shut  up  in 
the  pit  of  hell,  in  the  Lake  of  fire  with  them,  when  they  shall  be 
filled  with  wrath  to  the  brim ! 

5.  There  will  be  degrees  of  torment  and  misery  in  hell,  the  tor- 
ments of  some  more  grievous  than  others.  All  there  will  be  un- 
speakably miserable,  and  unpitied  in  their  misery;  but  the  misery 
of  some  will  be  screwed  up  to  a  greater  height  than  that  of  others. 
As  sinners  classed  themselves  on  earth,  in  higher  or  lower  forms,  in 
dishonouring  God;  so  wilf  they  be  classed  in  their  punishment, 
Matth.  xiii.  30.  "  Gather  ye  t^ethcr  first  the  tares,  and  bind  them 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  THE  OTHER  WORLD  APPLIED.  437 

in  bundles  to  barn  them."  As  there  are  many  mansions  in  heaven, 
so  will  there  be  many  bundles  in  hell ;  bundles  of  ignorants,  world- 
lings, swearers,  unclean,  persecutors,  mockers,  hypocrites,  &c.  And 
the  more  means  of  reformation  any  had,  and  the  greater  height  of 
impiety  they  went  to  under  these  means,  the  more  miserable  will 
their  case  be  there,  Luke  xii.  47,  48.  Matth,  xxiv.  ult. 

6.  Their  misery  will  be  eternal  there,  and  they  will  know  that  it 
will  be  so,  Matth.  sxt.  41.  "Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  ever- 
lasting fire."  Prov.  xiv.  32.  "  The  wicked  is  driven  away  in  his 
wickedness."  It  will  be  everlasting,  without  intermission,  llev.  xiv. 
11.  "  The  smoke  of  their  torment  ascendeth  up  for  ever  and  ever; 
and  they  have  no  rest  day  nor  night."  No  breathing  time  will  be 
allowed  there,  but  the  floods  of  wrath  will  be  incessantly  flowing  in 
upon  them.  There  will  be  no  clearing  of  the  storm  that  blows 
there,  for  ever  so  short  a  while.  It  will  be  eternal,  without  ending, 
Rev.  XX.  10.  "  They  shall  be  tormented  day  and  night,  for  ever  and 
ever."  There  is  no  end  to  be  for  ever  expected  of  the  easeless  tor- 
ments there.  And  the  damned  knowing  this,  will  be  cut  for  ever 
with  despair,  and  rage,  like  wild  bulls  in  a  net." 

Lastly,  And  thus  God  will  be  glorified  passively,  in  those  who 
now  will  not  actively  glorify  him,  Prov.  xvi.  4.  "  The  Lord  hath 
made  all  things  for  himself;  yea,  even  the  wicked  for  the  day  of 
evil."  God  made  man  for  his  glory,  capable  of  enjoying  him  for 
ever ;  he  cannot  fall  short  of  his  end,  and  therefore  he  will  be  glori- 
fied upon  those  who  now  refuse  to  answer  the  end  of  their  creation. 

Inf.  1.  Sin  is  a  most  dreadful  evil.  Here  is  a  looking-glass 
wherein  you  may  sefe  it  so.  How  great  must  the  filthiness  of  it  be, 
that  provokes  a  gracious  holy  God,  to  bury  the  sinner  in  such  a  hor- 
rible pit  out  of  his  sight !  How  deep  must  the  guilt  be,  that  cannot 
be  washed  out  with  such  fearful  punishment,  so  as  to  have  an  end ! 

2.  God  is  a  God  of  terrible  justice,  a  severe  avenger  of  sin.  0 
correct  your  mistakes  of  God  by  this,  Psal.  1.  21.  He  gave  a  de- 
monstration of  his  justice,  in  the  burning  of  Sodom ;  here  he  gives 
an  eternal  demonstration  of  it. 

Lastly,  There  is  nothing  that  possibly  can  make  the  life  of  an  im- 
penitent sinner  in  this  world  desirable  which  has  such  a  miserable 
end. 

The  Doctrine  of  the  other  World  applied. 

And  now,  after  having  viewed  this  present  world,  we  have  given 
you  some  description  of  the  other  world,  to  let  you  into  a  necessary 
view  of  it ;  it  remains  to  shut  up  that  weighty  subject  with  some  ap- 
plication of  the  whole. 

Vol.  V.  2  F 


438         THE  DOCTRINE  OF  THE  OTHER  WORLD  APPLIED^ 

First,  Believe  the  report  from  the  word  concerning  the  other 
world  firmly  ;  and  let  it  have  deep  impression  on  your  souls.  Con- 
sider of  it  timely  with  all  earnestness,  stretch  your  views  beyond 
this  present  world,  look  into  the  world  to  come,  with  the  prospect  of 
the  word  which  has  been  cleared  in  some  measure  unto  you.  There 
are  two  things  very  prevalent  in  this  world,  in  reference  to  the 
other  world. 

First,  Thoughtlessness  about  it.  Men  spend  their  days  as  in  a 
dream,  going  through  this  world  with  the  other  world  seldom  com- 
ing into  their  view,  never  entering  into  any  suitable  thoughtfulness 
about  it.     The  reasons  hereof  are, 

1.  The  reigning  vanity  of  the  minds  of  men,  Eph.  iv.  17,  18. 
The  light  and  frothy  mind  cannot  find  entertainment  in  any  thing 
that  is  not  like  itself,  light  and  vain.  Therefore  thoughts  of  the 
other  world  are  shunned,  as  a  bird  delighting  to  skip  from  bush  to 
bush,  would  shun  the  tying  of  a  stone  to  its  foot.  But  alas !  what 
avails  that,  since  going  into  that  world  cannot  be  shunned  that  way? 

2.  Throng  of  the  cares  of  this  life,  Matth.  xiii.  23.  Men's  hearts 
are  so  stuffed  and  perplexed  with  these,  that  the  concerns  of  ano- 
ther world  cannot  get  entrance  into  their  hearts ;  cumbered  about 
many  things,  the  one  thing  needful  is  forgot.  Hence  death  sur- 
prises many  in  such  a  throng,  and  hurries  them  away  into  another, 
when  they  were  not  at  all  thinking  on  it,  Psal.  cxlvi.  4.  Luke  xii.  20. 

3.  An  averseness  of  heart  to  the  other  world.  The  hearts  of 
most  men  are  so  wedded  to  this  world,  that  for  as  great  a  hell  as  it 
is,  they  would  desire  no  better  heaven  than  what  they  could  make 
here.  They  are  in  no  case  content  to  leave  it,*and  go  into  another 
world.  And  their  aversion  to  it  makes  them  thoughtless  about  it, 
that  they  really  shun  the  thoughts  of  it  as  much  as  they  can,  since 
they  can  have  no  pleasure  in  them. 

4.  A  fond  conceit  of  coming  in  time  enough  to  think  of  the  con- 
cerns of  the  other  world,  when  they  come  near  the  borders  of  it ; 
though  alas  !  they  know  not  how  near  they  are  to  it,  and  their  foot 
may  slip,  and  they  pass  into  it  ere  ever  they  are  aware. 

Lastly,  Satan  has  a  great  hand  in  it,  who  endeavours  to  hoodwink 
sinners,  and  to  be  continually  buzzing  into  their  ears  other  things, 
that  may  keep  them  from  serious  thoughts  about  it ;  and  all  to 
compass  their  ruin. 

Secondly,  Unbelief  of  it.  Men  are  not  only  thoughtless  about  it, 
not  turning  their  thoughts  that  way  ;  but  when  the  report  of  it  is 
brought  to  them,  they  do  not  believe  it.  There  is  a  root  of  Atheism 
and  infidelity  in  the  minds  of  men,  as  to  things  not  seen,  so  that 
they  hear  these  things  as  idle  tales.     The  evidences  of  this  are. 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  THE  OTHER  WORLD  APPLIED.  439 

1.  The  little  impression  these  things  make  on  the  minds  of  men, 
when  they  hear  them.  How  many  do  hear  the  report  of  the  other 
world  with  as  little  concern  as  they  could  hear  an  idle  story,  which 
they  had  no  manner  of  concern  about?  The  account  of  the  joys  of 
heaven  does  not  move  them,  and  that  of  the  terrors  of  hell  makes 
no  suitable  impression. 

The  supine  negligence  and  carelessness  about  our  part  in  the 
other  world.  If  in  the  time  of  hearing  men  are  somewhat  moved, 
yet  they  are  like  the  sieve  taken  out  of  the  water  when  they  go 
away,  they  lose  all.  They  are  not  effectually  stirred  up  to  take 
some  course  whereby  they  may  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come,  and 
may  become  heirs  of  heaven.  If  it  were  but  a  cot  house  they  had, 
in  case  they  were  to  remove  out  of  it,  they  would  be  careful  to  se- 
cure another  for  themselves.  But  they  know  they  must  die,  yet 
they  are  quite  careless  as  to  where  they  are  to  lodge  next. 

Lastly,  The  unaccountable  misspending  of  time,  either  trifling  or 
doing  evil  ;  doing  nothing  or  what  is  worse  than  nothing.  Did  men 
believe,  that  now  they  are  sowing  for  eternity,  that  what  they  now 
do  in  this  world,  they  are  to  eat  the  fruit  of  in  the  other  world ; 
would  they  be  so  barren  in  good  works,  and  so  lavish  in  sinful 
courses  and  actions  ? 

Wherefore  I  beseech  you  consider  seriously  of  the  world  to  come, 
and  believe  the  report  about  it. 

1.  About  the  being  of  it.  0  to  believe  firmly,  that  there  is  ano- 
ther world,  a  heaven  and  a  hell ;  a  recei>tacle  of  joy  for  the  de- 
parted souls  of  the  godly,  whereinto  their  bodies  also  are  to  be 
received  after  the  resurrection  ;  and  a  receptacle  of  horror  for  the 
souls  and  bodies  of  the  wicked. 

2.  About  the  state  of  men  in  it,  as  held  forth  in  the  word ;  how 
that  there  they  arrive  either  at  the  highest  pinnacle  of  happiness 
or  misery  ;  and  to  continue  unchangeable  for  ever  and  ever.  To 
inforce  the  exhortation  I  oft'er  the  following  motives. 

1.  Consider  ye  have  by  the  providence  of  God  heard  much  of  it 
from  the  word  of  God,  The  Lord  of  the  other  world  has  appointed 
his  messengers  to  speak  of  it  to  us  in  this  world,  that  we  may  make 
ready  for  it  in  time.  When  the  Lord  has  been  sounding  the  alarm, 
let  us  not  be  deaf  to  his  call,  but  know  and  believe  that  we  are  to 
march  into  the  other  world.  It  will  be  an  aggravated  guilt  to  be 
thoughtless  about  it,  after  hearing  so  much  of  it,  or  to  entertain 
the  report  as  idle  tales. 

2.  The  world  we  have  been  hearing  of,  we  will  all  see  at  length  ; 
and  see  it  not  afar  off,  but  being  in  it.  We  might  be  the  less  con- 
cerned about  it,  if  we  were  never  to  go  there ;  but  thither  wo  must 

2f2 


440  THK  DOCTRINE  OF  THE  OTHER  WORLD  APPIilED. 

all  go.  And  it  may  well  apologize  for  our  insisting  so  much  on  it, 
that  we  are  to  be  inhabitants  there,  eternal  inhabitants  there.  It 
must  bo  infatuation  to  be  thoughtless  or  unbelieving  about  it. 

3.  It  will  not  be  long  ere  we  will  be  there.  We  have  but  a  hand- 
breadth  of  days  to  pass,  and  then  we  are  there  ;  our  age,  which  is 
as  nothing  before  the  Lord,  being  once  run  through,  we  pass  into 
that  other  world.  Our  life  here  is  but  a  short  preface  to  a  long 
eternity ;  a  skip  from  the  womb  to  the  grave,  and  we  have  made 
considerable  progress  in  it  already.  And  we  are  not  far  from  the 
entrance  of  the  passage  into  the  other  world,  and  in  a  little  we  will 
be  in  one  of  the  i)arts  of  it,  join  the  inhabitants  thereof,  and  be 
settled  in  the  state  of  it. 

4.  We  know  not  how  soon  we  may  be  there.  The  journey  to  the 
other  world  is  not  alike  long  to  all.  It  is  but  a  short  journey  the 
longest  of  it ;  but  God  brings  some  there  by  a  short  cut,  and  they 
are  at  the  end  when  they  think  there  is  a  great  part  of  the  way  be- 
fore them. 

Lastly,  A  happy  part  there  will  never  be  reached  without  serious 
thoughts  about  it,  and  a  firm  faith  in  it. 

Secondly,  Improve  the  believed  report  of  the  other  world  suit- 
ably. If  there  is  really  another  world,  a  world  to  come,  and  such 
as  from  the  Lord's  word  it  has  been  reported  of  to  you ;  without 
controversy  it  is  a  matter  of  the  greatest  concern  to  us,  and  ought  to 
influence  our  whole  life.  And  it  is  not  a  true  faith  of  it,  that  does 
not  influence  our  conduct  accordingly.  Now  if  we  would  improve 
it  suitably, 

First,  Improve  it  to  a  speedy  choice  of  the  way  to  the  happy  part 
of  it,  and  entering  upon  it  without  delay.  We  are  all  going  to  the 
other  world  ;  but  as  there  are  two  very  distant  parts  of  it,  so  there 
are  two  as  really  diff'erent  ways  therein,  viz.  the  broad  way,  and 
the  narrow  way,  Matth.  vii.  13,  14.  If  you  take  the  broad  way,  it 
will  have  a  miserable  ending ;  if  the  narrow,  a  happy  ending. 
Therefore  choose  well  speedily,  and  enter  on  the  happy  way  without 
delay.     And, 

1.  Choose  and  enter  speedily  into  the  personal  way,  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  John  xiv.  6.  Unite  with  him  by  faith,  Eph.  iii.  17. 
He  is  Lord  of  the  other  world,  and  heir  of  all  things ;  match  with 
him,  and  heaven  shall  be  your  dowery.  The  keys  of  hell  and  death 
hang  at  his  girdle  ;  but  them  that  come  unto  him  he  will  in  no  wise 
cast  out.  Here  is  the  sure  bargain  for  eternity.  Enter  personally 
into  the  covenant  of  grace,  by  believing  on  Christ. 

2.  Choose  and  enter  speedily  on  the  real  way,  the  way  of  holi- 
ness, Isa.  XXXV.  8.    For  "  without  holiness  no  man  shall  see  the 


THE  DOCTEINE  OF  THE  OTHER  WORLD  APPLIED.  441 

Lord,"  Heb.  xii.  14.  If  ye  mind  the  holy  city  in  the  other  world, 
ye  must  be  holy  in  all  conversation.  If  ye  hold  the  way  of  loose- 
ness and  licentiousness,  profanity,  or  formality,  it  will  undoubtedly 
land  you  in  the  unclean  place  in  the  other  world.  As  ye  sow  ye 
will  reap. 

Secondly,  Improve  it  to  a  lowering  of  your  esteem  of  this  present 
world,  and  weaning  your  hearts  from  it,  1  John  ii.  15.  A  right 
view  of  the  other  world  would  make  this  with  all  its  gaudy  show 
little  in  our  eyes. 

1.  Seek  not  your  portion  in  it.  Leave  that  to  those  who  have  no 
expectation  of  the  treasure  in  heaven  ;  make  the  best  of  it  they  can, 
they  will  make  a  sorry  portion  of  it,  Psal.  xvii.  14,  15.  Take  ye 
that  advice,  if  ye  be  wise,  Matth.  vi.  33,  "  Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom 
of  God,  and  his  righteousness,  and  all  these  things  shall  be  added 
unto  you."  Let  the  riches,  honours,  and  pleasures  of  the  other 
world  be  the  great  conquest  you  are  set  for ;  and  the  things  of  a 
present  life  only  a  by-hand  work. 

2.  Set  not  your  hearts  upon  it,  but  use  it  passingly,  1  Cor.  vii. 
29 — 31.  Carry  yourselves  not  as  natives,  but  as  pilgrims  and 
strangers  in  it.  "What  a  folly  would  it  be  for  the  traveller  to  let 
his  heart  go  out  on  the  conveniences  of  the  inn,  which  he  is  quickly 
to  leave ;  on  the  pleasant  places  by  the  Avay,  where  he  is  but  pass- 
ing ? 

3.  Do  not  value  yourselves  upon  your  possessions  in  it,  and  your 
expectations  from  it.  The  former  are  very  precarious,  which  he 
may  soon  be  deprived  of;  the  latter  very  uncertain,  wherein  ye  are 
fair  to  be  disappointed.  The  world's  mountains  in  expectation, 
often  dwindle  into  molehills  of  enjoyment.  But  value  yourselves, 
according  to  the  possessions  and  expectations  from  the  other  world. 

Thirdly,  Improve  it  to  a  Christian  bearing  of  your  afflictions  with 
patience,  Luke  xxi.  19.  Jam.  v.  7-  If  we  observe  well,  we  will  see 
that  many  times  it  is  a  falling  into  afflicting  circumstances  in  this 
world,  that  makes  us  look  first  after  the  other  world ;  and  the  same 
is  what  makes  people  look  to  it  again,  after  prosperity  has  made 
them  forget  it.  And  having  believingly  looked  into  the  other 
world,  when  we  look  back  again  to  our  afflictions,  we  will  be  the 
more  able  to  bear  them  patiently.     For, 

1.  "We  will  thereby  find  them  to  be  comparatively  light  burdens. 
That  which  makes  our  afflictions  so  very  heavy,  and  us  so  uneasy 
under  them,  is  the  weighing  them  in  the  balance  with  other  things 
of  this  world  ;  our  sorrow  and  other's  joy,  our  poverty  and  other's 
wealth,  our  wants  and  other's  enjoyments  ;  that  is  the  devil's  rack, 
which  he  aims  to  put  the  afflicted  on,  that  they  may  be  made  to 

2f3 


442  THE  DOCTUINE  OF  THE  OTHER  ■\V0RL1>  APPLIED. 

murmur,  spurn,  rage,  and  quarrel.  But  lay  them  in  the  balancd 
with  the  other  world's  joys  and  sorrows,  they  will  be  light  as  a 
feather,  2  Cor.  iv.  17,  18. 

2.  "We  will  find  them  thereby  to  be  short  also,  ib.  The  afflicted 
are  ready  to  cry  out,  their  trouble  never  ends,  they  can  see  no  out- 
gate.  Why,  but  because  they  look  not  to  the  other  world,  a  view  of 
which  would  soon  make  them  see  they  are  mistaken.  Job  iii.  17, 
"  There  the  wicked  cease  from  troubling ;  and  there  the  weary  be  at 
rest."  What  are  our  afflictions  here  of  the  longest  continuance,  but 
like  the  inconveniencies  a  traveller  meets  with  on  the  road  ?  If  he 
is  going  to  his  father's  house,  he  easily  digests  it,  knowing  that  he 
will  be  easy  there  ;  if  they  be  carrying  him  away  to  prison,  he  easily 
digests  it,  seeing  that  it  will  be  worse  with  him.  In  both  cases  he 
bears  it,  knowing  he  is  not  to  stay  with  them. 

3.  We  will  thereby  see  ourselves  the  more  nearly  allied  to  the 
saints  in  glory  in  the  other  world,  by  companionship  in  tribulation. 
Where  are  they  iu  the  other  world,  that  had  their  good  things  in 
this  world,  and  where  ai"e  they  that  had  their  evil  things  ?  Luke 
xvi.  25.  If  ye  look  through  the  upper  part  of  that  world,  there  ye 
will  see  the  man  of  sorrows,  the  man  of  God's  right  hand  there,  and 
all  his  happy  attendants  persons  that  came  out  of  great  tribulations. 
Rev.  vii.  14 ;  the  sore  tried  Abraham,  the  burdened  man  Moses,  the 
afflicted  David,  the  persecuted  Paul,  the  mournful  Heman,  &c.  If 
ye  look  to  the  lower  part  of  it,  there  ye  will  see  those  that  spent 
their  days  in  wealth,  and  in  a  moment  went  down  to  the  grave,  Job 
xxi.  13.  in  a  merry  jovial  life ;  the  dancing  Herodias,  the  rich  glut- 
ton that  fared  deliciously  every  day,  &c.  A  serious  look  of  this 
sort  to  the  other  world,  would  make  us  embrace  our  cross,  and  say. 
Lord,  let  me  not  taste  of  the  dainties  of  the  wicked,  nor  get  my 
heaven  here. 

Lastly,  We  will  thereby  see  ourselves  a  fitting  and  squaring  for 
heaven.  Stones  to  be  laid  in  the  temple  above  must  be  cut  and 
hewed  before  they  come  there.  Afflictions  are  Grod's  hewing  tools, 
whereby  he  smooths  people  for  that  building  ;  and  rough  and  hard 
stones  we  are,  that  take  much  hewing.  Instruments  of  our  afflic- 
tions are  but  the  hands  he  employs  for  smoothing  the  stones  for  his 
building. 

Lastly,  Improve  it  to  suitable  endeavours  to  prepare  for  that 
other  world.  If  ye  prepare  not  for  it,  ye  do  not  believe  the  report 
of  it.     And, 

1.  Labour  to  be  habitually  prepared  for  it.  Get  out  of  your  na- 
tural state,  into  the  state  of  grace ;  live  no  longer  without  the  bond 
of  the  covenant,  but  personally  enter  into  it,  by  believing  on  Christ. 


THE  TEXT  EXPLAINED.  443 

Ye  must  be  converted,  ye  must  be  born  again,  and  become  new 
creatures. 

2.  Labour  to  reach  actual  preparation  for  the  other  world,  being 
always  ready  to  go  into  it  at  the  call.  Let  your  thoughts  dwell 
much  upon  it ;  carry  yourselves  as  strangers  in  this  world,  let  there 
be  no  standing  controversy  betwixt  God  and  you  ;  and  timely  dis- 
patch your  generation  work,  and  watch  and  wait  till  your  change 
come.  Consider  what  you  have  heard  of  the  other  world,  and  lay  it 
to  heart. 


THE  GREAT  CARE  AND  CONCERN  NOW,  THAT  OUR  SOULS  BE  NOT 

GATHERED  WITH  SINNERS  IN  THE  OTHER  WORLD, 

CONSIDERED  AND  IMPROVED. 

The  substance  of  some  Sermons  preached  at  Ettrick,  in  the  year  1729. 


Psalm  xxvi.  19. 
Gather  not  my  soul  ivith  sinners. 

Whoever  believes  and  considers  the  doctrine  of  the  other  world, 
must  needs  improve  it  to  a  horror  of  the  state  of  the  ungodly  there, 
on  the  one  hand,  and  a  desire  of  the  state  of  the  godly  on  the  other. 
He  cannot  miss  to  join  the  Psalmist  in  this  text,  saying.  Gather  not 
my  soul  ivith  sinners.     In  which  words  we  have  to  observe, 

1.  Something  taken  for  granted,  or  supposed,  namely,  that  the 
souls  of  men  are  to  be  gathered,  each  to  those  of  their  own  sort, 
which  is  at  death.  Gen.  xxv.  8.  Now  there  is  a  promiscuous  multi- 
tude in  this  world,  good  and  bad  together,  like  corn  and  chafi"  in  a 
barn-floor,  or  fishes  in  a  net ;  but  they  are  gathered  in  the  other 
■world,  some  into  the  happy,  others  into  the  miserable  company, 
every  one  to  those  of  their  own  sort. 

2.  Something  expressed,  namely,  a  horror  of  the  congregation  of 
sinners  in  the  other  world.  "  Lord,  (says  he,)  gather  not  my  soul 
among  their  souls ;  when  I  remove  hence,  let  me  not  take  up  my 
lodging  among  them ;  let  me  not  drop  into  their  company,  state  and 
condition  in  the  other  world." 

3.  The  connection.  This  request  comes  in  natively  on  a  reflection 
the  Psalmist  makes  on  the  disposition  of  his  soul,  and  his  way,  in 
this  world.     His  conscience  witnesseth  his  dislike  of  associating  with 


444  THE  DOCTRINE  FEOil  THE  TEXT. 

the  ungodly,  ver.  4,  5,  "  I  have  not  sat  with  vain  persons,  neither 
will  I  go  in  with  dissemblers;  I  have  hated  the  congregation  of  evil 
doers,  and  will  not  sit  with  the  wicked ;"  his  love  and  liking  to  the 
presence  of  God  and  the  congregation  of  the  saints,  ver.  8,  "  Lord,  I 
have  loved  the  habitation  of  thy  house,  and  the  place  where  thine 
honour  dwelleth."  So  he  prays  with  hope.  Gather  not  my  soul  with 
sinners :  q.  d.  Lord,  I  have  no  liking  of  the  company  of  ungodly 
sinners  here  ;  it  is  a  burden  to  me  in  this  world  ;  let  me  not  be  shut 
up  with  them  in  the  other  world.  My  soul  loves  thy  house  ;  let  me 
not  be  with  sinners  excluded  eternally  from  thy  presence. 
The  text  plainly  affords  the  following  doctrine,  viz. 

DocT.  Now  is  the  time  that  people  should  be  in  care  and  concern, 
that  their  souls  be  not  gathered  with  sinners  in  the  other  world. 

In  discoursing  from  this  doctrine,  we  shall, 

I.  Consider  some  things  implied  in  it. 

II.  Shew  who  are  the  sinners,  that  we  are  to  have  a  horror  of  our 
souls  being  gathered  with  in  the  other  world. 

III.  What  it  is  for  one's  soul  to  be  gathered  with  sinners  in  the 
other  world. 

IV.  Consider  his  care  and  concern ;  or  shew,  what  is  implied  in 
this  earnest  request,  "  Gather  not  ray  soul  with  sinners." 

Y.  Give  the  reasons,  why  we  should  be  in  such  care  and  concern. 

YI.  Make  application. 

I.  We  shall  consider  some  things  implied  in  the  doctrine.  It 
implies, 

1.  The  souls  of  men  in  their  bodies  in  this  world,  are  in  a  scat- 
tered and  disorderly  condition,  saints  and  sinners  in  one  place,  one 
outward  condition,  all  mixed  through  other ;  the  tares  and  the  wheat 
are  in  one  field ;  corn  and  chaff  in  one  floor ;  fish  good  and  bad  in 
one  net ;  sheep  and  goats  in  one  flock  ;  Ham  in  the  ark,  Judas  in 
Christ's  family,  and  profane  hypocrites  with  sincere  Christians,  in 
one  visible  church.     This  mixture  has  a  threefold  effect. 

(1.)  It  keeps  both  parties  uneasy,  Gen.  iii.  15.  The  saints  are 
uneasy  with  the  conversation  of  sinners,  2  Pet.  ii.  7.  and  sinners 
with  that  of  saints,  who  are  an  eye-sore  to  them.  Gen.  xix.  9.  The 
one  wearies  to  have  the  other  out  of  their  world,  the  other  many  a 
time  to  be  away  from  among  them.  Their  principles,  aims,  and 
manner  of  life  are  opposite  ;  and  they  cannot  unite  more  than  the 
iron  and  clay. 

(2.)  They  are  an  embargo  upon  one  another,  so  that  this  world  is 
neither  so  good  nor  yet  so  bad,  as  otherwise  it  would  be.  It  is  with 
the  world  in  this  case,  as  with  the  believer  in  whom  there  is  a  mix- 


SOME  THIlfOS  IMPLIED  IN  THE  DOCTRINE.  445 

ture  of  flesh  and  spirit,  Gal.  v.  17-  The  conversation  of  sinners 
often  infects  saints,  leads  them  into  snares  and  temptations ;  hand- 
ling of  pitch  they  are  defiled,  and  are  often  made  to  come  mourning 
out  of  her  company,  as  Peter  in  the  high  priest's  hall.  Sometimes 
again  saints  win  on  sinners,  to  turn  them  from  the  evil  of  their 
ways,  1  Cor.  vii.  12,  13,  16.  1  Pet.  iii.  1.  And  even  where  that  is 
not  gained,  yet  it  does  something  to  keep  the  world  in  external 
order,  beyond  what  it  would  be  if  all  were  alike,  no  mixture  of 
saints  in  the  society,  Matth.  v.  13.  like  salt  that  keeps  it  from  rot- 
ting and  stinking,  as  otherwise  it  would  do. 

(3.)  There  is  a  mixed  dispensation  of  providence  in  the  world  ; 
sometimes  fair  weather,  sometimes  foul ;  sometimes  public  mercies 
dispensed,  sometimes  public  calamities ;  for  God  has  his  friends  and 
his  enemies  both  in  one  company ;  and  the  society  meets  with  tokens 
of  God's  good-will  for  the  sake  of  the  one,  and  tokens  of  anger  for 
the  sake  of  the  other. 

2.  The  souls  of  men  in  the  other  world  will  be  orderly  ranged  into 
difterent  congregations,  according  to  their  different  natures  and  dis- 
positions, saints  and  sinners,  who  will  make  two  unmixed  societies. 
This  implies  two  things. 

(1.)  A  separation  of  the  disagreeing  parties  now  mixed,  Matth, 
iii.  12.  The  good  and  bad  mixed  in  this  world  will  be  separated 
there ;  they  will  not  make  but  one  society  more,  as  they  did  here ; 
and  the  separation  will  be  a  thorough  one,  not  one  goat  left  among 
the  sheep,  nor  one  sheep  among  the  goats,  Psal.  i.  5.  Matth.  xiii.  41. 
For  all  the  mixture  that  is  here,  there  will  be  a  cleanly  separation 
there,  whatever  were  the  ties  of  political,  ecclesiastical,  or  domestical 
relations  among  them.  Matth.  xxiv.  40,  41,  "  Then  shall  two  be  in 
the  field,  the  one  shall  be  taken,  and  the  other  left.  Two  women 
shall  be  grinding  at  the  mill,  the  one  shall  be  taken,  and  the  other 
left." 

(2.)  A  gathering  of  their  separate  parties  into  their  respective 
societies  they  belonged  to,  whereby  they  will  be  ranged  according  to 
their  kind  and  sort ;  saints  with  saints,  and  sinners  with  sinners. 
For  there  will  be  two,  and  but  two  congregations  in  the  other  world, 
Christ's  and  the  devil's,  Psal.  i.  5 ;  the  bundle  of  life,  1  Sam.  xxv. 
29,  and  the  bundle  of  death,  Matth.  xiii,  33.  Many  are  misplaced 
here,  and  get  wrong  names ;  some  of  the  devil's  goats  appear  in 
sheep's  clothing,  and  are  mistaken  for  such  as  belong  to  Christ; 
some  of  Christ's  sheep  are  busked  up  by  the  malicious  world  in 
wolves'  skins,  as  if  they  belonged  to  the  devil.  But  nothing  of  that 
will  be  there. 

3.  Death  is  the  gathering  time,  which  the  Psalmist  has  in  view  in  the 


446  SOME  THINGS  IMPLIED  IN  THE  DOCTRINE. 

text.  Ye  have  a  time  here  tliat  ye  call  the  gathering  time,  about 
the  term,  when  the  servants  are  going  away,  wherein  ye  gather  your 
strayed  sheep  that  every  one  may  get  tlieir  own  again.  Death  is 
God's  gathering  time  wherein  he  gets  the  souls  belonging  to  him, 
and  the  devil  those  belonging  to  him.  They  did  go  long  together, 
but  then  they  arc  parted  ;  and  saints  are  taken  home  to  the  congre- 
gation of  saints,  and  sinners  to  the  congregation  of  sinners.  And  it 
concerns  us  to  say,  "  Gather  not  my  soul  with  sinners."  Whoever 
be  our  people  here,  God's  people,  or  the  devil's,  death  will  gather 
our  souls  to  them. 

Lastlt/,  It  is  a  horrible  thing  to  be  gathered  with  sinners  in  the 
other  world.  To  think  of  our  souls  being  gathered  with  them  there, 
may  make  the  hair  of  one's  head  stand  up.  Many  now  like  no  ga- 
thering like  the  gathering  with  sinners  ;  it  is  the  very  delight  of 
their  hearts,  it  makes  a  brave  jovial  life  in  their  eyes.  And  it  is  a 
pain  to  them,  to  be  gathered  with  saints,  to  be  detained  before  the 
Lord  on  a  sabbath  day.  But  to  be  gathered  with  them  in  the  other 
world,  is  a  horror  to  all  sorts. 

(1.)  The  saints  have  a  horror  of  it,  as  in  the  text.  To  think  to  be 
staked  down  in  their  company  in  the  other  world,  would  be  a  hell  of 
itself  to  the  godly.  David  never  had  such  a  horror  of  the  society  of 
the  poor,  the  diseased,  the  persecuted,  &c.  as  of  sinners.  He  is  con- 
tent to  be  gathered  with  saints  of  whatever  condition ;  but,  Lord, 
says  he,  "  Gather  not  my  soul  with  sinners." 

.  (2.)  The  wicked  themselves  have  a  horror  of  it.  Numb.  xxi.  10. 
"  Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous,"  said  the  wicked  Balaam, 
"  and  let  my  last  end  be  like  his."  Though  they  would  be  content 
to  live  with  them,  or  be  with  them  in  life,  their  consciences  bear 
witness  that  they  have  a  horror  of  being  with  them  in  death.  They 
would  live  with  sinners,  but  they  would  die  with  saints.  A  poor 
unreasonable  self-condemning  thought.  I  believe,  that  if  drunkards, 
unclean  persons,  mockers  of  religion,  embracing  and  rejoicing  in  one 
another,  should  as  Belshazzar  see  the  form  of  a  hand  writing  on  the 
wall,  that  it  is  the  purpose  of  God,  their  souls  should  be  gathered 
with  one  another  in  the  other  world,  they  would  be  struck  and  ready 
to  faint  away  with  horror,  thinking,  "  Ah  !  shall  my  soul  be  ga- 
thered with  drunkards,  harlots,  mockers  ?"  &c. 

Wherefore  since  all  have  a  horror  of  their  souls  being  gathered 
with  sinners  in  the  other  world,  have  a  horror  of  being  gathered 
with  them  now  in  their  way.  For  it  is  an  absurd  thing  to  think, 
that  you  shall  live  with  sinners,  and  yet  die  with  s£iints.  Balaam 
wished  to  reconcile  these  contradictions,  but  found  it  would  not  do. 
Numb.  xxxi.  8. 


WHO  THE  SINNERS  IN  THE  TEXT  ARE.  447 

II.  I  come  to  shew  who  are  the  sinners,  that  we  are  to  have  a 
horror  of  our  souls  to  be  gathered  with  in  the  other  world.  All 
men  in  this  world  are  sinners  absolutely  considered,  and  so  was  Da- 
vid himself;  Eccl.  vii.  22.  "  For  there  is  not  a  just  man  upon  earth, 
that  doth  good,  and  sinneth  not."  But  some  are  sinners  compara- 
tively, in  comparison  with  others  that  are  righteous ;  they  are  grie- 
vous sinners,  as  the  word  properly  signifies ;  hence  they  are  classed 
with  publicans,  a  most  odious  sort  of  people  among  the  Jews,  Matth. 
ix.  10. 

Now  sinners,  grievous  sinners,  in  the  scripture  use  of  the  word, 
are  all  unrighteous  persons,  as  appears  from  the  opposition  of  these 
terms,  Psal.  i.  5.  "  Therefore  the  ungodly  shall  not  stand  in  the 
judgment,  nor  siuners  in  the  congregation  of  the  righteous."  Prov. 
xiii.  21.  "  Evil  pursueth  sinners ;  but  to  the  righteous  good  shall  be 
repaid."  Matth.  ix.  13.  He  that  is  not  righteous,  is  in  the  scrip- 
ture-sense a  sinner,  a  grievous  sinner.     Hence, 

1.  All  unjustified  persons  are  sinners ;  for  they  are  unrighteous 
before  God,  as  being  without  an  imputed  righteousness  on  them, 
Rom.  V.  29.  And  since  all  unbelievers  are  unjustified,  whatever  is 
their  manner  of  life,  they  are  such  sinners ;  they  walk  naked  be- 
fore God,  and  their  shame  is  not  covered. 

2.  All  unconverted,  unsanctified,  unregenerate  persons  are  sinners ; 
for  they  are  unrighteous  as  being  without  an  implanted  righteous- 
ness, Psal.  li.  13.  Rom.  v.  8.  They  are  not  brought  back  to  God, 
but  are  in  a  course  of  straying  from  him  ;  their  unholy  set  of  spirit 
remains,  their  nature  is  not  changed. 

Thus  all  natural  men  are  sinners,  whose  state  in  the  other  world 
is  horrible,  whatever  their  appearance  and  way  may  be  here.  There 
are  four  sorts  of  them. 

1.  The  grossly  ignorant,  who  neither  know  nor  care  for  knowing 
the  foundation  points  of  religion.  These  cannot  be  but  sinners;  for 
however  harmless  they  may  be  among  men,  they  are  grievous  sin- 
ners before  God  as  being  in  darkness,  1  John  ii.  11.  ]\[atth.  vi.  23. 
And  miserable  will  they  be  whose  souls  are  gathered  with  them  in 
the  other  world,  Isa.  xxvii.  11.  "  It  is  a  people  of  no  understanding  : 
therefore  he  that  made  them  will  not  have  mercy  on  them,  and  he 
that  formed  them  will  shew  them  no  favour." 

2.  The  profane,  who  give  the  loose  to  their  lusts,  in  the  pollutions 
of  the  outward  man.  Such  as  profane  swearers,  who  set  their 
mouths  against  the  heavens,  whom  God  will  not  hold  guiltless ;  un- 
clean persons,  whom  God  will  judge  ;  scoifers  of  piety,  maligners, 
and  mockers  of  seriousness,  whose  hands  shall  be  made  strong  ;  in 
a  word,  all  those  who  are  loose  and  licentious  in  their  lives.     These 


448  WHO  THE  SINNEES  IN  THE  TEXT  AUB. 

are  sinners  with  a  witness ;  and  wo  to  them  whose  souls  shall  be 
gathered  with  thera  in  the  other  world,  Gal.  v.  19 — 21.  "  They 
which  do  such  things  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God."  Luke 
xix.  27.  "  Those  mine  enemies  which  would  not  that  I  should  reign 
over  them,  bring  hither  and  slay  them  before  me." 

3.  Mere  moralists,  who  satisfy  themselves  with  moral  virtue,  iu 
obedience  to  the  letter  of  the  second  table  of  the  moral  law,  but 
neglect  the  duties  of  religion  towards  God.  They  are  just  and 
honest  in  their  dealings  with  men,  but  neglect  their  duty  to  God. 
These  also  are  sinners,  and  miserable  will  be  the  case  of  those  whose 
souls  are  gathered  with  them  in  the  other  world,  Matth.  v.  20.  "  For 
I  say  unto  you.  That  except  your  righteousness  shall  exceed  the 
righteousness  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  ye  shall  in  no  case  enter 
the  kingdom  of  heaven."  They  seek  not  God's  face,  and  they  will 
be  hid  from  it. 

4.  Formalists,  who  have  a  form  of  godliness  in  a  profession  of  re- 
ligion, and  performance  of  acts  of  devotion  ;  but  are  strangers  to 
real  religion,  2  Tim.  iii.  5.  Some  of  them  are  gross  hypocrites,  who 
stain  their  profession  of  religion  with  their  untender  walk  in  matters 
of  the  second  table,  Matth.  xxiii.  23.  Others  are  close  hypocrites, 
whose  outward  conversation  is  blameless,  but  they  are  strangers  to 
heartwork,  the  secret  part  of  the  Christian  life,  and  entertain 
always  some  beloved  lust  or  other.  These  also  are  sinners,  Mark 
X.  21 ;  and  wo  will  be  to  those  whose  souls  are  gathered  with  them 
in  the  other  world,  Psal.  cxxv.  ult.  "  As  for  such  as  turn  aside  unto 
their  crooked  ways,  the  Lord  shall  lead  them  forth  with  the  workers 
of  iniquity."  Matth.  xxiv.  ult.  "  And  shall  cut  him  asunder,  and 
appoint  him  his  portion  with  the  hypocrites ;  there  shall  be  weeping 
and  gnashing  of  teeth." 

Now  all  these  are  sinners,  grievous  sinners,  who,  if  they  continue 
so,  will  undoubtedly  perish.  They  are  justly  called  and  reputed 
sinners,  in  opposition  to  saints.     For, 

(1.)  They  all  miss  the  mark  totally  that  men  should  aim  at.  The 
word  by  which  the  Holy  Ghost  expresseth  sin,  is  properly  to  miss 
the  mark,  Judg.  xx.  16.  The  mark  that  all  men  are  obliged  to  aim 
at  and  hit,  is  the  glory  of  God,  the  chief  end  of  man,  1  Cor.  x.  31. 
The  saints  brought  to  the  enjoyment  of  God  in  Christ,  do  all  hit  it, 
though  not  perfectly,  Phil.  i.  21.  Rom.  xiv.  7,  8.  They  life  to  the 
glory  of  God  their  Creator  and  Redeemer.  But  all  natural  men 
miss  it  totally,  Rom.  iii.  23.  They  are  conjured  within  the  circle  of 
self ;  they  live  to  themselves,  not  to  God  ;  their  lusts,  morality,  and 
religion  meet  all  in  the  dead  sea  of  self.  They  are  a  company  of 
self-lovers,  self-seekers,  self-pleasers,  Phil.  ii.  21.    So  they  and  their 


WHO  THE  SINNERS  IN  THE  TEXT  ARE.  449 

way,  not  being  directed  to  God,  shall  perish  from  his  presence,  Psal. 
i.  alt ;  and  their  straying  will  end  in  their  falling  into  the  pit. 

(2.)  They  are  all  guilty  of  death  before  the  Lord,  1  Kings  i.  21 ; 
with  Rom.  iii.  19.  The  sentence  of  death  is  in  force  against  them, 
and  they  are  sons  of  death.  The  curse  of  the  broken  law  lies  on 
them,  binding  them  over  to  avenging  wrath.  But  the  saints  are  not 
so  ;  though  they  are  not  without  sin,  yet  they  are  without  guilt  of 
eternal  wrath.  Rom.  viii.  1.  They  are  absolved  in  their  justifica- 
tion ;  but  natural  men,  whatever  be  the  difference  of  their  crimes, 
are  all  sinners,  law  condemned  criminals. 

(3.)  They  can  do  notliing  but  sin,  Psal.  xiv.  3.  It  is  true,  the 
saints  sin  in  every  thing  they  do  ;  but  yet  they  do  things  truly 
good,  and  accepted  of  God,  Isa.  Ivi.  7 ;  the  imperfections  attending 
their  duties  do  not  quite  mar  them,  2  Cor.  viii.  12.  But  natural 
men's  actions  are  all  sins,  their  natural,  civil,  and  religious  actions, 
only  evil.  Their  whole  life  is  woven  into  one  web  of  sin  from  the 
beginning  to  the  end,  without  one  thread  of  purity  in  it :  so  they 
are  sinners  in  a  most  proper  sense. 

Quest.  How  can  that  be,  since  they  do  things  that  are  unquestion- 
ably good  ?     Ans.  It  cannot  be  otherwise.     For, 

[1.]  The  principle  of  action  in  them  is  quite  wrong.  They  them- 
selves are  wholly  corrupt  and  loathsome,  and  so  is  all  they  do.  Put 
the  best  of  liquor  in  a  vessel  used  to  filthy  uses,  and  one  cannot 
look  on  it,  Tit.  i.  15.  "  Unto  them  that  are  defiled  and  unbelieving, 
is  nothing  pure  ;  but  even  their  mind  and  conscience  is  defiled." 
Their  filthy  state  defiles  their  duties,  but  their  duties  cannot  purify 
them.  Hag.  ii. 

[2.]  The  end  of  their  actions  is  quite  wrong.  They  are  like  a  ser- 
vant very  busy,  but  in  the  mean  time  he  is  working  to  himself,  not 
to  his  master,  Zech.  vii.  5.  "  When  ye  fasted  and  mourned — did  ye 
at  all  fast  unto  me,  even  unto  me  ?" 

(4.)  They  all  sin  with  true  whole  heart  and  good-will,  to  it.  The 
saints  do  not  so,  1  John  iii.  9.  They  have  a  contrary  principle  in 
them  that  contradicts  the  inclination  to  sin,  so  that  at  most  it  is  but 
with  a  half-will,  Gal.  v.  17.  But  natural  men  are  all  flesh,  wholly 
corrupt,  therefore  the  heart  goes  with  a  bent-sail  to  sin.  It  is  true, 
there  may  be  something  opposing  sin  in  the  unregenerate ;  but  then 
that  struggle  of  theirs  is  but  betwixt  the  flesh  in  one  part  lusting, 
and  in  another  fearing. 

(5.)  All  their  sins  that  ever  came  on  them  through  the  whole 
course  of  their  lives,  are  still  abiding  on  them,  in  the  guilt,  filth, 
and  dominion  of  them.  It  is  not  so  with  the  saints ;  guilt  contra- 
dicted is  done  away,  the  filth  is  in  part  removed,  the  reigning  power 


450  WHAT  IT  IS  TO  BE  GATHERED  AA'ITH  SINNERS. 

of  sin  is  broken.  Sin  in  them  is  like  mud  in  a  spring,  but  in  natu- 
ral men  like  mud  in  a  pool.  Sin  is  ever  coming  on,  never  going  off; 
but  all  sticks,  original  and  actual ;  for  there  is  no  remission  of  sin 
to  them,  and  no  sanctification  by  the  Spirit.  Unbelief  is  a  need- 
nail  to  all  their  sins,  John  viii.  24. 

Lastly,  They  continue  sinners  in  the  other  world,  Prov.  xiv.  32. 
"  The  wicked  is  driven  away  in  his  v^ickedness."  In  the  moment  of 
death  the  saints  are  perfected,'  they  are  no  more  sinners  ;  but  natu- 
ral men  have  sin  left  on  them,  when  they  die ;  then  the  sentence 
takes  place.  Rev.  xxii.  11.  "  He  that  is  unjust,  let  him  be  unjust 
still,  and  he  which  is  filthy,  let  him  be  filthy  still,"  and  they  are 
cast  out  as  unclean  into  the  unclean  place. 

III.  I  proceed  to  shew  what  it  is  for  one's  soul  to  be  gathered 
with  sinners  in  the  other  world.     It  implies, 

1.  All  men's  souls  are  to  be  gathered  out  of  their  bodies  by  death. 
Job  xxxiv.  14,  15.  "  If  he  set  his  heart  upon  man,  if  he  gather  unto 
himself  his  spirit  and  his  breath  ;  all  flesh  shall  perish  together,  and 
man  shall  turn  again  unto  dust."  Man  consists  of  a  soul  and  a 
body ;  the  body  was  originally  dust  lying  here  and  there  scattered 
on  the  earth  ;  and  at  death  it  must  be  reduced  to  the  same  condition 
again ;  the  soul  came  immediately  from  God,  and  at  death  must  re- 
turn to  him,  Eccl.  xii.  7.  And  no  man  can  have  power  to  retain  it 
in  the  body,  but  it  must  be  separated  from  it,  and  so  the  man  dies. 

2.  There  are  very  different  receptacles  of  separate  souls ;  there  is 
a  blessed  receptacle  of  the  souls  of  saints,  wherein  they  shall  all  be 
together  in  the  other  world  ;  and  a  miserable  receptacle  for  the  souls 
of  sinners,  where  they  also  shall  be  together  in  that  world.  Though 
the  receptacle  of  the  bodies  of  saints  and  sinners  is  common  to  both 
in  this  world,  both  lying  in  the  same  church-yard,  yet  that  of  their 
souls  is  not  so. 

3.  A  separation  of  the  soul  from  the  society  of  saints,  Matth.  xiii. 
41.  At  death,  sinners  that  were  mixed  with  the  saints  in  this  world 
are  gathered  out  from  among  them,  like  weeds  from  among  the  corn, 
and  tares  from  among  the  wheat.  And  we  should  be  concerned 
now,  that  that  be  not  our  lot.  For  it  will  be  a  most  terrible  excom- 
munication, Psal.  i.  5.  "  The  ungodly  shall  not  stand  in  the  judg- 
ment, nor  sinners  in  the  congregation  of  the  righteous." 

Lastly,  A  placing  of  the  soul  in  the  society  of  sinners  in  the  other 
world,  putting  them  in  the  same  place  with  them,  and  in  the  same 
state.  This  is  to  be  deprecated,  "  Gather  not  my  soul  with  sinners." 
To  be  gathered  to  sinners  as  our  people,  shut  up  with  them  in  the 
same  receptacle  of  spirits,  to  have  our  lot  with  them  in  the  other 
world,  and  fare  as  they  fare  for  eternity,  is  what  we  should  be  in 
the  greatest  care  and  concern,  that  it  be  not  our  lot. 


OF  THE  IMPORT  OF  THE  REQUEST  IN  THE  TEXT.  451 

IV.  I  shall  consider  this  care  and  concern ;  or  shew  what  is  im- 
plied in  this  earnest  request,  "  Gather  not  my  soul  with  sinners." 
It  implies, 

1.  A  sure  and  certain  expectation,  that  our  souls  must  be  ga- 
thered into  the  other  world  by  death.  The  Psalmist  prays  not 
against  the  gathering  simply,  for  in  that  case  neither  prayers  nor 
tears  can  prevail,  force  nor  fraud,  Psal.  Ixxxix.  48.  "  What  man  is 
he  that  liveth  and  shall  not  see  death  ?"  But  since  they  must  be 
gathered,  they  pray  that  they  be  not  gathered  with  sinners.  There 
is  no  may-be  here,  but  it  must  be,  as  it  is  "  appointed  unto  men  once 
to  die,"  Heb.  ix.  27.  We  must  lay  our  account  with  it,  as  an  event 
inevitable. 

2.  A  belief  of  the  miserable  state  of  sinners  in  the  other  world, 
and  the  happiness  of  saints.  If  one  is  not  persuaded  of  these,  he 
will  be  in  no  concern  about  the  matter.  But  we  must  look  beyond 
this  world  into  the  other,  and  in  the  glass  of  the  word  take  a  view 
of  the  state  of  sinners  and  saints  there,  to  raise  us  to  due  concern  in 
it.  Often  do  men  look  into  the  state  of  sinners  here,  and  behold  the 
easy  life  they  have  of  it,  and  they  wish  in  etfect  to  be  among  them ; 
but  if  we  look  to  them  in  the  other  world,  we  will  wish  to  be  far 
from  them,  to  have  nothing  ado  with  them. 

3.  A  horror  of  the  state  of  sinners  there.  The  man  looking  to  it 
shrinks  back,  saying,  Save  me  from  it !  Their  state  there  duly  ap- 
prehended, is  apt  to  breed  such  a  horror,  as  not  only  cures  the  envy 
at  their  present  prosperous  state,  but  makes  the  man  that  he  would 
not  for  a  thousand  worlds,  his  soul  were  in  their  souls'  stead,  Psal. 
Ixxiii.  18—20. 

4.  An  earnest  concern  to  be  delivered  from  it.  The  man  takes  a 
view  of  it  seriously,  and  he  is  not  indifferent  in  the  matter.  He  is 
not  negligent  as  to  the  future  state  of  his  soul  in  the  other  world : 
but  timely  lays  down  measures  for  eternity,  knowing  that  to  mis- 
carry in  that  point  is  a  loss  that  can  never  be  made  up. 

5.  An  acknowledgment  that  God  may  in  justice  gather  one's  soul 
with  sinners.  The  best  have  as  much  sin  as  deserves  it,  and  all  are 
by  nature  liable  to  it,  Rom.  iii.  19.  And  every  one  that  sees  the  ill 
of  sin,  and  its  just  demerit,  will  see  that  if  justice  take  place  against 
them,  they  will  be  gathered  with  sinners  in  the  other  world. 

Lastly,  A  betaking  one's  self  to  the  mercy  of  the  Judge,  in  his 
own  way,  for  the  pardon  of  sin,  and  the  removal  of  the  just  punish- 
ment. Job  ix.  15.  And  that  is  to  confess  sin,  flee  to  lay  hold  on  the 
altar  Jesus  Christ  by  faith,  separating  from  the  society  and  way  of 
sinners  in  time. 

V.  I  come  now  to  give  reasons,  why  we  should  bo  in  such  caro 


452  REASONS  OP  THE  REQUEST  IN  THE  TEXT. 

and  concern,  that  our  souls  be  not  gathered  with  sinners  in  the  other 
world. 

1.  Because  to  be  gathered  with  them  is  to  be  separated  for  ever 
from  God,  and  the  holy  and  happy  society  whereof  Chi'ist  is  the 
head,  Matth.  vii.  23,  "  Depart  from  me,  ye  that  work  iniquity." 
The  whole  herd  of  sinners  in  the  other  world  will  be  in  a  state  of 
excommunication,  banished  from  the  comfortable  presence  of  God, 
the  place  of  his  glory,  Psal.  v.  4,  5,  kept  out  of  the  society  of  Christ, 
the  holy  angels,  and  saints,  Matth.  xiii.  41.  And  to  be  gathered 
with  them  must  needs  then  be  horrible. 

2.  They  will  be  gathered  into  a  most  doleful  place,  Isa.  xxiv.  22, 
"  They  shall  be  gathered  together  as  prisoners  are  gathered  in  the 
pit,  and  shall  be  shut  up  in  the  prison."  At  death  sinners  are  ga- 
thered into  the  prison  of  hell,  shut  up  there  to  the  judgment  of  the 
great  day ;  and  from  the  tribunal  they  will  be  driven  away  thither 
again  all  together,  there  to  be  shut  up  for  ever,  Matth.  xxv.  41. 
The  horror  of  the  place  they  are  gathered  into,  the  eternal  gloom 
there,  the  chains  of  darkness  that  will  hold  them  there,  the  mist  of 
darkness  that  never  clears  there,  may  all  move  to  say,  "  Gather  not 
my  soul  with  sinners." 

3.  Because  they  will  be  gathered  unto  the  most  frightful  society 
there,  with  the  devil  and  his  angels,  Matth.  xxv.  41.  They  will  be 
cast  into  the  lake  of  fire  with  the  devil  that  deceived  them ;  and 
that  will  be  more  terrible  than  to  be  gathered  Avith  dragons,  ser- 
pents, and  vipers  here,  which  would  quickly  make  an  end  of  one. 
0  that  men  would  consider  how  the  service  of  the  devil  in  sin  here, 
will  bring  them  into  the  society  of  him  and  his  angels  hereafter,  that 
they  might  have  a  horror  of  being  joined  with  sinners  ! 

4.  Because  sinners  will  be  in  a  state  of  punishment  there,  heavy 
beyond  expression ;  being  "  punished  with  everlasting  destruction 
from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power," 
2  Thess.  i.  9.  Now  is  the  time  wherein  sinners  take  leave  to  commit 
their  crimes,  trampling  on  God's  laws,  despising  his  Son,  and  griev- 
ing his  Spirit ;  then  will  be  the  time  that  they  must  sulTer  and  pay 
for  all  to  the  satisfaction  of  injured  justice.  And  the  view  of  that 
terrible  reckoning  may  cause  one  say,  "  Gather  not  my  soul  with 
sinners." 

5.  Because  they  will  be  left  in  their  sin  there,  Prov.  xiv.  32. 
"  The  wicked  is  driven  away  in  his  wickedness."  John  viii.  24, 
"  If  ye  believe  not  that  I  am  he,  ye  shall  die  in  your  sins."  At  the 
moment  of  death,  it  is  said  to  the  sinner,  "  He  that  is  filthy,  let  him 
be  filthy  still ;"  and  he  is  cast  away  as  an  unclean  person  into  the 
unclean  place,  with  all  the  guilt,  filth,  and  power  of  his  sins  upon 


THE  DOCTRINE  APPLIED.  453 

him,  never  to  be  removed.  And  here  consider,  (1.)  The  perverse 
frame  of  spirit,  which  is  natural  to  man,  being  enmity  against  God, 
will  remain  with  them  there ;  for  there  is  no  sanctification  of  the 
Spirit  begun  on  the  other  side  of  death.  And  it  will  be  undisguised 
there,  the  peace  being  blocked  up,  and  the  war  for  ever  betwixt 
God  and  them  proclaimed.  It  will  be  irritated  by  their  hopeless 
miserable  state,  Rev.  xvi.  ult. 

(2.)  Their  sin  will  be  their  punishment  there  ;  a  just  revenge  of 
cleaving  to  it  over  the  belly  of  all  reproofs,  warnings,  and  en- 
treaties ?     So  they  will  be  filled  with  their  own  ways.     And, 

[1.]  They  will  be  cut  with  tormenting  passions,  envy  at  the  hap- 
piness of  the  saints,  fretting  under  their  own  misery,  and  despairing 
for  ever  of  relief,  Matth.  xxii.  13,  "  There  shall  be  weeping  and 
gnashing  of  teeth." 

[2.]  As  for  their  pleasurable  sins  that  their  hearts  were  set  on 
here,  the  desire  of  them  will  continue,  but  the  satisfying  of  them  in 
any  measure  will  be  impossible.  So  they  will  be  for  ever  racked 
between  the  desire  and  the  denial  of  satisfaction  to  their  lusts. 
Who  then  would  not  say,  "  Gather  not  ray  soul  with  sinners  ?" 

Lastly,  Because  being  once  gathered  with  them,  they  will  never 
more  be  separated  from  among  them.  As  the  tree  falls  it  must  lie. 
They  that  are  gathered  with  sinners  at  death,  must  be  gathered 
with  them  at  the  resurrection,  and  shut  up  with  them  in  the  pit  of 
destruction  for  ever. 

I  shall  now  make  some  application  of  this  subject. 

Use  I.  Of  information.     We  may  learn  from  it, 

1.  That  the  state  and  condition  of  sinners,  whatever  advantages 
of  ease,  wealth,  &c.  it  be  attended  with,  is  a  miserable  one,  to  be 
pitied,  lamented  and  avoided,  not  to  be  envied  or  desired.  For  it  is 
impossible  that  all  the  wealth  of  this  world  should  counterbalance 
the  wo  in  the  other  world  that  is  abiding  them.  Who  would  desire 
his  lot  with  a  condemned  malefactor,  though  he  fared  deliciously 
every  day ;  or  quietly  enjoy  the  best  covered  table,  while  a  sword 
was  hanging  by  a  hair  over  his  head  ? 

2.  That  the  great  business  of  our  life  is  to  learn  to  die,  and  the 
great  business  which  we  have  to  do  in  this  world  is  to  prepare  for 
the  other,  Job  xiv.  1-i  "  If  a  man  die,  shall  he  live  again  ?  all  the 
days  of  my  appointed  time  will  I  wait  till  my  change  come."  Here 
we  do  but  sojourn,  there  we  are  to  abide  :  here  we  are  on  our  jour- 
ney, there  we  come  to  our  dwelling-place  :  and  it  is  of  the  utmost 
consequence  which  part  of  that  world  we  arrive  in,  Matth.  xvi.  26. 
And  they  who  do  not  see  to  that  in  the  first  and  chief  place,  are 
fools  with  a  witness. 

Vol.  V.  2  a 


454  USE  OP  REPKoor. 

3.  That  we  are  in  hazard  of  miscarrying  with  reference  to  our 
abode  in  the  other  world  ;  and  carelessness  about  it  will  have  a 
fatal  issue.  If  all  were  to  be  gathei-ed  there  iuto  the  happy  re- 
ceptacle without  destinction,  we  might  be  easy ;  but  it  is  not  so ; 
there  will  be  a  gathering  into  the  region  of  horror,  as  well  as  into 
the  region  of  bliss.  And  we  will  be  sure  to  miscarry,  if  we  do  not 
in  time  secure  our  happy  reception,  in  the  way  appointed. 

Lastly,  That  the  hazard  of  miscarrying  in  it  should  quicken  us  to 
suitable  endeavours  for  securing  our  happiness  in  the  other  world. 
Our  eternal  state  is  our  greatest  concern,  and  every  thing  being  to 
be  plied  according  to  its  weight,  it  should  be  seen  to  with  the  great- 
est care,  and  nothing  laid  in  the  balance  with  it,  neither  cares,  pro- 
fits, nor  pleasures. 

Use  it.  Of  reproof  to  several  sorts  of  sinners.     It  reproves, 

1.  The  careless  sinner,  who  is  careless  about  the  other  world,  and 
his  future  state.  How  many  are  there,  who  never  once  seriously 
consider,  where  they  are  like  to  take  up  their  abode  in  the  other 
world  ?  But  they  live  as  if  there  were  no  other  life  but  this.  0 
what  do  you  think,  that  you  will  get  away  in  a  dream  to  the  region 
of  bliss,  that  you  will  stumble  into  heaven  which  you  are  not  look- 
ing out  for  ?  No  ;  you  may  drop  into  the  pit  that  way,  but  not  get 
up  into  the  holy  hill,  Isa.  xxxii.  9,  10.  The  foolish  virgins  that 
were  careless  about  oil  to  their  lamps,  got  their  head  and  heart  full 
of  care  out  of  time,  Matth.  xxv.  and  so  will  ye,  if  ye  continue  in 
that  careless  temper. 

2.  The  slothful  sinner,  who  cannot  bestir  himself  to  be  at  due 
pains  in  this  matter.  Though  such  are  not  quite  unconcerned  about 
the  other  world,  yet  they  do  nothing  to  purpose  in  it.  If  lazy 
wishes  and  faint  endeavours  would  do  it,  they  would  be  happy  ; 
but  they  cannot  stir  up  themselves  to  take  hold  of  an  offered  Christ, 
covenant,  and  salvation,  Isa.  Ixiv.  7.  to  cut  off  offending  right  hands, 
and  pluck  out  offending  right  eyes  ;  to  take  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
by  force,  and  press  into  it.  Alas  !  this  is  not  a  business  to  be  ma- 
naged on  the  bed  of  sloth,  Eccl.  v.  18.  Remember  the  doom  of  the 
slothful  servant,  who  was  cast  into  outer  darkness,  Matth.  xxv. 
26,  30. 

3.  The  delaying  sinner,  who  puts  off  the  business  from  time  to 
time,  till  it  be  out  of  time,  and  he  is  ruined.  The  young  put  it  off 
till  they  should  become  aged,  the  aged  to  a  sick-bed,  and  the  sick 
often  find  they  have  enough  ado  otherwise.  So  the  proper  time  of 
securing  happiness  in  the  other  world  is  lost,  as  in  the  case  of  Felix, 
Acts  xxiv.  25.  But  why  will  men  delay  what  must  needs  be  done, 
or  else  they  are  ruined,  especially  when  time  is  uncertain  ? 


USE  OF  COMFORt.  455 

Lastly,  The  malignant  sinner,  who  hates  the  society  of  saints,  and 
seriousness,  a  religions  life  and  religious  exercises  ;  making  the  so- 
ciety and  way  of  sinners  his  choice.  O  what  confidence  can  ye  have 
to  cry  to  God,  not  to  gather  your  soul  with  sinners  in  the  other 
world,  who  are  those  in  whom  is  all  your  delight  in  this  ?  How 
can  ye  think  to  be  gathered  Avith  saints  in  heaven,  to  whom  with 
their  way  and  exercises  you  have  so  great  aversion  on  earth  ? 
Nay,  that  malignity  against  God's  people  shews  you  to  be  none  of 
them  ;  and  you  must  be  gathered  to  your  people,  your  own  people. 

Use  III.  Of  comfort  to  those  who  are  in  due  care  and  concern 
now,  that  they  be  not  gathered  with  sinners  in  the  other  world. 
This  is  a  weighty  concern  to  them  that  have  it,  and  they  will  need 
comfort.  And  there  are  four  things  comfortable  in  it.  It  is  com- 
fortable, 

1.  That  you  are  in  the  way  of  duty  with  reference  to  the  other 
world,  Matth.  xxiv.  46,  "  Blessed  is  that  servant,  whom  his  Lord 
when  he  cometh  shall  find  so  doing."  While  others  are  going  on 
fearlessly,  you  are  looking  about  you,  concerned  how  it  may  be  with 
you  in  the  end.  It  is  a  piece  of  wisdom,  and  hopeful,  thus  to  be  ex- 
ercised in  considering  your  latter  end,  Deut.  xxxii.  29.  God's  word 
speaks  comfort  to  such,  Isa.  xxxv  13,  4.  "  Strengthen  ye  the  weak 
hands,  and  confirm  the  feeble  knees.  Say  to  them  that_^are  of  a 
fearful  heart.  Be  strong,  fear  not ;  behold,  your  God  will  come  with 
vengeance,  even  God  with  a  recompense,  he  will  come  and  save 
you." 

2.  That  you  take  your  work  in  time,  while  yet  there  is  hope ;  and 
so  your  care  and  concern  may  come  to  issue  well,  Isa.  xxxii.  20. 
"  Blessed  are  ye  that  sow  beside  all  waters."  There  is  no  son  nor 
daughter  of  Adam  but  will  be  in  that  care  and  concern  one  time  or 
other  ;  so  that  there  will  not  be  two  of  the  whole  herd  of  sinners 
that  will  desire  to  be  gathered  together ;  but  alas  !  with  the  most 
part  it  will  be  out  of  time,  Matth.  xxv.  11,  12.  Now  I  say  it  is 
comfortable  in  your  case,  that  you  timely  entertain  concern  about 
it,  while  the  judge  is  on  a  throne  of  grace  to  receive  such  applica- 
tions. I  may  allude  to  that,  1  Sam.  xxv.  8.  "  Ye  come  in  a  good 
day  ;"  with  2  Cor,  vi.  2,  "  Behold,  now  is  the  accepted  time ;  be- 
hold, now  is  the  day  of  salvation." 

3.  This  care  and  concern  is  wrought  in  all  God's  elect,  by  the 
Spirit  of  Christ.  The  word  calls  for  it,  Acts  ii.  40.  "  Save  your- 
selves from  this  untoward  generation."  The  Spirit  works  it  accord- 
ingly, Rom.  viii.  26 ;  2  Cor.  vii.  11.  He  it  was  that  breathed  that 
desire  in  the  Psalmist ;  and  those  appetites  and  desires  that  are 
from  the  Spirit  cannot  be  in  vain.     So  that  the  care  and  concern  is 

2g2 


456  USE  OP  COMPORT. 

common  to  you  with  all  the  children  of  God,  who  all  join  you  in  that 
spiritual  breathing,  "  Gather  not  my  soul  with  sinners." 

Lastly,  You  have  to  do  with  a  good  and  gracious  God,  that  has 
no  pleasure  to  the  ruin  of  sinners,  Ezek.  xxiii.  11,  "  Say  unto  them, 
As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of 
the  wicked,  but  that  the  wicked  turn  from  his  way  and  live."  No 
tender  man  will  give  his  oath  without  necessity,  or  where  there  is 
no  controversy  to  be  decided  by  it.  So  here  there  is  one,  namely,  the 
devil  allegeth  to  sinners  against  God,  that  there  is  no  i)leasing  of 
him,  otherwise  than  in  the  sinner's  ruin,  and  therefore  all  care  and 
concern  that  way  is  needless.  The  slothful  servant  licketh  up  his 
vomit,  Matth.  xxv.  24,  25.  "  Lord,  (said  he)  I  knew  thee  that  thou 
art  an  hard  man,  reaping  where  thou  hast  not  sown,  and  gathering 
where  thou  hast  not  strawed  ;  and  I  was  afraid,  and  went  and  hid 
thy  talent  in  the  earth."  And  God  purgeth  himself  by  an  oath  of 
it;  believe  it  then  no  more.  Encourage  yourself  from  the  goodness 
of  his  nature  in  Christ,  be  that  your  care  and  concern. 

(1.)  Have  you  already  got  your  heart's  fill  of  the  state  and  way 
of  sinners  out  of  Christ,  so  that  you  desire  no  more  of  it,  but  would 
fain  be  out  of  the  reach  thereof?  The  goodness  of  God's  nature 
in  Christ  will  not  suffer  the  gathering  of  such  a  one  with  sinners  in 
the  other  world,  Psal.  xxvi.  4 — 9.  Will  a  good  God  take  a  sinner 
already  groaning  under,  burdened  and  wearied  with  the  state  and 
way  of  sinners  out  of  Christ  in  this  world,  and  stake  him  down  with 
them  for  ever  in  the  other  world  ?     No  ;  be  it  far  from  him. 

(2.)  Have  you  got  a  longing  after  holiness,  perfect  holiness,  and 
a  liking  of  the  purity  of  the  shining  ones  there,  that  your  soul  cries, 
"  Gather  not  my  soul  with  sinners,"  but  with  saints  in  the  other 
world  ?  Truly  that  is  the  work  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  you  ;  for 
"  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God,"  Rom.  viii.  7-  Hence  is 
the  promise,  Keb.  viii.  10.  "  I  will  put  my  laws  into  their  mind,  and 
write  them  in  their  hearts."  And  it  is  the  society  of  sinners,  not  as 
sinners,  but  as  miserable,  the  hypocrite  is  frightened  at ;  and  the 
society  of  saints  in  the  other  world,  not  as  saints  or  holy,  but  as 
happy  ones,  that  they  desire  it.  It  is  inconsistent  with  the  goodness 
of  God  then  to  create  such  longing  and  liking,  and  yet  never  satisfy 
it ;  so  to  open  the  mouth  of  the  soul,  and  then  to  put  an  empty 
spoon  in  it. 

Object.  But  a  concern  not  to  be  gathered  with  sinners  in  the  other 
world  is  a  common  thing,  which  Balaam  and  the  foolish  virgins  had, 
as  well  as  the  godly ;  what  comfort  then  can  be  in  it,  since  one  may 
have  it,  and  yet  be  gathered  with  them  in  the  end  ?  Ans.  There  is 
a  "very  great  difference  betwixt  this  concern  in  sincere  Christians 


USE  OF  COMPORT.  457 

aud  others.  There  are  four  things,  which,  if  you  find  in  your  con- 
cern in  this  point,  you  may  conclude  that  you  shall  not  be  gathered 
with  sinners  in  the  other  world. 

1.  If  their  separation  from  Christ  as  the  chief  object  of  your 
soul's  love,  makes  you  averse  to  be  gathered  with  them,  Psal.  xxvi. 
8,  9.  "  Lord,  I  have  loved  the  habitation  of  thy  house,  and  the  place 
where  thine  honour  dwelleth:  Gather  not  my  soul  with  sinners." 
The  ungodly,  if  all  were  right  to  that  with  them  in  the  other  world, 
could  digest  that ;  for  Christ  is  not  the  chief  object  of  their  love. 
But  this  argues  your  esteem  of  Christ  above  all,  1  Pet.  ii.  7-  and 
your  desire  of  communion  with  him  as  your  chief  happiness,  Phil.  i. 
23.  You  look  upon  sinners  as  seated  in  the  other  world,  and  you 
see  Christ  is  not  among  them ;  and  since  he  is  not  with  them,  your 
soul  cries,  Then,  Lord,  let  not  me  be  with  them  neither,  for  the  chief 
object  of  my  love  is  not  among  them.  If  this  is  the  case,  truly  your 
soul  shall  not  be  gathered  with  them,  John  vi.  7-  "  Him  that  coraeth 
to  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out."  Psal.  Ixxiii.  24,  25.  "  Thou 
shalt  guide  me  with  thy  counsel,  and  afterward  receive  me  to  glory. 
Whom  have  I  iu  heaven  but  thee  ?  and  there  is  none  upon  earth 
that  T  desire  besides  thee. 

2.  If  you  have  a  horror  of  their  being  left  in  sin  in  the  other 
world,  as  well  as  of  their  being  laid  under  punishment  there,  Rom. 
vii.  24,  25.  "  0  wretched  man  that  I  am,  who  shall  deliver  me  from 
the  body  of  this  death  !  I  thank  God,  through  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord."  Nobody  believing  the  unspeakable  torment  of  the  damned 
in  the  other  world,  but  must  have  a  horror  of  it,  because  they  love 
themselves.  But  laying  aside  the  consideration  of  that,  soberly  ask 
yourselves,  what  think  you  of  that  part  of  the  sentence,  "  Let  him 
that  is  filthy,  be  filthy  still,"  in  itself?  Abstracting  from  the  tor- 
ment joined  with  it,  that  would  be  no  hard  thing  to  most  men,  their 
hearts  being  wedded  to  their  lusts,  and  not  knowing  how  to  shift 
without  them.  If  then  you  find  that  thought  of  itself  to  be  killing  to 
you,  and  sufilcient  to  make  a  hell ;  that  argues  you  partakers  of  the 
new  nature,  that  hath  a  horror  of  sin  as  its  opposite,  and  desires  to 
be  holy  and  without  sin,  which  is  its  perfection.  And  certainly  God 
will  not  deprive  the  new  nature  of  its  desired  perfection,  and  conse- 
quently will  not  gather  a  soul  thus  disposed  with  sinners  in  the 
other  world,  Psal.  cxxxviii.  ult.  "  The  Lord  will  perfect  that  which 
coucerneth  me."  Matth.  v.  6.  "Blessed  are  they  which  do  hunger 
and  thirst  after  righteousness ;  for  they  shall  be  filled." 

3.  If  you  are  with  purpose  of  heart  coming  out  from  among  them, 
out  of  their  society,  way,  and  manner  of  life  in  this  world.  Many 
would   be  content  to  live  with  them,  though  not  to  die  with  them, 

2  G  3 


458  USE  OF  EXHORTATION. 

Numb,  xxiii.  10.  But  are  ye  not  content  to  live  with  tliem  neither, 
no  more  than  to  die  with  them  ?  Have  ye  conceived  an  aversion  to 
the  life  as  well  as  the  death,  not  only  of  the  grossly  wicked,  but  of 
all  that  are  out  of  Christ,  strangers  to  the  power  of  godliness,  being 
drawn  to  the  love  and  choice  of  the  fellowship  of  the  saints  by  the 
lustre  of  the  divine  image  on  them  ?  Fear  not,  God  will  never  ga- 
ther you  with  them  in  the  other  world,  Psal.  xxvi.  4,  5,  9 ;  1  John 
iii.  14;  2  Cor.  vi.  17,  18.  Their  company  will  not  be  made  your 
punishment  in  the  other  world,  that  you  would  not  make  your  choice 
here. 

Lastly,  If  the  hope  of  not  being  gathered  with  sinners  in  the  other 
world,  puts  you  on  the  study  of  universal  purity,  1  John  iii.  3.  The 
hope  that  ungodly  sinners  and  hypocrites  have  of  this  tends  to  make 
them  secure  in  sin,  and  leaves  them  at  ease  in  the  embraces  of  some 
one  lust  or  other ;  the  reason  is  because  their  concern  that  way  is 
only  to  be  freed  from  misery,  not  from  sin.  But  the  hope  of  the 
sincere  is  a  lively  one,  a  hope  to  be  freed  from  sin,  1  Pet.  i.  3.  and 
this  makes  them  bestir  themselves  against  it  in  time  impartially, 
Psal.  cxix.  6. 

Use  ult.  Let  me  exhort  all  of  you  now  to  be  in  due  care  and  con- 
cern, that  your  souls  be  not  gathered  with  sinners  in  the  other 
world.  This  due  care  and  concern  is  very  extensive,  and  therefore 
I  will  branch  out  this  exhortation  in  several  particulars.     And, 

1.  Lay  the  matter  of  the  other  world  to  heart,  and  be  no  longer 
careless  about  what  shall  be  your  lot  in  it,  Rom.  xiii.  11,  12.  A 
careless  unconcerned  life  about  the  other  world,  will  make  a  fright- 
ful awakening  at  death,  Luke  xii.  20.  If  you  were  to  be  removed 
out  of  a  farm  or  a  cot-house,  you  would  look  out  for  another  before 
hand  :  and  since  you  are  to  remove  out  of  this  world,  look  out  for 
a  comfortable  settlement  in  the  other,  and  shew  yourselves  men, 
wise  men,  and  not  fools. 

2.  Delay  it  no  longer ;  for  it  is  no  due  concern  that  admits  of  one 
day's  delay ;  the  reason  is  ere  to-mori'ow  come,  your  soul  may  be 
gathered  with  sinners,  and  staked  down  with  them  for  eternity,  Heb. 
iii.  15.  "  To-day  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts." 
No  doubt  there  are  many  in  hell,  who  once  hoped  never  to  come 
there,  and  to  have  set  all  to  rights  before  gathering  time  ;  but  the 
misery  was,  it  came  ere  they  were  aware,  and  swept  them  away 
with  sinners.  They  have  been  carried  oif  in  childhood,  that  hoped 
to  be  religious  youths  ;  and  they  have  died  in  their  youth  who  hoped 
to  make  all  right  by  the  time  they  should  enter  in  age.  The  little 
sleep,  the  little  slumber  they  indulged  themselves  in,  proved  their 
ruin ;  for  their  poverty  came  upon  them  as  one  that  travelleth,  and 
their  want  as  an  armed  man. 


USE  OP  EXHORTATION.  459 

3.  Let  your  souls  be  now  gathered  unto  Christ  by  faith  in  the 
bond  of  the  covenant,  Gen.  xlix.  10.  He  is  the  Captain  of  salva- 
tion, and  none  come  to  heaven  but  at  his  back,  John  xiv.  6.  as  the 
members  of  his  mystical  body,  Eph.  v.  23.  "Whosoever  are  not 
united  to  him,  and  brought  personally  within  the  bond  of  his  cove- 
nant, will  be  left  to  be  gathered  with  sinners.  Therefore  consider 
the  covenant  offered  to  you  in  the  gospel,  and  sincerely  take  hold  of 
it,  as  you  would  not  so  be  gathered. 

4.  Give  up  with  the  society  of  sinners  here,  I  mean  not  absolute- 
ly ;  but  make  them  no  more  your  choice,  your  familiar  companions ; 
for  death  will  gather  every  one  to  his  own  people ;  and  therefore 
"  he  that  walketh  with  wise  men  shall  be  wise ;  but  a  companion  of 
fools  shall  be  destroyed,"  Prov.  xiii.  20.  The  blessed  man  is  known 
by  the  company  he  chuses,  and  most  delights  in,  Psal.  i.  1.  And  he 
that  is  not  concerned  to  separate  from  the  company  of  sinners  here, 
is  in  no  due  concern  not  to  be  gathered  with  them  in  the  other 
world  ;  for  it  is  vain  to  think  to  live  with  sinners,  and  die  with  saints. 

5.  Lay  by  your  malignity  against  professors  of  religion,  against 
seriousness,  and  godly  exercises.  Calmly  consider  what  ye  would 
be  at.  Arc  you  really  not  able  to  endure  any  appearance  of  reli- 
gion, seriousness,  and  godly  exercises  ?  Then  there  is  nothing  for 
you,  but  to  be  gathered  with  sinners  in  the  other  world,  where  you 
will  see  nothing  like  it  for  ever.  But  if  you  have  any  the  least 
thoughts  or  hopes  of  heaven,  you  are  quite  unreasonable  to  think  to 
get  there,  while  you  bear  such  a  grudge  against  the  very  first 
draughts  of  that  which  is  carried  to  perfection  there.  I  wonder 
what  sort  of  a  heaven  they  imagine  to  themselves,  that  have  a  heart 
rising  at  holiness ;  what  kind  of  men  and  women  they  expect  to  see 
there,  that  are  always  sure  to  have  a  thrust  at  any  serious  person 
here,  however  they  have  a  vail  to  cast  over  the  godless  and  profane. 

6.  Associate  yourselves  AFith  the  godly  ;  gather  together  with 
those  that  you  would  be  gathered  with  in  the  other  world,  Psal. 
cxix.  63,  "  I  am  a  companion  of  all  them  that  fear  thee,"  says  Da- 
vid, "  and  of  them  that  keep  thy  precepts."  If  you  mind  to  lodge 
with  them  at  the  journey's  end,  it  is  reasonable  to  travel  on  the  way 
with  them  too,  and  not  with  those  that  are  holding  a  quite  contrary 
route.  Let  not  the  faults  you  espy  about  them  make  you  despise 
their  society ;  there  are  no  faultless  companions  to  be  had  in  this 
world  ;  but  it  must  be  a  dreadful  cast  of  spirit,  that  makes  every 
body's  faiilts  tolerable  but  theirs.  That  must  spring  from  a  deep- 
rooted  enmity.  But  a  lover  of  the  King  will  reverence  his  children, 
though  in  rags ;  and  God  tries  your  love  to  him  by  the  faults  he  has 
left  in  his  people,  1  John  v.  1.  Psal.  xvi.  2,  3. 


460  USE  or  EXHORTATIOK. 

7.  Do  not  make  light  of  withdrawing  or  absenting  from  the  con- 
gregation of  the  Lord's  people  in  public  ordinances.  The  Sabbath 
congregations  are  the  thing  that  in  all  the  earth  is  likest  to  heaven  ; 
and  therefore  they  are  that  which  has  most  of  the  saint's  heart, 
Psal.  xxvi.  8,  "  Lord,  1  have  loved  the  habitation  of  thy  house,  and 
the  place  where  thine  honour  dwelleth."  Let  the  thoughts  of  the 
gathering  with  the  one  great  congregation  in  the  upper  house,  re- 
commend the  gathering  together  with  the  congregations  in  the  lower. 
From  whatever  principles  or  motives  people  forsake  the  congrega- 
tions of  the  saints  here  in  public  ordinances,  they  must  either  be 
gathered  with  them  in  the  other  world,  or  with  sinners  ;  there  will 
be  no  separate  heaven  for  them  there. 

Lastltj,  Carefully  keep  off  the  way  of  sinners  here,  and  let  your 
whole  life  bo  a  going  forth  by  the  footsteps  of  the  flock.  Cant.  i.  7, 
8.  Heb.  vi.  12.  As  is  your  course  now,  so  must  your  end  be.  If 
you  go  the  way  of  sinners,  in  this  world,  ye  will  be  gathered  with 
them  in  the  other ;  if  ye  go  the  way  of  saints,  ye  will  be  gathered 
with  them  there. 

To  enforce  this  exhortation, 

(1.)  Consider  the  importance  of  your  gathering  in  the  other  world, 
than  which  nothing  can  be  greater.  You  have  had  the  other  world 
described  to  you  in  both  its  parts ;  and  I  may  obtest  you  by  all  the 
joys  and  glories  of  heaven,  that  you  lay  this  matter  to  heart ;  and 
by  the  dismalness  of  the  place,  the  horrors  of  the  society,  and  the 
dreadfulness  of  the  state  of  sinners  in  hell,  that  you  be  in  concern 
that  your  souls  be  not  gathered  there  with  them. 

(2.)  Make  of  your  other  concerns  what  you  will,  if  you  see  not  to 
this  in  the  first  place,  ye  are  ruined  to  all  intents  and  purposes, 
Matth.  xvi.  26.  "  For  what  is  a  man  pi'ofited,  if  he  shall  gain  the 
whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  soul  ?  or  what  shall  a  man  give  in 
exchange  for  his  soul  ?"  Nothing  will  compensate  this  loss. 
.  (3.)  This  is  the  only  proper  time  for  that  concern,  wherein  it  may  be 
effectual ;  2  Cor.  vi.  2,  "  Behold,  now  is  the  accepted  time ;  behold, 
now  is  the  day  of  salvation."  If  you  miss  it,  in  vain  will  ye  cry ;  for 
a  deaf  ear  will  be  given  to  all  your  cries,  Prov.  i.  24,  and  downwards. 

Lastly,  The  gathering  there  will  be  eternal,  and  unalterable  for 
ever ;  and  therefore  it  highly  concerns  you  now,  that  your  souls  be 
not  gathered  with  sinners  then. 

Wherefore,  upon  the  whole,  let  me  obtain  of  you,  (1.)  That  you 
will  take  some  serious  thoughts  of  the  other  world  in  both  parts  of 
it.  (2.)  That  you  will  inquire  what  case  you  are  in  for  it.  And, 
(3.)  That  you  will  lay  down  measures  timely,  that  your  souls  be  not 
gathered  with  sinners  there.  May  the  Lord  persuade  and  incline 
your  hearts  unto  this  course. 


THE  TEXT  EXPLAINED.  461 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  OF  LIFE  IN  THIS  WORLD  TO  THE  RAISING  A 
GOOD  NAME,  THE  BEST  BALANCE  FOR  THE  PRESENT,  FOR  THE 
VANITY  AND  MISERY  OF  HUMAN  LIFE:  AND  THE  GOOD  MAN'S 
DYING-DAY  BETTER  THAN  HIS  BIRTH-DAY. 

The  substance  of  several  Sermons  preached  at  Ettrick,  in  the  year  1730. 


EccL.  vii.  1. 

A  good  name  is  better  than  precious  ointment  ;    and  the  day  of  death, 
than  the  day  of  one's  birth. 

Never  man  more  livelily  represented  the  vanity  of  this  world  and 
human  life,  than  Solomon  did,  whose  wisdom  and  wealth  gave  him 
the  fairest  occasion  to  discover  the  best  that  could  be  made  of  it. 
He  represents  it  in  its  best  shapes,  as  a  very  heap  of  vanity  and 
vexation,  in  the  preceding  part  of  this  book.  And  indeed  the  va- 
nity of  human  life  is  undeniable.  Man,  as  to  this  world,  is  born 
crying,  lives  complaining,  and  after  all,  dies  disappointed.  But  is 
there  no  remedy,  no  solid  consolation  in  this  case  ?  Yes,  but  it 
must  be  brought  from  the  consideration  of  the  other  world,  and  this 
life  improved  for  reaching  a  happy  life  there.  "  A  good  name  is 
better  than  precious  ointment,  and  the  day  of  death  than  the  day  of 
one's  birth. 

The  scope  of  these  words  is,  to  point  men  away  from  the  vanities 
of  this  life,  and  from  this  life  itself,  unto  something  that  is  better 
and  will  give  rest.  Is  any  man  affected  with  the  vanity  of  human 
life,  and  would  fain  know  what  is  best  for  him  ?  Then  let  him 
know, 

1.  A  good  name  is  best,  "better  than  precious  ointment,"  which 
was  a  thing  highly  prized  in  the  eastern  countries.  A  good  name  is 
that  savoury  character  among  good  men  which  riseth  from  a  good 
life,  casting  forth  its  savour  like  good  ointment.  It  is  said  of 
Christ,  Cant.  i.  3,  that  "  his  name  is  as  ointment  poured  forth  ;"  but 
all  the  saints  i>artake  of  that  anointing,  Psal.  xlv.  7,  "God  hath 
anointed  thee  with  the  oil  of  gladness  above  thy  fellows."  Wher- 
ever grace  is,  it  exerts  itself  in  the  course  of  a  gracious  conversation, 
holy  actions,  which  procure  a  good  name  to  the  party,  in  spite  of  all 
that  the  malice  of  the  world  can  do.  It  is  not  a  mere  name,  which 
a  hypocrite  may  have ;  but  a  name  raised  on  a  solid  foundation  of 
grace  and  true  piety. 


462  THE  TEXT  EXPLAIXED. 

Now  that  is  "  better  tlian  precious  ointment,"  i.  e.  the  best  things 
of  this  present  world,  that  carnal  men  set  their  hearts  on. 

(1.)  It  is  better  than  all  the  world's  wealth,  that  goes  under  the 
name  of  oil,  Deut.  xxxiii.  24,  "  And  of  Asher  he  said, — Let  him  dip 
his  foot  in  oil."  To  do  a  good  action,  is  better  than  to  gain  a 
worldly  advantage.  A  course  of  piety,  and  the  just  character  of  a 
holy  life,  is  preferable  to  riches,  Prov.  xxii.  1.  So  the  name  of  poor 
Lazarus  remains  savoury,  while  the  name  of  the  rich  glutton  stinks. 

(2.)  It  is  better  than  all  worldly  pleasures  and  delights  of  sense, 
expressed  by  ointment  and  perfume,  Prov.  xxvii.  9,  "  Ointment  and 
perfume  rejoice  the  heart."  The  testimony  of  one's  own  conscience 
for  godly  sincerity  will  rejoice  the  heart  more,  2  Cor.  i.  12.  Lay 
the  perfumed  fool  on  a  sick-bed  or  death-bed,  these  things  avail 
nothing,  while  he  is  galled  with  the  remembrance  of  an  ill-spent 
life ;  but  conscience  of  integrity  will  bear  up  a  ma'n  in  the  face  of 
death,  1  John  iii.  21.  Beloved,  if  our  hearts  condemn  us  not,  then 
Lave  we  confidence  toward  God."  2  Sam.  xxiii.  5,  "Although  my 
house  be  not  so  with  God ;  yet  he  hath  made  with  me  an  everlasting 
covenant,  ordered  in  all  things  and  sure ;  for  this  is  all  my  salva- 
tion, and  all  my  desire,  although  he  make  it  not  to  grow." 

(5.)  It  is  better  than  all  worldly  honours,  for  kings  were  anointed 
to  testify  the  conferring  of  that  dignity  on  them.  Men  cannot  carry 
their  worldly  honours  into  the  other  world  with  them ;  death  treats 
the  king  and  the  peasant  alike ;  but  the  character  of  piety  outlives 
death,  and  will  be  owned  and  regarded  in  the  other  world.  Rev.  iii. 
12.  "When  wicked  men  shall  be  condemned  in  their  actions  in 
which  they  applauded  themselves,  and  others  flattered  them  ;  the 
saints  will  receive  Heaven's  approbation  of  their  holy  actions, 
"  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servants." 

"Wherefore  the  best  thing  to  balance  the  misery  of  human  life  for 
the  present,  is  to  be  good,  and  do  good.  That  is  the  great  lesson 
that  Solomon  gives  us  here.  Look  on  human  life  in  all  the  periods 
of  it,  childhood,  youth,  middle  age,  and  old  age  ;  and  ye  will  find  it 
is  but  jiist  so  many  stages  of  vanity,  whereof  some  are  past,  and 
others  passing.  Look  on  it  in  the  various  circumstances  of  it,  pro- 
sperity and  adversity,  health  and  sickness,  wealth  and  penury  ;  and 
you  shall  find  it  but  vanity  cast  in  different  shapes.  Turn  up  what 
side  of  it  you  will,  the  young  or  the  old,  the  single  or  married  state, 
it  is  larded  with  vanity  on  every  side.  Only  consider  it  as  an  op- 
portunity of  being  and  doing  good,  and  so  it  is  a  substantial  thing ; 
and  so  very  substantial  in  that  respect,  that  it  may  well  balance  all 
the  miseries  that  attend  it.  But  take  away  that,  and  it  is  at  best 
but  an  useless  burden,  Psal.  Ixxxix.  47. 


THE  TEXT  EXPLAINED.  463 

2.  Death,  the  passing  into  the  other  world,  is  best ;  the  dying- 
day  is  best,  "better  than  the  birth-day."  It  is  hard  to  believe 
that ;  and  if  men  frame  their  sentiments  according  to  the  prevailing 
opiuiou  of  this  world,  they  will  never  believe  it ;  but  if  they  frame 
it  according  to  the  doctrine  of  the  other  world,  they  must  needs  be- 
lieve it  as  it  is  represented  in  this  text. 

Ye  have  heard  that  there  is  another  world ;  a  lower  part  of  it, 
the  region  of  horror  ;  to  which  death  is  the  passage  for  sinners, 
whose  dying  day  must  therefore  be  their  most  doleful  day,  in  the 
view  of  which  ye  have  been  exhorted  to  cry,  "  Gather  not  my  soul 
with  sinners."  But  ye  have  heard  also,  that  there  is  a  higher  part 
of  that  world,  a  region  of  perfect  bliss  and  happiness,  to  which 
death  is  also  the  passage  for  saints  or  persons  that  have  got  the 
good  name  ;  now  if  you  believe  that  doctrine,  you  must  needs  con- 
clude from  it,  that  the  day  of  such  a  one's  death  is  better  than  the 
day  of  his  birth,  which  is  the  thing  here  meant.  And  since  we  have 
offered  a  view  of  the  dark  side  of  the  cloud,  the  gathering  with  sin- 
ners in  the  other  world ;  it  is  just  we  offer  a  view  too  of  the  bright 
side  of  the  cloud,  the  gathering  with  saints  there. 

There  is  a  comparison  here  of  two  of  the  days  of  human  life,  both 
of  them  specially  remarkable.  The  one  is  the  first  day  of  our  life 
here,  the  birth-day,  wherein  we  come  into  this  world  out  of  the 
womb.  The  other  is  the  last  day  of  our  life  here,  the  death-day, 
wherein  we  go  out  of  this  into  the  other  world.  The  question  is, 
"Which  of  the  two  is  the  best  day,  the  most  desirable  in  itself?  The 
subject  is  determined  in  the  first  clause,  to  be  the  man  with  the  good 
name,  who  has  been  savoury  in  his  life,  being  and  doing  good.  And 
Solomon  decides  the  question  with  respect  to  such  a  one,  roundly 
telling  us,  The  day  of  death  is  better  than  the  day  of  his  birth,  Heb. 
namely,  the  man  with  the  good  name.  When  he  came  into  the 
world  at  his  birth,  his  friends  rejoiced,  they  thought  it  a  good  day ; 
when  he  goes  out  of  this  world  into  the  other,  they  mourn,  thinking 
it  a  sad  day.  But  think  they  as  they  will,  it  is  the  best  day  of  the 
two  ;  and  were  it  not  the  partition  betwixt  the  two  worlds,  we  would 
see  it  to  our  conviction. 

Wherefore  the  best  thing  to  balance  the  misery  of  human  life  for 
the  future  to  a  good  man,  is  to  die,  and  leave  this  world  and  the  life 
in  it.  That  is  the  lesson  we  are  taught  here.  The  weight  of  glory 
that  death  will  bring  him  to  in  the  other  world,  will  absolutely 
downweigh  all  the  misery  of  life  here.  The  bliss  of  the  lodging  ho 
comes  to  there,  will  more  than  compensate  all  the  hardships  of  the 
way  ;  that  he  shall  say,  "  0  that  happy  life  in  the  lower  world,  that 
made  way  for  my  entrance  hither  into  this  upper  world  !     Who 


464  DOCTRINES  FROM  THE  TEXT. 

would  not  gladly  have  embraced  Methuselah's  tack  of  that  life,  for 
to  get  this  !" 

From  the  text  thus  explained,  ariseth  the  two  following  points  of 
doctrine,  viz. 

DocT.  I.  The  improving  of  our  life  in  this  world  to  the  raising  up 
a  well  grounded  good  name  and  savoury  character  in  it,  is  the  best 
balance  for  the  present  for  the  vanity  and  misery  attending  our  life, 
better  than  the  most  savoury  earthly  things. 

DocT.  II.  To  one  who  has  so  lived,  as  to  obtain  the  good  name, 
his  dying-day  will  be  better  than  his  birth-day,  quite  downweighing 
all  the  vanity  and  misery  of  life  in  this  world. 

I  shall  speak  to  each  of  these  in  order. 

DocT,  I.  The  improving  of  our  life  in  this  world  to  the  raising  up 
a  well  grounded  good  name  and  savoury  character  in  it,  is  the  best 
balance  for  the  present  for  the  vanity  and  misery  attending  our  life, 
better  than  the  most  savoury  earthly  things. 

In  discoursing  from  this  doctrine,  I  shall, 

I.  Lay  before  you  some  things  supposed  in  it. 

II.  Shew  what  is  the  well-grounded  good  name,  that  is  the  ba- 
lance of  the  vanity  and  misery  of  this  life. 

III.  "What  is  the  improvement  of  life,  whereby  that  good  name 
may  be  raised. 

IV.  Confirm  the  point.  That  this  improvement  of  life  is  the  best 
balance  for  the  present  for  the  vanity  and  misery  attending  our  life, 
better  than  the  most  savoury  earthly  things. 

Y.  Make  some  improvement. 

I.  I  shall  lay  before  you  some  things  supposed  in  the  doctrine. 

1.  It  supposeth  that  there  is  a  vanity  and  misery  that  is  the  in- 
separable attendant  of  human  life  in  this  world.  No  man  in  life  is 
free  of  it,  nor  can  be,  Psal.  xxxix.  6,  "  Surely  every  man  walketh 
in  a  vain  shew."  No  circumstances  of  life  can  avail  to  the  shifting 
it  off ;  it  accompanies  the  crown  and  sceptre,  as  well  as  the  beggar's 
seat  on  the  dunghill,  Eccl.  i.  2.  "  Vanity  of  vanities,  saith  the 
preachei',  vanity  of  A^anites,  all  is  vanity."  Psal.  xxxix.  5.  "  Verily 
every  man  at  his  best  state  is  altogether  vanity."  Men  may  change 
their  wilderness-station,  but  while  here  will  still  be  in  a  wilderness. 
They  may  get  out  of  one  vanity  and  misery,  but  it  will  always  be 
but  a  falling  into  anotlier. 

2.  Every  man  will  find  himself  obliged  to  seek  for  some  allay  of 
that  vanity  and  misery  of  life,  that  he  may  be  enabled  to  comport 
with  it,  Psal.  vi.  6.  This  makes  a  busy  world,  every  one  seeking 
something  to  make  his  hard  seat  soft.     For  the  whole  world  is  in  a 


WHAT  IS  THE  WELL-aROUNDED  GOOD  NAME.  4G5 

sickly  condition  of  spirit,  witness  tlieir  need  of  the  great  Physician, 
Matth.  ix.  12.  Hence  there  is  a  mighty  restlessness,  turning  and 
shifting  from  one  thing  to  another,  for  some  allay  of  the  present 
uneasiness. 

3.  It  is  natural  for  men  to  seek  an  allay  to  the  vanity  and  misery 
of  life,  in  earthly  things,  Psal.  vi.  6.  "  There  may  be  many  that  say, 
Who  will  shew  us  any  good  ?"  They  seek  precious  ointment,  as  it 
were,  to  master  the  rank  savour  that  is  about  human  life.  For  this 
cause  the  pleasures,  profits,  and  honours  of  the  world  are  sought 
after,  and  employed  as  plasters  for  that  sore;  that,  by  means  of 
them,  they  may  be  enabled  to  comfort  with  the  vanity  and  misery 
of  life. 

4.  But  the  best  of  earthly  things  will  make  but  a  sorry  plaster 
for  that  sore ;  they  will  not  be  able  to  balance  the  vanity  and  mi- 
sery of  life,  but  with  them  all  life  may  be  rendered  sapless,  through 
the  predominant  vanity  and  misery  of  it.  All  Haman's  honours 
were  not  able  to  season  life  to  him,  while  Mordecai  bowed  not ;  nei- 
ther could  Ahab's  kingdom,  in  the  want  of  Naboth's  vineyard ;  nor 
Belshazzar's  festival  joys  and  pleasures,  while  the  hand-writing  was 
seen  on  the  wall.  That  way  it  but  seeking  to  allay  one  vanity  with 
another;  a  dead  fly  will  make  the  ointment  itself  stink;  a  day's 
pleasure  will  not  balance  an  hour's  pain ;  nor  honour  for  years,  blot 
out  the  disgrace  that  a  moment  fixes. 

Lastly,  Howbeifc,  the  improving  of  life  to  the  raising  a  well- 
grounded  good  name,  will  balance  the  vanity  and  misery  of  life  ef- 
fectually ;  so  that  he  who  has  reached  that  kind  of  living,  has  what 
is  well  worth  the  enduring  all  the  miseries  of  life  for.  There  is  an 
excellency  and  good  in  it,  that  downweigh  all  the  evils  attending 
life. 

II.  I  shall  shew  what  is  the  well-grounded  good  name,  that  is  the 
balance  of  the  vanity  and  misery  of  human  life.  It  is  the  name  of 
religion,  raised  from  the  reality  thereof  in  the  person  that  has  the 
name.     And  it  is,  I  say, 

1.  The  name  of  religion,  and  no  less;  for  there  is  nothing  truly 
good  separate  from  religion,  Matth.  vii.  18.  Men  have  attempted  to 
raise  themselves  a  name  from  other  things,  some  from  their  wealth, 
some  from  their  wit,  valour,  buildings,  beauty,  &c.  But  these  may 
make  a  vain  name,  which  at  death  will  go  out  with  a  stink'^without 
religion.  Only  religion  can  make  a  good  name,  being  the  only 
thing  of  value  with  a  good  God,  and  among  good  men  ;  without 
which  all  things  else  will  be  but  cyphers,  the  name  of  nothing. 

2.  It  is  raised  on  the  reality  of  religion,  and  no  less ;  for  a  mere 
shew  of  religion  is  but  a  vain  and  empty  thing,  which  will  dwindle 


466  WHAT  IS  THE  IMPROVEMENT  OF  LIFE, 

to  nothing  with  other  vanities.     That  will  make  but  a  name  before 
men,  not  before  God ;   "  I  know  you  not,"  said  the  Bridegroom  to 
the  foolish  virgins,  Matth.  xxv.  12.     They  come  under  the  name  of 
virgins,  but  Christ  will  not  know  them  by  that  name. 
We  may  take  up  that  good  name  in  three  parts. 

1.  Friend  of  God,  Jam.  ii.  23.  That  is  the  part  of  the  good  name, 
that  designs  the  man's  state  of  peace  and  reconciliation  with  God 
through  Christ.  There  is  no  good  name  without  this,  Jam.  iv.  4. 
And  this  is  the  name  put  on  all  endowed  with  true  religion,  John 
XV.  14.  a  name  better  than  sons  and  daughters,  in  whom  men's  name 
is  preserved,  Isa.  Ivi.  5. 

2.  Faithfid  to  the  Lord,  Acts  xvi.  15.  That  designs  the  man's 
temper  and  way  towards  God.  He  is  a  sincere  and  upright  Chris- 
tian, endeavouring  to  approve  himself  to  God  in  all  things.  He 
makes  the  will  of  God  his  rule,  the  word  of  God  his  oracle,  the  love 
of  God  his  principle,  and  the  glory  of  God  his  chief  end  in  life.  A 
noble  name,  that  God  will  know  him  by,  in  the  other  world,  Matth. 
xxv.  21.  "  Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful  servant,"  &c. 

3.  Tlsefid  to  men,  serving  his  generation.  Acts  xiii.  35.  That  de- 
signs the  man's  temper  and  way  towards  his  neighbour.  He  is  not 
a  common  nuisance  of  society,  ensnaring  and  raischievons  to  those 
about  him,  whereby  some  make  themselves  a  name  that  will  rot, 
Eccl.  ix.  ult.  Nor  yet  an  useless  member  of  society,  concerned  for 
none  but  himself.  But  a  profitable  member,  laying  out  himself  to 
do  good  to  others  as  he  has  access,  Esth.  x.  ult. 

This  is  that  good  name  that  is  the  best  balance  for  the  present, 
for  the  vanity  and  misery  of  human  life. 

III.  We  come  next  to  shew  what  is  the  improvement  of  life, 
whereby  that  good  name  may  be  raised.  This  is  a  weighty  point 
that  nearly  concerns  us  all,  to  know  those  things  that  will  make  our 
life  savoury  before  God  and  men.  I  shall  unfold  it  in  the  following 
particulars.  If  you  would  raise  up  to  yourselves  that  good  name  in 
life. 

First,  Improve  your  life  by  a  personal  and  saving  entering  into 
the  covenant  of  grace,  and  uniting  with  Christ,  by  believing  on  his 
name.  Here  are  three  things  which  we  have  access  to  in  this  life, 
as  vain  and  miserable  as  it  is,  and  in  it  only ;  and  if  we  so  improve 
it,  we  will  be  called  friends  of  God. 

1.  Personally  entering  into  his  covenant,  Isa.  Ivi.  4,  5.  "  For  thus 
saitli  the  Lord  unto  the  eunuchs  that  keep  my  Sabbaths,  and  choose 
the  things  that  please  me,  and  take  hold  of  my  covenant ;  even  unto 
them  will  I  give  in  mine  house,  and  within  my  walls,  a  place  and  a 
name  better  than  of  sons  and  of  daughters ;    I  will  give  them  an 


WHEREBY  THAT  GOOD  NAME  MAY  BE  RAISED.  467 

everlasting  name,  that  shall  not  be  cut  off."  The  name  of  your  fa- 
ther Adam's  house,  given  you  at  your  birth  into  this  world,  is  stran- 
ger and  enemy  to  God,  Eph.  ii.  12;  Rom.  viii.  7-  In  the  gospel 
God's  covenant  of  peace  is  offered  to  you ;  consider  while  you  are  in 
life,  what  you  are  doing,  and  take  hold  of  that  covenant,  with  all 
the  seriousness  and  awful  solemnity  ye  are  capable  of  in  life.  So 
shall  ye  get  the  good  name,  the  new  name,  friend  of  God,  as  confe- 
derate with  Heaven,  Eph.  ii.  12,  13.  If  ye  ask  how  ye  shall  do 
that  ?  the  answer  is, 

2.  Unite  with  Christ.  He  is  the  head  of  the  covenant,  and  we 
enter  into  it  by  uniting  with  him,  John  x.  9.  "I  am  the  door;  by 
me  if  any  man  enter  in,  he  shall  be  saved."  Isa.  xlix.  8.  "  I  will 
give  thee  for  a  covenant  of  the  people."  Uniting  with  Christ,  thy 
soul  shall  be  wrapt  up  in  the  bond  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  made 
with  him,  for  him  and  his ;  even  as  thy  relation  to  Adam  wraps 
thee  up  in  the  bond  of  the  covenant  of  works,  made  with  him  for 
him  and  his.  Come  then,  thou  art  now  in  life,  improve  it  to  thy 
union  with  Christ ;  so  shalt  thou  have  a  ground  whence  the  good 
name  must  infallibly  rise,  Col.  i.  27.  "Christ  in  you,  the  hope  of 
glory."  Make  this  the  business  of  your  life  in  the  first  place,  to  get 
Christ  in  you.  Live  and  travail  for  this.  Gal.  iv.  19.  It  alone  is 
able  to  balance  all  the  misery  of  life.  If  ye  ask,  how  ye  shall  unite 
with  Christ,  the  answer  is, 

3.  Believe  on  his  name ;  that  is  the  way  to  unite  with  him,  Eph. 
iii.  17.  *'  That  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  by  faith."  Believing 
on  him,  thou  shalt  be  in  a  state  of  union  with  him,  as  the  branches 
with  the  vine,  and  the  superstructure  with  the  foundation ;  so  shalt 
thou  be  called  by  a  new  name,  the  good  name.  John  i.  12.  "  As 
many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave  he  power  to  become  the  sons  of 
God,  even  to  them  that  believe  on  his  name," 

Ques.  But  what  is  it  to  believe  on  his  name  ? 

Alls.  1.  To  believe  the  gospel-report;  namely.  That  Christ  is  by 
his  Father's  appointment  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  and  your  Saviour 
to  save  you  from  sin  and  wrath,  Isa.  liii.  1.  "  Who  hath  believed 
our  report?"  compared  with  1  John  iv.  14.  "And  we  have  seen  and 
do  testify,  that  the  Father  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  Saviour  of  the 
world."  and  v.  11.  "And  this  is  the  record,  that  God  hath  given  to 
us  eternal  life ;  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son."  Set  yourself  to  believe 
this ;  ye  will  not  find  it  so  easy,  as  you  imagine  perhaps.  But  it  is 
impossible  to  receive  Christ,  or  believe  on  him,  without  believing 
this  first,  John  iii.  27.  "  A  man  can  receive  nothing,  except  it  be 
given  him  from  heaven." 

2.  To  trust  on  him  accordingly,  that  he  will  save  you  from  sin 


468  WHAT  IS  TUE  IMPROVEMENT  OF  LIFE, 

aiid  wrath,  freely  by  his  grace,  through  his  righteousness,  blood,  and 
Spirit,  Acts  xv.  11.  "  We  believe  that  through  the  grace  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  we  shall  be  saved.  Rom.  i.  17.  "  Therein  is  the 
righteousness  of  God  revealed  from  faith  to  faith."  Set  yourself  to 
this ;  for  herein  the  uniting  nature  of  faith  lies,  inasmuch  as  in  this 
act  of  trusting  on  him,  the  soul  is,  (1.)  Divorced  from  sin,  as  well  as 
careful  to  escape  wrath ;  the  heart  being  alienated  from  sin,  set  to 
be  rid  of  it  and  made  holy,  which  is  the  immediate  effect  of  saving 
illumination,  the  discovery  of  Christ  made  to  the  soul  in  the  gospel 
by  the  Spirit  working  faith,  1  Cor.  ii.  4,  5;  Matth.  xiii.  45,  46.  (2.) 
Carried  wholly  off  its  own  bottom  for  these  ends,  self-confidence, 
creature-confidence,  law-confidence;  i.  e.  confidence  in  any  work  or 
good  qualification  of  our  own,  are  all  undetermined  together  by  a 
touch  of  heaven's  hand ;  so  that  the  soul  has  not  one  foot  left  to 
stand  on,  not  a  twig  without  or  within  him  to  grip  to  before  the 
Lord  but  Christ  alone,  and  what  is  in  Christ,  his  free  grace,  righte- 
ousness, blood  and  Spirit,  Phil.  iii.  3.  (3.)  Laid  wholly  on  Christ 
for  these  ends,  as  the  stones  of  the  building  on  the  foundation, 
cleaving  and  clinging  to  him,  relying  on  him,  who  if  he  should  fail 
it,  all  would  come  down  together.  But  it  is  impossible  that  such  an 
event  should  take  place,  since  Christ  is  the  foundation  stone  laid  by 
his  Father,  to  bear  all  the  weight  of  sinners  laid  on  him ;  and  there- 
fore knits  with  the  soul  laid  on  him,  and  secures  it  for  ever,  1  Pet. 
ii.  6. 

Improve  your  life  then  to  a  personal  and  saviug  entering  into  the 
covenant  of  grace,  and  uniting  with  Christ  by  believing  on  his  name. 
So  you  shall  have  the  good  name  which  ye  shall  never  lose,  that 
will  balance  all  the  vanity  and  misery  of  life,  and  make  your  dying 
day  better  than  your  birth-day. 

Secondly,  Improve  your  life  to  a  living  a  life  of  faith  in  this 
world ;  so  shall  ye  get  the  good  name,  "  Faithful  to  the  Lord ;" 
Gal,  ii.  20,  "  The  life  which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the 
faith  of  the  Son  of  God."  Rev.  xvii.  14.  *'  They  that  are  with  him, 
are  called,  and  chosen  and  faithful."  All  the  improvement  most 
men  make  of  life,  is  to  live  a  life  of  sense,  eat,  di'ink,  do  worldly 
business,  sport,  play,  ^c.  So  all  that  they  make  of  life,  is  the  life 
of  a  beast,  which  have  the  delights  of  sense  in  greater  perfection 
than  what  they  for  their  hearts  can  reach.  And  so  their  name  shall 
be  written,  in  the  earth,  an  ill  name,  a  disgraceful  name,  Luke  xii. 
20.  Jam.  iv.  3,  4.  But  live  ye  a  life  of  faith,  and  so  ye  will  make 
of  your  life  the  life  of  a  Christian,  a  saint,  a  child  of  God,  an  heir 
of  glory,  a  faithful  servant  to  the  Lord. 

Now  to  raise  up  the  good  name,  "  Faithful  to  the  Lord,"  by  a 


WHEREBY  THAT  GOOD  NAME  MAT  KE  RAISED.  469 

life  of  faith,  your  faith  must  cast  your  life  into  the  following  mould, 
which  will  be  impracticable  but  by  faith. 

1.  Let  it  be  a  life  of  believing  and  dependance  on  God  in  Christ 
for  all.  Live  believing  his  word  in  all  parts  of  it,  2  Chron.  xx.  20. ; 
believing  the  divine  authority,  equity,  and  goodness  of  his  com- 
mands, Psal.  cxix.  128.  the  faithfulness  and  certainty  of  his  pro- 
mises, Rom.  iv.  20,  21.  the  justice  and  truth  of  his  threateuings,  Isa. 
Ivi.  2.  Depend  entirely  and  trust  on  him  at  all  times,  Isa.  xxiv.  4. 
for  all  things  you  need,  Prov.  iii.  5,  6.  for  happiness,  light,  strength, 
and  success  in  temporals  and  spirituals.  Depend  on  him  alone 
while  ye  live. 

(1.)  For  your  happiness  and  soul's  rest,  Heb.  iv.  3.  Never  expect 
it  from  the  most  promising  creature,  but  look  for  it  firmly  from  a 
God  in  Christ,  Psal.  xvii.  ult. 

(2.)  For  light  to  know  your  duty  in  all  the  steps  of  your  way. 
Never  venture  yourself  to  your  own  management,  be  the  way  never 
so  plain,  Jer.  x.  23.  for  at  that  rate  ye  stumble  in  an  even  road. 
But  let  your  hope  be  in  the  promise,  Psal.  xxxii.  8.  "I  will  in- 
struct thee,  and  teach  thee  in  the  way  which  thou  shalt  go ;  I  will 
guide  thee  with  mine  eyes." 

(3.)  For  strength  to  perform  every  duty  in  life  to  God  or  man. 
Lean  not  to  your  own  stock  of  strength  and  resolutions.  The  good 
name  is  that  of  a  branch,  not  of  a  root,  2  Tim.  ii ;  1  John  xv.  5. 
And  so  no  duty  whatsoever  that  God  calls  you  to,  shall  be  above 
your  reach  as  to  acceptable  performance,  Phil.  iv.  13.  "I  can  do 
all  things  through  Christ  which  strengtheneth  me." 

(4.)  For  your  success  in  all  ye  set  yourselves  to  in  your  temporal 
and  spiritual  concerns.  Josh.  i.  8,  9.  Remember  always  that  Heaven 
keeps  the  negative  over  us  in  all  our  attempts.  Lam.  iii,  37-  Hence 
it  is  said,  "  The  race  is  not  to  the  swift,  nor  the  battle  to  the 
strong,"  &c.  Eccl.  ix.  11. 

2.  Let  it  be  a  life  of  devotion,  Psal.  cxix.  38.  That  makes  a 
part  of  the  good  name  in  the  Bible,  despise  and  scoff  at  it  who  will, 
Luke  ii.  25.  of  Simeon  it  is  said,  he  was  just  and  devout.  And  the 
name  of  devout  Christians  will  be  in  honour,  when  the  memory  of 
the  profane  shall  rot.     Let  it  be  a  life  of  devotion. 

(1.)  In  respect  of  the  truths  of  God  made  known  to  you,  reckoning 
every  truth  sacred,  and  cleaving  thereto  against  all  hazards  and  op- 
position, Prov.  xxiii.  23.  I  do  not  advise  you  to  break  with  every 
one  that  is  not  of  your  mind,  but  only  to  quit  no  truth  to  any. 
This  the  apostle  directs,  Phil.  iii.  15,  16,  "  Let  us,  therefore,  as 
many  as  be  perfect,  be  thus  minded ;  and  if  in  any  thing  yc  be 
otherwise  minded,  God  shall  reveal  even  this  unto  you.     Nevcrthe- 

YOL.  V.  2  H 


470  WHAT  IS  THE  IMPROVEMENT  OF  LIFE, 

less,  whereto  wc  liavo  already  attained,  lot  us  walk  by  the  same 
rule,  let  us  miud  the  same  thing."  And  devotion  leads  to  it.  It  is  a 
part  of  the  comfort  at  death  ;  hence  Paul  says,  2  Tim.  iv.  7.  "  I  have 
fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finished  ray  course,  1  have  kept  the  faith." 
(2.)  In  respect  of  the  worship  of  God,  Phil.  iii.  3.  If  you  have  a 
father,  you  must  honour  him  ;  if  a  master,  you  must  regard  him ; 
otherwise  you  will  have  a  very  ill  name,  and  you  will  smart  for  it. 
Ye  have  a  God  that  made  you,  if  ye  live  regardless  of  him,  where  is 
your  good  name,  what  kind  of  a  day  can  ye  imagine  the  day  of  death 
will  be  to  you  ?  But  be  devout  worshippers  of  him,  in  secret,  pri- 
vate, and  public,  shewing  reverence  in  the  frame  of  your  heart  and 
outward  gestures ;  so  shall  ye  have  the  good  name. 

3.  Let  it  be  a  life  of  heavenly-mindedness,  and  contempt  of  the 
world,  Phil.  iii.  20.  So  Enoch  got  the  good  name  of  walking  with 
God,  Gen.  v.  24.  and  the  worthies,  Heb.  xi.  13, — 16.  Covetousness 
and  worldly-raindedness  in  professors  of  religion  mar  their  good 
name,  Phil.  iii.  19.  It  was  a  noble  testimony  that  Luther  had  from 
his  enemies,  Germanica  ilia  hcstia  non  curat  aurum.  Friends  of  the 
world  cannot  be  faithful  to  God. 

4.  Let  it  be  a  life  of  Christian  deportment  under  trials  and  af- 
flictions in  life.  Every  body  will  have  something  laid  before  them 
for  their  trials,  wherein  they  must  stand  candidates  for  the  other 
world,  to  be  disposed  of  there  as  they  acquit  themselves  in  their 
trials  for  it  here.  Rev.  iii.  21.  So  patience,  resignation,  holy 
cheerfulness  under  the  cross,  are  necessary  to  raise  the  good  name, 
Jam.  i.  4.  And  by  an  unbecoming  carriage  under  the  cross,  people 
may  lose  all  the  good  name  they  had  before,  ]\[ark  x.  21,  22. 
Wherefore  the  exhoi'tation  is,  "  My  son,  despise  not  thou  the 
chastening  of  the  Lord,  nor  faint  when  thou  art  rebuked  of  him," 
Heb.  xii.  5. 

Lastli/,  Let  it  be  a  life  of  uprightness,  the  same  where  no  eye  sees 
you  but  God's,  as  where  the  eyes  of  men  are  upon  you.  The  faith 
of  God's  omniscience  leads  to  this ;  hence  Joseph  said  when  tempted 
to  sin  by  his  lewd  mistress.  Gen.  xxxix.  9,  "  How  can  I  do  this 
great  wickedness,  and  sin  against  God  ?"  0  what  name  do  the 
practisers  of  secret  wickedness  think  they  will  have  with  God,  who 
are  at  liberty  to  sin  if  they  can  do  it  unseen  of  men  ?  God  will 
read  out  their  name  with  disgrace  before  all  the  world  at  length, 
Prov.  xxvi.  26,  "  Whose  hatred  is  covered  by  deceit,  his  wickedness 
shall  be  showed  before  the  whole  congregation." 

Thirdly/,  Improve  your  life  to  the  living  of  a  life  beneficial  to  man- 
kind, profitable  to  your  fellow-creatures,  diffusing  a  benign  influence 
through  the  world,  as  ye  have  access;  so  that  when  you  are  gone. 


WtlERKBY   THAT  GOOD  XAJIE  MAT  BE  RAISED.  471 

tlie  world  may  be  convinced  they  have  lost  a  useful  member  that 
sought  their  good ;  so  shall  ye  have  the  good  name,  "  Useful  to 
men,"  Acts  xiii.  36.  But  there  is  a  fourfold  life  that  will  raise  this 
name. 

1st,  The  noxious  life,  that  some  live  in  the  world  like  foxes  in  the 
mountains,  biting,  devouring,  and  worrying  others  ;  they  cause  their 
terror  in  the  land  of  the  living,  but  will  leave  their  name  for  a 
curse.  Better  one  had  never  been  in  the  world,  than  to  be  in 
it  for  mischief ;  to  be  in  it,  as  mice  and  rats  are  in  it,  destroying 
much  good. 

2dli/,  The  trifling  life,  that  some  live  in  the  world,  like  the  levia- 
than in  the  sea,  Psal.  cvi.  29  ;  laughing,  sporting,  playing,  idling,  and 
trifling  away  a  lifetime,  without  doing  any  substantial  good  for 
themselves  or  others.  Such  make  their  life  a  dream,  and  their 
death  will  be  a  terrible  awakening. 

Zdly,  The  selfish  life,  that  some  live  in  the  world,  like  the  oyster 
within  its  own  shell,  careful  for  nothing  but  their  own  sweet  self, 
Phil.  ii.  21.  Tlie  world  will  be  at  no  loss  for  the  want  of  them, 
reaping  no  advantage  by  the  having  of  them.  If  they  were  to  go 
out  of  the  world,  there  is  none  before  them  in  heaven  that  ever  they 
helped  a  step  forward  to  it,  to  receive  them  into  everlasting  habita- 
tions, Luke  xvi.  9. 

4:thly,  The  carnal  earthly  life,  that  some  live  in  the  world,  like  the 
mole  ever  digging  in  the  earth,  never  looking  upward.  These  are 
busy  in  life,  but  doing  nothing,  nothing  to  the  j)urpose  of  a 
better  world.  They  may  indeed  be  some  way  useful  to  others,  but 
then  it  is  only  as  the  brutes  are  useful  in  things  of  this  world. 
But  that  will  never  raise  to  men  the  name  of  Christian  usefulness. 

But  there  is  an  edifying  life  that  will  raise  it,  1  Cor.  viii.  1, 
"  Charity  edifieth."  The  love  of  our  neighbour  springing  from  the 
love  of  God,  will  set  men  to  seek  the  good  of  their  neighbours,  and 
so  edify  or  build  up  the  world,  in  which  live  so  many  to  destroy  and 
pull  down.  If  we  live  to  ourselves,  we  will  die  to  ourselves  too. 
But  let  us  know  that  we  are  to  live  in  this  world  for  the  honour  of 
God,  and  for  the  good  of  mankind  our  fellows  in  it ;  and  we  miss 
the  most  noble  end  of  human  life,  so  far  as  we  miss  of  these. 

There  is  reason  that  every  one  ask  himself,  For  what  use  am  I 
in  the  world  ?  How  do  I  fill  up  my  room  in  it  for  the  common 
good?  And  if  we  mind  for  happiness  in  the  other  world,  we  must 
set  ourselves  to  bo  useful  to  men  in  this  world,  and  live  to  be  useful 
in  it,  Rom.  xiv.  19,  "  Let  ns  therefore  follow  after  the  things  which 
make  for  peace,  and  things  wherewith  one  may  edify  another." 
Chap.  XV.  2,  "  Let  every  one  of  us  please  his  neighbour  for  his  good 

2u2 


472  WHAT  IS  THE  IMPROVEMENT  OF  LIFE, 

to  edification."  Wo  are  members  one  of  another ;  and  that  mem- 
ber that  is  not  useful  for  the  rest,  is  a  rotten  member,  to  be  cut  off. 
Object.  Magistrates  and  ministers  may,  but  what  access  have  we 
to  be  useful  to  the  world,  or  to  raise  up  that  good  name  to  our- 
selves? Ans.  Follow  these  rules  of  life,  and  ye  shall  raise  to  your- 
selves the  good  nama,  how  private  soever  ye  be. 

1.  Cast  the  world  a  copy  by  your  good  example,  Matth.  v.  16, 
"  Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that  they  may  see  your  good 
works,  and  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven."  Many  an  ill 
example  is  set  before  them  for  their  destruction,  Matth.  xviii.  7- 
Give  them  your  good  example  yet  for  their  edification  ;  and  live  as 
meanly  and  privately  as  ye  will,  ye  shall  be  as  useful  in  the  world, 
as  a  beacon  is  at  sea  letting  shipmen  see  the  rocks  they  are  to  hold 
oflF,  Phil,  ii.  15,  16,  "  That  ye  may  be  blameless  and  harmless,  the 
sons  of  God,  without  rebuke,  in  the  midst  of  a  crooked  and  per- 
verse nation,  among  whom  ye  shine  as  lights  in  the  world;  holding 
forth  the  word  of  life."     And  give  them  a  good  example, 

(1.)  Of  devotion  and  piety  towards  God,  in  a  strict  and  religious 
observance  of  your  duty  towards  him.  This  will  be  a  practical 
testimony  for  him,  a  light  that  will  condemn  the  world's  profane 
contempt  of  him,  Prov.  xxviii.  4. 

(2.)  Of  exact  justice  and  truth,  in  all  your  doings  and  sayings  with 
men,  Zech.  viii.  16,  "  Speak  ye  every  man  the  truth  to  his  neigh- 
bour;  execute  the  judgment  of  truth  and  peace  in  your  gates." 
The  world  is  sunk  in  a  gulph  of  injustice  and  falsehood,  and  the 
multitude  of  those  that  make  no  conscience  of  justice  in  their  deeds 
and  truth  in  their  words,  is  so  great,  that  they  are  thought  nothing 
of.     Come,  row  against  this  stream. 

(3.)  Of  sobriety  in  moderating  your  own  passions,  with  a  spirit  of 
peacefulness,  meekness,  and  forbearance,  Matth.  xi.  29.  This  is 
necessary  for  the  good  name,  and  without  it  it  will  be  marred, 
Prov.  XXV.  ult. 

This  is  a  life-preaching  of  the  gospel  to  the  world,  to  which  every 
one  of  you  has  access,  Tit.  ii.  11,  12,  "  For  the  grace  of  God  that 
bringeth  salvation,  hath  appeared  to  all  men ;  teaching  us,  that 
denying  ungodliness,  and  worldly  lusts,  we  should  live  soberly 
righteously,  and  godly  in  this  present  world."  And  that  is  an  use- 
ful man  in  the  world,  that  on  good  grounds  can  say,  when  he  is 
to  leave  it,  with  the  apostle,  "  Ye  are  witnesses,  and  God  also,  how 
holily,  and  justly,  and  uublameably  we  behaved  ourselves  among 
you  that  believe,"  1  Thess.  ii.  10. 

2.  Be  of  a  beneficent  disposition,  disposed  to  do  good  to  mankind 
as  you  have  access,  Gal.  vi.  10.     Some  arc  of  the  household  of  faith. 


WHEREBY  TUAT  GOOD  NAME  MAY  BE  RAISED.  473 

have  a  special  concern  to  do  good  to  them  ;  others  are  not,  ye  must 
have  a  concern  for  them  too;  though  they  arc  not  saints,  they  are 
men  of  the  same  common  nature  with  yourselves,  Luke  vi.  35.  We 
should  greedily  embrace  an  opportunity  of  doing  good  to  others, 
thinking  with  ourselves,  That  is  the  proper  business  of  our  life. 
And  be  disposed  to  do  good, 

(1.)  In  temporals  as  ye  have  access,  Heb.  xiii.  16.  "  But  to  do 
good,  and  to  communicate,  forget  not;  for  with  such  sacrifices  God 
is  well  pleased."  There  is  nobody  but  some  one  time  or  way  or 
other  may  be  profitable  to  others.  The  duties  of  humanity  are  of 
great  usefulness  in  the  world,  being  kind,  merciful,  and  compassion- 
ate to  them  that  are  in  distress,  or  need.  Col.  iii.  12.  It  has  a  great 
encouragement  by  promise,  Prov.  iii.  9,  10 ;  Psal.  xli.  1,  &c. 

(2.)  In  spirituals.  There  are  none  of  the  children  of  Adam,  but 
have  immortal  souls  that  must  live  for  ever.  And  true  grace  is 
natively  communicative,  as  one  candle  serves  to  light  another.  Gen. 
xviii.  19.  "  I  know  him,"  says  God  of  Abraham,  "  that  he  will  com- 
mand his  children,  and  his  household  after  him,  and  they  shall 
keep  the  way  of  the  Lord,  to  do  justice  and  judgment."  And 
says  the  woman  of  Samaria  to  the  men  of  the  city,  John  iv.  29. 
"  Come,  see  a  man  which  told  me  all  things  that  ever  I  did ;  is  not 
this  the  Christ  ?"  So  ye  should  be  ready  to  be  useful  to  others,  ac- 
cording to  their  spiritual  exigence,  instructing  the  ignorant,  warn- 
ing the  secure,  encouraging  good  motions,  bearing  down  bad 
ones,  &c. 

3.  Lay  out  yourselves  to  forward  the  usefulness  of  others,  1  Cor. 
xvi.  10,  11.  Whomsoever  ye  see  disposed  and  employed  to  be  use- 
ful, help  them  forward,  facilitate  their  work,  strengthen  their  hands 
what  you  can,  so  shall  ye  be  useful  to  the  greatest  purposes  at 
second  hand.  The  water  cannot  grind  the  corn,  but  it  can  turn 
about  the  wheel,  and  the  wheel  the  millstone,  and  so  the  millstone 
will  grind  it,  and  so  the  water  is  useful  for  grinding,  in  such  sort 
that  when  it  fails  there  is  no  doing  it.  So  the  meanest  of  the 
Colossiaus  could  be  useful  for  declaring  the  mystery  of  Christ,  Col. 
iv.  3.  "  Withal,  praying  also  for  us,  that  God  would  open  unto  us  a 
door  of  utterance,  to  speak  the  mystery  of  Christ,  for  which  I  am 
also  in  bonds."  People  generally  think  little  of  weakening  the 
hands  of  those  that  are  useful ;  but  I  have  often  thought  that  it  is 
one  of  the  most  miserable  uses  of  being  in  the  world,  to  be  in  it  for 
a  weight  hung  upon  them  that  would  be  useful,  Matth.  xiii.  13. 

Lastli/,  Be  conscientious  in  the  performance  of  the  duties  of  your 
station  and  relations,  1  Cor.  vii.  24.  "  Brethren,  let  every  man 
wherein  he  is   called,  therein  abide  with  God."     That  is  the  sphere 


474  TIIK  IMPROVEMENT  OF  LIFE,  &C. 

of  usefulness  that  God  has  allotted  to  you  ;  every  one  may  be  useful 
that  way  ;  and  no  body  can  be  useful  otherwise,  whatever  they  may 
vainly  imagine.  It  is  exemplified  in  the  case  of  the  priests,  Mai. 
ii.  6  ;  of  wives,  1  Pet.  iii.  1 ;  and  of  servants,  Tit.  ii.  9,  10.  To 
pretend  to  usefulness  without  our  sphere,  is  the  eflFect  of  i)ride  and 
presumption,  and  is  the  same  absurdity  in  moral  conduct,  as  it 
would  be  in  nature  for  the  moon  and  stars  to  set  up  for  the  rule  of 
the  day,  the  sun  contenting  himself  with  the  rule  of  the  night. 

Thus  ye  have  the  improvement  of  life,  by  which  the  good  name 
may  be  raised. 

lY.  I  proceed  to  confirm  the  point,  That  this  improvement  of 
life  is  the  best  balance  for  the  i>resent,  for  the  vanity  and  misery 
attending  our  life,  better  than  the  most  savoury  earthly  things. 
And  here  I  shall  shew, 

1.  That  it  is  the  best  balance  for  the  present,  for  the  vanity  .and 
misery  of  life. 

2.  That  it  is  better  than  the  best  and  most  savoury  earthly  things. 
First,  I  am  to  shew,  that  this  improvement  of  life  is  the  best 

balance  for  the  present,  for  the  vanity  and  misery  of  life. 

1.  Hereby  a  man  answers  the  end  of  his  creation,  for  which  he 
was  sent  into  the  world ;  and  surely  the  reaching  of  such  a  noble 
end  is  the  best  balauce  for  all  the  hardships  in  the  way  of  it.  The 
merchant  toils  in  travelling,  the  husbandman  in  plowing  and  sow- 
ing ;  but  the  gaining  of  their  end  downweighs  all  that  toil  to  them. 
The  chief  end  of  man's  life  in  the  world  is  to  enjoy  God  as  our 
friend,  to  be  dutiful  and  faithful  to  him  as  our  Benefactor,  and  use- 
ful to  men  our  fellow-creatures ;  if  we  reach  that  noble  end,  Avhat 
matter  what  hardships  we  made  through  unto  it  ?  If  we  miss  it,  we 
have  nothing  that  will  counterbalance  them. 

2.  It  brings  such  a  substantial  and  valuable  good  out  of  our  life, 
as  will  downweigh  all  the  inconveniences  that  attend  our  life  in  the 
world.  Gather  the  vanities  and  miseries  of  human  life  together,  its 
frailties,  weaknesses,  disappointments,  crosses,  &c.,  they  will  make 
a  great  heap ;  and  put  them  in  the  balance  with  bare  life  itself, 
with  mere  worldly  comforts  and  conveniences,  they  would  down- 
weigh  it.  Psalm  Ixxxix.  47.  One  may  say,  these  comforts  are  not 
worth  the  living  for,  at  the  rate  of  that  vanity  and  misery  that  at- 
tend them.  But  here  are  three  things,  namely,  our  own  happiness 
in  God's  favour,  the  honour  of  God,  and  the  good  of  mankind  ;  any 
one  of  these,  and  much  more  all  of  them  together,  is  worth  living 
for  under  all  the  inconveniences  of  life,  and  will  downweigh  all  the 
misery  of  life  in  this  world  ;  there  being  more  good  in  the  one,  than 
there  is  evil  in  the  other. 


BETTER  THAN  THE  .MOST  SAVOUKY  EARTHLY  THINGS.  475 

3.  It  brings  such  valuable  good  iuto  our  life,  as  more  than 
counterbalanceth  all  the  vauity  and  misery  of  it.  And  that  is, 
(1.)  A  present  comfort  and  satisfaction,  within  one's  self,  2  Cor.  i. 
12.  The  soul-satisfaction  there  is  in  the  retlection,  that  God  is  one's 
friend,  that  they  have  got  something  done  for  the  honour  of  God, 
and  for  the  good  of  their  fellow-creatures,  is  enough  to  counter- 
balance the  vanity  and  misery  of  life,  Prov.  xiv.  14.  (2.)  A  future 
prospect,  namely,  of  complete  happiness,  which  must  needs  turn  the 
scales  entirely,  be  the  miseries  of  life  what  they  will,  Rom.  viii. 
35—39. 

Lastli/,  That  good  name  well  grounded  is  a  thing  that  may  cost 
much  indeed,  but  it  cannot  be  too  dear  bought,  Prov.  xxiii.  23. 
Whatever  it  cost  you,  you  will  be  gainers,  if  ye  get  it,  Phil.  iii.  8. 
Let  men  and  devils  raise  the  market  to  the  highest  pitch  they  can 
to  increase  the  difficulty  of  your  obtaining  it,  they  can  never  raise 
it  so  high  as  to  give  you  ground  to  stop  bidding  for  it.  This  has 
been  the  concurring  testimony  of  all  the  saints,  confessors,  and 
martyrs  from  the  beginning,  Heb.  xi.  1 — 39. 

Secondly,  I  shall  show  that  this  improvement  of  life  is  better 
than  the  best  and  most  savoury  earthly  things. 

1.  It  will  give  a  greater  pleasure  to  the  mind,  than  any  earthly 
thing  can  do,  Prov.  iii.  17;  Psalm  iv.  7;  2  Cor.  i.  17.  This  ap- 
pears in  its  bearing  up  the  heart,  under  the  greatest  trials  and 
hardships.  What  can  all  the  delights  of  sense,  profits,  and  plea- 
sures of  the  world,  avail  a  dying  man  ?  But  this  good  name  re- 
joiceth  the  heart  in  the  face  of  death.  This  made  confessors  joyful 
under  the  loss  of  their  substance,  and  martyrs  cheerfully  embrace 
flames  and  gibbets. 

2.  It  will  last  longer  than  they  will  all  do.  Psalm  cxii.  6. 
Abraham  was  rich  in  silver  and  gold,  and  Job  in  stocking:  but 
these  things  of  theirs  are  all  gone  now,  but  their  good  name  they 
raised  to  themselves  is  yet  to  the  fore.  All  earthly  things  have  a 
principle  of  corruption  in  them,  rust  eats  the  silver,  moths  eat  the 
fine  clothes,  and  our  bodies  themselves  will  rot;  only  the  good 
name  is  incorruptible,  and  will  not  be  eaten  up  either  by  the  teeth 
of  malice  or  time.  Is.  Ivi.  5. 

3.  It  is  the  only  thing  we  can  keep  to  ourselves  in  the  world  to 
our  advantage,  when  we  leave  the  world.  We  must  all  leave  the 
world,  and  then  whatever  riches,  wealth,  honours  we  have  in  it,  we 
must  leave  them  to  others ;  only  what  name  we  leave  behind  us,  we 
Avill  keep  to  ourselves  when  we  are  gone,  we  will  be  our  own  heirs 
in  that,  Matt.  vi.  19,  20.  If  it  be  an  ill  name,  there  is  our  disad- 
vantage;   we  leave  nothing  to  ourselves  in  the  world,  but  what 


476  THE  IMPROVEMENT  OX''  LIFE  BETTEK,  &C', 

stiuks  iu  it.     It  it  be  tlie  good  name,  it  will  be  savoury  after  ns, 
■when  we  are  away.     So, 

4.  The  good  name  will,  after  we  are  away,  be  savoury  in  the 
world,  when  the  things  that  others  set  their  hearts  on  will  make 
them  stink  when  they  are  gone.  How  savoury  is  the  name  of 
Lazarus,  Luke  xvi.  at  this  day,  notwithstanding  all  his  poverty  and 
sores  ?  How  is  the  name  of  the  rich  man  buried  with  himself, 
known  only  by  his  being  a  sensual  gluttonous  man,  a  name  that 
every  one  abhors  ?  Days  have  been,  wherein  some  have  been  rigid 
oppressors,  and  raised  wealth  to  themselves  that  way;  while  others 
were  patient  under  their  oppressions.  There  have  been  great  and 
honourable  men  in  the  world,  some  of  them  sitting  on  a  throne,  who 
lived  in  whoredom,  persecution,  blood,  and  murder;  while  others 
have  Christianly  submitted  to  be  pent  up  in  prisons,  shot,  hanged 
on  gibbets  by  their  orders ;  they  are  all  gone  now,  the  oppressors 
and  persecutors,  as  well  as  the  oppressed  and  persecuted.  I  appeal 
to  the  conscience  of  every  one,  which  of  their  names  is  most  savoury 
now,  and  which  of  the  two  would  ye  choose  for  yourselves  if  ye  could  ? 

Lastly,  The  good  name  will  go  farther  than  the  best  and  most 
savoury  things  of  the  earth.  Mary  pours  a  box  of  precious  oint- 
ment on  Christ,  which  no  doubt  sent  its  savour  through  the  whole 
house ;  but  Christ  paid  her  for  it  with  the  good  name,  that  should 
send  its  savour  through  the  whole  world.  Matt.  xxvi.  13.  *'  Yerily  I 
say  unto  you.  Wheresoever  this  gospel  shall  be  preached  in  the 
whole  world,  there  shall  also  this,  that  this  woman  hath  done,  be 
told  for  a  memorial  of  her."  But  ye  may  think,  we  can  have 
no  hope  that  ever  our  good  name  will  go  that  wide.  That  is  a  mis- 
take ;  for  if  we  raise  ourselves  the  good  name,  it  will  certainly  be 
published  before  all  the  world  at  the  last  day.  Rev.  iii.  5,  and  we 
will  carry  it  over  the  march  betwixt  the  two  worlds  into  the  other 
world,  ver.  12.  The  name  of  kings,  princes,  nobles,  gentlemen,  &c. 
will  go  no  further  with  people  than  this  world:  there  will  be  an 
absolute  levelling  of  mankind  in  the  other  world;  these  great 
names  will  not  take  place  there,  but  the  good  name  will,  and  make 
the  only  difference. 

I  come  now  to  the  improvement  of  this  subject. 

Use  I.  Of  information.     This  doctrine  informs  us  that, 

1.  There  is  a  way  to  get  the  vanity  and  misery  of  this  life  ba- 
lanced even  for  the  present ;  so  that  one  may  get  a  sufficient  sweet- 
ening to  all  the  bitterness  of  it,  that  they  may  not  quite  weary  of 
life,  but  patiently  wait  their  change.  This  discovery  should  be  very 
acceptable,  because  it  is  seasonable,  to  all ;  and  all  should  set  them- 
selves to  the  improving  of  it,  as  needing  it. 


USE  OF  REPROOF.  477 

2.  That  way  is  the  only  way  of  a  religious  life,  in  faith  and  holi- 
ness. By  such  a  course,  and  no  other,  can  the  good  name  be  raised. 
It  is  not  being  great,  but  good  ;  not  being  high,  but  useful,  that  will 
raise  it.  In  vain  do  men  think  to  make  themselves  a  name  by  their 
wealth  and  honour,  while  they  are  not  careful  to  improve  these  to 
the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of  others;  for  all  they  will  get 
thereby  will  be  but  a  blaze  of  a  name,  that  will  soon  go  out  with  a 
stink ;  or  to  balance  the  miseries  of  life,  by  the  chase  of  worldly 
profits  and  pleasures ;  but  these  they  will  find  attended  with  vanity 
and  misery.     But  faith  and  holiness  will  make  a  lasting  good  name. 

3.  People  ought  to  be  concerned  for  a  good  name  as  a  most  pre- 
cious thing ;  and  therefore  both  to  be  and  to  appear  good,  both  to 
have  a  holy  practice  and  a  holy  profession ;  the  latter  as  well  as 
the  former  being  necessary  to  raise  it,  and  the  former  as  well  as  the 
latter.  A  holy  practice  without  a  holy  profession  is  a  contradic- 
tion ;  for  the  one  is  a  necessary  part  of  the  other,  which  is  a  light 
that  must  needs  discover  itself.  Matt.  v.  IG;  Psalm  ii.  15,  16.  A 
holy  profession  without  a  holy  practice  is  pharisaical  and  hypocriti- 
cal ;  and  the  name  it  will  raise  being  without  a  root,  will  be  but  for 
a  moment,  and  that  before  men  only. 

4.  The  right  improving  of  life  is  the  way  to  the  good  name.  It 
is  the  way  to  obtain  it,  and  secure  it.  Thus  every  one  has  access  to 
it,  Isa.  Ivi.  4,  5.  "  For  thus  saith  the  Lord  unto  the  eunuchs  that 
keep  my  sabbaths,  and  choose  the  things  that  please  me,  and  take 
hold  of  my  covenant,"  «S:c.  Sons  and  daughters  must  die  them- 
selves, and  their  name  be  extinct ;  flourishing  families  may  soon  bo 
rooted  out.  But  a  life  rightly  improved  will  leave  a  savoury  name 
when  it  is  at  an  end ;  and  will  keep  up  the  name  of  those  that  have 
neither  son  nor  daughter,  and  that  for  ever. 

Use  II.  Of  reproof  to, 

1.  Those  who  are  in  no  concern  for  a  good  name.  It  is  pitiful 
trifling  indeed  for  men  to  hunt  for  an  empty  name  before  the  world, 
in  the  way  of  vain-glory,  Matth.  vi.  2.  But  they  that  live  careless 
of  a  well-grounded  good  name,  being  careless  of  their  name,  are 
careless  of  their  souls  too.  They  value  not  what  he  thought  or  said 
of  them  never  so  truly,  so  that  they  can  but  please  themselves,  and 
satisfy  their  own  lusts  for  the  present;  that  is  the  life  of  brutes 
concerned  only  for  the  present  times,  not  for  the  time  after  death. 
It  is  a  sad  life,  to  live  a  life  of  sin,  and  afterward  to  leave  our  name 
for  a  curse. 

2.  Those  who  set  up  for  a  name,  but  are  in  no  concern  to  improve 
their  life  for  the  honour  of  God  and  good  of  mankind.  They  will 
never  get  the  good  name  that  way  ;  they  may  get  a  vain  name,  or 


478  USE  OF  EXlIORTATIOy. 

an  ill  name.     Faith  and  holiness  are  the  only  pillars  to  rear  up  tlie 
good  name  upon. 

2.  Those  who,  under  the  vanity  and  misery  of  life,  seek  for  this 
and  the  other  comfort  of  the  world  to  support  them,  but  never  set 
themselves  to  a  Christian  improvement  of  life  to  balance  their  af- 
flictions and  hardships.  Tliat  is  to  be  solicitous  for  cure,  and  yet 
to  stand  off  from  the  soverign  never-failing  remedy. 

Use  ult.  Of  exhortation.  Let  the  vanities  and  miseries  attend- 
ing this  present  life  move  and  engage  you  to  improve  life  for  raising 
up  to  yourselves  the  good  name,  as  the  best  thing  to  balance  them 
for  the  present.  Seriously  consider  the  vanity  and  misery  of  life, 
and  let  the  view  of  them  spur  to  a  Christian  improvement.  And  for 
this  cause  consider, 

1.  "What  a  vain  and  miserable  thing  your  life  on  earth  is,  if  you 
make  not  something  of  it  for  an  after  life,  Psal.  xxxix.  6.  It  is  a 
fleeting,  passing  vanity,  a  vapour,  a  puff  of  wind  that  will  soon  be 
away.  The  bloom  of  youth  soon  fades,  its  vigour  decays,  and  man 
goes  as  fast  down  as  ever  he  rose  up,  and  sometimes  is  pulled  down 
suddenly.  Every  age  and  condition  is  attended  with  so  many 
miseries  thereto  allied,  that  there  is  no  rest  in  any  part  of  it. 

2.  There  is  no  cure  for  the  vanity  and  misery  of  life  to  drive 
them  away.  Men  are  still  working  at  that  indeed ;  but  in  vain, 
Eccl.  i.  15.  "That  which  is  crooked  cannot  be  made  straight;  and 
that  which  is  wanting  cannot  be  numbered."  Ye  may  as  well  think 
to  turn  the  winter  into  summer,  and  clear  the  air  of  midges  flying 
about  in  a  warm  summer-day.  The  removal  thereof  is  reserved  for 
the  other  life  in  the  other  world ;  but  while  men  live  in  this  world, 
there  will  be  vanity  and  misery  attending  them. 

3.  The  only  thing  valuable  in  this  life,  is,  that  it  is  an  oppor- 
tunity for  raising  a  good  name,  that  may  pass  with  us  in  the  other 
world.  That  is  an  advantage  of  this  life  that  is  not  in  the  other, 
Eccl.  ix.  10.  Isa.  xxxviii.  19.  Take  it  by  this  handle,  and  you 
have  it  as  a  valuable  good  among  your  hands ;  a  seed-time  for 
eternity,  an  apprenticeship  for  heaven,  a  tide  for  Immanuel's  land. 

4.  Every  piece  of  the  vanity  and  misery  of  this  life,  that  comes 
on  you,  is  a  providential  call  to  you  to  improve  it  as  such  an  op- 
portunity. The  language  thereof  is,  "  Arise,  depart,  this  is  not  your 
rest ;"  Cant.  iv.  8.  "  Come  with  me  from  Lebanon,  my  spouse, 
with  me  from  Lebanon ;  look  from  the  top  of  Amana,  from  the  top 
of  Shenir  and  Hermon,  from  the  lions'  dens,  from  the  mountains  of 
the  Leapords."  Every  thorn  of  uneasiness  you  find  in  life,  is  a  warn- 
ing to  you  to  leave  seeking  your  satisfaction  in  the  empty  creation, 
and  to  take  up  your  soul's  rest  in  God. 


USE  OF  EXIIOKTATIOK.  479 

5.  To  improve  it  so  will  give  a  present  ease  and  relief  under  the 
burden ;  though  it  will  not  take  it  off  your  back,  it  will  strengthen 
you,  and  make  you  go  more  lightly  under  it,  2  Cor.  iv.  17,  18.  It 
will  give  you  m'ore  effectual  consolation  under  them,  than  all  the 
comforts  of  the  world  can.  Though  ye  will  still  be  in  life  but  as 
pilgrims,  yet  it  will  gire  you  a  song  in  the  house  of  your  pilgrimage. 

It  will  secure  you  a  happy  life  in  the  other  world,  where  none  of 
these  vanities  and  miseries  shall  ever  have  place  any  more  for  ever. 
Thus  ye  will  lay  up  treasure  in  heaven  which  cannot  be  lost,  Mat. 
vi.  19,  20.  Now  is  the  seed  time,  then  will  be  the  eternal  reaping 
of  what  is  now  sown,  Gal.  vi.  8. 

Lastly,  If  ye  do  not  so  improve  it,  you  will  never  taste  the  happi- 
ness of  life.  You  will  lose  the  present  life  as  to  any  true  happiness 
therein,  though  you  may  deceive  yourselves  with  the  shadow  of 
happiness  therein  ;  yet  the  truth  is,  you  have  no  sufficient  balance 
for  the  vanity  and  misery  of  life,  which  you  cannot  miss.  And 
then  your  life  in  the  other  world  will  be  a  life  of  unmixed  misery, 
a  thousand  times  worse. 

To  help  yon  to  this  improvement, 

(1.)  Take  some  time  to  consider,  what  name  you  bear,  and  how 
your  name  savours,  in  heaven  and  earth.  It  will  be  of  little  value, 
to  be  savoury  on  earth,  if  it  be  not  so  in  heaven  too.  Rev.  iii.  1. 
But  if  it  be  savoury  in  heaven,  it  will  in  spite  of  malice  be  savoury 
on  earth  too,  in  the  consciences  of  men,  2  Cor.  iv.  2.  Now  this  will 
be  according  to  your  soul's  state  before  the  Lord,  and  the  habitual 
bent  and  course  of  your  life  and  actions,  2  Cor.  ii.  15,  "  For  we  are 
unto  God  a  sweet  savour  of  Christ,  in  them  that  are  saved."  John 
XV.  14,  "  Ye  are  my  friends,  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  command  you." 

(2.)  Address  yourselves  to  the  living  a  life  of  faith  and  holiness, 
as  the  pi'oper  work  of  this  life  while  it  lasts,  Isa.  xxxviii.  19,  "  The 
living,  the  living,  he  shall  praise  thee,  as  I  do  this  day  ;  the  fatlier 
to  the  children  shall  make  known  thy  truth."  Dream  away  life  no 
longer,  trifling  away  precious  time  ;  but  open  your  eyes,  rouse  up 
yourselves  to  mind  and  ply  the  end  of  your  creation,  1  Cor.  xv.  34, 
"  Awake  to  righteousness  and  sin  not ;  for  some  have  not  the  know- 
ledge of  God  ;  I  speak  this  to  your  shame." 

Lastli/,  Keep  in  view  the  approach  of  death,  as  what  shuts  up 
and  cuts  oft"  working  time,  John  ix.  4.  Remember  it  is  now  or 
never  you  must  raise  the  good  name.  For  this  present  state  only  is 
the  state  of  trial ;  the  future  state  is  the  state  of  retribution, 
wherein  each  will  be  rewarded  according  to  his  work.  As  the 
child  born  dead  into  this  world,  cannot  be  brought  to  life  by  the 
light  thereof;  so  he  that  enters  spiritually  dead,  and  without  the 


400  OF  THE  BTRTII-DAY  AND  THE  DYING-DAY. 

good  name,  into  the  other  world,  will  never  have  life  nor  good  name 
there. 

I  shall  now  proceed  to  the  consideration  of  the  other  doctrine 
from  the  text,  viz. 

DocT.  II.  To  one  who  has  so  lived  as  to  obtain  the  good  name, 
his  dying-day  will  be  better  than  his  birth-day,  quite  dowuweighing 
all  the  vanity  and  misery  of  life  in  this  world.  This  is  a  parodox, 
a  truth  though  unlikely.     In  haudliug  it,  I  shall, 

I.  Discover  some  truths  contained  in  it. 

II.  Show  in  what  latitude  this  doctrine  is  to  be  understood. 

III.  Demonstrate  the  truth  of  this  paradox,  this  unlikely  tale, 
That  the  saint's  dying-day  is  better  than  his  birth-day. 

lY.  Apply  the  subject. 

I.  I  shall  discover  some  truths  contained  in  this  doctrine. 

1.  However  men  live,  they  must  die.  He  that  has  had  a  birth- 
day, whatever  he  makes  of  his  life,  must  have  a  dying  day  too, 
Heb.  ix.  6,  "  It  is  appointed  unto  men  once  to  die."  The  careless 
graceless  life  of  the  fool  will  not  ward  off  death,  neither  will  the 
well-improved  life  of  the  wise  do  it,  Psal.  xlix.  10.  Both  must  lay 
their  account  with  it ;  they  that  look  and  prepare  for  it  will  not  be 
disappointed,  and  those  that  never  mind  it,  it  will  certainly  over- 
take. 

2.  The  birth-day  is  a  good  day,  notwithstanding  all  the  vanity 
and  misery  of  human  life.  This  is  the  common  sense  of  mankind 
about  it.  And  though  some  have  cursed  it  as  the  worst  of  days, 
that  alters  not  the  case,  being  the  effect  of  a  transport  of  passion. 
But  it  is  a  good  day  to  the  relations,  notwithstanding  the  bitterness 
mixed  with  it,  as  our  Saviour  observes,  John  xvi.  21,  "  A  woman 
when  she  is  in  travail,  hath  sorrow,  because  her  hour  is  come  :  but 
as  soon  as  she  is  delivered  of  the  child,  she  remembereth  no  more 
the  anguish,  for  joy  that  a  man  is  born  into  the  world."  And  so  it 
is  to  the  party  too,  as  an  entrance  on  the  stage  of  life  whereby  God 
is  glorified,  and  one  may  be  prepared  for  a  better  life,  Isa.  xxxviii. 
19,  "  The  living,  the  living,  he  shall  praise  thee,  as  I  do  this  day," 
&c. 

3.  The  dying-day  is  not  always  so  frightful  as  it  looks ;  it  may 
be  a  good  day  too.  There  may  be  a  kind  heart,  where  there  is  a 
stern  countenance  on  occasions.  As  in  scouring  a  vessel,  sand 
and  ashes  first  defiling  it  makes  it  to  glister ;  so  grim  death  brings 
in  a  perfect  comeliness.  The  waters  may  be  red  and  frightful, 
where  yet  the  ground  is  good,  and  they  are  but  shallow,  passable 
with  all  safety. 


HOW  THE  DOCTRINE  IS  TO  BE  UXDERSTOOD.  481 

4.  "Where  tlie  dying-day  follows  a  well-improved  life,  it  is  better 
than  the  birth-day,  however  it  may  appear.  There  is  this  difference 
betwixt  them,  the  birth-day  has  its  fair  side  outmost,  the  dying-day 
has  its  fair  side  inmost ;  hence  the  former  begins  with  joy,  but 
opens  out  in  much  sorrow  ;  the  latter  begins  with  sorrow,  but  opens 
out  in  treasures  of  endless  joy.  And  certainly  it  is  better  to  step 
through  sorrow  into  joy,  than  through  joy  into  sorrow. 

5.  The  dying-day  in  that  case  is  so  very  far  better  than  the  birth- 
day, that  it  quite  down  weighs  all  the  former  vanity  and  misery  of 
life.  The  angelic  guard  conveying  Lazarus  into  A.braham's  bosom, 
left  not  his  sometime  sore  and  pinching  straits  the  weight  of  a 
feather,  being  compared  with  the  honour  and  glorj  of  it,  2  Cor.  iv. 
17.  However  heavy  their  case  has  been,  they  remember  it  then  as 
waters  that  fail. 

Lastly,  But  it  will  not  be  so  in  the  case  of  an  ill  spent  life. 
In  that  case  the  birth-day  will  still  keep  the  preference,  it  will  be 
better  than  the  dying-day,  though  in  the  mean  time  it  vrould  have 
been  best  of  all  that  such  had  never  been  born.  Mat.  xxvi.  24. 
For  whatever  joy  or  sorrow  they  have  been  born  to  in  this  world, 
they  will  never  taste  of  joy  more,  but  be  overwhelmed  with  floods 
of  sorrow,  when  once  their  dying-day  is  come  and  over. 

II.  I  shall  shew  in  what  latitude  this  doctrine  is  to  be  under- 
stood. 

1.  As  to  the  parties,  those  who  have  so  lived  as  to  obtain  the 
good  na-re.     It  is  to  be  understood  of  them, 

(1.)  UniversaUi/,  whatever  different  degrees  be  among  them  in  the 
lustre  of  the  good  name.  There  are  children,  young  men,  and 
and  fathers  of  that  name  :  it  is  more  illustrious  with  some  of  them 
than  others  ;  for  though  all  are  alike  friends  of  God,  yet  all  are 
not  alike  faithful  to  God,  and  useful  to  men,  1  John  ii.  12.  But  if 
they  obtain  that  name  at  all,  the  day  of  their  death  will  be  better 
than  that  ot  their  birth ;  for  the  lowest  saint  in  the  other  world  will 
be  in  better  case  than  the  greatest  of  men  in  this  world. 

(2.)  Inclusively,  of  elect  infants  dying  in  their  infancy,  before 
they  are  capable  of  being  faithful  to  God,  or  useful  to  men  ;  be- 
cause having  the  Spirit  of  Christ  dwelling  in  them,  whereby  they 
are  united  to  Christ,  they  are  the  friends  of  God,  and  if  their 
organs  were  disposed,  they  would  be  faithful  and  useful.  The  seed 
of  faithfulness  and  usefulness  is  in  them,  1  John  iii.  9.  Only  they 
lack  opportunity,  not  being  arrived  at  the  use  of  reason.  Mat.  xix. 
14. 

Let  godly  parents  who  have  sometimes  laid  their  infants  in  the 
grave,  for  whom  they  took  hold  of  God's  covenant,  know  for  their 


482  now  THE  DOCTRINE  TS  TO  BE  UNDERSTOOD. 

comfort,  that  though  the  names  of  these  babes  are  forgotten  in  this 
world  by  all  but  them,  because  they  were  so  short  while  in  it ;  they 
have  the  good  name,  a  shining  name  in  the  other  world,  that  will 
never  be  forgotten  there.  And  the  day  of  their  death,  however 
heavy  it  was  to  you,  it  was  really  better  than  the  day  of  their 
birth ;  much  sin  and  misery  being  hid  from  their  eyes  that  you 
have  felt. 

(3.)  Exclusively  of  all  others.  They  that  have  not  so  lived  as  to 
obtain  the  good  name,  have  neither  part  nor  lot  in  this  matter, 
Prov.  xiv.  32.  "  The  wicked  is  driven  away  in  his  wickedness." 
When  men's  passions  are  raised  through  the  miseries  of  this  life 
fi-etting  them,  death  appears  desirable.  So  it'did  to  the  murmurers, 
Num.  xiv.  2.  So  to  Judas,  under  horror  for  an  ill  spent  life.  But 
they  are  too  hasty  and  inconsiderate  there ;  for  be  this  life  as  bad 
as  it  will,  it  is  the  best  they  can  look  for. 

2.  As  to  the  points  in  comparison,  the  birth-day  and  the  dying- 
day,  it  is  to  be  understood  of  them, 

(1.)  In  their  formal  notion  as  days  of  passing  into  a  new  world. 
Consider  the  day  of  the  saint's  birth,  as  a  coming  out  of  his  mo- 
ther's womb  into  our  world,  and  the  light  thereof  that  he  never  saw 
before ;  and  the  day  of  his  death,  as  a  passing  into  the  other  world, 
which  he  never  saw  before  neither.  And  the  latter  is  better  than 
the  former,  it  is  the  preferable  passage  ;  it  is  belter  for  him  when 
he  has  got  the  good  name  to  leave  his  body  a  corpse,  than  it  was  to 
leave  the  womb  of  his  mother  when  he  was  a  ripe  infant. 

(2.)  In  all  circumstances  whatsoever.  The  saint's  dying-day 
compared  with  his  birth-day,  does  so  preponderate,  that  no  circum- 
stances whatsoever  can  cast  the  balance;  suppose  hira  born  healthy 
and  vigorous,  dying  in  the  most  languishing  manner,  or  in  the 
greatest  agonies  ;  born  heir  to  an  estate  or  a  ci'own,  dying  poor  at  a 
dyke-side,  neglected  of  all ;  yet  the  day  of  his  death,  in  spite  of  all 
these  advantages  of  his  birth,  is  better  than  the  day  of  his  birth. 

3.  As  to  the  preference,  it  stands  in  two  points. 

(1.)  The  advantages  of  the  saint's  dying-day  are  preferable  to 
the  advantages  of  his  birth-day.  Cast  up  the  sums  of  both  in  any 
way  you  can  imagine,  and  the  former  will  far  surmount  the  latter, 
as  the  heavens  are  above  the  earth. 

(2.)  The  advantages  of  the  saint's  dying-day  downweigh  all  the 
disadvantages  of  his  birth-day.  This  is  more  than  the  former.  A 
man  sows  his  seed,  and  he  gets  a  crop  better  than  what  he  sowed ; 
yet  perhaps  when  he  has  counted  all  cost  and  pains,  these  overgo 
the  profit.  But  it  is  not  so  in  this  case.  Let  all  the  disadvantages 
of  the  saint's  birth-day  be  considered,  as  a  continued  chain  of  num- 


THE  saint's  dying-day  better  than  his  birth-day.         483 

berless  links  from  his  birtli  to  his  death ;  and  his  dying-day  will 
downweigh  them  all.  It  will  remain  an  eternal  truth,  That  such  a 
dying  day  was  well  worth  wading  through  all  these  miseries  of  life 
unto  it,  let  them  appear  in  their  most  frightful  shapes,  that  ever 
they  appeared  in  unto  mortals. 

III.  We  are  next  to  demonstrate  the  truth  of  this  paradox,  this 
unlikely  tale.  That  the  saint's  dying-day  is  better  than  his  birth- 
day.    It  appears  most  firm  truth  from  the  following  considerations. 

First,  The  day  of  the  saint's  birth  clothed  him  with  a  body  of 
weak  and  frail  flesh,  and  so  clogged  him  ;  the  day  of  his  death 
looses  the  clog,  and  sets  him  free,  clothing  him  with  a  house  that 
will  never  clog  him,  2  t!or.  v.  1 — 3.  Do  not  think  your  bodies  are 
you ;  they  are  something  belonging  to  you,  but  not  you  ;  for  you 
will  be  to  the  fore,  thinking,  moving,  acting,  when  they  will  be 
lying  rotting  in  the  church-yard.  It  is  the  soul  that  is  you, 
which  being  housed  in  the  earthly  tabernacle,  is  clogged  thereby. 
Indeed  the  souls  of  the  wicked  are  clogged  far  heavier  at  death, 
with  anguish  and  despair.  Eut  the  dying-day  sets  the  saint  per- 
fectly free,  like  a  prisoner  out  of  the  prison,  or  a  bird  out  of  the 
cage,  Luke  ii.  29.     Consider, 

1.  In  the  day  of  his  birth  he  was  an  helpless  infant,  that  could 
do  nothing  but  weep  and  sprawl ;  the  soul  being  in  a  sort  sunk  in 
a  mass  of  flesh  and  blood ;  but  in  the  day  of  his  death,  the  soul 
being  divested  of  that  body,  will  immediately  show  itself  intelligent 
and  active,  a  companion  of  angels,  Heb.  xii.  23 ;  Luke  xx.  36. 
And  he  that  could  not  creep  out  of  harm's  way  in  his  birth,  will  in 
the  day  of  his  death  be  able  to  mount  upward  as  on  eagle's  wings 
to  the  highest  heavens,  like  the  bird  when  the  stone  tied  to  its  foot 
is  taken  away,  Luke  xxiii.  43 ;  tor  then  conies  the  more  full  accom- 
plishment of  that  promise,  Isa.  xl.  31,  "  They  that  wait  upon  the 
Lord  shall  renew  their  strength  ;  they  shall  mount  up  with  wings 
as  eagles,  they  shall  run  and  not  be  weary,  and  they  shall  walk 
and  not  faint." 

2.  In  the  day  of  his  birth  there  were  many  little  things  necessary 
to  be  done  about  him ;  he  behoved  to  be  washed,  and  dressed,  and 
swaddled  up  in  clouts ;  laid  to  the  breast,  because  he  could  not  lay 
himself  to  it ;  fed,  because  he  could  not  put  the  meat  in  his  own 
mouth.  In  the  day  of  his  death  he  will  need  none  of  these  things 
but  flee  away  dropping  his  mantle  of  the  mortal  body,  leaving  it  to 
his  friends  to  dispose  of  it  at  their  will. 

3.  In  the  day  of  his  birth  he  knew  not  where  he  was,  whither  he 
was  going,  or  to  whom  ;  and  so  he  could  have  neither  joy  nor  grief 
upon  the  event,  till  feeling  the  change  of  his  condition  ungrateful 


484         THE  saint's  dying- day  better  than  nis  birth-day. 

to  the  present  sense  he  fell  a  crying.  In  the  day  of  death  he 
knows  very  well  where  away  he  is  going,  and  that  he  is  going  to 
Christ  which  is  best  of  all ;  and  so  understanding  the  happy  change, 
rejoiceth  in  it,  2  Tim.  i,  12.  It  is  true,  in  the  way  to  death,  through 
the  weakness  of  faith,  it  may  be  dark  with  him  ;  but  death  having 
done  its  work,  all  the  shadows  Avill  flee  away  in  an  instant. 

4.  In  the  day  of  his  birth  he  had  long  to  wait,  ere  he  should 
ripen,  to  be  of  any  use  for  himself,  for  others,  or  for  God ;  several 
days  ere  he  should  be  capable  to  smile,  weeks  ere  he  should  know 
his  mother,  months  ere  he  could  speak  or  go,  years  ere  he  could 
know  any  thing,  but  about  meat  and  clothes ;  so  many  years  in  in- 
fancy, in  childhood,  ripening  far  more  leisurely  and  slowly  than 
young  brutes  ;  but  in  the  day  of  his  death  he  will  ripen  all  of  a 
sudden,  he  will  be  at  his  pitch  of  glory  and  happiness  in  an  instant, 
as  when  the  sun  instantly  breaks  through  a  cloud,  and  scatters  his 
beams  all  over  the  horizon.  There  is  no  infancy  nor  childhood  in 
the  other  world,  because  there  is  no  old  age  there ;  but  as  Adam 
was  created  in  his  perfection,  at  his  full  stature ;  so  will  the  souls 
of  the  saints  be  advanced  to  their  natural  perfection  as  they  drop 
their  bodies. 

5.  In  the  day  of  his  birth  he  was  exposed  to  danger,  could  not 
miss  to  catch  skaith  if  all  the  better  care  was  not  taken  to  prevent 
it;  many  a  poor  child  has  been  stifled  in  the  birth,  and  careless 
management  of  them  after  their  coming  into  the  world  has  had 
fatal  eff'ects.  Bat  in  the  day  of  his  death  he  is  set  beyond  the 
reach  of  danger;  never  a  gracious  soul  perished  in  death,  but  as 
soon  as  the  ship  of  the  body  was  broken  in  pieces,  the  passengers 
were  safe  ashore ;  and  whatever  danger  they  are  in  here  by  Satan 
and  his  instruments,  they  are  out  of  danger  when  on  the  other  side 
of  death  in  the  other  world,  Rev.  xxi.  25. 

Lastly,  In  the  day  of  his  birth  he  was  born  to  die,  and  in  the  day 
of  his  death  he  dies  to  live.  There  is  a  certain  affinity  betwixt  our 
birth  and  death,  so  that  there  were  never  any  born  that  did  not  also 
die,  except  two  persons  Enoch  and  Elias ;  and  to  make  that  odds 
even,  Adam  and  Eve  both  died,  that  were  never  born.  So  our  birth 
is  but  the  preamble  of  death,  Eccl.  iii.  2.  and  when  dying  comes  to 
an  end,  being  born  is  at  an  end  too,  Luke  xx.  35,  36.  But  there  is 
a  certain  connection  between  the  saint's  death  and  his  life,  made  by 
virtue  of  the  death  and  resurrection  of  Christ,  Eph.  ii.  6.  And  who 
can  doubt  but  it  is  better  to  die  to  live,  than  to  be  born  to  die  ?  to 
put  off,  than  to  put  on  the  clog  of  morality  ?  Now  in  our  birth 
we  put  it  on,  but  in  our  death  put  it  off.  Therefore,  the  day  of  the 
saint's  death  is  better  than  the  day  of  his  birth. 


THR  SAIXt's  DYINa-DAY  BETTER  TUAN  HIS  BIRTH-DAY.  485 

Secondly,  The  day  of  his  birth  clogged  him  with  a  body  of  siu ; 
the  day  of  his  death  sets  him  quite  free  from  it,  aiid  briugs  him 
into  a  state  morally  perfect,  Heb.  xii.  23,  There  was  never  man 
born  into  the  world  except  the  man  Christ,  but  he  brought  a  body 
of  sin  with  him  into  it,  Psal.  li.  5.  John  iii.  9.  In  the  day  of  our 
birth,  we  are  born  with  fallen  Adam's  own  image  on  us  ;  therefore  it 
is  particularly  marked  of  Seth  the  father  of  the  holy  seed,  Gen. 
V.  iii.  Insomuch  that  even  those  who  are  sanctified  from  the  womb, 
are  not  to  be  excepted ;  for  they  are  sanctified  but  in  part,  and  still 
have  ground  for  that  cry,  Rom.  vii.  24,  "  Who  shall  deliver  me  from 
the  body  of  this  death  ?"  till  death.  But  then  in  the  day  of  the  saiut's 
death,  that  body  of  sin  is  destroyed  and  razed  quite  and  clean ;  and 
therefore  the  day  of  his  death  is  better  than  the  day  of  his  birth. 

We  may  view  his  case  in  these  particulars. 

1.  The  day  of  his  birth  fixed  the  disease  in  him,  he  was  born  a 
sinner,  Psal.  li.  5.  Hence  it  is  not  as  accidental  ailments  to  be  re- 
moved by  human  art;  but  being  owing  to  his  birth,  it  is  natural, 
not  to  be  cured  without  a  miracle,  John  ix.  32.  Job  xiv.  4.  And 
coming  in  by  his  birth,  according  to  the  dispensation  and  settled 
order  of  grace,  it  is  not  to  be  quite  removed  but  by  death. 

2.  The  day  of  his  conversion  began  the  cure,  loosed  sin  at  the 
root,  though  it  did  not  root  it  up.  Thus  was  the  day  of  his  new 
birth,  better  than  the  day  of  his  first  birth,  1  Pet.  i.  23.  "  Being 
born  again,  not  of  corruptible  seed,  but  incorruptible,  by  the  word 
of  God  which  liveth  and  abideth  for  ever."  On  good  grounds  is 
this  day  preferred  to  the  birth-day,  Ezek.  xvi.  4,  8.  "  As  for  thy 
nativity  in  the  day  thou  wast  born,  thy  navel  was  not  cut,  neither 
wast  thou  washed  in  water  to  supple  thee ;  thou  wast  not  salted  at 
all,  nor  swaddled  at  all.  Now  when  I  passed  by  thee,  and  looked 
upon  thee,  behold  thy  time  was  the  time  of  love,  and  I  spread  my 
skirt  over  thee,  and  covered  thy  nakedness;  yea,  I  sware  unto  thee, 
and  entered  into  a  covenant  with  thee,  saith  the  Lord  God,  and  thou 
becaraest  mine."  Here  the  man  mismade  in  his  birth-duy  was  new 
made;  mismade  after  the  image  of  fallen  Adam,  new  made  after  the 
image  of  the  second  Adam,  2  Cor.  v.  17. 

3.  The  intervening  days  between  the  day  of  conversion  and  the 
dying-day,  the  cure  is  a  carrying  on.  There  is  a  struggle  with  the 
disease  in  order  to  its  removal,  which  in  a  measure  prevails,  though 
not  altogether.  Gal.  v.  17.  And  as  it  is  better,  there  is  something 
to  struggle  with  the  disease  than  that  it  should  bear  full  sway ;  so 
these  days,  however  troublous  they  are,  are  better  than  the  birth- 
day, as  it  is  more  hopeful  to  be  groaning  on  a  sick  bed,  than  to  be 
silent  in  the  grave. 

\vL.  Y.  2  I 


486  TIIK  saint's  dying-day  better  than  his  BIRTII-DAY. 

Lastly,  But  the  day  of  liis  death  roots  up  the  disease  for  good 
and  all,  and  perfects  the  cure,  leaving  not  the  least  remains  of  it  in 
the  soul,  Heb.  xii.  23.  The  leprosy  was  in  the  walls  of  the  house, 
no  scraping  nor  plastering  would  remove  it,  but  still  it  broke  out 
and  spread  again ;  but  in  the  day  of  death,  when  the  walls  of  the 
body  are  taken  down  and  carried  out,  then  there  are  no  more  vesti- 
ges of  the  leprosy  left  to  remain.  The  seventh  day  of  the  compass- 
ing of  the  accursed  walls  of  Jericho  was  the  best  day  of  the  seven, 
and  the  seventh  time  that  day  the  best  time ;  for  then  the  wall 
that  had  stood  so  long  unmoved,  fell  all  down  together. 

Thirdly,  The  day  of  the  saint's  death  carries  him  into  a  better 
world,  than  the  day  of  his  birth  did.  The  other  world  where  Christ 
is,  is  a  better  world  than  that  where  we  are ;  in  the  faith  thereof 
Paul  desired  to  die,  that  he  might  enter  into  it,  Phil.  i.  23.  The 
day  of  his  birth  brought  him  into  this  world,  a  wilderness ;  the  day 
of  his  death  takes  him  into  the  other  world,  a  Canaan,  a  better 
country,  a  paradise.  "What  was  the  wilderness  to  the  Israelites  in 
comparison  of  the  promised  land  ?  Such  is  this  world  to  the  saints 
in  comparison  with  the  other.     Take  a  swatch  of  the  difference. 

1.  The  day  of  his  birth  brought  him  into  a  world  of  uncertainty, 
set  him  down  on  slippery  ground ;  the  day  of  his  death  takes  him 
into  a  world  of  certainty,  sets  his  feet  on  a  rock.  When  he  was 
born,  whatever  he  was  born  to,  he  was  born  to  uncertainties.  His 
health,  wealth,  ease,  yea  his  life  itself,  hung  always  at  an  uncer- 
tainty; he  might  have  been  this  moment  in  health,  but  sick  at 
heart  the  next.  His  reputation  and  character  was  at  an  uncer- 
tainty ;  while  a  man  is  on  this  side  of  the  grave,  his  character  in  the 
world  is  not  so  established,  but  by  some  wrong  step  or  other  it  may 
yet  be  blemished,  that  he  may  set  in  a  cloud,  that  has  shone  bright. 
But  when  the  man  with  the  good  name  dies,  he  is  set  beyond  all 
uncertainties  more.  He  is  so  well  that  he  can  never  be  ill  again ; 
the  kingdom  he  receives  cannot  be  moved,  Heb.  xii.  28.  However 
tossed  his  life  was  here,  he  is  established  there.  Rev.  iii.  12.  Death 
comes  up  the  last  of  the  train  of  all  his  uncertainties,  establishes  his 
welfare,  and  seals  his  good  name  and  character,  as  no  more  liable  to 
be  blemished. 

2.  The  day  of  his  birth  brought  him  into  a  world  of  sin  and 
defilement ;  but  the  day  of  his  death  brings  him  into  a  world  of 
purity,  Heb,  xii.  23.  From  the  time  he  was  born  into  this  world, 
till  he  dies  out  of  it,  he  breathes  in  and  out  an  infectious  air ;  his 
own  plague  sores  are  running  on  him ;  and  sees  those  of  others  run- 
ning too ;  and  wherever  he  is,  and  with  whomsoever,  he  is  in  hazard 
of  snares   and   defilement.      But   from  the    moment   of  death    he 


THE  saint's  dying-day  BETTER  THAN  HIS  BIRTH-DAY.  48? 

breathes  the  pure  air  of  Immanuel's  land,  where  there  are  no  clouds 
nor  vapours;  where  all  diseases  are  healed,  and  no  unclean  thing 
can  enter.  Spotless  purity  reigns  there  ;  there  is  no  hazard  more 
of  ensuarement  or  defilement,  Rev.  xxi.  25. 

3.  The  day  of  his  birth  brought  him  into  a  world  of  toil  and 
labour ;  but  the  day  of  his  death  brings  him  into  a  world  of  rest, 
Rev.  xiv.  13.  Much  toil  there  is  for  the  back  and  belly,  and  some 
have  more  of  it  than  others.  But  nobody  wants  it  altogether,  no 
not  those  who  go  with  an  even-up  back,  Gen.  iii.  19 ;  Eccl.  i.  8. 
They  are  liable  to  weariness  as  well  as  others,  an  evidence  that 
their  very  pleasures,  ease,  and  recreations  are  a  labour.  But  the 
other  world  is  a  world  of  rest  to  the  people  of  God,  Heb.  iv.  9.  and 
of  refreshing,  Acts  iii.  19.  As  God  did  the  works  of  creation  in  the 
six  days,  and  rested  the  seventh  day,  so  they  having  improved  life 
laboriously  to  the  obtaining  of  the  good  name,  shall  there  have 
eternal  rest.  They  will  rest  from  all  the  business  this  world  is  now 
throng  about.  There  will  be  neither  labouring  the  ground,  nor 
tending  cattle  in  the  other  world ;  nor  any  servile  work  whatsoever 
there.  There  will  be  no  labour  of  the  mind,  nor  painful  study 
there ;  but  as  Solomon  lay  down  and  slept,  and  awakened  a  wiser 
man  than  ever  one  was  by  study ;  so  they  sleeping  the  sleep  of 
death,  will  awake  with  a  pitch  of  knowledge  as  far  above  that 
which  they  have  at  their  best  now,  as  the  knowledge  of  a  man  is 
above  that  of  a  child.  The  toilsome  and  laborious  duties  of  religion 
will  have  no  place  there ;  there  will  be  no  watching,  no  combat,  &c. 
Act  they  will  for  ever,  but  never  know  weariness  more ;  their  work 
will  be  their  reward,  their  eternal  recreation. 

4.  The  day  of  his  birth  brought  him  into  a  world  of  care  and  sor- 
row ;  but  the  day  of  his  death  brings  him  into  a  world  of  ease  and 
joy,  Matth.  xxv.  21.  Though  a  man  be  born  to  a  crown,  he  will 
find  himself  born  to  cares  and  sorrows  ;  for  as  the  fairest  rose  wants 
not  its  prickles,  so  the  most  plentiful  enjoyments  of  the  world  want 
not  their  thorny  cares,  sorrows,  and  vexations  attending  them. 
And  often  does  the  most  piercing  and  racking  vexation  rise  from 
what  was  taken  for  the  spring  of  the  greatest  comfort.  But  death 
puts  an  end  to  all  these  in  the  case  of  the  man  with  the  good  name. 
A  drink  of  the  well  of  life  at  death  extinguishes  all  care  and  sorrow 
for  ever,  fills  with  joy  unspeakable.  Those  of  them  that  sighed 
most  here,  will  sing  eternally  there ;  they  will  sing  for  ever  the 
song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb  on  the  other  side  of  death,  though  they 
groaned  on  this  side. 

5.  The  day  of  his  birth  brought  him  iuto  a  world  of  disappoint- 
ment; but  the  day  of  his  death  brings  him  into  a  world  surmount- 

2  I  2 


488  THE  saint' ti  dying-day  UETTER  than  his  BtRTH-nAY. 

ing  expectation,  1  Cor.  ii.  9,  "  Eye  liath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard, 
neither  have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man,  tlie  things  which  God 
hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  him."  Man  is  born  to  disappoint- 
ments in  this  world,  especially  good  men,  for  whom  the  Lord  minds 
better  things  in  the  other  world.  All  worldly  things  are  greater  in 
expectation  than  in  fruition. 

Hence  it  is  the  young  and  unexperienced  that  have  the  greatest 
exijectations  from  them,  and  fondness  for  them ;  because  they  are 
not  yet  cut  with  so  many  disappointments,  as  the  aged.  This  holds 
in  the  very  brutes,  where  the  young  ones  are  the  most  lightsome  in 
their  kind,  the  old  being  as  it  were  cut  with  disappointments,  and 
cloyed  with  finding  the  same  thing  over  and  over.  But  death 
brings  the  good  man  to  heavenly  things,  that  will  be  greater  in  the 
fruition  than  in  expectation ;  as  the  queen  of  Sheba  said  to  Solomon 
of  his  magnificence,  1  Kings  x.  7-  "Behold,  the  half  was  not  told 
me ;  thy  wisdom  and  prosperity  exceedeth  the  fame  which  I  heard." 
But  a  greater  than  Solomon  will  be  found  there.  And  death  will 
bring  them  to  a  happiness  in  that  world,  that  has  neither  brim  uor 
bottom  beyond  what  they  could  either  hear  or  conceive. 

Lastly,  The  day  of  his  birth  brought  him  into  a  world  of  death  ; 
but  the  day  of  his  death  takes  him  into  a  world  of  life,  Matth.  x.  30. 
This  is  a  dying  world  we  are  born  into,  where  some  are  still  coming 
in,  and  others  going  out  to  make  room  for  them ;  the  children  coming 
in  as  with  a  warning  away  in  their  hands  to  the  parents,  as  their 
children  will  do  to  them  in  their  turn.  But  in  the  world  that  death 
carries  him  to,  there  are  no  marriages,  births,  nor  burials.  There 
the  father  lives  as  long  as  the  child,  and  there  is  no  difference  be- 
twixt them  more,  both  living  eternally. 

Fourthly,  The  day  of  his  death  settles  him  among  better  company, 
than  the  day  of  his  birth  did,  Heb.  xii.  22.  and  downwards.  The 
comfort  of  one's  being  in  a  place  depends  much  on  the  society 
there ;  unpleasant  society  or  neighbourhood  will  make  the  most 
pleasant  place  disagreeable.  Great  is  the  difference  betwixt  the 
society  the  man  was  in,  in  this  world,  and  that  which  death  carries 
him  to  in  the  other  world.     Let  us  consider  the  odds  a  little, 

1.  The  day  of  his  birth  landed  him  in  the  arms  and  embraces  of 
his  mother,  if  she  died  not  in  bringing  him  forth,  in  which  case  he 
behoved  to  want  that  kindly  reception  into  the  arms  of  a  mother. 
But  in  the  day  of  his  death  he  is  received  into  Abraham's  bosom, 
more  kindly  and  warmly  than  that  of  any  mother,  and  which  death 
never  makes  cold  and  stiff,  Luke  xvi.  22. 

2.  The  day  of  his  birth  brought  him  into  the  arms  of  his  glad  fa- 
ther, if  he  was  not  dead  before  he  was  born ;  but  in  the  day  of  his 


THE  saint's  dying-day  BETTER  THAN  UIS  BIRTH-DAY.  489 

death  he  is  presented  to,  and  received  by  his  heavenly  Father  into 
his  embraces,  whose  love  and  affection  to  his  children  is  above  that 
of  earthly  parents,  as  the  heaven  is  above  the  earth.  God  in  Christ 
is  an  affectionate  Father,  even  love  itself,  1  John  iv.  16.  Christ  will 
then  receive  the  soul  he  died  for  with  a  satisfaction  surpassing  that 
of  the  most  tender  mother,  Is.  liii.  11.  and  the  Father  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  will  behold  it  as  bearing  the  image  of  his  own  Son,  and  his 
own  image. 

3.  The  father  and  mother  that  lovingly  embraced  him  in  the  day 
of  his  birth,  may  yet  come  after\yard  to  frown  on  him,  beat  him,  be 
bitter  against  him,  they  having  little  comfort  in  him,  or  he  in  them ; 
but  when  the  day  of  death  is  once  come  and  over,  the  child  of 
God  shall  see  no  more  frowns,  beating,  nor  bitterness.  His  minority 
will  then  be  overpast,  even  the  discipline  of  the  covenant,  the  rod 
will  be  for  ever  laid  by.  He  shall  be  eternally  indulged  and  com- 
forted. Isa.  Ixvi.  13. 

4.  The  day  of  his  birth  brought  hira  at  most  into  but  a  small 
company  of  brothers  and  sisters  ;  perhaps  he  was  an  eldest  child, 
or  an  only  one  ;  but  the  day  of  his  death  lands  hira  in  a  numerous 
family,  whereof  each  one  with  him  calls  God  in  Christ  Father,  Rev. 
xiv.  1.  The  saints  are  divided  in  many  families  on  earth,  but  in 
heaven  they  make  but  one  family,  from  Adam  to  the  last  saint  that 
shall  come  there,  Eph.  iii.  15.  They  may  look  on  every  saint  there 
as  a  brother,  wiiich  will  be  a  comfortable  sight  of  the  heavenly  mul- 
titude, Rev.  vi.  11. 

6.  Brothers  and  sisters  afforded  him  perhaps  but  a  coldrife  wel- 
come in  the  day  of  his  birth,  either  through  a  defect  of  wit  to  set 
natural  affection  astir,  or  through  ill  nature,  that  on  the  score  of 
interest  made  them  look  on  him'with  a  grudge  ;  or  however  they 
embraced  him  affectionately  in  the  day  of  his  birth,  there  were  not 
wanting  animosities  and  heart-burnings  in  their  after-life  now  and 
then.  But  in  the  day  of  his  death  there  will  be  a  kindly  welcome 
from  all.  The  parent's  affection  on  earth,  and  his  substance  is 
limited  to  a  certain  measure,  and  the  more  there  are  to  part  them 
among,  the  less  every  one  gets ;  but  the  love  of  God,  and  the 
treasure  in  heaven,  is  infinite  and  boundless,  fills  all  to  the  brim, 
and  yet  they  cannot  exhaust  it.  So  that  if  there  were  ten  thousand 
more  worlds  of  saints  created,  it  would  rather  add  to,  than  diminish 
from  the  happiness  of  every  one  that  is  now  there.  There  love  is 
perfected  ;  and  as  no  seeds  of  hatred  are  left  within  or  without 
they  will  live  together  in  eternal  uninterrupted  love. 

6.  In  the  day  of  his  birth  he  had  the  welcome  of  a  few  neigh- 
bours present  at  the  birth ;  in  the  day  of  his  death  he  will  have  the 


490  THE  saint's  BYINtt-DAY  BETTER  THAN  HIS  liTRTH-BAT. 

welcome  of  angels,  whereof  not  one  only,  but  several  sliall  carry 
him  into  Abiaham's  bosom,  Luke  xvi.  22.  with  a  warmer  affection 
than  any  woman  can  receive  the  new  born  infant,  as  the  love  of 
angels  is  more  glowing  than  our  earthly  love.  They  will  carry  him 
into  an  innumerable  company  of  them,  Heb.  xii.  22.  in  whose  pre- 
sence there  was  joy  at  his  repentance,  and  much  more  must  there  be 
at  his  coming  home  to  sti'ay  no  more,  Luke  xv.  10. 

7.  Whatever  welcome  he  had  in  the  day  of  his  birth  from 
neighbours  or  relations,  the  joy  was  but  on  one  side  ;  though  they 
rejoiced  in  him,  he  could  not  rejoice  in  them,  for  he  knew  them 
not ;  but  in  the  day  of  his  death  the  joy  will  be  mutual ;  he  that 
in  the  day  of  his  birth  was  not  equal  to  imperfect  men,  will  in  the 
day  of  his  death  be  equal  to  the  angels.  He  will  know  God  and 
Christ,  the  saints,  and  angels,  and  will  rejoice  in  them,  as  they  will 
rejoice  in  him. 

Lastly,  Whatever  welcome  he  had  into  the  world  in  the  day  of 
his  birth,  he  had  much  uncomfortable  society  there  in  the  days  of  his 
after  life,  that  made  hira  often  see  himself  in  his  neighbourhood  in  the 
world,  as  in  Mesech  and  Kedar,  Psal.  cxx.  5.  yea  dwelling  among 
lions'  dens  and  mountains  of  leopards,  Cant.  iv.  8.  But  in  the  day 
of  his  death  he  will  bid  an  eternal  farewell  to  all  uncomfortable 
society,  and  never  see  more  any  in  whom  he  will  not  be  comforted 
to  be  with  them. 

(1.)  He  was  born  into  a  world,  where  there  was  a  seed  of  the 
serpent  to  turn  against  him  as  heart  enemies,  whenever  he  turned 
to  Grod,  John  xv.  19.  His  living  with  them,  and  dealing  with 
them,  wove  many  a  snare  to  his  soul,  made  him  many  a  weary  day ; 
and  often  did  he  find  deep  wounds  from  them,  Psal.  Iviii.  4.  But 
he  will  die  into  a  world  of  profound  peace  and  love,  where  none  of 
that  seed  can  have  access ;  a  world  peopled  entirely  with  the  seed 
of  the  woman,  all  united  to  Christ  the  head  by  the  same  Spirit,  and 
among  themselves  by  the  firmest  bands  of  love. 

(2.)  He  was  born  into  a  world,  where  even  saints  had  their 
blemishes,  their  faults  which  made  their  society  uncomfortable,  and 
hardly  tolerable ;  so  that  he  had  much  ado  to  dwell  even  with  some 
in  whom  the  grace  of  God  dwelt.  But  he  will  die  into  a  world, 
where  saints  have  no  blemish  left  in  them,  where  there  will  be  no 
unkindly,  peevish,  or  touchy  saints  to  mar  the  comforts  of  society; 
but  all  will  be  perfect  in  knowledge  and  love. 

(3.)  He  was  born  into  a  world  where  men  have  their  particular 
interests  to  drive,  and  selfishness  causes  them  to  over-drive  their 
neighbours,  over  all  bounds  of  justice,  equity,  and  love ;  the  greater 
swallowing  up  the  lesser,  till  they  be  planted  alone  in  the  earth. 


THE  saint's  dying-day  bbttee  than  uis  birth-day.         491 

But  he  dies  into  a  world,  where  there  is  no  divided  interest  more, 
but  all  centre  in  the  glorifying  that  God,  who  allows  them  all  a 
perfect  happiness  in  the  enjoyment  of  hira,  furnishing  all  as  the 
sun  does  this  world,  without  withholding  from  one  what  is  aiforded 
to  another. 

(4.)  He  was  born  into  an  ensnaring  world,  brought  into  society 
where  he  received  infection,  and  did  infect  again ;  where  he  was  a 
temptation  to  others,  and  others  were  a  temptation  to  him ;  the  con- 
sideration whereof  made  him  often  weary  of  the  world.  But  he 
dies  into  a  world  where  there  is  no  more  of  that :  were  he  once 
past  that  step,  he  will  be  no  more  a  snare  to  any,  nor  will  any  be  a 
snare  to  him.  The  leaves  of  the  tree  of  life  are  for  healing,  but 
there  is  no  more  sin  nor  death. 

Fifthly,  The  day  of  his  death  brings  him  into  a  better  state  than 
the  day  of  his  birth  did.  As  the  state  of  glory  is  better  than  the 
state  of  this  life,  so  is  death  to  one  who  has  well  improved  life, 
better  than  his  birth.  Great  is  the  odds  on  the  part  of  the  day  of 
death  in  this  case,  however  advantageous  the  birth  may  be. 

1.  The  day  of  his  birth  sets  hira  down  in  a  state  of  imperfection, 
natural  and  moral ;  the  day  of  his  death  advances  him  to  a  state 
of  perfection  of  both  kinds,  Heb.  xii.  23.  There  is  a  natural  im- 
perfection in  us  in  respect  of  our  very  frame,  more  than  in  the 
young  of  brutes  according  to  their  kind ;  a  great  imperfection  in 
the  necessity  of  meat,  drink,  clothing,  education,  and  teaching;  the 
which  continues  with  us  all  our  life  long.  A  moral  imperfection 
much  more  wretched,  in  respect  of  the  guilt  and  corruption  of  na- 
ture we  bring  into  the  world  with  us ;  the  which  last  also  continues 
with  us  all  our  life,  though  the  reigning  power  of  it  be  broken. 

But  in  the  day  of  his  death  both  these  are  done  away.  He  ar- 
rives at  a  natural  perfection ;  the  soul  will  be  perfected  in  all  its 
faculties,  no  more  darkness  and  confusion  in  its  apprehension,  no 
more  error  or  mistake  in  judging,  and  therefore  no  false  reasonings. 
There  will  be  no  need  of  human  teaching  there ;  every  saint  will 
be  a  profound  philosopher,  and  an  infallible  divine,  the  image  of 
God  in  them  in  knowledge  of  the  works  and  will  of  God  being 
brought  to  perfection.  The  dunghill-work  of  eating  and  drinking, 
the  childish  work  of  busking  and  decking,  they  will  have  no  more 
use  for.  The  saint  arrives  at  a  moral  perfection  that  day,  grace  is 
perfected,  the  love  of  God  planted  now  in  the  heart,  and  preserved 
as  a  spark  of  sacred  fire  in  the  midst  of  an  ocean  of  corruption,  will 
dry  up  that  ocean ;  and  they  shall  be  as  pure  as  if  they  had  never 
sinned,  being  set  beyond  the  possibility  of  sin. 

2.  The  day  of  his  birth  brought  him  into  a  state  of  probation  and 


492  THE  saint's  DYINGh-DAY  BETTER  THAX  IIIR  BIRTH-DAY. 

irial ;  but  the  day  of  his  death  brings  hira  into  a  state  of  retribu- 
tion and  recompense,  2  Cor.  v.  10.  The  day  of  his  birth  set  him 
down  on  the  ice,  where  he  was  to  have  a  hit  or  a  miss  for  eternity ; 
he  was  brought  into  this  world,  to  undergo  his  trials  for  the  other 
world,  in  which  most  men  come  foul  off.  Tliere  he  had  Christ  and 
his  salvation  offered  him,  to  be  embraced  by  faith,  which  was  to  be 
evidenced  by  steering  a  course  of  holiness  maugre  all  opposition. 
But  then  he  was  baited  with  temptations  from  the  devil,  the  world, 
and  the  flesh ;  he  was  brought  on  a  stage  of  afflictions,  crosses,  and 
various  hardships,  to  see  if  he  could  bear  them  for  Christ.  This 
made  his  life  a  fight,  a  continued  scene  of  trial. 

But  in  the  day  of  his  death  he  is  taken  off  his  trials,  with  the 
Judge's  approbation,  and  the  full  reward  is  appointed  him,  and 
given  him.  The  Lord  Christ,  who  looked  on  all  the  time  of  his 
trials,  observing  how  he  carried,  seeing  how  he  got  many  a  fall,  yet 
rose  again,  then  passes  a  merciful  verdict  upon  him.  Matt.  xxv.  21, 
"  Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful  servant ;  thou  hast  been  faith- 
ful over  a  few  things,  I  will  make  thee  ruler  over  many  things  ; 
enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord."  And  then  he  is  to  fight  no 
more,  but  triumph  for  ever  ;  he  has  wrought  his  work,  and  he  gets 
his  reward  of  grace.  The  trials  were  perhai)s  long,  but  the  retri- 
bution will  be  longer;  the  former  was  but  temporal,  the  latter  will 
be  eternal. 

3.  The  day  of  his  birth  brought  him  into  a  state  of  changes,  but 
the  day  of  his  death  brings  him  into  an  unalterable  state.  Rev.  iii. 
12,  "  Him  that  overcometh  will  I  make  a  pillar  in  the  temple  of  ray 
God,  and  he  shall  go  no  more  out."  The  state  of  man  from  his 
birth  is  like  that  of  the  moon,  ever  waxing  or  waning,  never  ap- 
pearing with  its  former  face ;  he  is  still  lying  open  to  ungrateful 
alterations,  so  that  though  he  be  never  so  well  to-day,  he  cannot 
boast  of  to-morrow,  but  he  is  in  hazard  of  exposing  himself  as  rash, 
Prov.  xxxvii.  1.  But  in  the  day  of  death  the  last  change  comes, 
and  brings  him  into  an  unalterable  state  of  happiness ;  he  is  fixed 
for  ever  in  endless  joy  and  peace.  For  though  there  be  clouds  to 
overcast  in  the  lower,  there  are  none  in  the  upper  regions. 

Lastly,  The  day  of  the  saint's  death  brings  him  to,  and  settles 
him  in  better  exercise  and  employment  than  the  day  of  his  birth 
did.  He  will  spend  his  eternity  in  the  other  world,  better  than  he 
did  his  time  in  this  world,  how  well  soever  he  spent  it,  Rev.  iv.  8, 
"  They  rest  not  day  and  night,  saying,  Holy,  holy,  holy,  Lord 
God  almighty,  which  was,  and  is,  and  is  to  come."  There  is  a 
great  variety  of  men's  exercises  and  employments  here,  and  few  or 
none  are  so  exercised,  but  they  would  be  content  to  be  better  :  well, 


USE  OF  INFORMATlOIf.  493 

tlie  day  of  death  will  make  it  far  better  wilh  the  saints.     The  odds 
will  be  great. 

1.  He  was  born  to  earthly  exercise  and  employment,  but  he  dies 
to  heavenly.  When  he  is  born,  he  falls  a  sucking  his  mother's 
breast,  that  is  all  he  can  do  ;  when  he  dies,  he  falls  a  sucking  in 
abundantly  the  divine  consolations.  As  he  grows  up,  he  is  put  to 
learn  ;  when  he  dies,  he  is  irradiated  in  a  moment  with  a  light 
that  dispels  all  his  darkness.  When  he  is  come  to  years  of  action, 
he  is  employed  in  some  labour  of  the  hand,  or  of  the  mind,  when  he 
dies  he  is  beyond  all  labour,  but  is  active  in  the  glorifying  and  en- 
joying of  God,  which  was  the  great  end  of  his  creation. 

2.  He  is  born  to  wearisome,  sorrowful,  and  heavy  exercises  ;  he 
dies  to  joyful,  comfortable,  and  eternally  refreshing  exercise.  As 
he  was  much  employed  in  sighing  here,  he  will  be  employed  in  sing- 
ing there.  Many  a  time  he  laboured  in  vain  here,  but  there  will  be 
no  labour  in  vain  there  ;  he  will  always  reach  his  end,  being  ar- 
rived at  the  state  of  perfection. 

Lastlif,  He  was  born  to  such  exercise,  as  he  was  not  able  to  con- 
tinue with,  but  needed  rest ;  and  so  a  great  part  of  his  time  was 
spent  in  doing  nothing,  but  taking  the  necessary  rest;  but  he  dies 
to  such  exercise,  as  he  shall  endure  with  continually,  needing  no 
rest  by  sleep  or  the  like.  Rev.  iv.  8.  There  is  no  night  there,  for 
it  is  not  needed  there. 

I  shall  now  shut  up  this  subject,  with  some  application  of  what 
has  been  said. 

U«E  I.  Of  information.     This  shows  us, 

1.  That  whatever  good  things  the  saints  have  in  hand,  they  have 
more  in  hope.  If  they  were  born  to  never  so  great  things,  as  Solo- 
mon was  to  a  crown,  yet  they  die  to  greater  things.  Whatever 
they  enjoy  in  this  world,  as  men,  or  as  Christians,  they  will  en- 
joy more  in  the  other  world  ;  their  best  things  come  last. 

2.  Whatever  afflictions,  trials,  and  crosses  in  life  they  have  been 
born  to,  there  is  a  time  coming  wherein  all  their  losses  will  be 
made  up,  and  their  heaviest  weights  will  be  downweighed  with  com- 
forts, Isa.  Ixvi.  13.  Sometimes  when  the  waves  of  trouble  are  over- 
flowing, they  are  apt  to  look  back  on  the  day  of  their  birth  with  a 
grudge,  that  brought  them  into  such  a  troubleous  sea.  Job  iii.  3 ; 
Jer.  XX.  14,  IH.  But  that  is  their  infirmity,  their  impatience.  Let 
them  wait  a  little,  and  they  will  see  there  is  a  better  day  coming. 

3.  Sense  is  no  good  judge  of  what  is  best  or  worst.  Of  all  things 
death  is  the  most  terrible  to  sense ;  therefore  in  the  day  of  death 
there  is  nothing  but  groaning,  sighing,  and  mourning;  whereas  in 
the  day  of  one's  birth,  there  is  feasting  and  rejoicing.     Yet  to  a 


494  EXHORTATION  TO  SAIXTS. 

good  man  tlie  day  of  his  death  is  better  than  the  day  of  his  birth. 
Such  is  the  doctrine  of  faith,  quite  opposite  to  tliat  of  sense.  They 
must  be  ill  guided  then  that  walk  by  sense. 

4.  There  must  be  another  life  besides  this,  and  a  far  more  happy 
one ;  otherwise  the  day  of  death  that  takes  us  away  from  all  the 
comforts  of  this  life,  which  the  day  of  our  birth  brings  us  into, 
could  not  be  better  than  the  day  of  our  birth.  The  day  of  a  good 
man's  birth  ushers  in  a  holy  and  happy  life,  though  imperfect; 
which  must  certainly  be  better  than  no  life  at  all. 

Lastly,  There  is  a  way  to  take  off  the  terror  of  death,  and  to 
make  the  dying-day  our  best  day,  better  than  the  day  of  our  birth. 
That  matter  depends  on  the  improving  of  life.  Our  life  time  is 
our  seed  time  for  the  other  world,  and  death  is  the  harvest ;  accord- 
ing as  we  live  now,  so  will  the  crop  be  that  we  will  have  to  reap 
then.  Gal.  vi.  8. 

Use  II.  Of  exhortation.     1.  To  saints.     2.  To  sinners,  and  all. 

First,  Saints,  whose  chief  business  in  life  has  been,  and  is,  to  im- 
prove life  to  the  raising  of  the  good  name,  let  this  serve  to  bring 
you  into  good  terras  with  death.  Death  will  not  be  to  you,  what  it 
will  be  to  others,  the  storm  is  changed  into  a  calm ;  and  it  will  be 
your  best  day,  better  than  the  day  of  your  birth.  And  that  you 
may  know  to  whom  this  belongs,  it  is  designed  for  those  of  a  three- 
fold character,  agreeable  to  what  was  said  before.  This  comfort- 
able message  is, 

1.  For  you  who  have  made  it  your  business  to  obtain  the  favour 
and  friendship  of  God,  by  taking  hold  of  God's  covenant  of  free 
grace,  uniting  with  Christ  the  head  of  it,  through  faith  ;  and  whose 
main  concern  in  life  is  to  be  found  in  him,  Phil.  iii.  8 — 11.  Have 
you  been  awakened  to  see  your  lost  state  by  nature,  illuminated  in 
the  knowledge  of  Christ  as  the  only  remedy,  and  brought  to  embrace 
him  in  the  free  covenant  as  the  sufficient  and  only  way  to  the 
Father?  Why  truly  being  thus  implanted  in  Christ,  the  day  of 
your  death  will  be  better  than  the  day  of  your  birth. 

2.  Ye  whose  main  care  it  is  in  the  course  of  your  life  to  please 
God,  Col.  i.  10,  as  a  wife  is  to  please  her  husband,  and  a  servant  his 
master,  and  one  his  friend  and  benefactor,  1  Pet.  ii.  9.  Are  you  so 
disposed,  that  you  dare  not  please  men,  at  the  expense  of  his  dis- 
pleasure ?  Gal.  i.  10.  Have  you  renounced  your  own  will,  as  to 
your  duty,  and  as  to  your  lot  ?  Have  you  laid  aside  the  pleasing 
of  yourselves,  and  your  own  lusts,  that  that  is  no  more  the  scope  of 
your  life,  but  to  please  God,  Rom.  xv.  1,  3.  Is  the  scope  of  your 
life,  to  please  him  in  doing  and  in  bearing  ?  And  whei'ein  ye  see  you 
have  displeased  him,  are  ye  displeased  with  yourselves,  confess,  mourn 


EXIIOUTATION  TO  SAINTS.  495 

over  it,  apply  to  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  long  for  the  day  when  ye 
shall  displease  him  no  more  ?  If  so,  the  day  of  your  death  will  be 
better  than  the  day  of  your  birth ;  you  will  be  pleased  for  ever. 

3.  Te  whose  business  in  the  world  is  to  serve  your  generation  in 
real  usefulness  to  others,  as  ye  have  access  in  your  several  stations 
and  relations,  Acts  xiii.  36.  Are  you  so  disposed,  as  that,  out  of 
regard  to  the  God  above,  you  dare  not  be  mischievous  and  hurtful 
to  others,  even  when  it  is  in  the  power  of  your  hand  ?  Job  xxxi.  21 — 
23.  Do  ye  look  upon  uselessness  for  God  or  men  in  the  world,  with 
a  horror ;  and  upon  yourselves  but  as  stewards  of  your  time,  gifts, 
substance,  opportunities  of  usefulness,  for  which  we  must  give  an 
account  to  God,  and  therefore  lay  out  yourselves  to  improve  your 
talents,  and  do  good  thereby  ?  Has  the  warm  influence  of  divine 
grace  opened  your  shell  of  selfishness,  wherein  ye  sometime  lay 
snug,  careful  for  nothing  but  your  own  sweet  self ;  and  brought  you 
out  with  a  public  spirit  to  be  useful  in  God's  word  as  ye  have 
access?  with  a  benevolent  disposition  to  do  good  to  mankind?  If 
so,  the  day  of  your  death  will  be  better  than  the  day  of  your  birth. 
And  therefore  I  exhort  you  to  the  following  duties. 

First,  Be  mortified  to  life,  and  abate  of  your  fondness  for  it. 
There  is  nothing  in  the  world  we  naturally  stick  to  more  closely 
than  life,  Job  ii.  4.  But  certainly  there  is  a  necessity  of  being  mor- 
tified to  it,  to  have  our  desires  after  it  deadened  in  a  regular  way, 
Luke  xiv.  26,  "  If  any  man  come  to  me,  and  hate  not  his  father,  and 
mother, — yea,  and  his  own  life  also,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple." 
"Without  question,  there  may  be  a  too  great  eagerness  for  life, 
which  is  sinful  in  all,  and  most  unbecoming  saints. 

Ques.  How  far  should  we  be  mortified  to  life  ? 

Ans.  1.  So  far  as  not  to  quarrel  the  unalterable  statute  of  death, 
Heb.  ix.  27.  Sin  brought  in  death ;  by  it  mankind  forfeited  life. 
Many  ills  it  brought  into  the  world,  but  a  short  life  in  this 
world  was  really  the  least  ill  that  it  brought  in.  We  see  this 
statute  was  just,  that  it  has  been  exactly  observed  from  generation 
to  generation.  Our  hearts  should  comply  with  it,  saying,  Even  so  be 
it,  and  should  have  no  grudge  against  it.  Why  should  the  rocks 
be  removed  for  us  ? 

2.  So  far  as  not  to  desire,  though  it  were  at  our  option,  to  stay 
always  in  this  world,  Job  vii.  16.  That  is  certainly  an  unmortified 
desire  of  life,  to  wish  this  life  were  eternal  to  us ;  and  a  habit  of  it 
argues  a  graceless  state.  It  was  a  profane  tale  of  a  cardinal  of 
Paris,  that  he  would  bo  content  to  forfeit  his  part  of  the  happiness 
of  heaven,  if  he  might  live  here  for  ever.  Grace  in  the  heart  cer- 
tainly mortifies  men  to  this  life ;   they  that  are  born  from  above 


496  EXnORTATIOX  TO  SATXTS. 

will  certainly  desire  to  be  above ;  they  that  are  united  to  Christ, 
will  certainly  desire  to  be  with  him ;  and  therefore  the  Christian 
course  is  a  coming  up  out  of  the  wilderness,  where,  though  they 
must  sojourn  for  a  while,  they  will  not  desire  to  fix  their  abode, 
Cant.  viii.  3. 

So  far  as  to  be  content  to  part  with  it  at  God's  call,  Luke  xiv. 
26.  God  is  Lord  of  our  life,  he  has  set  each  of  us  in  our  post  in 
life,  to  stand  till  he  give  order  to  relieve  us.  As  we  quarrelled  not 
his  setting  us  on  the  stage  of  life  by  our  birth  ;  so  we  should  be  con- 
tent to  come  off  again  when  he  calls  us  by  death.  The  time,  way, 
and  manner  of  our  leaving  it,  we  should  leave  contentedly  to  his 
disposal. 

Lastly,  So  far  as  never  to  desire  to  live  just  for  living's  sake,  but 
for  the  solid  advantage  of  life.  This  life  is  such  a  mass  of  vanity, 
that  it  is  not  desirable  for  itself,  but  some  circumstances  that  attend 
it.  So  we  may  desire  to  live  to  honour  God  in  the  world,  and  to  be 
useful,  Isa.  xxxviii.  19.  And  if  we  should  be  laid  by  from  usefulness 
in  the  way  of  doing,  we  may  be  content  to  live  for  usefulness  in  the 
way  of  suffering.  But  life  is  not  to  be  desired  stript  of  all  manner 
of  usefulness  ;  for  that  is  to  make  ourselves,  not  God,  our  chief  end. 
Now  to  mortify  you  to  life,  consider, 

(1.)  The  uncertainty  of  it;  it  is  but  a  shadow,  you  know  not  how 
soon  it  may  be  gone ;  a  vapour,  that  may  vanish  ere  you  are  aware. 
I  may  say  then,  as  Prov.  xxiii.  5,  "  Wilt  thou  set  thine  eyes  upon 
that  which  is  not  ?"  What  folly  is  it  to  let  the  heart  too  fondly  out 
on  that  which  in  a  moment  one  may  loose,  and  every  moment  hangs 
at  uncertainty  ?  It  is  surely  wisdom  to  sit  loose  to  that  which  we  are 
never  sure  of. 

(2.)  The  unsatisfactoriness  of  it.  Every  period  of  life,  however 
promising  it  may  be  at  the  entry  on  it,  will  leave  you  disappointed 
in  your  progress  in  it,  and  coming  oflF  from  it,  Eccl.  i.  8.  There  is 
nothing  in  it  or  about  it,  that  belongs  not  to  the  other  life,  wherein 
the  heart  of  man  can  find  a  rest.  Still  the  bed  is  shorter,  stretch  it 
as  ye  will,  than  that  ye  can  lie  on  it. 

(3.)  The  sinfulness  of  it.  There  is  none  liveth,  and  sinneth  not. 
That  indeed  makes  life  desirable  to  sinners,  that  since  they  cannot 
part  with  their  sins,  they  cannot  think  to  part  with  life  neither ; 
for  that  then  all  occasion  of  satisfying  their  lusts  is  cut  off  for  ever. 
But  certainly  it  must  mortify  saints  to  life,  that  they  cannot  have 
it,  but  there  is  sinning  with  it,  2  Cor.  v.  4.  Rom.  vii.  24. 

(4.)  The  troubles  of  it,  the  many  afflictions  and  trials  that  attend 
it.  These  indeed  should  not  make  us  impatient  to  be  away,  like 
Jonah,  chap.  iv.  8.    For  they  are  our  trials  we  are  put  upon  for  the 


EXHORTATION  TO  SAIKTS.  497 

other  world,  which  we  are  resolutely  to  bear  with  patience  and  resig- 
nation, and  so  discover  the  reality  of  the  grace  of  God  in  us.  But 
they  may  well  be  allowed  to  mortify  us  to  this  life  ;  for  that  is  one 
of  the  ends  they  are  sent  for,  to  be  as  gall  and  wormwood  laid  on 
the  breast  to  wean  us.  And  the  wisdom  of  providence  is  to  be 
adored  in  that,  ordinarily  towards  the  end  of  life,  troubles  come  on 
thicker  than  they  were  wont,  as  in  the  case  of  our  Saviour. 

(5.)  There  is  a  better  life  than  it  abiding  you  in  the  other  world, 
Heb.  xi.  16.  The  faith  of  the  palace  in  heaven  would  mortify  one 
to  the  cottage  of  clay  here ;  for  why  should  they  be  foudly  addicted 
to  their  present  state,  whom  a  better  state  is  awaiting  ?  It  is  our 
conversing  so  little  with  heaven  that  makes  us  so  fond  of  the  earth. 
Were  we  viewing  the  promised  land  more,  with  faith's  prospect,  we 
would  be  more  disengaged  from  this  wilderness-world. 

Lastly,  The  state  of  imperfection  inseparably  attends  this  life ; 
that  there  is  no  getting  beyond  the  former,  till  ye  get  beyond  the 
latter.  You  may  struggle  as  you  will  towards  perfection,  and  if 
you  be  real  saints,  you  will  do  it,  Phil.  iii.  14.  from  an  inward 
principle  not  managed  by  the  prospect  of  the  event ;  but  you  will 
never  reach  it,  till  this  life  be  at  an  end.  Rise  up  as  oft  as  ye  will, 
wash  and  Avatch  ;  ye  will  fall  again  and  defile  yourselves,  till  the 
day  of  death  put  an  end  to  that  weary  work. 

Secondly,  Be  not  frightened  at  death,  nor  afraid  with  any  amaze- 
ment, Is.  XXXV.  4.  To  make  a  jest  of  dying  argues  contempt  of  God, 
and  secret  desperation  ;  to  be  careless  and  unconcerned  about  it,  a 
carnal  security  that  will  have  a  frightful  awakening.  To  be  in  deep 
concern  about  it  becomes  all ;  but  to  be  frightened  and  put  into  dis- 
order by  the  view  of  it,  is  unbecoming  saints.     To  allay  that  terror, 

1.  Consider,  that  in  the  day  you  embraced  Christ  in  the  covenant, 
you  certainly  did  it  in  view  of  your  dying,  to  lay  do>vn  measures 
for  eternity.  Why  then  should  ye  be  frightened  at  that  which  ye 
have  been  thinking  of  and  preparing  for  before  ?  Leave  that  to 
them  who  have  been  carelessly  dreaming  away  their  life  time. 

2.  Death,  though  a  grim  messenger,  is  Christ's  messenger  of 
good  to  you,  to  carry  you  away  in  peace,  Luke  ii.  29.  It  is  like 
the  waggons  that  Joseph  sent  to  bring  Jacob  into  Egypt  to  hira. 
And  faith's  ear  opened,  would  hear  the  voice  to  the  dying  Christian, 
saying,  as  Gen.  xlvi.  3,  4.  "  I  am  God,  the  God  of  thy  father ;  fear 
not  to  go  down  into  Egypt. — I  will  go  down  with  thee  into  Egypt ; 
and  I  will  also  surely  bring  thee  up  again."  It  is  such  a  call  as 
Peter  had  from  Christ  to  come  to  him  upon  the  water.  And  how- 
ever boisterous  the  wind  and  black  the  water  may  be,  there  is  no 
fear  of  sinking  to  the  ground  :  only  believe. 


498  EXIIORTATIOK  TO  SAINTS. 

3.  In  your  st.uggles  against  sin,  and  wrestling  with  temptations, 
liave  ye  not  sometimes  looked  wistly  for  death's  relief  ?  Rom.  vii. 
24  ;  Cant.  viii.  5.  Have  ye  not  comforted  yourself  in  the  prospect 
of  cold  death's  drowning  out  those  passions  and  lusts,  that  have  so 
often  taken  fire  again  after  a  flood  of  godly  sorrow  going  over 
them  ?  "Why  then  should  you  be  put  in  a  fright  and  disorder  at 
the  view  of  its  approach  ? 

4.  It  were  inconsistent  with  God's  honour,  and  the  glory  and 
dignity  of  Christ,  to  put  off  his  friends  and  followers,  with  that  kind 
of  life  he  gives  them  here,  Heb.  xi.  16.  One  may  be  confirmed  in 
this,  considering  1  Cor.  xv.  19,  "  If  in  this  life  only  we  have  hope 
in  Christ,  we  are  of  all  men  most  miserable."  Therefore  of  neces- 
sity all  their  losses  must  be  made  up  in  the  other  life.  Why  then 
should  saints  be  angry  at  their  blessings,  and  be  frighted  at  the 
Lord's  coming  to  accomplish  all  his  promises  ? 

5.  The  upper  world  is  the  world  of  peace  and  love,  Abraham's 
bosom.  There  are  gone  thither  before  us  our  godly  acquaintances, 
whom  we  once  looked  on  as  the  excellent  of  the  earth,  the  loss  of 
whose  society  was  heavy  ;  we  will  get  it  there  again.  The  holy 
angels  will  be  loving  and  lovely  companions.  He  who  on  earth  died 
for  us  while  enemies,  how  loving  and  lovely  will  he  appear  there, 
where  we  shall  be  perfect  ?  God  is  love  itself,  and  there  his  in- 
finite love  will  be  displayed  in  an  inconceivable  manner. 

Lastly,  Christ  passed  the  ford  before  you,  has  altered  the  nature 
of  the  waters,  Rom.  viii.  34,  and  caused  them  to  abate;  and  now 
he  bids  you  follow,  for  that  there  is  no  fear.  Cant.  ii.  10,  11.  Keep 
the  eye  of  faith  on  Christ,  who  forded  the  waters  of  death  before 
you,  and  that  will  be  a  mean  to  abate  the  terror. 

Thirdly,  Familiarize  death  to  yourself.  Job  xvii.  13,  14.  Do  not 
keep  at  a  distance  from  it  in  your  thoughts.  I  would  not  have  the 
terror  of  death  rob  you  of  the  comfort  of  life ;  but  it  is  the  greatest 
folly  for  a  man  to  wind  up  himself  so  in  the  comforts  and  amuse- 
ments of  life,  as  to  debar  the  serious  thoughts  of  death  ;  and  can 
serve  no  end,  but  to  bring  sudden  and  remediless  ruin  ;  for  whether 
men  will  think  of  death,  and  prepare  for  it,  or  not ;  it  will  be  in 
on  them  at  length.  And  what  we  must  meet  with,  it  is  best  to  ac- 
quaint ourselves  with  before.     Therefore, 

1.  Be  frequent  in  your  taking  a  view  of  the  other  world,  with  the 
help  of  the  prospect  of  the  word,  to  be  looked  through  by  the  eye  of 
faith.  Be  often  as  it  were  getting  up  to  the  top  of  Pisgah,  thence  to 
view  the  promised  land.  You  cannot  get  thither  for  a  trial,  to  come 
back  again.  Job  xiv.  14.  but  there  is  a  map  of  it  drawn  in  the  Bible, 
by  considering  of  which  you  may  be  brought  acquainted  with  it. 


EXHORTATION  TO  SAINTS.  499 

2.  Be  often  viewing  the  passage  thereto.  The  Jordan  of  death 
runs  betwixt  it  and  this  our  wilderness,  and  by  it  is  the  passage 
we  must  all  take.  We  will  not  get  an  essay  made  of  it,  that  we 
may  mend  at  one  time  what  we  marred  at  another;  there  is  the 
more  need  then  to  look  well  and  often  to  it  before  we  enter  in, 
which  we  know  not  how  soon  we  may  be  obliged  to. 

Lastly,  Let  your  hearts  be  habitually  disposed  to  these  views,  to 
notice  the  many  memorials  of  them  that  Providence  has  furnished. 
There  are  still  some  dropping  off  into  that  world,  some  young,  some 
aged.  What  is  every  winter,  but  an  emblem  of  death ;  and  every 
spring,  but  an  emblem  of  the  other  world  and  the  resurrection  ? 
Yea  every  night  is  the  grave  of  the  former  day,  as  the  following 
day  empties  the  grave  again. 

Fourthly,  Raise  comfortable  expectations  from  death.  View  the 
day  of  death  in  the  light  wherein  our  text  sets  it,  and  behold  it  is 
a  good  day,  the  best  day. 

1.  Expect  it  as  the  day  that  Avill  better  your  coudition,  however 
heavy  that  is  now,  Ps.  xvi.  9.  Though  ye  have  many  heavy  days 
in  your  life,  partly  from  your  own  corruption,  partly  from  the  cor- 
ruption of  others ;  partly  from  the  holy  hand  of  God  for  trial, 
partly  from  the  devil  seeking  your  destruction ;  look  to  the  day 
of  death,  as  what  will  set  all  to  rights,  and  bring  in  to  you  what 
heart  can  wish.  The  day  of  death  to  a  child  of  God  is  his  mar- 
riage day,  Mat.  xxv.  the  day  wherein  the  traveller  coraes  home 
from  abroad  to  his  father's  house,  the  day  wherein  he  is  past  his 
minority,  and  enters  to  his  inheritance. 

2.  Expect  it  as  the  day  that  will  establish  your  condition.  Rev. 
iii.  12.  Your  condition  is  wavering  and  uncertain  now,  Psal, 
XXX.  6,  7.  Sometimes  your  soul's  case  is  prosperous,  but  ere  you 
are  aware  it  is  all  wrong  again ;  sometimes  washed  fair  and  clean  in 
the  fountain,  anon  ye  are  lying  in  the  mire  again  ;  sometimes  ye  have 
your  feet  on  the  neck  of  your  corruptious,  anon  they  trample  you 
under  foot ;  sometimes  ye  can  raise  one  of  the  songs  of  Zion,  anon 
the  harps  are  quite  out  of  tune,  hanged  on  the  willows.  Sometimes 
your  outward  condition  is  smiling;  but  that  lasts  not,  it  turns 
gloomy,  and  troubles  break  in  perhaps  from  all  quarters  together, 
the  springs  of  your  comfort  run  bitterness,  and  your  worldly  com- 
forts are  dried  up  one  after  another.  But  look  forward  to  the  day 
of  death,  as  what  will  end  all  ungrateful  changes. 

Fifthly,  Work  your  heart  to,  and  entertain  a  regular  desire  of 
death.  The  day  of  death  is  certainly  to  a  child  of  God  an  object 
of  desire ;  the  apostle  profcsseth  it,  Phil.  i.  23.  "  I  desire  to  depart, 
and  to  be   with   Christ;"  and  that  in  the  name  of  all  the  saints, 


500  EXHORTATION  TO  SAINTS. 

2  Cor.  V.  2.  **  For  in  tins  we  groan  earnestly,  desiring  to  be  clothed 
upon  with  our  house  which  is  from  heaven."  And  it  is  a  piece  of 
good  preperation  for  death. 

Qucs.  What  is  the  regular  desire  of  death  ? 

A-iis.  I.  For  the  matter  of  it,  it  lies  in  these  three  things. 

(1.)  A  desire  of  it  as  the  passage  to  uninterrupted  communion 
with  God  in  Christ,  Phil,  i.  25.  Sometimes  it  ariseth  from  the 
saints'  want  of  communion  with  God,  which  being  uneasy  does 
rightly  make  death  desirable,  as  that  which  would  make  up  that 
want,  and  secure  against  it  any  more  for  ever  ;  sometimes  from  the 
sense  of  the  sweetness  of  that  communion.  Cant.  viii.  6.  But  the 
enjoyment  of  God  being  a  part  of  man's  chief  end,  death  is  desirable 
as  a  means  to  it. 

(2.)  A  desire  of  it  as  the  passage  to  perfection  in  holiness,  Phil, 
iii.  14.  Thus  the  man  desire th  it  that  he  may  be  free  of  sin,  and 
put  beyond  the  possibility  of  sinning  more,  Rom.  vii.  24,  that  he 
may  be  in  capacity  to  serve  the  Lord  without  marring  or  wearying 
of  the  work.  This  is  the  main  ])art  of  man's  chief  end,  and  there- 
fore death  must  be  desirable  as  a  means  thereto. 

(3.)  A  desire  of  it  as  an  entrance  into  rest.  The  rest  of  death  is 
promised  to  the  saints  for  their  comfort  in  all  their  heavy  and  rest- 
less circumstances,  Isa.  Ivii.  2.  And  therefore  it  must  be  desirable 
under  that  consideration.  It  is  very  natural  for  the  tossed  in  a 
storm,  to  be  desirous  to  be  ashore,  for  the  weary  labourer  to  desire 
to  have  ease,  and  for  the  Christian  to  desire  his  eternal  and  perfect 
rest.  Job  vii.  2. 

2.  For  the  quality  regulating  it,  it  must  be  accompanied  with 
entire  resignation  to  the  will  of  God,  Matt.  vi.  10.  "We  must  in  our 
desire  of  it  even  on  these  accounts  be  resigned  to  the  will  of  God. 

(1.)  As  to  the  time,  we  must  never  be  peremptory  as  to  that,  but 
wait  the  time  prefixed  of  God,  Job  xiv.  14.  He  will  keep  us  no 
longer  in  life,  than  he  has  use  for  us  either  in  the  way  of  doing  or 
suffering ;  and  we  must  be  content  to  wait  his  time  for  our  admit- 
tance into  uninterrupted  communion  to  perfection  of  holiness,  and 
into  rest ;  and  to  be  peremptory  for  rest  at  our  time,  and  resolved 
to  suffer  no  more,  while  yet  God  dischargeth  us  not  as  devilish,  and 
exposeth  to  eternal  suffering,  as  the  sentry  deserting  his  post  is 
deservedly  put  to  death. 

(2.)  As  to  the  way  and  manner.  There  are  many  ways  of  going 
out  of  the  world,  we  must  leave  it  to  the  Lord,  which  will  be  the 
way  for  us ;  whether  the  way  of  lingering  sickness  or  sudden  death, 
natural,  or  violent  by  the  hand  of  man.  I  think,  if  God  should 
refer  it  to  us,  we  should  refer  it  back  to  him. 


EXHORTATION  TO  SAINTS.  601 

Secondly,  Sinners,  and  all  whosoever  would  have  the  day  of 
death  better  to  you  than  the  day  of  your  birth,  improve  life  for  that 
end.  To  sum  up  your  duty  in  a  word,  as  you  have  already  heard, 
(1.)  Let  it  be  your  great  care  and  concern  to  get  the  favour  and 
friendship  of  God  through  Christ,  by  taking  hold  of  God's  covenant 
of  free  grace,  uniting  with  Christ  the  head  of  it,  through  faith  in 
his  name.  (2.)  Lead  your  life  a  life  to  the  honour  of  God,  studying 
to  please  him  in  all  things.  Renounce  your  own  will,  and  your  own 
corrupt  affections,  and  wholly  give  up  yourselves  to  him,  to  be  ruled 
by  him,  and  governed  by  his  laws.  (3.)  Live  usefully  for  men. 
Lay  out  yourselves  to  promote  the  spiritual  and  temporal  welfare 
of  all  ye  have  access  to  in  your  station.  By  these  means,  and  no 
other  way,  ye  will  obtain  the  good  name,  by  which  your  dying-day 
will  be  better  to  you  than  your  birth-day. 


CHRIST'S  SPECIAL  ORDER  FOR  GATHERING  HIS  SAINTS  TO  HIM 
AT  THE  LAST  DAY;  WITH  THEIR  DISTINGUISHING  CHARACTER, 
AS  ENTERING   INTO   HIS  COVENANT  NOW,   CONSIDERED. 

The  substance  of  several  Sermons  preached  at  Ettrick,  in  May,  1730. 


Psalm  L.  5. 

Gather  my  saints  together  unto  me :    those  that  have  made  a  covenant 
with  me  hy  sacrifice. 

Looking  forward  to  the  other  world,  we  will  see  a  great  gathering 
to  come,  a  gathering  of  saints,  and  a  gathering  of  sinners ;  what 
part  we  shall  have  in  these,  depends  on  the  entertainment  we  noAV 
give  to  the  gathering  unto  Christ,  in  the  covenant ;  they  that  will 
not  now  be  gathered  to  Christ  in  the  bond  of  the  covenant,  will 
then  be  driven  from  him,  and  gathered  with  sinners  into  the  pit ; 
they  that  gather  now  to  him  in  that  bond,  will  be  gathered  to  him 
in  glory  then.  Gather  my  saints  together  unto  me:  those  that  have 
made  a  covenant  luith  me  hy  sacrifice. 

This  psalm  certainly  I'elates  to  the  coming  of  Christ  for  judgment, 
ver.  3.  "  Our  God  shall  come,  and  shall  not  keep  silence ;  a  fire 
shall  devour  before  him,  and  it  shall  be  very  tempestuous  round 
about  him."  But  whether  to  his  first  coming,  to  abolish  the  cere- 
monial law,  set  up  the  simple  gospel-worship,  and  to  judge,  con- 
demn, and  take   vengeance  on  the  formal  superstitious  Jews,  dc- 

YoL.  V.  2  k 


502  THK  CONTEXT  EXPLAIlfED. 

stroying  their  temple,  and  ruining  their  kingdom ;  or  to  his  second 
coming  to  judge  the  world,  is  a  question.  I  think  it  is  plain  it 
relates  to  both,  the  former  as  an  emblem,  pledge,  and  type  of  the 
other :  and  thus  we  find  them  stated  by  our  Saviour  himself.  Matt. 
xxiv.  Only  the  coming  of  the  Judge  is  expressed  in  terms,  directly 
and  immediately  looking  to  his  second  coming,  as  the  procedure  and 
issue  in  terms  directly  and  immediately  looking  to  his  first  coming. 
So  our  text  falling  within  the  former  part,  we  have  all  ground  to 
consider  it  as  relating  to  the  other  world.     In  this  psalm, 

1.  "We  have  the  party  in  whose  name  the  court  is  called  and 
held.  It  is  in  the  name  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  Heb.  "  God  !  God  ! 
Jehovah  ;  he  hath  spoken,"  Sec.  God  will  judge  the  world  by  the 
man  Christ. 

2.  The  issuing  out  of  the  summons  to  the  whole  world,  called 
the  earth  from  the  rising  of  the  sun,  unto  the  going  down  thereof ; 
from  east  to  west,  from  the  one  end  to  the  other.  All  nations  must 
come  to  it,  Asian,  European,  African,  American,  Christian  nations, 
and  Jews,  Mahommedan,  and  Pagan  nations. 

3.  From  whence  the  Judge  sets  forth,  making  his  glorious  ap- 
pearance. At  the  giving  of  the  law  he  came  from  Sinai  with  terri- 
ble majesty,  Deut.  xxxiii.  2.  At  this  his  appearance  he  will  come 
from  Zion,  the  city  of  the  living  God,  namely,  from  heaven,  the 
church  being  so  called  as  a  heaven  on  earth.  Thence  he  will  come 
shining  in  power  and  great  glory.  He  comes  out  of  Zion,  because 
he  comes  as  a  Saviour  to  his  own,  and  that  now  men  having  heard 
the  gospel,  are  judged  according  to  it. 

4.  His  awful  coming  to  the  judgment.  He  is  God,  as  well  as 
man.  Devouring  fire  shall  be  his  harbinger,  2  Thess.  i,  8.  But 
will  any  then  bid  him  welcome  ?  Yes,  his  people  will.  Heb.  "  Let 
our  God  come  ;  and  let  him  not  be  silent,"  q.  d.  Come,  Lord 
Jesns !  Be  not  as  one  deaf,  to  the  cries  and  sighs  of  thy  friends, 
and  the  tumult  of  thine  enemies.  Sometime  his  people,  doubting 
and  fearing,  trembled  at  the  thoughts  of  his  coming  ;  but  then  they 
will  be  beyond  all  these,  seeing  the  day  their  own. 

5.  Whither  the  summons  shall  be  directed.  To  the  heavens, 
where  the  souls  of  the  blessed  are  that  are  dead;  to  the  earth, 
where  the  living  are,  good  and  bad,  and  where  the  bodies  of  the 
dead  are,  under  which  is  comprehended  hell,  where  the  souls  of  the 
wicked  are.  Rev.  xx.  13. 

6.  A  special  gracious  order  in  favour  of  his  people,  in  the  words 
of  the  text.  Now  comes  the  time  of  setting  all  to  rights  with  them, 
completing  their  desires,  and  full  answering  of  all  their  expecta- 
tions from  him. 


THE  TEXT  EXPLAINED.  503 

1st,  We  have  the  order  in  itself,  "  Gather  ray  saints  together  unto 
me;"  wherein  consider, 

(1.)  The  parties  in  favour  of  whom  it  is  issued  out.  It  is  the 
saints,  holy  ones,  Heaven's  favourites,  beneficent  ones  that  were 
useful  in  their  generation.  These  were  sometimes  little  regarded 
in  this  world;  but  then  they  will  be  the  only  persons  that  will  be 
regarded.  Christ  the  Judge  will  acknowledge  them  as  his  own, 
Mai.  iii.  17-  "  They  are  my  saints ;  the  world  disowned  them,  and 
contemned  them  ;  and  I  was  silent,  and  many  time  seemed  not  to 
own  them  neither.  But  now  I  will  speak  out  in  their  favour,  1  own 
them  to  be  mine  whoever  are  saints."  Then  farewell  all  other 
marks  of  distinction  among  men,  rich  and  poor,  healthy  and  sickly, 
learned  or  unlearned:  saints  and  sinners  is  the  only  remaining  dis- 
tinction then. 

(2.)  What  is  ordered  about  them,  "  Gather  them  together  unto 
ME."  Gather  them  to  me  ;  not  before  me  only,  among  themselves  ; 
such  a  gathering  there  will  be  of  sinners  there,  as  well  as  saints, 
Matth.  XXV.  32.  But  gather  them  close  to  me,  says  Christ  the 
Judge,  that  they  may  be  where  I  am,  sit  with  me  on  my  throne,  be 
ever  with  me.  They  have  been  scattered  here  and  there  in  the 
cloudy  and  dark  day ;  now  gather  them  together,  and  that  to  me, 
as  my  members,  Gen.  xlix.  ult. 

(3.)  To  whom  the  order  is  directed.  It  is  plain  from  the  original, 
that  it  is  to  others  than  them,  and  to  a  plurality  ;  and  that  as 
plainly  shews  it  is  to  the  Judge's  attendants,  the  holy  angels,  Mark 
xiii.  27.  These  are  they  that  gather  the  tares  in  bundles  for  the 
fire,  and  the  wheat  to  the  Master  into  his  barn. 

2dli/,  The  parties  to  be  gathered  to  him  characterised,  "  Those 
that  have  made  a  covenant  with  me  by  sacrifice."  Their  names  not 
being  expressed  in  the  order,  how  shall  they  be  known  from  others  ? 
Why,  here  is  their  distinguishing  character.  Christ  the  Judge 
sometime  set  up  his  standard  in  the  world,  as  being  an  appointed 
head  for  sinners  to  gather  to,  Gen.  xlix.  10.  He  published  in  the 
gospel  sinners'  welcome,  and  invited  them  to  come  to  him  in  the 
bond  of  his  covenant.  While  some  slighted  him  and  the  covenant, 
they  came  into  it  and  so  were  gathered  to  him  by  faith,  while 
others  staid  away.  Now,  says  Christ,  all  those  that  gathered  to 
rae,  embracing  the  covenant  offered  to  them  in  the  gospel,  gather 
them  now  to  me,  that  they  may  receive  their  crown,  and  the  bene- 
fits of  that  covenant  in  fnll  tale.  But  the  further  explication  of  this 
part  of  the  text  shall  be  deferred  till  afterwards. 

From  the  first  clause  I  observe  the  following  doctrine,  viz. 

2k2 


004  OF  Christ's  second  coming. 

DocT.  "When  Christ  comes  again  to  put  an  end  to  this  world,  and 
complete  the  state  of  the  other  world,  he  will  publicly  own  the  saints 
as  his  own,  and  they  shall  be  honourably  gathered  to  him  by  his 
order. 

In  treating  of  this  doctrine,  I  shall, 

I.  Consider  the  time  of  these  great  events,  when  this  order  for 
gathering  the  saints  to  Christ  shall  be  given. 

II.  Christ's  public  owning  the  saints  as  his  own. 

III.  The  gathering  of  them  to  him. 
lY.  The  order  for  this  gathering. 

y.  Lastly,  Conclude  with  an  use  of  exhortation. 

I.  I  shall  consider  the  time  of  these  great  events,  when  this  order 
for  gathering  the  saints  to  Christ  shall  be  given.  It  will  be  at  his 
second  coming,  his  coming  to  the  general  judgment.  "What  number 
of  years  must  run  out  before  that,  we  know  not ;  only  we  know  that 
it  will  be,  and  it  is  drawing  on.  And  to  set  the  purpose  of  the  text 
in  due  light,  it  is  fit  here  to  consider. 

1.  That  Christ  will  certainly  come  again,  in  the  character  of  the 
Judge  of  the  world.  As  sure  as  he  came  the  first  time,  and  was 
judged,  condemned,  and  crucified  by  sinners ;  so  sure  will  he  come 
the  second  time  in  power  and  great  glory,  and  judge  the  world.  Acts 
i.  11.  "  This  same  Jesus  which  is  taken  up  from  you  unto  heaven, 
shall  so  come  in  like  manner  as  ye  have  seen  him  go  into  heaven." 
It  is  a  piece  of  his  exaltation,  and  reward  of  his  suff"erings,  for  which 
he  has  yet  trusted  his  Father,  and  has  not  yet  got :  but  it  is  impos- 
sible, by  reason  of  the  divine  faithfulness,  that  it  should  fail,  Phil.  ii. 
9,  10.  "  "Wherefore  God  also  hath  highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him 
a  name  which  is  above  every  name ;  that  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every 
knee  should  bow."  It  is  the  joint  desire  of  the  saints'  wrought  in 
them  by  the  Spirit,  that  he  should  come,  Rev.  xxii.  17.  "  The  Spirit 
and  the  bride  say.  Come ;"  to  which  he  echoes  back,  ver.  20.  "  Sure- 
ly I  come  quickly."  And  he  has  appointed  the  sacrament  of  the 
supper,  not  only  as  a  memorial  of  his  first  coming,  but  as  a  pledge 
of  his  second  coming,  1  Cor.  xi.  26. 

2.  "When  Christ  comes  again,  this  earth  will  be  very  throng,  and 
a  wonderful  mixture  will  be  in  it  more  than  ever  at  any  time  before  ; 
he  having  called  to  heaven,  and  the  other  receptacle  of  departed 
souls,  and  brought  thera  all  back  to  their  bodies  which  are  in  the 
earth.     Then  surely, 

(1.)  The  earth  will  be  thronger  than  ever,  though  there  will  be  no 
striving  then  for  more  room  in  it,  as  now ;  the  now  strivers  would 
then  be  content  to  be  lost  in  the  crowd.     But,  I  say,  it  will  then  be 


OF  TUE  TIME  OF  THE  SAINTS'  aATUERING  TO  CHRIST.  505 

a  thronger  earth  than  ever.  For  not  only  will  there  he  a  generation 
alive  on  it  as  now,  but  those  of  all  generations  before  them  from 
the  beginning  of  the  world  will  rise  up  among  them  too.  And  what 
a  throng  world  will  that  make  ? 

(2.)  There  will  bo  a  wonderful  mixture  then  in  it,  at  a  pitch  there 
never  was  before.  For  there  will  be  a  mixture  of  saints  and  sinners 
in  the  generations  then  alive  ;  and  besides,  all  the  saints  and  sin- 
ners of  former  generations  will  rise  up  among  them.  There  will  be 
a  mixture  of  Pagans  and  Christians,  Piipists  and  Protestants,  good 
and  bad,  sincere  Christians,  profane  and  formal  hypocrites.  For  in- 
stance, in  our  own  land,  there  have  been  generations  that  lived  and 
died  pagans  or  heathens,  others  that  lived  and  died  Papists  besides 
those  that  have  been  since  the  Reformation.  Now  all  these  lie  buried 
in  our  laud,  and  therefore  all  of  them  must  rise  there.  "What  a 
mixture  will  this  make  in  Scotland  ?  What  a  throng  is  in  our  church- 
yards, though  there  is  no  want  of  room  there  ?  but  the  mixture  can- 
not be  discerned  ;  there  is  no  discerning  the  difference  of  the  dust  of 
the  body  that  was  for  fornication,  and  that  which  was  for  the  Lord, 
there.     But  when  they  are  raised,  the  mixture  will  be  visible. 

(3.)  Only  that  will  be  a  throng  that  will  soon  be  separated,  a 
mixture  that  will  not  last,  but  quickly  be  done  away.  The  gather- 
ing of  the  saints  will  put  an  end  to  it,  which  being  done  by  the 
ministry  of  angels,  we  may  be  sure  will  be  quickly  dispatched. 

3.  AYhen  Christ  comes  again,  he  will  put  an  end  to  this  world 
ere  he  go.  His  very  first  appearance  will  put  an  end  to  the  busi- 
ness of  it.  All  trades,  employments,  and  diversions  in  this  world, 
will  be  dropt  that  moment  for  ever.  The  shepherd  Avill  not  give  a 
cry  or  a  look  more  to  his  sheep ;  nor  will  the  ploughman  make  out 
his  furrow,  nor  the  huntsman  pursue  his  game  a  step  further.  And 
ere  he  leave  it,  he  will  put  an  end  to  itself  by  setting  it  on  fire ; 
by  the  general  conflagration,  cities  and  villages,  mountains  and 
valleys  will  be  consumed  to  ashes;  so  that  it  shall  no  more  be 
capable  of  aflording  a  habitation  to  man  or  beast ;  while  withal  the 
heavens  that  cover  it  shall  pass  away,  2  Pet.  iii.  10. 

Lastly,  When  Christ  comes  again,  he  will  complete  and  settle  for 
ever  the  state  of  the  other  world.  Rev.  xxi.  5.  The  state  of  this 
world  is  fitted  for  men's  probation  and  trial,  and  is  very  variable ; 
the  state  of  the  other  world,  of  men,  and  afl"airs  in  it,  will  be  quite 
now,  suited  for  reward  of  men's  deeds  done  in  the  flesh ;  and  it  will 
be  made  unalterable  for  ever.  It  is  begun  already  in  the  case  of 
separate  souls,  godly  and  wicked ;  but  then  it  will  be  brought  to  a 
pitch — the  godly  made  happy,  the  wicked  miserable,  completely,  and 
settled  for  ever,  there  no  more  to  change. 


50(J  or  Christ's  publicly  owning  the  saints  as  his. 

II.  I  proceed  to  consider  Christ's  public  owning  the  saints  as  his 
own.  At  tliat  time  when  Christ  comes  again  for  these  great  pur- 
poses, what  will  be  the  lot  of  believers?  Why,  he  will  own  them 
as  his  saints.     We  may  take  up  this  in  the  following  things. 

1.  Saintship  will  be  the  only  mark  of  distinction  among  men 
then.  The  persons  of  distinction  now  are  those  descended  of  hon- 
ourable families,  the  rich  and  wealthy,  able  to  make  a  figure  in  a 
vain  world,  that  appear  in  their  gay  clothing ;  they  must  gather  by 
themselves  now,  others  must  know  and  keep  their  distance.  But 
then  all  that  kind  of  distinction  is  razed  for  ever,  and  there  is  an 
absolute  levelling.  The  only  persons  of  distinction  remaining  are 
the  saints,  to  be  honourably  gathered  to  the  great  King,  while 
others  are  all  to  be  cast  away  out  of  his  presence,  as  the  vile  trash 
of  this  world, 

2.  Saintship  will  then  be  declared  Christ's  badge.  In  all  ages  of 
the  world,  while  hypocrites  have  falsely  pretented  to  it,  it  has  been 
the  object  of  the  ridicule  of  the  profane,  and  an  eyesore  to  both, 
Isa.  lix.  15.  Saints  is  a  name  of  mockery  with  many;  but  they 
will  see  it  then  a  name  of  honour.  The  faith  that  is  without  works 
of  a  holy  tender  life,  whereby  people  pretend  to  be  believers  in 
Christ,  but  show  not  holiness  in  their  life,  will  leave  them  without 
the  mark.  Rev.  xiv.  1.  Only  a  faith  that  sanctifies  the  heart  and 
life  will  avail. 

8.  Those  that  have  borne  this  badge,  Christ  will  not  forget  nor 
misken.  Though  they  have  been  long  buried  and  out  of  mind  in 
the  world,  he  will  remember  them ;  though  they  have  lain  among  the 
pots,  under  various  afflictions,  reproaches,  and  ill  names,  he  will  not 
misken  them.  He  was  himself  once  in  a  very  low  condition,  but  then 
he  will  ai)pear  in  glory ;  and  so  shall  they  with  them,  Luke  xxii.  28, 
29.     All  the  filth  cast  on  them  will  then  be  wiped  off. 

4.  He  will  own  them  as  his  before  his  Father  and  the  holy  an- 
gels. Rev.  iii.  5.  "  He  that  overcometh,  I  will  coufess  his  name 
before  my  Father,  and  before  his  angels."  He  is  to  bring  them  into 
his  Father's  house  there  to  dwell  for  ever  ;  and  therefore  he  owns 
them  before  his  Father,  because  they  can  come  thither  only 
in  his  right.  They  are  to  be  the  companions  of  the  angels  for 
ever,  and  this  is  their  recommendation  to  them — they  are  my 
saints. 

Lastly,  The  grounds  of  his  special  propriety  in  them  shall  then  be 
opened  and  appear,  Mai.  iii.  17.  "  They  shall  be  mine,"  i.  e.  appear 
to  be  mine,  "  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  in  that  day  when  I  make  up 
my  jewels."  He  will  own  them  as  his  Father's  gift  to  him,  his  own 
purchase,  his  own  conquest  by  his  grace,  his  by  his  own  consent, 


OF  THE  GATnEEING  OF  THE  SAINTS  TO  CHRIST.  507 

participation  of  his  Spirit,  and  spiritual  marriage ;  his  people,  his 
brethren,  his  spouse,  his  own  members  mystical. 

III.  I  shall  next  consider  the  gathering  of  them  to  hira.  This 
gathering, 

1.  Pre-supposes  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  saints,  and  the 
changing  of  those  found  alive.  Of  the  ministry  of  the  angels  in 
these  we  find  no  mention ;  the  voice  of  Christ  himself  raiseth  the  dead, 
John  V.  28.  whether  the  archangel  that  sounds  the  alarm,  1  Thess. 
iv.  16.  be  a  created  angel  or  not.  And  the  changing  of  those  alive 
appears  to  be  performed  in  the  same  manner,  1  Cor,  xv.  52.  That 
they  may  be  gathered  to  Christ,  they  are  raised  up  out  of  their  grave£> 
and  soul  and  body  reunited. 

2.  It  lies  in  these  three  things. 

(1.)  In  severing  and  separating  them  from  among  the  wicked. 
Those  found  alive  will  be  found  mixed  with  wicked  ones,  and  those 
in  the  graves  will  be  found  lying  among  the  wicked  too.  But  the 
angels  will  make  a  separation,  a  cleanly  separation,  that  they  shall 
never  mix  more,  Mat.  xiii.  48,  49.  Sometimes  they  sighed,  and  said, 
"  Wo  is  me,  that  I  sojourn  in  Mesech,  that  I  dwell  in  the  tents  of 
Kedar.  My  soul  hath  long  dwelt  with  him  that  hateth  peace," 
Ps.  cxx.  5,  6.  But  the  beginning  of  that  gathering  will  put  a  full 
end  to  that. 

(2.)  In  bringing  them  together  from  all  corners  of  the  earth  into 
one  company,  Matth.  xxiv.  31.  By  the  gospel  efficacy  on  them, 
they  were  separated  from  the  world  in  respect  of  their  state  and 
manner  of  life  ;  and  were  gathered  together  in  one  spiritual  bond  ; 
but  in  respect  of  their  bodily  presence  they  were  still  mixed  with 
unbelievers,  and  at  a  distance  from  other  saints.  They  were 
scattered  far  abroad  over  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  few  places 
could  show  any  considerable  number  of  them  together ;  but  then  the 
eastern  and  western  saints,  the  northern  and  southern,  shall  all  be 
gathered  into  one  glorious  company.  The  evening  of  the  world  is 
come,  and  Christ's  flock  is  brought  together. 

(3.)  In  bringing  them  altogether  unto  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  place 
where  he  will  be  in  the  air,  1  Thess.  iv.  17.  Thither  the  Judge  will 
come,  and  there  will  he  set  his  throne  ;  and  where  the  carcase  is, 
there  will  the  eagles  be  gathered  together.  Thither  will  the  raised 
and  changed  saints  ascend  to  him  in  one  glorious  company,  and  be 
set  on  his  right  hand  as  his  friends,  while  the  wicked  arc  left  stand- 
ing as  criminals  on  his  left  hand  on  the  earth.  And  thus  the  happy 
gathering  is  completed. 

3.  For  the  kind  of  it,  this  gathering  will  be, 

(1.)  A  great  gathering,  greater  than  any  now  to  be  seen  in  this 


608  OF  THE  GATHEBING  OF  THE  SAINTS  TO  CHRIST. 

•world.  It  is  true,  the  saints  appear  few  now  in  comparison  of  others ; 
but  when  the  saints  of  all  generations,  in  all  places  of  the  world, 
shall  be  gathered  together,  it  must  needs  be  a  great  gathering; 
they  will  be  numerous  like  the  stars  of  heaven,  which  no  man  can 
number.  Gen.  xv.  5.  Accordingly  John  saw  "  a  great  multitude, 
which  no  man  could  number,  of  all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and 
people,  and  tongues,  stand  before  the  throne,  and  before  the  Lamb, 
clothed  with  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands,"  Rev.  vii.  9. 

(2.)  A  speedy  gathering,  being  performed  by  the  ministry  of 
angels  which  move  like  a  flame  of  fire,  Psal.  civ.  4.  The  bodies  of 
the  saints  will  then  no  more  be  heavy  and  lumpish,  but  spiritual 
bodies,  light,  nimble,  and  active-like  spirits,  being  new  fashioned 
after  the  likeness  of  the  second  Adam's  body.  So  that  it  must 
needs  be  soon  dispatched.     Yet, 

(3.)  An  exact  and  accurate  gathering,  so  as  there  shall  neither  be 
one  goat  brought  away  with  the  sheep,  nor  one  sheep  left  among 
the  goats.  But  all  saints  that  ever  lived  from  the  beginning  to  the 
end  of  the  world,  shall  be  gathered  together  to  Christ,  and  they 
only,  without  the  least  mixture  of  another  sort. 

(4.)  A  gathering  never  to  part.  The  gatherings  in  this  world, 
good  as  well  as  bad,  continue  only  for  a  little  ;  they  soon  break, 
up  and  disperse  ;  but  this  gathering  being  once  assembled,  shall 
never  break  up  nor  be  dissolved,  but  continue  through  all  the  ages 
of  eternity. 

lY.  I  shall  drop  a  word  to  the  order  for  gathering  them  to  him. 

1.  It  speaks  them  his  favourites,  whom  he  has  a  special  regard 
for.  Now  he  is  coming  in  flaming  fire  to  take  vengeance  on  his 
enemies;  but  as  the  angels  were  dispatched  to  Sodom  to  bring 
avFay  Lot,  before  the  overthrow  of  that  city  ;  so  are  they  ordered 
to  gather  Christ's  saint's  to  him  before  the  final  overthrow  of  the 
world,  and  the  wicked  therein.  Others  had  common  favours  in  life 
heaped  on  them,  but  now  these  are  at  an  end ;  and  the  saints  ap- 
pear the  only  favourites  of  heaven. 

2.  A  design  to  honour  them  before  the  world,  as  when  one  is  by 
a  great  man  called  to  him  in  the  sight  of  others.  God's  people 
have  their  time  of  trial,  and  living  by  faith  on  heaven's  promises ; 
the  world  therefore  reckons  them  fools,  and  because  their  course 
and  way  is  opposite  to  theirs,  they  hate  them  and  are  hard  on  them. 
Now  Christ  comes  to  end  the  dispute,  and  declare  and  decide  at 
length,  who  were  the  wise,  who  the  fools  ;  and  decides  it  by  their 
gathering  to  him,  while  others  stand  trembling  before  him  await- 
ing their  fearful  sentence. 

3.  A  design  to  complete  their  desires  and  happiness.     It  was 


CnAEACTER  OF  TUE  PARTIES  TO  BE  GATHERED  TO  CHRIST.    509 

their  desire  to  be  with  Christ,  as  best  of  all,  and  now  says  he, 
"  Gather  them  to  me."  They  were  wearied  of  Mesech  and  Kedar; 
they  longed  for  the  society  of  saints  that  would  be  comfortable ; 
and  to  be  at  the  highest  pinnacle  of  their  hapxnness.  This  gather- 
ing them  to  him  answers  all  these  ends. 

I  shall  conclude  this  doctrine  with  an  use  of  exhortation.  I 
exhort  you, 

1.  To  be  in  greatest  concern  of  all  things,  to  be  Christ's  saints 
now.  Despise  it  not ;  if  so,  you  will  see  yourselves  fools  at  last. 
Neglect  it  not,  lest  ye  be  neglected  and  passed  by  when  this  gather- 
ing comes.  It  is  better  to  haye  your  name  enrolled  by  Jesus  among 
his  saints,  than  by  men  among  the  great  and  honourable  of  the 
earth. 

2.  Gather  to  Christ  now  as  your  head,  by  faith.  He  has  his 
Father's  commission  for  this  purpose  to  take  out  of  the  world  lying 
in  wickedness,  a  people  for  himself.  Gen.  xlix.  10,  "  Unto  him  shall 
the  gathering  of  the  people  be."  He  has  visited  our  ends  of  the 
earth  for  that  purpose,  set  up  his  standard  among  us,  and  now  we 
have,  as  we  have  often  had,  a  solemn  call  to  come  in ;  gather  then 
to  him,  as  ever  you  would  be  gathered  to  him  in  the  end  of  the 
world. 

Lastly,  Having  gathered  to  him  by  faith  in  the  bond  of  his  cove- 
nant, publicly  own  him  as  yours,  your  Head,  your  Priest,  Prophet, 
King,  and  Lord.  The  sacrament  of  the  supper  is  appointed  for  that 
end,  as  a  public  owning  ourselves  to  be  his,  before  the  world,  angels, 
and  men.  And  those  that  are  indifferent  of  doing  that  honour  to 
Christ,  would  do  well  to  consider  what  expectations  they  have  of  his 
,  owning  them. 

We  proceed  now  to  the  character  of  the  parties  to  be  gathered  to 
Christ  at  his  coming,  "  Those  that  have  made  a  covenant  with  me, 
by  sacrifice ;"  Heb.  "  Cutters  off  of  my  covenant  upon  a  sacrifice." 
Their  character  is  taken,  not  from  worldly  advantages  that  attended 
thera,  for  these  will  then  be  perished;  but  from  the  covenant,  for 
that  will  be  then  lasting,  Isa.  liv.  10.  So  their  character  is  true 
covenanters,  they  that  have  been  gathered  into  the  bond  of  the 
covenant  uuto  him.     Where  observe, 

1.  The  covenant  from  which  their  character  is  taken ;  it  is  not  a 
covenant  of  their  own  devising;  nor  the  covenant  of  the  first  Adam; 
but  it  is  Christ's  covenant,  "  my  covenant,"  says  the  Judge  of  the 
world,  who  gives  order  to  the  angels  to  gather  them  to  him.  It  is 
the  covenant  the  Father  made  with  Christ  as  second  Adam,  called 
commonly  the  covenant  of  grace. 

2.  The  nature  of  that  covenant ;  it  is  a  covenant  upon  a  sacrifice 


510  OF  THE  NATURE  OF  CIIEIST's  COVENANT. 

namely,  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  that  expiatory  sacrifice.  The  cove- 
nant of  works  was  not  upon  a  sacrifice,  for  God  was  not  then 
offended  ;  but  this  covenant  being  made  with  an  offended  just  God, 
behoved  to  be  upon  a  sacrifice,  and  could  not  be  without  it. 

3.  Their  coming  into  that  covenant,  every  one  personally  for  him- 
self. This  is  expressed  by  their  being  cutters  off  of  it,  a  phrase 
taken  from  the  cutting  a  beast  asunder  at  parties  entering  into  a 
covenant,  Jer.  xxxiv.  18,  which  had  a  reference  to  the  curse  of  the 
covenant  to  fall  on  the  breakers.  And  the  cutting  off  of  the  one 
part,  so  as  they  were  never  to  come  together  again,  imported  the 
inviolableness  of  the  covenant.  Gen.  xv.  10,  18.  Hence  the  phrase 
is  used  for  entering  into  a  covenant,  the  sign  for  the  thing  sig- 
nified. To  this  their  action  also  the  words  upon  a  sacrifice  do 
relate,  q.  d.  That  cut  off  upon  a  sacrifice  my  covenant  made  upon  a 
sacrifice.  Now  the  sacrifice  being  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  it  is  plain 
our  cutting  off  in  that  case  must  be  by  laying  as  it  were  our  hand  on 
the  head  of  the  sacrifice  cut  off  by  divine  justice  ;  and  so  it  denotes 
our  entering  into  the  covenant  by  believing  on  Christ.  And  it  pre- 
supposes the  offer  of  the  covenant  made  to  us. 

From  this  part  of  the  text,  we  observe  the  two  following  doc- 
trines, viz., 

DocT.  I.  There  is  a  covenant  with  God,  which  is  Christ  the 
second  Adam's  covenant,  made  upon  the  sacrifice  of  himself,  and 
offered  to  sinners. 

DocT.  II.  Those  who  now  gather  unto  Christ,  personally  and  sin- 
cerely entering  into  his  covenant  of  grace  offered  to  them  in  the 
gospel,  while  others  slight  him  and  his  covenant,  shall  at  the  last 
day  be  joyfully  gathered  to  him  in  the  air,  to  receive  their  welcome 
to  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  while  others  shall  be  left  on  the  earth  to 
receive  their  doom  from  him,  to  be  driven  to  the  pit. 

DocT.  I.  There  is  a  covenant  with  God,  which  is  Christ,  the 
second  Adam's  covenant,  made  upon  the  sacrifice  of  himself,  and 
offered  to  sinners. 

In  discoursing  from  this  doctrine,  I  shall, 

I.  Consider  the  nature  of  this  covenant  in  the  general. 

II.  Shew  in  what  respects  it  is  Christ's  covenant. 

III.  Consider  its  being  a  covenant  upon  a  sacrifice,  and  that  of 
himself. 

IV.  Make  application. 

I.  I  shall  consider  the  nature  of  this  covenant  in  the  general.  It 
is  a  covenant  of  peace  and  reconciliation  betwixt  God  and  sinners, 
Isa.  liv.  10,  whereby  an  offended  God  and  offended  sinners  may  be- 


HOW  THE  COVENANT  OF  GRACE  IS  CHRISt's  COVENANT.  511 

come  friends  for    ever,  and  they  re-instated  in   his   favour,    and 
established  therein.     And  hence  ye  may  perceive,  that, 

1.  Not  the  necessities  of  Christ  the  Maker  of  it,  but  of  sinners 
whom  it  was  made  for,  required  it.  He  was  infinitely  happy  in 
himself  and  in  his  Father's  love,  and  stood  in  need  of  nothing  with- 
out himself;  but  they  needed  it,  and  he  made  it  for  them.  Cant,  iii, 
10.  It  is  a  covenant  of  grace,  for  his  making  it  was  an  act  of  pure 
grace  to  us. 

2.  It  is  the  new  covenant,  brought  in  to  repair  the  ruins  of  man- 
kind by  the  ruins  of  the  first.  God  and  Adam,  were  friends  when 
they  entered  into  the  covenant  of  works ;  but  that  being  broken, 
sinners  fell  under  the  curse ;  and  to  recover  them  out  of  that  ruin- 
ous state,  this  covenant  was  made. 

3.  It  is  the  covenant  by  which  sinners  may  have  life  and  salva- 
tion, Mai.  ii.  5.  By  it  all  their  sores  may  be  healed.  In  it  there  is 
righteousness  secured  for  the  unrighteous,  a  pardon  for  the  guilty, 
sanctiflcation  for  the  unholy,  and  eternal  happiness  in  the  other 
world  for  heirs  ot  hell  and  wrath.  There  is  as  much  in  it  as  may 
make  one  easy  and  joyful  in  the  face  of  death ;  hence  David  in  his 
last  words  says,  2  Sara.  xxii.  5.  "Although  my  house  be  not  so  with 
God ;  yet  he  hath  made  with  me  an  everlasting  covenant,  ordered  in 
all  things  and  sure  ;  for  this  is  all  my  salvation,  and  all  my  desire, 
although  he  make  it  not  to  grow." 

0  blessed  covenant,  which,  by  what  is  said,  you  may  see  is  just 
the  covenant  of  grace  !  0  happy  device !  Do  not  your  hearts  say 
within  you.  Whom  is  it  owing  to  ?  "Whose  covenant  is  it  ?  Surely 
it  never  came  out  of  our  forge.  Christ  claims  it  as  his.  It  is  my 
covenant,  says  he.     Therefore  we  shall  shew, 

II.  In  what  respects  it  is  Christ's  covenant. 

1.  He  devised  it ;  it  never  bred  in  our  breast,  and  never  would. 
He  was  with  his  Father  and  Spirit  the  offended  party;  but  the 
devising  of  the  covenant  of  peace  is  not  owing  to  the  offenders,  but 
the  off'ended.  For  it  was  devised  before  the  offenders  were  in  being, 
Prov.  vii.  29,  30,  31 ;  1  John  iv.  19. 

2.  He  made  it  with  his  Father  without  us,  in  all  its  articles  and 
clauses,  Psal.  Ixxxix.  3 ;  Cant.  iii.  9.  The  bargain  was  concluded 
from  eternity  between  the  Father  and  the  Son,  in  our  favour,  while 
we  were  not  yet  any  of  us  in  being.  So  that  the  remedy  for  us  was 
kindly  provided,  before  we  fell  under  our  disease ;  that  so  it  miglit 
be  ready  for  us,  and  we  might  not  die  of  it. 

3.  He  was  the  head  of  it,  the  sole  undertaker  in  it,  on  the  side  of 
sinners.  There  was  in  this  covenant  a  burden  to  be  undertaken  for 
sinners,  and  Christ  took  burden  on  himself  alone  for  them,  to  pay 


512  OF  THIS  COVENANT  BEING  A  COVENANT  ON  A  SACRIFICE. 

tlioir  debt,  and  to  bear  their  punishment ;  and  accordingly  he  bare 
the  burden  alone,  Isa.  Ixiii.  3.  He  gave  it  as  his  bond  of  sure- 
tiship  for  the  elect,  which  the  Father  accepted,  no  more  to  look  to 
them,  but  to  him  for  satisfaction,  Ueb.  vii.  22.  The  condition  of  it 
lay  on  him  solely,  viz.  that  he  should  fulfil  all  righteousness.  Sin- 
ners could  do  nothing  in  this,  but  he  undertook  to  do  it,  by  his 
being  born  perfectly  holy,  living  perfectly  righteous,  and  making 
satisfaction  by  his  death. 

4.  The  promises  of  it  were  made  to  him,  not  only  that  of  a  glori- 
ous reward  to  himself,  but  of  eternal  life  to  all  his.  Gal.  iii.  16; 
Tit.  i.  2.  As  when  a  father  covenants  with  a  surgeon  to  heal  his 
son's  broken  leg;  the  promise  is  made  to  the  father,  and  he  also 
pays  the  surgeon's  fees,  though  the  benefit  redounds  to  the  son. 

5.  He  receives  sinners  into  it,  the  administration  thereof  being 
wholly  committed  to  him,  so  that  coming  to  him  by  faith  is  our 
coming  into  the  covenant,  John  x.  9.  "  I  am  the  door;  by  me  if  any 
man  enter  in,  he  shall  be  saved."  Justly  is  it  reckoned  his  cove- 
nant, since  the  Father  has  left  it  with  him,  to  take  in  whom  he  will 
into  it ;  and  none  are  instated  in  it,  but  by,  in,  and  through  him. 

6.  All  the  benefits  of  it  are  in  his  hand.  They  are  now  pur- 
chased by  him,  and  the  Father  has  lodged  them  with  him,  intrusted 
him  with  them  all  from  the  least  to  the  greatest,  Matth.  xi.  27.  So 
that  he  has  the  dispensing  of  them  all ;  if  the  sinner  would  have  the 
pardon  of  the  covenant,  he  must  go  to  Christ  for  it ;  if  he  would 
have  the  sanctifying  influences  of  the  covenant,  he  must  apply  to 
Christ  for  them,  for  he  is  our  Joseph,  who  has  all  the  stores  of  grace 
and  glory  in  his  hand. 

7.  Lastly,  It  is  in  his  right  alone  that  sinners  can  get  the  benefits 
of  it,  or  claim  them,  Phil.  iii.  9.  They  can  claim  them  no  otherwise 
than  as  they  are  his  members,  his  spouse,  his  children.  Hence  at 
the  last  day,  when  they  are  to  get  the  complete  enjoyment  of  the 
covenant-benefits  all  together,  the  order  is  given  by  him,  "  Gather 
them  to  me  ;"  q.  d.  for  they  cannot  go  into  heaven,  but  at  my  back ; 
they  cannot  have  the  benefits  but  as  they  are  in  me,  Rom.  v.  17- 

III.  I  come  to  consider  this  covenant's  being  a  covenant  upon  a 
sacrifice,  and  that  of  himself.     And  here  consider, 

1.  Why  this  covenant  behoved  to  be  upon  a  sacrifice. 

2.  "Why  on  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  himself. 

3.  The  import  of  its  being  a  covenant  on  a  sacrifice. 

First,  Consider,  why  this  covenant  behoved  to  be  upon  a  sacrifice. 
The  reason  is,  the  honour  of  God  injured  by  man's  sin  required,  that 
if  there  was  to  be  another  covenant  for  life  and  salvation  to  man 
now  a  sinner,  it  behoved  to  proceed  on  a  sacrifice  making  atonement 


OF  THIS  covenant's  BEING  A  COVENANT  ON  A  SACRIFICE.        513 

for  the  breach  of  the  first  by  sin.  Man  could  not  break  the  first  co- 
venant unpunished,  else  where  were  the  honour  of  the  holiness,  jus- 
tice, and  law  of  God,  Isa.  xlii.  21.  Rora.  iii.  25.  ?  Therefore  is  that 
caution  added,  Exod.  xxxiv.  6,  7.  "  The  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merci- 
ful and  gracious,  long-sufi'ering,  and  aboundant  in  goodness  and  truth, 
keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  forgiving  iniquity  and  transgression 
and  sin,  and  that  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty."  At  the  pro- 
posal of  a  covenant  of  peace  for  sinners,  justice  stands  up  and  pleads, 
There  shall  be  no  peace  unless  I  be  satisfied,  Heb.  ix.  22  ;  there- 
fore a  sacrifice  is  provided,  that  the  covenant  of  peace  may  upon  it 
go  on,  and  the  broken  first  covenant  is  ingrossed  in  the  second,  that 
all  it  demands  shall  be  answered. 

Secondly,  But  why  is  it  a  covenant  on  the  sacrifiice  of  Christ  him- 
self! The  reason  is,  because  no  other  sacrifice  could  avail  in  the  case, 
Heb.  X.  5,  "  Sacrifice  and  oftering  thou  wouldst  not,  but  a  body  hast 
thou  prepared  me."  One  can  hardly  think,  that  if  the  covenant 
could  have  been  made  on  a  less  costly  sacrifice,  that  the  only  be- 
gotten Son  of  God  would  have  been  made  the  sacrifice,  John  iii.  16. 
There  was  a  necessity  for  Christ's  death,  if  sinners  were  to  have 
life,  Luke  xxiv.  26. 

1.  The  Levitical  sacrifice  of  beasts  could  never  avail  in  this  case. 
For  they  were  not  of  equal  value  with  the  guilty  heads,  beasts  being 
in  value  far  below  men.  Therefore  by  them  indeed  the  debt  might 
be  acknowledged,  and  the  way  of  paying  it  typified ;  but  not  paid. 

2.  Men  could  not  be  sacrifices  for  themselves  in  this  case  to  pro- 
cure a  covenant  of  peace  ;  for  if  once  the  sacrificing  knife  had  come 
to  their  throat,  they  would  never  have  recovered  ;  if  they  had  been 
once  laid  on  the  altar,  they  would  have  been  consuming  but  never 
have  sent  forth  a  savour  of  rest  to  incensed  justice. 

3.  Angels  could  not  have  been  a  sacrifice  ;  for  neither  could  they 
have  ever  overcome  the  weight  of  wrath  that  was  due,  but  would 
have  sunk  under  it.  And  their  suff"erings  not  being  of  infinite  value, 
could  not  have  been  accepted  for  recompense  of  the  wrong  done  to 
an  infinite  God.  Wherefore  Christ  only  could  be  a  sacrifice  to  pro- 
cure the  covenant  of  peace.     For, 

(1.)  He  only  could  bear  the  curse,  and  overcome  it.  The  curse 
of  the  first  covenant  behoved  to  be  executed,  in  order  to  the 
establishing  of  the  second  for  peace  to  sinners ;  and  he  only  could 
bear  it,  so  as  to  bear  it  out,  and  bear  it  oft'.  Gen.  xv.  10,  17,  18. 
Gal.  iii.  13.  The  wicked  in  the  other  world  will  bear  the  curse  in- 
deed for  themselves,  and  so  will  be  made  sacrifices  for  themselves, 
according  to  that,  Psal.  xciv.  ult.  "  He  shall  bring  upon  them 
their  own  iniquity,  and  shall  cut  them  off  in  their  own  wickedness; 


514  OP  THIS  COVENANT  BEING  A   COVENANT  ON  A  SACRIFICE. 

yea,  the  Lord  our  God  shall  cut  them  olf."  But  they  will  never  be 
able  to  drink  this  cup  up,  and  overcome  it ;  so  they  shall  have  no 
peace  for  ever. 

(2.)  He  only  was  of  infinite  dignity,  and  so  his  sufferings  only 
could  equal  the  offence  of  an  infinite  God  by  the  sins  of  the  world. 
Christ's  sacrifice  was  of  "  a  sweet  smelling  savour  unto  God,"  Eph. 
V.  2.  It  is  an  Old  Testament  expression  used.  Gen.  viii.  21,  "  The 
Lord  smelled  a  sweet  savour,"  Heb.  a  savour  of  full  rest,  namely, 
"  quieting  his  Spirit,"  as  the  expression  is,  Zech.  vi.  8.  The  sins 
of  the  elect  world,  most  abominable  to  God,  sent  up  as  it  were  a 
most  rank  smell  into  his  nostrils :  no  sufferings  of  the  creature 
could  master  it,  but  the  sufferings  of  Christ  did  it  fully. 

Thirdly,  Let  us  consider  the  import  of  this  covenant's  being  a 
covenant  on  a  sacrifice. 

1.  This  says,  that  wrath  is  appeased,  justice  has  got  satisfaction 
for  sin ;  the  bar  which  the  broken  first  covenant  laid  in  the  way  of 
sinners'  peace  with  God,  is  removed ;  for  the  new  covenant  is  made 
on  a  sacrifice,  whereby  atonement  is  made  for  the  breach  of  the  first 
covenant,  and  justice  has  got  of  the  Surety,  for  the  sinner,  what  it 
could  demand,  2.  Cor  v.  ult. 

2.  It  is  consistent  with  the  honour  of  God,  to  take  sinners  into 
this  covenant,  and  receive  them  into  favour  as  his  confederates ;  for 
now  the  holiness,  justice,  and  truth  of  God,  have  the  wrong  done 
them  repaired  by  this  sacrifice  ;  and  his  mercy  and  grace  have  a 
free  vent  thereby,  Psal.  Ixix.  4. 

3.  Sinners  have  free  access  into  it.  Solomon  observes,  Prov. 
xviii.  16.  "A  man's  gift  maketh  room  for  him,  and  bringeth  him 
before  great  men."  And  what  will  Christ's  gift  of  himself  as  a  sacri- 
fice not  do  ?  Surely  now  the  sinner  may  come  forward  under  the 
covert  of  that  precious  blood  ;  the  sword  that  guarded  the  tree  of 
life  was  sheathed  in  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  and  laid  by.  Cant. 
ii.  10,  11. 

4.  There  is  a  feast  for  them,  a  feast  on  the  sacrifice,  the  parties 
covenanting  feasting  together.  Upon  the  covenant  made  betwixt 
Jacob  and  Laban  there  was  a  feast  kept.  Gen.  xxxi.  54.  So  upon 
this   covenant   made   on  the    sacrifice  of    Christ,  there  is  a  feast, 

1  Cor.  V.  7,  8.  "  Christ  our  passover  is  sacrificed  for  us.  Therefore 
let  us  keep  the  feast."  The  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ  crucified  is 
meat  indeed  and  drink  indeed,  and  we  are  to  feed  and  feast  thereon 
by  faith. 

Lastly,  It  is  a  sure  covenant,  as  made  on  that  sacrifice,  the  virtue 
and  efficacy  whereof  being  eternal,  one  can  never  be  shaken  out  of 
it.     The  mercy  and  grace  of  God  to  sinners  have  a  sure  foundation 


THE  DOCTRINE  APPLIED.  515 

hero,  Psal.  Ixxxix.  14.  "Justice  and  judgment  are  the  habitation  of 
thy  throne  ;  mercy  and  truth  shall  go  before  thy  face."  "What  can 
shake  a  sinner  out  of  this  covenant  when  he  is  once  really  in  it? 
Nothing  can  be  supposed  to  do  it  but  sin.  But  then  it  is  a  covenant 
on  a  sacrifice  whereby  sin  is  expiated,  and  therefore  it  cannot  have 
that  malignant  eflPect.  Accordingly  the  promise  of  the  covenant 
runs,  Jer.  xxxii.  40.  "  I  will  make  an  everlasting  covenant  with 
them,  that  I  will  not  turn  away  from  them,  to  do  them  good  ;  but  I 
will  put  my  fear  in  their  hearts,  that  they  shall  not  depart  from 
me." 

I  shall  now  make  some  improvement  of  this  doctrine. 

1.  Then  see  how  Christ  loved  us!  "When  the  Jews  saw  Christ 
come  weeping  to  Lazarus's  grave,  they  said,  "  Behold  how  he  loved 
him  !"  John  xi.  36.  How  much  more  may  we  say  so,  when  we  con- 
sider him  making  a  covenant  with  his  Father  for  the  salvation  of 
lost  sinners  of  mankind,  and  that  on  the  sacrifice  of  himself?  It 
was  much  that  he  took  any  notice  of  our  just  ruin,  being  enemies  to 
him  as  well  as  to  his  Father ;  more  than  he  made  a  covenant  for 
our  recovery ;  most  of  all,  that  in  order  to  establish  it,  he  made  his 
soul  an  offering  for  sin,  and  consented  to  shed  his  precious  blood 
for  it. 

2.  Then  let  us  take  this  his  covenant,  and  rest  in  it,  as  made  by 
him.     Let  us  leave  to  him  the  glory. 

(2.)  Of  sole  Maker  of  it  with  his  Father,  Zech.  vi.  13.  Let  us 
not  pretend  to  frame,  make,  and  devise  a  covenant  of  our  own, 
distinct  from  his,  in  our  accepting  of  it.  Let  us  not  quarrel  his 
covenant,  nor  go  about  to  model  it  anew,  agreeable  to  our  corrupt 
minds.  Let  us  make  no  exceptions  against  it,  no  exception  in  fa- 
vour of  any  beloved  lust,  no  exception  against  any  of  the  duties  of 
the  covenant,  nor  against  the  discipline  thereof,  which  is  the  cross. 
Let  us  desire  nothing  out  that  he  has  put  in,  nor  anything  in  that 
he  has  left  out.  Acts  ix,  6.  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?" 
So  sincere  covenanters  look  upon  it  as  well  ordered  in  all  things, 
2  Sam.  xxiii.  5. 

(2.)  Of  sole  undertaker  in  it.  He  was  so  when  it  was  made, 
and  when  it  was  fulfilled,  Isa.  Ixiii.  3.  *'  I  have  trodden  the  wine- 
press alone,  and  of  the  people  there  was  none  with  me."  Let  none 
now  then  put  in  for  a  share  in  the  undertaking.  Some,  in  their  pre- 
tended covenanting  with  God,  undertake  for  their  part,  that  if  God 
will  save  them  for  Christ's  sake  from  hell  and  wrath,  they  will  be 
good  servants  to  God  as  long  as  they  live,  and  keep  his  commands, 
and  so  do  their  part ;  and  so  they  would  share  the  glory  with  Christ, 
Rom.  iv.  4.     They  consider  not  that  they  are  without  strength,  and 


516  THE  DOCTRINE  APPLIED. 

can  do  nothing ;  that  they  have  as  much  need  of  the  grace  of  Christ 
to  sanctify,  as  to  justify  them.  But  come  ye  to  Christ  in  his  cove- 
nant, to  get  your  nature  changed,  the  power  of  sin  broken,  and  to 
be  caused  by  him  to  walk  in  new  obedience. 

(3.)  Of  the  sole  immediate  right  to  the  promises  of  it,  Gal.  iii.  16. 
You  are  welcome  to  claim  the  promises,  according  to  your  need ; 
but  ye  must  claim  them  only  in  his  right,  and  be  content  to  come  in 
at  his  back  to  get  them  made  out  to  you.  This  has  been  the  way 
of  the  saints,  as  Daniel,  chap.  ix.  \7,  IB.  and  Paul,  Phil.  iii.  9. 
There  is  no  standing  of  a  sinner  before  God,  but  under  the  covert 
of  the  Mediator's  blood  ;  and  no  plea  for  sinners,  but  in  his  name. 

And  to  move  you  hereto,  to  acquiesce  in  the  covenant  as  his,  leav- 
ing him  the  glory,  consider, 

(1.)  It  is  best  for  us  as  he  has  made  it,  Eccl.  iii.  14.  If  we 
should  offer  to  mend  it,  by  adding  to  or  taking  away  anything  from 
it,  we  would  be  sure  to  mar  it.  Infinite  wisdom  knew  best  what  was 
for  our  good,  and  infinite  love  set  him  on  it.  As  Christ  saw  better 
than  we,  what  was  our  true  interest ;  for  he  loved  us  more  than  we 
loved  ourselves,  for  he  loved  us  infinitely,  Eph.  iii.  19. 

(2.)  Only  he  is  able  enough  for  that  undertaking,  Psal.  Ixxxix. 
19.  And  the  work  can  be  put  in  no  other  hand,  but  it  will  be 
marred.  Why  should  we  desire  to  take  burden  on  ourselves,  when 
he  is  content  to  be  the  great  Burden-bearer,  to  bear  our  weight, 
and  all  the  weights  that  hang  at  us,  whether  of  duty,  guilt,  or  afflic- 
tion? He  is  sure,  and  can  never  stumble  under  our  weight,  nor 
fall;  but  we  are  ready  to  fall  at  every  turn,  Psal.  Iv.  22;  Isa. 
xlii.  4. 

(3.)  The  promise  is  sure  in  his  right,  and  the  claim  that  way 
cannot  miss,  Ps.  Ixxxix.  33.  "When  pleading  the  benefit  of  the 
promise,  we  consider  ourselves,  we  see  nothing  but  guilt,  sinfulness, 
unworthiness,  sickliness,  and  inconstancy,  to  cut  oft'  our  hopes :  but 
looking  to  Christ,  we  see  perfect  holiness  and  righteousness,  infinite 
dignity  and  excellency;  so  that  we  may  say,  "  Lord,  I  am  unworthy, 
yet  my  Saviour  Christ  is  worthy  for  whom  thou  shouldest  do  this 
for  me." 

-  Lastly,  Let  poor  trembling  sinners  be  encouraged  to  come  into 
this  covenant,  since  it  is  a  covenant  on  a  sacrifice.  It  is  an  awful 
thought  for  a  sensible  guilty  creature  to  enter  into  a  covenant  with 
a  holy  jealous  God.  Our  God  is  a  consuming  fire ;  how  then  can 
■we  stand  before  him,  and  not  be  consumed  ?  The  sacrifice  being  in- 
terposed we  are  safe,  Christ  going  between  mediating  the  peace 
with  his  atoning  blood,  wrath  is  turned  a'way,  and  the  sinner  re- 
ceived into  favour  and  friendship.     I  proceed  now  to, 


OF  BEIXG  (3A.TIIE11ED  UNTO   CHRIST.  517 

DocT.  II.  Tliose  who  now  gather  unto  Christ,  personally  and  sin- 
cerely entering  into  his  covenant  of  grace  offered  to  them  in  the 
gospel,  while  others  slight  him  and  his  covenant,  shall  at  the  last 
day  be  joyfully  gathered  to  him  in  the  air,  to  receive  their  welcome 
to  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  while  others  shall  be  left  on  the  earth  to 
receive  their  doom  from  him,  to  be  driven  to  the  pit. 

In  discoursing  from  this  doctrine,  I  shall, 

I.  Premise  some  things  on  this  point  in  the  general. 

II.  Consider  sinners'  sincere  personal  entering  into  Christ's  cove- 
nant of  grace  now,  that  will  secure  their  joyful  gathering  to  him  at 
the  last  day. 

III.  Lctstly,  Make  improvement. 

I.  I  shall  premise  some  things  on  this  point  in  the  general. 

1.  All  mankind  were  by  Adam's  fall  separated  and  scattered  from 
God,  as  sheep  gone  astray,  1  Pet.  ii.  ult.  Mankind  was  at  first 
joined  to  God  in  the  bond  of  the  first  covenant,  and  so  they  were  his 
family  about  his  hand,  headed  by  him,  and  enjoying  his  favour. 
But  by  sin  they  broke  away  from  him,  and  being  gone  from  him  the 
centre  of  unity,  they  were  separated  in  affection  one  from  another, 
Tit.  iii.  3.  And  in  this  state  they  remain  while  out  of  Christ, 
scattered  and  wandering  on  the  mountains  of  vanity. 

2.  To  bring  scattered  sinners  to  God  again,  Christ  was  appointed 
the  head  to  whom  their  gathering  should  be,  1  Pet.  ii.  ult.  "  For  ye 
were  as  sheep  going  astray  ;  but  are  now  returned  unto  the  Shepherd 
and  Bishop  of  your  souls."  Chap.  iii.  18.  "Christ  hath  once  suf- 
fered for  sins,  the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  he  might  bring  us  to 
God."  The  first  Adam  was  the  head  under  whom  they  went  away, 
and  he  left  them  wandering,  a  ready  prey  for  the  devourer ;  the 
second  Adam  is  the  head  for  their  return,  by  whom  they  may  be 
brought  back  unto  God,  and  put  up  in  safety  with  him  for  ever, 
John  xi.  52.  He  is  the  great  Shepherd,  intrusted  by  his  Father  for 
gathering  the  strays  of  mankind,  into  one  stock  and  fold. 

3.  There  is  a  double  gathering  of  scattered  sinners  to  Christ 
The  one  is  now  a  doing,  has  been  from  the  beginning,  and  will  be  to 
the  end  of  the  world;  and  that  is  a  gathering  of  sinners  by  the 
gospel  to  him  into  the  bond  of  the  covenant  of  grace.  Gen.  xlix,  10. 
The  other  is  to  come  certainly  at  the  world's  end,  and  that  is  a 
gathering  of  them  by  the  angels  to  meet  him  in  the  air,  never  to 
set  their  foot  more  on  the  cursed  earth,  but  to  go  away  with  him  to 
heaven.  And  that  will  be  a  gathering  quickly  dispatched,  as  ap- 
pears from  the  text. 

4.  There  are  many  who  will  not  be  gathered  to  Christ  now,  what- 
VoL.  V.  2  L 


518  OF  SINNERS  ENTEKING  INTO  CIIRIST's  COVENANT. 

ever  pains  he  is  at  to  gatlier  them,  Mat.  xxiii.  37. — "  How  often 
would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  together,  even  as  a  hen  gather- 
etli  her  chickens  under  her  wings,  and  ye  would  not !"  He  sets  up 
his  standard  among  them,  he  calls  to  them  to  come  to  him ;  but 
they  get  away  from  him.  They  love  better  to  wander  on,  than  to 
return ;  they  prefer  a  vain  world,  and  their  deceitful  lusts,  to 
Christ ;  and  they  love  rather  to  be  at  their  liberty,  than  to  be 
brought  into  the  bond  of  his  covenant.  They  cannot  endure  to  be 
so  hedged  up,  Ps.  ii.  3.     So  they  refuse  to  gather  to  him. 

5.  Yet  there  are  still  some  who  with  heart  and  good  will  gather 
to  him,  and  willingly  come  into  the  bond  of  his  covenant.  Effica- 
cious grace  makes  them  willing,  Ps.  ex.  3.  They  pre  weary  of  their 
distance  from  Grod,  and  their  wandering  life,  seeing  how  in  that  case 
they  are  exposed  to  the  utmost  danger,  and  are  in  no  safety  from  the 
roaring  lion,  who  goes  about  seeking  whom  he  may  devour ;  and  so 
they  willingly  gather  to  Christ,  and  come  into  the  bond  of  his  cove- 
nant, as  their  only  safety. 

Lastly,  At  the  end  of  the  world,  whatever  separation  there  is 
between  these  parties  now,  the  wanderers  and  those  within  the  bond 
of  the  covenant,  there  will  be  a  greater  then.  The  wanderers  and 
the  gathered  being  both  raised  out  of  their  graves  at  the  sound  of 
the  last  trumpet ;  all  those  gathered  within  the  bond  of  the  cove- 
nant, shall  be  gathered  together  to  Christ  in  the  air,  to  go  with  him, 
and  be  ever  with  the  Lord ;  and  the  wanderers  will  be  brought  to- 
gether on  the  earth  before  him,  receive  their  dreadful  sentence  to  de- 
part from  him  ;  and  then  they  going  away,  the  earth  will  be  set  on  fire. 

I  shall  consider  sinners'  sincere  personal  entering  into  Christ's 
covenant  of  grace  now,  that  will  secure  their  joyful  gathering  to  him 
at  the  last  day.     And  here  three  things  are  to  be  distinguished. 

1.  The  proposal  of  the  covenant. 

2.  The  sinner's  entering  into  it  in  a  saving  manner,  so  as  to  se- 
cure his  gathering  to  Christ  at  the  last  day. 

3.  The  profession  and  declaration  of  that  entering  into  it,  by  some 
fit  sign. 

First,  The  proposal  of  the  covenant.  It  must  be  proposed  to  us, 
before  we  can  enter  into  it ;  and  so  it  is  indeed  proposed  to  us  to  be 
entered  into. 

First,  Consider  how  it  can  be  proposed  or  offered  to  us.  The  cove- 
nant of  grace  being  determined  to  be  Christ's  covenant,  made  and 
concluded  from  eternity  betwixt  his  Father  and  him,  and  its  con- 
ditions perfectly  fulfilled  already  by  Christ,  and  all  its  promises 
made  to  him ;  it  is  a  difficulty  with  some,  how  that  covenant  already 
concluded  can  be  proposed  or  offered  to  us  to  be  entered  into.     But, 


OF  SINNERS  ENTERING  INTO  CHRISt's  COVENANT.  519 

1.  Suppose  one  in  a  town  makes  a  bargain  ^Fith  the  master  in  his 
own  name,  and  the  name  of  his  neighbours  there,  fulfils  the  condition, 
and  the  benefit  only  remains  to  be  received;  and  all  this  is  done 
without  advising  with  them,  or  their  knowledge  of  it ;  may  not  that 
man  when  he  comes  home  offer  that  covenant  to  his  neighbours,  and 
they  enter  into  it  just  by  acquiescing  in  it  ?  If  any  of  them  will 
not,  it  will  not  be  forced  on  them ;  but  if  they  acquiesce  and  accept 
it  is  as  good  and  valid  as  if  they  had  been  at  the  making  of  it.  So 
it  is  in  this  case. 

2.  Adam's  covenant  was  also  made  without  us  in  the  name  of  man- 
kind, and  broken  too  while  we  were  not ;  yet  by  our  very  descend- 
ing from  him  by  natural  generation,  we  are  personally  instated  in 
it  to  our  condemnation  ;  and  this  without  waiting  our  acquiescing  or 
consent  to  that  covenant.  How  much  more  may  the  second  Adam's 
covenant  be  offered  to  us,  and  we  instated  in  it  to  our  salvation,  by 
our  express  approbation  and  acceptance  ? 

Secondli/,  Consider  how  it  is  actually  proposed  and  offered  to  us. 
It  is  proposed  and  offered  to  us  in  the  gospel,  by  Jesus  Christ  in  his 
own  and  his  Father's  name  ;  therefore  he  is  called,  "  the  Messenger 
of  the  covenant,"  Mai.  iii.  1.  who  came  from  heaven,  and  proclaims 
and  offers  the  covenant  to  sinners.  Now  it  is  offered  to  us  in  the 
gospel. 

1.  At  large,  in  its  several  articles  and  clauses,  both  the  condition- 
ary  part  as  fulfilled,  Rom.  i.  17.  and  the  promissory  part  to  be  ful- 
filled, Heb.  viii.  10,  11,  12.  Ezek.  xsxvi.  25.  and  downwards,  and  so 
the  rest  of  it  promises  to  be  found  through  the  whole  Bible.  All 
are  proposed  and  offered  under  the  name  of  the  covenant  at  large, 
Isa.  Ix.  3.  "  Here  and  your  soul  shall  live,  and  I  will  make  an  ever- 
lasting covenant  with  you,"  which  takes  in  all  the  promises. 

2.  In  compend,  in  the  offer  of  Christ  himself  the  head  of  the  co- 
venant. Say  not,  How  shall  we  take  up  the  covenant  that  such  a 
large  and  ample  transaction,  and  withal  the  parts  thereof  scattered 
through  the  whole  Bible  !  It  is  set  before  you  abridged,  viz.  in  Jesus 
Christ,  to  be  taken  up  with  one  glance  of  your  eye,  Isa.  xlix.  8.  "  I 
will  give  thee  for  a  covenant  of  the  people."  The  offer  of  Christ  to 
you  is  the  offer  of  the  covenant ;  even  as  if  a  father  wlio  has  made  a 
beneficial  bargain  for  his  family,  should  oft'er  to  adopt  you ;  that 
ofl^r  of  himself  for  a  father  to  you,  would  be  the  offer  of  that  bargain. 
Now  you  have  this  offer  of  the  covenant. 

(1.)  Under  Christ's  hand  in  his  written  word,  which  ye  have  in  the 
scripture.  A  wise  man  will  make  no  offer  in  writing  to  one,  but 
what  he  minds  to  perform ;  his  hand-writing  will  bind  him,  if  it  is 
accepted.     And  may  not  the  offer  of  the  covenant  made  you  in  writ- 

2  l2 


520  OF  SINNERS  ENTERING  INTO  CHRISt's  COVENANT. 

ing,  under  the  hand  of  the  great  God  our  Saviour,  satisfy  you  in 
that  point  ?  Take  heed  then,  lest  when  "  God  has  written  to  you  the 
great  things  of  his  law,  ye  count  them  as  a  strange  thing,"  Hos.  viii.  12. 

(2.)  By  public  proclamation  in  his  name,  by  the  voice  of  the  mi- 
nisters of  the  gospel,  his  criers  appointed  for  that  effect,  Prov.  ix.  3. 
If  a  prince  proclaims  an  offer  of  indemnity  to  rebel-subjects,  may  not 
that  satisfy  them  as  to  the  reality  of  the  offer  !  And  should  not  this 
offer  actually  proclaimed  to  you  sinners,  in  the  gospel,  by  Christ's 
ambassadors,  fully  satisfy  you  as  to  the  reality  thereof?  Object.  Mi- 
nisters are  but  fallible  men.  Answ.  True  ;  but  their  commission  is 
infallible  ;  and  so  far  as  they  stick  by  that,  which  they  do  in  offer- 
ing the  covenant  to  sinners,  you  have  an  infallible  ground  of  faith 
in  what  they  say.  And  as  the  crier's  voice  in  a  proclamation  is  in 
effect  the  king's,  so  is  theirs  in  this  case.  Hence  the  apostle  says, 
Heb.  xii.  25.  "  See  that  ye  refuse  not  him  that  speaketh  ;  for  if  they 
escaped  not  who  refuseth  him  that  spake  on  earth,  much  more  shall 
not  we  escape,  if  we  turn  away  from  him  that  speaketh  from  heaven." 
And  says  our  Lord,  Luke  x.  16.  "  He  that  heareth  you,  heareth  me; 
and  he  that  despiseth  you,  despiseth  me  ;  and  he  that  despiseth  me, 
despiseth  him  that  sent  me." 

Thirdly,  To  whom  it  is  offered  ?  Christ's  covenant  of  grace  is  offered 
to  sinners  of  mankind  indefinitely;  that  is,  it  is  offered  to  them,  and 
any  of  them  whosoever  without  distinction.  So  the  offer  stands  in  the 
written  word,  and  so  the  ministerial  offer  is  to  be  made.  This  is 
clear  from  many  testimonies,  Prov.  viii.  4.  "  Unto  you,  0  men,  I  call, 
and  my  voice  is  to  the  sons  of  men,  "  Mark  xvi.  15.  "  Go  ye  into  all  the 
world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature.  "  John  iii.  16.  "  God 
so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  who- 
soever believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.  " 
Isa.  Iv.  1.  "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters, 
and  he  that  hath  no  money ;  come  ye,  buy  and  eat,  yea  come,  buy 
wine  and  milk  without  money,  and  without  price."  Rev.  xxii.  17. 
"  Whosoever  will  let  him  take  of  the  water  of  life  freely."  Therefore 
it  is  offered  to  you,  and  every  one  of  you,  and  you  are  warranted  to 
enter  into  it. 

Object.  But  it  may  be  I  was  not  elected,  and  Christ  did  not  repre- 
sent me  in  that  covenant.  Ans.  Your  warrant  to  enter  into  Christ's 
covenant  does  not  at  all  depend  on  your  election,  or  non-election, 
but  on  the  revealed  will  of  God  making  a  real  offer  of  it  to  you. 
Dent.  xxix.  ult.  and  that  you  have,  and  that  you  believe  it  not,  you 
disbelieve  the  gospel,  Isa.  liii  1.  make  God  a  liar,  1  John  v.  10.  and 
so  must  perish,  Mark  xvi.  16.  Where  do  you  find  that  ever  a  person's 
©lection  was  the  ground  of  his  believing  or  entering  into  the  covenant? 


OF  SINNEES  ENTERING  INTO  CHEISt's  COVENANT.  521 

It  is  not  revealed  to  the  elect  to  bring  them  to  believe  in  Christ;  but 
they  first  believe,  and  then  by  that  means  they  see  they  were  elected. 

Moreover,  the  promises  are  proposed  indefinitely.  So  was  the  first 
promise,  Gen  iii.  15.  "  I  will  put  enmity  between  thee  and  the  wo- 
man and  between  thy  seed  and  her  seed  :  it  shall  bruise  thy  head,  and 
thou  shalt  bruise  his  heel."  So  are  other  promises  of  the  covenant, 
Isa.  Iv.  3.  "  Incline  your  ear,  and  come  unto  me ;  hear,  and  your 
soul  shall  live,  and  I  will  make  an  everlasting  covenant  with  you, 
even  the  sure  mercies  of  David.  "  Heb.  viii.  10,  11,  12.  "  I  will  put 
my  laws  into  their  mind,  and  write  them  in  their  hearts  ;  and  I  will 
be  to  them  a  God,  and  they  shall  be  to  me  a  people.  And  they  shall 
not  teach  every  man  his  neighbour,  and  every  man  his  brother,  say- 
ing. Know  the  Lord ;  for  all  shall  know  me  from  the  least  to  the 
greatest.  For  I  will  be  merciful  to  their  unrighteousness,  and  their 
sins  and  iniquities  will  I  remember  no  more."  Ezek.  xxxvi.  25,  26, 
27.  "  Then  will  I  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you,  and  ye  shall  be 
clean  ;  from  all  your  filthiness,  and  from  all  your  idols  will  I  cleanse 
you.  A  new  heart  also  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put 
within  you,  and  I  will  take  away  the  stony  heart  out  of  your  flesh, 
and  I  will  give  you  an  heart  of  flesh.  And  I  will  put  my  spirit 
within  you,  and  cause  you  to  walk  in  my  statutes,  and  ye  shall  keep 
my  judgments,  and  do  them."  Where  is  there  any  limitation  or 
distinction  of  persons  there  ? 

Object.  Tlie  conditional  promises  are  indeed  to  all,  but  not  the 
absolute  ones.  Ans.  There  is  a  connection  of  duty  and  privilege 
in  some  promises;  but  I  know  no  promises  properly  conditional,  but 
to  Christ,  who  has  fulfilled  the  conditions  of  them  already;  Rom. 
iv.  4,  5.  "  Now  to  him  that  worketh,  is  the  reward  not  reckoned 
of  grace,  but  of  debt.  But  to  him  that  worketh  not,  but  believeth 
on  him  that  justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  for  righte- 
ousness." The  promises  of  the  covenant,  call  them  as  ye  will,  are 
to  all  indefinitely  ;  for  non  est  distinguenduni  uhi  lex  non  distmguit. 
Therefore  the  apostle  lays  it  for  a  ground  of  faith  to  the  murderers 
of  the  Lord  of  glory.  Acts  ii.  38.  39.  "  Repent  and  be  baptized 
every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the  remission  of 
sins,  and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Chost.  For  the  pro- 
mise is  unto  you,  and  to  your  children,  and  to  all  that  are  afar  oflT, 
even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  shall  call." 

hist.  If  these  promises  be  to  all,  then  they  must  be  fulfilled  to 
all.  Ans.  That  is  false ;  according  to  the  apostle's  reasoning,  Ileb. 
iv.  1.  "  Let  us  therefore  fear,  lost  a  promise  being  left  us  of  enter- 
ing into  his  rest,  any  of  you  should  seem  to  come  short  of  it."  It 
follows  indeed  that  that  must  be  fulfilled  to  all  who  accept  them 

2  L  3 


522  OF   SINNEKS  ENTERING  INTO  CHRIST's  COVENANT. 

ly  believing  ;  and  so  they  shall,  John  iii.  26.  But  not  to  them 
who  will  not  accept  them,  believe,  nor  apply  thera  to  themselves. 
No  promise  binds  the  promiser,  if  it  is  not  accepted  by  the  party. 
It  is  no  imputation  on  God's  faithfulness,  that  they  are  not  fulfilled 
to  unbelievers  of  them. 

Secondly,  The  next  thing  is  the  sinner's  entering  into  the  cove- 
nant in  a  saving  manner,  so  as  to  secure  his  gathering  to  Christ  at 
the  last  day.  This  the  text  expresseth  by  "  cutting  off  his  covenant 
on  a  sacrifice,"  that  is,  by  cutting  off  the  sacrifice  to  enter  into 
the  covenant.  And  this  being  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  himself,  can 
be  no  other  but  the  laying  the  hand  on  the  head  of  the  sacrifice 
which  then  was  to  be  cut  off  by  divine  justice.  And  this  in  gospel 
language  is  just  believing  on  Jesus  Christ  sacrificed  for  us.  So  it  is 
by  believing  on  Christ  crucified,  that  we  are  personally  and  savingly 
entered  into  the  covenant. 

It  is  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  the  covenant,  that  this  should  be 
the  way  of  entering  into  it.  For  whereas  the  covenant  is  not  made 
with  us  immediately,  as  parties,  contractors  for  ourselves,  in  which 
case  we  would  enter  into  it  by  promising  to  do  something  on  our 
part  as  the  condition  thereof;  but  mediately  through  Jesus,  who 
mediated  therein  as  a  representative,  undertook  the  fulfilling  the 
condition  thereof,  and  had  the  promises  thereof  made  to  hira  ;  it  is 
evident  there  can  be  no  way  of  our  personal  entering  into  it  in  a 
saving  manner,  but  by  uniting  with  him,  which  the  scripture  deter- 
mines to  be  by  faith  aloue,  Eph.  iii.  17-  "  That  Christ  may  dwell 
in  your  hearts  by  faith."  Accordingly  it  is  determined,  John  x.  9. 
"  I  am  the  door ;  by  me  if  any  man  enter  in,  he  shall  be  saved." 

Now  this  believing  on  Christ  crucified  or  sacrificed  for  us,  whereby 
we  are  entered  into  the  covenant,  formally  lies  in  three  things. 

1.  Believing  the  absolute  sufficiency  of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  for 
the  salvation  of  sinners,  and,  your  salvation  in  particular,  and  the 
complete  security  of  the  covenant  for  that  effect  to  all  within  the 
bond  of  it,  Jer.  iii.  22,  23.  "  Return,  ye  backsliding  children,  and 
I  will  heal  your  backslidings ;  behold,  we  come  unto  thee,  for  thou 
art  the  Lord  our  God.  Truly  in  vain  is  salvation  hoped  for  from 
the  hills,  and  from  the  multitude  of  mountains ;  truly  in  the  Lord 
our  God  is  the  salvation  of  Israel."  The  soul  seeing  the  infinite  ill 
that  is  in  sin,  as  an  offence  and  abomination  to  an  infinite  God, 
must  see  also  the  infinite  dignity  of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  arising 
from  the  infinite  dignity  of  his  person,  ere  it  can  believe  this ;  and 
must  also  see  the  immoveable  faithfulness  of  God,  as  the  ground  of 
believing  the  complete  security  of  the  covenant. 

2.  Believing  that  this  covenant,  in  the  condition  thereof  fulfilled 


OF  SINNERS  ENTERING  INTO  CHRISt's  COVENANT.  523 

by  Christ's  sacrifice  of  himself,  and  the  promises  thereof  made 
thereupon  and  bearing  salvation,  is  offered  really  and  truly  to  you 
in  particular,  by  Jesus  Christ,  with  the  good  will  of  his  Father;  so 
that  it  is  lawful  for  you  to  come  forward  into  it,  and  use  it  as  your 
own.  This  is  the  report  of  the  gospel,  Isa.  Iv.  3,  cited  above, 
1  John  V.  11,  "  This  is  the  record,  that  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal 
life,  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son."  And  it  is  demonstrated  by  the 
Spirit  inwardly  to  the  elect,  whereby  they  see  the  door  of  the  cove- 
nant open  to  them,  Isa.  liii.  1 ;  and  whoso  believeth  it  not,  can 
never  enter  into  the  covenant,  but  make  God  a  liar  by  their  un- 
belief of  it. 

3.  Trusting  on  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  for  your  salvation  from  sin 
and  wrath,  upon  the  ground  of  God's  faithfulness  in  the  covenant. 
Acts  XV.  11,  "  We  believe  that  through  the  grace  of  the  I^ord  Jesus 
Christ,  we  shall  be  saved."  The  soul  renounceth  all  confidence  in 
itself,  or  in  any  other,  and  relies  wholly  on  the  sacrifice  of  Christ, 
the  fulfilled  condition  of  the  covenant,  for  the  promises  of  the  cove- 
nant being  fulfilled  to  itself,  because  God  has  so  engaged  in  his  pro- 
claimed covenant,  and  he  cannot  but  be  faithful  in  his  covenant. 

Thus  the  soul  is  formally  entered  into  the  covenant,  receiving 
Christ  in  his  priestly  ofiice,  and  so  uniting  with  him. 

A.nd  this  necessarily  brings  along  with  it  the  covenanter's, 

1.  Receiving  Christ  as  his  Prophet,  renouncing  his  own  wisdom 
and  the  wisdom  of  the  world,  giving  up  himself  to  be  guided  by  his 
word  and  Spirit,  Matth.  xvi.  24;  Acts  xiii.  22.  Uniting  with  him, 
he  must  needs  be  our  head  for  direction  and  guidance. 

2.  Receiving  hio]  as  his  King  and  Lord,  renouncing  the  dominion 
of  sin,  the  devil,  and  the  world,  and  wholly  giving  up  himself  to  be 
ruled  by  him  as  his  head  for  government,  Psal.  ii.  ult. ;  Isa.  xxvi.  13. 

And  thus  the  soul  entering  into  the  covenant,  taking  Christ  in  all 
his  oflices,  takes  God  in  Christ  for  his  God,  and  gives  up  himself  to 
be  one  of  his  people  for  ever,  consenting  to  the  offer  made,  Heb. 
viii.  10,  "  I  will  be  to  them  a  God,  and  they  shall  be  to  me  a 
people."  "Whoso  thus  enters  into  the  covenant  now,  shall  be  joy- 
fully gathered  to  him  at  the  last  day,  as  those  that  have  entered 
into  his  covenant  on  a  sacrifice. 

Tuirdly,  The  last  thing  on  this  head  is  the  profession  and  decla- 
ration ot  that  entering  into  Christ's  covenant,  by  some  fit  sign. 
This  is  a  solemn  declared  entering  into  the  covenant,  in  which  one 
may  be  either  sincere  or  hypocritical,  Deut.  xxix.  10,  12,  "  Ye  stand 
this  day  all  of  you  before  the  Lord  your  God  ; — that  thou  shouldst 
enter  into  eveuant  with  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  into  his  oath,  which 
the  Lord  thy  God  niaketh  with  thee  this  day."     And  so  it  will  not 


524  TJSE  OF  EXHOnTATION. 

of  itself,  if  it  be  separate  from  the  former,  secure  our  gathering  to 
him  at  the  last  day.  Meanwhile  it  is  a  duty  required  of  us  no'7 
for  God's  honour,  and  requisite  for  our  comfort,  Deut.  xxvi.  17-  It 
is  done  three  ways. 

1.  By  words  spoken,  Psal.  xvi.  2,  either  in  prayer  to  God,  wherein 
a  person  solemnly  and  in  express  words  declares  unto  God  in 
secret  his  acceptance  of  and  entering  into  the  covenant ;  or  before 
men,  where  the  thing  being  proposed  by  one,  others  signify  their 
acquiescing  by  some  fit  gesture,  or  bowing  of  the  head,  Exod.  iv. 
30,  31. 

2.  By  writing  under  their  hand,  declaring  their  accepting  of  the 
covenant,  Isa.  xliv.  5,  "  One  shall  say,  I  am  the  Lord's ;  and  ano- 
ther shall  call  himself  by  the  name  of  Jacob;  and  another  shall  sub- 
scribe with  his  hand  unto  the  Lord,  and  sirname  himself  by  the 
name  of  Israel."  This  has  been  an  useful  practice  of  many  in  their 
life,  and  comfortable  to  their  relations  when  they  were  gone,  when 
they  found  their  written  acceptance  of  God's  covenant  of  grace. 

3.  By  instituted  significant  actions.  Such  is  the  partaking  of 
the  Lord's  table.  The  very  taking  of  the  bread  and  wine  at  the 
Lord's  table,  and  eating  and  drinking  the  same,  being  a  solemn  de- 
claration before  the  world,  angels,  and  men,  that  we  enter  into 
Christ's  covenant.  So  in  case  it  be  separate  from  believing,  though 
it  cannot  savingly  enter  us,  we  will  be  treated  as  covenant-breakers. 

Use.  To  conclude,  I  beseech  you  by  your  gathering  together  to 
Christ  at  the  last  day,  that  you  now  gather  to  him  in  his  covenant. 
For  this  cause  I  recommend  to  your  consideration, 

1.  That  this  is  a  special  gathering  time,  wherein  the  great  trum- 
pet of  the  gospel  is  sounding,  and  double  sounding,  a  gathering ;  a 
time  wherein  the  Lord  is  sending  out  the  angels  of  the  churches, 
ministers,  to  gather  you.  Let  not  the  trumpet  of  the  gospel  sound 
in  vain  for  you,  nor  the  angels  of  the  churches  attempt  in  vain  to 
gather  you.  They  bring  Christ's  voice  and  the  offer  of  the  covenant 
to  you. 

2.  As  sure  as  the  trumpet  of  the  gospel  is  sounding  now  in  your 
ears,  and  the  angels  of  the  churches  are  at  work  to  gather  you  to 
Christ  now,  whose  attempts  you  may  render  vain ;  so  sure  will  the 
last  trumpet  sound  in  the  same  ears,  and  the  angels  of  heaven  ga- 
ther them  joyfully  to  Christ  who  now  come  unto  him,  to  meet  him 
in  the  air,  while  they  will  leave  the  rest  on  the  earth. 

3.  What  will  you  think  to  see  at  that  day,  others  taken  as  within 
the  bond  of  the  covenant,  and  yourselves  left  as  without  it  ?  With 
what  pale  faces,  and  trembling  hearts,  will  ye  look  up  to  the  Judge 
coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  to  your  neighbours,  Christ's  co- 


THE  TEXT  EXPLAINED.  525 

Tenant  people,  carried  by  angels,  and  flying  above  you,  away  to 
meet  tbe  Lord  in  tlie  air,  with  a  shining  glory  on  them  ? 

Lastly,  How  will  ye  brook  your  last  sight  of  thera,  when  they 
having  in  the  first  place  received  their  Avelcorae  to  their  kingdom 
from  the  Judge  on  the  throne,  ye  shall  get  your  sentence  to  depart 
from  him  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his 
angels ;  and  so  must  turn  your  backs,  and  make  away  to  your  place, 
they  being  then  the  spectators  of  your  begun  misery,  and  your  be- 
loved world  being  set  on  fire  ? 

Think  on  these  things  in  time,  and  whatever  ye  are,  or  have  been, 
know  that  you  are  allowed  free  access  into  the  covenant ;  and 
therefore  enter  into  it  sincerely.  Go  alone  by  yourselves,  think  on 
your  lost  state  by  nature,  examine  yourselves  as  to  your  liking  of 
the  covenant,  and  if  you  find  your  heart  pleased  with  it,  go  to  your 
knees,  and  solemnly  declare  before  God,  you  accei)ting  and  entering 
into  it,  taking  Christ  in  all  his  offices,  and  God  in  Christ  for  your 
God  and  portion  for  ever.  And  so  be  persuaded,  that  on  this  your 
gathering  to  Christ  in  the  bond  of  his  covenant  now,  depends  your 
being  gathered  to  him  in  glory  at  the  last  day. 


THE  SAINT'S  LIFETIME  IN  THIS  WORLD  A  NIGHT-TIME  ;  THEIR 
EXPECTATION  OF  THE  DAY'S  BREAKING  IN  THE  OTHER  WORLD, 
AND  THE  SHADOWS  FLEEING  AWAY;  AND  THEIR  GREAT  CON^ 
CERN  FOR  CHRIST'S  PRESENCE  TILL  THAT  HAPPY  SEASON 
COME. 

The  substance  of  several  Sermons  preached  at  EUrick,  in  the  year  1730. 


Song  ii.  17. 

Until  the  day  break,  and  the  shadows  Jiee  away  ;  turn,  my  Beloved,  and 
be  thou  like  a  roe,  or  a  young  hart  upon  the  mountains  of  Bether. 

In  these  words  you  have  the  breathing  of  a  gracious  soul,  with  re- 
spect to  the  time  that  may  pass  in  tliis  world,  before  one  comes  to 
enter  into  the  other  world ;  it  is  to  have  his  countenance  and  the 
communications  of  his  grace  by  the  way,  until  they  come  there, 
where  there  will  be  nothing  to  intercept  it.  And  it  would  be  a 
good  sign  of  meeting  with  a  kindly  reception  from  Christ  into  that 
world  at  last,  that  we  were  now  saying  from  the  heart,  "  Until  the 
day  break,  and  the  shadows  flee  away;    turn,  my  Beloved,  and  be 


526'  THE  TEXT  EXl'LAIKED. 

thou  like  a  roe,  or  a  young  Iiart  upon  tlie  mountains  of  Bether." 
Where  observe, 

1.  The  connection  of  these  words  with  the  preceding  verse, 
whereby  they  appear  to  be  the  breathing  of  a  soul  really  married  to 
Christ,  having  a  sense  of  the  marriage  bond,  and  not  ashamed  of  it, 
but  resolutely  owning  it.  "  My  Beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am  his. — 
Until  the  day  break,  and  the  shadows  flee  away ;  turn,  my  Be- 
loved," &c.  The  spouse  of  Christ  looks  on  herself  as  one  that  is 
married  to  a  husband  whom  she  dearly  loves,  but  is  not  yet  ready 
to  take  her  home;  she  desires  therefore,  that  until  the  time  come  of 
his  taking  her  home,  he  will  not  be  a  stranger  to  her,  but  give  her 
the  comfort  of  his  presence  with  her,  that  the  present  situation  will 
allow ;  thereby  intimating,  tliat  she  is  not  to  look  for  the  comfort  of 
her  life  from  any  other,  but  him,  whether  he  be  absent  from  her  or 
present  with  her. 

2.  The  words  themselves  :  in  which  consider, 

1st,  The  happy  term  that  Christ's  spouse  lives  in  expectation  of, 
which  is  expressed  by  two  things,  the  latter  consequential  on  the 
former,  the  "  breaking  of  the  day,"  and  the  "  fleeing  away  of  tho 
shadows."  By  the  day  here  is  meant  the  day  of  eternity,  that  will 
break  in  the  other  world,  in  the  light  of  glory  arising  to  those  that 
are  married  to  Christ  here.  That  is  the  or  that  day  by  way  of  emi- 
nency,  2  Tim.  i.  18.     This  implies  two  things. 

(1.)  That  she  looked  on  her  lifetime  in  this  world  as  a  night- 
time; else  why  should  she  have  expected  the  day  breaking?  and 
that  in  that  night-time  there  were  many  shadows,  darkening  things 
to  her,  and  allowing  her  but  obscure  views  of  them;  else  why 
should  she  expect  their  fleeing  away  ?  as  one  travelling  by  night,  in 
a  mountainous  or  woody  country,  if  the  night  were  never  so  clear, 
it  is  no  wise  comparable  to  broad  daylight ;  and  besides  there  are 
many  dark  and  gloomy  steps  caused  by  the  shadows  that  the  hills 
and  woods  cast ;  which  though  they  amount  not  to  a  total  darkness, 
yet  the  light  by  their  means  is  but  a  very  faint  one.  Such  is  the 
believer's  travelling  through  this  to  the  other  world. 

(2.)  That  she  believed  and  expected,  that  that  night  would  not 
last,  and  that  the  shadows  would  vanish  at  length.  She  looks  for 
the  breaking,  Heb.  blowing  of  the  day,  because  however  dead  a 
calm  there  may  be  through  the  night,  ordinarily  at  break  of  day  a 
gale  of  wind  rises ;  and  that  break  or  blowing  of  the  day  will 
quickly  chase  away  all  the  shadows,  that  they  shall  not  be  to  be 
seen  more.  Tiiat  blowing  will  be  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  in  a  full 
communication  of  influences  to  the  believer,  at  the  day's  breaking  to 
him  in  the  other  world  ;  whereby  all  the  shadows  now  intercepting 
the  light  from  him,  will  in  a  moment  evanish. 


DOCTEIXES  FKOM  THE  TEXT.  527 

2dli/,  The  great  thing  her  soul  desires,  and  she  breathes  after,  till 
that  happy  term  come. — It  is  communion  with  Christ  lier  Lord  and 
Husband,  in  such  sort  and  measure  as  the  state  of  this  life  by  divine 
regulation  will  allow.  She  is  not  for  turning  back  to,  and  solacing 
herself  with  her  former  lovers,  till  her  Uusband  take  her  home  ;  no, 
being  marritd  to  him,  her  eyes  are  shut  now  on  all  others,  and  they 
are  towards  him  alone.  "Turn,  my  Beloved,  and  be  thou  like  a 
roe,  or  a  young  hart  upon  the  mountains  of  Bether."  It  consists 
of  two  parts. 

(1.)  A  desire  of  his  countenance  towards  her,  ''Turn,  my  Be- 
loved," &c.  Heb.  "  Cyme  round  about  it."  It  intimates,  [1.]  His 
turning  his  back  on  her,  shewing  some  sign  of  dipleasure  with  her; 
the  frequent  lot  of  God's  children  in  tliis  world.  [2.]  That  even 
in  that  case  her  heart  was  upon  him  as  her  beloved,  and  her  eyes 
going  after  him,  that  she  would  have  him  turn  his  face.  [3.]  That 
slie  would  fain  have  his  countenance  again  when  lost;  q.  d.  Turn 
about  to  me,  that  I  may  behold  thee  with  joy. 

(2.)  A  desire  of  nearness  to  him,  and  the  embraces  of  his  love  : 
"  Be  thou  like  a  roe,  or  a  young  heart,"  &c.  Come  to  me  speedily. 
She  lays  not  the  stress  of  the  speedy  meeting  on  her  motion  to  him ; 
but  as  of  free  grace,  on  his  motion  to  her ;  by  his  grace  coming  over 
mountains  betwixt  them,  and  that  speedily ;  even  as  a  roe  comes  to 
its  mate,  or  a  young  hart  to  its  dam,  upon  the  mountains  of  Bether, 
2  Sam.  ii.  29.     The  word  signifies  a  half  part. 

From  the  text  thus  explained,  may  be  deduced  the  three  following 
points  of  doctrine,  viz. 

DocT.  I.  A  soul  once  truly  married  to  Christ,  will  from  thence- 
forth look  on  the  lifetime  in  this  world,  as  a  night-time,  a  shadowy 
one,  as  indeed  it  is. 

DocT.  II.  To  those  that  are  truly  married  to  Christ,  the  day  will 
break  in  the  other  world,  and  the  shadows  flee  away  ;  and  they 
should  live  in  the  constant  expectation  of  it. 

DocT.  III.  It  will  be  the  great  concern  of  those  married  to  Christ 
during  their  night-journey  ia  this  world,  that  he  may  turn  and  come 
to  them,  till  the  day-breaking  and  the  shadows  fleeing  away,  they 
get  to  him  in  the  other  world. 

I  shall  speak  to  each  of  these  in  order. 

DocT  I.  A  soul  once  truly  married  to  Christ,  will  from  thence- 
forth look  on  the  lifetime  in  this  world,  as  a  night-time,  a  shadowy 
one,  as  indeed  it  is. 

In  touching  a  little  on  this  doctrine,  I  shall, 


528  now  THE  saint's  lifetime  is  a  NIOnT-TIME. 

I.  Shew  in  what  respect  the  saint's  lifetime  in  this  world  is  a 
night-time. 

II.  How  the  soul  once  married  to  Christ  comes  to  look  on  its  life- 
time in  this  world  as  a  night-time. 

III.  On  what  grounds  such  a  soul  justly  looks  on  it  as  a  night- 
time, a  shadowy  one. 

IV.  Improve  the  point. 

I.  In  what  respect  the  saint's  lifetime  in  this  world  is  a  night- 
time.    To  clear  this,  consider, 

1.  The  life  of  a  child  of  God  in  this  world,  from  the  moment  of 
the  marriage  with  Christ,  is  a  day-time,  in  comparison  with  the  time 
he  lived  in  his  natural  state,  1  Thess.  v.  5.  Therefore  says  the 
apostle,  Eph.  v.  8.  "  Ye  were  sometimes  darkness,  but  now  are  ye 
light  in  the  Lord."  While  they  are  in  their  natural  state,  they  are 
in  midnight  darkness,  it  is  black  and  dark  night  with  them.  But 
being  united  to  Christ,  the  night  of  their  natural  state  is  at  an  end, 
and  the  day  of  grace  is  come  with  them.  And  this  is  such  a  day, 
as  will  never  be  succeeded  by  another  night. 

2.  But  in  comparison  with  his  state  in  the  other  world,  it  is  but  a 
night-time.  When  he  enters  there,  a  day  of  glory  shall  break  to 
him,  that  will  so  far  surpass  all  he  has  seen,  that  he  shall  be  made 
to  think,  he  never  saw  day  before,  Rom.  xiii.  12.  The  natural  man 
is  in  black  and  dark  night,  and  the  saints  in  this  world  are  in  a 
cloudy  moon-light  night ;  only  the  saints  in  the  other  world  are  in 
broad  day-light.  Col.  i.  12. 

II.  We  shall  consider  how  the  soul  once  married  to  Christ  comes 
to  look  on  its  lifetime  in  this  world  as  a  night-time.  There  are  four 
things  concur  to  it. 

1.  They  then  have  some  new  and  precious  light,  however  faint, 
that  they  had  not  before.  They  can  say  with  the  blind  man  cured 
by  Christ,  John  ix.  25.  "  One  thing  I  know,  that  whereas  I  was  blind, 
now  I  see."  They  see  that  in  sin,  Christ,  and  in  the  other  world, 
that  they  did  not  before  perceive.  Strangers  to  Christ  are  like  blind 
men,  to  whom  the  night  and  the  day  are  alike  ;  but  being  once 
married  to  Christ  they  are  like  him  who  said,  "  I  see  men  as  treea 
walking,  "  Mark  viii.  24.  They  see,  but  find  they  do  not  see  clearly, 
and  so  conclude,  that  it  is  night  with  them. 

2.  Being  once  married  to  Christ  indeed,  the  sun  of  the  world  sets 
npon  them.  The  world's  love  to  them  is  turned  to  hatred,  it  conceives 
an  antipathy  against  them,  John  xv.l9.  And  looks  as  when  the  dark- 
ness of  the  night  follows  the  lightsome  day,  and  sits  down  on  the 
beautiful  cities,  the  green  hills,  the  pleasant  meadows  and  gardens, 
all  these  lose  their  lustre  and  beauty,  and  become  black  and  gloomy; 


HOW  HE  LOOKS  OX  IT  AS  A  NIOnT-TIATE.  529 

SO  when  once  a  soul  is  married  to  Christ,  the  ^70rld  loseth  its  former 
beauty  to  the  man ;  it  is  quite  another  thing  in  his  eyes  than  it  was 
before ;  the  vain  world  is  turned  out  of  its  gaudy  day-dress,  into  its 
night-dress,  where  its  former  beautiful  appearance  is  gone,  Gal. 
ix.  14. — "  The  world  is  crucified  unto  me,  and  I  unto  the  world.  " 

3.  Yet  the  son  of  righteousness  is  still  hid  to  their  eye  sight,  how- 
ever he  lets  out  some  rays  of  light  to  them,  aud  thoy  discern  him  by 
faith,  1  Pet.  i.  8.  In  some  northern  parts  belonging  to  this  kingdom, 
the  body  of  the  sun,  about  this  time  of  the  year,  does  indeed  go  out 
of  their  sight  about  the  middle  of  the  night ;  yet  still  certain  rays  ap- 
pear all  along  ;  so  it  is  with  the  believer.  Therefore  he  must  look  on  it 
it  as  night ;  though  it  is  but  a  short  one.  That  Jesus  to  whom  they  are 
joined  in  spiritual  marriage,  is  gone  to  heaven,  and  there  he  abides 
hid  from  their  eyes,  though  manifest  to  their  faith,  Cant.  iv.  6.  As 
Jacob  married  to  Leah,  got  not  a  broad  view  of  her  till  the  morning  ; 
so  the  believing  soul  married  to  Christ,  will  not  get  a  broad  view  of 
its  Husband,  till  the  day  of  eternity  break. 

4.  Lastli/,  The  beauty  of  the  light  let  into  them  natively  causes  a 
longing  for  the  perfection  of  it,  Phil,  iii.  13,  14.  As  one  with  a  dim 
light  discerning  a  beautiful  object,  presently  calls  for  a  clear  light 
whereby  to  discern  it  fully ;  so  the  soul  that  has  seen  as  much  of 
Christ's  excellency ;  as  to  engage  the  heart  to  him,  longs  for  a  full 
sight  of  his  glory ;  and  while  the  light  will  not  serve  that  purpose, 
it  natively  concludes,  that  it  is  night  still. 

III.  I  shall  next  shew  on  what  grounds  they  justly  look  on  it  as 
a  night-time,  a  shadowy  one. 

1.  They  justly  look  on  it  as  a  night-time.     For, 

(1.)  It  is  a  time  of  much  darkness  with  them,  1  Cor.  xiii.  12.  dark- 
ness of  ignorance,  aud  of  uncomfortableness.  However  vain  men 
may  pride  themselves  in  the  knowledge  they  have  reached,  puffed 
up  therewith  as  empty  bladders ;  serious  Christians  will  still  be  be- 
wailing their  ignorance  and  weakness  in  the  divine  mysteries,  Psal. 
Ixxiii.  22.  Prov.  xxx.  2,  3.  And  however  lightsome  aliie  the  native 
vanity  of  mind  may  make  some  ;  it  is  not  possible,  but  the  imper- 
fections, infirmities,  and  struggles  attending  the  Christian  life  here, 
must  make  much  uncomfortableness  in  it,  Psal.  xcvii.  11.  How  then 
can  they  but  count  it  night  ? 

(2.)  It  is  a  time,  wherein  the  wild  beasts  are  got  out  of  their  dens 
ranging  about,  Psal.  civ.  20,  21.  In  the  darkness  of  this  life,  what 
howling  and  yelling  of  the  infernal  crew,  the  devils  and  wicked  men 
acted  by  thom,  do  reach  the  Christian's  ears  and  make  his  heart  to 
shiver  ?  So  that  to  travel  through  the  world  is  often  as  unpleasant, 
as  through  an  howling  wilderness  in  the  night.     And  not  only  so, 


530  ON  WHAT  GllOUND  THE   SAINT  LOOKS 

but  tliey  are  ofteu  in  hazard  of  being  devoured  by  them,  and  swal- 
lowed up,  1  Pet.  V.  8.  No  woader  they  long  for  day-brake,  when 
these  wild  beasts  will  go  iuto  their  dens  and  be  silenced,  Psal.  civ. 
22. 

(3.)  It  is  a  time  inclining  to  sleep  and  inactivity,  1  Thess.  v.  7. 
All  the  unregenerate  world  is  fast  asleep  about  them,  and  will  not 
awake  ;  and  they  themselves  have  a  constant  struggle  to  hold  up 
their  head.  If  it  were  day  with  them,  they  could  bestir  themselves, 
and  apply  to  their  proper  business  ;  but  it  is  night,  and  with  diflS- 
culty  they  watch  one  hour. 

2.  Tliey  justly  look  on  it  as  a  shadowy  night. 

(1.)  Because  there  are  many  things  intercepting  the  light  from 
them ;  by  such  means  shadows  are  made  in  the  night,  as  when  a 
house  or  a  hill  intercepts  the  light  of  the  moon  or  stars  by  night. 
Thus  it  is  with  God's  people  in  the  world  ;  there  are  many  things 
to  mar  the  light  of  their  Lord's  countenance  shining  on  them,  Isa. 
xlix.  2;  Psal.  xxx.  7-  And  by  means  of  these  interposing  hin- 
drances, they  cannot  have  now  that  light  of  knowledge  and  comfort, 
that  they  would  desire. 

(2.)  It  is  a  time  wherein  they  had  some  precious  light,  yet  but 
faint,  and  mixed  with  much  darkness.  Where  there  is  no  light  at 
all,  there  cannot  be  shadows,  all  is  but  one  shadow ;  and  so  it  is 
with  natural  men,  "  there  is  no  light  in  them,"  Isa.  viii.  20.  But 
souls  married  to  Christ  have  the  light  of  grace,  which  however  is 
but  a  dim  and  mixed  one  in  comparison  of  the  light  of  glory,  1  Cor. 
xiii.  12. 

(3.)  It  is  a  time,  wherein  the  very  means  of  their  light  and  know- 
ledge give  but  small  and  dark  representations  of  the  knowledge  of 
the  other  world,  and  the  riches  of  his  kingdom.  So  does  the  shadow 
of  a  house  in  the  night  represent  it  but  very  darkly  and  imptr- 
fectly ;  so  the  shadow  of  a  man  by  a  looking-glass  is  but  an  imper- 
fect representation  of  the  man,  not  comparable  to  seeing  face  to 
face.  Thus  we  have  a  shadow  of  Christ  in  the  gospel,  in  the  word, 
in  the  sacraments ;  but  it  is  but  a  shadowy  darkly  representing  him 
and  the  happiness  of  his  kingdom,  2  Cor.  iii.  18.  So  that  the  half 
is  not  seen.  But  as  one  taken  with  a  beautiful  picture,  natively 
longs  to  see  the  original ;  so  does  a  sight  of  Christ  by  these  sha- 
dows, cause  one  to  long  for  the  day  breaking  and  the  shadows 
fleeing  away,  that  they  may  see  him  face  to  face. 

We  shall  now  make  some  improvement  of  this  point,  in  the  fol- 
lowing uses. 

Use  I.  Of  information.  Is  the  time  of  this  life  indeed  a  night,  a 
shadowy  one,  to  those  married  to  Christ,  and  do  they  look  on  it  so  ? 
Then, 


USE  OF  INFORllATtON.  531 

1.  They  to  whom  this  life  in  this  world  makes  such  a  pleasant 
day,  that  they  desire  no  better,  are  in  bad  case.  If  it  is  so  with 
you  habitually,  ye  are  not  truly  married  to  Christ,  Cant.  viii.  5. 
Ye  are  yet  in  your  natural  blindness,  that  night  and  day  are  alike 
to  you ;  and  the  day  of  grace  is  not  yet  risen  on  you.  And  if  it  be 
so  with  you  only  occasionally,  you  may  be  sure  that  while  it  is  so, 
your  souls  are  out  of  frame,  and  the  grace  of  God  in  you  is  under  a, 
cloud. 

2.  Then  the  time  of  this  life  is  a  dangerous  time,  even  to  those 
tliat  are  espoused  to  Christ,  and  they  have  no  need  to  watch,  "  every 
man  having  his  sword  upon  his  thigh,  because  of  fear  in  the  night," 
Cant.  iii.  8.  They  are  in  danger  of  sins,  snares,  and  temptations; 
for  it  is  a  time  wherein  the  roaring  lion  is  ranging  about,  who  will 
be  bound  down  in  his  den,  if  once  the  day  were  broken.  This  made 
the  apostle  jealous  over  the  Corinthians  "  with  godly  jealousy ;  for 
I  have  espoused  you  to  one  husband,"  says  he,  "  that  I  may  present 
you  as  a  chaste  virgin  to  Christ."  But  I  fear  lest  by  any  means,  as 
the  serpent  btguiled  Eve  through  his  subtiiity,  so  your  minds 
should  be  corrupted  from  the  simplicity  that  is  in  Christ,  2  Cor.  xi. 
2,  3.  They  are  in  danger  of  various  troubles,  which  are  incident 
to  them  in  this  night-season.  But  it  is  but  to  watch  a  while,  if  the 
day  were  broke,  the  danger  is  over. 

3.  The  Christian's  life  in  this  world  is  a  lonely  and  wearisome  life  ; 
for  the  travellers  to  Zion  have  a  night  of  it,  a  shadowy  one.  If  one 
travel  by  day,  he  will  readily  get  company,  for  then  every  body  is 
astir  ;  and  this  makes  the  way  to  destruction  a  throng  way,  the  car- 
nal world  going  at  ease  in  it,  because  the  sun  of  this  world  is  up  on 
them,  and  their  night  is  coming  in  the  other  world.  But  if  one 
travels  by  night,  he  will  readily  have  a  lonely  journey  of  it ;  and 
therefore  there  are  but  few  in  the  way  to  life.  So  it  is  told  us, 
Matth.  vii.  14.  "  Strait  is  the  gate,  and  narrow  is  the  way  which 
leadeth  unto  life,  and  few  there  be  that  find  it."  Micah  therefore 
laments  the  loneliness  of  it  with  him,  Micah  vii.  1.  "  Wo  is  me^  for 
I  am  as  when  they  have  gathered  the  summer-fruits,  as  the  grape- 
gleanings  of  the  vintage  ;  there  is  no  cluster  to  eat,"  and  the  Psalm- 
ist, Psal.  cii.  6,  7-  "  I  am  like  a  pelican  of  the  wilderness  ;  I  am 
like  an  owl-of  the  desert.  I  watch,  and  am  as  a  sparrow  alone  upon 
the  house-top."  For  it  is  night  with  them  ;  but  in  the  other  world 
the  day  will  break  to  them.  This  makes  it  wearisome  travelling. 
It  is  so  ordered,  as  the  march  through  the  wilderness  for  their  trial. 

There  is  a  fourfold  allowable  weariness  in  the  Christian  life, 
■which  our  Lord  will  not  be  displeased  with  in  his  people,  that  it 
make  them  often  to  propose  that  question,  Isa.  xxi.  11.  "  Watch- 
man, what  of  the  night  ?" 


532  USE  OF  INFORMATION. 

(1.)  Wearying  of  an  ill  world,  a  world  lying  in  wickedness,  Psal. 
cxx.  5.  "  Wo  is  me,  that  I  sojourn  in  Mesech,  that  I  dwell  in  the 
tents  of  Kedar."  Surely  God  himself  is  weary  of  them,  of  their 
obstinate  impenitency,  carnality,  profanity,  and  formality,  Isa.  Ixv. 
2, — 5  ;  and  i.  14.  It  is  but  kindly  that  his  people  weary  of  their 
society,  who  thus  weary  their  God;  and  that  they  long  for  the  day 
when  they  will  be  by  themselves. 

(2.)  Wearying  of  an  ill  heart,  the  body  of  sin  and  death,  Rom. 
vii.  24.  "  0  wretched  man  that  I  am,  who  shall  deliver  me  from 
the  body  of  this  death  !"  God  has  left  it  in  them  for  their  exercise 
and  trial,  as  he  did  the  Canaanites  in  the  land  ;  but  surely  they  are 
to  make  no  league  with  it,  but  to  war  against  it ;  and  it  is  accept- 
able to  him  to  weary  and  long  for  the  day  that  they  will  be  rid  of  it. 
And  there  is  never  a  weary  look  they  give  for  it,  but  he  kiudly 
noticeth  it. 

(3.)  Wearying  to  be  at  home  in  Immanuel's  land,  where  there  is 
no  more  night,  but  an  eternal  day,  2  Cor.  v.  4.  "  For  we  that  are  in 
this  tabernacle  do  groan,  being  burdened  ;  not  for  that  we  would  be 
unclothed,  but  clothed  upon,  that  mortality  might  be  swallowed  up  of 
life."  Rom.  viii.  23.  "  And  not  only  they,  but  ourselves  also,  which 
have  the  first  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  even  we  ourselves  groan  within 
ourselves,  waiting  for  the  adoption,  to  wit,  the  redemption  of  our 
body."  Indeed  the  Lord  makes  their  travelling  in  this  world  diffi- 
cult to  his  people,  for  that  very  end,  that  they  may  long  to  be 
home. 

(4.)  Wearying  for  our  Lord's  gracious  visits  to  their  souls,  while 
they  are  abroad,  Psal.  cxxx.  6.  "  My  soul  waiteth  for  the  Lord, 
more  than  they  that  watch  for  the  morning;  I  say,  more  than  they 
that  watch  for  the  morning."  How  passionately  does  the  spouse  cry 
for  them  in  the  text?  It  is  a  sign  it  is  very  ill  with  the  Christian, 
when  liis  Lord  is  away,  and  he  cares  not ;  when  his  communion  with 
God  is  stopt,  and  yet  he  is  at  ease.  Cant.  v.  3.    See  Psal.  xxx.  7- 

4.  That  a  Christian's  life  in  this  world  has  many  ups  and  downs 
in  it,  is  not  at  all  strange ;  nay,  nor  that  the  alteration  comes  very 
suddenly  ;  for  he  is  travelling  in  a  night,  a  shadowy  night.  There  is 
nothing  more  stable  than  a  Christian's  state,  but  nothing  more  al- 
terable than  his  frame,  Ps.  Ixxxix.  36,  37.  He  may  be  going  on 
cheerfully  in  the  moonshine,  singing  his  song  in  the  night ;  anon  he 
enters  some  black  and  shadowy  valley  in  his  way,  or  a  cloud  over- 
casts, and  strikes  a  damp  on  him;  he  gets  through  the  valley,  the 
cloud  passes  off,  and  he  recovers ;  and  so  one  after  another,  till  the 
day  break,  and  the  shadows  flee  away. 

Use  II.  Hereby  ye  may  try,  whether  ye   are  truly  married  to 


USE  OF  TRIAL.  533 

Christ,  or  not  ?     If  it  is  so,  ye  will  look  on  yonr  life  in  this  world 
henceforth  as  a  night-time.     And, 

1.  Yonr  former  valne  for  this  world  will  be  snnk,  and  your  love 
to  it  turned  into  a  holy  contempt  and  neglect  of  it,  in  comparison 
with  Christ  your  husband,  and  his  kingdom  in  the  other  world, 
Matth.  xiii.  46.  The  blackness  of  the  night  will  be  sitten  down  on 
it,  in  its  most  gaudy  dress,  of  profits,  pleasures,  and  honours  in  it, 
1  John  ii.  15.  You  will  look  on  it  as  a  shadow,  hiding  much  of  the 
Bridegroom's  glory  from  you ;  and  so  will  keep  up  a  struggle 
against  it,  as  that  which  getting  in  betwixt  the  Sun  of  righteousness 
and  you,  will  cause  an  eclipse  of  the  light  of  his  countenance. 

2.  Your  esteem  of  Christ  will  be  raised  above  all,  1  Pet.  ii.  7. 
Your  love  to  him  will  be  a  superlative  love,  above  all  persons 
and  things,  Luke  xiv.  26.  She  that  without  consideration  runs 
into  a  marriage  with  a  man,  is  ready  to  discover  something  in  him 
afterwards,  that  makes  her  despise  him,  and,  when  it  is  out  of  time, 
to  prefer  some  other  of  her  suitors ;  so  they  that  are  rash  and  inde- 
liberate in  their  pretended  closing  with  Christ,  that  were  never 
blessed  with  a  saving  discovery  of  him  to  their  souls  by  the  Spirit, 
will  be  ready  to  rue  the  match,  and  to  return  to  the  flesh  pots  of 
Egypt,  But  the  soul  once  truly  married  to  Christ,  will  find  him  a 
covering  of  its  eyes ;  they  will  charge  their  eyes  henceforth  to  be 
closed  on  all  his  rivals,  as  never  to  see  another  so  fair,  Psal.  Ixxiii. 
25.  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee  ?  and  there  is  none  upon 
earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee." 

Lastly,  Ye  will  count  it  day  only  in  the  other  world,  however 
bright  the  sunshine  in  this  world  may  be  ;  "  Until  the  day  break,  and 
the  shadows  flee  away,"  &c.  Therefore  your  main  concern  will  be 
to  reach  eternal  light  there,  Phil.  iii.  1-i.  to  be  prepared  and  made 
meet  for  it.  Rev.  xix.  7-  And  you  will  aim  at  the  purity  of  it, 
1  John  iii.  3.  So  you  will  be  going  through  this  world,  as  in  a  night 
journey,  with  the  eye  fixed  on  the  other  world  before,  desiring  and 
expecting  the  break  of  day  that  will  be  there. 

Use  III.  Of  caution.  This  gives  a  watchword  to  all  that  profess 
their  soul's  marriage  with  Christ.     It  is  night-time  ;  therefore, 

1.  Beware  ye  fall  not  asleep,  1  Thess.  v.  7.  Take  heed  of  carnal 
security,  which  is  the  bed  of  the  devil's  making  for  us  ;  a  dangerous 
bed,  how  soft  soever ;  and  the  softer  the  more  dangerous.  Satan 
got  David  into  it,  and  there  he  polluted  himself  with  adultery  and 
murder;  and  Peter  also,  where  he  defiled  himself  with  denying  his 
Lord  and  Master.  But  it  is  but  few  that  get  the  cast  of  grace  to 
raise  and  cleanse  them  in  such  a  case,  that  these  two  eminent  saints 
got.    People  are  ready  to  fall  asleep  after  a  full  meal,  Cant.  v.  1,5, 

Vol.  V.  2  M  • 


534  USK  OP  CAITTIOW. 

and  wise  virgins  may  be  overtaken  with  sleep,  as  well  as  foolish 
virgins,  Mat.  xxv.  5. 

2.  Beware  ye  fall  not  a-dreaming.  The  whole  life  of  some  is 
one  continued  dream  or  delusion,  which  they  awake  not  out  of  till 
they  are  past  hope  and  help,  Is.  xliv.  20.  He  feedeth  on  ashes ;  a 
deceived  heart  hath  turned  him  aside,  and  he  cannot  deliver  his 
soul,  nor  say,  "Is  there  not  a  lie  in  my  right  hand':"'  Chap.  xxix. 
8.  God's  children  also  are  in  hazard  of  dreaming  too  in  this  their 
night-time,  when  they  fall  asleep.  David  fell  a-dreaming  of  golden 
mountains  in  this  world,  Ps.  xxx.  6.  Peter  of  perfect  safety,  when 
Satan  was  laying  a  snare  for  him  and  seeking  to  winnow  him.  O 
Sirs,  open  your  eyes,  stand  on  your  watch,  know  ye  are  here  among 
the  lions'  dens,  and  the  mountains  of  the  leopards.  Do  not  dream 
of  world's  ease,  but  lay  your  account  with  trials  ;  nor  of  safety  from 
snares,  but  lay  you  account  with  temptations. 

3.  Beware  of  mistakes  and  misapprehensions  of  things,  to  which 
people  are  liable  in  the  night.  Live  by  faith,  and  trust  not  your 
own  understanding,  Prov.  iii.  5.  Judge  not  of  things  in  your  way 
by  sense,  but  by  the  rule  of  God's  word.  Our  eyes  in  the  night  are 
apt  to  deceive  us.  A  step  will  appear  much  more  difficult  by  reason 
of  the  darkness,  then  really  it  is  ;  so  there  will  be  stones  of  diffi- 
culty appearing  in  the  way,  of  a  duty  not  to  be  rolled  away,  which, 
yet  when  ye  come  up  to,  will  be  found  rolled  away  to  your  hand.  A 
bush  will  appear  a  house  to  the  traveller,  and  disappoint  him  turning 
to  it  for  shelter ;  so  does  this  and  the  other  created  comfort  to  us  in 
this  night-journey.  In  the  night  we  are  ready  to  take  our  friends 
for  our  foes,  as  did  the  disicples  on  the  sea  ;  so  we  are  apt  to  do 
with  our  crosses  and  trials. 

4.  Beware  of  stumbling,  John  xi.  10.  and  walk  circumspectly, 
Eph.  V.  15.  Keep  up  a  holy  jealousy  over  yourselves,  Prov.  xxviii. 
14.  "  Happy  is  the  man  that  feareth  alway."  "Where  the  darkness 
of  the  night  trysts  with  snares  and  stumbling  blocks  in  one's  way, 
it  is  hard  for  one  to  keep  his  feet ;  so  it  is  in  your  way  to  heaven. 
Peter  found  a  snare  in  the  mount,  as  well  as  in  the  high-priest's 
hall ;  and  Lot  in  the  cave  with  his  own  children,  as  well  as  in  Sodom. 
Take  then  that  caution,  1  Cor.  x,  12.  "  Let  him  that  thinketh  he 
standeth,  take  heed  lest  he  fall." 

Lastly,  Beware  of  wearying  in  a  way  of  languishing,  fretfulness, 
and  impatience  ;  the  which  is  incident  to  people  in  the  night  not 
asleep.  Whatever  be  your  troubles  in  the  world,  yea  your  struggles 
with  the  body  of  sin  and  temptations  do  not  weary  so  as  to  fall  a 
languishing,  unfitting  yourselves  for  bearing  and  doing ;  so  as  to 
fret  and  be  impatient,  and  say,  it  will  never  be  day.  For  though  it  is 
night,  the  morning  cometh. 


OF  THE  day's  BREAKIXa  IX  THE   OTHER  WORLD.  535 

Use  ult.  Evidence  yourselves  truly  married  to  Christ,  by  your 
looking  on  the  time  of  this  life,  as  a  night-time,  a  shadowy  one. 
And  this, 

1.  By  stretching  your  view  habitually  beyond  it,"  looking  not  at 
the  things  which  are  seen,  but  at  the  things  which  are  not  seen," 
2  Cor.  iv.  ult.  A  soul  married  to  Christ  will  not  terminate  its  desires 
and  expectations  within  the  narrow  limits  of  time  ;  nor  would  they, 
if  it  were  in  their  offer,  sit  down  contented  with  this  life  perpetuated, 
more  than  they  would  be  content  of  an  eternal  night  here  that  would 
never  have  a  day.  Job  vii.  16.  "I  loathe  it,  I  would  not  live  alway." 
But  live  ye  in  expectation  of  this  night's  passing,  and  of  the  morn- 
ing's coming  in  the  other  world. 

2.  By  watchfulness  and  circumspect  walking,  as  not  insensible  of 
your  hazard.  Travellers  by  night  look  well  to  their  feet,  however 
carelessly  men  walk  that  travel  by  day,  Prov.  iv.  26.  Many  pro- 
fessing to  be  espoused  to  Christ,  discover  their  hypocrisy  by  the 
looseness  and  carelessness  of  their  after-walk. 

3.  By  continual  eying  and  use-making  of  the  pillar  of  fire  that 
gives  light  in  the  night  in  this  wilderness.  Christ  is  that  pillar  of 
fire,  that  enlightens  the  believer's  darkness  in  this  world  ;  as  he  is 
a  husband,  he  is  the  soul's  guide.  Keep  the  eye  of  faith  on  him, 
while  the  night  lasts,  that  all  your  motions,  removes,  and  rests  may 
be  directed  by  him.  Col.  ii.  6.  "  As  ye  have  therefore  received 
Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  so  walk  ye  in  him."  John  viii.  12.  "I  am 
the  light  of  the  world  ;  he  that  followeth  me,  shall  not  walk  in 
darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light  of  life." 

Lastly,  By  learning  and  using  the  song  in  the  night.  Our  Lord 
has  allowed  the  travellers  to  Zion,  such  a  song,  as  may  refresh  and 
cheer  them  in  their  night-journey  through  the  wilderness,  Isa.  xxx.  29. 
"  Ye  shall  have  a  song  as  in  the  night,  when  a  holy  solemnity  is 
kept,  and  gladness  of  heart,  as  when  one  goeth  with  a  pipe  to  come 
into  the  mountain  of  the  Lord,  to  the  mighty  One  of  Israel."  They 
learn  it  out  of  their  bible,  Psal.  cxix.  54.  "Thy  statutes  have  been 
ray  songs  in  the  house  of  my  pilgrimage."  They  sing  it  by  faith, 
believing  the  promises,  and  crediting  and  applying  the  blessed  re- 
port concerning  the  other  world,  the  day's  breaking  and  the  sha- 
dows fleeing  away.  And  this  cheers  them  in  the  melancholy  night 
they  have.  Slight  it  not,  Job  xxxv.  10.  "But  none  saith.  Where 
is  God  my  Maker,  who  giveth  songs  in  the  night?"  Isa.  Ixiv.  5." 
Thou  mcetest  him  that  rejoiccth  and  worketh  righteousness,  those 
that  remember  thee  in  thy  ways."  Neh.  viii.  10.  "  The  joy  of  the 
Lord  is  your  strength." 

2  M  2 


536  WHAT  ARE  THE  SHADOWS  THAT  WILL  FLEE  AW  AT. 

DocT.  II.  To  those  that  are  truly  married  to  Christ,  the  day  will 
break  in  the  other  world,  and  the  shadows  flee  away ;  and  they 
should  live  in  the  comfortable  expectation  of  it. 

In  handling  this  point,  I  shall, 

I.  Consider  the  day's  breaking,  and  the  shadows  fleeing  away 
thereupon. 

II.  Believers  living  in  the  comfortable  expectation  of  the  day's 
breaking  to  them  in  the  other  world,  and  the  shadows  fleeing  away 
thereupon. 

III.  Lastly,  Apply  the  doctrine. 

I.  I  shall  consider  the  day's  breaking,  and  the  shadows  fleeing 
away  thereupon.     And  on  this  head  I  shall  speak  of, 

1.  The  day's  breaking  in  the  other  world  to  those  that  are  mar- 
ried to  Christ. 

2.  The  shadows  upon  this  breaking  of  the  day,  fleeing  away. 

3.  Confirm  the  point,  that  the  day  will  break,  and  the  shadows 
flee  away,  as  to  those  that  are  married  to  Christ. 

FIRST,  I  am  to  speak  of  the  day's  breaking  in  the  other  world 
to  those  that  are  married  to  Christ.     And  here  I  shall  show, 

1.  "What  a  day  will  break  to  them  there. 

2.  How  this  day  will  break  to  them  there. 

First,  I  shall  shew  what  a  day  will  break  in  the  other  world  to 
those  who  are  married  to  Christ. 

1.  A  clear  and  bright  day,  Isa.  Ix.  1,  2.  "Arise,  shine,  for  thy 
light  is  come,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  is  risen  upon  thee.  For 
behold,  the  darkness  shall  cover  the  earth,  and  gross  darkness  the 
people  ;  but  the  Lord  shall  arise  upon  thee,  and  his  glory  shall  be 
seen  upon  thee."  Whatever  gloomy,  dark  and  melancholy  times 
the  spouse  of  Christ  has  here,  she  will  have  a  bright  day  of  it  in. 
the  other  world.  There  will  be  no  clouds  in  it;  the  dark  and  cloudy 
day  will  then  be  at  an  end.  The  glory  of  God  lightens  the  upper 
hemisphere  there,  whither  they  go ;  and  in  him  there  is  no  darkness 
at  all. 

2.  A  fair  day  and  calm.  There  are  no  storms  nor  tempests,  no 
blustering  winds  nor  rains  in  Immanuel's  land,  Rev.  xxi.  4.  "  There 
shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow,  nor  crying,  neither  shall 
there  be  any  more  pain."  It  will  be  one  continued  tempest  in  the 
lower  part  of  the  other  world;  there  the  great  rain  of  his  strength  will 
be  falling  continually  on  his  adversaries ;  but  there  will  be  an  ab* 
solute  calm  there,  as  Ex.  ix.  24 — 26.  where  we  are  told,  "  There 
was  hail,  and  fire  mingled  with  the  hail,  very  grievous,  such  as 
there  was  none  like  it  in  all  the  land  of  Egypt,  since  it  became  a 


OP  THE  day's  BKEAKING  IN  THE  OTHER  WORLD.  537 

nation. — Only  in  the  land  of  Goshen,  where  the  children  of  Israel 
were,  was  there  no  hail."  0  what  a  pity  is  it,  that  the  faith  thereof 
should  not  make  us  bear  better  the  clouds  returning  after  the  rain 
now ! 

3.  A  glad  and  joyful  day,  Psal.  cxxvi.  5.  "  They  that  sow  in 
tears,  shall  reap  in  joy."  Their  wo  days  will  then  be  at  an  end, 
Rev.  xxi.  4.  The  light  and  gladness  now  under  the  clod,  will  be 
fairly  sprung  up  to  them  then.  It  will  be  the  day  of  the  heir  of 
glory's  home-coming  from  his  travels  in  the  foreign  land,  unto  his 
own  country,  his  Father's  house,  and  his  Father's  embraces.  It  will 
be  the  spouse  of  Christ's  marriage-day,  when  the  marriage  with  the 
spiritual  bridegroom  shall  be  joyfully  solemnized. 

Lastly,  An  eternal  day.  Some  places  of  our  world  have  a  long 
day,  but  they  have  a  night  too,  and  that  a  long  one.  But  there 
will  be  an  everlasting  day  in  Immanuel's  land.  Rev.  xxi.  25.  There 
is  a  night  too  in  the  other  world,  as  well  as  a  day ;  but  they  are  in 
different  regions,  and  never  change.  It  will  be  a  day  in  the  upper 
hemisphere,  an  eternal  day ;  and  night  in  the  lower,  an  eternal 
night. 

Secondly,  Let  us  next  see  how  this  day  will  break  there  to  those 
who  are  married  to  Christ. 

1.  As  coming  near  their  night-journey's  end,  they  enter  the 
passage  betwixt  the  two  worlds,  the  darkness  and  shadowiness  of  the 
night  will  come  to  a  i»itch.  For  as  the  darkest  hour  ordinarily 
goes  before  day-break,  so  is  it  here,  the  hour  of  death  is  so  in  a 
signal  manner,  "  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,"  Psal.  xxiii.  4. 
When  they  go  down  to  that  valley,  there  is  a  gloominess  there  which 
they  have  not  had  the  like  of  before ;  they  may  have  much  ado  to 
keep  their  heart  from  failiug,  because  of  the  black  and  dismal 
aspect.  But  their  Lord  and  Husband  will  not  leave  them,  but  guide 
them  through  it,  ib.  and  xlviii.  ult. 

2.  As  soon  as  they  are  got  over  to  the  other  side,  immediately  the 
day  breaks,  and  it  is  fair  day-light  to  them.  Then  the  welcome 
day  ariseth,  never  to  go  down ;  their  hearts  are  cheered,  their  eyes 
enlightened,  and  there  is  no  fear  of  stumbling  any  more. 

(1.)  A  heavenly  gale  ariseth,  such  as  never  before  blew  on  them  ; 
they  get  a  full  measure  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  which  in  a  moment 
brings  them  to  a  state  of  perfection,  Heb.  xii.  23.  This  is  that 
blowing  of  the  day  in  the  text.  The  Spirit  blows  upon  them  here, 
and  conveys  grace  from  Christ  to  them,  excites  and  strengthens  it, 
Cant.  iv.  16.     But  then  he  blows  on  them  so  as  to  perfect  it. 

(2.)  The  light  of  glory  appears,  and  spreads  over  all  to  them.  Is. 
Ix.  1.      The   shinning  ones  receive  them,  to  carry  them  home  to 


538  WHAT  AKE  THE  SHADOWS  THAT  WII.L  FLKE  AWAY. 

Abraliam's  bosom.  While  tliey  pass  into  tlio  upper  regions,  tlie  day 
then  is  broken,  and  goes  on  to  the  perfect  day  there,  growing  more 
and  more  lightsome,  and  filling  them  Ayith  new  and  unseen  delights. 

(3.)  Getting  in  to  the  highest  heavens,  the  Sun  of  righteousness  is 
up  on  them ;  and  there  they  are  in  inconceivable  light  and  splen- 
dour, which  we  can  have  no  notion  of,  but  what  is  childish,  Col.  i.  12. 
There  shines  the  glory  of  God,  and  of  the  Lamb ;  and  such  is  the 
splendour,  that  there  is  no  need  of  the  sun  nor  of  the  moon. 

SECONDLY,  I  proceed  to  consider  the  shadows,  upon  this  break- 
ing of  the  day,  fleeing  away.     And  here  I  shall  shew, 

1.  What  is  that  fleeing  away  of  the  shadows. 

2.  What  are  the  shadows  that  will  flee  away,  when  that  day 
breaks. 

First,  I  shall  shew  what  is  that  fleeing  away  of  the  shadows.  We 
may  take  it  up  in  three  things. 

1.  The  utter  removal  of  every  thing  interposing  betwixt  God  and 
them,  and  intercepting  the  light  of  his  countenance.  Rev.  xxi.  3. 
Now  there  are  many  things  of  that  nature ;  but  when  the  day  breaks, 
there  shall  be  none  of  them.  The  day  of  grace  breaking,  removed 
all  interposing  hindrances  in  respect  of  their  state  of  peace  and 
friendship ;  but  the  day  of  glory  breaking,  will  remove  all  interpos- 
ing hinderances  in  respect  of  their  full  enjoyment. 

2.  The  removal  of  all  dark,  gloomy,  and  melancholy  things  out  of 
their  condition.  Mat.  xxv.  23.  They  shall  then  put  ofl^  their  blacks, 
and  be  clothed  in  white  raiment;  no  sigh  will  be  heard  more,  nor 
the  least  vestige  remain  of  a  sorrowful  spirit.  There  shall  be  no- 
thing from  without  them,  nor  within  them,  to  cause  the  least  down- 
look.  After  all  the  frights  they  have  been  in,  they  shall  be  per- 
fectly composed,  and  enjoy  an  inconceivable  serenity. 

3.  The  removal  of  all  imperfection  of  light,  and  whatsoever  gives 
but  a  faint  and  shadowy  representation  of  Christ  and  the  glories  of 
the  other  world,  1  Cor.  xiii.  12.  Rev.  xxii.  4.  By  nature  we  are 
blind,  and  cannot  see  them,  though  they  are  to  be  seen  in  the  look- 
ing-glass of  the  gospel.  The  day  of  grace  breaking  to  a  man,  he 
beholds  them  in  the  glass ;  but  in  the  day  of  glory  the  glass  is  re- 
moved, and  he  sees  face  to  face.     There  fleeing  away  imports, 

(1.)  The  suddenness  of  their  removal.  Though  the  moment  before 
the  shadows  were  at  their  longest,  blackest,  and  darkest  pitch,  the 
next  moment  they  shall  be  gone.  As  if  the  sun  should  in  a  moment 
break  from  under  a  cloud,  and  enlighten  all  that  was  dark  before. 

(2.)  The  completeness  of  their  removal ;  they  shall  evanish,  with- 
out leaving  any  mark  behind  them,  where  they  had  been.     So  does 


WHAT  ARE  TIIK  SHADOWS  THAT  WILL  FLEE  AWAY.  539 

a  shadow  flee  away  turning  to   nothing.     The  light  of  glory  ex- 
tinguishes them  quite. 

Secondly,  "We  are  to  enquire,  what  are  the  shadows  that  will  flee 
away  when  that  day  breaks.  They  may  be  comprehended  under 
the  folowiug  particulars. 

1.  The  shadow  of  this  world  will  then  flee  away,  1  Cor.  vii.  31. 
The  night  comes  on  by  the  interposing  of  the  earth  betwixt  us  and 
the  sun  ;  and  this  cursed  earth  getting  in  betwixt  Christ  the  sun  of 
right«ousness  and  us,  makes  a  black  and  dark  shadow,  it  hides  the 
the  face  of  the  lovely  Jesus  from  natural  men  wholly,  as  the  sun  is 
hidden  in  the  night ;  from  the  saints  it  hides  his  face  in  great  mea- 
sure, as  a  cloud  interposing  betwixt  us  and  the  sun,  so  making  them 
sometimes  go  mourning  without  the  sun. 

But  the  day  of  eternity  breaking,  the  believer  will  see  it  fled 
away.  At  death  they  will  go  from  it,  they  will  be  quite  above  it, 
it  will  be  under  their  feet.  It  will  not  be  able  to  cast  any  more 
shadow  to  them,  than  a  hill  in  a  sunny  day  when  one  is  on  the  top 
of  it,  whatever  it  may  do  to  those  below  in  the  valley.  And  at  the 
resurrection,  the  world  itself  will  flee  away,  being  suddenly  de- 
stroyed. Rev.  XX.  11.  It  was  often  taken  for  a  substantial  good 
but  then  it  will  flee  away  as  a  shadow,  1  John  ii.  17.  "  The  world 
passeth  away,  and  the  lusts  thereof.  " 

2.  The  shadow  of  sin,  Heb.  xii.  23.  The  sun  shone  fair  and 
bright  on  mankind  in  the  state  of  innocency,  and  made  this  a  plea- 
sant worl  d,  the  very  suburbs  of  heaven,  where  every  thing  smiled 
on  man  and  his  condition  was  altogether  lightsome  ;  but  no  sooner 
had  sin  entered,  but  the  darkness  of  the  night  was  spread  over  all 
in  one  shadow.  The  day  of  grace  dawning  in  conversion,  a  new 
light  arises,  sin  being  removed  in  its  guilt  of  eternal  wrath,  and  its 
dominion ;  but  alas  !  it  still  remains  in  its  indwelling  power,  oc- 
casioning a  continual  struggle,  ofttimes  prevailing ;  hence  are  many 
long  and  black  shadows  in  the  believer's  way,  extending  as  far  as  it 
reaches,  so  that,  by  reason  of  guilt  and  defilement  contracted,  they 
often  find  themselves  as  in  the  shadow  of  death,  Isa.  lix.  2.  They 
keep  right  a  while,  and  then  they  walk  in  the  light  of  the  Lord's 
countenance  ;  they  are  overtaken  again  with  sin,  and  then  they  are 
under  a  cloud  again,  and  walk  in  darkness. 

But  the  day  breaking,  sin  will  flee  away.  There  will  be  no  more 
unbelief,  ill  heart,  or  corruption  of  nature  ;  though  it  is  fixed  now 
with  bonds  of  iron  and  brass,  these  will  in  a  moment  give  way  like 
tow  touched  with  fire  ;  and  sin  will  i)ass  away,  leaving  no  mark  be- 
hind it,  more  than  a  shadow.  The  believer's  wounds  will  all  be 
healed,  and  all  his  now  running  sores,  so  as  there  shall  not  appear 
the  least  sear  where  they  were. 


540  AVHAT  ARE  THE  SHADOWS  THAT  WILL  FLEE  AWAY. 

3.  The  shadow  of  temptations,  Rom.  xvi.  20.  "  The  God  of  peace 
shall  bruise  Satan  under  your  feet  shortly."  This  was  the  first 
shadow  that  was  in  the  world.  The  command,  promise,  and 
threatening  were  shining  clear  to  our  first  parents  ;  but  in  came  the 
subtile  serpent  with  his  temptations,  which  cast  a  shadow  over  them 
that  darkened  them  all  to  Eve,  so  that  they  appeared  to  her  in 
other  colours.  Gen.  iii.  6.  She  carried  the  temptation  to  Adam, 
and  he  also  was  overshadowed  ere  he  was  aware,  and  he  sinned,  and 
then  the  shadow  spread  over  all  the  world.  Now  the  light  of  the 
word  shines,  and  represents  sin  as  ugly  and  destructive  ;  tempta- 
tion arises,  and  with  its  shadow  mars  the  light,  and  sin  appears 
lovely  and  beneficial.  Thus  the  believer  is  often  by  this  means  left 
in  the  dark,  robbed  and  spoiled ;  and  takes  poison  to  himself  with 
Lis  own  hands,  being  blinded  with  the  shadow  of  temptation. 

But  when  the  day  breaks,  that  shadow  will  flee  away.  The 
tempter  who  got  into  the  earthly  paradise,  will  have  no  access  into 
the  heavenly.  All  the  mist  he  raised  before  the  eyes  of  believers 
here,  will  be  suddenly  dispelled,  and  never  gather  again  more  ;  but 
there  they  will  have  an  eternal  sunshine,  where  every  thing  will 
appear  in  its  native  colours ;  and  they  shall  not  be  capable  of  being 
deceived  any  more.  There  will  be  no  more  need  of  watching,  fight- 
ing, &c.,  the  hazard  being  over. 

3.  The  shadow  of  outward  troubles  will  flee  away,  of  troubles  on 
your  bodies,  relations,  names,  affairs,  &c..  Job  iii.  17.  Sometimes 
the  sun  of  prosperity  shines  on  the  believer,  and  there  is  silence  as 
it  were  half  an  hour ;  anon  trouble  ariseth,  spreads  and  continues, 
till  it  cast  such  a  shadow,  as  hides  prosperity  quite  out  of  his  sight, 
and  causes  him  to  forget  it.  Lam.  iii.  17;  yea,  as  hides  the  face  of 
God  from  him,  that  he  cannot  behold  his  countenance  with  joy,  his 
weak  eyes  being  unable  so  to  master  the  shadow  as  to  behold  it. 
Things  appear  frightful  in  it,  that  believers  are  apt  to  think  he  has 
forgot  them,  Isa.  xlix.  14.  that  he  treats  them  as  his  enemies,  Job 
xiii.  24.  and  can  hardly  think  that  they  have  any  more  room  with 
him.  Job  ix.  16,  17- 

But  when  the  day  breaks  and  the  shadows  flee  away,  they  will 
have  a  profound  peace,  an  eternal  calm,  in  Imraanuel's  land. 
Though  the  storm  blow  never  so  long  and  hard  on  them,  in  this 
their  night ;  when  once  the  day  is  broken  and  Christ  has  them 
home,  he  will  never  let  an  air  blow  on  them  more.  They  may  then 
look  back  on  the  tossed  and  troublous  life  they  have  had,  but  they 
will  remember  them  all  as  waters  that  fail. 

5.  The  shadow  of  inward  spiritual  troubles,  through  desertions, 
and  hidings  of  the  Lord's  face.     These  are  sometimes  so  black  and 


THAT  THE  DAY  WILL  BKEAIC,  &C.  541 

gloomy,  that  tliey  are  apt  to  cry  out,  that  their  hope  is  perished 
from  the  Lord.  Such  a  damp  may  seize  them,  as  that  they  begin  to 
think  that  all  they  have  had,  has  been  but  delusions ;  and  they  may 
be  at  razing  foundations.  They  may  have  much  ado  to  keep  up 
hope,  saying  as  Psal.  Ixxvii.  7,  8,  9.  "  Will  the  Lord  cast  off  for 
ever  ?  and  will  he  be  favourable  no  more  ?  Is  his  mercy  clean  gone 
for  ever?  doth  his  promise  fail  for  evermore  ?  Hath  God  forgotten 
to  be  gracious?  hath  he  in  anger  shut  up  his  tender  mercies?" 
Their  spirits  may  be  wounded,  the  arrows  of  God  sticking  in  them. 
Then  it  is  dark  night. 

But  if  the  day  were  broken,  and  the  shadows  fled  away,  they  will 
be  comforted  fully  with  the  greatest  tenderness,  when  brought  into 
Abraham's  bosom,  Isa.  Ixvi.  13.  "  As  one  whom  his  mother  com- 
forteth,  so  will  I  comfort  you ;  and  ye  shall  be  comforted  in  Jeru- 
salem." And  readily  they  that  have  had  the  sharpest  conflicts,  will 
have  the  greatest  comfort ;  sure,  bitter  entertainment  here,  will 
make  sweet  sauce  to  the  entertainment  there. 

6.  The  shadow  of  ordinances  will  flee  away.  Rev.  xxi.  23.  "  And 
the  city  had  no  need  of  the  sun,  neither  of  the  moon  to  shine  in  it ; 
for  the  glory  of  God  did  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the  light 
thereof."  The  word  and  sacraments  give  but  faint  representations 
of  the  Bridegroom's  glory,  they  show  him  but  as  it  were  in  his  night 
dress ;  they  are  but  the  looking-glass  wherein  they  see  his  shadow, 
2  Cor.  iii.  ult.  Though  they  show  more  glory  in  him  than  in  the 
whole  creation,  yet  the  half  is  not  discovered  thereby. 

But  when  the  day  breaks,  and  the  shadows  flee  away,  they  will 
get  an  immediate  sight  of  him,  as  he  is,  1  John  iii.  2,  see  him  face 
to  face,  1  Cor.  xiii.  12.  The  ordinances  that  served  them  in  their 
night-travelling  through  the  wilderness,  will  be  honourably  laid 
aside  when  the  day  is  broken  to  them  in  the  promised  land,  as  was 
the  tabernacle  when  the  temple  was  reared  up.  There  will  be  no 
need  of  the  lower  table,  when  they  are  set  down  with  the  King  at 
the  higher.  So  preaching,  prayers,  sacraments,  &c.  shall  flee 
away. 

7.  Lastly/,  The  shadow  of  all  manner  of  imperfections,  1  Cor.  xiii. 
12.  There  are  many  imperfections  attending  the  believer  here, 
natural  and  moral.  lie  must  eat,  drink,  sleep,  tS:c.  for  his  body; 
his  soul  is  compassed  about  with  many  spiritual  infirmities,  there  is 
a  weakness  in  all  his  faculties.  These  cast  a  broad  shadow,  and 
hide  much  of  the  King's  glory  to  him. 

But  when  the  day  breaks  and  the  shadows  flee  away,  the  body 
shall  no  more  be  a  clog  to  him ;  all  the  faculties  of  his  soul  shall  be 
brought  to  their  perfection.     The  mind  shall  arrive  at  a  perfection 


542  THAT  TUE  DAY  WILL  BllEAK,  &C. 

of  knowledge,  the  will  of  conformity  to  the  will  of  God,  and  the 
affections  of  regularity  and  order.  Their  enjoyment  of  God  shall  be 
full ;  they  shall  be  put  off  no  more  with  sips  and  tastes,  but  drink 
of  the  rivers  of  his  pleasures  for  evermore.  Faith  shall  be  turned 
to  sight,  and  desire  and  hope  into  full  and  unhampered  possession. 

THIRDLY,  I  shall  now  confirm  this  point,  That  the  day  will 
break  and  the  sh.adows  flee  away,  as  to  those  who  are  married  to 
Christ.     Consider  for  this  purpose  the  following  things, 

1.  It  was  so  with  their  Head  and  Husband,  and  the  procedure 
with  them  must  be  conformable  to  that  with  him,  Heb.  xii.  2. 
"  Jesus,  for  the  joy  that  was  set  before  him,  endured  the  cross,  de- 
spising the  shame,  and  is  set  down  at  the  right  hand  of  the  throne 
of  God."  2  Tim.  ii.  11,  12.  "  It  is  a  faithful  saying,  For  if  we  be 
dead  with  him,  we  shall  also  live  with  him  ;  if  we  suffer  we  shall 
also  reign  with  him,"  Our  Lord  Christ  had  a  dark  shadowy  night 
of  it  in  this  world ;  the  sun  of  this  world's  prosperity  hid  itself  from 
him  all  along,  and  the  farther  on  in  the  night  it  was  Avith  him,  it 
grew  still  the  darker,  till  it  came  to  the  utmost  pitch  in  the  valley 
of  the  shadow  of  death.  And  then  the  day  brake  to  him,  and  all 
shadows  fled  away ;  and  now  he  is  for  ever  in  the  light. 

2.  The  nature  of  God's  work  of  grace  in  them ;  it  cannot  be  left 
unperfected ;  Psal.  cxxxviii.  ult.  "  The  Lord  will  perfect  that  which 
concerneth  me."  Time  was  when  they  were  in  a  state  of  blindness, 
no  light  being  in  them,  Isa.  viii.  20.  God  has  brought  them  out  of 
that  state,  and  there  is  a  light  arisen  to  them,  a  light  of  grace,  the 
nature  of  which  is  to  go  on  to  perfection,  Prov.  iv.  18.  "  The  path 
of  the  just  is  as  the  shining  light,  that  shineth  more  and  more  unto 
the  perfect  day."  Grace  and  corruption  are  like  the  house  of 
David  and  Saul ;  struggle  they  may  for  a  while,  but  the  latter  must 
be  extinct,  and  the  former  enjoy  all. 

3.  The  bounty  and  goodness  of  God  to  his  people.  God  is  essen- 
tially good,  and  he  is  good  to  thera  in  Christ  his  Son.  It  is  incon- 
sistent with  the  goodness  of  his  nature  to  keep  them  always  in  the 
darkness  of  the  night,  and  horror  of  shadows.  Surely,  looking  to 
his  good  and  gracious  nature,  we  may  conclude  that  the  day  will 
break  and  the  shadows  flee  away,  especially  considering,  that  there 
is  a  longing  for  it  in  them  created  by  his  own  Spirit. 

4.  Lastly,  The  nature  of  the  covenant,  w'hich  is  everlasting,  and 
cannot  be  broken.  It  secures  by  promise  the  perfecting  of  the  hap- 
piness of  his  people  ;  it  was  made  for  that  end ;  the  promises  are 
not  accomplished  here  perfectly ;  nay  it  is  an  earnest  only  of  their 
accomplishment  that  is  given.  Therefore  there  must  be  a  time, 
when  the  day  shall  break,  and  the  shadows  flee  away. 


'of  believers'  expectation  of  tue  dav's  beeakixg,         543 

II.  I  proceed  to  consider  believers  living  in  the  comfortable  ex- 
pectation of  the  day's  breaking  to  them  in  the  other  world  and  the 
shadows  fleeing  away.     It  implies  these  following  things, 

1.  Their  looking  on  themselves  as  travellers  only  through  this 
world,  who  are  not  to  stay  in  it,  Heb.  xi.  13.  As  soon  as  the  soul 
is  married  to  Christ,  it  begins  to  be  a  pilgrim  on  earth,  in  its  own 
account,  reckoning  heaven  the  home,  and  earth  the  house  of  its 
pilgrimage.  Men  in  their  natural  state  are  like  the  Egyptians  in 
their  darkness,  who  moved  not  from  their  place ;  but  being  touched 
with  converting  grace,  they  are  like  the  Israelites  travelling 
through  the  wilderness  to  Canaan. 

2.  Their  laying  their  account  with  the  continuance  of  the  night 
and  gloomy  shades,  while  they  are  here.  Our  Lord  has  told  them, 
that  it  must  be  so,  John  xvi.  ult.  "  In  the  world  ye  shall  have 
tribulation;"  and  though  sometimes  they  fall  a  dreaming  of  light 
and  ease,  Psal.  xxx.  6.  yet  their  habitual  course  is  not  so,  being 
persuaded  that  "they  must  through  much  tribulation  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  God,"  Acts  xiv.  22.  They  are  resolved  to  trust  their 
portion,  and  rest  till  they  come  to  the  other  side,  and,  in  the  mean 
time,  to  bear  their  trials  till  they  are  safely  arrived  there. 

3.  A  contentedness  to  leave  this  world,  and  go  to  the  other,  Luke 
ii.  29.  "  Lord,  now  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart  in  peace,  accord- 
ing to  thy  word."  Every  body  sincerely  joining  themselves  to  the 
Lord  Christ  as  their  Head  and  Husband,  are  thus  contented.  Cant, 
viii.  5.  They  may  indeed  have  a  natural  horror  of  death,  but  they 
are  reconciled  to  the  pleasant  laud  on  the  other  side  of  it ;  as  one  is 
unto  health,  while  yet  they  have  a  horror  of  the  bitter  potion, 
whereby  it  must  be  compassed.  Sometimes  again  they  are  unclear 
as  to  their  interest,  and  this  may  make  them  unwilling  to  remove ; 
but  this  is  consistent  with  that  contentedness,  since  it  makes  not  an 
absolute  unwillingness,  but  only  in  such  circumstances;  as  one  may 
be  willing  to  go  to  a  place,  yet  not  willing  to  take  the  journey 
blindfolded. 

4.  A  faith  of  the  day,  the  clear  and  bright  day  that  is  in  the 
other  world,  Heb.  ix.  13.  "Those  all  died  in  faith."  The  report  of 
it  is  no  more  to  them  as  idle  tales,  but  they  are  persuaded  of  it,  and 
look  on  it  as  the  land  of  light  and  comfort ;  as  far  preferable  to 
this  world  as  the  day  is  to  night.  If  they  were  not  persuaded  of 
the  other's  being  a  better  world  than  this,  they  could  not  be  content 
to  part  with  this  for  it. 

o.  A  desire  to  be  there  in  the  other  world,  where  the  day  breaks 
and  the  shadows  flee  away,  Phil.  i.  23.  "  I  am  in  a  strait  betwixt 
two,  having  a  desire  to  depart,  and  to  be  with  Christ ;  which  is  far 


544        OF  believers'  expectation  of  the  day's  ureakino. 

better."  As  it  is  natural  for  the  walking  traveller  to  desire  tlie 
breaking  of  the  clay,  and  to  be  there  where  it  is  daylight ;  so  it  is 
natural  for  the  walking  Christian,  to  desire  to  be  there  where  it  is 
eternal  day  in  the  other  world.  And  this  desire  is  at  the  root  of 
the  believer's  desire  of  a  total  deliverance  from  sin,  and  of  a  full 
uninterrupted  communion  with  God ;  these  they  desire,  and  these 
they  know  are  not  to  be  reached,  but  in  the  other  world. 

6.  A  hope  and  expectation  of  the  day's  breaking  to  them  there, 
and  the  shadoAVs  fleeing  away,  Rom.  viii.  23,  24.  "  And  not  only 
they,  but  ourselves  also,  which  have  the  first  fruits  of  the  Spirit, 
even  we  ourselves  groan  within  ourselves,  waiting  for  the  adoption, 
to  wit,  the  rodemj>tion  of  our  body.  For  we  are  saved  by  hope." 
There  is  a  lively  hope  of  the  glory  to  be  revealed,  so  that  they  hope, 
however  dark  it  is  for  the  time,  it  will  not  be  always  so ;  the  mor- 
ning will  come.  Hope  has  its  struggles  as  well  as  faiih ;  but  the 
hope  of  believers  is  never  totally  overthrown,  more  than  their  faith. 

Lastly,  A  comforting  themselves  in  this  world  with  the  prospect 
of  the  other  world,  2  Cor.  iv.  17,  18.  "  For  our  light  affliction, 
which  is  but  for  a  moment,  worketh  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and 
eternal  weight  of  glory ;  while  we  look  not  at  the  things  which  are 
seen,  but  at  the  things  which  are  not  seen ;  for  the  things  which  are 
seen,  are  temporal ;  but  the  things  which  are  not  seen,  are  eternal." 
If  the  night  be  gloomy  here,  they  should  comfort  themselves  with 
the  prospect  of  the  day's  breaking  there,  and  the  shadows  fleeing 
away,  and  sing  in  the  house  of  their  pilgrimage,  in  hope  of  the  joy 
abiding  them  at  the  end  of  their  journey. 

I  shall  now  make  some  practical  improvement  of  this  doctrine. 

Use  I.  Of  information.     This  informs  us, 

1.  That  whatever  be  the  trials  of  believers  in  this  world,  there 
is  a  happy  state  abiding  them  in  the  other  world,  wherein  they  will 
be  beyond  them  all,  Heb.  iv.  9.  "  Their  remaineth  a  rest  to  the 
people  of  God."  The  wicked  may  have  a  fair  and  calm  day  here, 
but  there  will  be  an  everlasting  night  for  them  there.  But  it  is 
better  to  have  our  night  here,  and  an  eternal  day  there,  than  to 
have  our  day  here,  and  eternal  night  there. 

2.  The  report  of  unbelief  to  the  people  of  God  in  their  dark 
hours,  whereby  it  is  said  to  them,  It  will  never  be  better,  is  false, 
and  not  to  be  credited.  Lam.  iii.  17,  18.  It  is  the  work  of  faith  to 
contradict  these  evil  surmisings  tending  to  cut  oft'  hope  ;  and  to 
believe  the  promise,  when  one  does  not  see.  Satan  ruined  the 
world  at  first  by  working  a  misbelief  of  the  threatening;  now  he 
carries  it  on  by  a  misbelief  of  the  promise. 

3.  This  is  the  time  wherein  we  are  called  to  walk  by  faith,  2  Cor. 


USE  OF  EXHORTATIOTT.  545 

V.  7.  In  the  other  world  we  will  walk  by  sight,  for  there  the  day 
will  be  broken,  aud  there  will  be  no  shadows  to  interpose ;  but  till 
we  come  there,  we  must  be  content  to  live  by  faith,  trusting  our 
good  things  to  come  after  we  have  patiently  received  our  evil  things, 
and  made  our  way  through  the  gloomy  shades  here. 

4.  That  there  will  be  a  vast  difference  betwixt  the  state  of  be- 
lievers here  and  in  the  other  world.  "What  a  difference  is  there 
between  a  dark  shadowy  night,  and  a  fair  bright  day?  such  will 
there  be  between  the  state  of  grace  and  glory.  Their  knowledge 
will  be  exceedingly  extensive,  beyond  what  it  is  now  ;  and  their 
comfort  and  joy  exceedingly  great,  beyond  what  any  time  they 
now  are. 

Lastly,  It  is  the  Christian's  own  fault,  if  he  wants  comfort  in  the 
hardest  pieces  of  his  lot,  John  xiv.  18.  They  were  never  ill  dined, 
we  say,  that  know  of  a  good  supper.  Whatever  be  the  entertain- 
ment of  a  child  of  God  here,  there  is  a  blessed  entertainment  await- 
ing him  there,  and  as  the  workman  works  cheerfully  in  prospect  of  his 
wages,  and  the  traveller  goes  cheerfully  knowing  he  is  going  home  ? 
so  the  Christian  should  comfort  himself  in  this  world,  with  the 
prospect  of  the  other  world. 

Use  II.  Of  exhortation.  Let  such  as  are  married  to  Christ, 
having  received  him  in  his  covenant,  aud  given  themselves  to  him, 
learn  to  comfort  themselves  with  the  prospect  of  the  other  world, 
where  the  day  will  break,  and  the  shadows  flee  away.  To  move 
unto  this,  consider  these  things, 

1.  You  will  certainly  need  comfort  in  this  world.  Take  what 
way  ye  will,  ye  will  meet  with  sorrows,  difficulties,  aud  hardships, 
that  ye  will  be  in  need  of  some  cordials  to  keep  you  from  fainting  ; 
and  being  married  to  Christ,  ye  will  need  them  in  a  special  manner; 
for  then  your  God  will  have  you  exercised  with  various  trials,  the 
world  will  withdraw  its  countenance  from  you,  and  Satan  will  set 
himself  against  you  with  a  pecular  spite. 

2.  The  comforts  of  this  world  are  deceitful,  and  will  never  be 
found  able  to  balance  the  sorrows  of  it,  being  but  "  broken  cisterns 
that  can  hold  no  water,"  Jer.  ii.  13.  Some  of  them  they  can  do 
nothing  at  all  to,  as  in  Belshazzar's  case  under  the  terror  of  God; 
at  best  they  can  but  amuse  for  a  while,  but  the  grief  recurs.  So 
that  in  the  end  one  must  say  to  them,  "  Miserable  comforters  are 
ye  all :"  They  are  a  weak  dyke  that  will  be  carried  away  with 
the  flood  in  a  little. 

3.  The  other  world  is  a  fountain  of  comfort  in  all  cases  ye  can  be 
in,  temporal  or  spiritual. 

Here  the  man  in  outward  trouble  may  find  a  salve  for  his  sore. 


546 


USE  OF  EXHORTATION. 


If  he  is  oppressed  with  poverty,  he  may  comfort  himself  with  the 
prospect  of  the  treasure  there,  and  the  inheriting  all  things ;  if  he 
is  under  contempt  of  the  proud,  he  may  comfort  himself  with  the 
prospect  of  the  glory  there  ;  if  he  is  under  sickness  of  body,  the 
leaves  of  the  trees  there  are  for  the  healing  of  the  nations.  If  ho 
weary,  there  is  rest  there  ;  has  he  no  certain  abode  ?  there  they  go 
no  more  out,  &c. 

Here  the  man  in  spiritual  distress  may  comfort  himself.  Is  the 
body  of  sin  heavy  ?  in  the  other  world  there  will  be  a  freedom  from 
it.  Is  he  dogged  with  temptations  ?  there  the  tempter  cannot  enter. 
Is  he  under  desertion  ?  there  is  uninterrupted  communion  with  Grod 
there.  There  is  nothing  one  can  meet  with  heavy  here,  but  a  be- 
lieving view  of  the  other  world  may  afford  suitable  consolation 
against  it. 

Lastli/,  The  comforting  of  yourselves  with  the  prospect  of  the 
other  world,  is  a  duty  wherein  ye  will  at  once  singularly  honour 
God,  and  consult  your  own  interest. 

(1.)  Hereby  ye  will  honour  God's  testimony,  trusting  him  for 
things  unseen,  Heb.  xi.  1.  So  ye  will  give  him  the  glory  of  his 
faithfulness.  He  has  magnified  his  word  above  all  his  name,  and 
you  will  magnify  it  by  believing  it  indeed. 

(2.)  It  will  strengthen  you  notably  in  your  Christian  walk,  Neh. 
viii.  10.  "  The  joy  of  the  Lord  is  your  strength."  It  will  carry  you 
above  the  world's  smiles,  and  make  the  world's  great  things  little  in 
your  eyes,  Phil.  iii.  8.  It  will  strengthen  against  its  frowns,  and 
bear  you  up  under  the  greatest  trials,  2  Cor.  iv.  17,  18. 

I  shall  close  with  the  following  directions. 

1.  Keep  Christ  the  Lord  of  the  other  world  in  your  view  as  your 
Lord  and  Husband,  looking  to  "  be  found  in  him,  not  having  your 
own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is  through 
the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith,'' 
Phil.  iii.  9.  We  can  draw  no  comfort  from  the  other  world,  but  in 
that  blessed  channel ;  in  him  are  all  our  hopes,  for  by  him  only  we 
have  a  title  to  heaven. 

2.  Inure  yourselves  to  an  habitual  looking  to  the  other  world, 
2  Cor.  iv.  18.  When  the  habitual  frame  of  the  heart  is  carnal,  no 
wonder  that  a  glance  with  the  eye  to  the  other  world  be  not  com- 
fortable; but  when  the  habitual  bent  is  upward,  occasional  glances 
that  way  will  have  a  good  effect. 

Lastly,  Frame  the  whole  course  of  your  life  in  a  suitableness,  not 
to  this,  but  the  other  world,  Rom.  xii.  2.  Carry  as  travellers  to 
Zion,  going  through  this  wilderness  to  the  promised  land.  Let 
your  conversation  be  suitable  to  an  expectant  of  that  better  world, 
namely,  in  heaven,  Phil.  iii.  20. 


OF  Christ's  TURHfiiTG  A?fD  coiirxa  to  his  people.  547 

I  now  go  on  to  the  last  doctrine  I  observed  from  the  text, 
namely, 

DocT.  III.  It  will  be  the  great  concern  of  those  married  to  Christ 
during  their  night-journey  in  this  world,  that  he  may  turn  and  come 
to  them,  till  the  day  breaking  and  the  shadows  fleeing  away,  they 
get  to  him  in  the  other  world. 

Iif  discoursing  from  this  doctrine,  I  shall, 

I.  Shew  what  is  Christ's  turning  and  coming  to  them,  that  will  be 
their  great  concern  to  have, 

II.  Give  the  import  of  this  concern,  that  he  may  turn  and  come 
to  them,  till  the  day  break  and  the  shadows  flee  away. 

III.  Give  the  reasons  of  this  concern. 

IV.  Confirm  this  point,  that  this  will  be  the  great  concern  of 
those  married  to  Christ. 

Y.  Lastly,  Apply  the  doctrine. 

I.  I  am  to  shew  what  is  Christ's  turning  and  coming  to  those 
married  to  him,  that  will  be  their  great  concern  to  have.  We 
may  take  it  up  in  two  things. 

1.  His  aftording  them  his  presence.  That  will  be  their  great 
concern  *to  enjoy  during  their  night-journey;  that  if  they  must  have 
a  dark  and  shadowy  night-journey  of  it  through  the  world,  he  would 
not  leave  them,  but  be  with  them  in  it,  Exod.  xxxiii.  15.  "  If  thy 
presence  go  not  with  rae,  carry  us  not  up  hence."  No  body  can 
want  God's  essential  presence,  whereby  he  is  every  where  present, 
Psalm  cxxxix.  7.  and  downwards.  He  is  not  far  from  any.  Acts 
xvii.  27.  But  where  is  his  gracious  presence,  whereby  he  is  present 
with  the  children  of  men  by  his  Spirit  of  holiness  working  in  them ; 
in  which  respect  he  is  far  from  the  wicked,  Prov.  xv.  29.  and  some- 
times Avithdraws  from  his  own  in  part.  Cant.  v.  6.  though  never 
totally,  Heb.  xiii.  5.     Their  concern  then  will  be  tor, 

(1.)  His  seen  or  sensible  presence  with  them,  of  the  want  of  which 
Job  complains,  Job  xxiii.  8,  9.  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  which  the 
Psalmist  triumphs,  Ps.  xxiii.  4.  As  the  Israelites  had  the  pillar  of 
fire  by  night  present  with  them,  discovering  itself  by  its  own  light; 
so  would  they  have  the  presence  of  God  with  them,  discovering  itself 
to  them  by  its  own  light.  For  though  they  have  it,  if  they  perceive 
it  not,  they  cannot  have  the  comfort  of  it,  as  in  Mary's  case,  John 
XX.  14,  15. 

(2.)  His  operative  or  efiicacious  presence  in  them,  Phil  iii.  8,  10. 
"  I  count  all  things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of 
Christ  Jesus  my  Lord — that  I  may  know  him  and  the  power  of  his 
resurrection,  and  the  fellowship  of  his  sufferings,  being  made  con- 
formable unto  his  death."     As  the  Israelites'  concern  was  for  the 


54ft         OP  THE  saint's  CON'CEKT^'  for  CHUISt's  COAliNO  TO  THEir. 

pillar  of  fire  to  enlighten  their  darkness,  to  guide  them  in  their 
night-marches,  «Sic.  so  will  believers  be  concerned  for  Christ's  pre- 
sence to  enlighten  thera,  quicken,  strengthen,  and  purify  them ;  to 
work  in  thera  mightily.  And  unless  they  find  it  operative,  they 
will  not  reckon  they  have  it. 

2.  His  affording  thera  his  countenance,  the  shining  of  his  face, 
and  the  raanifestation  of  his  favour,  Ps.  vi.  6.  "  Lord,  lift  thou  up 
the  light  of  thy  countenance  upon  us."  The  unbelievers  never 
have,  Ps.  vii.  11 ;  there  is  always  a  cloud  on  it  to  thera  ;  they  are 
not  pleased  with  hira,  and  he  is  never  pleased  with  them,  Heb.  xi.  6. 
And  this  believers  sometimes  want,  Isa.  Ivii.  17.  "I  hid  me,  and 
was  wroth ;"  though  they  are  never  cast  out  of  his  favour,  they 
may  fall  to  be  deprived  of  the  manifestations  of  it  for  a  time. 
Their  concern  then  will  be  for, 

(1.)  The  turning  away  of  his  anger,  and  removal  of  any  ground  of 
controversy  he  has  with  them,  Ps.  Ixxxv.  4.  "  Turn  us,  0  God  of 
our  salvation,  and  cause  thine  anger  towards  us  to  cease."  Herein 
the  church  rejoiceth,  Isa.  xii.  1.  "  0  Lord,  I  will  praise  thee ; 
though  thou  wast  angry  with  rae,  thine  anger  is  turned  away,  and 
thou  comfortest  me. "  They  will  be  concerned,  that  while  the 
shades  are  thick  and  gloomy  about  them  below,  heaven  may  not  be 
lowering  on  them  too ;  but  that  it  may  be  clear  above,  though  it  be 
dark  and  shadowy  below. 

(2.)  The  manifestations  of  his  love.  Cant.  viii.  6.  "  Set  me  as  a 
seal  upon  thine  hearty  as  a  seal  upon  thine  arm,"  and  i.  2.  "  Let 
him  kiss  me  with  the  kisses  of  his  mouth ;  for  thy  love  is  better 
than  wine."  The  carnal  world  knows  none  of  these  things,  and 
therefore  cannot  be  concerned  for  them.  Proud  scornful  sinners  de- 
ride them  as  vain  imaginations  of  fantastic  fools.  But  in  the  expe- 
rience of  the  saints,  they  are  more  powerful  and  efficacious,  than  all 
the  pleasurable  enjoyments  earth  can  afford,  Psal.  iv.  6,  7.  They 
will  carry  thera  through  the  dark  and  difficult  steps,  where  all  tlie 
world's  cordials  will  leave  its  votaries  to  faint. 

II.  I  shall  give  the  import  of  this  concern  of  those  married  to 
Christ,  that  he  may  turn  and  come  to  them,  till  the  day's  breaking 
and  the  shadows'  fleeing  away,  they  get  to  him  in  the  other  world. 
It  imports, 

1,  That  during  the  night-journey  in  this  world,  Christ  sometimes 
turns  away  and  withdraws  from  his  people ;  so  that  seeking  him 
they  cannot  find  hira,  Cant.  iii.  1.  "By  night  on  my  bed  I  sought 
him  whom  my  soul  loveth  ;  I  sought  hira  but  I  found  him  not." 
Even  as  Moses  who  brought  the  Israelites  out  of  Egypt,  was  with- 
drawn from  them  in  the  wilderness,  and  they  knew  not  what  was  be- 


or  THE  SA.INTS'  CONCERN  FOR  CIIREST'.S  COMING  TO  TIIEM.         549 

come  of  him.  Christ  seems  sometimes  to  lock  up  "himself  from  his 
people,  for  his  own  holy  ends,  that  they  c.aunot  have  that  access  to 
him  as  sometime  before.  So  he  puts  a  difference  betwixt  earth  and 
heaven,  the  house  of  their  pilgrimage  and  their  home,  that  they 
may  like  home  the  better. 

2.  The  travellers  to  Zion,  when  Christ  is  away,  though  it  be  night, 
they  readily  miss  him.  Cant.  iii.  3.  "  The  watchmen  that  go  about 
the  city,  found  me,  to  whom  I  said,  Saw  ye  him  whom  my  soul 
loveth  ?"  Indeed  it  may  at  times'  be  with  them  as  with  Samson, 
Judg.  xvi.  20,  who  "wist  not  that  the  Lord  was  departed  from  him." 
But  that  is  through  the  inadvertancy ;  if  they  once  begin  to  look 
about  them,  they  will  be  sure  to  miss  him,  as  the  spouse  did.  Cant, 
v.  6.  It  is  a  property  of  a  gracious  soul,  to  be  capable  to  tell 
Christ's  visits,  his  goings  and  comings.  It  is  not  every  one  can  do 
that:  worldly  men  reign  as  kings  without  him,  they  miss  him  not; 
the  blind  man  cannot  tell  when  the  day  comes  in,  or  when  the 
night ;  but  the  seeing  can  do  both.  The  wife  can  readily  tell  when 
her  husband  goes  abroad,  and  when  he  comes  home  ;  though  the  ser- 
vants being  without  about  their  work,  may  know  neither  the  one 
nor  the  other. 

3.  A  holy  dissatisfaction  with  all  things,  while  he  is  away.  An  an- 
gel's presence  could  not  please  Moses  in  the  wilderness,  Ex.  xxxv.  2, 
15.  nor  dry  Mary's  cheeks  in  the  garden,  while  she  knew  not  where 
her  Lord  was,  John  xx.  12,  13.  The  house  though  thronged  with  ser- 
vants is  empty  to  the  wife,  while  her  beloved  husband  is  not  there. 
The  gracious  soul  would  make  stepping-stones  of  all,  to  carry  it  to 
Christ  the  best  beloved. 

4.  A  holy  resolution  to  give  him  a  welcome  reception,  if 
he  will  turn  and  come  again ;  then  the  doors  should  be  cast 
wide  open  to  receive  him,  Cant.  viii.  1,  2.  "0  that  thou  wert  as 
ray  brother  that  sucked  the  breasts  of  my  mother  !"  &c.  And  this  is 
joined  with  self-loathing,  for  giving  him  occasion  to  depart.  "What 
a  madman,"  says  one  in  this  concern,  "  was  I,  that  I  could  not  keep 
his  presence  when  I  had  it  ?  But  0  !  if  I  had  it  again,  I  should 
not  so  easily  quit  it." 

5.  Earnest  outgoings  of  the  heart  after  hira  in  desires  for 
his  return,  Isa.  Ixix.  1.  "  0  that  thou  wouldst  rend  the  heavens, 
that  thou  wouldst  come  down,  that  the  mountains  might  flow  down 
at  thy  presence."  Job  xxiii.  3.  "  0  that  I  knew  where  I  might  find 
him  !  that  I  might  come  even  to  his  seat !"  "While  the  soul  is  in 
this  concern,  one  messenger  will  be  sent  to  heaven  after  another,  in 
solemn  prayer,  and  frequent  ejaculations,  with  that  message,  Cant. 
V.  8.  "  I  charge  you,  0  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  if  ye  find  my  Be- 

YOL.  V.  2  N 


550  OP  THE  saints'  CON^CERN  for  CHRIST  COMIKG  TO  TlIESf. 

loved,  that  ye  tell  liim,  that  I  ara  sick  of  love."  And  when  they 
can  do  no  more,  they  will  send  greedy  looks  after  him,  to  the  place 
where  his  honour  dwells,  as  did  David,  Ps.  v.  3.  and  the  church, 
Lam.  iii,  49,  50. 

Lastly,  A  holy  restlessness  in  the  soul,  till  he  turn  and  come 
again.  Cant.  iii.  1.  and  downwards.  In  this  concern  how  restless 
was  Job,  going  backward  and  forward,  looking  on  the  right  and  left 
hand  ?  chap.  xxii.  8,  9.  As  the  needle  in  the  seaman's  compass 
touched  with  a  good  loadstone,  rests  not  till  it  turn  about  to  the 
north  ;  so  the  soul  touched  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  presently  moves 
towards  him.  Cant.  v.  4.  or  as  the  dove  sent  out  of  the  ark  could 
Bot  rest  till  it  was  taken  in  again. 

III.  Let  us  next  give  the  reasons  of  this  concern  in  those  married 
to  Christ,  that  he  may  turn  and  come  to  them.  I  offer  you  the 
following, 

1.  Their  superlative  love  to  Christ,  Cant.  i.  3,  4.  "Because  of  the 
savour  of  thy  good  ointment,  thy  name  is  as  ointment  poured  forth, 
therefore  do  the  virgins  love  thee — The  upright  love  thee."  Love 
natively  tends  to  union  and  communion  ;  hence  the  soul  is  more 
where  it  loves  than  where  it  lives  ;  it  exerts  itself  in  desire  after 
the  presence  of  its  object,  when  at  a  distance ;  and  has  much  ado  to 
bear  absence.  But  alas  !  Christ  may  tell  most  of  us,  as  Delilah  did 
Samson,  Judg.  xvi.  15.  "  How  canst  thou  say,  I  love  thee,  when 
thine  heart  is  not  with  me  ?" 

2.  Their  comfort  in  their  night  journey  depends  on  it ;  without  it 
they  must  go  drooping,  for  nothing  will  make  up  the  want  thereof. 
It  is  Christ's  turning  to  them  in  it,  that  makes  all  they  meet  with 
by  the  way  savoury  to  them,  and  the  want  of  it  is  a  worm  at  the 
root  of  their  enjoyments.  The  dove  could  find  nothing  out  of  the 
ark,  but  carrion,  that  it  could  not  feed  on  ;  and  therefore  returns  ; 
but  the  raven  could  feed  on  it  very  well,  and  therefore  comes  not  in 
again.  Hypocrites  will  bestow  a  few  faint  wishes  on  Christ ;  but  if 
he  answers  them  not,  they  are  not  sore  slain  therewith  ;  they  have 
more  doors  than  his  to  go  to  ;  if  they  come  not  speed  at  his,  they 
know  how  to  shift  for  themselves  otherwise.  But  sincere  souls  must 
either  be  served  or  die  at  his  door,  John  vi.  68.  "  Lord,  to  whom 
shall  we  go  ?  thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life." 

3.  Their  experience  of  the  desirableness  of  his  presence  and  coun- 
tenance in  their  night-journey,  Ps.  Ixiii.  1 — 3.  "0  God,  thou  art 
my  God,  early  will  I  seek  thee  ;  my  soul  thirsteth  for  thee,  my  flesh 
longeth  for  thee  in  a  dry  and  thirsty  land,  where  no  water  is  ;  to  see 
thy  power  and  thy  glory,  so  as  I  have  seen  thee  in  the  sanctuary. 
Because  thy  loving-kindness  is  better  than  life;  my  lips  shall  praise 


THAT  (URISt's  presence  WILL  BE  THE  SAIXTs'  CONCERN.         551 

tliee."  It  is  natural  to  be  in  concern  for  that  which  one  still  needs, 
and  remembers  himself  to  have  been  the  better  of  formerly.  They 
know  his  presence  has  made  them  safely  pass  many  a  dangerous  step, 
and  easily  get  over  many  a  difficult  one  ;  that  his  countenance  has 
often  enlightened  the  darkness  of  their  night,  and  made  them  confi- 
dently pass  many  a  gloomy  shade. 

Lastly,  Their  felt  need  of  it ;  they  know  not  how  they  will  ever 
make  out  the  night-journey  without  it,  Ex.  xxxiii.  15.  "  And  he 
said  unto  him,  if  thy  presence  go  not  with  me,  carry  us  not  up  hence." 
It  was  in  the  faith  of  his  presence  and  countenance,  that  ever  they 
ventured  on  it ;  and  in  the  faith  of  the  same,  that  ever  they  look  to 
get  fair  to  the  journey's  end.  And  felt  need  of  it  must  produce  a 
concern  for  it,  Mark  vii.  24,  25.  rising  from, 

(1.)  The  sense  of  their  liableness  to  mistake  their  way,  that  they 
need  him  for  their  direction  and  guidance,  Jer.  x.  23.  If  he  should 
leave  them,  they  will  reckon  themselves  left  in  a  wilderness,  and 
that  in  the  night ;  no  wonder  then  they  be  in  such  concern  for  his 
presence  and  countenance. 

(2.)  The  sense  of  their  weakness  for  the  journey,  that  they  need 
to  go  leaning  on  him,  as  a  weak  woman  on  her  husband.  Cant.  viii.  5. 
Sense  of  weakness  in  themselves,  and  of  the  fulness  of  strengthening 
grace  in  him,  prompt  them  to  this  concern. 

(3.)  The  sense  of  the  great  opposition  and  difficulty  to  be  met 
with  in  the  way,  Eph.  vi.  12,  13.  Christian  soldiers  have  no  brow 
for  battle,  if  Christ  their  Captain  be  not  on  their  head,  2  Cor.  iii.  5. 
and  they  will  stick  at  nothing  howsoever  hard,  if  he  be,  Phil.  iv.  13. 
"  I  can  do  all  things,"  says  Paul,  "  through  Christ  which  streng- 
theneth  me." 

lY.  We  shall  now  confirm  this  point,  That  it  will  be  the  great 
concern  of  those  married  to  Christ,  during  their  night-journey  in 
this  world,  that  he  may  turn  and  come  to  them  till  the  day  break- 
ing and  the  shadows  fleeing  away,  they  get  to  him  in  the  other  world. 
To  evince  this,  we  oifer  the  following  things  : 

1.  Christ  their  Lord  and  Husband  has  got  tlieir  heart  above  all 
other,  and  it  rests  in  him.  They  have  answered  the  call,  Prov.  xxiii. 
26.  "  My  son,  give  me  thine  heart."  They  have  said,  he  is  their 
rest,  Heb.  iv.  3.  as  in  the  state  of  marriage  ;  they  close  their  eyes  on 
all  others,  never  thinking  to  see  an  object  so  desirable,  Ps.  Ixxiii.  25. 
Now,  "where  the  treasure  is,  there  will  the  heart  be  also,"  Mat.  vi.  21. 
"Wherefore  it  cannot  miss  to  be  their  concern,  that  he  may  turn  and 
come  to  them ;  even  as  when  a  woman  has  fixed  her  heart  on  and 
accepted  one  for  her  husband,  it  is  natural  to  desire  frequent  visits, 
till  he  take  her  home  for  altogether. 

2  n2 


552  USE  OP  INFORMATrON, 

2.  They  are  partakers  of  the  divine  nature,  2  Pet.  i.  4.  partakers 
of  Christ,  of  his  Spirit,  his  grace,  his  image ;  and  like  draws  to 
like ;  the  carnal  worldling  to  the  world,  and  the  Christian  to  Christ. 
As  the  water  exhaled  from  the  sea  by  the  influence  of  the  sun,  is 
gathered  into  clouds,  which  dissolved  it  falls  down  on  the  earth 
again,  where  cast  up  by  springs  it  empties  itself  by  rivers,  and 
brooks  into  the  sea  again  whence  it  came,  Eccl.  i.  7- ;  so  grace 
comes  down  from  above,  from  the  fulness  thereof  in  the  man  Christ, 
into  his  Christians,  and  watering  them  does  in  the  exercise  thereof 
mount  up  again  towards  him  in  such  breathings  after  him,  and  con- 
cern that  he  may  turn  and  come  to  them. 

3.  All  believers  may  be  observed  to  be  great  miscounters  of  time, 
when  Christ  is  turned  away  from  them  in  their  night-journey.  Is. 
liv.  7-  "For  a  small  moment  have  I  forsaken  thee,"  &c.  compare 
Psal.  xiii.  1.  "How  long  wilt  thou  forget  me,  0  Lord,  for  ever? 
how  long  wilt  thou  hide  thy  face  from  me  ?"  As  the  time  wherein 
the  moon  hides  her  head  to  the  traveller  by  night  seems  long,  in 
comparison  of  the  time  of  her  shinning  bright ;  so  the  time  of 
Christ's  withdrawing  and  hiding  his  face  from  a  gracious  soul  is  a 
weary  time,  a  kind  of  petit  eternity.  Which  speaks  a  mighty 
concern. 

Lastly,  "When  they  are  themselves,  they  are  resolute  for  his  pre- 
sence and  countenance,  Eph.  vi.  15.  Grace  gives  men  an  edge  for 
holy  violence.  Matt.  xi.  11.  It  will  make  men  very  peremptory  for 
Christ,  that  they  will  not  take  a  refusal.  Gen.  xxxii.  26,  to  threap 
kindness  on  him,  and  special  interest  in  him.  Is.  Ixiii.  16.  to  make 
an  argument  of  their  unworthiness  and  misery,  mustered  up  against 
them  to  mar  their  confidence.  Mat.  xv.  27-  aud  to  stick  at  nothing 
standing  betwixt  Christ  and  them,  so  as  they  may  get  to  him, 
Phil.  iii.  8. 

I  shall  now  conclude  this  subject  with  some  application  of  what 
has  been  said. 

Use  I.  Of  information.     This  shews  that, 

1.  The  grace  of  God  ennobles  the  heart,  makes  it  to  aspire  to  the 
highest  things,  and  gives  it  a  bent  of  desire  beyond  others.  (1.) 
It  carries  the  heart  off  this  world  and  sets  it  on  the  other  world,  as 
the  place  of  their  great  hopes.  Col.  iii.  1.  Others  may  desire  their 
portion  in  this  life,  and  eagerly  pursue  it  there ;  but  they  will  cer- 
tainly carry  their  views  quite  beyond  it  to  the  other  world,  Phil, 
iii.  13,  14.  (2.)  It  gives  them  a  new  notion  of  heaven,  and  refined 
desires  thereof,  as  the  place  where  they  may  be  with  Christ,  Phil, 
i.  23.  Carnal  men  have  carnal  desires  of  heaven,  as  a  place  of  rest, 
welfare,  and  happiness,  abstracted  from  the  enjoyment  of  God  in 


USE  OF  TRIAri.  553 

Christ;  but  it  is  Christ's  being  there,  and  full  communion  with  him 
to  be  enjoyed  there,  that  is  the  main  spring  of  the  gracious  soul's 
desire  to  be  there.  Col.  iii.  3,  4. 

2.  That  the  soul  once  truly  married  to  Christ  is  fixed  as  to  its 
choice,  never  to  alter  it,  on  any  terms ;  neither  to  be  boasted  from 
him  by  the  world's  frowns,  nor  bribed  from  him  by  its  smiles,  Ileb. 
iv.  3.  Cant.  viii.  6,  7.  Be  the  night  never  so  dark,  the  journey 
never  so  hard,  they  are  resolute  to  go  on,  till  the  day-breaking  they 
get  to  him  in  the  other  world. 

3.  The  travellers  to  Zion  desire  and  look,  for  their  furniture  for 
the  way  from  Christ,  as  well  as  their  entertainment  at  the  journey's 
end.  Cant.  viii.  5.  "  Who  is  this  that  cometh  up  from  the  wilderness, 
leaniug  upon  her  Beloved  ?"  There  are  many  who  discover  their 
hypocrisy,  by  desiring  no  more  of  him,  than  that  he  will  take  them 
into  his  covenant  at  the  beginning  of  their  way,  and  into  his  heaven 
at  the  end  of  it ;  having  little  concern  for  his  presence  and  coun- 
tenance during  their  progress.  They  would  have  a  rest  to  their 
consciences  from  him  at  their  setting  off,  and  a  rest  to  their  souls 
from  him  at  the  end ;  but  the  rest  to  their  hearts,  while  they  are 
going  ou  their  way,  they  look  for  in  the  world  and  in  their  lusts. 
Such  will  be  miserably  disappointed ;  for  "  without  holiness  no  man 
shall  see  the  Lord,"  Heb.  xii.  14. 

Use  II.  Of  trial.  Hereby  ye  may  try  your  state.  If  ye  be 
really  joined  to  the  Lord  Christ  as  your  Head  and  Husband,  to  be 
with  him  in  the  other  world,  it  will  be  your  great  concern  to  enjoy 
such  communion  with  him  here,  as  is  allowed  his  people  by  the  way, 
till  ye  come  to  get  full  communion  with  him  there.  There  is  a  two- 
fold communion  with  Christ  allowed  to  his  people  by  the  way  to  the 
other  world. 

1.  Habitual  communion,  which  is  a  commonness  of  interest  with 
him,  1  John  i.  3.  "  Truly  our  fellowship  is  with  the  Father,  and 
with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ."  This  is  a  necessary  result  of  the 
spiritual  marriage-tie,  and  believers  never  want  it  from  the  moment 
of  their  union  with  Christ.  They  may  set  their  names  on  what  is 
his,  as  having  a  joint  interest  therein  with  him; — "all  are  yours; 
and  ye  are  Christ's,"  1  Cor.  iii.  22,  23.  They  have  with  him  a  com- 
mon interest  in  his  righteousness,  what  he  did,  what  he  sutiered,  in 
his  Spirit,  purchase,  graces  wherewith  he  is  filled,  &c. 

2.  Actual  communion,  which  consists  in  a  certain  friendly  inter- 
course betwixt  Christ  and  the  soul,  he  letting  down  the  influences  of 
his  grace  on  them,  and  they  moving  towards  him  in  the  exercise  of 
grace.  Cant.  i.  4.  "  Draw  me,  we  will  run  after  thee  ;  the  King  hath 
brought  me  into  his  chambers,"  &c.     This  a  believer  may  want  for 


554  USE  OF  TRIAL. 

a  time;  and  this  is  tlie  thing  desired  in  the  text,  under  the  name  of 
Christ's  "  turning,  and  being  like  a  roe,  or  a  young  hart  upon  the 
mountains  of  Bether."  And  the  desire  of  this  communion  with  him 
is  the  touchstone  of  a  gracious  state.  There  are  several  degrees  of 
it. 

(1.)  Communion  with  Christ  by  desires  awake  after  him,  Isa. 
xxvi.  9.  "  With  my  soul  have  I  desired  thee  in  the  night,  yea,  with 
my  spirit  within  me  will  I  seek  thee  early  ;"  when  the  spiritual 
hunger  and  thirst  after  him  is  created  in  the  soul,  and  the  soul 
longs,  thirsts,  and  pants  after  him,  Ps.  Ixiii.  1.  This  cannot  be  but 
by  influences  from  him,  whereby  the  soul  is  set  in  motion  after  him. 
Cant.  V.  4.  It  is  a  step  to  more,  Mat.  v.  6.  "Blessed  are  they  which 
do  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness ;  for  they  shall  be  filled." 

(2.)  Communion  with  Christ  in  the  exercise  of  a  faith  of  ad- 
herence to  him,  Ps.  xxii.  1.  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  for- 
saken me  ?"  Though  the  soul  cannot  sing,  yet  it  will  resolutely  say 
to  him,  "  My  God."  Though  his  dispensations  are  black  and 
drumly,  and  seeming  to  go  against  the  promise,  yet  the  soul  will 
hold  by  the  grip  of  the  promise,  saying  as  Job  xiii.  15.  "  Though  he 
slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in  him."  It  is  a  power  from  on  high  that 
teacheth  one's  hands  so  to  war. 

(3.)  Communion  with  Christ  in  the  exercise  of  hope,  Ps.  xlii.  5. 
*'  Why  art  thou  cast  down,  0  my  soul?  and  why  art  thou  disquieted 
in  me  ?  hope  thou  in  God,  for  I  shall  yet  praise  him  for  the  help  of 
his  countenance."  Though  sensible  enjoyment  is  wanting,  and  there 
is  no  present  feeling ;  yet  the  soul,  believing  the  promise,  hopes  for 
the  accomplishment  of  it  in  due  time.  So  it  waits  on  about  his 
hand,  in  the  diligent  use  of  the  means ;  expecting  a  good  issue  at 
length.  This  is  the  product  of  divine  influences,  according  to  the 
apostle's  prayer,  Ilom.  xv.  13.  "  Now  the  God  of  hope  fill  you  with 
all  joy  and  peace  in  believing,  that  ye  may  abound  in  hope,  through 
the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

(4.)  Communion  with  Christ  in  sensible  enjoyment;  when  they 
are  admitted  to  see  his  face  by  a  faith  of  assurance,  hear  his  voice 
so  as  to  know  it,  taste  of  his  goodness,  smell  the  savour  of  his 
name,  Cant.  i.  3,  and  to  feel  the  workings  of  his  grace  on  their  souls. 
This  fills  the  soul  with  solid  comfort,  refined  delight,  and  sometimes 
with  heavenly  rapture,  1  Pet.  i.  8. 

Now  what  gust  have  ye  for  these  things  ?  Is  it  indeed  your 
great  concern  to  reach  them  the  habitual  course  of  your  life,  and  so 
to  have  communion  with  Christ  while  in  this  world,  till  ye  get  full 
communion  with  him  in  the  other?  If  the  enjoyment  of  such  com- 
munion with  Christ  while  here,  is  your  great  concern,  then, 


MOTIVES  AND  DIRECTIONS.  555 

[l.J  Ye  will  desire  it  above  all  tilings  else  ye  can  reach  in  this 
world,  preferring  it  to  the  best  things  that  earth  affords,  Psal.  iv. 
6,  7.  Ye  will  value  it  more  than  the  profits  and  pleasures  of  the 
world,  counting  them  but  dung  iu  comparison  thereof. 

[2.]  Ye  will  highly  prize  holy  ordinances,  public,  private,  and 
secret,  as  the  means  of  communion  with  Christ;  and  yet  not  be 
satisfied  with  them  without  communion  with  him  iu  them.  They  to 
whom  these  are  a  burden  or  tasteless,  plainly  discover  they  value 
not  communion  with  Christ,  these  being  the  galleries  wherein  the 
King  is  held,  Cant.  vii.  5. ;  they  are  not  of  the  Psalmist's  mind,  who 
say,  Psal.  Ixxxiv.  10.  "  A  day  in  thy  courts  is  better  than  a 
thousand ;  I  had  rather  be  a  door-keeper  in  the  house  of  my  God, 
than  dwell  in  the  tents  of  wickedness.  Those  that  rest  in  them, 
and  are  pleased  when  the  task  is  got  done,  shew  they  value  not  the 
true  use  of  them,  represented  to  us  in  the  spouse's  practice.  Cant. 
iii.  2,  "  I  will  rise  now,  and  go  about  the  city  in  the  streets,  and 
in  the  broad  ways  I  will  seek  him  whom  my  soul  loveth." 

[3.]  It  will  be  your  great  concern  to  guard  against  whatever  may 
mar  it,  or  keep  you  back  from  it;  and  to  keep  the  way  wherein  you 
may  obtain  it.  That  is  you  will  beware  of  living  in  the  allowed 
practice  of  sin,  but  be  tender  and  holy  in  your  lives,  Psal.  Ixvi.  18. 
John  xiv.  21. 

Use  III.  Evidence  yourselves  truly  married  to  Christ,  by  mak- 
ing it  your  great  concern  to  have  actual  communion  with  Christ 
here,  till  ye  come  to  the  full  enjoyment  of  him  iu  the  other  world, 
To  press  this,  I  offer  these  motives  very  briefly. 

1.  This  is  necessary  to  evidence  your  sincerity  in  the  marriage 
covenant,  1  John  ii.  19.  "  They  went  out  from  us,  but  they  were 
not  of  us  ;  for  if  they  had  been  of  us,  they  would  no  doubt  have 
continued  with  us."  Being  careless  of  communion  with  Christ, 
speaks  that  the  heart  is  not  with  him,  but  with  other  lovers. 

2.  It  is  necessary  to  your  getting  safe  through  an  ensnaring 
world ;  therefore  says  Christ  to  his  people,  Cant.  iv.  8.  "  Come 
with  me  from  Lebanon,  my  spouse,  with  me  from  Lebanon  ;  look 
from  the  top  of  Amana,  from  the  top  of  Shenir,  and  Hermon,  from 
the  lions'  dens,  from  the  mountains  of  the  leopards,"  if  ye  are  left 
alone,  ye  will  fall  in  the  wilderness. 

Lastly,  "Without  communion  with  Christ  here,  there  will  be  no 
communion  with  him  in  the  other  world,  according  to  what  the 
Psalmist  says,  Psal.  Ixxiii.  24,  "Thou  shalt  guide  me  with  thy 
counsel,  and  afterwards  receive  me  to  glory."  Communion  with 
Christ  in  grace  here,  is  the  foundation  of  communion  with  him  in 
glory  hereafter. 

I  close  with  these  few  directions. 


556  THE  TEXT  EXPLAINED. 

1.  Look  for  communion  with  Christ  in  the  way  of  free  grace  and 
unhired  love;  that  he  may  come  over  mountains  to  you,  mountains 
of  guilt  and  unworthiness,  as  undeserving  such  a  high  privilege. 

3.  Seek  it  resolutely  in  all  means  of  his  appointment,  going 
from  one  mean  and  ordinance  to  another  till  ye  find  him,  as 
the  spouse  did,  Cant.  iii.  1.  and  downwards.  So  may  ye,  perse- 
vering, succeed,  whatever  difficulties  be  in  your  way. 

3.  Be  diligent  observers  of  providences,  and  make  a  due  improve- 
ment of  them  as  means  of  communion  with  him,  Psal.  xcii.  4.  and 
cvii.  ult. 

Lastly,  Be  habitually  tender  in  your  walk  ;  keeping  off  from 
every  thing  that  may  grieve  his  Spirit,  and  provoke  him  to  depart ; 
acting  in  this  case  as  the  spouse  did,  Cant.  iii.  5.  "  I  charge  you, 
0  ye  daughters  of  Jerusalem  by  the  roes,  and  by  the  hinds  of  the 
field,  that  ye  stir  not  up,  nor  awake  my  love  till  he  please." 


READINESS  FOR  OUR  REMOVAL    INTO  THE  OTHER  WORLD  OPENED 
UP,  URGED,  AND  ENFORCED. 


The  substance  of  several  Sermons  preached  at  Ettrick  in  the  year  1730. 


Luke  xii.  40. 

Be  ye  therefore  ready  also :  for  the  Son  of  man  cometh  at  an  hour  luhen 

ye  think  not. 

After  all  we  have  heard  of  the  other  world,  what  will  it  avail,  if  it 
issue  not  in  preparing  for  our  removal  into  it  ?  That  is  certainly 
the  use  which  all  of  us  are  to  make  of  it,  which  we  have  in  the 
words  of  the  text.     In  which  we  have  two  things  : 

1.  An  alarm  to  be  ready  for  the  removal  into  the  other  world, 
"Be  therefore  ready  also,"  In  the  parable  of  the  rich  man,  ver.  16 — 
21.  our  Saviour  had  shown  the  dreadful  s^^^prising  removal  of  se- 
cure sinners  into  it,  when  they  are  not  at  all  ready  for  it,  but 
dreaming  of  a  long  continuance  at  ease  here,  which  puts  preparation 
for  it  out  of  their  heads.  And  thence  he  proceeds  to  caution 
against  inordinate  care  for  this  uncertain  life,  and  to  stir  up  to  be 
ready,  to  be  on  the  wing,  for  the  other  life,  ver.  35. ;  and   to  be 


THE  TEXT  EXPLAINED.  557 

always  ready,  as  those  that  are  at  an  uncertainty  as  to  the  time  of 
their  removal.  This  is  to  te  ready  also,  as  well  as  the  goodman  of 
the  house  would  be  if  he  knew  what  hour  the  thief  would  come. 

2.  The  reason  why  we  should  be  ready,  always  ready,  never  un- 
prepared :  "  For  the  son  of  man  cometh  at  an  hour  when  we  think 
not. "  Because  we  know  not  when  we  may  be  called  off,  more  than 
one  knows  what  time  of  the  night  the  thief  will  break  in  on  his 
house.  Now  Christ  the  son  of  man  comes  as  a  thief,  at  a  time  un- 
certain to  us.  There  is  a  twofold  coming  of  the  Son  of  man.  (1.) 
At  the  general  judgment.  (2.)  At  death.  Both  are  to  remove  us 
into  the  other  world  ;  the  word  is  general,  agreeing  to  both ;  and  in 
point  of  our  making  ready  they  come  to  one,  because  whatever 
readiness  they  can  be  in  for  the  general  judgment,  must  be  made  be- 
fore death,  there  being  no  access  after  that  to  make  ready  any  more, 
but  as  the  tree  falls  it  lies.  So  we  shall  consider  it  as  his  coming  at 
death,  to  carry  us  off  hence.    There  are  two  things  here  : 

1st,  The  certainty  of  our  removal  into  the  other  world, — "  The 
Son  of  man  cometh ;  "  he  will  certainly  come,  how  long  soever  he 
may  delay  his  coming.     That  is  a  tryst  that  cannot  be  broken. 

2dlt/,  The  uncertainty  of  the  time  of  it,  as  to  us,  however  precise- 
ly it  is  appointed  in  the  divine  decree  ;  he  has  not  told  us  when  it 
shall  be,  more  than  the  thief  tells  the  good-man  when  he  is  to  make 
an  attempt  on  his  house.  So  that  if  there  be  any  time  when  we  are 
not  ready,  he  may  for  any  thing  we  know,  as  readily  come  then,  as 
at  any  time. — From  the  text  ariseth  this  weighty  point  of  doc- 
trine, viz. 

DocT.  Such  is  the  certainty  of  our  removal  into  the  other  world, 
and  the  uncertainty  of  the  time  of  that  removal,  that  we  ought 
always  to  be  ready  for  it. 

In  discoursing  from  this  doctrine,  I  shall, 

I.  Premise  some  things  imported  in  it. 

II.  Consider  the  certainty  of  our  removal  into  the  other  world, 

III.  The  uncertainty  of  the  time  of  it. 

IV.  The  readiness  for  that  removal. 
Lastly,  Apply  in  some  practical  uses. 

I.  I  shall  premise  some  things  imported  in  this  doctrine. 

1.  Great  is  the  weight  that  depends  on  our  being  ready  for  a  re- 
moval into  the  other  world.  Eternal  well  or  woe  depends  on  it ; 
for  according  to  the  situation  we  are  found  in  at  our  removal,  so 
will  we  be  received  and  lodged  there ;  in  the  upper  part,  the  region 
of  bliss,  or  the  lower  part,  the  region  of  horror,  to  remove  no  more. 
And  this  makes  carelessness  to  prepare  for  it  absolutely  unaccount- 
able. 


558        TlIK  CERTAINTY  OF  OUR  REMOVAL  INTO  THE  OTHER  ^VORLD. 

2.  We  are  naturally  unfit,  and  unready  for  that  removal.  Were 
it  a  matter  indifferent  which  part  of  that  world  we  should  land  in, 
we  could  at  no  time  be  reckoned  unfit  aud  unready  for  it ;  for  they 
that  are  not  ready  for  eternal  light  above,  are  ready  for  eternal  fire 
below.  But  it  can  never  be  indifferent  to  a  rational  creature,  which 
of  these  shall  be  its  portion.  And  therefore  they  that  are  not  ready 
to  be  inhabitants  of  heaven,  are  not  ready  for  their  removal;  aud 
such  are  we  all  naturally,  having  no  title  to  it,  Eph.  ii.  3,  12,  and 
no  meetness  for  it,  till  we  get  it  anew  by  grace.  Col.  i.  12. 

3.  Now  is  the  time,  and  here  is  the  place,  of  getting  ready,  2  Cor. 
vi.  3.  "  Behold,  now  is  the  accepted  time  ;  behold,  now  is  the  day 
of  salvation."  We  are  set  into  this  world,  to  make  ready  for  the 
other ;  and  time  is  given  us  to  i)repare  for  eternity.  If  time  be 
once  over,  and  we  be  turned  out  of  this  world,  we  have  no  more  access 
to  make  ready  for  the  other,  Eccl.  ix.  10.  "  There  is  no  work,  nor 
device,  nor  knowledge,  nor  wisdom  in  the  grave  whither  thou  goest." 
So  it  is  with  us,  now  or  never. 

Lastly,  We  ought  always  to  keep  ourselves  in  readiness,  that  we 
be  not  surprised  and  taken  at  a  disadvantage  ;  hence  says  our  Lord, 
Luke  xxi.  34 — 36.  "  Take  heed  to  yourselves,  lest  at  any  time  your 
hearts  be  overcharged  with  surfeiting  and  drunkenness,  and  cares 
of  this  life,  and  so  that  day  come  upon  you  unawares.  For  as  a 
snare  shall  it  come  on  all  them  that  dwell  on  the  face  of  the  whole 
earth.  Watch  ye  therefore  and  pray  always,  that  ye  may  be  ac- 
counted worthy  to  escape  all  these  things  that  shall  come  to  pass, 
and  to  stand  before  the  Son  of  man."  One  may  be  ready  at  one 
time,  who  is  not  ready  at  another  as  he  ought  to  be  ;  falling  car- 
nally secure,  after  he  has  bestirred  himself  to  prepare.  But  at  that 
time  when  he  is  least  looking  for  the  removal,  it  may  be  nearest ; 
and  whatever  unreadiness  it  trysts  him  with,  so  great  will  the 
loss  be. 

II.  We  shall  consider  the  certainty  of  our  removal  into  the  other 
world. 

1.  It  was  the  other  world,  and  not  this,  that  man  was  chiefly  and 
in  the  first  place  designed  for,  as  to  his  settled  abode.  When  God 
made  this  world,  he  mpde  it  but  as  a  thoroughfare  to  the  other,  a 
place  through  which  man  should  pass  into  the  other,  Matth.  xxv.  34. 
The  other  world  was  always  the  home,  this  was  but  the  place  of  the 
pilgrimage,  where  at  no  time  man  was  to  stay  for  good  at  all,  but 
only  to  sojourn.     For  consider, 

(1.)  This  world  was  ordained  to  be  the  place  of  trial,  the  other 
the  place  of  retribution,  according  to  men's  works.  The  trial  can- 
not always  last,  otherwise  it  would  be  no  trial ;  but  the  retribution 


THE  CERTAIXTY  OP  OUK  REMOVAL  INTO  THE  OTHER  WORLD,        559 

may  very  well  last  for  ever,  and  really  will  do  so.  Therefore  we 
must  necessarily  remove  out  of  tliis  world  as  the  place  of  trial,  into 
the  other  as  the  place  of  retribution,  which  therefore  must  be  looked 
on  as  our  settled  abode,  I^Iatth.  xxv.  ult.  "  And  these  shall  go  away 
into  everlasting  punishment ;  but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal." 

(2.)  This  world  never  had  in  it,  that  perfection  of  either  happi- 
ness or  misery,  that  was  designed  for  man  according  to  his  behavi- 
our in  it.  Even  in  paradise  there  was  a  want,  and  in  the  deluge 
there  was  an  ark.  But  God  will  perfect  his  work  of  whatever  kind. 
Therefore  the  settled  abode  is  there,  not  here. 

Wherefore  it  is  a  fatal  mistake  ever  to  look  on  this  world  as  our 
home,  whether  we  be  saints  or  sinners ;  that  is  the  use  of  the  other 
world  only. 

2.  The  man  Christ  is  removed  into  the  other  world,  never  to 
come  back  to  dwell  in  this  ;  and  to  that  world  where  he  is  we  must 
needs  go.  The  happiness  secured  for  his  own  peoi)le,  who  must  be 
taken  to  the  place  where  he  is,  John  xiv.  3.  and  the  misery  ensured 
for  his  enemies,  who  must  be  "  punished  with  everlasting  destruc- 
tion from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,"  2  Thess.  i.  2.  brought  thither 
and  slain  before  him,  Luke  xix.  27.  make  this  necessary.  There- 
fore, as  sure  as  Christ  hath  removed  into  that  world,  we  must 
follow. 

3.  Men  must  be  for  ever,  but  this  world  will  have  an  end ;  there- 
fore our  removal  out  of  it  into  the  other  world  is  most  certain. 
"  This  is  not  your  rest,  because  it  is  polluted ;"  and  because  of  its 
pollution,  it  must  be  burned  up,  2  Pet.  iii.  10.  Now  the  soul  is  im- 
mortal, and  the  body  shall  have  a  resurrection,  and  so  the  man 
must  be  for  ever ;  he  must  be  in  some  world,  and  since  this  will  be 
destroyed,  he  must  certainly  remove  to  the  other. 

4.  Our  life  in  this  world  is  a  journey  through  it,  ending  in  a 
going  out  of  it,  and  therefore  into  the  other  world,  Psal.  xxxix.  ult. 
We  enter  upon  it  at  our  birth,  make  progress  therein  in  our  life, 
and  come  to  the  end  of  it  at  death,  which  is  the  passage  into  tho 
other  world.  All  things  are  in  motion  here,  and  every  thing  under- 
goes changes  ;  but  none  does  more  so  than  man,  who  springs  up, 
and  quickly  goes  down  again ;  and  at  length  his  place  knows  him 
no  more. 

4.  Death,  the  passage  into  the  other  world,  is  appointed  to  all, 
Ileb.  ix.  27.  "  It  is  appointed  unto  men  once  to  die."  All  must 
pass  through  that  dark  and  shady  vale,  and  then  they  are  in  the 
other  world ;  and  have  no  more  concern  in  what  is  done  under  the 
sun.  A.nd  the  certainty  of  our  dying,  we  may  not  only  road  in  our 
bibles ;  but  in  our  very  bodies  themselves,  where  every  gripe,  pain, 


560  THE  UNCERTAINTY  OF  THE  TIME  OF  OVR  REMOVAL. 

and  weakness  we  feel  overtaking  us,  are  tokens  of  death  ap- 
proaching. 

Lastly,  The  experience  of  all  ages  since  the  beginning  confirms 
the  certainty  of  this  removal.  Where  are  the  generations  that  have 
been  before  us  ?  They  are  no  more  to  be  seen  in  this  world,  more 
than  if  they  had  never  been  in  it.  Yet  God's  word  assures  us  that 
they  are  in  being,  the  godly  ones  of  them  happy,  and  the  ungodly 
miserable.  They  are  gone  then  into  the  other  world.  And  do  we 
not  see  by  daily  observation,  that  the  course  of  dying  is  continuing 
as  before  ?  And  are  there  any  of  us  all,  who  have  not  some  that  were 
our  acquaintance  in  this  world,  already  removed  into  the  other  be- 
fore us  ?  And  are  we  to  expect  the  rocks  to  be  removed  for  us  ? 

III.  The  next  head  is  to  consider  the  uncertainty  of  the  time  of 
this  removal.     And  here  I  shall  shew, 

1.  How  this  uncertainty  of  the  time  of  our  removal  is  to  be 
understood. 

2.  How  it  appears. 

3.  "Why  the  Lord  has  kept  men  at  this  uncertainty. 

First,  I  am  to  shew  how  this  uncertainty  of  the  time  of  our 
removal  is  to  be  understood. 

1.  It  is  not  to  be  understood,  as  if  the  time  of  our  removal  were 
absolutely  uncertain,  and  undetermined  with  God.  No ;  it  is  deter- 
mined exactly  and  precisely  to  the  least  moment,  at  what  time  each 
of  us  shall  make  our  removal  into  the  other  world,  how  much  time 
we  shall  j)ass  in  this  life,  and  beyond  which  we  shall  not  go,  Job 
xiv.  4.  "  His  days  are  determined,  the  number  of  his  months  are 
with  thee,  thou  hast  appointed  his  bounds  that  he  cannot  pass." 
However  uncertain  it  is  as  to  us,  it  is  as  certain  before  the  Lord  as 
anything  can  be.     This  is  evident;  for, 

The  decree  of  God  reacheth  the  least  of  things,  even  to  the  very 
numbering  of  the  hairs  of  our  head,  Matt.  x.  30.  And  can  we  think 
that  he  who  numbers  the  hairs  of  our  head,  numbers  not  the  days  of 
our  life  that  we  shall  fulfil  ?  Truly  they  are  soon  numbered  to 
him,  being  "  as  an  handbreadth,  and  as  nothing  before  him,"  Psal. 
xxxix.  5.  and  he  knows  them  exactly.  Job  xiv.  5.  How  else  could 
he  foreshew  certainly  men's  death,  as  he  did  Moses's,  Deut.  xxxi.  14, 
and  that  of  Jeroboam's  child?  1  Kings  xiv.  12,  17. 

It  is  certain,  that  man  cannot  subsist  a  moment,  but  as  God  holds 
him  in  life ;  so  the  withdrawing  of  his  support  must  put  an  end  to 
it,  Psal.  xc.  3.  And  he  knows  certainly  what  he  will  do.  Acts  xv. 
18.  And  who  can  doubt,  but  he  certainly  knows  when  he  is  to 
receive  his  own  people  into  glory,  and  when  the  day  of  his  enemies 


THE  UNCERTAINTY  OF  THE   TIME  OF  OUR  REJIOVAL.  561 

will  come  ?  Fifteen  years  were  added  to  the  years  that  Hezekiah 
had  lived,  but  not  to  the  term  of  life  appointed  of  God.     But, 

2.  This  uncertainty  is  to  be  understood,  with  reference  to  ns. 
Though  it  is  certain  in  respect  of  the  decree  of  God,  yet  it  is  uncer- 
tain in  respect  of  our  knowledge  of  it.  Men  may  conjecture  about 
it  by  signs ;  and  no  doubt  God  may  as  he  sees  meet  discover  the 
time  of  one's  removal,  either  to  himself  or  to  others.  But  otherwise, 
it  is  most  uncertain  to  us. 

Secondly,  I  shall  shew  how  this  uncertainty  of  the  time  of  our 
removal  appears. 

1.  Our  removal  depends  entirely  on  the  will  of  another,  quite 
cone,  aled  from  us,  Luke  xii.  36.  It  is  so  with  us,  that  wo  cannot 
go  when  we  please,  were  we  never  so  fond  of  the  other  world,  or 
weary  of  this.  It  is  the  will  of  his  command  revealed,  that  we  wait 
the  will  of  his  providence  for  the  removing,  in  all  cases  without  ex- 
ception, Ex.  XX.  13.  It  was  the  peculiar  prerogative  of  the  man 
Christ,  to  be  Lord  of  his  own  life,  John  x.  18.  And  though  despe- 
rate proud  sinners  invade  it,  he  can  by  his  providence  draw  a  bar 
before  them,  that  either  in  mercy  or  in  wrath  shall  oblige  thera  to 
wait  his  time,  of  both  which  there  have  been  instances ;  howbeit 
sometimes  in  wrath,  the  will  of  his  providence  attends  their  will, 
and  gives  them  their  swing.  But  however,  our  removal  depends  not 
on  our  own  but  his  will,  not  to  be  discovered  but  by  the  event; 
Avhicli  therefore  makes  it  utterly  uncertain  to  us. 

2.  We  plainly  perceive  that  God  does  not  keep  one  time  for  the 
removal  of  men  into  the  other  world.  Had  he  appointed  one  cer- 
tain term  of  years  and  days,  to  which  every  one  should  come,  and 
nobody  fall  short  of;  then  we  would  have  had  no  more  ado  to  know 
our  time,  but  to  have  counted  what  we  were  short  of  that  common 
term  of  life ;  but  there  is  no  such  common  term  appoiuted,  but  some 
are  removed  sooner,  others  later ;  and  there  is  no  stage  of  life 
whatsoever,  infancy,  childhood,  youth,  middle  age,  old  age,  but 
some  are  removed  therein.  And  which  of  them  we  have  not  seen 
shall  be  ours,  we  know  not.     So  we  are  kept  uncertain. 

3.  As  there  is  no  period  of  life,  so  there  is  no  state  of  health, 
that  may  not  be  brangled  by  sickness,  and  overthrown  by  death. 
When  men  are  in  a  fixed  state  of  health,  strong,  lively,  and  vigor- 
ous, they  seem  to  be  farthest  removed  from  death ;  but  how  often 
do  we  see  death  at  the  heels  of  such  a  state  ?  How  many  strong 
and  lusty  go  oflF  as  soon  as  these  that  are  weak,  groaning  under 
various  infirmities  ?  Job  xxi.  23 — 26.  We  have  an  instance,  in  the 
rich  man  that  fared  sumptuously  every  day,  as  well  as  the  beggar 
which  was  laid  at  his  gate  full  of  sores,  Luke  xvi.  22.     Nay,  often 


562  THE  UNCERTAINTY  OF  THE  TIAIE  OF  OUR  REMOVAL. 

the  weak  and  sickly  prolong  their  life,  while  the  strong  are  moved 
down  and  carried  off  one  after  another,  Job  iii.  20,  21.  "  Wherefore 
is  light  given  to  him  that  is  in  misery,  and  life  nnto  the  bitter  in 
soul?  which  long  for  death,  but  it  coracth  not,  and  dig  for  it  more 
than  for  hid  treasures  ?"  Compared  with  Luke  xii.  19,  20.  "  And 
I  will  say  to  my  soul,  Soul,  thou  hast  much  goods  laid  up  for  many 
years;  take  thine  ease,  eat,  drink,  and  be  merry.  But  God  said 
unto  him.  Thou  fool,  this  night  thy  soul  shall  be  required  of  thee." 
What  uncertainty  appears  there  ? 

4.  Oft-times  when  death  is  least  minded,  and  farthest  out  of  one's 
thoughts,  it  is  at  the  door ;  the  removal  into  the  other  world  comes 
when  men  are  thinking  of  nothing,  but  fixing  themselves  and  enjoy- 
ing the  pleasure  of  this,  1  Thess.  v.  3.  "  For  when  they  shall  say> 
Peace  and  safety,  then  sudden  destruction  coraeth  upon  them,  as 
travail  upon  a  woman  with  child ;  and  they  shall  not  escape,"  Luke 
xii.  20.  just  cited.  How  many  have  revelled  away  into  the  other 
world,  going  down  to  the  sides  of  the  pit,  as  with  tabret  and  pipe  ! 
how  many  drunkards  and  debauchees  have  never  come  to  them- 
selves, till  they  were  removed  out  of  this  world  !  going  into  that 
world  without  a  capacity  for  a  previous  thought  of  it !  So  utterly 
uncertain  are  men. 

5.  Man's  life  is  liable  to  various  accidents,  for  taking  it  away, 
Eccl.  ix.  12.  "  For  man  also  knoweth  not  his  time,  as  the  fishes  that 
are  taken  in  an  evil  net,  and  as  the  birds  that  are  caught  in  the 
snare  ;  so  are  the  sons  of  men  snared  in  an  evil  time,  when  it  falleth 
suddeuly  upon  them."  What  though  you  are  in  perfect  health,  and 
no  cause  of  death  appears  from  within  ?  There  are  so  many  things 
from  without,  that  may  beat  up  your  quarters  in  this  world,  and 
hurry  you  into  the  other,  that  ye  are  still  at  an  uncertainty ;  "  as 
when  a  man  goeth  into  the  wood  with  his  neighbour  to  hew  wood, 
and  his  hand  fetcheth  a  stroke  with  the  ax  to  cut  down  the  tree, 
and  the  head  slippeth  from  the  helve,  and  lighteth  upon  his  neigh- 
bour that  he  die,  Deut.  xix.  5 ;  Luke  xiii.  1,  4.  Fire,  water,  stones 
falling  or  lying  in  the  way,  beasts  of  the  field,  fowls  of  the  air,  &;c. 
a  thousand  unforeseen  accidents  may  be  instruments  of  our  removal, 
blowing  out  life. 

6.  How  often  do  men  seeking  life  find  death ;  and  labouring  for 
their  stay,  hasten  their  removal ;  Such  uncertainty  are  we  kept  at. 
Sensual  men  pamper  the  body,  with  design  to  keep  it  up ;  and  by 
their  intemperance  in  eating  and  drinking,  destroy  it ;  laying  on  so 
much  fuel  that  they  put  out  the  fire.  And  where  that  is  not  the 
case,  how  often  is  death  found  in  physic,  and  in  necessary  food, 
taken  with  a  design  to  preserve  life  ?  2  Kings  iv.  40.     A  morsel  at 


THE  UNCERTAINTY  OF  TUE  TIME  OF  OUR  REMOXAL.  563 

a  meal  lias  cliolied  some,  and  removed  them  from  tlieir  covered 
table  into  the  other  Tforld.  A  hair  in  milk,  and  a  stone  in  a  raisin, 
it  is  said,  has  done  the  bnsiness. 

Lastly,  Where  there  has  been  no  visible  cause  from  ■without,  nor 
sensible  cause  from  within,  how  many  have  suddenly  dropt  down 
dead,  to  the  perfect  surprise  oi  their  relations  and  neighbours  aware 
of  no  cause  thereof !  Our  lite  is  in  the  hand  of  the  Giver  always, 
as  a  ball  in  the  hand  of  him  that  holds  it  np;  there  needs  no  more 
but  to  withdraw  that  hand,  and  that  moment  we  fall,  Psal.  xc.  3. 
"  Thou  turnest  man  to  destruction  ;  and  sayest,  Return,  ye  children 
of  men,  and  civ.  29. 

Thirdly,  It  remains  on  this  head  to  shew  why  the  Lord  has  kept 
men  at  this  uncertainty.  Xo  doubt  God  could  have  made  the  time 
of  our  removal  into  the  other  world  as  open  as  the  time  of  the  set- 
ting of  the  sun,  &c.  But  he  has  concealed  it  from  us.  It  is  meet  to 
consider  why.  T\"e  pretend  not  to  give  a  reason  moving  the  divine 
will ;  but  the  reasonableness  of  it,  or  for  what  causes  the  Lord  has 
Milled  the  concealment  of  that  time  from  us,  we  may  consider. 
The  reasons  are  these, 

I.  It  is  best  for  his  own  glory  and  honour,  the  chief  end  of  all 
things.     Hereby  he  shows, 

(1.)  His  mastership  over  mankind,  who  of  right  are  his  servants, 
however  refractory  most  of  them  are.  Every  master  thinks  it  his 
right  to  have  his  servants  at  his  call,  without  a  previous  tryst,  Matt, 
viii.  9.  How  much  more  is  God's  right  over  us,  to  call  us  off  when 
he  will,  from  the  place  where  he  has  set  us,  to  the  place  he  has  ap- 
pointed us  for  after  ?  Our  Lord  teacheth  us  this,  that  he  claims 
this  as  a  Master  to  come  when  he  will,  and  that  his  servants  be 
ready  waiting  on,  Luke  xii.  36,  38.  "  that  when  he  cometh  and 
kuocketh,  they  may  open  unto  him  immediately.  And  if  he  shall 
come  in  the  second  watch,  or  come  in  the  third  watch,  and  find  them 
so,  blessed  are  those  servants." 

(2.)  The  efficacy  of  his  authority,  Eccl.  viii.  8.  "  There  is  no  man 
that  hath  power  over  the  spirit  to  retain  the  spirit ;  neither  hath  he 
power  in  the  day  of  death  ;  and  there  is  no  discharge  in  that  war, 
neither  shall  wickedness  deliver  those  that  are  given  to  it."  He 
has  revealed  the  will  of  his  command  to  men,  in  his  laws;  and  that 
is  disregarded  in  great  part  by  all,  and  wholly  by  some,  in  life. 
How  necessary  then  is  it,  that  the  authority  so  often  trampled  on  by 
mortals  in  life,  should  be  vigorously  executed  at  length,  in  obliging 
them  to  obey  the  will  of  his  providence,  without  knowing  aforehand 
when  ?     He  sets  trysts  with  men  for  duty,  which  they  regard  not ; 


564  THE  UNCEUTAIXTY  OP  THE  TIME  OF  OUR  REMOVAL. 

the  vindicating  of  his  authority  requires  their  roraoval  to  give 
account,  upon  sight  of  his  summons. 

(8.)  His  sovereignty.  It  is  a  sign  of  his  sovereign  dominion  over 
xis.  Solomon  observes,  Prov.  xxv.  3.  that  "  the  heart  of  kings  is 
unsearchable."  Kings  of  the  earth  have  their  secrets  of  govern- 
ment, which  their  subjects  are  not  to  pry  into,  but  obey  orders: 
God  has  a  sealed  book  of  decrees,  which  none  but  the  Lamb  is 
worthy  to  open  the  seals  of.  It  proclaims  his  sovereign  dominion 
over  mankind,  that  he  keeps  such  a  momentous  point  concerning 
them  concealed,  ver.  20.  And  it  is  apt  to  strike  an  awe  of  him  on 
those  who  consider  it,  as  of  an  absolute  Lord,  whom  we  are  to  obey 
without  disputing  and  upon  the  first  call ;  with  the  depths  of  whose 
counsel  concerning  us,  we  are  not  to  meddle,  Deut.  xxix'.  ult. 

2.  It  is  best  for  the  good  of  mankind  that  it  is  concealed.  Were 
the  book  of  the  decrees  laid  open  before  the  world,  and  a  liberty 
given  to  every  one  that  would,  to  turn  it  up,  and  look  out  the  time 
of  mortals'  removal;  fools  would  readily  run  to  it,  but  wise  men,  I 
think,  would  start  back.  That  the  time  of  our  removal  into  the 
other  world  is  kept  a  secret  with  God,  closely  concealed,  is  of  good 
use.     If  ye  ask  what  use  is  it  for  ?     It  is  of  use, 

(1.)  For  a  badge  of  our  dependence  on  God,  every  moment. 
Hereby  we  are  taught,  that  we  are  his  debtors  for  every  other 
breath  we  draw,  and  pulse  that  beats;  we  see  we  are  mere  precarious 
beings  in  the  world,  tenants-at-will,  not  knowing  when  we  may  be 
charged  to  remove.  By  this  means  great  and  small,  old  and  young, 
are  obliged  to  see  how  they  wholly  depend  on  the  will  of  God  as  to 
their  continuance  here  ;  a  lesson  we  need  to  have  inculcated  on  us, 
we  are  so  apt  to  forget  it. 

(2.)  For  a  token  to  remember  the  other  world.  It  is  natural  for 
them  that  must  remove,  and  know  not  how  soon,  to  be  often  think- 
ing on  the  place  they  must  remove  to ;  so  our  uncertainty  as  to  the 
time  of  our  removal  out  of  this  world  to  the  other,  natively  leads  us 
to  think  of  that  world.  How  ready  are  we  to  spend  our  days  in  a 
forgetfulness  of  the  world  we  are  going  to,  as  matters  now  stand  ! 
And  how  much  more  would  it  be  so,  if  we  were  sure  that  death  were 
at  so  many  years  distance  as  sometimes  it  is ! 

(3.)  For  a  curb  to  our  lusts,  to  check  and  bridle  our  unruly  affec- 
tions. This  concealing  is  of  good  use  to  keep  us  from  indulging 
ourselves  in  sloth,  to  still  our  anxiety,  and  repress  all  carnal  earthly 
affections.  He  that  considers  the  uncertainty  of  the  time  of  his 
death,  is  furnished  with  an  useful  means  to  cool  his  affections  in  the 
pursuit  of  this  world,  which  otherwise  he  would  be  apt  to  give  the 
loose  unto. 


.OF  RKABINESS  FOR  OUR  RE^[OVAL.  505 

(4.)  For  to  be  a  balance  between  the  rising  and  standing  genera- 
tions, the  yonng  and  the  aged.  While  both  are  kept  at  an  uncer- 
tainty, that  is  not  known,  which  of  them  shall  bury  the  other,  and 
bury  their  heirs,  this  is  a  mean  to  keep  both  in  due  aftection  to,  and 
concern  for  one  another.  While  there  is  so  much  unnaturalness  in 
the  world,  as  matters  now  stand,  what  would  it  be  if  that  were  cer- 
tain, that  is  now  but  probable  ? 

(5.)  For  encouragement  to  people's  regular  pursuit  of  their 
worldly  affairs,  tending  to  the  good  of  society.  If  men  were  certain 
as  to  the  time  of  their  removal,  it  would  no  doubt  make  them  very 
slack  in  their  business,  and  at  length  cause  them  quite  to  give  it 
over,  unless  pure  necessity  obliged  them  thereto ;  and  this  would 
tend  to  their  family's  disadvantage,  and  the  prejudice  of  the  public. 
But  God  has  in  wisdom  concealed  that  matter  so  that  to  hope  of  en- 
joyment, causeth  men  to  be  doing  till  God  bid  them  stop. 

(6.)  For  a  seasoning  to  the  comforts  of  life,  that  men  may  get  the 
allowable  comfort  in  them,  and  the  sap  may  not  be  from  the  begin- 
ning squeezed  out  of  them.  If  when  the  child  is  born,  it  were  cer- 
tainly known  it  were  to  live  but  so  many  days,  weeks,  or  months ;  or 
that  the  parent  must  leave  it  at  such  a  certain  time  ;  where  wouM 
the  comfort  of  the  relation  be  ?  How  often  would  the  view  of  the 
day  of  the  parting  extinguish  it  ?  But  God,  by  keeping  it  out  of 
sight,  prevents  these  sorrows. 

(7.)  For  a  band  to  oblige  men  to  act,  not  according  to  future 
events,  but  the  present  call  of  providence,  and  so  to  make  them 
subservient  to  the  designs  thereof.  Had  Jacob  knoA^n  beforehand 
that  Joseph's  brethren  would  have  cast  him  into  the  pit,  and  sold 
him  for  a  slave,  he  would  not  have  let  him  go.  Who  would  ever 
entertain  the  thought  of  putting  that  comfort  to  their  mouth,  which 
they  certainly  knew  would  be  presently  snatched  from  them,  and 
leave  them  pierced  with  many  sorrows,  which  yet  often  falls  out  ? 
But  God  will  have  men's  acting  to  be  regulated,  not  by  events,  but 
the  present  call  of  providence.  And  men  may  have  peace  in  that, 
which  providence  pointed  them  to,  though  the  event  be  heavy. 

Lastly,  For  a  memorial  to  be  always  ready  and  on  our  watch. 
It  is  reasonable  we  should  be  so,  and  that  at  no  time  we  should 
give  ourselves  to  carnal  security;  but  did  we  certainly  know  the 
time  of  our  removal,  we  would  be  apt  to  fall  asleep  for  the  time  it 
were  at  a  distance,  and  think  it  would  be  enough  to  watch  and  bo 
on  our  guard  when  the  time  were  at  hand. 

Learn  we  from  all  this  to  be  well  satisfied  in  the  divine  conduct 
as  wise  and  good,  in  concealing  from  us  the  time  of  our  removal ; 
and  answer  the  ends  of  that  dispensation,    in  acknowledging   our 

Vol.  V.  2  o  . 


566  OP  READINESS  FOR  OUR  REMOVAL. 

continual  dependence  on  God,  taking  it  as  a  token  to  remember  the 
other  world,  &c. 

IV".  We  are  next  to  consider  the  readiness  for  that  removal. 
And  there  is  a  twofold  readiness  for  it,  habitual  and  actual. 

First,  Habitual,  in  respect  of  our  state.  In  the  state  we  are  in 
by  nature,  we  are  by  no  means  ready  for  that  removal ;  if  we  die 
in  that  state,  we  perish.  We  must  be  out  of  it  in  the  state  of 
grace,  if  ye  would  be  ready,  1  Thess.  v.  4.  "  But  ye,  brethren,  are 
not  in  darkness,  that  that  day  shall  overtake  you  as  a  thief."  Col. 
i.  12,  13.  "  Giving  thanks  unto  the  father,  which  hath  made  us 
meet  to  be  partakers  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light ;  who 
hath  delivered  us  from  the  power  of  darkness,  and  hath  translated 
us  into  the  kingdom  of  his  dear  Son."  This  is  necessary  for  our 
safe  passage  and  arrival  in  the  other  world.  There  is  no  getting 
into  the  state  of  glory,  if  we  are  not  first  brought  into  the  state  of 
grace.  To  die  in  the  state  we  were  born  in,  will  bury  us  in  the  pit. 
This  readiness  consists, 

1.  In  being  brought  into  a  relative  state  of  grace,  whereby  the 
relation  we  stand  in  to  God  by  nature,  which  is  a  reasonable  one, 
may  be  changed  into  a  saving  relation  to  him.  And  this  lies  epe- 
cially  in  four  things. 

(1.)  A  state  of  justification,  pardon  and  absolution.  By  nature 
we  are  God's  criminals,  under  his  curse,  Eph  ii.  3.  How  can  we 
be  ready  in  that  case,  for  the  other  world  ?  "What  can  we  expect 
going  into  it  in  that  condition,  but  the  sentance,  "  Depart  from  me, 
ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his 
angels?"  Matth.  xxv.  41.  Therefore,  if  we  would  be  ready,  we 
must  see  to  be  justified  persons,  Rom.  v.  1,  2.  We  must  sue  out  a 
pardon  in  God's  way,  and  not  rest  till  we  be  accepted  of  him,  as 
righteous  ;  for  it  is  such  only  can  have  access  to  heaven,  from 
whom  the  curse  of  the  broken  law  is  removed.  Then,  and  not  till 
then,  is  the  bar  in  our  way  removed. 

(2.)  A  state  of  reconciliation  and  peace  with  God,  Amos  iii.  3. 
"  Can  two  walk  together,  except  they  be  agreed  ?"  There  can  be  no 
walking  with  him  here  nor  hereafter  without  it.  We  are  born  in 
a  state  of  enmity  with  God ;  there  is  a  legal  enmity  on  the  part  of 
heaven  against  us,  a  real  one  in  our  part ;  should  we  remove  to  the 
other  world  in  that  condition,  what  could  be  the  issue,  but  that, 
Luke  xix.  27-  "  Those  mine  enemies  which  would  not  that  I  should 
reign  over  them,  bring  hither,  and  slay  them  before  me  ?"  There- 
fore to  be  ready  for  the  other  world,  we  must  be  in  a  state  of  peace 
and  friendship  with  the  Lord  of  it.  If  we  be  for  Abraham's  bosom, 
we  must  be  as  he  was,  "  the  friends  of  God,"  Jam.  ii.  23.     This  is 


OF  READINESS  FOR  OUR  REMOVAL.  5G7 

the  design  of  the  gospel,  that  we  be  "  reconciled  to  God,"  2  Cor. 
V.  20. 

(3.)  A  state  of  adoption  into  the  family  of  God,  1  John  iii.  2.  by 
nature  we  are  children  of  the  devil,  John  viii.  44.  If  we  remove  in 
that  state  to  the  other  world,  what  can  we  expect  but  to  go  home 
into  our  father's  house  ?  Therefore  if  we  would  be  ready,  that  rela- 
tion must  be  dissolved  ;  and  we  must  be  adopted  into  the  family  of 
God,  that  when  we  fail,  we  may  be  received  into  everlasting  habi- 
tations with  his  family.  If  we  are  not  of  God's  family  in  the  lower 
house,  we  will  never  be  of  it  in  the  upper ;  for  they  are  all  but  one 
family,  Eph.  ii.  15. 

(4.)  A  state  of  peculiar  interest  in  God  as  our  own  God.  When 
the  man  Christ  was  going  to  heaven,  he  says,  "  I  ascend  unto  my 
Father  and  your  Father,  and  to  my  God  and  your  God,"  John  xx. 
17.  God  himself  is  the  reward  of  his  people,  who  therefore  must  be 
theirs  ere  they  can  be  ready  to  remove  into  the  other  world,  Gen. 
XV.  1.  In  our  natural  state  we  are  without  God,  Eph.  ii.  12.  And 
should  we  die  without  him,  where  can  we  expect  to  land  in  the  other 
world,  but  without  where  are  the  dogs,  &c.  in  outer  darkness  ? 
Wherefore,  to  be  ready,  we  must  before  removing  have  our  Maker 
to  be  our  Husband,  God  our  Creator  to  be  our  God  in  covenant,  ac- 
cording to  Heb.  viii.  10.  "  I  will  be  to  them  a  God."  For  there  lies 
heaven's  happiness.  Rev.  xxi.  3. — "  God  himself  shall  be  with  them, 
and  be  their  God." 

This  relative  state  of  grace  is  necessary  to  found  our  right  and 
title  to  heaven,  Matt.  xxv.  34.  "  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father, 
inherit  the  kingdom,"  &c.  And  certainly  we  can  never  remove  into 
the  other  world,  till  once  it  is  expected.  No  body  can  expect  to  in- 
vade it  by  force,  to  get  into  that  part  of  the  other  world  which  they 
have  no  right  to.  No  man  could  judge  himself  ready  to  remove  in- 
to a  farm  or  heritage  here,  or  settle  there,  till  once  he  had  got  a 
right  to  it ;  and  shall  one  imagine  himself  ready  for  the  other  world, 
while  he  has  no  right  to  heaven  ? 

2.  This  readiness  consists  in  being  brought  into  a  real  state  ot 
grace,  whereby  the  temper  and  disposition  our  souls  are  in  by  nature, 
quite  unfit  for  heaven,  may  be  changed  into  a  heavenly  one,  2  Cor, 
V.  5.  This  lies  in  two  things  :  (1.)  The  quickening  of  our  dead  souls, 
Eph.  ii.  1.  We  are  by  nature  spiritually  dead  ;  God  the  soul  of  our 
souls  is  departed  from  us  ;  so  we  are  lifeless  and  moveless  ;  dead  to 
God,  as  really  as  our  departed  friends  are  dead  to  us.  Should  we 
remove  in  that  case  to  the  other  world,  what  issue  could  be  looked 
for,  but  Ihat  he  should  bury  us  out  of  his  sight,  as  we  do  our  dead 


2  o2 


568  OF  READINESS  FOR  OUR  REMOVAL. 

friends  ?  Therefore  to  be  ready,  we  must  be  quickened  by  the  return 
of  the  Spirit  of  Christ  into  us,  Rom.  viii.  2. 

This  is  called  the  first  regeneration,  whereby  there  is  a  new  prin- 
ciple of  action  put  into  the  soul,  by  which  the  soul  believes  on  Christ, 
and  actively  unites  with  him,  John  i.  12,  13.  and  is  thereby  brought 
into  the  relative  state  foresaid. 

(2.)  The  sanctifying  of  our  natures  throughout,  1  Thess.  v.  23. 
By  nature  we  are  unholy  all  over.  Tit.  i.  15.  The  soul  in  all  its  facul- 
ties is  wholly  defiled  ;  and  consequently  the  body  in  all  its  members. 
Sin  reigns  in  the  natural  man,  living  lusts  have  the  mastery  of  him. 
What  a  removal  can  one  have  in  this  case,  where  the  image  of  God 
is  defaced,  Satan's  image  set  up,  and  sin  bears  full  sway,  but  that 
in  Prov.  xiv.  32.  "  The  wicked  is  driven  away  in  his  wickedness  ?" 
To  be  ready  then  for  the  other  world,  we  must  be  sanctified  all  over; 
the  mind  must  be  enlightened,  the  will  turned  towards  the  will  of 
.God,  the  affections  regulated,  and  we  renewed  in  the  whole  man. 

This  is  called  the  second  regeneration,  whereby  the  soul  being  in 
Christ  by  faith  is  changed  into  his  image,  and  so  made  a  new  crea- 
ture, 2  Cor.  V.  17.  Receiving  grace  for  grace  in  Christ ;  it  has  new 
habits  implanted  in  it,  fitting  for  the  doing  of  good  works,  Eph.  2.  10. 

This  real  state  of  grace  is  necessary  to  our  being  meet  or  fit  for 
heaven.  Col.  i  12.  2  Cor.  v.  5.  forecited.  Without  it  we  are  no 
more  meet  for  it,  than  fishes  for  meadows,  an  idiot  for  an  estate, 
or  a  dead  man  for  a  feast.  Men  look  on  heaven  as  a  place  of  ease 
and  rest;  without  considering  it  as  a  holy  rest  from  sin,  and  an 
eternal  exercise  of  holinesss  in  heart  and  life  ;  if  they  so  considered 
it  they  would  soon  see  their  unmeetness  for  it,  and  that  "  without 
holiness  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord,"  Heb.  xii,  14. 

Lastly,  This  readiness  consists  in  persevering  in  that  state,  re- 
lative and  real  unto  the  end.  Mat.  xxiv.  13.  "  He  that  shall  endure 
unto  the  end,  the  same  shall  be  saved."  Rev.  ii.  10.  "  Be  thou 
faithful  unto  death,  and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life."  Apos- 
tates cannot  be  ready  for  the  other  world  ;  if  one  removes  in  apo- 
stacy,  what  can  be  expected,  but  as  Heb.  x.  38.  God's  "  soul  shall 
have  no  pleasure  in  him  ?"  Therefore  the  perseverance  of  the  saints 
is  insured  by  the  strongest  security,  John  x.  28,  29.  "  I  give  unto 
them  eternal  life,  and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any 
pluck  them  out  of  ray  hand.  My  Father  which  gave  them  me,  is 
greater  than  all ;  and  none  is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Father's 
hand."  So  that  whosoever  do  make  never  so  fair  an  appearance, 
but  afterward  fall  away,  they  discover  that  they  never  were  in  a 
state  of  grace,  relative  nor  real,  1  John  ii.  19. 

Secondly,  There  is  actual  readiness  in  respect  of  our  frame  and 


OF  READIXESS  FOR  OUR  REMOVAL.  569 

circumstances,  Luke  xii.  35,  36.  The  former  gives  us  a  safe,  this 
an  abundant  entrance  into  the  better  world,  2  Pet.  i.  10,  11.  Now- 
one  may  be  habitually  ready,  who  is  not  actually  so  ;  though  not 
contrariwise.  But  we  are  called,  both  by  God's  word  and  our  own 
necessity,  to  actual  readiness  for  that  removal.  This  lies  in  two 
things. 

1.  Putting  our  house  in  order,  Isa.  xxxiii.  1.  It  is  a  piece  of 
necessary  preparation  for  the  other  world,  to  have  our  affairs  in  this 
world,  in  such  a  state,  as  we  may  fitly  leave  them ;  and  no  man  of 
business  can  be  excused  in  a  slothful  leaving  his  aftairs  in  confusion, 
Avhile  he  is  not  sure  at  what  time  he  may  be  called  off.  For  thereby 
others  may  be  wronged ;  and  if  it  be  sinful  to  wrong  others  in  life, 
it  cannot  be  blameless  to  wrong  them  at  death,  when  there  is  no 
more  access  to  right  them. 

2.  Keeping  our  soul's  case  in  order,  Luke  vii.  35.  "  Let  your 
loins  be  girded  about,  and  your  lights  burning."  Though  in  con- 
version the  gracious  state  of  our  souls  is  secured  ;  yet  it  will  require 
much  diligence  to  keep  our  soul's  case  right  for  our  removal,  and 
slothfulness  may  put  us  out  of  case  for  it,  Eccl.  x.  18.  The  being 
of  grace  is  sufficient  for  the  one,  but  the  exercise  of  grace  is  neces- 
sary for  the  other.  Now  an  orderly  case,  fit  for  one's  removing  to 
the  other  world,  lies  in  these  seven  things. 

(1.)  Keeping  up  actual  communion  with  God,  in  the  course  of  our 
life.  Cant.  ii.  ult.  "  Until  the  day  break,  and  the  shadows  flee 
away  ;  turn  my  Beloved,  and  be  thou  like  a  roe,"  &c.  Thus  was 
Enoch  ready  for  his  removal.  Gen.  v.  24.  "  Enoch  walked  with  God, 
and  he  was  not ;  for  God  took  him."  He  who  would  be  actually 
readj  must  walk  with  God  in  ordinances,  in  providences,  and  the 
whole  tenor  of  his  life  ;  being  spiritual  in  religious  duties,  an  ob- 
server of  providences,  accommodating  himself  thereto,  and  setting 
God  before  him  in  the  course  of  his  actions.  Thus  he  will  serve  an 
apprenticeship  for  the  better  world,  and  will  be  in  a  case  for  a  re- 
moval, since  that  will  only  be  to  him  a  change  of  his  place,  not  of 
his  company. 

(2.)  A  heart  weaned  from  this  world.  Col.  iii.  3,  4.  "  For  ye  are 
dead,  and  your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God.  When  Christ,  who 
is  our  life,  shall  appear,  then  shall  ye  also  appear  with  him  in 
glory."  David  was  in  case  for  removing,  when  he  said,  Ps.  cxxxi.  2. 
"  My  soul  is  even  as  a  weaned  child ;"  and  Paul,  when  he  said. 
Gal.  vi.  14.  "  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory,  save  in  the  cross  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  the  world  is  crucified  unto  me,  and 
I  unto  the  world."  When  one  is  quick  and  lively  in  his  atfection 
to  this   world,  easily   and  feelingly  touched  with   its    smiles  and 


670  OF  READINESS  FOR  OUR  REMOVAL. 

frowns,  lie  will  be  at  death  lilte  unripe  fruit,  that  takes  a  sore  pull 
to  pluck  it  off  the  tree  ;  but  the  weaned  believer  will,  like  ripe  fruit, 
drop  off  easily.  So  God's  blasting  men's  worldly  comforts,  exer- 
cising them  with  infirmities,  pains,  and  sickness,  are  kindly  de- 
signed for  this  end. 

(3.)  Purity  of  conscience,  Acts  xxiv.  15,  16.  "  And  have  hope 
towards  God, — that  there  shall  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  both 
of  the  just  and  unjust.  And  herein  do  I  exercise  myself  to  have 
always  a  conscience  void  of  offence  toward  God,  and  toward  man." 
Hereby  it  is  provided,  that  there  is  no  standing  controversy  betwixt 
God  and  the  soul ;  in  which  case  one  is  not  fit  for  removal.  This 
is  obtained  by  a  strict  and  tender  walk  in  every  thing,  whereby  the 
conscience  is  so  far  kept  from  defilement,  Psal.  Ixvi.  18.  1  John 
iii.  20,  21.  And  by  a  daily  use-making  of  the  blood  of  Christ, 
Avhereby  defilements,  which  we  will  inevitably  contract,  are  wiped 
away,  John  xiii.  10.  A  thorn  of  unpardoned  guilt  in  a  believer's 
conscience,  renders  him  in  ill  case  for  the  great  journey. 

(3.)  Diligence  in  our  generation  work,  Luke  xii.  43.  "  Blessed 
is  that  servant,  whom  his  Lord  when  he  cometh,  shall  find  him  so 
doing."  David  had  a  kindly  removal  upon  this,  Acts  xiii  36. 
"  After  he  had  served  his  own  generation  by  the  will  of  God  he  fell 
on  sleep."  Tliat  man  has  lived  long  enough,  who  has  got  his  gene- 
ration work  allotted  him  expediated,  though  he  do  not  live  to  any 
great  age;  and  they  that  through  sloth  neglect  it,  will  find  them- 
selves carried  off  ere  they  are  ready,  though  they  become  very  old. 
Happy  is  the  man,  that  is  found  so  doing,  doing  still  on,  as  one  that 
sees  death  at  his  back  ;  and  it  is  kindly,  if  the  Master  soonest  loose 
the  sorest  wrought  servant. 

(5.)  Willingness  to  remove  and  be  gone  at  the  Master's  call, 
Luke  ii.  29,  30.  "  Lord,  now  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart  in 
peace,  according  to  thy  word.  For  mine  eyes  have  seen  thy  salva- 
tion." They  who  are  mortified  to  life  in  a  Christian  manner,  re- 
signed to  the  divine  disposal  as  to  their  staying  and  going,  leaving 
to  him  the  time  and  manner,  are  in  case  for  removal.  In  the  soul's 
closing  with  Christ,  there  is  a  dead  stroke  given  to  the  love  of  this 
life,  Luke  xiv.  26.  But  there  is  a  need  of  repeating  the  stroke,  till 
the  soul  be  in  case  to  come  freely  away. 

(6.)  A  well-grounded  expectation  of  a  better  life  in  the  other 
world,  2  Tim.  iv.  7,  8.  "  I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finished 
my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith.  Henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for 
me  a  crown  of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord  the  righteous  Judge 
shall  give  me  at  that  day  ;  and  not  to  me  only,  but  unto  all  them 
also  that  love  his  appearing."     For  men  to  pretend  willingness  to 


OF  READINESS  FOR  OUR  REMOVAL.  571 

remove  without  that,  argues  either  a  brutish  stupidity,  or  a  delusive 
security,  or  a  desperate  impatience ;  iu  all  which  cases,  men  are  not 
ready  for  the  removal,  however  willing.  But  where  there  is  a 
Cliristian  assurance  or  well-grounded  hope  of  a  safe  landing,  that  is 
a  piece  of  the  readiness  required,  2  Pet.  i.  10,  11. 

Lastly,  Watchfulness  and  waiting,  Luke  xii.  37.  "  Blessed  are 
those  servants,  whom  the  Lord  when  he  cometh  shall  find  watching." 
Our  Lord  has  told  us,  that  he  will  come,  but  has  not  told  us  when  ; 
this  requires  us  at  ail  times  to  guard  against  spiritual  sleep  and 
carnal  security ;  and  follow  Job's  resolve,  chap.  xiv.  14.  "  All  the 
days  of  my  appointed  time  will  I  wait  till  my  change  come."  They 
are  not  ready  who  are  catched  unawares. 

Now  these  things  make  an  actual  readiness,  which  is  necessary. 

[1.]  To  fit  us  for  what  kind  of  death  it  pleases  the  Lord  to  re- 
move us  by.  Hereby  we  will  be  in  case  to  remove  by  sudden 
death,  as  good  old  Eli  did,  by  a  raving  sickness,  as  well  as  by  a 
composed  one ;  or  by  a  violent  toss  of  sickness,  or  lethargy.  For 
then  our  work  is  done,  all  is  ready ;  we  have  nothing  ado  but  to  go. 

[2.]  To  prevent  a  hurry,  when  death  is  come  to  the  door.  Though 
one  is  habitually  ready,  if  they  are  not  thus  actually  ready,  the 
heart  in  that  case  is  put  in  confusion  with  the  alarm  ;  and  then  there 
are  many  things  to  do,  and  little  time  to  do  them  in.  And  that 
makes  a  sad  hurry,  whereas  there  might  be  much  composure  obtained 
by  this  method. 

[3.]  For  our  comfortable  passage,  2  Tim.  iv.  7,  8,  above  cited. 
The  neglect  hereof  occasions  even  God's  children  sometimes  either 
to  go  ofl'  in  a  cloud  and  set  in  a  mist,  or  else  to  have  a  sore  struggle 
about  their  case,  ere  they  get  their  ravelled  case  righted.  "We  are 
not  to  limit  sovereignty,  which  may  leave  at  any  time  the  most 
watchful  Christian  in  a  damp,  as  the  sun  sometimes  in  a  moment 
gets  under  a  cloud  ;  but  surely  this  is  the  ordinary  means  for  a 
comfortable  removal. 

Lastly,  For  our  greater  glorifying  God  iu  our  removal,  as  the 
worthies,  Heb.  xi.  of  whom  it  is  said,  ver.  13.  "  These  all  died  in 
faith,  not  having  received  the  promises,"  &c.  We  should  study  not 
only  to  live,  but  to  die  to  his  glory.  That  is  our  last  opportunity  of 
acting  for  God  in  the  world ;  and  it  is  pity  we  should  be  out  of  case 
for  it.     Now  when  we  are  thus  actually  ready  beforehand. 

(1.)  We  will  have  the  more  time  to  act  for  God's  honour,  our  own 
.safety  being  already  secured,  as  in  Stephen's  case,  whose  last  breath 
was  spent  in  praying  for  his  murderers.  Acts  vii.  ult.  They  that 
have  much  to  do  for  their  own  case  on  a  death-bed,  will  have  little 
time  to  spare  for  the  behoof  of  others  to  be  left  behind. 


572  USE  OF  INSTRUCTION  AND  INFOKMATION. 

(2.)  We  will  have  tlie  more  heart,  and  be  in  better  capacity  for 
consulting  God's  honour  and  the  good  of  others;  as  good  old  Jacob, 
while  blessing  his  sons,  lifts  up  his  soul  in  that  devout  ejaculation. 
Gen.  xlix.  18.  "  I  have  Avaited  for  thy  salvation,  0  Lord."  A  clear 
and  comfortable  state  of  our  own  soul's  case,  will  be  oil  to  the 
wheels  in  that  matter.  I  shall  now  make  some  practical  improve- 
ment of  this  subject. 

Use  I.  For  instruction  and  information.     Learn  hence, 

1.  That  this  world  is  not  our  home,  but  the  place  of  our  sojourn- 
ing; but  our  home  is  in  the  other  world,  Heb.  xiii.  14.  We  are 
here  as  strangers  in  an  inn  by  the  road;  but  the  grave  is  our  long 
home,  and  the  other  world  our  everlasting  home.  When  men  go 
abroad  in  this  world  as  travellers,  they  lay  their  account  not  to  stay 
abroad ;  but  sometimes  they  settle  abroad  for  good  and  all,  so  that 
their  return  home  is  uncertain ;  but  our  removal  from  this  to  the 
other  world  is  absolutely  certain,  without  all  peradventure,  it  can- 
not fail. 

2.  It  concerns  us  nearly,  to  keep  loose  grips  of  this  world,  and 
not  to  dip  too  deep  in  it ;  but  to  use  it  passingly  as  those  who  are 
not  to  stay  with  it,  1  Cor.  vii.  29,  31.  The  comforts  and  con- 
veniences of  life,  are  like  servants  in  an  inn,  who  wait  on  us  to  the 
door,  but  return  to  wait  on  other  strangers  when  we  are  away.  It 
would  be  folly  for  the  traveller  to  set  his  heart  on  the  inn ;  for  that 
would  make  his  removal  from  it  but  the  greater  grief. 

3.  It  will  be  our  wisdom  to  acquaint  ourselves,  as  much  as  may 
be,  with  the  other  world.  Job  xvii.  13,  14.  Were  one  but  to  re- 
move into  another  farm,  he  would  surely  acquaint  himself  with  it 
beforehand  ;  and  shall  we,  who  are  to  remove  into  the  other  world, 
live  strangers  to  it  ?  Nay,  let  us  often  visit  it,  by  thinking  of  it. 
Though  we  cannot  see  it  beforehand  with  the  eye,  we  may  by  faith  ; 
though  we  cannot  go  thither  for  trial,  we  have  the  map  of  it  in  the 
Scriptures. 

4.  It  concerns  us  carefully  to  acquaint  ourselves  with  the  passage 
to  it,  2  Cor.  XV.  31.  Death  is  that  passage  which  we  must  cer- 
tainly all  take.  And  our  happy  or  wretched  landing  on  the  other 
side,  depends  entirely  on  the  course  we  steer  through  it.  What 
need  have  we  then  to  be  taking  instructions  about  it,  fixing  them  on 
our  hearts  timeously,  that  when  we  come  to  pass  it,  we  may  take 
the  passage  right,  where  so  many  are  shipwrecked  ?  It  is  indeed 
the  business  of  life  to  learn  to  die. 

5.  It  is  in  vain  for  us  to  be  carnally  secure,  and  to  promise  on 
time  to  come ;  for  our  removal  is  uncertain.  In  all  our  projects, 
hopes,  and  expectations  of  things  of  this  life,  we   should  balance 


USE  OF  REPROOF.  573 

them  with  the  view  of  the  uncertainty  of  our  time,  Jam.  iv.  13 — 15. 
It  is  folly  to  boast  of  what  we  are  not  sure  of,  Prov.  xxii.  1.  How 
^auy  a  beautiful  web  of  contrivance  in  the  fancies  of  carnal  men 
has  been  suddenly  cut  off,  perishing  in  the  thought  without  ever 
going  further  ?     Ps.  cxlvi. ;  Luke  xii. 

6.  It  is  folly  to  be  lifted  up  with  prosperity  in  the  world ;  for  it 
is  certain  it  will  not  last,  and  so  uncertain  when  it  will  come  to  an 
end,  that  it  may  end  ere  we  are  aware,  Prov.  xxiii.  5.  If  we  begin 
to  nestle  in  a  well  feathered  nest,  we  may  quickly  be  tumbled  down 
out  of  it;  and  we  will  get  nothing  of  it  with  us  to  the  other  world. 
Worldly  prosperity  makes  indeed  easy  living  here;  but  it  is  so  en- 
snaring, that  it  is  hard  to  make  the  way  through  it  to  the  happy 
part  of  the  other  world,  Mark  x.  23. 

7.  It  is  needless  to  be  cast  down  with  adversity  in  the  world ; 
for  that  will  not  last  neither.  The  world's  smiles  and  frowns,  both' 
of  thera  pass  away  like  the  foam  on  the  water,  Eccl.  ix.  6.  If  one 
meets  with  sorry  entertainment  in  an  inn  by  the  road,  he  comforts 
himself,  that  he  is  not  to  stay  with  it.  In  your  adversity,  your  re- 
lief may  be  nearer  than  ye  are  aware;  your  removal  is  uncertain. 
Lazarus  was  cured  of  his  sores,  and  his  hard  lair  at  the  rich  man's 
gate,  when  carried  by  angels  into  Abraham's  bosom. 

Lastly,  We  can  at  no  time  be  safe,  unprepared  for  the  other 
world ;  for  what  may  come  at  any  time,  we  must  be  ready  at  all 
times,  if  we  would  be  safe  indeed ;  because  whatever  time  we  are 
not  ready,  it  may  come  and  surprise  us  unprepared. 

Use  II.  Of  reproof,  and  that  to  three  sorts  of  persons. 

1.  Atheists  and  unbelievers  of  a  future  state,  who  pretend  that 
when  men  die  they  are  done ;  and  that  there  are  no  future  rewards 
and  punishments.  Such  were  the  Sadducees  of  old,  who  judging  the 
soul  nothing  different  from  the  temperament  of  the  body,  held  the 
soul's  perishing  with  the  body,  and  that  there  was  no  resurrection^ 
and  consequently  no  removal  into  another  world.  Acts  xxiii.  8. 
The  whole  divine  revelation  witnesseth  against  this,  so  that  our 
Lord  proved  the  resurrection  from  the  Pentateuch,  Matt.  xxii.  31, 
32.  The  being  and  nature  of  God  as  holy  and  just,  and  Governor 
of  the  world,  overthrows  it;  since  it  is  evident,  that  it  is  not  con- 
sistent therewith,  that  evil  men  should  be  always  the  most  prosper- 
ous, and  the  good  the  most  afflicted  ;  yet  so  it  must  be,  if  there  is 
not  a  removal  into  the  other  world,  where  the  scales  will  be  turned ; 
"  for  if  in  this  life  only  we  have  hope  in  Christ,  we  are  of  all  men 
most  miserable,"  1  Cor.  xv.  19.  Besides,  this  has  a  witness  against 
it  in  every  man's  breast ;  that  it  is  not  to  be  doubted  if  any  man 
can  reach  to   be  fully  satisfied  in  this  principle,  llom.  ii.  15.  con- 


574  USE  OP  REPROOF. 

science  accusing  even  for  what  they  are  in  no  hazard  for  in  this 
world. 

There  is  a  lamentable  growth  of  such  principles  at  this  day,  that 
the  foundations  of  Christianity  were  perhaps  never  in  the  time  of 
the  greatest  darkness  so  much  struck  at.  Of  which  I  shall  say 
only  these  three  things. 

(1.)  The  prevalence  of  a  spirit  of  profaneness  and  enmity  against 
serious  godliness  and  practical  religion,  has  turned  the  bent  that 
way,  2  Thess.  ii.  11,  12.  When  men  are  set  on  their  lusts,  to  fol- 
low them  at  any  rate,  they  must  seek  a  shelter  under  which  they 
may  most  peaceably  enjoy  them ;  hence  these  principles  are  greedily 
drunk  up  in  the  generation.  The  inundation  of  profaneness  makes 
such  a  flood,  as  throws  down  before  it  the  foundation  principles  of 
religion  standing  in  their  way. 

(2.)  The  obscuring  of,  and  flinching  from  the  doctrine  of  Christ 
crucified,  his  righteousness  and  grace,  has  made  the  progress  of  such 
principles  more  easy.  The  manifestation  of  the  mystery  of  Christ 
to  the  world,  is  the  great  divine  ordinance  for  its  reformation. 
This  the  apostles  used  among  Jews  and  Pagans,  and  therewith  suc- 
ceeded, 1  Cor.  i.  23,  24 ;  Eph.  iii.  8 ;  Acts  xvii.  18.  The  Pagan 
moralists  advanced  fine  reasonings  without  this;  but  they  could  not 
prevail.  Yet  at  this  day,  not  the  former,  but  the  latter  method  is 
most  insisted  on  ;  as  if  men  were  more  apt  to  be  made  religious  by 
force  of  reason,  than  by  discovering  to  them  the  righteousness  and 
grace  of  Christ.  But  that  method  will  be  found  but  a  betraying  of 
the  cause  of  religion  ;  as  lamentable  experience  this  day  declares. 

(3.)  The  growth  of  such  principles  is  a  sad  prognosticate  of  some 
uncommon  stroke  abiding  the  generation.  There  is  no  mention  of 
Sadducees  in  the  Old  Testament;  but  they  swarmed  among  the 
Jews  in  the  time  of  our  Saviour  and  his  apostles.  And  on  the  back 
of  that,  that  nation  got  such  a  ruinating  stroke,  as  they  never 
before  met  with.  And  the  Sadduceism  of  this  day,  and  daring 
strokes  at  the  root  of  Christianity,  are  terrible  signs  foreboding 
some  uncommon  stroke. 

2.  The  bold  and  curious  intruders  into  the  divine  secrets,  to  reach 
a  certainty  of  that,  which  God  will  have  uncertain  as  to  us,  God 
will  have  us  uncertain,  whether  we  shall  live  long,  or  short  while, 
when  we  shall  remove.  How  dangerous  must  it  be  then  to  use  un- 
lawful arts  for  the  discovery  of  these ;  and  consult  fortune-tellers 
on  these  or  the  like  future  events  ?  Dent.  xxix.  ult.  What  good 
use  can  be  made  of  such  pretended  discoveries  ?  If  one  is  answered 
according  to  his  wish,  he  is  ready  to  be  turned  secure,  and  carried 
oft"  depending  on  providence,  and  disappointed  at  length.     If  other- 


USE  or  EXHORTATION.  575 

wise,  what  a  snare  and  rack  do  people  bring  themselves  into  by 
that  means. 

3.  The  secure  and  careless,  who  are  at  no  pains  to  make  ready ; 
but  live  as  if  they  were  never  to  remove  hence.  This  is  the  prevail- 
ing temper  of  the  world,  Matt.  xxiv.  38,  39.  "  For  as  in  the  days 
that  were  before  the  flood,  they  were  eating  and  drinking,  marrying 
and  giving  in  marriage,  until  the  day  that  Noah  entered  into  the 
ark,  and  knew  not  until  the  flood  came,  and  took  them  all  away;  so 
shall  also  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  be."  It  is  a  world  of  sloth, 
wherein  most  men  consider  little  of  the  world  to  come.  Solomon 
sends  such  to  the  ant,  to  learn  a  lesson  of  foresight  and  provident 
care,  Prov.  vi.  6 — 11.  "Go  to  the  ant,  thou  sluggard,  consider  her 
ways,  and  be  wise ;  which  having  no  guide,  overseer,  or  ruler,  pro- 
videth  her  meat  in  the  summer,  and  gathered  her  food  in  the  har- 
vest. How  long  wilt  thou  sleep?"  &c.  Men  make  ready  for  to^ 
morrow  in  this  world,  for  days  and  years  to  come  in  it,  which 
oft-times  they  never  see;  but  slight  the  most  necessary  preparation 
for  the  other  world. 

Use  ult.  Of  exhortation.  Let  us  then  be  exhorted  and  stirred  up 
so  to  prepare  for  our  removal  into  the  other  world,  as  to  be  always 
ready  for  it.  I  shall  branch  out  this  into  three  particulars  natively 
arising  from  the  text,  viz. 

1.  Make  ready  for  our  removal. 

2.  Delay  not  to  make  ready. 

3.  Having  made  ready,  keep  ready. 

First,  Make  ready  for  your  removal  into  the  other  world.  Since 
it  is  so  certain  that  we  must  all  remove,  and  uncertain  when,  we  must 
sound  the  alarm  to  all  to  make  ready  for  it.  Therefore  awake  and 
bestir  yourselves  to  put  matters  in  order  for  the  removal.  Here  I  shall, 

1.  Suggest  some  motives  to  press  you  to  make  ready. 

2.  Consider  the  impediments  of  people's  making  ready,  to  be  re- 
moved out  of  the  way. 

3.  Give  directions  or  advices  for  making  ready. 

First,  I  am  to  ofi'er  some  motives  to  press  you  to  make  ready. 
Consider, 

1.  Our  removal  is  certain,  there  is  no  escaping  of  it,  Psal.  Ixxxix. 
48.  "  What  man  is  he  that  liveth,  and  shall  not  see  death  ?  shall 
he  deliver  his  soul  from  the  hand  of  the  grave  ?"  There  is  a  time 
appointed  for  our  removal  precisely ;  and  when  that  time  comes, 
ready  or  unready,  we  must  go  ;  the  grim  messenger  will  not  wait, 
Eccl.  viii.  8.  "  Tliere  is  no  man  that  hath  power  over  the  spirit  to 
retain  the  spirit,"  &c.  Sometimes  people  sit  at  home,  because  they 
are  not  ready  to  go  away  when  they  are  called,  or  the  caller  will 


576  USE  OF  EXIIORTATION". 

wait  till  tliey  make  themselves  ready.  But  when  the  hour  appointed 
for  our  removal  comes,  the  messenger  death  will  neither  wait  till 
we  be  ready,  nor  go  away  without  us. 

2.  We  are  all  naturally  unready  for  that  removal,  quite  unready 
and  unfit  for  it.  For,  (1.)  We  want  a  title  to  heaven,  the  place  of 
happiness  in  the  other  world,  and  are  bound  over  to  hell  the  place 
of  misery  there,  by  the  curse  of  the  broken  law.  Gal.  iii.  10.  Eph.  ii. 
3.  How  can  we  venture  into  that  world  in  this  case  ?  We  have  the 
breaking  of  that  bond  of  wrath  to  seek,  and  getting  of  that  title  to 
heaven  constituted.  Till  this  be  done,  we  are  utterly  unready.  (2.) 
We  are  nowise  meet  for  heaven,  but  meet  for  the  pit  of  destruction, 
being  yet  in  our  sins.  How  can  the  natural  man,  that  is  yet  under 
the  guilt,  dominion,  and  pollution  of  his  sin,  be  ready  for  the  King's 
palace,  but  his  prison,  in  the  other  world  ? 

3.  Our  eternal  state  in  the  other  world  depends  on  what  readi- 
ness we  are  in  for  removing  to  it,  Eccl.  xi.  3.  "  If  the  tree  fall  to- 
ward the  south,  or  toward  the  north  ;  in  the  place  where  the  tree 
falleth  there  it  shall  be."  They  that  are  made  ready  for  heaven, 
will  be  received  into  it;  they  that  are  not,  will  find  the  gates  thereof 
shut  on  them.  Mat.  xxv.  10.  And  without  there  is  outer  darkness, 
weeping,  and  gnashing  of  teeth,  chap.  xxii.  13.  Since  such  a  weight 
hangs  on  our  being  ready,  what  unaccountable  folly  is  it  not  to 
make  ready  ? 

4.  There  is  no  making  ready  there,  Eccl.  ix.  10.  "  For  there  is  no 
work,  nor  device,  nor  knowledge,  nor  wisdom  in  the  grave  whither 
thou  goest."  Men  may  go  from  home  in  no  fit  condition  to  appear 
and  shew  themselves  in  a  strange  place  ;  but  they  may  get  them- 
selves fitted  out  there  where  they  are  going ;  but  it  is  not  so  in  this 
case.  There  is  no  buying  of  oil  more  for  the  lamps,  when  once  the 
Bridegroom  is  come.  If  death  strip  us  not  of  the  body  of  the  sins 
of  the  flesh,  which  it  certainly  will  not  do,  if  we  are  not  begun 
before  to  put  off  the  old  man  ;  it  will  go  with  us  into  the  other 
world,  and  hang  about  us  for  ever,  Prov.  xiv.  32.  "The  wicked  is 
driven  away  in  his  wickedness." 

5.  There  is  no  coming  back  again,  when  once  we  are  removed, 
Job  xiv.  14,  "  If  a  man  die,  shall  he  live  again  ?"  Could  we  expect 
a  return  into  this  world,  to  mend  what  was  amiss  in  our  former  re- 
moval ;  thai  if  we  were  not  ready  the  first  time  we  went  away,  we 
should  be  sure  to  make  ready  the  next  time  ;  the  matter  would  be  the 
less.  But  it  is  not  so.  The  removal  out  of  this  world  that  we  must 
make,  is  never  to  return.  Sure  that  is  a  loud  call  to  make  ready 
for  it. 

6.  The   nature   of  the  removal  requires  a  making  ready  for  it. 


MOTIVES  TO  MAKE  READY.  577 

"We  make  many  removes  in  this  world  that  are  so  insignificant,  that 
they  require  no  preperation  for  them  ;  but  in  the  meantime,  we 
make  some,  that  it  would  be  unaccountable  not  to  make  ready  for 
them.     Much  more  is  it  so  in  this  case  :  for  it  is, 

(1.)  A  going  a  great  journey,  Psal.  xxxix.  ult.  "  0  spare  me, 
that  I  may  recover  strength,  before  I  go  hence,  and  be  no  more." 
Eccl.  ix.  10.  What  rational  man  going  out  of  the  country  or  king- 
dom, though  but  for  a  time,  will  not  be  making  ready  for  it  before- 
hand ?  But  what  is  going  over  the  seas,  in  comparison  of  going 
through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death  ?  What  is  going  into 
other  countries,  compared  with  going  into  the  other  world  ?  It  is  a 
long  and  dangerous  journey  ;  and  nothing  the  less  weighty,  that  it 
is  common,  being  the  way  of  all  ilesh,  since  it  is  a  journey  we  will 
never  come  back  over  again.  Wherefore  make  ready  for  this  jour- 
ney, make  timely  provision  for  it,  take  your  way  marks  right,  and 
secure  a  comfortable  lodging  there. 

(2.)  A  going  to  a  marriage,  which  you  have  been  invited  to, 
whether  ye  be  wise  or  foolish  virgins,  Mat.  xxv.  The  marriage  is 
betwixt  Christ  and  believers.  In  the  gospel  sinners  are  invited  to 
it,  and  called  to  make  ready  for  it  in  this  world.  In  the  other 
world  that  marriage  is  solemnized,  and  there  is  the  eternal  mar- 
riage-feast, beginning  with  the  night  of  death's  coming  on  ;  it  is 
held  in  Christ's  Father's  house  there,  full  of  glorious  light.  But 
without  is  nothing  but  darkness.  Death  is  the  going  away  to  it; 
what  time  they  that  are  ready  are  taken  into  the  marriage-house, 
they  that  are  not  ready  are  barred  out  in  outer  darkness.  Where- 
fore make  ready  for  this  marriage,  on  which  depends  your  making  or 
undoing  for  ever  more.  Rev.  xix.  7. 

(3.)  A  going  to  a  judgment-seat,  even  the  tribunal  of  the  Judge 
of  all,  Heb.  ix.  27.  "  It  is  appointed  unto  men  once  to  die,  but 
after  this  the  judgment."  We  are  debtors  to  the  divine  justice,  and 
must  answer  it.  We  cannot  deny  the  debt,  we  are  unable  to  pay, 
the  longer  it  runs  on,  the  more  it  increaseth  ;  we  must  make  ready, 
by  employing  the  Advocate,  making  the  Judge  our  friend  now, 
procuring  the  discharge  of  the  debt  to  be  produced  there ;  or  we 
must  go  to  the  prison.  Mat.  v.  25.  We  are  criminals,  and  there 
must  receive  the  sentence  of  death,  if  we  get  not  now  a  remission  to 
produce  against  the  indictment,  and  so  be  ready. 

7.  The  pains  of  making  ready  will  be  fully  compensated  with  the 
fruit  of  it.  Mat.  xxv.  10.  "  They  that  were  ready,  went  in  with 
him  to  the  marriage."  vcr.  21.  "  Ilis  Lord  said  unto  him,  Well 
done,  thou  good  and  faithful  servant ;  thou  hast  been  faithful  over 
a  few  things,  I  will  make  you  ruler  over  many  things  ;  enter  thou 


578  IMPEDIMEN-TS  OF  .UAKING  READY  TO  BE  REMOVED. 

into  the  joy  of  thy  lord."  The  joys  of  the  heavenly  marriage-feast 
will  more  than  compensate  all  the  painful  work  of  making  ready 
for  it.  To  make  sinners  meet  for  heaven,  they  are  to  be  wrought 
and  hewed  with  various  trials  and  struggles;  right  eyes  to  be 
plucked  out,  and  right  hands  to  be  cut  off;  but  there  is  no  reason  to 
stick  at  that,  1  Cor.  xv.  ult.  "  Forasmuch  as  ye  know  that  your 
labour  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord." 

Lastly,  It  will  be  dear  bought  ease,  that  is  got  by  shifting  to 
make  ready,  Prov.  vi.  10,  11.  "  Yet  a  little  sleep,  a  little  slumber, 
a  little  folding  of  the  hands  to  sleep.  So  shall  thy  poverty  come 
as  one  that  travelleth,  and  thy  want  as  an  armed  man."  That 
spiritual  sleep  and  carnal  ease  will  make  way  for  everlasting 
disquiet  and  unrest.  They  who  will  needs  rest  now  when  they 
should  wake  and  act  for  eternity,  must  be  deprived  of  the  eternal 
rest  in  the  other  world,  Prov.  xx.  4.  "  The  sluggard  will  not  plough 
by  reason  of  the  cold ;  therefore  shall  he  beg  in  harvest,  and  have 
nothing." 

Secondly,  I  come  to  consider  the  impediments  of  people's  making 
ready  for  the  other  world,  to  be  removed  out  of  the  way.  These  I 
take  to  be  these  four  chiefly. 

1.  A  vanity  of  mind,  by  means  whereof  men  can  never  be  brought 
from  fleeting  in  the  vain  things  of  a  present  life,  to  serious  thoughts 
of  their  removal  into  the  other  world.  They  see  others  about  them 
carried  ofi",  time  after  time ;  but  it  can  make  no  solid  lasting  im- 
pression on  them,  more  than  if  they  were  immortal ;  the  vanity  of 
their  minds  sufl'ers  them  not  to  bring  it  home  to  themselves,  but 
still  they  look  on  the  other  world  as  a  thing  foreign  to  them. 

0  lay  aside  this,  if  ever  ye  would  be  ready,  Eph.  iv.  17-  "  This  I 
say  therefore,  and  testify  in  the  Lord,  that  ye  henceforth  walk  not 
as  other  Gentiles  walk,  in  the  vanity  of  their  mind."  And  act  like 
rational  men,  seriously  laying  your  account  with  a  certain  removal 
of  yourselves  into  the  other  world,  uncertain  at  what  time,  Prov. 
xxiii.  3.  "A  prudent  man  forseeth  the  evil,  and  hideth  himself." 

2.  A  heart  throng  of  business  of  this  life,  whereby  no  room  is 
left  for  thoughts  of  a  removal  into  the  other  world  ;  as  was  the  case 
of  the  old  world  before  the  deluge,  and  of  the  sinners  in  Sodom  be- 
fore their  utter  overthrow,  Luke  xvii.  26 — 29.  Martha's  business 
hinders  Mary's ;  they  are  so  plunged  into  the  many  things,  that  the 
one  thing  needful  is  justled  out.  While  this  and  the  other  thing 
is  to  be  done  for  the  body,  the  soul's  case  is  left  a  bleeding,  and 
neglected. 

But  0  !  why  not  the  main  care  for  the  main  thing  ?  Ye  may  see 
to  your  necessary  business,  and  your  business   for  the  other  world 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  MAKING  READY.  579 

too  ;  but  why  sliould  the  former  enhance  your  whole  time  ?  Nay, 
the  latter  ye  ought  to  do,  in  the  first  place,  though  not  leave  the 
other  undone. 

2.  An  averseness  to  think  of  the  other  world  and  a  removal 
thereto,  whereby  it  comes  to  pass  that  these  thoughts  are  shifted, 
till  they  force  in  themselves  by  death  at  the  door.  This  averseness 
riseth  from  conscience  of  guilt,  and  prevailing  carnality ;  and 
staves  off  serious  thoughts. 

But  to  what  purpose  is  it  to  stave  off  thoughts  of  tliat  which  will 
ceriainly  be  in  on  us  at  length  ?  were  it  not  our  wisdom  to  do  like 
that  king,  Luke  xiv.  31,  32,  who  "  going  to  make  war  against  ano- 
ther king,  sitteth  down  first,  and  consulteth  whether  lie  be  able 
with  ten  thousand  to  meet  him  that  cometh  against  him  with  twenty 
thousand  ?  or  else,  while  the  other  is  yet  a  great  way  off,  he  sendeth 
an  ambassage,  and  desireth  conditions  of  peace."  Set  yourselves 
then  to  conquer  that  averseness,  and  drive  over  the  belly  of  it ; 
getting  your  hearts,  by  application  of  the  Redeemer's  blood, 
sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience ;  and  that  will  break  your  car- 
nality. 

4.  Slight  thoughts  of  what  is  necessary  in  order  to  preparation 
for  the  other  world,  whereby  men  imagine  that  they  may  do  that 
time  enough  when  there  is  any  appearance  of  their  removal.  By 
this  means  it  comes  to  be  put  off  from  time  to  time,  till  often  in 
the  issue  it  is  out  of  time. 

But  did  men  seriously  consider  the  matter,  what  necessity  there 
is  of  a  change  of  their  state,  for  habitual  readiness  ;  what  necessity 
of  a  gracious  orderly  frame,  for  their  actual  readiness  ;  they  would 
not  look  on  it  so  slightly;  but  see  it  a  matter  of  the  greatest 
weight,  not  to  be  easily  compassed,  and  therefore  to  be  set  to  timely. 

Tliirdly,  I  shall  now  give  you  some  directions  or  advices  for  mak- 
ing ready. 

1.  While  you  are  yet  in  health,  set  yourselves  solemnly  to  take 
hold  of  Christ  Jesus  in  the  covenant,  for  death  and  eternity.  In 
this  lies  your  security  for  the  other  world,  whereof  he  is  Lord  ;  and 
it  is  little  enough  to  do  it  with  an  express  view  to  the  other  world 
and  your  removal.  And  it  is  best  preparing  for  sickness  and  death, 
when  one  is  in  health  ;  for  it  is  hard  to  say,  what  one  may  he  capa- 
ble of  doing  that  way,  when  he  comes  to  a  death-bed.  But  let  men 
toss  and  wrestle  as  they  will  with  their  sickness  unto  death  ;  it  will 
always  be  well  with  them  that  saw  to  their  soul's  concern  while  they 
were  in  health,  and  have  not  their  main  business  to  do,  when  death 
is  come  to  the  door  ;  while  it  would  be  too  mnch  rashness  to  venture 
our  souls  in  their  soul's  stead,  who  after  having  spent  the  time  of 


580  DIRECTIONS  FOR  MAKI^^G  READY. 

health  carelessly  and  irregiously,  begin  in  their  sickness  unto  death 
to  shew  a  mighty  seriousness  and  concern  about  the  other  world. 

For  the  right  managing  of  this  work,  be  advised, 

(1.)  To  set  apart  some  time  for  it,  more  or  less  by  day  or  by 
night,  as  your  circumstances  will  allow  ;  so  will  ye  get  the  business 
for  the  other  world  done  in  health  in  your  chamber,  out-house,  or 
field,  with  more  ease  and  deliberation  than  in  sickness  upon  a  bed. 
Tenants  will  take  some  time  off  their  ordinary  business  to  go  and 
take  their  laud  for  another  year ;  servants,  to  go  and  hire  them- 
selves into  another  family ;  and  so  others  in  other  cases;  and  will 
people  not  go  a  little  off  their  ordinary  course  of  devotion,  to  make 
ready  for  the  other  world  ? 

(1.)  Begin  the  work  with  prayer  to  God,  and  then  sit  down  and 
consider  and  open  out  your  whole  life,  in  its  several  periods,  before 
the  Lord  ;  beginning  with  your  concej^tion  and  birth  in  sin,  proceed- 
ing to  take  a  view  of  the  sins  of  your  childhood,  youth,  &c.  And 
deal  impartially  with  yourselves,  in  searching  out  your  sins.  And 
when  ye  have  searched  out  and  reproached  yourself  with  all  that 
you  can  find,  know  that  there  are  multitudes  which  have  escaped 
your  notice,  Psalm  xis.  12.  "  Who  can  understand  his  errors  .^" 
And  then  view  the  curse  of  the  law  justly  due  to  you  on  these  ac- 
counts, and  thereupon  take  a  view  of  the  remedy  in  Christ. 

(3.)  Then  go  to  God  in  prayer,  and  confess  before  him  accord- 
ingly, what  you  were  in  your  birth,  what  you  have  been  in  your 
life,  and  what  you  deserve  to  be  made  in  the  other  world.  Go 
through  the  several  periods  of  your  life  in  your  confession,  and  lay 
out  before  him  the  particulars,  wherewith  conscience  charges  you. 
This  is  the  way  to  vomit  up  the  sweet  morsel ;  and  why  should  we 
hide,  or  stick  to  confess  our  sins  particularly,  since  we  must  all  an- 
swer before  the  tribunal  of  God  ?  Having  thus  confessed  your  sins, 
confess  your  desert  of  hell  and  wrath  for  them,  and  condemn  your- 
selves ;  yet  looking  to  God  in  Christ  for  mercy  and  pardon,  1  Cor. 
xi.  31.   "  If  we  would  judge  ourselves,  we  should  not  he  judged." 

(4.)  This  done,  consider  the  covenant  offered  you  in  Christ  in  the 
gospel,  with  the  perfect  righteousness,  full  remission,  and  right  to 
eternal  life,  held  out  to  you  therein.  Examine  yourselves  as  to 
your  believing  it,  and  your  willingness  to  enter  personally  into  it, 
and  to  venture  your  salvation  on  that  bottom  ;  and  to  take  Christ 
in  all  his  offices  ;  to  resign  yourselves  to  him  as  your  Head  and 
Husband,  to  be  his  only,  wholly,  and  for  ever. 

(5.)  Then  go  to  prayer,  and  solemnly  in  express  words  from  the 
heart,  take  hold  of  the  covenant,  believing,  and  resting  your  souls 
on  Christ  in  it,  with  an  express  view  to  death  and  eternity  ;  give 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  MAKING  READY.  581 

consent  to  liim  in  the  gospel-offer  ;  taking  him  in  all  his  offices  ;  re- 
signing yourselves  to  him  for  time  and  eternity.  And  ye  that  cau 
write,  may,  for  your  comfort  and  establishment,  write  this  your  ac- 
ceptance of  the  covenant,  and  subscribe  it  with  your  hand,  Isa.  xliv. 
5.  "  One  shall  say,  I  am  the  Lord's ;  and  another  shall  call  himself 
by  the  name  of  Jacob  ;  and  another  shall  subscribe  with  his  hand 
unto  the  Lox'd,  and  surname  himself  by  the  name  of  Israel*." 

Lastly,  After  that  you  may  address  yourselves  to  God  as  your  co- 
venanted God,  laying  before  him  particular  petitions  relative  to  your 
removal  into  the  other  world,  your  reception  into  heaven,  and  the 
happy  resurrection  of  your  body  at  the  last  day. 

Such  a  time  well  spent,  would  be  the  best  spent  time  of  all  your 
life ;  and  this  course  sincerely  followed,  ye  would  be  ready  for  the 
other  world,  come  the  removal  when,  and  in  what  manner  it  will,  so 
that  ye  might  say  with  David,  2  Sam.  xxiii.  5.  "  Although  my  house 
be  not  so  with  God,  yet  he  hath  made  with  me  an  everlasting  cove- 
nant, ordered  in  all  things  and  sure,"  &c. 

2.  Put  your  worldly  affairs  in  order,  for  your  removal ;  such  of 
you  as  have  any  occasion  that  way.  Be  precisely  just  and  upright 
in  the  course  of  your  dealings  with  men,  that  you  may  have  nothing 
to  leave  that  is  not  well  come,  as  ye  would  not  leave  a  moth  or  a 
curse  in  it.  Accommodate  your  way  of  living  unto  your  ability,  and 
go  not  beyond  it.  One  had  better  live  scrimply  upon  what  is  his 
own,  than  plentifully  on  what  is  another's.  Keep  your  business  as 
far  as  possible  from  a  state  of  perplexity  and  confusion,  by  stating 
and  keeping  your  accounts  clear.  And  one's  testament  lying  by  him, 
would  not  in  the  least  make  him  either  sick  or  sore ;  but  it  would  be 
a  great  ease  when  sickness  or  death  comes,  to  think,  that  part  of  one's 
work  is  done  already.  And  it  would  be  no  great  toil,  for  them  that 
can  write,  to  alter  it  from  time  to  time,  as  there  is  any  notable  alter- 
ation in  their  affairs. 

Secondly,  The  next  particular  branch  of  exhortation,  which  I  offer 
you  as  native  from  the  text,  is.  Do  not  put  off  or  delay  to  make  ready 
for  your  removal  into  the  other  world  ;  but  immediately  set  about  it, 
since  it  is  quite  uncertain  at  what  time  you  may  remove.  To  enforce 
this  I  offer  the  following  motives  : 

1.  God  has  allowed  you  time  to  make  ready,  but  not  one  moment 

*  A  form  of  personal  covenanting  may  be  seen  in  the  author's  Memorial  concerning 
personal  and  family  fasting  and  humiliation,  annexed  to  his  View  of  the  Covenant  of 
Grace.  It  appears  from  his  Memoirs,  that  in  the  end  of  the  year  1729,  he  entered 
into  a  solemn  transaction  of  this  nature,  with  an  express  view  to  his  own  removal  into 
the  other  world,  exactly  following  the  directions  here  laid  down. 

Vol,  V.  2  p 


582  OBJECTIONS  TO  PRESENT  MAKING  READY  ANSWERED. 

to  delay  it,  2  Cor,  vi.  3.  "  Behold,  now  is  the  accepted  time  ;  behold 
now  is  the  day  of  salvation."  Heb.  iii.  15.  "  To-day  if  ye  will  hear 
his  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts."  All  the  time  you  have  had,  since 
you  came  to  the  years  of  discretion,  has  been  allowed  you  to  make 
ready  ;  so  that  if  you  should  now  be  removed  unready  for  it,  ye  will 
not  have  it  to  say,  that  ye  had  no  time  for  it.  Perhaps  it  did  not 
come  in  your  head  to  make  ready  for  the  other  world,  having  been 
so  short  while  in  this.  But  whose  fault  is  that  ?  However,  should 
you  put  it  off  but  till  to-morrow,  ye  do  it  at  your  peril  without  God's 
allowance. 

2.  One  hour's  delay  may  be  an  eternal  loss,  yea  one  minute's :  for 
this  hour,  this  minute,  you  may  be  removed  into  the  other  world. 
And  where  then  is  the  next  hour,  or  minute,  which  you  put  it  off 
to  ?  Why  will  men  thus  let  slip  the  time  they  have,  and  trust  to 
a  time  they  have  not,  and  perhaps  never  shall  have  ?  "What  a  ven- 
ture on  eternity  upon  an  uncertainty  ?  Should  one  cast  away  in 
a  A?ater,  put  off  till  the  next  minute  his  taking  hold  of  the  rope ; 
we  would  reckon  him  a  self-destroyer,  because  ere  the  next  minute 
he  may  be  in  the  bottom. 

3.  Though  ye  get  the  time  ye  put  off  unto,  how  are  ye  sure  of 
grace  to  help  you  to  improve  it  ?  Though  the  ship  be  not  gone  off, 
the  wind  may  be  fallen,  and  the  tide  gone ;  that  is  an  awful  word, 
that  may  justly  strike  with  trembling,  Luke  xiv.  24.  "  I  say  unto  you 
that  none  of  those  men  which  were  bidden,  shall  taste  of  my  supper." 
Indeed  delayers  to  make  ready  seem  to  imagine,  that  it  is  in  their 
own  hand  to  put  themselves  in  readiness,  when  they  think  good. 
But,  alas  !  they  deceive  themselves,  2  Cor,  iii.  5.  Common  expe- 
rience shews,  that  when  sucha  time  comes,  men  are  as  ready  for  a 
new  delay  as  ever. 

4.  The  longer  ye  delay,  ye  make  the  work  of  making  ready  the 
more  hard,  Jer.  xiii.  23.  "  Can  the  Ethiopian  change  his  skin,  or  the 
leopard  his  spots  ?  then  may  ye  also  do  good,  that  are  accustomed 
to  do  evil."  It  is  like  the  mending  of  a  dam :  take  it  in  time,  it 
will  be  the  easier ;  but  to  put  it  off,  the  breach  grows  wider,  and  will 
cost  far  more  labour.  Alas  !  it  often  fares  with  our  souls  in  this 
case  as  with  bodily  diseases,  which  if  taken  timely  might  be  carried 
off;  but  at  length  they  grow  so  inveterate,  being  neglected  ,that  they 
spurn  all  remedy. 

Lastly,  So  far  as  ye  delay,  ye  are  unfaithful  and  cruel  to  your 
own  souls,  leaving  them  for  the  time  in  hazard  of  perishing.  If  ye 
had  a  child  fallen  into  the  fire  or  the  water,  would  you  delay  to  pull 
him  out?  Thy  soul  is  fallen  into  a  gulf  of  sin  and  misery  under 
the  curse,  and  is  every  moment  in  hazard,  of  falling  down  to  the 


OBJECTIOXS  TO  TRESKNT  jrAKINft  READY  ANSWERED.  583 

bottom;  why  do  ye  put  off?  wliy  do  ye  not  presently  set  yourselves 
to  make  ready  ? 

Here  I  am  aware  of  several  objections,  which  I  must  answer. 

Object.  1.  I  am  but  young  yet;  what  needs  so  soon  making  ready 
for  the  other  world  ? 

Ans.  1.  And  may  ye  not  die  young?  Are  there  not  in  the 
churchyard,  such  as  have  died  in  childhood  ?  are  there  not  boys  and 
girls  in  their  graves  there,  young  men  and  maids,  men  and  women 
in  their  prime  ?  I  suspect,  that,  on  a  just  calculation,  there  would  be 
found  far  more  such  than  those  of  grey  hairs.  Therefore  delay  not 
to  make  ready  though  young. 

2.  To  whom  should  your  youth  and  strength  be  devoted,  to  God 
your  Maker,  or  the  vain  world  ?  "Whatever  extravagant  notions 
obtain  among  the  young  with  respect  to  this,  I  defy  them  to  get  a 
footing  for  them,  but  in  their  vain  imaginations,  not  to  be  supported 
but  by  overlooking  God  and  their  Bibles,  which  lay  them  under  a 
necessity  of  solid  seriousness,  strict  walking,  and  making  ready,  as 
well  as  others.  Are  they  excepted  in  the  divine  precepts,  and  calls 
to  these  things ;  or  in  the  threatenings,  in  case  of  neglect  ?  No ; 
Psal.  cxlviii.  12,  13.  "Both  young  men  and  maidens,  old  men  and 
children,  Let  them  praise  the  name  of  the  Lord ;  for  his  name  alone 
excellent,  his  glory  is  above  the  earth  and  heaven."  i.  e.  Let  them 
praise  and  serve  him  with  the  vigour  of  youth,  and  not  spend  it  on 
the  vain  world  ;  it  is  God's  gift,  let  them  not  sacrilegiously  rob  him 
of  the  use  of  it,  but  seriously  consider  that  caution,  Eccl.  xi.  9,  10. 
"  Rejoice,  0  young  man  in  thy  youth,  and  let  thy  heart  cheer  thee 
in  the  days  of  thy  youth,  and  walk  in  the  ways  of  thy  heart,  and  in 
the  sight  of  thine  eyes ;  but  know  thou  that  for  all  these  things  God 
shall  bring  thee  into  judgment.  Therefore  remove  sorrow  from  thy 
heart,  and  put  away  evil  from  thy  flesh ;  for  childhood  and  youth 
are  vanity." 

3.  It  is  a  rare  thing  to  find  such  as  are  bred  np  under  the  gospel, 
and  spend  their  youth  without  making  ready,  to  get  grace  to  make 
ready  after,  Job  xx.  11.  "  His  bones  are  full  of  the  sin  of  his  youth, 
which  shall  lie  down  with  him  in  the  dust."  It  is  an  ordinary  thing 
in  a  vain  world,  for  the  young  to  think  with  great  reason  to  stave 
off  the  seriousness  of  religion,  till  once  they  be  married  at  least. 
But  it  is  a  just  and  awful  observe,  that  they  who  living  under  the 
gospel  vainly  and  carelessly  before,  are  rarely  converted  after  they 
are  married,  but  are  a  step  farther  back  from  Christ.  It  is  founded 
on  Luke  xiv.  20.  "  Another  said,  I  have  married  a  wife ;  and 
therefore  1  cannot  come."  And  to  confirm  it  do  but  observe  how 
many  there  are  who  in  their  youth  and  single  life  gave  hopeful 

2r2 


584  OBJECTIONS  TO  PRESENT  MAKINO  READY   ANSWERED. 

signs,  wither  away  when  once  dipt  in  the  cares  of  a  family.  But  in 
case  that  grace  do  reach  you  after  that  time,  ye  Avill  readily  find  it 
a  saving  so  as  by  fire,  being  broken  and  bruised  in  your  entry  to  it, 
at  another  rate  than  you  might  have  been  before. 

Lastly,  After  all  it  is  a  base  and  disingenuous  thing,  to  put  off 
the  answering  of  the  gospel  call  and  serious  religion,  till  once  ye 
are  past  your  best.  How  think  ye  God  will  take  that  olf  your 
hand  ?  Mai.  i.  8.  You  will  reserve  the  dregs  of  your  time  for  God, 
and  give  the  flower  and  cream  of  your  days  to  the  vain  world.  I 
beseech  you  imagine  yourselves  in  these  circumstances  applying  to 
God,  and  beginning  to  make  ready ;  and  let  conscience  guess  what 
is  likely  to  be  yonr  answer  and  success. 

Object.  2.  My  hands  are  now  so  full  of  business  that  I  cannot  get 
opportunity  to  make  ready ;  but  if  I  were  at  the  end  of  such  and 
such  a  business,  and  freed  from  such  entangling  circumstances  as  I 
am  now  in,  I  would  set  myself  to  make  ready. 

Ans.  1.  Is  not  your  business  for  the  other  world  your  main  busi- 
ness ?  Though  your  other  business  should  go  never  so  well,  if  that 
be  marred  ye  are  ruined,  so  as  nothing  will  make  up  your  loss, 
Matth.  xvi.  26.  If  that  were  once  right,  let  your  affairs  in  the 
world  be  never  so  unsuccessful,  it  cannot  make  you  unhappy.  How 
then  can  ye  reasonably  put  it  off  longer  ? 

2.  Take  heed  that  the  business  that  mars  you  to-day  from  your 
great  work,  be  not  succeeded  to-morrow  with  a  business  that  will 
mar  you  more.  It  is  ordinary,  that  he  who  puts  off  his  great  work, 
to  a  fitter  time  than  the  present,  when  the  time  comes  he  set,  it  is 
found  less  fit  than  the  former.  The  case  of  Felix  may  be  a  warning 
here.  Acts  xxiv.  25. 

Lastly,  That  is  at  best  a  great  and  hazardous  venture.  Death 
comes  in  on  men  in  the  midst  of  business  without  ceremony,  however 
lothe  they  may  be  to  break  it  off  to  prepare  for  death,  Ps.  cxlvi.  4. 
"  His  breath  goeth  forth,  he  returneth  to  his  earth ;  in  that  very 
day  his  thoughts  j)erish,"  Luke  xii.  20.  Wherefore  let  no  circum- 
stances, however  perplexed  and  entangled,  move  you  to  delay. 

Object,  ult.  It  is  time  enough  to  make  ready  when  one  comes  to  a 
death-bed. 

Ans.  1.  That  is  a  manifest  contempt  of  God,  and  of  the  other 
world.  What  ?  Is  the  matter  of  the  other  world  such  a  trifling 
thing,  as  to  delay  making  ready  for  it,  till  ye  be  able  no  more  to 
pursue  the  things  of  this  life  ?  Is  it  so  small  a  matter  in  your  eyes, 
to  obtain  the  favour  of  God,  and  a  reception  into  his  family  above  ? 
Tou  will  certainly  change  these  thoughts. 

2.   Y'e  may  possibly  get  no  death-bed,  but  may  in  an  instant  drop 


DIRECTIONS  TO  KEEP  READY.  585 

out  of  this,  into  the  other  world.  Death  sends  not  always  messen- 
gers before,  to  warn  of  its  approach ;  many  a  man  in  health  has  by 
some  providential  incident  been  suddenly  dispatched  into  the  other 
world.  And  delayers  have  ground  to  fear  it  will  be  their  lot  in  a 
special  manner,  as  ye  may  see.  Matt.  xxiv.  48 — 51. 

3.  Though  ye  get  a  death-bed,  ye  may  be  rendered  incapable  of 
making  ready,  by  the  nature  of  your  disease.  Though  ye  be  capa- 
ble, you  may  get  enough  ado  even  to  die,  through  a  vehement  tosa 
of  sickness.  If  there  was  one  thief  on  the  cross  that  got  repentance, 
there  was  another  that  died  hardened;  and  this  is  most  likely  to  be 
your  case  who  so  delay. 

Lastly,  Death-bed  repentance  is  seldom  sincere.  What  is  re- 
corded of  the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness  may  well  have  weight 
here,  Ps.  Ixxviii.  34 — 36.  "  When  he  slew  them,  then  they  sought 
him  ;  and  they  returned  and  inquired  early  after  God,  And  they 
reimembered  that  God  was  their  rock,  and  the  high  God  their  Re- 
deemer. Nevertheless  they  did  flatter  him  with  their  mouth,  and' 
they  lied  unto  him  with  their  tongues."  The  terrors  of  death  may 
make  a  mighty  concern  about  the  other  world  in  a  graceless  heart ; 
but  what  sincerity  there  is  for  the  most  part  in  these  things,  may  be 
learned  from  the  case  of  such  brought  to  the  gates  of  death,  who 
after  all  turn  just  back  to  their  old  bias. 

TuiEDLY  and  lastly.  The  last  thing  upon  this  use  of  exhortation 
is.  Having  made  ready,  keep  ready.  Tour  interest  as  well  as  duty 
is  concerned  in  this.     Therefore  take  the  following  directions. 

1.  Keep  grace  in  exercise,  Luke  xii.  35.  "Let  your  loins  be 
girded  about,  and  your  lights  burning.  Slumbering  virgins,  though 
wise,  are  not  ready  to  meet  the  Bridegroom.  Let  faith  be  awake, 
love  kept  warm,  desires  astir,  «Sic.  And  labour  to  be  spiritual 
in  all  religious  performances. 

2.  Beware  of  dipping  deep  again  in  this  once  forsaken  world ;  of 
being  drowned  in  its  pleasures,  racked  with  its  cares,  glued  to  its 
profits,  lifted  up  with  its  smiles,  or  sunk  with  its  frowns,  1  Cor.  vii. 
29 — 31.  "  Tliis  I  say,  brethren,  the  time  is  short.  It  remaineth, 
that  both  they  that  have  wives,  be  as  though  they  had  none  ;  and 
they  that  weep,  as  though  they  wei)t  not."  &c. 

3.  Bo  careful  to  keep  a  clean  conscience,  as  Paul,  Acts  xxiv.  16. 
"Herein,"  says  he,  "do  I  exercise  myself  to  have  always  a  con- 
science void  of  oftence  toward  God  and  toward  men."  Have  you 
got  on  your  wedding  garment  ?  keep  it  unstained  as  far  as  may  be  ; 
and  what  spots  are  daily  conti'acted,  be  daily  washing  out,  John 
xiii.  10. 

4.  Be  always  busy  in  your  generation  work,  for  the  lionour  of  God, 


586  CONCLUSIOH'. 

and  the  good  of  others,  as  ye  have  access ;  that  the  Master  coming 
find  you  not  idle,  Luke  xii.  43.  "  Blessed  is  that  servant,  whom 
his  lord  when  he  cometh,  shall  find  so  doing." 

Lastly,  Live  in  expectation  of  the  better  world,  and  your  removal 
into  it  Job,  xiv.  14.  "  All  the  days  of  ray  appointed  time  will  I 
wait  till  my  change  come."  2  Tim.  iv.  7,  8.  **  I  have  fought  a 
good  fight,  I  have  finished  my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith,  Hence- 
forth there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness,  which  the 
Lord  the  righteous  Judge  shall  give  at  that  day ;  and  not  to  me 
only  but  unto  all  them  also  that  love  his  appearing."  Look  for 
the  day  of  your  removal,  as  a  day  that  will  be  your  redemption- 
day,  your  marriage-day,  your  home  going  day,  the  day  bettter  than 
that  of  your  birth. 

Upon  the  whole  that  has  been  said  touching  the  other  world,  1 
make  these  two  concluding  reflections, 

1.  "We  will  all  at  length  be  in  that  world,  of  which  we  have  so 
long  had  the  report ;  and  we  will  see  in  it  what  we  have  heard 
about  it,  however  foreign  it  api)ears  to  us  now.  Some  of  our  bre- 
thren and  sisters  have  been  carried  oif  into  it  in  the  time  that  we 
have  been  on  this  subject ;  and  certainly  it  is  not  for  nought  that  it 
has  so  long  sounded  in  our  ears. 

2.  However  we  may  now  lightly  pass,  and  make  very  little  re- 
flection on  what  has  been  said  thereon :  I  doubt  not,  we  will  all 
have  our  reflections  upon  it,  when  we  come  there ;  particularly, 
whether  we  land  in  the  upper  or  lower  part  of  it,  looking  back  on 
what  we  have  heard  of  it,  we  will  have  this  reflection,  That  the  half 
has  not  been  told.  What  others  we  will  there  have,  the  day  will 
declare. 


THE  PECULIAR   ADVANTAGE  AND  BUSINESS  OF  LIFE  OPENED  UP, 

AND  APPLIED. 

Several  Sermons,  preached  at  Ettrick,  in  the  year  1727. 


Isaiah  xxxviii.  19. 

The  living,  the  living,  he  shall  praise  thee,  as  I  do  this  day:  the  father 
to  the  children  shall  make  known  thy  truth. 

It  is  much   to   be   desired,   that   men   would   consider  the  great 
business  of  their  life :  but  few  do  it,  till  it  is  just  going  or  gone  out 


ACCESS  TO  PJRAISE  aOD  IN  TUB  WORLD,  ETC.  587 

of  tlieii"  hands.  Hezekiah  had  been  at  the  brink  of  the  grave,  and 
learned  those  just  thoughts  of  life,  which  he  gives  us  with  much  con- 
cern in  the  test.     Wherein  we  have, 

1.  The  mercy  of  life :  "  The  living,  the  living,  he  shall  praise 
thee,"  &c.  Ver.  18.  He  had  been  speaking  of  the  dead,  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  gloomy  mansions  of  the  grave ;  and  in  opposition  to 
these  he  here  speaks  of  the  living,  and  in  a  triumphant  manner 
proposeth  to  speak  of  them,  as  seeing  the  mercy  of  life.  A  serious 
view  of  death  is  the  way  to  get  just  thoughts  of  the  mercy  of  life. 

2.  "Wherein  the  mercy  of  life,  the  peculiar  mercy  of  it,  consists. 
And  the  decision  of  this  is  in  a  vein  of  thought  peculiar  to  the  spi- 
ritual man,  in  a  sj)iritual  frame. 

1st,  Ask  the  carnal  man,  where  lies  the  mercy  of  life  ?     And, 

(1.)  If  he  is  in  prosperity,  with  health  and  wealth,  he  reckons  the 
mercy  of  life  lies,  in  that  the  living  man  may  enjoy  the  plea- 
sures of  sense,  mirth,  and  jollity,  and  may  lay  up  wealth  for  him 
and  his ;  all  which  stern  death  robs  a  man  of.  But  there  is  not  one 
word  of  this  here. 

(2.)  If  he  is  in  adversity,  poverty,  and  sore  sickness,  he  either 
cannot  see  the  mercy  of  life  at  all,  but  thinks  they  are  well  that  are 
away,  that  are  out  of  poverty  and  pain,  and  lie  at  ease  in  the  dust. 
So  crosses  make  him  wish  to  be  away.  At  best,  he  reckons  it  the 
mercy  of  life,  that  he  is  not  there  where  it  may  be  he  would  be 
worse,  viz.  in  hell.  But  there  is  not  a  word  of  all  this  neither,  in 
the  text. 

2dli/,  Ask  the  renewed  man  in  an  ill  frame  of  spirit,  where  lies 
the  mercy  of  life  ?  If  he  is  in  outward  prosperity,  he  will  be  ready 
to  reckon  it  lies  in  the  comforts  of  this  life.  If  he  is  in  adversity, 
the  troubles  of  life  are  so  great,  that  the  mercy  of  it  is  small  in 
his  view;  only  heaven  bulks  in  his  eyes,  and  that  as  a  place  of  rest 
from  trouble.     But  there  is  nothing  of  this  neither  in  the  text. 

The  decision  is.  The  mercy  of  life  lies  in  the  business  of  life,  to 
wit,  being  serviceable  for  God  in  the  world :  "  The  living,  the 
living,  he  shall  praise  thee,"  &c.  Ilezekiah  counts  that  the  great 
mercy  of  life,  to  have  access  to  be  useful  for  God  in  the  world. 
Which  speaks,  (1.)  A  high  esteem  of  God  and  his  service,  as  men 
count  it  a  favour  to  be  allowed  to  serve  their  prince.  (2.)  An  ar- 
dent love  to  him,  as  men  delight  to  serve  the  interests  of  those  they 
dearly  love.  This  will  be  to  a  spiritual  man  in  a  spiritual  frame 
the  most  desirable  thing  in  life:  Philip,  i.  20,  21.  "According  to 
my  earnest  expectation  and  my  hope,  that  in  nothing  I  shall  bo 
ashamed,  but  that  with  all  boldness,  as  always,  so  now  also  Christ 
shall  be  magnified  in  my  body,  whether  it  be  by  life  or  by  death. 


588  ACCESS  TO  PRAISE  GOD  IN  THE  WORLD, 

For  to  uie  to  live  is  Clirist,  and  to  die  is  gain."  This  is  a  just  en- 
dearment of  life.  Now,  the  business  of  life,  for  which  it  is  desirable, 
is  twofold. 

1.  To  praise  or  glorify  God  in  the  world;  to  speak  of  the  perfec- 
tions of  his  nature,  and  shew  forth  the  praises  of  him  who  hath 
called  us,  among  men,  to  the  advancement  of  his  kingdom  here ; 
the  sun  to  strike  up  beams  of  his  glory  in  a  dark  world,  and  com- 
mend him  and  his  way  before  and  to  others.     Now,  here  consider, 

1st,  Whose  is  this  privilege :  "  The  living,  the  living ;"  i.  e.  the 
living  all  along  in  a  succession  of  generations  to  the  end  of  the 
world.  That  is  the  import  of  the  doubling  of  this  word.  This  ac- 
cess to  the  praising  of  God  in  the  world,  is  peculiar  to  the  living. 
And, 

(1.)  It  is  not  those  that  are  now  dead,  but  those  that  are  now  liv- 
ing, that  have  access  to  shew  forth  his  j)raise  and  glorify  him,  in 
a  world  where  he  is  so  much  dishonoured ;  to  side  with  him,  and 
take  his  part  against  his  enemies.  It  is  true,  the  souls  of  dead 
saints  are  praising  God  in  heaven  in  the  holiest  strains :  but  what 
the  better  is  the  world  of  these  praises  ?  No  more  tlian  they  that 
are  sitting  in  the  dark  room  down  stairs,  are  the  better  of  a  glori- 
ous lamp  shinning  in  the  upper  room.  Is  there  ever  a  poor  sinner 
brought  acquainted  and  to  fall  in  love  with  Christ  by  their  means  ? 
No;  their  praises  of  God  are  to  sinners  here  as  if  they  were  not; 
they  hear  them  not.  Is  the  kingdom  of  Christ  in  the  world  ad- 
vanced by  these  praises?  No.  It  is  the  living,  the  living  only, 
that  have  access  to  those  pieces  of  service  to  God.  Tlie  living  man 
that  sits  in  a  cote-house,  has  the  access  to  glorify  God  in  the  world 
that  no  saint  in  heaven  has. 

(2.)  If  those  that  are  now  living  were  once  dead,  they  will  have 
no  more  access  to  praise  him  in  the  world ;  but  those  that  will  be 
then  living :  and  so  on  to  the  end.  Men  will  go  off  the  stage  one 
after  another,  but  they  will  not  carry  that  work  with  them ;  but  it 
will  still  be  left  in  the  hands  of  the  living,  and  no  other,  whetever 
they  make  of  it.  There  are  heads,  tongues,  and  hands  of  ministers 
and  Christians  lying  in  the  grave,  that  have  contrived,  spoken,  and 
acted  well  for  God  in  the  world :  but  now,  if  the  cause  of  God  and 
religion,  which  is  very  low,  were  at  the  last  gasp,  there  is  no  more 
help  to  be  had  from  those  heads,  tongues,  and  hands.  The  living 
only  must  speak  and  act  for  it,  or  it  must  lie. 

Idly,  An  instance  of  it :  "  As  I  do  this  day."  Hezekiah  was  re- 
covered from  sickness,  and  he  gives  God  the  praise  of  it.  He 
looked  on  it  as  his  bounden  duty  to  fall  closely  again  to  that  busi- 
ness of  life,  which  was  likely  to  have  been  taken  out  of  his  hands 


TUB  PECULIAR  MEECY  OF  LIFE.  589 

by  death.  What  time  of  life  the  Lord  lengthens  out  to  us,  after 
threatening  a  removal,  we  should  be  careful  to  use  for  the  honour  of 
God. 

2,  To  propagate  his  name  and  praise  :  "  The  father  to  the  chil- 
dren shall  make  known  thy  truth."  It  is  the  special  business  of 
life,  to  endeavour  that  the  name  of  God  may  live  and  be  glorified  in 
the  world,  when  we  are  dead.  It  is  a  black  mark  for  persons  not  to 
care  what  come  of  the  world  if  they  were  out  of  it.  A  child  of  God 
will  be  concerned,  that  religion  may  be  kept  up  and  propagated  in  it: 
and  while  he  is  living,  he  has  access  to  contribute  to  it.  And  here 
consider, 

1st,  What  he  has  access  to  do  for  that  end ;  namely,  to  praise 
God  to  the  younger  sort,  that  are  likely  to  live  after  he  is  gone  ; 
especially  to  his  own  family,  and  particularly  his  own  children. 
Heb.  "  The  father  to  the  children ;"  q.  d.  The  father  [shall  praise 
thee]  to  the  children.  They  may  shew  to  them  how  lovely  God  is,  and 
Low  desirable  his  way :  and  when  they  have  children,  they  may  do  the 
same  to  them  ;  and  so  on,  God's  praise  will  be  kept  up  in  the  world. 

Now  observe,  he  is  still  speaking  of  the  living,  for  these  are  the 
the  subject  expressly  proposed  to  be  spoken  of.  q.  d.  As  for  the 
living,  the  living  father  may  praise  thee  to  the  living  sous.  It  im- 
ports, 

(1.)  If  the  father  die,  though  the  children  live,  he  can  do  God  no 
more  honour,  and  them  no  more  service,  that  way.  If  he  has  ne- 
glected his  duty  to  his  family  in  his  life,  he  cannot  come  back  again  to 
mend  the  matter.  If  he  left  them  ignorant  of  God,  and  strangers 
to  him,  though  one  word  from  hira  again  could  save  their  souls  from 
the  pit,  he  has  no  more  access  to  give  them  it. 

(2.)  If  the  children  die,  though  the  father  live,  he  can  do  God  no 
more  honoiir,  and  them  no  more  service,  that  way.  He  may  take 
care  of  their  dust,  to  bury  it ;  but  he  can  do  no  more  for  their 
souls  :  "  As  the  tree  falls  it  must  lie."  While  they  are  both  stand- 
ing and  living  together,  he  has  access  to  serve  their  souls :  but 
when  one  of  them  falls,  that  work  is  at  an  end. 

^ly,  How  he  may  do  it,  how  he  may  coxmend  him  to  them ; 
namely,  by  making  him  known  to  them,  as  an  object  worthy  of 
their  faith,  trust,  and  confidence  :  "  Shall  make  known  thy  truth." 
The  expression  in  the  Hebi*ew  is  concise,  He  may  make  known,  unto 
thy  truth.  The  word  rendered  to  hope,  ver.  18.  properly  signifying 
intensely  to  look,  Nch.  ii.  13,  15.  is  understood,  q.  d.  That  they 
may  look  unto  thy  truth  or  faithfulness.  So  in  it  are  two  things 
to  be  consdcrcd, 

(1.)  The  proper  method  of  praising  or  commending  God  to  the 


590  ACCESS  TO  PRAISE  GOD  IN  THE  WORLD, 

rising  generation ;  and  tliat  is,  by  making  him  known.  The  more 
lie  is  known,  the  more  lovely  will  ho  appear.  "  God  is  light." 
The  best  way  to  commend  the  sun  to  one  sitting  in  a  dark  room,  is 
to  open  the  windows,  and  let  in  its  light,  and  bid  him  look  to  it 
with  his  eyes :  The  best  way  to  commend  God  and  religion  to  the 
generation  rising,  is  to  labour  that  they  may  know  and  understand 
them,  by  teaching. 

(2.)  The  great  thing  we  are  to  have  in  view  in  that  work.  It  is, 
that  they  may  look  intensely  unto  his  truth ;  that  they  may  look 
away  from  the  lies  and  vanities  the  world  is  holding  out  to  them,  to 
be  embraced  as  their  portion  :  and  that  they  may  look  unto  the 
truth  of  God  in  Christ,  in  the  promise  of  the  gospel,  by  an  eye  of 
faith,  trust  and  confidence,  fixed  on  it,  and  hold  by  that  as  their 
portion,  their  sure  portion. 

This  is  what  men  do  for  the  rising  generation,  and  the  view  they 
should  do  it  on :  but  God  only  can  give  it  efiicacy.  No  doubt 
Hezekiah  did  as  he  said,  commended  God,  and  made  him  known  to 
Manasseh  his  son :  but  how  unsuccessful  all  he  did  that  way  was,  is 
notour  from  the  wicked  life  his  son  led.  Yet  Hezekiah's  work  was 
accepted,  and  his  prayers  heard  in  the  end  :  and  perhaps  his  words 
were  minded  too,  in  Manasseh's  conversion  at  long-run. 

Three  doctrines  are  deducible  from  the  words. 

DocT.  I.  It  is  the  peculiar  mercy  of  life,  that  the  living  only  are, 
and  all  along  will  be,  those  that  have  access  to  praise  and  glorify 
God  in  the  world. 

DocT.  II.  It  is  the  special  buisness  and  privilege  of  life,  to  propa- 
gate religion,  God's  name  and  praise,  the  standing  generation  to  the 
rising  generation,  the  fathers  to  the  children,  all  along. 

Doct.  III.  The  true  way  of  propagating  religion,  the  standing  to 
the  rising  generation,  is.  That  the  former  made  God  known  to  the 
latter,  so  as  they  may  betake  themselves  unto  him,  his  truth  and 
faithfulness,  by  faith  and  trust. 

We  shall  handle  each  of  these  doctrines  in  order. 

DocT.  I.  It  is  the  peculiar  mercy  of  life,  that  the  living  only  are, 
and  all  along  will  be,  those  that  have  access  to  praise  and  glorify 
God  in  the  world. 

In  prosecuting  this  doctrine,  we  shall, 

I.  Consider  the  praising  or  glorifying  God  in  the  world. 

II.  Shew  how  it  is  a  valuable  mercy  and  privilege  of  the  living, 
that  they  have  access  to  i)raise  God  in  the  world. 

III.  How  this  access  to  praise  God  in  the  world,  is  and  will  be 
the  peculiar  mercy  of  the  living. 

lY.  Lastly,  Apply. 


TUE  PECULIAR  MEECY  OF  LIFE.  591 

I.  "We  shall  consider  "  the  praising  or  glorifying  God  in  the 
world."     And  here  we  shall  shew, 

1.  "What  praising  of  God  is. 

2.  "What  are  the  peculiarities  of  the  praises  of  the  living. 

First,  "What  praising  of  God  is.  It  is  the  acknowledging  and  de- 
claring of  the  glorious  excellencies  of  God,  as  he  has  manifested 
himself  in  his  word  and  works  ;  and  imports, 

1.  The  belief  of  the  being  of  God,  Heb.  ix.  6.  "He  that  cometh 
to  God,  must  believe  that  he  is."  Atheism  wholly  cuts  off  the 
praises  of  God ;  for  who  can  praise  that  which  he  does  not  believe 
to  be  ?  The  works  of  creation  and  providence  proclaim  his  being; 
but  such  is  the  natural  enmity  of  man  against  God,  and  his  addict- 
edness  to  his  lusts,  that  he  secretly  wisheth  there  were  not  a  God, 
and  so  is  disposed  to  believe  so,  if  he  could  get  any  footing  for  it : 
Psalm  xiv.  1.  "  The  fool  hath  said  in  his  heart,  There  is  no  God  :" 
and  that  is  at  the  root  of  men's  living  to  a  contrary  end  to  his 
praise.  Tit.  i.  ult.  "  They  profess  that  they  know  God  ;  but  in  works 
they  deny  him,  being  abominable  and  disobedient,  and  unto  every 
good  work  reprobate." 

2.  The  knowledge  of  God.  To  whom  he  is  an  unknown  God,  he 
will  be  an  unpraised  God.  Hence  ignorance  is  ruining  :  Hos.  iv.  6. 
"  My  people  are  destroyed  for  lack  of  knowledge."  Is.  xxvii.  11. 
"  It  is  a  people  of  no  understanding  ;  therefore  he  that  made  them, 
will  not  have  mercy  on  them,  and  he  that  formed  them  will  show 
them  no  favour."     To  live  to  the  praising  of  God,  requires, 

\st,  The  knowledge  of  who  he  is.  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
one  God,  1  John  v.  7.  In  the  name  of  the  three  persons  we  are 
baptized  by  divine  appointment :  if  we  know  him  not  so,  we  know 
not  the  God  to  whom  we  are  engaged  in  baptism ;  and  so  cannot 
praise  him. 

2dly,  The  knowledge  of  what  he  is ;  the  discerning  of  his  glorious 
perfections,  which  are  the  matter  of  his  praise.  We  must  know 
him  to  be  the  greatest  and  best  of  beings,  infinite  eternal,  and  un- 
changeable in  his  being,  wisdom,  power,  holiness,  justice,  goodness, 
and  truth ;  more  excellent  than  any  creatures,  or  all  of  them  to- 
gether, as  being  the  fountain  of  all  excellency  in  them. 

Zdly,  The  knowledge  of  what  he  has  done.  His  works  are  glori- 
ous, creation,  providence,  and  redemption.  By  them  he  shows  what 
he  is,  Psal.  xix.  1.  "  The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God  :  and 
the  firmament  showeth  his  handiwork,"  and  allbrds  us  matter  of 
praise  :  and  we  are  to  think  on  them  for  that  end,  that  we  may  from 
thence  praise  him,  Psal.  cxi.  2.  "  The  works  of  the  Lord  are  great, 
sought  out  of  all  them  that  have  pleasure  therein."     And  it  is 


592  ACCESS  TO  PRAISE  GOD  tN  THE  WORLD, 

highly  offensive  not  to  regard  them  :  Psal.  xxvii.  5.  "  Because  they 
regard  not  the  works  of  the  Lord,  nor  the  operation  of  his  hands, 
he  shall  destroy  them,  and  not  build  them  up."  That  is  to  deny 
him  his  praise. 

3.  The  love  of  God.  Love  is  the  mother  of  praise,  and  natively 
brings  it  forth.  They  that  do  not  love  God,  can  never  kindly  or 
acceptably  praise  him.  1  John  iv.  16.  "  God  is  love,"  not  only  sub- 
jectively, infinitely  loving  ;  but  objectively,  wholly  lovely.  And  so 
he  is  in  the  eyes  of  all  who  live  to  his  praise.  To  them  the  Father 
is  lovely,  the  Sou  lovely,  the  Holy  Sjiirit  lovelj .  Every  attribute 
of  God  is  lovely.  The  holiness  and  purity  of  his  nature,  the  great 
eyesore  of  carnal  men,  is  most  lovely  to  them  :  Exod.  xv.  11.  "  Who 
is  like  unto  thee,  0  Lord,  glorious  in  holiness,  fearful  in  praises, 
doing  wonders  ?  Psal.  xxx.  4.  "  Sing  unto  the  Lord,  0  ye  saints  of 
his,  and  give  thanks  at  the  remembrance  of  his  holiness."  His 
works  are  lovely.  The  creation  of  the  world  is  a  lovely  work,  the 
guiding  of  it  by  providence  a  lovely  work  ;  but  the  most  lovely  is 
the  redemption  of  the  world  by  the  blood  of  Christ. 

4.  The  admiration  of  God  ;  which  is,  love  and  esteem  raised  to 
a  high  pitch.  This  is  the  nearest  cause  of  praise  ;  for  it  is  the 
heart  swelling  with  the  admiration  of  the  object,  that  bursts  forth 
in  praises,  Exod.  xv.  11.  above  cited.  They  that  live  to  God's 
praise,  are  admirers  of  him ;  they  see  all  excellencies  in  him  to  be 
transcendant,  nothing  comparable  to  them  in  the  whole  creation, 
and  believe  there  are  infinite  treasures  of  excellency  in  him,  which 
they  cannot  comprehend.  So  their  heart  saith,  with  the  Psalmist, 
"  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee  ?  and  there  is  none  upon  earth 
that  I  desire  besides  thee,  Psal.  Ixxiii.  25.  Launching  into  the 
ocean  of  the  glories  of  his  nature  and  works,  they  see  it  shoreless  : 
Psal.  cvi.  2.  "  Who  can  utter  the  mighty  acts  of  the  Lord  ?  who 
can  shew  forth  all  his  praise  ? 

5.  Lastly,  The  expressing  that  love  to,  and  admiration  of  him  : 
Exod.  XV.  11.  forecited.  Micah.  vii.  18.  "  Who  is  a  God  like  unto 
thee,  that  iJardoneth  iniquity,  and  passeth  by  the  transgi'ession  of 
the  remnant  of  his  hei'itage  ?  he  retaineth  not  his  anger  for  ever, 
because  he  delighteth  in  mercy."  This  is  it  in  which  the  essence  of 
praising  God  consists,  and  is  the  great  end  for  which  man  was 
made  :  and  it  is  the  native  becoming  return  the  creature  is  to  make 
to  its  Creator,  from  whom  it  has  received  all,  and  to  whom  it  can 
give  nothing,  but  only  commend  him,  and  set  forth  his  glory.  And 
this  not  being  confined  to  words,  is  twofold. 

\st,  Yocal,  by  words.  It  is  called  "  the  calves  of  our  lips,"  Hos. 
xiii.  15.     Man's  tongue  is  called  his  glory,  Psal.  xvi.  9.  as  being  a 


THE  TECULIAR  MERCY  OF  LIFE.  593 

prime  instrument  wherewith  he  is  furnished  for  praising  and  glori- 
fying God.  And  thus  we  are  to  praise  him,  solemnly  and  statedly, 
in  the  duties  of  worship,  singing  his  praises  ;  and  occasionally,  in 
speaking  to  his  praise,  as  we  have  occasion  offered. 

2dlii,  Real,  by  deeds  or  actions,  though  it  be  not  accompanied 
with  words  :  for  as  there  is  a  practical  atheism.  Tit.  i.  ult. ;  so  there 
is  a  practical  praising  or  glorifying  God.  And  this  is  the  main  thing 
in  that  praise  which  is  the  end  of  life,  without  which  vocal  praise 
avails  not.     It  is  twofold. 

(1.)  In  the  heart :  1  Cor.  vi.  20.  "  Ye  are  bought  with  a  price  : 
therefore  glorify  God — in  your  spirit,  which  is  God's."  Men's  praise 
of  men  from  the  teeth  outward  may  pass,  but  God  knows  the  heart ; 
and  if  the  heart  harmonize  not  with  the  tongue,  it  cannot  be  accept- 
ed of  him.  Is.  xxix.  13.  He  must  be  praised  in  our  understanding, 
thinking  and  esteeming  him  above  all,  Psal.  Ixxiii.  25. ;  in  our  will, 
chusing  him  above  all,  for  our  portion,  Psal.  cxlii.  5. ;  and  in  our 
affections,  loving,  rejoicing,  and  delighting  in  him  above  all,  Psal. 
xxxvii.  4. 

(2.)  In  life  and  conversation  :  Matth.  v.  16.  "Let  your  light  so 
shine  before  men,  that  they  may  see  your  good  works,  and  glorify 
your  father  which  is  in  heaven."  A  holy  life  is  a  shining  light,  to 
let  a  blind  world  see  the  glory  of  God  :  for  as  God  has  expressed 
his  nature  in  his  word,  so  his  word  is  expressed  again  in  a  holy  life, 
Philip,  ii.  15.  16.  The  study  of  holiness  says  "  God  is  holy  ;"  mourn- 
ing for  every  sin  proclaims  him  spotless ;  and  horror  of  secret,  as 
well  as  of  open  sins,  is  a  testimony  to  his  omnipresence  and  omni- 
science. 

Secondly,  What  are  the  peculiarities  of  the  praises  of  the  living  ? 
The  praises  of  the  living  saints  have  these  peculiarities,  which  the 
dead  have  no  access  to. 

1.  They  are  the  praises  of  the  whole  man,  in  soul  and  body  too  : 
1  Cor.  vi.  20.  "  Ye  are  bought  with  a  price  :  therefore  glorify  God 
in  your  body,  and  in  your  spirit,  which  are  God's."  Those  of  the 
dead  are  of  their  souls  only  ;  but  the  living  have  access  to  praise  God, 
soul  and  body  in  concert.  Even  the  clay  body  hath,  for  the  time  of 
life,  access  to  join  in  this  honourable  work  :  but  death  breaks  it  in 
pieces,  that  it  can  no  more  bear  a  part  in- God's  praise. 

2.  They  are  praises  which  may  spread  among  the  living,  as  in 
their  land,  from  whence  the  dead  are  cut  off,  Col.  iii.  16.  "Let  the 
word  of  Christ  dwell  in  you  richly  in  all  wisdom  ;  teaching  and  ad- 
monishing one  another  in  psalms,  and  hymns,  and  spiritual  songs, 
singing  with  grace  in  your  hearts  to  the  Lord."  The  voice  of  the 
praise  of  living  saints,  may  be  heard  under  this  vault  of  the  heaven 


594  ACCESS  TO  PRAISE  GOD  IX  THE  WORLD, 

but  tlio    praises  above,  as  high  a  strain  as  they  are  in,  reach  not 
hither,  to  this  our  native  earth. 

3.  They  are  praises  raised  by  the  way  to  the  heavenly  kingdom, 
which  the  dead  have  no  more  access  to  join  in.  The  living  are  upon 
the  road,  the  dead  are  at  their  journey's  end.  There  is  a  song  of 
praise  raised  in  the  house  of  our  pilgrimage,  Psalm  cxix.  54 ;  but 
there  is  a  deep  silence  in  the  grave.  The  wilderness- song  is  peculiar 
to  the  living. 

4.  They  are  praises  of  faith,  not  of  sight ;  2  Cor.  v.  7,  "  For  we 
walk  by  faith,  not  by  sight."  The  saints  in  glory  raise  a  song  of 
praise  to  God,  upon  their  seeing  and  enjoying ;  the  living  saints, 
upon  their  believing  what  their  eye  hath  not  seen,  1  Pet.  1.  8. 
Praising  of  Grod  on  what  one  sees  of  him,  is  more  comfortable  to  the 
party  himself ;  but  praising  him,  upon  what  one  believes  of  him,  if 
other  circumstances  bo  alike,  is  more  to  the  honour  of  God ;  John 
XX.  29,  "  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Thomas,  because  thou  hast  seen  me, 
thou  hast  believed :  blessed  are  they  that  have  not  seen,  and  yet 
have  believed."  Rom.  iv.  20,  21,  "  Abraham  staggered  not  at  the 
promise  of  God  through  unbelief;  but  was  strong  in  faith,  giving 
glory  to  God :  and  being  fully  persuaded,  that  what  he  had  pro- 
mised, he  was  able  also  to  perform." 

5.  Lastly,  They  are  praises  to  God  amidst  a  deal  of  dishonours 
done  to  him.  David  takes  notice  of  God's  covering  a  table  to  him 
in  the  midst  of  his  enemies,  Psalm  xxiii.  5  ;  and  God  will  take 
notice  of  j)raises  given  him  in  the  midst  of  those  that  dishonour 
him;  Rev.  ii.  13,  "  I  know  thy  works  [written  to  the  angel  of  the 
church  in  Pergamos],  and  where  thou  dwellest,  even  where  Satan's 
seat  is ;  and  thou  boldest  fast  my  name,  and  hast  not  denied  my 
faith,  even  in  those  days  wherein  Antipas  was  my  faithful  martyr, 
who  was  slain  among  you,  where  Satan  dwelleth.  The  saints  in 
glory  praise  him,  there  being  none  to  open  a  mouth  to  his  dis- 
honour :  but  living  saints  praise  him,  in  the  face  of  contradiction  by 
a  wicked  world :  Prov.  xxviii.  4,  "  Such  as  keep  the  law,  contend 
with  the  wicked." 

II.  The  second  general  head  is,  to  shew.  How  it  is  a  valuable 
mercy  and  privilege  of  the  living,  that  they  have  access  to  praise 
God  in  the  world.     The  living  should  value  this  as  their  privilege, 

1.  In  regard  they  might  justly  ere  now  have  been  put  beyond  all 
possibility  of  praising  God  at  all  ;  but  might  have  been  blaspheming 
in  hell,  through  extreme  anguish  and  despair ;  Lam.  iii.  22,  "  It  is 
of  the  Lord's  mercies  that  we  ai'e  not  consumed,  because  his  com- 
passions fail  not."  The  rich  man  in  hell,  tormented  in  the  flame, 
had  no  access  to  jiraise  God ;  the  burden  of  wrath  lying  on  the 


THE  PECULIAR  MERCY  OF  LIFE.  595 

damned  there,  will  hold  dowu  for  ever  their  praises,  and  change 
them  to  howlings. 

2.  In  regard  of  the  honour  thereby  to  be  brought  to  God  in  the 
world  ;  which  in  itself  is  most  valuable,  and  therefore  is  man's  chief 
end ;  1  Cor.  x,  31,  "  Whether  therefore  ye  eat  or  drink,  or  whatso- 
ever ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God."  Compared  with  Psalm  1. 
23,  "  "Whoso  offereth  praise,  glorifieth  me,"  He  lives  to  good  pur- 
pose, that  lives  to  the  honour  of  God ;  and  he  that  doth  not  so  live, 
doth  at  best  but  trifle  away  a  life,  never  reaching  the  main  end  of  it. 
Nothing  should  be  so  dear  to  us  as  God's  honour ;  and  therefore  our 
all  must  be  laid  out  on  it  as  he  calls  for  it,  Luke  xiv.  26.  And  it 
is  the  mercy  of  life,  that  we  have  access  to  honour  him  in  the 
world. 

3.  In  regard  of  the  good  to  be  thereby  done  to  others.  The  view 
of  this  made  Paul  content  to  abide  out  of  heaven  for  some  time ;  as 
you  may  see,  Philip,  i.  23,  24.  "  I  am  in  a  strait  betwixt  two, 
having  a  desire  to  depart,  and  to  be  with  Christ;  which  is  far 
better :  nevertheless,  to  abide  in  the  flesh,  is  more  needful  for  you." 
0  what  a  satisfying  thought  must  it  be,  to  be  instrumental  towards 
the  saving  of  a  soul  from  hell,  and  bringing  it  to  acquaintance  with 
Christ !  Nobody  knows  what  a  good  word,  or  a  good  example,  at  a 
time  may  do :  and  to  this  the  living  have  access  only ;  but  once 
dead,  men  can  be  no  more  serviceable  to  the  world  of  niankind : 
Eccl.  ix.  10. — "  For  there  is  no  work,  nor  device,  nor  knowledge, 
nor  wisdom  in  the  grave  whither  thou  goest." 

4.  It  is  an  honour  to  serve  and  honour  God  in  the  world.  This 
makes  a  man  truly  worthy  and  honourable.  The  dignity  of  the 
master,  and  the  work,  reflects  an  honour  on  the  servant  that  does  it. 
Therefore  says  the  Psalmist,  Psal.  Ixxxiv.  10.  "A  day  in  thy 
courts  is  better  than  a  thousand  :  I  had  rather  be  a  door-keeper  in 
the  house  of  ray  God,  than  to  dwell  in  the  tents  of  wickedness." 
And  since  no  master  is  so  honourable  as  God  is,  it  must  be  then  a 
peculiar  honour  to  be  serviceable  to  him,  Heb.  xi. 

5.  This  is  the  only  true  balance  of  that  meanness,  misery,  and 
trouble,  that  attends  this  life.  Considering  the  spiritual  original, 
make,  and  vast  capacity  of  the  soul  of  man ;  it  will  appear  but  a 
very  mean  thing  to  be  taken  up  in  eating,  drinking,  decking ;  yea, 
in  building,  planting,  working,  &c.  on  this  cursed  earth.  From  the 
seat  of  the  blessed  could  we  take  our  prospect,  men  so  employed 
here  would  appear  but  as  a  company  of  emmets  busy  in  a  hillock. 
The  troubles  that  attend  this  life  are  innumerable  ;  and  they  fly 
about  us,  as  the  midges  do  on  a  hot  summer-day.  All  which  viewed 
by  the  soul,  are  apt  to  make  a  noble  mind  sick  of  this  life,  in  its 


696  ACCESS  TO  rCAISE  GOD  IN  THE  WORLD, 

best  appearances ;  as  a  bird  would  be  of  the  cage.  The  only  ba- 
lance for  all  this  is,  that  in  it  there  is  access  to  praise  God  in  the 
world.  Hereby  the  meanest  things  are  ennobled,  and  the  hardest 
things  softened,  that  God  is  to  be  honoured  in  these. 

6.  As  men  have  access  to  praise  God  in  this  world,  they  have  ac- 
cess to  raise  their  reward  in  another  world.  Men  think  it  a  great 
matter  to  have  access  to  raise  an  estate  for  themselves  and  theirs : 
but  we  have  access,  by  our  honouring  of  God  in  this  world,  to  raise 
our  reward  in  the  other.  For  though  the  Lord  doth  not  give  eter- 
nal glory  for  our  works,  he  gives  it  according  to  them :  2  Cor.  ix.  6. 
"  He  which  soweth  sparingly,  shall  reap  also  sparingly :  and  he 
which  soweth  bountifully,  shall  reap  also  bountifully."  And  they 
that  have  shined  here  in  usefulness  most,  will  shine  there  in  glory 
most:  Dan.  xii.  3.  "  They  that  be  wise,  shall  shine  as  the  brightness 
of  the  firmament ;  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness,  as  the 
stars  for  ever  and  ever."  Compared  with  1  Cor.  xv.  41.  "  There  is 
one  glory  of  the  sun,  and  another  glory  of  the  moon,  and  another 
glory  of  the  stars;  for  one  star  differeth  from  another  star  in 
glory." 

7-  Lastly,  The  praising  of  God  carries  a  reward  in  its  bosom,  to 
be  enjoyed  in  time :  Psal.  xix.  11.  "  In  keeping  of  them,  [the  judg- 
ments of  the  Lord]  there  is  great  reward."  It  is  good,  pleasant, 
and  comely,  Psal.  cxlvii.  1.  There  is  a  secret  satisfaction  in  one's 
having  done  his  duty,  endeavouring  to  live  to  the  honour  of  God, 
2  Cor.  i.  12.  And  particularly  it  makes  a  pleasant  reflection,  when 
one  is  come  to  the  end  of  his  course  :  as  in  the  case  of  Paul,  2  Tim. 
iv.  7.  "  I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finished  my  course,  I 
have  kept  the  faith."  Compared  with  what  our  Lord  says,  John 
xvii.  4.  "  I  have  glorified  thee  on  the  earth :  I  have  finished  the 
work  which  thou  gavest  me  to  do."  And  he  that  praiseth  God  to 
others,  is  liimself  partaker  of  the  fruits. 

III.  The  third  general  head  is,  to  shew.  How  this  access  to  praise 
God  in  the  world,  is,  and  will  be  the  peculiar  mercy  of  the  living. 

1.  It  is  the  peculiar  mercy  of  us  who  are  now  living  on  the  face 
of  the  earth ;  it  is  peculiar,  I  say,  to  us  at  this  time.  They  who  are 
yet  unborn,  can  do  nothing,  since  as  yet  they  are  not :  they  who  are 
now  dead,  though  yet  they  are  in  being,  have  no  access  more  to 
praise  God  in  this  world,  Psal.  cxv.  17.  There  have  been  many 
generations  on  earth  before  us ;  and  millions  of  men  and  women  are 
gone  by  death  from  hence  into  another  world,  who  sometimes  had 
their  turn  of  access  to  this  praise  :  but  now,  though  they  are,  yet 
not  one  of  them  all  has  access  to  join  us  in  praising  God. 

2.  In  all  time  to  come,  to  the  end  of  the  world,  this  privilege  will 


THE  rECTJLIAR  MERCY  OF  LIFE.  597 

be  confined  to  tliose  who  for  the  time  shall  be  on  the  stage.  There 
■will  be  generations  after  us,  as  there  have  been  before  us ;  and  the 
work  will  be  devolved  on  the  next  generation  for  their  time  ;  with 
whom  we,  being  gone  off  the  stage,  will  have  no  more  access  to  join, 
than  those  already  dead  have  to  join  with  us.  And  then  they  will 
go,  and  another  rise  up  in  their  stead,  and  get  the  work  put  into 
their  hands,  none  of  the  former  to  meddle  with  it :  and  so  on  to  the 
end.     The  reasons  are, 

1st,  There  is  no  returning  to  this  world  when  once  gone.  Death 
is  a  flitting  for  good  and  all,  never  to  come  back.  Job  vii.  9.  10. 
Job  was  sensible  of  this,  Chap.  x.  21.  when  he  said, — "  I  go  whence 
I  shall  not  return,  even  to  the  land  of  darkness,  and  the  shadow  of 
death.  We  must  praise  him  before  we  lie  down  in  the  grave,  or 
never ;  for  there  is  no  rising  out  of  it  to  that  work,  Psal.  Ixxxviii. 
10.     We  cannot  come  back,  and  God  will  not  bring  us  back. 

2dli/,  The  state  and  business  of  the  two  worlds  are,  by  an  unalter- 
able purpose,  made  quite  different.  Here  men  are  in  a  state  of  trial ; 
there  in  a  settled  state  for  ever,  according  to  their  management  in 
the  trial.  Uere  is  the  place  of  working  at  the  command  and  for 
the  honour  of  the  master  ;  there  is  the  place  of  the  reward  of  their 
works.  If  the  sun  should  come  back  over  from  west  to  east,  and  so 
make  night  day  too,  the  ordinance  of  heaven  would  be  quite  altered; 
so  nobody  expects  it.  As  little  is  the  access  of  any  but  the  living, 
to  praise  God  in  the  world,  to  be  expected  or  looked  for. 

Sdli/,  This  world  is  under  a  peculiar  mark  of  divine  indignation, 
as  defiled  by  sin,  Gen.  iii.  17 ;  and  should  have  been  destroyed 
when  it  was  first  defiled,  had  not  the  Mediator  interposed  to  keep 
up  the  tottering  fabric  for  some  time  for  the  elect's  sake,  Is.  xlix. 
8.  So  men  are  hastened  through  it,  as  through  a  defiled  place,  and 
have  an  opportunity  of  praising  God  by  the  way.  And  there- 
fore it  cannot  be  expected,  that  ever  that  opportunity  shall  be 
repeated. 

Lastli/,  When  the  dead  shall  live  again,  this  world  shall  be 
destroyed,  and  be  no  more.  As  long  as  we  shall  lie  in  our  graves, 
incapable  to  praise,  this  world  will  last :  but  when  we  shall  live 
again  at  the  resurrection,  it  shall  be  consumed  by  the  general  con- 
flagration, and  be  no  more.  So  there  is  no  access  to  praise  God  in 
the  world,  but  for  those  that  now  live,  and  those  that  shall  live,  to 
the  end  :  Rev.  xx.  12. — "  The  dead  were  judged  out  of  those  things 
which  were  written  in  the  books,  according  to  their  works."  Cliap. 
xxi.  1.  "  And  I  saw  a  new  heaven,  and  a  new  earth  :  for  the  first 
heaven  and  the  first  earth  were  passed  away  :  and  there  was  no 
more  sea."  In  the  new  heavens  and  earth,  no  doubt  God  will  be 
Vol.  Y.  2  q 


598  ACCESS  TO  PRAISE  GOD  TX  THE  WOULD, 

praised,  2  Pet.  iii.  13.  but  lie  will  have  no  more  praises  here  from  tlie 
hand  of  any,  when  once  they  are  gone  off  the  stage,  which  will  fall 
down  under  the  last  generation  to  be  on  it. 

Use  I.     Of  Information.     Hence  learn, 

1.  That  the  business  of  life  is  to  honour  God  in  the  world.  And 
if  that  be  so,  many  have  been  many  years  in  it,  that  have  never  yet 
fallen  to  their  business,  nay  nor  once  seriously  laid  to  heart  what 
their  business  is.  0  hear  the  great  Master  saying  to  you,  Matth. 
XX.  6.  "  Why  stand  ye  here  all  the  day  idle?"  and  see  how  ye 
will  answer  that  question.  Ye  are  busy  doing  nothing,  worse  than 
nothing  :  but  what  have  ye  done,  what  are  you  doing,  and  what  will  ye 
do,  for  God  ?  Ye  are  living  ;  but  what  praise,  what  honour  comes  to 
God  by  your  living  ?  What  more  honour  comes  to  God  by  your 
living,  than  ye  would  do  him  if  ye  were  in  the  grave  ?  I  beseech 
you  consider  this,  as  ye  will  answer  it  to  God,  who  hath  said,  Mai. 
i.  6.  "  A  son  honoxireth  his  father,  and  a  servant  his  master  :  if 
then  I  be  a  father,  where  is  mine  honour  ?  and  if  I  be  a  master, 
where  is  my  fear  ? 

Object.  1.  Some  I  fear  will  think,  though  not  say,  that  they  have 
other  business  to  fill  their  heads  and  hands  with,  how  to  get  a 
throughbearing  in  the  world  for  them  and  theirs.  Ans.  Ah,  is 
another  world  not  worth  your  consideration  ?  Or  can  ye  think 
that  ever  ye  shall  enjoy  God  in  that  world,  who  are  not  careful  to 
honour  him  here  ?  Consider  what  the  Lord  says,  1  Sam.  ii.  30. — 
"Them  that  honour  me,  I  will  honour:  and  they  that  despise  me, 
shall  be  lightly  esteemed."  To  spend  all  the  time  you  live  in 
wrestling  with  this  world  for  a  throughbearing,  and  after  ye  are 
dead  to  wrestle  with  the  wrath  of  God  for  ever,  is  a  sad  tryst;  bet- 
ter ye  had  never  been  born.  Be  concerned  to  honour  God  while  ye 
live  ;  and  God  will  see  to  your  provision  while  ye  live,  and  make 
you  happy  after. 

Object.  2.  But  I  have  no  access  to  do  any  thing  for  the  honour  of 
God,  in  respect  of  my  circumstances  in  the  world  :  worldly  business 
is  by  Providence  laid  to  my  hand  for  the  business  of  ray  life. 

Ans.  1.  It  is  a  common  mistake  in  point  of  practice,  that  there 
are  any  who  have  no  access  to  honour  God  in  the  world.  Though 
some  are  placed  in  higher  and  more  extensive  spheres  of  activity 
for  God,  yet  there  is  no  station  so  low  in  the  world,  but  it  is  a 
sphere  wherein  people  may  honour  God,  if  they  have  a  heart  for  it. 
This  you  may  see  verified  in  the  parable  of  the  talents,  Matth.  xxv. 
14,  15.  "  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  as  a  man  travelling  into  a  far 
country,  who  called  his  own  servants,  and  delivered  unto  them  his 
goods  :    and    unto   one    he  gave  five  talents,  to   another  two,  and 


THE  PECULIAR  NrERCY  OF   LIFE.  599 

to  another  one,  to  every  man  according  to  his  several  ability,  and 
straightway  took  his  journey."  If  one  is  in  life,  though  never  so 
low,  according  to  the  text,  he  may  honour  Grod.  If  one  is  a 
magistrate,  or  a  church-officer,  he  has  access  to  honour  God  among 
those  over  whom  he  is  set.  Though  he  be  neither,  if  he  is  a  person 
of  weight  and  consideration  in  the  place  where  he  lives ;  as  far  as 
that  weight  goes,  so  far  goes  the  sphere  of  his  activity  for  God, 
which  he  is  to  fill  up  by  honouring  God.  If  he  is  a  master  of  a 
family,  there  is  a  sphere  of  activity  for  God  he  is  put  in.  If  he  is 
a  single  member  of  a  family,  he  has  a  sphere  of  activity  among 
other  single  members  of  it.  To  this  purpose  speaks  the  Apostle, 
1  Cor.  vii.  24.  "Brethren,  let  every  man  wherein  he  is  called, 
therein  abide  with  God. 

2.  It  is  the  honouring  of  God  in  our  several  stations  that  is  the 
true  honouring  of  him,  1  Cor.  vii.  24.  just  now  citied.  That  we 
cannot  do  for  the  honour  of  God  what  does  not  belong  to  our  sta- 
tion, is  so  far  from  being  our  sin,  that  it  would  be  a  dishonouring  of 
him  to  attempt  it.  The  moon  is  useful  to  the  world,  though  it 
shines  not  by  day ;  the  stars  too,  though  they  shine  not  so  bright  as 
the  moon.  The  hands  are  useful  to  the  body,  though  one  does  not 
■walk  on  them  ;  the  feet,  though  one  does  not  see  with  them,  &c. 
Are  you  a  child  of  a  family  ?  your  business  of  life  as  such  is  to  be 
an  obedient,  dutiful,  pliable  child :  are  you  a  servant  ?  yours  is  to 
be  a  faithful,  honest,  dutiful  servant.  "Whatever  relation  you  stand  in, 
ye  are  to  honour  God  by  a  conscientious  practise  of  the  duties  of 
your  relation. 

3.  Whatever  business  God  has  laid  to  your  hand,  follow  it  as 
duty  from  God  laid  upon  you  ;  so  ye  will  live  to  his  honour.  Hence 
is  that  exhortation  of  the  apostle,  Col.  iii.  17.  "  Whatsoever  ye  do 
in  word  or  deed,  do  all  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  giving  thanks 
to  God  and  the  father  by  him."  And  ver.  23,  "  Whatsoever  ye 
do,  do  it  heartily,  as  to  the  Lord."  Set  about  your  business  as 
commanded  you  of  God,  acting  in  it  as  under  the  eye  of  God,  and 
looking  to  his  word  as  your  rule,  and  to  the  merit  of  Christ  for 
God's  acceptance  of  it.  Whatever  trials  and  sufferings  the  Lord 
lays  on  you,  bear  them  patiently,  because  it  is  his  will ;  and  bear 
them  for  the  sake  of  Christ  that  bear  greater  for  us ;  and  look  for 
the  acceptance  of  your  bearing  them  through  Christ.  So  shall  the 
honouring  of  God  be  the  business  of  your  life  whatever  your  circum- 
stances are,  high  or  low. 

2.  The  business  of  honouring  God  in  the  world,  formerly  in  tlie 
hands  of  the  former  generation,  is  now  devolved  on  you.  See  what 
ye  will  do  with  it.     To  this  purpose  prophesies  the  Psalmist  David, 

2q2 


600  ACCESS  TO  PRAISE  GOD  IN  THE  WORLD, 

Psal.  cxlv,  4.  "  One  generation  sliall  praise  tliy  works  to  another, 
and  shall  declare  thy  mighty  acts."  The  former  generation  of  the 
righteous,  by  keeping  the  law  contended  with  the  wicked,  and  main- 
tained the  honour  of  God  in  the  world  ;  they  rowed  against  the 
stream  of  an  ungodly  crew,  in  the  face  of  persecution,  sinning,  con- 
fining, banishment,  violent  death,  till  they  fell  by  death  holding 
up  the  standard  for  the  honour  of  God  :  and  then  they  gave  it  to 
you,  saying,  "  The  living,  the  living,  he  shall  praise  thee,  as  I  do 
this  day ;  the  father  to  the  children  shall  make  known  thy  truth." 
On  this  I  would  say, 

1st,  Ye  must  answer  for  the  standard  now.  If  it  go  now  while 
ye  live,  your  life  shall  go  tor  ever  for  it,  though  ye  were  left  alone 
to  hold  it  up:  Psal.  Ix.  1.  "  Thou  hast  given  a  banner  to  them  that 
fear  thee :  that  it  may  be  displayed  because  of  the  truth."  Mark 
viii.  ult.  "  Whosoever  therefore  shall  be  ashamed  of  me,  and  of  my 
words,  in  this  adulterous  and  sinful  genei-ation,  of  him  also  shall 
the  Son  of  man  be  ashamed,  when  he  cometh  in  the  glory  of  his 
Father,  with  the  holy  f^ngels."  Take  heed  then,  there  is  a  sacred 
trust  committed  into  your  hands ;  the  generations  of  martyrs  all 
along  have  conveyed  it  to  you  at  the  expence  of  their  blood,  it  hav- 
ing been  set  up  first  at  the  expence  of  the  blood  of  Christ. 

2dlt/,  Ye  must  either  hold  it  up,  or  treacherously  desert  into  the 
enemies  camp,  formed  to  dishonour  God.  Hence  says  our  Lord^ 
Matth.  xii.  30.  "  He  that  is  not  with  me,  is  against  me  :  and  he  that 
gathereth  not  with  me,  scattereth  abroad."  Many  set  up  for  neu- 
tralists ;  they  go  not  into  all  excess  with  the  ojienly  profane,  but 
they  are  as  far  from  making  it  the  business  of  their  life  to  honour 
God.  God  will  rank  such  with  his  enemies :  Psal.  cxxv.  idt  "  As 
for  such  as  turn  aside  unto  their  crooked  ways,  the  Lord  shall  lead 
them  forth  with  the  workers  of  iniquity." 

'Sidly,  The  saints  of  former  generations  will  condemn  you,  as  a 
spurious  brood  of  treacherous  men,  that  made  so  little  account  of 
what  they  wared  their  all  on  to  transmit  to  you :  1  Cor.  vi.  2.  "  Do 
ye  not  know  that  the  saints  shall  judge  the  world?"  Ye  do  by 
your  ungodly  lives,  dishonouring  God,  declare  them  fools :  the  day 
will  come,  that  they  will  declare  you  fools,  worthy  to  perish  for 
ever,  though  ye  have  come  out  of  their  loins :  Rev.  xix  3.  "  And 
again  they  said,  Alleluia.    And  her  smoke  rose  up  for  ever  and  ever." 

3.  The  business  of  honouring  God  in  the  woi*ld  ye  are  to  transmit 
to  the  succeeding  generation,  since  it  is  the  living,  all  along  in  a  suc- 
cession of  generations  to  the  end  of  the  world,  that  have  access  to 
the  praising  of  God.  Hence  says  the  Psalmist,  Psal.  Ixxviii.  2,  3,  4. 
«'  I  will  open  my  mouth  in  a  parable  :  I  will  utter  dark  sayings  of 


THE  PECULIAll  JIERCY  OF  LIEE.  601 

old :  which  we  have  heard  and  known,  and  our  fathers  have  told  us. 
We  will  not  hide  them  from  their  children,  shewing  to  the  genera- 
tion to  come,  the  praises  of  the  Lord ;  and  his  strength,  and  his 
wonderful  works  that  he  hath  done."  As  ye  have  received  the 
standard  from  the  former,  ye  are  to  hand  it  down  to  the  succeeding 
generation  ;  that  when  ye  are  gone,  instead  of  the  fathers,  there 
may  be  the  children.  See  to  it  then,  what  ye  do,  that  God  may  be 
honoured  when  ye  are  in  the  dust. 

1st,  It  lies  on  every  one  of  you  to  do  for  it  something :  Rom. 
xiv.  7.  "  For  none  of  us  liveth  to  himself,  and  no  man  dieth  to  him- 
self." Love  to  God  and  your  neighbours  binds  it  on  you ;  and  none 
of  you  can  want  occasion  for  it,  while  ye  live  among  persons,  some 
of  whom  may  live  after  you  ;  and  have  a  tongue  to  speak,  and  hands 
to  act. 

2dli/,  If  ye  do  it  not,  the  honour  of  God  is  far  from  your  heart. 
They  that  have  nothing  of  God  to  communicate  to  others  succeeding 
them,  have  nothing  of  God  Avithin  themselves.  Grace  is  a  fire,  and 
fire  will  go  about  to  set  on  fire  whatever  is  next  it ;  so  that  if  it  do 
rot  burn,  it  is  because  it  is  not  combustible.  In  the  creation  of 
plants,  every  tree  was  made  with  its  seed  in  itself:  so  it  is  in  the 
new  creation  of  the  trees  of  righteousness,  John  iv.  29. 

3cWj/,  If  ye  do  it  not,  ye  lay  a  stumbling  block  before  the  succeed- 
ing generation,  which  they  may  be  ruined  by.  The  generation  of 
Jews  in  Christ's  time  rejecting  the  gospel,  as  they  murdered  Christ, 
they  have  murdered  sixteen  or  seventeen  generations  of  their  off- 
spring since.  "What  will  come  of  the  succeeding  generation  that 
looks  to  you,  that  live  not  to  the  honour  of  God  ?  When  God  calls 
for  the  standard  for  his  honour  at  their  hand,  they  will  say,  they 
never  saw  it ;  though  that  will  not  excuse  them,  it  will  aggravate 
your  condemnation. 

4.  Know,  that  ye  must  honour  God  in  the  world  now  or  never  : 
Eccl.  ix.  10.  "  Whatsoever  thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do  it  with  thy 
might ;  for  there  is  no  work,  nor  device,  nor  knowledge,  nor  wisdom 
in  the  grave  whither  thou  goest."  Now  is  the  accepted  time,  where- 
in ye  may  act  for  your  own  salvation ;  miss  this  time,  and  the  door 
will  be  shut  on  you  never  to  be  opened  again,  Prov.  i.  24,  &c.  Now 
is  the  working  time  for  the  honour  of  God,  whersin  ye  may  do  some- 
thing for  God ;  miss  it,  and  the  occasion  you  will  never  more  have. 
I  would  ask  you, 

1st,  Does  it  concern  you  to  honour  God  ?  or  is  it  none  of  your 
business  ?  If  the  Father  created  you,  certainly  ye  are  bound  to  live 
for  his  honour,  Rom.  xi.  ult.  If  the  Son  redeemed  you,  there  is  a 
double  tie  on  you  to  live  for  him  who  died  for  you,  Philip,  i.  21.     If 


6  02  ACCESS  TO  lEAISE  GOD  IN  THE  AVOELD, 

the  Holy  Ghost  has  sanctified  you,  he  has  dedicated,  fitted,  and  dis- 
posed you  for  it. 

2dly,  When  will  ye  lay  out  yourself  for  it  then  ?  It  is  not  a  work 
to  be  done  at  any  time,  but  confined  to  one  time,  the  time  of  life. 
Hence  said  our  Saviour,  John  ix.  4.  "  I  must  work  the  works  of  him 
that  sent  me,  while  it  is  day  :  the  night  cometh,  when  no  man  can 
work."  Now  the  glass  is  set  up  to  you  :  there  is  much  of  it  run,  as 
ye  may  see  by  looking  to  the  lower  end,  the  time  ye  have  lived  :  the 
upper  end  ye  cannot  see,  what  time  ye  have  yet  to  live  ;  how  soon  it 
may  run  out  then,  ye  know  not.  But  it  will  never  be  turned  for  you. 
When  the  last  sand  runs  out,  the  word  is  given.  The  master  allows 
no  more  time  for  his  work  to  you,  Give  account  of  your  stewardship. 
5.  Lastlij,  Life  is  valuable,  as  giving  access  to  honour  God  in  the 
world.  Hence  says  Hezekiah  in  the  text  and  context,  Is.  xxxviii. 
18, 19.  "  The  grave  cannot  praise  thee,  death  cannot  celebrate  thee: 
they  that  go  down  into  the  pit  cannot  hope  for  thy  truth.  The  liv- 
ing, the  living,  he  shall  j)raise  thee,  as  I  do  this  day ;  the  father  to 
the  children  shall  make  known  thy  truth."  There  are  many  impres- 
sions of  vanity  on  life.  In  itself  by  sin  it  is  become  a  puif  of  wind, 
that  passeth  away ;  a  vapour  suddenly  vanishing :  it  is  like  a  post 
for  swift  passage,  a  dream  for  vanity,  and  a  dunghill  for  vileness. 
It  is  the  place  of  rendezvous  for  innumerable  troubles  and  afflic- 
tions ;  and  is  a  low  station  for  an  immortal  soul,  with  much  mean- 
ness about  it.  There  are  only  two  things  which  it  is  valuable  for, 
viz.  that  there  is  access  in  it, 

\st,  To  act  for  eternal  salvation  to  ourselves,  which  the  dead  can 
no  more  do  :  2  Cor.  vi.  2,  "  Behold,  now  is  the  accepted  time ;  be- 
hold, now  is  the  day  of  salvation."  And  in  this  respect  an  hour's 
life  may  be  worth  a  thousand  worlds,  because  eternity  may  depend 
on  it,  and  heaven  be  secured. 

2dly,  To  act  for  the  honour  of  God  in  the  world,  John  ix.  4,  fore- 
cited,  which  the  dead  have  no  more  access  to.  To  a  good  man  an 
opportunity  of  doing  good  is  valuable,  as  to  an  ill  man  to  do  mis- 
chief. What  folk  love,  they  will  value  access  to  serve ;  so  the  sin- 
ner values  access  to  serve  his  lusts ;  and  the  saint  to  serve  his  Loi'd, 
and  his  neighbour.     So,  on  this  consideration, 

(1.)  Life  is  carefully  and  honourably  to  be  preserved,  as  a 
valuable  thing  ;  and  not  to  be  thrown  away,  by  neglect  of  the  means 
of  its  preservation,  or  exposing  it  wilfully  to  means  of  destruction  ; 
Exod.  XX.  13,  "  Thou  shalt  not  kill." 

(2.)  The  access  to  honour  God  in  life,  is  to  be  laid  in  balance 
with  the  troubles  of  life,  that  the  former  may  downweigh  the  latter, 
by  that  overweight  that  God's  honour  bears  to  our  case  ;  Phil.  i.  20, 


TUE  PECULIAR  MERCY  OF  LIFE.  G03 

"  According  to  my  earnest  expectation,  and  my  hope,  that  in 
uotliing  I  shall  be  ashamed,  but  that  with  all  boldness,  as  always,  so 
now  also  Christ  shall  be  magnified  in  my  body,  whether  it  be  by  life 
or  by  death." 

(3.)  It  is  nicely  to  be  iraproven  to  its  proper  ends,  as  a  precious 
none-such,  passing  opportunity ;  every  filing  of  it  is  to  be  gathered 
up  as  gold  sparkling.  Hence  Paul  exhorts  to  "  redeem  the  time, 
because  the  days  are  evil,"  Eph.  v.  16. 

Use  2.  Of  Reproof  to  several  sorts  of  persons. 

1.  To  those  who  look  on  the  business  of  praising  and  honouring 
God  in  the  world  as  a  burden.  In  itself  it  is  the  mercy  of  life  ;  but 
they  treat  it  as  the  plague  of  life.  They  are  as  Doeg,  detained  be- 
fore the  Lord  ;  and  any  holy  exercise  is  a  weariness  to  them ;  as 
was  the  case  with  Israel ;  Amos  viii.  5,  "When  will  the  new  moon 
be  gone,  that  we  may  sell  corn  ?  and  the  sabbath,  that  we  may  set 
forth  wheat?"  The  Lord  takes  notice  of  this  temper  of  spirit, 
Mai.  i.  13,  "  Ye  said  also,  Behold,  what  a  weariness  is  it,  and  ye 
have  snufi'ed  at  it,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts."  0  how  would  ye  take 
with  heaven  ?  but  be  sure  that  ye  will  never  get  there  in  that  case, 
as  not  being  "  made  meet  to  be  partakers  of  the  inheritance  of  the 
saints  in  light,"  Col.  i.  12.  Ye  will  be  eased  of  that  burden,  but 
for  a  heavier  one.  Rev.  xvi.  ult. 

2.  To  those  who  look  on  it  as  none  of  their  business,  whoever  else 
be  concerned  in  it.  They  make  no  profession  of  living  to  the  honour 
of  God,  and  their  practice  is  conform.  This  speaks  you  neither  to 
look  on  God  as  your  Master,  nor  yet  as  your  Father,  Mai.  i.  6. 
And  if  so,  doubtless  ye  cannot  look  for  his  reward  ;  nor  for  the 
eternal  inheritance  of  his  children ;  where  then  will  lie  the  gain  of 
this  liberty,  which  yon  take  to  yourselves  ? 

3.  To  those  who  spend  their  life  without  consideration  of  the 
chief  business  of  life.  They  "  spend  their  years  as  a  tale  that  is 
told,"  Psal.  xc.  9.  0  how  many  are  dreaming  away  a  lifetime,  out 
of  which  they  are  not  like  to  awake  till  death  awake  them  !  They 
can  consider  any  thing  but  their  soul's  state  ;  but  the  thought  of 
that  they  cannot  dwell  on.  They  that  cannot  consider  the  great 
business  of  life,  will  certainly  lose  the  opportunity  of  that  business, 
and  it  will  sit  to  them  in  the  end  :  Prov.  xx.  4.  "The  sluggard  will 
not  plough  by  reason  of  the  cold ;  therefore  shall  he  beg  in  harvest, 
and  have  nothing. 

4.  To  those  who  delay  the  business  of  honouring  God,  till  they 
shall  be  near  death.  Many  such  off-putters  are  there,  who  can 
never  find  the  time  to  begin  their  work,  though  they  do  not  want 
thoughts  of  it ;  as  was  the  case  with  Felix,  Acts  xxiv.  25.  who  said 


604  ACCESS  TO  PRAISE  GOD  IX  TUE  WOELD, 

to  Paul,  "  Go  thy  way  for  this  time;  when  I  have  a  convenient  sea- 
son, I  will  call  for  thee."  When  they  are  young,  they  put  otf  till 
they  be  old ;  then,  till  they  be  going  to  die ;  when  sickness  takes 
them,  they  put  off  still  in  hopes  of  recovery ;  when  they  are 
past  hopes,  they  are  not  capable  for  it ;  and  so  the  soul  is  lost. 
Meanwhile,  all  they  are  concerned  for  at  best,  is  but  their  own 
safety,  not  God's  honour ;  and  being  regardless  of  this  latter,  no 
wonder  they  fall  short  of  the  former. 

5.  Lastly,  To  those  whose  life  is  a  life  of  dishonouring  God,  by 
secret  and  open  wickedness  and  uutenderness.  And  this  seems  to 
be  the  general  case  of  this  generation,  by  which  we  appear  to  be  a 
"  generation  of  God's  wrath  :"  Micah  vii.  2,  4.  "  The  good  man  is 
perished  out  of  the  earth  :  and  there  is  none  upright  among  men  : 
they  all  lie  in  wait  for  blood  :  they  hunt  every  man  his  brother 
with  a  net.  The  best  of  them  is  as  a  brier :  the  most  upright  is 
sharper  than  a  thorn-hedge  :  the  day  of  thy  watchmen,  and  thy 
visitation  cometh  ;  now  shall  be  their  perplexity."  Corruption  of 
life  and  manners  is  become  universal,  so  that  people  are  become 
shameless  in  their  sin,  and  proof  against  conviction  from  the  word, 
being  so  hardened  under  the  softening  means  of  grace,  that  the  case 
is  grown  hopeless  ;  all  which  cannot  miss  soon  or  late  to  bring 
down  some  rousing  stroke,  Jer.  vi.  15.  "  "Were  they  ashamed  when 
they  had  committed  abomination  ?  nay,  they  were  not  at  all 
ashamed,  neither  could  they  blush  :  therefore  they  shall  fall  among 
them  that  fall :  at  the  time  that  I  visit  them,  they  shall  be  cast 
down,  saith  the  Lord." 

Use  3.  Of  exhortation.  Make  it  the  business  of  your  life  to  live 
to  the  honour  of  God. 

Quest.  How  shall  we  do  that  ? 

Ans.  1.  Honour  him  by  faith;  Rom.  iv.  20.  "Abraham  staggered 
not  at  the  promise  of  God  through  unbelief;  but  was  strong  in 
faith,  giving  glory  to  God.  Faith  gives  God  the  honour  of  all  his 
glorious  perfections  as  manifested  in  the  word ;  and  without  faith 
there  is  no  acceptable  honouring  of  him.  Therefore  the  Christian 
life  is  a  "  life  of  faith,"  Gal.  ii.  20.     And  honour  him, 

\st,  By  believing  on  his  Sou  for  salvation,  receiving  and  resting 
on  him  as  your  Saviour,  to  save  you  from  sin  and  wrath  :  1  John 
iii.  23.  "  This  is  his  commandment,  that  we  should  believe  on  the 
name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ."  If  ye  honour  not  God  this  way,  ye 
honour  him  not  at  all,  John  v.  23.  God  has  sent  his  Son  in  the 
character  of  Saviour  of  the  world,  1  John  iv.  14 :  j)ut  your  case  in 
his  hand,  that  ye  may  be  saved  from  your  sin,  and  sanctified  by 
him,  and  saved   from   wrath   through  him.     If  ye  live  in  your  sins, 


THE  PECULIAR  MERCY  OF  LIFE.  605 

and  will  not  be  healed  ;  if  ye  do  not  believe  liira  able  and  willing 
to  save  you,  ye  dishonour  God  egregriously  in  a  most  tender  point ; 
1  John  V.  10,  11.  "  He  that  believeth  not  God,  hath  made  him  a 
liar,  because  he  believeth  not  the  record  that  God  gave  of  his  Son. 
And  this  is  the  record,  that  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life  :  and 
this  life  is  in  his  Son. 

Idly,  By  trusting  God  in  Christ  in  all  times  and  eases  :  Isa. 
xxvi.  4.  "  Trust  ye  in  the  Lord  for  ever."  The  established  way  of 
communication  with  heaven,  is  by  trust  in  God  :  and  faith  is  pro- 
ductive of  hope,  which  is  tlie  anchor  of  the  soul,  keeping  the  soul 
safe  and  spiritually  at  rest,  in  all  storms  public  or  private,  Psalm 
xxxvii.  7-  Trusting  in  the  creature,  is  a  putting  it  in  God's  place  ; 
and  hence  bearing  such  a  weight,  it  bows  under  it,  and  fails.  But 
God  is  honoured  by  trusting  him. 

3c?/?/,  By  believing  his  word  in  all  the  parts  of  it.  Hence  is  that 
exhortation  of  Jehosaphat's,  2  Chron.  xx.  20.  "  Believe  in  the  Lord 
your  God,  so  shall  you  be  established ;  believe  his  prophets,  so  shall 
ye  prosper."  God  is  to  be  honoured  by  faith's  acting  on  every  part 
of  the  word ;  on  the  commands,  believing  the  divine  authority, 
e(xuity,  and  goodness  of  them,  as  a  transcript  of  the  divine  nature, 
Psal.  cxix,  128 ;  on  the  promises,  believing  the  certain  accomplish- 
ment of  them,  however  unlikely,  Rom.  iv.  20,  21  ;  on  the  threaten- 
ings,  believing  the  justice  and  truth  of  them,  Is.  xxxix.  ult.  and 
Ixvi.  2. 

2.  Honour  him  by  the  practice  of  holiness  :  1  Pet.  ii.  9.  "  Te  are 
a  chosen  generation,  a  royal  priesthood,  an  holy  nation,  a  peculiar 
people  ;  that  ye  should  show  forth  the  praises  of  him  who  hath 
called  you  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous  light.  To  lead  a 
holy  tender  life  is  the  way  to  honour  God,  conforming  to  him,  and 
labouring  to  be  like  him  in  all  conversation,  1  Pet.  i.  15,  16.  If  ye 
be  not  uniform  and  universal  in  your  obedience,  that  part  ye  are 
deficient  in,  may  bring  a  blot  on  all  the  rest;  as  Judas'  covetous- 
ness  and  treachery  wiped  out  all  his  good  deeds.  And  if  ye  would 
live  to  the  honour  of  God,  I  would  recommend  to  you  particularly, 
\st.  Diligent  and  reverent  worshipping  of  God:  ilatt.  iv.  10 — 
"  Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou 
serve.  Psal.  Ixxxix.  7-  "  God  is  greatly  to  be  feared  in  the  assem- 
bly of  the  saints :  and  to  be  had  in  reverence  of  all  them  that  are 
about  him."  Worship  him  in  your  families,  morning  and  evening ; 
worship  him  in  secret  by  yourselves ;  worship  him  in  the  public  as- 
semblies ;  set  up  for  his  honour  in  the  world  ;  make  conscience  of 
joining  therein  for  tlie  honour  of  God.  And  be  reverent  in  the 
frame  of  your  heart,  and  in  your  outward  gesture,  as  knowing  that 


606  ACCESS  TO  PRAISE  GOD  IN  THE  WORLD, 

lie  is  a  great  God  with  whom  ye  have  to  do  :  and  there  can  be  no 
reverence  in  their  hearts,  who  behave  irreverently. 

Idly,  Be  nice  and  exact  in  point  of  justice  in  your  dealings; 
shaking  your  hands  of  all  gain  of  unrighteousness,  as  in  the  sight  of 
a  holy  just  God:  Isa.  xxxiii.  15,  16.  "He  that  walketh  righteously, 
and  speaketh  uprightly,  he  that  despiseth  the  gain  of  oppressions, 
that  shaketh  his  hands  from  holding  of  bribes,  that  stoppeth  his 
ears  from  hearing  of  blood,  and  shutteth  his  eyes  from  seeing  evil, 
he  shall  dwell  on  high,"  &c.  That  baseness  of  spirit,  disposing  to 
l>ick  and  steal,  cheat,  and  catch  any  little  advantage  they  can  get 
of  their  neighbour  without  being  discovered,  that  one  can  trust 
them  no  farther  than  they  see,  is  most  dishonouring  to  God,  as  if 
either  he  did  not  see,  or  else  did  approve  of  their  wicked  practices, 
Psal.  1.  21,  22. 

Zdly,  Be  readily  disposed  to  the  duties  of  humanity,  doing  good 
to  your  neighbour,  being  kind,  merciful,  and  compassionate  to  thorn 
that  are  in  distress  and  need  :  Col.  iii.  12.  "  Put  on  therefore,  (as 
the  elect  of  God,  holy  and  beloved)  bowels  of  mercies,  kindness, 
humbleness  of  mind,  meekness,  long-suffering."  This  honours  God 
in  a  very  particular  manner :  Luke  vi.  35,  36.  "  But  love  ye  your 
enemies,  and  do  good,  and  lend,  hoping  for  nothing  again :  and 
your  reward  shall  be  great,  and  ye  shall  be  the  children  of  the 
Highest :  for  he  is  kind  to  the  unthankful,  and  to  the  evil.  Be  ye 
therefore  merciful,  as  your  Father  also  is  merciful."  And  it  has 
much  encouragement  by  promise :  Prov.  iii.  9,  10.  "  Honour  the 
Lord  with  thy  substance,  and  with  the  first-fruits  of  all  thine  in- 
crease. So  shall  thy  barns  be  filled  with  plenty,  and  thy  presses 
shall  burst  out  with  new  wine."  Psal.  xli.  1,  2,  3.  "Blessed  is  he 
that  considereth  the  poor ;  the  Lord  will  deliver  him  in  time  of 
trouble.  The  Lord  will  preserve  him,  and  keep  him  alive,  and  he 
shall  be  blessed  upon  the  earth  ;  and  thou  wilt  not  deliver  him  into 
the  will  of  his  enemies.  The  Lord  will  strengthen  him  upon  the  bed 
of  languishing :  thou  wilt  make  all  his  bed  in  his  sickness.  A 
selfish,  unkind,  unsympathizing,  narrow  spirit,  is  a  great  stain  on 
an  otherwise  fair  character. 

4:thly,  Be  the  same  in  secret  when  no  eye  sees  you,  that  you 
would  be  in  public.  This  will  much  honour  God,  when  the  con- 
science of  his  eye  being  on  you,  is  as  forcible  to  restrain  you  from 
evil,  as  the  eyes  of  the  world  would  be ;  as  was  the  case  with 
Joseph,  Gen.  xxxix.  9.  when  he  said  to  his  lewd  mistress,  "How  can 
I  do  this  great  wickedness,  and  sin  against  God?"  0  what  do  the 
practisers  of  secx'et  mischief  think  of  God  !  They  can  do  a  mischief 
unseen,  and  then  cover  it  with  a  lie.     But  alas  !  is  there  not  a  God 


TUE  PECULIAR  MEECY  OF  LIFE.  '607 

in  heaven,  that  sees  himself  dishonoured  by  such  practices  ?  See 
Prov.  xxvi.  26.  Open  shame,  or  else  a  secret  stroke,  will  be  the 
consequence,  Job  xx.  26. 

bthlij,  Shew  yourselves  on  God's  side,  in  the  midst  of  the  disho- 
nours done  to  him  in  the  world.  For  ye  must  either  join  issue  with 
the  dishonourers  of  his  name,  or  else  testify  against  them :  hence 
says  our  Saviour,  Matt.  xii.  30.  "  He  that  is  not  with  me,  is  against 
me :  and  he  that  gathereth  not  with  me,  scattereth  abroad."  If 
you  have  no  heart  nor  brow  to  appear  for  God,  while  ye  see  him 
dishonoured,  remember  what  God  accounts  of  that,  and  how  he  will 
treat  it :  Mark  viii.  ult.  "  Whosoever  shall  be  ashamed  of  me,  and 
of  my  words,  in  tiiis  adulterous  and  sinful  generation,  of  him  also 
shall  the  Son  of  man  be  ashamed,  when  he  cometh  in  the  glory  of 
his  Father,  with  the  holy  angels."  Beware  of  being  partakers  with 
other  men's  sins ;  but  set  yourselves  to  be  a  check  upon  sin  in 
others,  and  witnesses  against  it,  else  ye  honour  not  God. 

Qthly,  Commend  the  way  of  God  and  religion  to  others,  and 
encourage  good  motions  where  ye  can  perceive  them.  Grace  is 
communicative  for  the  honour  of  God ;  and  every  gracious  person  is 
disposed  to  propagate  religion.  Hence  said  the  Lord  of  Abraham, 
Gen.  xviii.  19.  "  I  know  him,  that  he  will  command  his  children, 
and  his  household  after  him,  and  they  shall  keep  the  way  of  the 
Lord,  to  do  justice  and  judgment,  &c.  The  wearing  out  of  that  so 
much  now,  from  what  it  was  in  former  years,  is  one  of  the  black 
symptoms  of  the  decay  of  religion  at  this  day. 

"ithly,  Learn  to  bear  troubles  in  the  world  with  a  Christian 
patience,  meekness,  resignation,  and  holy  cheerfulness.  This  doth 
exceedingly  tend  to  the  honour  of  God ;  as  you  see  exemplified  in 
the  worthies  mentioned  Heb.  xi.  There  is  a  despising  of  the  chas- 
tening of  the  Lord,  wherein  the  proud  and  foolish  scorn  to  bo 
lowered  by  the  rebukes  of  Providence,  wherein  the  atheism  of  the 
heart,  and  contempt  of  God  appears.  There  is  a  fainting  under  the 
rebukes  of  Providence,  Avherein  unbelief  appears.  Both  are  disho- 
nourable to  God,  and  to  be  guarded  against,  Heb.  xii.  5.  The  mid- 
dle course  is  to  God's  honour. 

Lastli/,  Walk  with  God  in  a  conscientious  performance  of  the 
duties  of  your  station.  Hence  is  that  exhortation  of  the  Apostle's, 
1  Cor.  vii.  24.  "Brethren,  let  every  man  wherein  he  is  called, 
therein  abide  with  God."  That  is  the  sphere  wherein  ye  are  set  to 
honour  God  :  and  God  is  much  honoured  that  way.  It  is  exempli- 
fied in  the  case  of  the  priests,  Mai.  ii,  6.  in  that  of  wives,  1  Pet.  iii. 
5.  and  in  that  of  servants,  Tit.  ii.  10.  No  man  can  live  to  the  ho- 
nour of  God,  who  does  not  carefully  notice,  and  diligently  pursue 
the  duties  of  his  station,  to  the  honour  of  God. 


608  ACCESS  TO  PRAISE  GOD  IX  THE  WOnLD, 

I  shall  give  you  a  few  motives  to  live  to  the   honour  of  God. 

Mot.  I.  God  is  the  author  of  thy  life.  The  life  and  being  thou 
hast,  thou  hast  from  God  :  Rom.  xi.  ult.  "  For  of  him,  and  through 
him,  and  to  him  are  all  things  :  to  whom  be  glory  for  ever.  Amen." 
Therefore  "  remember  no\y  thy  Creator  in  the  days  of  thy  youth," 
Eccl.  xii.  1.  And  since  he  is  your  first  cause,  is  it  not  reasonable 
that  he  be  your  chief  end  ?  The  life  which  you  all  had  from  him,  will 
ye  not  improve  for  him  ? 

Mot.  2.  God  is  the  preserver  of  thy  life.  Hence  says  David, 
Psal.  xxxvi.  6.  "  0  Lord,  thou  preservest  man  and  beast."  For 
every  moment's  life  thou  hast  had,  thou  art  his  debtor.  Thy  life  is 
continually  in  his  hand,  to  prolong  it,  or  take  it  away,  as  seems 
good  in  his  sight.  If  he  should  but  withdraw  his  upholding  hand, 
thy  life  would  presently  go.  Every  moment  there  must  be  a  new 
outletting  of  inlluence  from  him  for  preservation  of  thy  life.  How 
unaccountable  must  it  be  then  not  to  live  to  his  honour  ?  This  was 
a  grievous  charge  against  Belshazzar,  Dan.  v.  23.  "  The  God  in 
whose  hand  thy  breath  is,  and  whose  are  all  thy  ways,  hast  thou 
not  glorified." 

Mot.  3.  God  is  the  giver  of  all  thou  hast  whereby  thou  mayst 
honour  him.  Hast  thou  a  tongue  whereby  thou  art  capable  to 
speak  for  God,  and  hands  to  act  for  him  ?  he  gave  them  to  thee. 
Hast  thou  any  health,  strength,  wealth,  and  reputation,  whereby 
thou  art  in  capacity  to  honour  him  ?  all  is  from  him  :  and  shall  not 
his  own  be  used  for  him  ?  Hence  saith  David,  1  Chron.  xxix.  14. 
"  All  things  come  of  thee,  and  of  thine  own  have  we  given  thee." 
Is  it  not  sacrilegious  to  do  otherwise  ? 

Mot.  4.  God  puts  opportunities  in  thine  hand  for  honouring 
him.  As  he  has  given  thee  means  whereby  thou  mayst  honour  him, 
so  his  providence  lays  to  thy  hand  opportunities  calling  thee  to  use 
them,  Luke  xix.  13.  Every  opportunity  is  a  providential  call,  to 
lay  out  what  the  Lord  has  put  in  thy  hand  for  his  service.  And  it 
will  be  found  dangerous  to  hide  one's  talents  in  the  earth,  and  not 
lay  them  out  for  God. 

Mot.  5.  There  are  some  who  are  deprived  of  those  abilities  or 
occasions  ye  have  to  honour  God.  So  the  whole  Pagan  world  is  de- 
prived of  gospel-light,  which  we  all  have ;  the  sick  of  those  which 
the  healthy  have.  The  not  improving  of  them  then  will  aggravate 
your  condemnation,  Matth.  xi.  21.  It  is  sad  to  be  cumberers  of  the 
ground  in  God's  vineyard,  taking  up  room  in  it  uselessly,  which 
others  might  improve  to  good  advantage. 

Mot.  6.  Ye  have  forfeited  by  sin  all  your  abilities,  opportunities, 
and  your  very  life.     Godviuight  justly  have  taken  them  all  from  us, 


THE  PECULIAR  MEKCY  OF  LIFE.  609 

and  made  us  as  incapable  to  speak  or  act  for  his  honour,  as  'U'e 
have  been  unwilling  to  it.  But  his  patience  has  suffered  us  long, 
and  he  has  done  us  good  though  unthankful  and  evil,  if  peradveu- 
ture  these  might  lead  us  to  repentance.  Shall  not  this  engage  us  to 
live  to  his  honour  ? 

3Iot.  7.  This  was  the  design  of  the  redemption  purchased  by  Christ, 
Tit,  ii.  14.  "  Who  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us 
from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous 
of  good  works."  Man  was  made  at  first  for  the  honour  of  God  :  sin 
entering  rendered  him  unfit  for  that  his  great  work.  Therefore 
Christ  died  that  they  might  be  again  brought  to  live  to  God's  hon- 
our, Eph.  V.  25,  26,  27.  If  then  ye  are  not  so  living,  it  is  an  evi- 
dence Christ's  redemption  is  not  applied  to  you  as  yet :  and  if  ye 
continue  so,  it  will  evidence  that  ye  are  none  of  the  redeemed  ones. 

Mot.  8.  It  is  the  design  of  the  sanctification  of  the  Spirit.  Hence 
says  the  Apostle,  1  Pet.  ii.  9.  "  Ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal 
priesthood,  an  holy  nation,  a  peculiar  people;  that  ye  should  shew 
forth  the  praises  of  him  who  hath  called  you  out  of  darkness  into  his 
marvtllous  light."  "When  God  puts  his  Spirit  into  a  man,  it  is  that 
he  may  walk  in  his  way,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  27.  So  that  if  ye  live  not  to 
the  honour  of  God,  it  is  an  evidence  that  ye  have  not  the  Spirit,  but 
are  dead  ■while  ye  live. 

Mot.  9.  Lastly,  It  is  a  lost  life  that  is  not  lived  to  the  honour  of 
God,  lost  in  death,  eternal  death.  Hence  says  our  Lord,  Matth.  xvi. 
25,  26.  "  Whosoever  ^ill  save  his  life,  shall  lose  it :  and  whosoever 
will  lose  his  life  for  my  sake,  shall  find  it.  For  what  is  a  man  pro- 
fited, if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  soul  ?  or 
what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  ?"  Consider,  this 
life  is  short,  it  is  soon  away ;  it  is  uncertain,  none  knows  how  soon : 
but  such  as  it  is,  eternity  depends  on  it ;  Eccl.  ix.  10. — "  For 
there  is  no  work,  nor  device,  nor  knowledge,  nor  wisdom  in  the  grave 
whither  thou  goest."  If  ye  live  not  to  the  honour  of  God  here,  never 
expect  to  live  with  him  hereafter  in  heaven.  Remember  the  end  of 
the  slothful  servant,  Matth.  xxv.  30.  "  Cast  ye  the  unprofitable  ser- 
vant into  outer  darkness  :  there  shall  be  weeping,  and  gnashing  of 
teeth."  For  your  help  to  live  to  the  honour  of  God,  take  these  fol- 
lowing directions. 

1.  Allow  yourselves  the  justice  once  seriously  to  consider,  now 
that  ye  are  living,  and  must  die,  what  will  be  the  best  way  for  you 
to  spend  that  bit  of  life.  It  is  pity  that  people  should  not  propose 
to  themselves  a  design  of  living,  and  consider  what  is  that  design  of 
life  that  will  come  to  the  best  account  at  length.  Surely  if  yo  do,  ye 
will  find  no  design  so  reasonable  and  advantageous  as  this. 


610  ACCESS  TO  PRAISE  OOD  IN  THE  WORLD, 

2.  Then  take  him  for  your  God  in  Christ,  that  ye  may  live  to  his 
honour ;  and  do  not  think  that  it  is  by  your  living  to  his  honour, 
that  he  must  become  your  God.  Faith  must  go  before  obedience,  if 
ever  the  obedience  be  kindly.  Faith  first  embracing  salvation  in 
the  free  offer  of  the  gospel,  natively  engages  the  heart  to  honour 
God,  as  a  son  doth  his  father. 

3.  Labour  to  keep  np  the  love  of  God  in  the  heart,  by  believing  his 
love;  and  that  will  be  a  strong  band.  Hence  says  the  Apostle, 
2  Cor.  V.  14,  15.  "  The  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us,  because  we 
thus  judge,  that  if  one  died  for  all,  then  were  all  dead  :  and  that  he 
died  for  all,  that  they  which  live,  should  not  henceforth  live  unto 
themselves,  but  unto  him  which  died  for  them,  and  rose  again." 

Lastly,  Firmly  believe  that  there  is  a  reward  of  grace  for  the 
righteous;  and  that  not  a  good  word  or  good  work,  spoke  or  done 
for  God,  shall  want  a  reward.  Hence  is  that  exhortation  of  the 
Apostle's,  1  Cor.  xv.  ult.  "  Therefore,  my  beloved  brethren,  be  ye 
stedfast,  unmoveable,  always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord, 
forasmuch  as  ye  know  that  your  labour  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord. 

DocT.  II.  It  is  the  special  business  and  privilege  of  life,  to  propa- 
gate religion,  God's  name  and  praise;  the  standing  generation  to 
the  rising  generation,  the  fathers  to  the  children,  all  along. 

In  discoursing  this  doctrine,  I  shall  shew, 

I.  What  it  is  to  propagate  religion,  God's  name  and  praise,  to  the 
rising  generation. 

II.  Who  are  the  standing  and  rising  generation,  the  fathers  and 
the  children,  among  whom  this  propagation  of  religion  is  to  pass. 

III.  In  what  respects  it  is  the  special  business  of  life. 
lY.  In  what  respect  it  is  the  special  privilege  of  life. 
V.  Lastly,  Apply, 

I.  I  shall  shew  what  it  is  to  propagate  religion,  God's  name  and 
praise,  to  the  rising  generation.     It  implies  these  four  things. 

1.  The  having  of  religion  ourselves.  None  can  propagate  what 
they  have  not.  If  men  have  not  the  knowledge  and  love  of  God 
themselves,  how  can  they  praise  him  to  others  ?  Men  are  sensible,  that 
if  they  gain  not  a  competent  portion  of  the  world  to  themselves,  they 
can  leave  none  to  their  children  :  so  if  they  "be  idle  or  wasters,  they 
are  unjust  to  theii-  families,  1  Tim.  v.  8.  Even  so  if  ye  are  not  religi- 
ous, ye  not  only  dishonour  God,  and  destroy  your  own  souls,  but  ye 
are  unjust  to  the  rising  generations,  and  destructive  to  their  souls  too. 

2.  The  profession  of  religion.  Hence  says  the  Apostle,  Rom.x.  10. 
*'  With  the  heart  man  believeth  unto  righteousness,  and  with  the 
mouth  confession  is  made  unto  salvation."     Men  have  may  a  profes- 


THE  PECULIAH  MERCY  OP  LIFE.  611 

sion  without  the  practise  of  religion  ;  but  the  practise  requires  the 
profession  of  it.  And  no  man  will  ever  propagate  religion  that  is 
not  himself  a  professor  of  it.  And  the  profession  must  be  such  as 
is  not  visibly  contradicted  by  the  practise  :  for  if  example  destroy 
what  precept  builds  up,  there  is  no  propagating  religion  to  others 
by  that  means.  So  a  credible  profession  of  religion  is  a  debt  owing 
to  the  rising  generation. 

3.  A  desire  to  continue  and  spread  religion  in  the  world.  With- 
out this  none  will  propagate  it ;  for  what  men  have  no  desire  of  the 
continuance  or  spreading  of,  they  will  be  lothe  to  propagate.  And 
it  is  the  want  of  concern  for  the  continuance  and  spreading  of  reli- 
gion, that  makes  men  so  careless  about  the  propagating  thereof. 
They  have  no  due  concern  for  their  own  souls ;  therefore  they  have 
none  either  for  God's  honour,  or  the  good  of  those  that  come  after 
them. 

4.  Lastly,  Contributing  our  endeavours  to  bring  others,  and  par- 
ticularly the  rising  generation,  to  the  knowledge  and  practice  of  re- 
ligion. Hence,  says  the  Psalmist,  Psalm  Ixxviii.  2 — 4,  "I  will  open 
my  mouth  in  a  parable  :  I  will  utter  dark  sayings  of  old  :  which  we 
have  heard  and  known,  and  our  fathers  have  told  us.  "We  will  not 
hide  them  from  their  children,  shewing  to  the  generation  to  come 
the  praises  of  the  Lord ;  and  his  strength,  and  his  wonderful  works 
that  he  hath  done."  Man  is  born  like  a  wild  ass's  colt,  wanting  both 
knowledge  and  experience.  We  see  such  as  come  into  our  world, 
come  in  naked  among  us  ;  and  we  judge  ourselves  obliged  to  clothe 
them,  feed  them,  and  teach  them  how  to  do  for  themselves.  But 
withal  they  have  and  can  do  as  little  for  their  souls  as  for  their 
bodies ;  and  shall  we  leave  them  destitute  in  that  point  ?  How  will 
we  answer  that  to  God  ?  Now,  to  contribute  endeavours  to  bring 
them  to  religion,  lies  in  endeavouring, 

1st,  To  bring  them  to  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  which  is  the  founda- 
tion of  all  religion  :  Psalm  Ixxviii.  7,  "  That  they  might  set  their 
hope  in  God,  and  not  forget  the  works  of  God  ;  but  keep  his  com- 
mandments." They  come  into  the  world  lost  sons  and  daughters  of 
Adam,  under  God's  wrath  and  curse.  There  is  a  Saviour  provided  ; 
but  they  know  it  not,  till  the  standing  generation  tell  them  of  it. 
They  are  averse  naturally  to  come  to  that  Saviour,  and  are  not 
aware  of  the  danger  of  slighting  him  :  it  is  justice  and  charity  then 
to  deal  with  them,  in  order  to  convince  and  bring  them  in. 

2dli/,  To  bring  them  to  holiness  of  life ;  as  did  Abraham,  Gen. 
xviii.  19,  "  I  know  him,  (says  the  Lord),  that  he  will  command  his 
children,  and  his  household  after  him,  and  they  shall  keep  the  way 
of  the  Lord,  to  do  justice  and  judgment."     When  they  come  into 


612  ACCESS  TO  PRAISE  GOD  IN  THE  AVOKLD, 

our  world,  they  bring  a  corrupt  nature  with  tliem,  which  begins 
early  to  sprout.  Satan  will  begin  his  temptations  with  them  as 
soon  as  they  are  capable,  losing  no  time.  The  longer  sin  continues 
in  them  uncurbed,  the  stronger  docs  it  grow.  It  nearly  concerns 
the  standing  generation  then  to  contribute  their  endeavours  to 
quench  the  hellish  flame,  and  to  turn  the  stream  and  course  of  their 
life  from  sin  to  holiness.     And  this, 

(1.)  By  precept  and  counsel.  Gen.  xviii.  19,  forecited.  Thus  we 
are  to  praise  God  to  them,  by  word  of  mouth.  "We  should  shew 
them  what  we  have  to  say  in  God's  behalf,  commend  religion  to 
them,  disparage  the  way  of  sin  and  of  the  world  to  them  ;  bind  duty 
on  their  conscience,  by  shewing  them  the  tie  of  the  word,  and  oblige 
them  thereto  by  any  authority  we  have  over  them. 

(2.)  By  example.  Let  us  write  out  religion  in  our  own  walk  be- 
fore them,  that  they  may  be  brought  to  copy  after  us.  Those  pre- 
cepts that  are  illuminated  with  example,  are  most  ready  to  take. 
Beware  of  casting  an  ill  example  before  their  eyes ;  for  the  corrup- 
tion of  nature  lies  that  way  ;  and  he  that  sins  before  a  child,  sins 
twice ;  for  his  sin  lies  fair  to  be  repeated  by  the  young  spectator. 

(3.)  By  dependence  on  the  Lord  for  a  blessing  on  the  means  used 
for  their  good.  Hence  says  the  apostle,  2  Cor.  x.  4.  "  The  weapons 
of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal,  but  mighty  through  God  to  the  pull- 
ing down  of  strong  holds."  Whoever  he  be  that  plants,  if  God 
give  not  the  increase  there  will  be  none,  1  Cor.  iii.  6.  That  is  a 
great  truth  in  all  cases,  in  spiritual  as  well  as  worldly  things, 
1  Sam.  ii.  9.  "  By  strength  shall  no  man  prevail."  If  a  man  should 
use  the  best  arguments,  the  strongest  motives,  the  most  feasible 
measures,  for  bringing  others  into  the  way  of  religion  ;  and  upon 
the  suitableness  of  the  means  promise  himself  success,  he  takes  the 
way  most  likely  to  render  them  ineffectual.  The  word  spoken 
needs  to  be  mixed  with  faith  in  the  speaker.  And  he  is  most  likely 
to  succeed  that  uses  the  means  of  God's  appointment  for  doing  good, 
with  entire  dependence  on  the  Lord  for  success. 

(4.)  Lastly,  By  prayer  for  them.  Thus  it  is  promised  concerning 
Christ,  Psal.  Ixxii.  15.  that  "  prayer  shall  be  made  for  him  continu- 
ally," viz.  that  his  kingdom  may  come,  by  the  daily  coming  in  of 
new  subjects  to  him.  Since  the  success  of  all  that  we  can  do  for 
the  good  of  the  rising  generation  depends  on  the  Lord's  blessing,  it 
is  necessary  that  we  plead  for  them  at  the  throne  of  grace,  quicken- 
ing ourselves  thereto,  by  consideration  of  the  honour  of  God,  and 
their  eternal  welfare,  that  depend  on  it. 

The  second  general  head  was  to  shew,  "Who  are  the  standing  and 
rising  generation,  the  fathers  and  the  children,  among  whom  this 


THE  PEOULrAR  MKRCY  OF  LIVE.  G13 

propagation  of  religion  is  to  pass.  Aiul  this  must  be  stated  accord- 
ing to  the  language  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  analogy  of  other 
parts  of  Scripture,  if  we  would  rightly  see  whose  is  this  duty.  In 
general  I  shall  premise, 

1.  All  superiors  and  inferiors  are,  in  Scripture-style,  compre- 
hended under  fathers  and  children.  This  is  plain  from  the  fifth 
commandment,  which,  under  the  name  of  father  and  mother,  whose 
relatives  children  are,  prescribes  the  mutual  duties  of  superiors  and 
inferiors.  Therefore  every  one  is  to  propagate  religion  to  his  in- 
feriors. 

2.  Forasmuch  as  there  is  no  perfect  and  absolute  equality  among 
men,  but  some  who  are  inferior  in  one  respect  to  others,  may  be 
superior  to  them  in  another  respect ;  it  is  the  duty  of  equals  and 
inferiors  to  propagate  religion  among  themselves,  and  to  their  su- 
periors, mutually  communicating  their  light  and  warmth. 

3.  Some  may  belong  to  the  standing  generation  in  one  respect, 
who  belong  to  the  rising  one  in  another;  as  a  person  who  is  inferior 
to  some,  and  superior  to  others.  So  they  are  to  have  it  propagated 
to  them,  and  they  are  to  propagate  it  to  others  again. 

4.  Lastli/,  The  same  command  of  God  that  binds  the  standing 
generation  and  fathers  to  propagate  religion,  binds  the  rising  genera- 
tion and  children  to  receive  it.  God,  by  binding  parents  to  instruct, 
binds  the  children  to  receive  instruction.  And  they  that  are  the 
rising  generation  now  will  be  the  standing  in  a  little.  But  more 
l)articularly, 

1.  Fathers  of  the  state;  magistrates,  supreme  or  subordinate,  are 
to  propagate  religion  to  their  political  children,  their  subjects. 
They  are  God's  vicegerents  on  earth,  clothed  with  dominion  and 
authority  over  others,  to  be  employed  for  God  in  whose  name  they 
act.  Hence  is  that  promise.  Is.  xlix.  23.  "Kings  shall  be  thy  nurs- 
ing-fathers, and  their  queens  thy  nursing-mothers."  And  it  is  one 
of  the  blackest  symptoms  of  the  corruption  of  the  world,  that  oft- 
times  they  are  found  set  to  extirpate  religion. 

2.  Fathers  in  the  church,  ministers,  and  other  ruling  church- 
officers,  to  their  ecclesiastical  children,  the  people  whom  they  are 
set  over,  2  Kings,  ii.  12.  It  is  for  this  very  end  they  are  put  in 
office.  Hence,  says  the  Apostle,  Heb.  xiii.  17.  "  Obey  them  that 
have  the  rule  over  you,  and  submit  yourselves  :  for  they  watch  for 
your  souls,  as  they  that  must  give  account :  that  they  may  do  it 
with  joy,  and  not  with  grief:  for  that  is  unprofitable  for  you." 
Jesus  Christ  brought  this  religion  from  heaven,  employed  his  apos- 
tles to  propagate  it ;  to  them  they  succeed  in  the  office  of  propagat- 

Yoh.  V.  2  R 


614  TO  PUOPAGATE  IlELIGION,  &C. 

ing  religion ;  and  must  see  to  make  it  tlieir  business,  as  they  will  be 
answerable. 

3.  Fathers  of  families  to  their  children.  For  every  family  ought 
to  be  a  church,  wherein  holy  worship,  doctrine,  discipline,  and  go- 
vernment ought  to  be  maintained,  by  the  heads  thereof.  And  par- 
ticularly, 

1st,  Fathers  and  mothers  to  the  children  procreated  of  their 
bodies.  This  is  the  chief  thing  in  the  text,  "The  father  to  the  chil- 
dren shall  make  known  thy  truth.  Compared  with  Gen,  xviii.  19. 
"  I  know  him,  that  he  will  command  his  children,  and  his  household 
after  him,  and  they  shall  keep  the  way  of  the  Lord,  to  do  justice 
and  judgment."  It  is  but  an  inferior  part  of  your  charge  to  pro- 
vide meat  and  clothes  for  your  children,  and  to  put  them  in  a  way 
of  living ;  the  chief  part  is  to  see  to  their  souls,  that  they  may  be 
recovered  out  of  the  lost  state  they  are  in  by  nature.  It  will  be  but 
a  sorry  kindness,  to  be  concerned  for  their  provision  in  time,  if  ye 
neglect  them  as  to  their  eternal  concerns.  It  is  by  them  your  name 
is  to  be  propagated,  and  you  are  to  propagate  God's  name  to  them, 
in  point  of  gratitude  to  God,  justice  and  natural  affection  to  them. 

2dl^,  They  are  to  do  it  also  to  all  others  in  their  family,  whether 
they  be  servants,  or  whatever  they  be,  if  they  be  members  of  the 
family  for  shorter  or  longer  time.  Being  in  your  family,  ye  are  in- 
stead of  fathers  and  mothers  to  them,  and  owe  them  that  benefit. 
Hence  masters  are  called  fathers,  2  Kings  v.  13  ;  and  the  duty  of 
propagating  religion  is  expressly  extended  to  one's  household,  Gen. 
xviii.  19,  forecited.  And  whosoever  have  the  chief  authority  in  a 
family,  though  they  be  servants  themselves,  are  the  fathers  of  it  in 
this  sense. 

4.  Fathers  in  gifts  or  grace,  to  those  who  are  children  in  these 
respects  in  comparison  of  them,  1  John  ii.  12,  13.  So  Joseph  was  a 
father  to  Pharaoh,  Gen.  xlv.  8.  If  God  has  bestowed  on  you  more 
gifts  or  grace  than  on  others,  mind  ye  are  thereby  made  fathers  to 
those  that  are  weaker  than  you,  and  are  obliged  to  communicate 
your  light  to  them,  1  Cor.  xii.  7.  So  teachers  are  called  fathers. 
Gen.  iv  20  ;  and  the  Spirit  of  God  the  common  Father,  1  Sam.  x. 
12.  It  will  then  make  a  dreadful  reckoning,  for  men  to  have  gifts, 
and  not  lay  them  out  for  the  benefit  of  others ;  to  use  their  gifts 
just  for  ostentation,  and  instead  of  helping,  to  brangle,  and  con- 
found, and  perplex  the  weaker  with  them. 

5.  Fathers  in  years,  to  those  who  are  children  in  respect  of  age 
to  them,  1  Tim.  v.  1,  2.  It  is  Elihu's  observe.  Job.  xxxii.  7.  that 
"  days  should  speak,  and  multitude  of  years  should  teach  wisdom." 
The  more  days  the  more  experience,  the  more  access  to  improve  in 


THE  CHIEF  BUSINESS  OF  LIFE.  615 

knowledge ;  aud  so  to  be  the  more'  useful  to  the  younger.  Miud, 
then,  that  your  superiority  in  years  constitutes  you  fathers  to  those 
younger  than  you.  Ye  will  not  forget  it  in  point  of  the  regard  ye 
expect  from  them,  and  God  allows  you  it,  1  Pet.  v.  5 ;  but  then  ye 
should  make  conscience  of  the  duty  too,  propagating  religion  to 
them. 

Thus  ye  see  the  standing  and  rising  generation.  And  if  these 
fathers  would  set  themselves  to  the  propagating  of  religion  to  their 
respective  children,  the  work  would  go  on. 

III.  The  third  general  head  was  to  shew,  In  what  respects  it  is 
the  special  business  of  life.  The  business  of  life  appointed  by  the 
great  Master  is  manifold ;  but  the  sura  of  it  is  to  honour  God,  Rom. 
xi.  ult ;  and  the  chief  branch  thereof,  the  special  business  of  life,  is 
to  propagate  religion,  the  standing  to  the  rising  generation.  This 
will  appear  in  the  following  particulars. 

1.  It  is  the  business  of  life,  that  would  have  been  the  business  of  it 
though  sin  had  never  entered  into  the  world.  The  business  of  tho 
lawyer,  and  physician,  and  many  handicrafts  now  in  the  world,  owe 
their  original  and  necessity  to  sin's  entrance.  Nay,  the  very  busi- 
ness of  our  own  salvation  does  so  too ;  for  if  Adam  had  stood  the 
time  of  trial,  all  his  posterity's  eternal  happiness  would  have  been 
thereby  secured  to  their  hand.  But  God  having  settled  the  man- 
ner of  the  propagation  of  mankind,  as  Gen.  i.  28.  it  was  an  evidence 
that  the  succeeding  generations  were  not  to  be  created  in  their  prime 
as  Adam  was ;  but  to  be  born  infants,  and  grow  up  by  degrees,  in 
knowledge  of  religion  and  other  things,  as  appears  from  Luke  ii. 
ult.     And  this  would  have  afforded  this  business. 

2.  It  is  the  business  of  life,  that  most  singly  looks  to  the  honour 
of  God.  God  is  honoured  by  our  working  out  our  own  salvation ; 
but  then  our  own  advantage  bears  great  stroke  in  it  allowably,  as 
well  as  his  honour ;  but  this  is  a  business  carried  on  not  for  our- 
selves, but  for  God  allenarly ;  and  in  that  respect  is  the  more  noble. 
Hence  we  find  the  Apostle  willing,  for  the  great  end  of  the  propa- 
gation of  religion,  either  to  live  or  die,  to  put  off  his  own  eternal 
happiness  for  a  time,  Phil.  i.  26,  downwards.  And  he  prefers 
one's  edifying  the  church,  to  his  own  comfort,  1  Cor.  xiv.  4,  5.  He 
edifies  the  church  that  edifies  his  house,  Neh.  iii.  28,  30. 

3.  It  is  the  business  of  life,  that  is  the  end  of  life  and  salvation 
given  to  the  elect,  and  all  their  comforts  and  enjoyments.  Hence 
said  our  Lord  to  Peter,  Luke  xxii.  32.  "  I  have  prayed  for  thee, 
that  thy  faith  fail  not :  and  when  thou  art  converted,  strengthen 
thy  brethren."  We  get  life  and  salvation  by  believing  in  Christ; 
and  are  as  really  possessed  of  eternal  life  that  we  can  never  lose,  upon 

Vol.  V.  2  R  2 


616  TO  PROPAGATE  RELIGION,  &C. 

our  first  believing,  as  the  saints  in  hearen  are,  though  not  in  that 
measure,  1  John  v.  11,  12.  When  the  Lord  had  a  mind  to  honour 
Paul  to  propagate  religion,  he  reached  his  own  heart  first  by  his 
grace  ;  and  then,  having  so  furnished  him,  he  set  him  to  work.  Is 
not  that  the  special  business  of  life  for  which  God  brings  people 
into  a  state  of  salvation  ? 

4.  It  is  the  business  of  life  that  the  new  creature  as  natively 
falls  to  as  the  new-born  infant  falls  a-breathing.  Hence  it  is  said, 
Psal.  xxii.  30,  31.  "  A  seed  shall  serve  him,  it  shall  be  accounted  to 
the  Lord  for  a  generation.  They  shall  come,  and  shall  declare  his 
righteousness  unto  a  people  that  shall  be  born,  tliat  he  hath  done 
this."  So  the  woman  of  Samaria,  John  iv.  29,  "  Come,  see  a  man 
■which  told  me  all  things  that  ever  I  did:  is  not  this  the  Christ?" 
Paul,  as  soon  he  was  converted,  fell  a-propagating  the  religion  that 
before  he  persecuted.  Grace  makes  people  communicative ;  and 
there  is  never  a  soul  in  which  the  leaven  of  grace  is  received,  but 
would,  if  it  could,  leaven  the  whole  world  with  the  same. 

5.  It  is  the  business  of  life  that  is  most  useful  to  mankind.  And 
we  should  remember,  that  both  conscience  and  interest  require  us 
to  live  so  as  to  be  useful  to  our  fellow-creatures  ;  Rom.  xiv.  7. 
"  For  none  of  us  liveth  to  himself,  and  no  man  dieth  to  himself." 
Some  have  been  great  blessings  to  mankind  by  their  usefulness,  in 
propagating  arts  and  sciences,  in  relieving  the  oppressed,  and  help- 
ing the  needy ;  but  none  so  useful  as  those  who  have  propagated  re- 
ligion among  them ;  as  extending  not  only  to  their  good  in  this,  but 
the  other  world.  Is.  xix.  24,  25.  And  a  disposition  to  be  useful  to 
mankind  would  prompt  men  to  this  duty. 

6.  It  is  the  business  of  life  of  the  most  dilfasive  usefulness.  It 
brings  honour  to  God,  comfort  to  one's  self,  and  advantage  to 
others ;  it  brings  advantage  to  their  souls,  tends  to  make  them  holy 
here,  and  happy  hereafter.  It  reaches  not  only  to  the  present  genera- 
tion, but  to  the  generations  yet  unborn  ;  in  so  far  as,  you  propagat- 
ing religion  to  your  children,  they  will  propagate  it  again  to  theirs, 
and  theirs  to  theirs,  and  so  on.  It  is  to  be  lamented,  that  some 
children  follow  not  the  steps  of  their  religious  parents.  But  every- 
body may  observe,  that  there  are  some  families  wherein  one  genera- 
tion after  another  appears  for  God ;  others,  wherein,  generation 
after  generation,  religion  can  never  get  place  among  them.  Trace 
these  back,  and  ye  may  come  to  one  that  was  careful  to  propagate 
religion  to  his  children,  and  his  children  propagated  it  again  to 
theirs,  and  so  on ;  and  to  another  that  had  no  care  that  way  about 
his  children,  and  his  children  had  as  little  again  about  theirs,  and 
so  on. 


TUE  CHIEF  BUSINESS  OF  LIFE.  617 

7.  Lastly,  It  is  the  business  of  life  that  is  the  most  valuable, 
most  worthy  of  the  dignity  of  an  immortal  soul,  and  likest  the  life 
that  Clirist  led  in  the  world.  The  business  of  most  men  is  nothing 
but  laborious  trifling;  their  thoughts,  cares,  and  time,  are  wholly 
spent  on  things  pertaining  to  this  life,  as  if  they  had  souls  of  no 
other  constitution  than  their  bodies.  It  is  nothing  like  the  life  of 
Christ,  who  went  about  doing  good,  propagating  religion  :  1  Pet. 
ii.  21.  *'  Christ  suffered  for  ns,  leaving  us  an  example,  that  ye  should 
follow  his  steps."  Compared  with  1  John  ii.  6.  "  He  that  saith  he 
abideth  in  him,  ought  himself  also  so  to  walk,  even  as  he  walked." 

lY.  The  fourth  thing  proposed  was,  to  shew  In  what  respect  it 
is  the  special  privilege  of  life. 

1.  It  is  that  whereby  we  may  honour  God  most,  and  so  answer 
the  end  of  our  creation  most.  In  our  own  embracing  religion,  we 
receive  the  light,  in  propagating  it  we  diffuse  the  light  received 
to  the  greater  glory  of  God  :  1  Pet.  ii.  9.  "  Ye  are  a  chosen  ge- 
neration, a  royal  priesthood,  an  holy  nation,  a  peculiar  people  ;  that 
ye  should  shew  forth  the  praises  of  hira  who  hath  called  you  out  of 
darkness  into  his  marvellous  light."  Hence  among  those  who  turn 
from  sin  unto  righteousnes,  those  who  turn  most  of  others  to  it 
will  have  the  greatest  glory  :  Dan.  xii.  3.  "  They  that  be  wise,  shall 
shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament ;  and  they  that  turn  many 
to  righteousness,  as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever." 

2.  It  is  that  whereby  we  may  be  most  useful  in  the  world  to 
others.  No  benefit  done  to  our  fellow-creatures  is  comparable  to  it. 
"We  have  indeed  access  to  do  for  their  temporal  advantage,  but  this 
is  for  their  eternal.  And  when  the  opportunity  of  life  is  over, 
there  is  no  more  doing  that  way,  Luke  xvi.  27,  downwards. 

Use.  I.  Of  reproof  to  several  sorts  of  persons.  And, 
1.  To  those  Avho  make  no  conscience  of  jji-opagating  religion  to 
their  families,  among  their  children  and  servants.  Every  man  is,  by 
divine  appointment,  the  prophet  of  his  own  family  to  teach  them, 
the  priest  to  worship  God  with  them,  and  the  king  to  rule  them. 
Each  will  maintain  his  own  authority  to  his  power;  but  family  wor- 
ship, with  many,  is  not  so  closely  stuck  to,  but  family  teaching  least 
of  all,  which  is  yet  commanded  of  God :  Deut.  vi.  6,  7-  "  These 
words  which  I  command  thee  this  day,  shall  be  in  thine  heart.  And 
thou  shalt  teach  them  diligently  unto  thy  children,  and  thou  shalt 
talk  of  them  when  thou  sittest  in  thine  house,  and  when  thou 
walkest  by  the  way,  and  when  thou  liest  down  and  when  thou 
risest  up."  The  want  of  this  makes  ministerial  teaching  in  preach- 
ing and  examination  so  unsuccessful.  How  will  men  answer  this 
neglect  of  the  special  business  of  life  ^ 


618  TO  PROPAGATE  RELIGION,  &C. 

2.  To  those  who  are  backward  and  averse  to  receive  family 
instruction,  or  submit  to  family  discipline,  checks  and  reproofs  for 
their  miscarriages.  They  will  get  away  from  family  catechising 
on  Sabbath  nights,  shift  family  exercise,  and  cannot  endure  to  be 
checked  for  their  miscarriages  ;  and  therefore  they  like  best  to  be 
in  those  families  where  least  of  these  is  to  be  found.  But  if  it  is 
the  duty  of  others  to  propagate  religion  to  you,  it  is  on  the  peril 
of  your  souls  ye  refuse  to  receive  it.  It  will  aggravate  your  con- 
demnation, John  iii.  10. 

3.  To  those  who  set  an  ill  example  before  those  that  are  younger 
than  they.  Much  of  the  corruption  of  children,  is  owing  to  the 
ill  examples  set  them  by  parents,  servants,  and  others  whom  they 
are  near.  This  lets  them  see  much  ill  which  they  would  otherwise 
be  ignorant  of  ;  and  the  bias  of  their  nature  lying  that  way, 
they  are,  by  that  means,  carried  down  the  stream.  So  a  woe  is 
is  brought  on  themselves,  and  them  that  set  them  the  copy  :  Matt, 
xviii.  7.  "  Woe  unto  the  world  because  of  offences  :  for  it  must 
needs  be  that  offences  come  :  but  woe  to  that  man  by  whom  the 
offence  cometh.  Oh  that  men  would  consider,  that  they  do  in  effect 
teach  that  which  they  do  or  say  before  the  younger  sort ;  for  child- 
hood is  the  imitating  age. 

4.  To  those  who  do  not  check  the  outbreaking  of  corrupt  nature 
in  those  of  the  younger  sort,  especially  parents  in  their  children. 
0  the  cruelty  of  some  parents,  who,  by  their  ceasing  to  nip  sin  in 
the  bud  in  their  children,  betray  them  into  such  habits  of  sin  as 
afterwards  it  is  too  late  to  correct.  They  will  neglect  prayer, 
profane  the  Sabbath,  swear,  lie,  and  meet  with  no  check  ;  they  will 
steal  little  things,  and  the  parents  will  make  them  welcome.  And 
thus,  by  their  parent's  means,  some  are  so  accustomed  to  sin,  that, 
as  they  grow,  it  grows,  till  it  brings  some  to  an  ill  end.  Remember 
the  children  of  Bethel,  2  Kings  ii.  23,  24. 

5.  To  those  who  propagate  irreligion  to  the  rising  generation;  who 
teach  a  young  generation  to  despise  serious  godliness,  to  contemn 
the  ordinances  of  God,  and  to  lead  loose  and  licentious  lives,  im- 
patient of  restraint.  Do  they  not  propagate  irreligion  who  keep 
up  their  minced  oaths, "  haith,"  "  faith,"  &c.  which  would  die  out  of 
our  language,  were  it  not  that  they  were  propagated  from  father  to 
son,  from  the  old  to  the  young ;  who  keep  up  the  observation  of 
superstitious  times  and  customs,  Yule,  Fastens-even,  &c.  the  relics 
of  Popery  and  Paganism,  which  might  be  razed  out  of  memory, 
were  it  not  that  they  are  carefully  propagated  from  one  generation 
to  another  ? 

6.  To  those  that   go  about  to  debauch   a  young  generation,  by 


THE  CHIEF  BUSIN/iSS  OF  LIFE.  619 

instilling  into  them  loose  and  licentious  principles,  which  youth  is 
ready  to  fall  in  with ;  by  taking  a  liberty  with  them  in  obscene 
filthy  speaking,  making  youthful  lusts  the  subject  of  their  mirth 
and  sport ;  leading  them  in  to  drunkenness,  an  inlet  to  all  other 
vices  ;  tempting  them  to  the  commission  of  the  sin  of  uncleanness 
with  them,  which  will  be  bitterness  in  the  end  to  the  seducer  and 
the  seduced ;  encouraging  them  to  acts  of  dishonesty,  cheating  and 
stealing  from  their  parents  or  masters.  These  are  factors  for  hell, 
who  do  what  in  them  lies  to  destroy  souls  Christ  died  for. 

7.  To  those  that  are  ready  to  hide  and  cloak  the  scandalous  sins 
of  others,  working  that  they  may  not  be  brought  to  light.  How 
many  poor  souls  of  the  younger  sort,  whom  Satan  has  got  led  aside 
into  the  ways  of  sin,  might  have  been  recovered  out  of  the  snare 
of  the  devil,  if  it  had  not  been  the  cruel  kindness  of  some,  who 
bestirred  themselves  to  cover  their  sins  ?  But  thereby  they  have 
been  hardened  in  their  sin,  and  have  gone  from  evil  to  worse,  till 
at  length  they  have  been  ruined  for  altogether.  See  what  an  awful 
threatening  there  is  pronounced  against  such.  Lev.  v.  1,  "  If  a 
soul  sin,  and  hear  the  voice  of  swearing,  and  is  a  witness,  whether 
he  hath  seen  or  known  of  it ;  if  he  do  not  utter  it,  then  he  shall 
bear  his  iniquity." 

8.  Lastly,  To  those  who  cannot  see  themselves  under  any  obliga- 
tion to  propagate  religion,  and  concern  themselves  as  little  about 
it.  They  think  that  may  be  the  business  of  ministers,  and  possibly 
of  fathers  to  their  own  children  ;  but  not  theirs.  As  soon  as  the 
Spirit  of  God  touches  your  hearts  in  earnest  about  your  own 
salvation  ye  will  change  your  mind ;  ye  will  find  a  natural  concern 
for  the  advancing  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ :  John  iv.  29.  "  Come, 
see  a  man  which  told  me  all  things  that  ever  I  did  :  is  not  this  the 
Christ  ?"  The  love  of  God,  and  of  your  neighbour,  planted  in  the 
heart,  will  create  a  concern  this  way  :  and  not  daring  to  be  against 
him,  and  scatter,  ye  will  be  for  Christ,  and  gather  with  him.  The 
leaven  will  seek. 

Use  2.  Of  Exhortation.  Make  it  the  special  business  of  your  lives 
to  propagate  religion  to  the  rising  generation. 

Motive  1.  There  is  the  strongest  obligations  on  you  for  it.  Ye 
are  in  that  point  under  the  title  of, 

\st.  Divine  authority.  God  commands  you  to  do  it,  requires  it  of 
you.  It  is  commanded  to  all  "  edify  one  another,"  1  Thess.  v.  11 ;  yea, 
all  things  must  be  done  for  that  end,  1  Cor.  xiv.  26.  And  the 
reason  is  plain,  that  God  has  placed  men  in  society,  and  in 
Christian  society,  for  that  end,  liom.  xiv.  7.  And  the  elder  sort 
are  made  tutors  and  teachers  to  the  younger  for  that  end,  Dent,  iv. 
10,  and  xi.  19. 


620  TO  I'KOrAGATE  RELIGION,  &C. 

^dly,  Gratitude  to  God.  Is  not  God  your  Creator,  Preserver, 
and  Sustainer  ?  And  what  can  ye  do  for  liim,  for  all  the  goodness 
bestowed  on  you,  if  ye  do  not  propagate  his  name  and  praise,  and 
strive  to  stir  up  the  love  and  fear  of  him  in  the  rising  generation? 
If  ye  have  any  share  in  the  redemption  of  Christ,  ye  cannot  but 
find  yourselves  under  the  strongest  ties  of  gratitude  for  redeeming 
love,  to  labour  that  his  name  may  be  transmitted  from  generation 
to  generation.  Hence  says  the  Psalmist,  Psal.  Ixxii.  17.  "  His 
name  shall  endure  for  ever:  his  name  shall  be  continued  as  long  as 
the  sun  :  and  men  shall  be  blessed  in  him  ;  all  nations  shall  call 
him  blessed." 

^dly,  Justice  to  former  generations,  who  have  propagated  reli- 
gion to  us.  "What  case  had  we  been  in  this  day  if  it  had  not 
been  for  the  sufferings  of  confessors,  and  the  blood  of  martyrs, 
which  they  underwent,  that  religion  might  be  transmitted  to  us,  and 
by  us,  to  succeeding  generations?  Had  they  given  up  with  it,  it 
had  been  lost  as  to  us.  Now,  they  have  an  interest  in  succeeding 
generations;  and  if  we  propagate  it  not  to  them,  we  betray  our 
trust,  and  are  unjust  to  them,  and  denude  the  succeeding  genera- 
tion of  the  inheritance  of  their  fathers.  We  should,  like  those 
of  Psal.  Ixxviii.  3,  4.  "  Utter  the  things  which  we  have  heard  and 
known,  and  our  fathers  have  told  us ;  not  hiding  them  from  our 
children,  shewing  to  the  generation  to  come  the  praises  of  the  Lord, 
and  his  strength,  and  his  wonderful  works  that  he  hath  done." 

^Lthly,  Our  own  interest.  That  maxim,  Prov.  xi.  24.  "  There  is 
that  scattereth,  and  yet  increaseth  ;  and  there  is  that  withholdeth 
more  than  is  meet,  but  it  tendeth  to  poverty,  holds  in  this,  as  much 
as  in  anything.  Religion  is  a  fire,  which,  being  smothered,  goes 
out ;  but  getting  a  vent,  increaseth.  It  is  like  the  widow's  oil,  that 
increased  in  the  pouring  out ;  and  like  the  bread  that  increased  in 
the  breaking.  Were  men  more  set  on  propagating  religion  to 
others,  they  would  have  more  to  themselves. 

bthly,  Charity  to  the  rising  generation.  Their  eternal  state,  as 
to  well  or  woe,  depends  on-  their  embracing  or  continuing  strangers 
to  religion.  They  need  your  help  ;  for  the  bias  of  their  nature  lies 
the  wrong  way  ;  the  devil  and  an  evil  world  cease  not  to  ply  them 
to  walk  according  to  that  bias  ;  and  if  their  spiritual  enemies  gain 
their  point,  they  are  ruined. 

Mot.  2.  This  is  the  chief  part  of  yonr  generation-work.  The 
Avork  of  onr  own  salvation  must  be  seen  to,  Philip,  ii.  12 ;  but  that 
is  not  all  we  have  to  do.  We  are  to  do  that  for  ourselves ;  but, 
then,  for  the  honour  of  God,  and  the  good  of  our  fellow-creatures, 
we  are  to  ply  cur  generation-work,  Acts  xiii.  36;  and  that  mainly 


THE  CHIEF  BUSINESS  OF  LIFE.  621 

lies  here :  Psal.  cxlv.  4.  "One  generation  shall  praise  thy  works 
to  another,  and  shall  declare  thy  mighty  acts."  Ye  are  all  doing ; 
but  what  are  ye  doing  for  the  honour  of  God,  for  the  service  of  your 
generation  ?  Ye  have  a  room  in  this  generation ;  and  God  who 
set  you  in  it,  will  call  you  to  account  how  ye  fill  it  up. 

Mot.  3.  As  ye  carry  yourselves  in  this  matter,  your  sin  or  your 
good  works  will  be  going  on,  after  ye  are  dead  and  gone,  in  this 
world.  The  last  judgment  we  must  undergo  is  not  without  reason 
delayed  to  the  end  of  the  world ;  for  the  sins  of  wicked  men,  and 
the  good  works  of  the  godly,  will  then  be  hugely  increased  beyond 
what  they  are  at  their  death.  Good  Abel  is  useful  to  this  day; 
Heb.  xi.  4.  "  He  being  dead,  yet  spcaketh."  Haman  in  his  life  set 
a  mischief  a-going,  which  continued  after  ho  was  gone,  Esth.  viii. 
3 ;  and  the  sin  of  Jeroboam,  the  first  king  of  Israel,  continued  till 
that  kingdom  was  at  an  end,  2  Kings  xvii.  22,  23.  If  ye  propagate 
religion  to  the  rising  generation,  that  good  work  will  survive  you  ; 
and  if  ye  neglect  it,  your  criminal  omission  may  live  and  destroy 
souls  long  after  ye  are  gone,  which  will  be  laid  to  your  charge  at 
the  great  day. 

Mot.  4.  It  is  a  noble  and  beneficial  work.  Hence  says  the  Apos- 
tle James,  chap.  v.  19,  20.  "  Brethren,  if  any  of  you  do  err  from  the 
truth,  and  one  convert  him ;  let  him  know,  that  he  which  convert- 
eth  the  sinner  from  the  error  of  his  way,  shall  save  a  soul  from 
death,  and  shall  hide  a  multitude  of  sins."  To  save  a  soul  from 
perishing  is  such  noble  work  that  it  is  an  honourable  working  to 
be  aiming  at  it,  and  using  means  to  compass  it. 

Mot.  5.  Lastly,  The  doom  of  unprofitable  servants  is  dreadful ; 
Matth.  XXV.  30.  "  Cast  ye  the  unprofitable  servant  into  outer  dark- 
ness :  there  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth."  No  man  can 
profit  God,  but  every  man  may  and  ought  to  profit  others.  Job 
XXXV.  7,  8,  laying  out  their  talents  for  the  good  of  others;  and,  if 
they  do  it  not,  they  will  be  cast  into  outer  darkness,  as  those  who 
would  not  work  when  they  had  the  light. 

Object.  But  they  are  froward,  and  -will  not  receive  instruction, 
nor  take  advice.  Ans.  That  is  a  part  of  their  natural  disease.  Job 
xi.  12.  Men  take  pains  to  break  young  beasts,  till  they  make  them 
tractable :  and  shall  they  not  be  at  pains  with  those  of  their  own 
kind  ?  The  waters  wear  the  stones  ;  and  what  has  often  slipped  off", 
may  at  length  come  to  stick.  And  a  word  spoken  to  them  for 
their  good,  may  lie  long  under  the  clod,  but  spring  up  at  length. 
But  our  success  is  not  the  rule  of  our  duty ;  we  must  do  our  part. 

But  more  particularly,  let  heads  of  families  be  exhorted  to  propa- 
gate religion  to  their  children  and  families. 


622  'i'O  PKOrAGATE  KELIGION,  &C. 

Mot.  1.  Consider  ye  have  a  charge  of  their  souls,  from  God  who 
has  committed  them  to  you.  Hence  the  fourth  commandment,  the 
bond  of  all  religion,  is  directed  to  heads  of  families.  And  in 
Abraham's  example  their  duty  is  laid  before  them,  Gen.  xviii.  19. 
"  I  know  him,"  says  the  Lord,  "  that  he  will  command  his  children, 
and  his  household  after  him,  and  they  shall  keep  the  way  of  the 
Lord,  to  do  justice  and  judgment." 

Mot.  2.  They  are  born  like  wild  asses'  colts,  and  have  a  natural 
bent  to  the  way  of  sin  and  destruction ;  Psal.  Iviii.  3.  "  The  wicked 
are  estranged  from  the  womb,  they  go  astray  as  soon  as  they  be 
born,  speaking  lies."  It  is  too  fond  and  blind  a  love  to  your  chil- 
dren, that  makes  you  take  no  notice  of  the  corruption  of  their 
nature.  And  if  they  are  naturally  corrupt,  what  can  ye  expect  but 
that  they  will  run  to  their  own  ruin,  if  ye  are  not  at  pains  with 
them  for  their  souls'  good?  Hence  says  Solomon,  Pro  v.  xxix.  15. 
"  The  rod  and  reproof  give  wisdom :  but  a  child  left  to  himself, 
bringeth  his  mother  to  shame." 

Mot.  3.  Parents  propagate  that  corruption  of  nature  to  them,  by 
natural  generation.  The  sinful  nature  of  children  is  a  glass 
wherein  the  parents  may  get  a  humbling  view  of  their  own  :  Gen.  v. 
3.  "  Adam  begat  a  son  in  his  own  likeness,  after  his  image ;  and 
called  his  name  Seth."  Compared  with  Job  xiv.  4.  "  Who  can 
bring  a  clean  thing  out  of  an  unclean  ?  not  one."  Have  ye  been  in- 
strumental in  conveying  the  poison  to  them,  and  will  ye  not  be 
thereby  stirred  up  to  minister  the  antidote  to  them  ? 

Mot.  4.  They  are  in  the  midst  of  many  snares,  entered  into  a 
world  wherein  offences  abound,  Matt,  xviii.  7-  Their  youth  makes 
them  raw  and  unexperienced,  and  disposes  them  to  be  rash  and 
heedless.  They  have  need  of  a  monitor,  and  instructor,  and  guide, 
flow  shall  they  learn,  if  they  are  not  taught  ? 

Mot.  5.  Ye  must  die ;  and  it  is  like  will  die  before  them,  and 
leave  them  in  this  evil  world.  Will  ye  not  be  concerned  for  them, 
that  it  may  be  well  with  them  when  ye  are  away  ?  Your  concern 
for  their  temporal  provision  will  not  make  it  well  with  them,  while 
ye  are  not  concerned  to  sow  the  seeds  of  religion  in  their  hearts. 
That  will  be  but  to  give  much  sail  to  an  empty  ship  without  ballast, 
that  may  sink  her  in  the  deep  sea,  as  is  seen  in  the  sad  experience 
of  many. 

Mot.  6.  They  must  die;  and  it  may  be  they  may  die  before  you, 
and  leave  you ;  and  then  they  will  have  no  use  for  all  the  temporal 
provision  ye  have  laboured  for,  for  them.  But  religion  propagated 
by  you  to  them,  will  then  appear  a  precious  treasure.  But  if  ye 
have  neglected  that  duty  to  them,  that  will  then  appear  a  criminal 


THE  CUIKF  BUSINESS  OF  LIFE.  623 

neglect  which  ye  will  never  more  be  capable  to  mend ;  and  it  will 
leave  a  galling  sting  in  your  conscience,  if  ye  be  not  qnite  stupid. 

Mot.  7.  Lastly,  What  comfort  can  ye  have  in  their  case,  while  ye 
can  have  no  comfortable  prospect  of  their  eternal  happiness  ?  If 
they  were  to  be  lords  and  ladies  in  this  world,  but  to  perish  eter- 
nally in  another  world,  what  comfort  can  be  there  ?  The  barren 
womb  and  dry  breasts  are  preferable  to  the  bringing  forth  children 
to  the  murderers;  much  more  to  the  bringing  forth  children  for 
hell-fire. 

Let  these  things  work  upon  your  consciences,  and  on  your  natural 
affection,  to  bestir  yourselves  towards  the  propagating  of  religion  to 
the  rising  generation.  If  ye  have  any  conscience  of  duty  towards 
God,  any  humanity  towards  your  fellow-creatui'es,  neglect  it  no 
more.     For  particular  directions,  I  propose, 

DocT.  III.  ult.  The  true  way  of  propagating  religion,  the  stand- 
ing to  the  rising  generation,  is,  that  the  former  makes  God  known  to 
the  latter,  so  as  they  may  betake  themselves  unto  him,  his  truth  and 
faithfulness,  by  faith  and  trust.  This  is  the  sense  of  the  words  of 
the  text,  and  agreeable  to  the  matter,  Hezekiah's  life  being  pro- 
longed in  virtue  of  that  promise,  1  Kings  viii.  25.  "  There  shall 
not  fail  thee  a  man  in  my  sight  to  sit  on  the  throne  of  Israel  ;  so 
that  thy  children  take  heed  to  their  way,  that  they  walk  before  me." 
So  this  notification  is  not  of  the  matter  as  a  speculation,  but  as  a 
practical  thing,  that  the  rising  generation  may  be  brought  to  God. 

In  discoursing  this  doctrine,  we  shall  consider, 

I.  The  end  to  be  aimed  at  in  our  teaching  the  rising  generation. 

II.  The  means  to  be  used  with  them  for  that  end. 

III.  Give  the  reasons  why  this  is  the  true  way  of  propagating 
religion,  the  standing  to  the  rising  generation. 

lY.  Lastly,  Apply. 

I.  "We  shall  consider  the  end  to  aimed  at  in  our  teaching  the 
rising  generation.  And  that  is,  that  they  may  be  brought  to  betake 
themselves  unto  the  truth  of  God  by  faith  and  hope.  This  is  ex- 
pressly taught,  Psal.  Ixxviii.  6,  7.  "  That  the  generation  to  come 
miglit  know  them,  even  the  children  which  should  be  born  :  who 
should  arise,  and  declare  them  to  their  children  :  that  they  might 
set  their  hope  in  God,  and  not  forget  the  works  of  God  ;  but  keep 
his  commandments."     Now,  here  we  are  to  consider, 

1.  What  is  this  truth  of  God  we  are  to  endeavour  to  bring  the 
rising  generation  to.  2.  How  one  betakes  himself  unto  God's  truth, 
wliich  is  that  we  should  aim  to  bring  the  rising  generation  to. 

First,  What  is  this  truth  of  God  we  are  to  endeavour  to  bring  the 


G24  THE  TllUE  WAY  OF  PROPAOATING  RELIGION. 

rising  gPiieration  to  ?   The  truth  of  God  may  be  considered  tliree 
ways. 

1.  In  the  divine  doctrine  in  general.  And  thns  whatever  the 
Lord  teaches  in  his  word  is  true  to  a  title.  Hence  says  David, 
Psal.  cxix.  160.  "Thy  word  is  true."  All  the  discoveries  made  to  us 
therein  are  to  be  relied  on  as  most  firm  truth.  But  that  truth  of 
doctrine  is  not  here  meant ;  for  it  belongs  to  the  means,  the  object  to 
be  made  known. 

2.  In  the  divine  threatenings.  They  are  not  mere  scarecrows,  as 
the  wicked  world  looks  on  them,  and  disregards  them,  Deut.  xxix. 
19  ;  but  shall  have  a  certain  accomplishment  in  their  true  meaning 
and  intention  ;  for  which  cause  believers  of  God's  word  tremble  at 
them,  Is.  Ixvi,  2.  But  neither  is  this  here  meant ;  since  it  is  not 
the  object  of  hope,  but  of  fear. 

3.  In  the  divine  promises.  These  are  of  two  sorts.  (1.)  Law 
promises;  as,  "He  that  doth  them,  shall  live  in  them."  This  can- 
not be  here  meant  neither  ;  for  no  man  can  be  happy  that  way,  Rom. 
viii.  3.  (2.)  The  gospel-promises ;  such  as,  John  iii.  16.  "  God  so 
loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  him,  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  Heb. 
viii.  10.  "  This  is  the  covenant  that  I  will  make  with  the  house  of  Is- 
rael after  those  days,  saith  the  Lord  ;  I  will  put  my  laws  into  their 
mind,  and  write  them  in  their  hearts  :  and  I  will  be  to  them  a  God, 
and  they  shall  be  to  me  a  j>eople."  The  belief  of  those  is  more  diffi- 
cult ;  but  it  is  by  them  a  soul  can  only  be  made  happy,  2  Pet.  i.  4. 
Therefore  it  is  the  truth  or  faithfulness  of  God  in  the  promise  of  the 
gospel  that  is  here  meant.  That  is  it  we  are  to  endeavour  to  bring 
the  rising  generation  to. 

Now,  the  promise  of  the  gospel  is  held  forth  under  the  notion  of 
God's  truth,  on  these  accounts. 

1.  In  respect  of  the  weight  of  the  things  promised  therein.  They 
are  so  great  and  weighty,  that,  were  not  the  infallible  truth  of  God 
impawned  for  them,  they  could  not  be  believed  by  sensible  guilty 
creatures  ;  2  Pet.  i.  4,  "  "Whereby  are  given  unto  us  exceeding 
great  and  precious  promises ;  that  by  these  you  might  be  partakers 
of  the  divine  nature."  Compared  with  Luke  xxiv.  25,  26,  "  Then 
Jesus  said  unto  them,  0  fools,  and  slow  of  heart  to  believe  all  that 
the  prophets  have  spoken  !  Ought  not  Christ  to  have  suffered  these 
things,  and  to  enter  into  his  glory  ?"  That  the  eternal  Son  of  God 
should  take  on  man's  nature,  and  suffer  the  most  ignominious  death 
therein,  for  sinners,  who  could  have  believed  on  another  than  God's 
own  testimony  ?  That  God  freely  giA^es  eternal  life  in  him  to  sin- 
ners, as  1  John  v.  11,  who  otherwise  could  believe  ? 


THE  TRUE  WAY  OF  PROPAGATINa  IlELIGION.  625 

2.  The  fouudation  of  believing  it  is  in  God  only.  A  true  believer 
"  receives  the  kingdom  of  God  as  a  little  child,"  Mark  x.  15,  on  the 
mere  testimony  of  his  Father.  There  is  nothing  in  nature's  light  to 
bring  us  to  the  belief  of  the  gospel.  So  faith  is  called  "  the  evi- 
dence of  things  not  seen,"  Heb.  xi.  1.  The  threatening  of  death  in 
the  law,  a  natural  conscience  prompts  men  to  believe,  Rom.  i.  ult. 
and  ii.  15.  But  the  promise  of  life  in  the  gospel,  depending 
allenary  on  revelation,  the  belief  of  it  rests  on  the  truth  of  God 
only  ;  yea,  nature  rises  up  against  it.  The  corrupt  miud  looks  on 
it  as  foolishness  ;  the  corrupt  will  rejects  it ;  the  corrupt  aifectiona 
muster  themselves  up  against  it ;  and  the  natural  conscience,  the 
more  it  is  awakened,  the  more  hard  it  makes  the  belief  of  it.  So 
the  truth  of  God  has  all  these  to  drive  over  and  pull  down.  Hence, 
says  the  apostle,  2  Cor.  x.  4,  5,  "  The  weapons  of  our  warfare  are 
not  carnal,  but  mighty  through  God  to  the  pulling  down  of  strong- 
holds ;  casting  down  imaginations,  and  every  high  thing  that  ex- 
alteth  itself  against  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  bringing  into  cap- 
tivity every  thought  to  the  obedience  of  Christ." 

3.  In  opposition  to  the  falsehood,  vanity,  and  lies  of  the  world, 
which  sinners  naturally  betake  themselves  to. 

1st,  The  world  swarms  with  lies,  and  has  always  since  Satan 
hatched  the  first  lie  in  it.  The  things  of  the  world  are  lies,  1  John 
ii.  16;  the  men  of  the  world  are  liars,  Rom.  iii.  4;  yea,  the  best  of 
them  a  lie,  Psal.  Ixii.  9.  There  is  no  trusting  of  them,  Jer.  xvii. 
5,6. 

2dli/,  The  world  itself  is  one  great  lie,  Eccl.  i.  2.  Its  appearances 
are  unfair  and  deceitful ;  it  appears  to  vain  man  quite  another  thing 
than  it  is ;  its  shadows  appear  substantial,  and  so  catch  the  unwary 
heart,  Hos.  xii.  1,  8.  Yet  it  is  "  that  which  is  not,"  Prov.  xxiii.  5. 
It  is  not  what  it  seems  to  be.  Its  promises  are  false,  it  never  per- 
forms them  ;  the  good  things  of  it  are  always  greater  in  expectation 
than  fruition ;  they  disappoint,  which  is  lying  in  scripture-style, 
Hab.  iii.  17. 

Secondly,  How  one  betakes  himself  unto  God's  truth,  which  is 
that  we  should  aim  to  bring  the  rising  generation  to.  It  lies  in 
these  five  things. 

1.  In  the  conviction  of  the  vanity  of  the  world,  and  its  deceitful 
lusts.  Hence  says  David,  Psal.  cxix.  96,  "I  have  seen  an  end  of 
all  perfection ;  but  thy  commandment  is  exceeding  broad."  The 
false  and  vain  world  offers  itself  as  a  satisfying  portion  to  the  rising 
generation,  as  soon  as  reason  begins  to  dawn  in  them.  To  the  in- 
fant it  makes  its  court  by  the  lust  of  the  flesh  in  meat  and  drink ; 
to  the  child  by  that,  and  the  pride  of  life  in  clothing;  and  it  is  long 


626  TIU:  TRVIK  WAY  OF  PROPArrATIN<J   KELIUION. 

ere  they  know  there  is  any  thing  better  than  these.  To  the  youth 
it  spreads  out  its  all,  "  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  the  lust  of  the  eyes, 
and  the  pride  of  life  ;"  and  whatever  notions  of  religion  they  may 
have  in  their  heads,  till  grace  open  their  eyes,  they  will  never  truly 
see  any  thing  to  be  better.  Now,  we  should  labour  to  convince 
them  of  the  vanity  of  the  world,  that  it  will  never  satisfy,  nor  afford 
a  rest  to  the  heart;  that  its  lusts  are  deceitful,  and  there  in  a  ruin- 
ing hook  hid  under  that  bait. 

2.  In  renouncing  of  the  world  for  a  portion,  and  its  lusts  for  our 
way,  as  being  a  broken  reed,  that  will  not  only  not  bear  our  weight, 
but  run  through  the  hand  that  leans  on  it.  Hence  it  is  said,  Jer.  xvi. 
19,  "  The  Gentiles  shall  come  unto  the  Lord  from  the  ends  of  the 
earth,  and  shall  say,  Surely  our  fathers  have  inherited  lies,  vanity, 
and  things  wherein  there  is  no  profit."  It  is  natural  to  man,  and 
therefore  to  the  rising  generation,  to  stick  by  it,  and  not  to  give 
over  the  pursuit ;  but  after  a  thousand  disappointments  still  to  hope 
for  better  from  it,  Is.  Ivii.  10.  And  the  little  experience  youth  has, 
makes  them  the  more  ready  to  do  so.  But  we  should  endeavour  to 
bring  them  to  part  with  it,  as  a  hopeless  thing  they  will  never  mend 
themselves  of,  Psal.  iv.  2. 

3.  In  believing  that  there  is  an  upmaking  portion  held  forth  in 
the  promise  of  the  gospel.  This  is  the  finding  of  the  treasure  hid  in 
the  field,  Matth.  xiii.  44.  The  carnal  mind  looks  on  the  promise  of 
the  gospel  but  as  idle  tales ;  it  is  a  treasure  hid  in  a  field,  which  men 
go  over  without  noticing  what  is  in  it,  because  they  see  it  not.  But 
Christ  is  there,  and  in  him  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead,  and  with  him 
all  things  enough  to  satisfy  the  boundless  desires  of  a  soul.  And 
could  we  bring  the  rising  generation  really  to  believe  this,  we  would 
do  a  great  thing. 

4.  In  trusting  to  the  promise  of  the  gospel  allenary  for  life  and 
happiness,  and  a  rest  to  the  heart,  upon  the  ground  of  God's  faith- 
fulness. Here  is  the  nature  of  faith,  a  betaking  one's  self  unto 
God's  truth,  by  trusting  to  him  in  his  word  of  promise  for  all, 
Ruth  ii.  12.  It  implies  these  three  things.  The  soul  seeiig  there 
is  in  the  promise  what  is  not  in  all  the  creation,  enough  to  answer 
all  its  needs,  and  to  make  it  completely  happy, 

1st,  Believes  its  own  common  interest  in  the  promise,  that  itself, 
as  well  as  others,  has  access  to  claim  it  with  all  that  is  in  it,  and  to 
rely  on  it  as  held  out  to  him  in  particular  to  trust  upon  for  his  up- 
making  in  time  and  eternity,  Heb.  iv.  1,  2.  For  no  man  can  em- 
brace the  promise  of  the  gospel,  that  does  not  first  see  himself 
warranted  so  to  do.  And  the  nature  of  the  promise  warrants  all, 
John  iii.  16,  "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  be- 


THE  TRUE  WAY  OF  PROPAGATIXG  RELIGIOK.  627 

gotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him,  should  not  perish,  but 
have  everlasting  life. 

2dlif,  The  man  thereupon  lays  the  weight  of  his  happiness  wholly 
on  it,  trusting  that  it  shall  be  made  out  to  him,  and  expecting  all 
happiness  from  it.  Thus  he  buys  the  field,  takes  possession  of  it, 
and  the  treasure  hid  therein,  Matth.  xiii.  44.  This  is  the  embracing 
of  the  promise,  Heb.  xi.  1-3.  as  one  takes  an  honest  man's  word  for 
his  security,  rests  there,  and  looks  no  further.  So  what  trust  was 
before  placed  in  a  vain  world,  is  now  j)laced  in  the  promise. 

3(Wj/,  The  ground  on  which  he  bottoms  this  his  trust  in  the  pro- 
mise is  not  any  thing  in  himself,  but  the  truth  and  faithfulness  of 
God,  Tit.  i.  2.  The  man  sees  the  promise  is  not  yea  and  nay,  as  the 
promises  of  fickle  men  are  ;  but  that  it  is  the  word  of  God  which  is 
surer  than  heaven  and  earth,  Heb.  xi.  11,  and  "  yea  in  Christ," 
2  Cor.  i.  20.  And  to  this  trust  we  should  labour  to  bring  the  rising 
generation,  which  is  to  bring  them  unto  a  rest  for  their  restless 
hearts,  by  bringing  them  to  Christ,  and  by  him  to  God.  When  we 
see  hungry  infants  moving  about  with  their  mouths  for  something  to 
suck,  natural  aftection  teaches  to  set  them  on  the  breast ;  but  as 
they  grow  up,  ye  might  observe  their  hungry  souls  moving  up  and 
down  among  the  creatures  for  a  fill,  and  still  restless  because  they 
cannot  get  it.  It  would  be  as  great  charity  in  that  case,  to  endea- 
vour to  bring  them  to  the  breasts  of  divine  consolations  in  the  pro- 
mise of  the  gospel. 

5.  Lastli/,  In  hoping  and  waiting  for  their  happiness  from  the  pro- 
mise of  the  gospel.  Hence  says  the  apostle,  Rom.  viii.  24,  25,  "  We 
are  saved  by  hope :  but  hope  that  is  seen  is  not  hope  :  for  what  a 
man  seeth,  why  doth  he  yet  hope  for  ?  But  if  we  hope  for  that  we 
see  not,  then  do  we  with  patience  wait  for  it."  There  is  much  got 
out  of  the  promise,  for  the  present,  in  hand  ;  but  still  there  is  more 
in  hope,  to  be  got  on  the  other  side  of  death.  The  natural  cry  is, 
"  Who  will  show  us  any  good?"  It  is  hard  to  make  children  wait 
even  for  temporal  good  things ;  they  would  aye  have  all  presently, 
whenever  they  take  it  in  their  head  :  but  it  is  harder  to  get  them  to 
wait  in  the  matter  of  a  portion  for  their  hearts.  So  they  greedily 
embrace  the  present  world.  But  we  should  labour  to  get  them  off 
that,  and  wait  for  happiness  in  another  world. 

II.  The  means  to  be  used  with  them  for  that  end.  That  is,  to 
make  God  known  to  them.  He  is  to  many  of  the  aged  among  men 
an  unknown  God,  as  to  any  saving  acquaintance  with  him  :  but  to 
young  ones,  he  is  au  unknown  God,  so  much  as  by  report  or  hearsay, 
till  the  aged  do  tell  them  of  him.  The  saving  knowledge  of  himself 
God  only  can  give  :  but  there  is  a  doctrinal  making  of  him  known 


628  THE  TRUE  WAY  OF  TROrAGATING  RELIGION. 

to  the  rising  generation  :  and  that  is  onr  duty,  Psal.  xxii.  ult. 
"  They  shall  come,  and  shall  declare  his  righteousness  unto  a  people 
that  shall  be  born,  that  he  hath  done  this." 

Novr,  ye  are  to  make  him  known  to  the  rising  generation  as  a 
God  in  Christ,  John  xiv.  9  :  for  as  such  only  he  is  the  object  of  a 
guilty  creature's  trust  for  salvation,  2  Cor.  v.  19.  The  blind  world 
pretend  to  trust  in  God  as  an  absolute  God,  not  eyeing  him  as  in 
Christ :  but  so  he  is  "  a  consuming  fire,"  Heb.  xii.  ult.  And  he  is 
not  honoured,  but  dishonoured  by  such  a  trust,  John  v.  23.  In 
Christ  he  appears, 

1.  As  a  God  of  majesty  and  glory,  2  Cor.  iv,  6.  There  is  no  glass 
in  which  ye  can  represent  to  the  rising  generation  the  glory  and 
majesty  of  God  so  lively  as  in  Christ.  The  creating  a  world  of  no- 
thing, the  deluge,  destruction  of  Sodom,  are  but  dim  glasses,  in  com- 
parison of  the  mystery  of  Christ.  Here  the  glory  of  his  infinite  ho- 
liness, and  infinite  hatred  of  sin,  his  exact  justice,  his  precise  and 
unalterable  truth,  his  unsearchable  wisdom,  most  fully  appear. 

2.  As  the  God  of  grace,  1  Pet.  v.  10.  The  former  view  of  God  is 
apt  to  fill  the  soul  with  the  honour,  awe,  and  reverence  of  him,  fit 
ballast  for  the  vain  heart:  this  view  of  God  is  apt  to  fill  the  soul 
with  faith  and  love,  whereby  the  heart  may  be  disengaged  from  the 
vain  world,  and  knit  to  him  as  the  alone  upmaking  portion  of  the 
soul.  In  Christ  ye  can  let  them  see  majesty  vailed  with  mercy, 
righteousness  and  peace  kissing  mutually,  a  crystal  wall  to  go  be- 
tween them  and  the  consuming  fire. 

III.  The  third  thing  is.  To  give  the  reasons  why  this  is  the  true 
way  of  propagating  religion,  the  standing  to  the  rising  generation. 

1.  Because  all  true  religion  begins  with  the  knowledge  of  God  in 
Christ.  Hence  our  Lord  says,  John  xvii.  3,  "  This  is  life  eternal, 
that  they  might  know  thee  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ 
whom  thou  hast  sent."  As  long  as  ignorance  of  God  continues  in 
the  soul,  the  prince  of  darkness  rules  there,  the  works  of  darkness 
go  on  there,  and  the  party  is  on  the  way  to  everlasting  darkness, 
Hos.  iv.  6;  Isa.  xxvii.  11.  Therefore  cruel  are  they  thiit  bring  np 
young  ones,  whether  children  or  servants,  in  ignorance  ;  especially 
considering,  that  it  is  the  learning  age,  which  season  missed,  the  loss 
is  seldom  retrieved. 

2.  Because  vain  is  that  religion  and  knowledge  that  brings  not 
the  soul  to  betake  itself  to  God's  truth  for  a  portion,  and  to  re- 
nounce the  world  and  its  way,  1  Cor.  viii.  1.  Our  aim  in  all  our 
teaching  should  be  to  affect  the  heart,  to  bring  sinners  to  God,  to 
be  his  only,  wholly,  and  for  ever.  To  satisfy  ourselves  with  filling 
their  heads  with  notions  of  religion,  while  we  are  careless  of  getting 
their  hearts  to  Christ,  is  sorry  service. 


THK  TRUE  AVAY  OF  PROPA&ATiXa  RELIGHOV.  629 

3.  Because  the  right  discerning  of  the  glory  of  God  in  Clirist,  is 
the  true  way  to  bring  a  sinner  to  faith  in  him  :  Psal.  ix.  10.  "  They 
that  know  thy  name  will  put  their  trust  in  thee."  John.  iv.  10. 
Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  her,  if  thou  knewest  the  gift  of  God, 
and  who  it  is  that  saith  to  thee,  give  me  to  drink ;  thou  wouldst 
hare  asked  of  him,  and  he  would  have  given  thee  living  water." 
All  who  are  brought  acquainted  with  him,  cannot  choose  but  take 
up  their  soul's  rest  in  him  :  and  whoever  do  not  betake  themselves 
to  him,  it  is  because  they  know  him  not.  For  his  glorious  excel- 
lency truly  discerned,  cannot  miss  to  captivate  the  heart. 

Use.  Make  God  known  to  the  rising  generation,  so  as  they  may 
be  stirred  up  to  give  up  with  the  vain  and  false  world,  and  to  be- 
take themselves  to  the  promise  of  the  gospel,  therein  to  take  God 
for  their  portion.  I  have  given  motives  already,  I  will  now  give 
directions  how  to  manage  the  work. 

1.  A  general  direction.  Aim  at  that  particularly,  and  keep  it 
always  in  your  view,  to  teach  them  to  know  God  in  Christ.  Never 
satisfy  yourselves  with  letting  them  know,  what  God  is  in  himself 
out  of  Christ ;  for  that  may  strike  them  with  terror,  but  it  will 
never  bring  them  to  him  in  faith  and  love.  But  labour  to  discover 
to  them  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus.  Shew  them  Christ, 
and  ye  shew  them  the  Father  :  for  in  him  the  fulness  of  the  God- 
head dwells.  In  his  person,  yon  may  let  them  see  God's  willing- 
ness to  take  mankind  into  union  and  communion  with  himself;  in 
his  offices,  how  willing  he  is  to  teach  them,  justify  them,  and 
sanctify  them  ;  in  his  holy  birth,  what  a  nature  is  pleasing  to  him ; 
in  his  righteous  life,  what  a  conversation  he  requires  ;  in  his  satis- 
factory death,  how  dreadful  his  wrath  is  against  sin ;  and  in  a  word, 
how  they  may  be  made  holy  and  happy  for  ever.  Therefore  incul- 
cate on  them  the  knowledge  of  Christ.  I  urge  this  for  three  rea- 
sons. 

15^,  Do  this,  and  ye  do  all  to  them.  Hence  says  the  Apostle, 
1  Cor.  ii.  2.  "  I  determined  not  to  know  any  thing  among  you,  save 
Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified,"  When  the  darkness  of  the  night 
sits  down  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  as  many  candles  as  are  burning 
abroad,  so  many  spots  of  the  earth,  will  be  enlightened  :  but  let 
the  sun  arise,  and  there  will  be  light  over  all ;  for  the  one  sun  will 
do  more  than  millions  of  lighted  candles.  So  whenever  Christ  the 
Sun  of  righteousness  ariseth,  that  gross  darkness  which  covers  the 
mind,  will  suddenly  be  dispelled.  There  is  more  of  the  glory  of  God 
to  be  seen  in  the  face  of  Jesus,  than  throughout  the  whole  compass 
of  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  which  yet  were  made  to  declare  the 

2s 


630  TJIE  TRUE  WAY  OF  rHOPAGATING  RELIGION. 

glory  of  God.     Life,  eternal  life,  is  in  the  knowledge  of  him,  John 
xvii.  3. 

^dly,  Neglect  this,  and  ye  do  nothing  to  them  to  purpose.  Hence 
says  Christ,  "  John  viii.  24. — If  ye  believe  not  that  I  am  he,  ye  shall 
die  in  your  sins."  That  light  that  is  without  him  is  but  darkness, 
and  the  sparks  of  knowledge  and  religion  that  is  without  illumination 
in  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  will  leave  those  that  walk  in  the  light 
of  them,  to  lie  down  in  sorrow  at  length,  John  i.  9.  Not  one  truth  is 
rightly  learned  as  it  centres  in  Jesus,  Eph.  iv.  20.  21. 

2>dly,  Because  the  rising  generation  is  in  extreme  hazard  in  this 
point  at  this  time,  beyond  what  they  have  been  for  many  years.  A 
religion  is  like  to  come  in  among  them,  that  has  no  relation  to  Christ 
and  his  Spirit,  which  is  in  effect  but  refined  Paganism.  With  some 
Christ  is  almost  dropt  out  of  their  practical  divinity,  and  morality 
in  doctrine  is  justling  out  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God ;  and  hence 
immorality  in  practice  comes  in  like  a  flood.  And  principles  are 
vented  highly  injurious  to  his  glorious  Godhead. 

2.  Particular  directions  are  these. 

\st,  Acquant  them  with  God's  word.  Let  your  children  be  learn- 
ed to  read ;  and  your  servants  that  cannot  read,  be  so  charitable  as  to 
teach  them.  And  ye  such  servants  secure  that  in  your  hiring  of 
yourselves.  And  press  them,  and  stir  them  up  to  read  the  scriptures 
ordinarily  when  they  can  do  it.  It  is  recorded  of  Timothy,  to  his 
honour,  that  "  from  a  child  he  had  known  the  holy  scriptures,  which 
are  able  to  make  men  wise  unto  salvation,  through  faith  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus,"  2  Tim.  iii.  15. 

2dly,  Neglect  not  family-catechising.  Oblige  them  to  get  the 
Shorter  Catechism,  and  labour  to  make  them  understand  it  by  ex- 
amining them.  For  which  cause  ye  have  many  good  helps  laid  to 
your  hand. 

Zdly,  Often  inculcate  on  them  their  sinful  and  miserable  state  bj 
nature,  and  the  salvation  for  them  in  Jesus  Christ. 

4ithly,  Join  a  practical  exhortation  with  your  catechising.  It 
might  be  profitable  to  close  the  catechising  on  every  question  of  the 
Catechism  upon  a  particular  heed,  with  a  short  admonition  to  them 
by  way  of  use.  Ex.  gr.  on  the  first.  Well,  mind  that  the  great  thing 
ye  have  to  do  in  the  world,  is  to  glorify  God ;  and  that  the  great 
thing  ye  have  to  seek,  is  the  enjoyment  of  him. 

bthly,  Inculcate  upon  them,  and  train  them  up  in  a  reverence  and 
esteem  of  the  ministry  of  the  gospel,  as  an  ordinance  of  Christ  for 
the  salvation  of  sinners.  And  oblige  your  family  to  a  conscientious 
attendance  ;  none  of  them  to  sit  at  home  that  are  capable  of  profit- 
ing by  the  word,  without  a  reason  that  will  bear  weight  before  God^ 


THE  TRUE  WAY  OF  TROPAGATING  RELIGION.  631 

1  Cor.  i.  21.  I  urge  this  the  rather  that  some  are  trained  up  in  a 
neglect,  or  in  a  contempt  of  it,  to  the  ensnaring  of  their  poor  souls. 
Mind  the  poor  children  of  Bethel. 

Qthly,  Inculcate  and  labour  to  impress  them  with  the  belief  of  the 
vanity  of  the  world,  and  the  impossibility  of  finding  a  rest  to  their 
heart  in  any  creature.  Tell  it  them  from  the  word,  your  own  and 
their  experience. 

Ithly,  Inculcate  and  labour  to  impress  them  with  the  belief  of  the 
full  happiness  to  be  found  in  a  God  in  Christ,  held  forth  to  them  in 
the  promise  of  the  gospel.  Solemnly  assure  them,  that  there  they 
may  find  a  rest  to  their  heart ;  and  that  God  is  ofi'ering  himself  to 
them  as  such. 

Qthly,  Make  it  known  to  them,  how  good  a  master  God  is ;  how 
pleasant  the  way  of  holiness  is  ;  what  an  ill  master  Satan  is  ;  how 
contrary  and  odious  sin  is  to  God  ;  how  dear  it  stood  Christ ;  how 
bitter  it  will  be  to  the  sinner  here  or  hereafter. 

Qthly,  Put  them  on  praying  by  any  means,  and  teach  them  to  pray, 
and  inculcate  on  them  the  necessity  of  it, 

\Qthly,  Make  known  to  them  how  God  is  a  God  of  exact  justice, 
and  purest  truth  :  and  from  thence,  as  ye  love  their  souls,  endeavour 
often  to  inculcate  on  them,  and  impress  them  with  a  horror  of  inju- 
stice in  the  least  things,  and  of  lying  in  any  case.  The  sad  way 
some  are  brought  up  in  those  points,  leave  them  without  any  con- 
science of  common  honesty  or  truth. 

And  mind  that  *'  precept  must  be  upon  precept,  precept  upon 
precept,  line  upon  line,  line  upon  line,  here  a  little  and  there  a 
little,"  Is.  xxviii.  10. 

And  be  not  discouraged  though  ye  see  not  the  fruit.  The  fruit 
may  come  when  ye  are  in  your  grave.  Mind  Manasseh's  conversion, 
when  his  godly  father  was  dead  and  gone. 

Now,  ye  young  folk,  and  young  ones,  for  whose  cause  so  much 
has  been  said,  I  will  leave  this  text,  with  three  words  to  you,  and  a 
great  offer. 

1.  Christ  and  the  devil  is  striving  about  you.  Christ  is  striving 
for  you  by  his  ministers,  your  parents,  and  masters,  that  show  a 
concern  for  your  soul,  and  by  your  own  consciences.  The  devil  is 
striving  to  hold  you,  by  his  temptations,  a  vain  and  wicked  world, 
aud  your  own  lusts.  But  the  devil  is  a  murderer,  the  world  is  false 
and  your  lusts  are  deceitful,  which  ye  will  find  if  ye  trust  in  them. 

2  Ye  are  between  the  losing  and  the  winning  now.  If  Christ 
get  you  when  ye  are  young,  ye  will  serve  him  with  life  and  spirit : 
if  tlie  devil  prevail,  the  older  ye  grow,  ye  will  go  the  farther  from 
God.     For  youth  goes  with  a  great  swing  right  or  wrong. 


632  THE  TRUE  WAY  OF  PROPAGATING  RELIGION. 

3,  Eternity  is  at  stake  with  you ;  eternal  well  or  eternal  woe,  ac- 
cording to  the  side  ye  shall  choose. 

I  oflFer  Christ  to  you,  and  declare  that  he  is  willing  to  be  yours, 
and  make  you  happy  for  ever,  and  be  a  rest  to  your  hearts  :  Matth. 
xxii.  4.  "  Tell  them  which  are  bidden,  Behold,  1  have  prepared  ray 
dinner :  ray  oxen  and  my  fatlings  are  killed,  and  all  things  are 
ready  :  come  unto  the  marriage.  Prov.  viii.  17-  "  I  love  them  that 
love  me,  and  those  that  seek  me  early  shall  find  me."  Remember 
this,  and  say,  Amen. 


END  OF  VOLUME  FIFTH. 


PRINTED    BY 

GEORGE  AND  ROBERT  KING, 

2H,  ST.  NICHOLAS  STREET,  ABERDEEN. 


Pnncelon  Theological  Seminary-Spf( 


1    1012  01147  4741 


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